The real benefits of exercise

“Exercise is medicine”. We’ve all heard this phrase, but many of us don’t understand the extent of its meaning.

Medical breakthroughs have improved life expectancy statistics in the last few decades, but it seems that exercise may be the key to thriving in later life.

In a nutshell, the more you move, the better your health! What’s more is that if you suffer from chronic conditions, exercise can help ease the symptoms and lower the risk of other chronic conditions. 

In South Africa, there’s a double burden of diseases, with HIV and communicable diseases, including chronic ones. Research has shown that regular exercise can help manage and prevent many of these. 

How does exercise help with chronic conditions?

According to South African biokineticist David Fabricius, exercise helps to:

• Significantly improve overall health.
• Reduce the risk of heart disease by 40%.
• Lower the risk of stroke by 27%.
• Reduce the risk of high blood pressure by almost 50%.
• Reduce the risk of diabetes by almost 50%.
• Reduce mortality and the risk of recurrent breast cancer by almost 50%.
• Lower the risk of colon cancer by over 60%.
• Reduce hip fractures by 60%.
• Reduce the risk of developing of Alzheimer’s disease by one-third.
• Decrease depression as effectively as medications or behavioural therapy.

How does it work?

Heart health

Research has shown that regular exercise lowers blood pressure, makes your heart more efficient at pumping blood around your body and increasing your levels of good cholesterol. All this helps with heart processes and health.

Do: Running, jogging and biking to raise your heart rate. Include stretching and strength exercises with weights or resistance bands. Your heart is a muscle and these exercises will help strengthen it. 

Diabetes

Exercise helps regulate insulin, making it more effective in lowering your blood sugar level. 

Do: Aerobic exercises and strength training exercises. Dancing, brisk walking and swimming are good aerobic options. For strength training, lift weights or use your own body in exercises like squats, lunges and sit-ups. 

Asthma

Some exercises help improve the muscles you use for breathing, and can help control the frequency and severity of asthma symptoms.

Do: Low-impact exercises which will build and strengthen your breathing muscles like swimming, biking and walking. 

Arthritis

Reduce body pain, maintain muscle strength and lessen stiffness in your joints by exercising regularly. 

Do: Cycling and walking to help loosen stiff joints and build bone strength. 

Back pain

Regular low-impact aerobic exercises can increase strength and endurance in your back and improve muscle function. Abdominal and back exercises can also ease symptoms of back pain by strengthening the muscles along your spine.

Do: Aerobic exercises like walking and cycling, along with abdominal and back exercises like planking and crunches. 

Good to know:

• Talk to your doctor before starting any exercises and figure out which plan would work best for your condition.
• If you aren’t usually active, start with 10 to 15 minutes of light exercise and build your endurance.
• Exercise can help with certain conditions, but don’t stop your medication unless your doctor says so!
• Make simple changes like taking the stairs, parking further away and spending more time outdoors.