Maintaining Your Health on Mackinac
Regular Exercise Contributes to Healthy Lifestyle
By Yvan Silva, M.D.

There is no doubt that a proper diet, regular physical exercise, and a healthy lifestyle are ways to maximize the maintenance of good health. Of the triad, perhaps the most neglected is exercise. By far, too many people do not exercise at all, and for several reasons - the lack of motivation, lack of confidence, or difficulty in finding a suitable, practical plan.

Many folks either believe it is too late to start, or even too dangerous, or that the wear and tear will exacerbate the aches and pains they already suffer.

The reality is that the way to better health and to feeling better is a plan for regular exercise. The key is to exercise the body in a moderately strenuous way for about 30 minutes on most days of the week, daily would be desirable. If you cannot find a stretch of 30 minutes or longer to devote to the program, you can break it up into segments of 10 minutes or more. The results are significant and contribute to your overall health, weight, your sense of accomplishment and mood, and help you to live an independent life.

You do not have to be a former athlete to incorporate exercise into your life at any age. Many scientific studies indicate that simply walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes or more can improve the state of your health. Greater benefits can accrue from simple, muscle-strengthening exercises two or three times a week. If you do not exercise now, you can start gradually and increase the types and duration of moderately strenuous activity to the time desired daily. You can incorporate exercise into your program by taking a brisk 10-minute walk, climbing stairs if you are able to, walking the dog, walking instead of driving short distances on errands, or other activities that you are commonly committed to.

The focus of this type of plan is on aerobic conditioning. That is the important key component to any exercise plan designed to maximize the benefits. This means that the activity should be sustained for the period of time invested so that it increases the heart rate and breathing.

The type of activity should be such that it is at a moderately intense level that you feel yourself actually working or even sweating, yet you should be able to speak in complete sentences. About seven words in a sentence in one breath indicates that you are not overworking your heart and lungs.

There are numerous aerobic activities, such as brisk walking, swimming, bicycling, gardening, dancing, and many others. The common denominator should be to increase the working of the heart and lungs within the limits of tolerance. There are also several ways to exercise muscle groups to increase muscle strength and tone. They vary from lifting weights ranging from two to five pounds to work the arm muscles and upper body, to weight-lifting exercises designed to increase muscle strength in the torso, abdomen, and lower extremities. Weight lifting, it is important to emphasize, is very important as part of an exercise program. It improves muscle function and prevents or diminishes the gradual loss of muscle mass, a usual factor in aging. It also increases bone density and prevents osteoporosis, the common cause of fractures.

If you are going to start an exercise program or change to more active forms of physical activity, it is advisable to consult your doctor and discuss activities that are appropriate for your age and the state of your health. If you are going to join a club or take physical education group classes, you could seek the advice of an exercise specialist to help you design a program. It is not uncommon nowadays to find individuals who employ a professional exercise personal trainer, either singly or in groups, to conduct a program of regular exercise.

Physical exercise provides benefits for the whole body and most organ functions, as well as the mental state of well-being. There is the positive lowering effect on blood pressure, and in some cases preventing or reducing the need for blood pressure medications. It improves the regulation of blood sugar by using excess sugar and helping muscles convert sugar into energy. It also helps insulin work more efficiently by optimizing blood sugar levels.

Consuming energy by exercise helps caloric balance to maintain a healthy body weight, and when the goal is to lose weight and keep it off, an increase in the intensity and duration of the exercise is required.

The level of good cholesterol or high-density lipoprotein (LDL) often increases in the blood, working to protect against arterial damage; the reduction of triglycerides, the so-called pre-fat molecules, is also observed. Bone strength is enhanced and osteoporosis prevented best by a combination of aerobic and weightbearing types of exercise.

There is evidence that exercise may strengthen the immune system and improve circulation, as well as digestion, along with reduction in body fat; these factors play a role in preventing cancer, such as those of the colon, prostate, breast, and the endometrial lining of the uterus.

Exercise can help in reducing stress, improve mild or moderate depression, and relieve anxiety. There can be improvement in mood and mentality and sleep patterns. Often, the lack of energy is caused by inactivity and exercise. Even for those who believe they lack energy, there is the possibility that energy levels may be enhanced by exercise.

Here are some suggested guidelines for managing a program of fitness. Start slowly and gradually, building up to a total of 30 minutes a day. Activities can be broken up through the day, and they can be different.

Daily exercise is best. It is good to combine a range of activities to include all three types - aerobic, strengthening, and flexibility. No matter what exercise you choose, spend a few minutes gently stretching various muscle groups at the end of the routine.

Safety is very important. Comfortable, properly fitting footwear is important, as is appropriate clothing.

Avoid outdoor activities when it is excessively hot or cold.

Drink plenty of fluids to make up for the additional loss incurred during exercise.

Exercise should be a part of daily living. It helps to keep a record of activities as part of your health and fitness plan, especially during health checkups and visits with your doctor.

Dr. Silva is a professor of surgery at Wayne State University and a resident of Woodbluff on Mackinac Island.