Fit and Well

CEBU, Philippines — Today’s generation places good value on fitness. Going to the gym has become a necessary part of the lifestyle of many people, especially in urban centers. Sweating out is a fad.

Sadly, though, people do it mostly as a means for attaining nice outward looks. That’s when the whole effort goes askew. Fitness becomes an end in itself, leaving out the more essential benefit – wellness.

Okay, urbanites really need to sweat out. They are normally sedentary. Their jobs hardly make them sweat; either they are sitting at a desk the whole time or they work in air-conditioned offices, or both.

And they move about on cars and other motorized vehicles. Most city buildings have elevators, where climbing a flight of stairs would have been good physical exercise. In homes, many of the traditional manual chores are now done by electric tools.

People’s everyday physical activity has since reduced significantly. And people think it’s a good thing to have machines do things for them. Well, yes – but to a point.

Physical activity and exerciseare also a good thing for people. It can improve their health and reduce the risk of developing diseases. Even machines that don’t run often sooncorrode.

Lack of exercise has been found to increase the risk of certain diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, physical activity and exercise can have immediate and long-term health benefits. Most importantly, regular activity can improve one’s quality of life.

A minimum of 30 minutes a day can bring significant benefits. Regular physical activity and exercise can also help to manage bodyweight, lower blood cholesterol level, lower blood pressure, promote stronger bones, muscles and joints and lower the risk of osteoporosis, lower the risk of falls, recover better from period of hospitalization or bed rest, feel better – with more energy, a better mood, feeling more relaxed and making for better sleep.

A number of studies have also found that exercise helps depression. Exercise may block negative thoughts or distract people from daily worries. Exercising with others provides an opportunity for increased social contact. Exercise may also change the levels of chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, endorphins and stress hormones.

It’s good to do certain tasks by hand, the good old traditional way. Physical activity that gets something done, at the same time, is best. If there’s no way to get around to that, perhaps a regular fraction of time can be devoted to physical exercise; say, 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. Those that currently do no physical activity may start by doing some, and gradually build up to the recommended amount. The important thing is to be active on most – preferably all – days of the week.

The musclescan be developed or strengthened by doing house chores.Taking the garbage out.Rearranging the furniture.Doing gardening. There are many things to do around the house that allows for lifting some weights.

The website www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au puts it all succinctly:

• Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.

• See everyday activities as a good opportunity to be active.

• Try to find the time for some regular, vigorous exercise for extra health and fitness benefits.

• Minimize the amount of time spent in prolonged sitting and break up long periods of sitting as often as possible.

For a person older than 40, it is advisable to consult a physician before starting an exercise or workout program.