Exercise supports joints, mood, and longevity beyond only aesthetics.
I am sure you have heard the title before, and it really does fit the definition of a drug or other preparation for the treatment or prevention of disease.
Is it a guarantee? Of course not, there really are no guarantees in life.
But exercising is like putting on a seatbelt in a car, or life jacket in a boat. You may not need it and it still is not 100% effective against everything, but I know I would rather have these things than not.
For however long I have been in the industry and prior to it people have quite often worked out to look better. And hey, this is a very valid reason, and can be a fabulous motivator. It can be a quick burn, short term motivator.
So we need to look at exercise and movement from some other perspectives.
I am sure you have been sitting on the couch at some point and gone to get up and your back or hips have all sort of ceased up. And you think, ‘ah it’s just getting older.’ Welllll it may not be.
The Arthritis Foundation has done plenty of work in this area and has shown that regular activity stimulates the production of synovial fluid. Basically, this is lube for your joints, think of KY or WD-40, it prevents stiffness and improves mobility. Not to mention strengthening the muscles around the joints improves support and reduces stress on joint structures
All this means that you move, your joints lube up, you get stronger and well, getting up off the couch actually becomes easier.
A bit of movement and exercise can improve mood. We have all been for a walk at some point in our lives. In the bush, down to the shops, along the beach. And have you ever noticed that you felt better afterwards?
Sure you might think being on the beach will do that, but it is more than that. That movement boosts serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, three big players in regulating mood and wellbeing. And that isn’t even a long term thing, plenty of studies have been done to show that one session (and yes a walk counts here) can significantly improve mood. And we all know when we are in a better mood, not anxious and/or depressed that the world is clearer and a much more enjoyable place.
You can live longer. The benefits of exercise on heart health are widely recognised. We have been hearing for decades now about getting out and doing a bit to ward off heart disease and other lifestyle diseases. There has been so much work done in this area it is almost impossible to refute that even a small amount of exercise can help you not only live longer, but also to have a better of quality of life over that time.
Like I said earlier it isn’t a guarantee, but it does stack the odds in your favour to do some movement each day.
Go for a walk, a swim, lift some weights, jump in and do a CrossFit session at the box, do some gardening. Anything, just make sure you are doing it for a purpose that is long lasting, like living better for longer.
I am not saying that wanting to look better naked isn’t a valid goal or motivator, hey it is why I started moving all those years ago! I am suggesting that if that gets you started it is fabulous, but once the idea of the perfect body begins to wane or isn’t as strong of a pull anymore, then you need to look at what you can get out of exercising still.
And the three I touched on today can be fabulous motivators to either get you started or keep you going for the long run.
So what ‘medicine’ will you take today so that you might not have to take all the medicines in the future?