Exercise: Disease Prevention and tips to include Daily exercise

Dr. Mike Evans is a family doctor who works for University of Toronto and St Michael’s Hospital. He also works for the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. This institute presents medical information in an understandable way via you tube. A few years ago, Dr. Evans decided to find the most important single thing that someone could do to improve their health and prevent disease. His answer? Exercise. He created a video called “23 and half hours”, in which, he asks you to be at rest only 23 and ½ hours a day. You can see this engaging video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo.

For many of our clients it is difficult to be active for even 30 minutes a day. And although we have to recognize the difficult pressures of work and family, these clients find it difficult to exercise due to pain and injury. So, although they know that exercise may help, they get in a cycle of exercising causing pain, forcing them to rest, which causes more pain…. It is a difficult cycle to be caught in, but there are strategies to break the pattern and get moving.
When starting to exercise, one of the most common mistakes is that people do too much too soon. Remember that any increase in activity will benefit you. This may be taking the stairs versus the elevator, parking at the back of the parking lot and walking to the mall, or even marching on the spot. Start with a level that is comfortable without increasing discomfort. As you continue to do this exercise, it will get easier and this is when you increase intensity. Gym memberships and community programs can be expensive, especially if you are dealing with the costs of chronic illness. Activity can be less expensive. Look into walking in your neighbourhood, or mall walking when the weather is poor. Finally, remember that every little bit helps. If you can only tolerate 5 to 10 minutes of exercise at a time, start there but do it a few times a day.

If you are uncertain where to start, seek out a physiotherapist to assist you. They are trained in exercise and particularly, exercise for people in pain or with illness and injury. Simple steps can be taken to get you moving again.