We have a miracle cure available to us, it can help with many health conditions, has no side effects and it is free! Why is this not making the news? To be honest, I don’t know. It sounds too good to be true but it isn’t. What is this miracle cure? It is exercise.
Professor Dame Sally Davis, former Chief Medical Officer for England, said: “If physical activity were a drug, we’d talk about it as a miracle cure.”
We immediately think of cures as being drugs manufactured by the big pharmaceutical companies. If they invented anything nearly as potent as exercise then they would be extremely rich. Imagine if there was a new drug on the market which could prevent or manage over 20 chronic diseases and conditions, with no side effects! This is how powerful exercise is.
Regular physical exercise can you reduce your risk of:
- all cause mortality by 30%
- cardiovascular disease by up to 35%
- type 2 diabetes by up to 40%
- colon cancer by 30%
- breast cancer by 20%
- depression by up to 30%
- hip fractures by up to 68%
- dementia by up to 30%
A miracle drug indeed! If exercise is so good then why do so many of us not do enough? Does any of the following sound familiar:.
“I’m waiting for a pill” … you’ll be waiting a long time!
“I don’t have the time” … if you don’t find the time now then sooner or later you will need to find the time for being ill.
“I just can’t get started, I’ve got no motivation” … a personal trainer, such as myself, can be just the thing to get you started and motivated, I’ve seen it work countless times.
“I don’t know how to start” … again, a personal trainer can make sure that you can get started in a safe and controlled way, and make it enjoyable!
“It’s too expensive” … if you have a pair of shoes then you have everything you need now to get started. No expensive bike or gym membership is needed.
My passion is helping people get fitter and healthier. It is most rewarding for me when I help people get started and see them realise it was much easier than they thought. And it is easy, nearly everyone can walk. The next step (pun intended!), is to walk a little bit more than you currently do. If you are in Taunton, then you have the river Tone and the Bridgwater and Taunton canal on your doorstep, and that is flat.
The Wellington Monument is a great place too. There is a lovely flat walk from the car park to the monument, rewarded with some great views. When you are ready there are more challenging walks from there.
My call to action for you this week is to do a bit more exercise, your body will thank you. Your future self will certainly thank you. Don’t wait for that miracle pill!