A sense of urgency
I found an editorial that was a call to
arms for improving health in the population. Apparently, exercise as a
health intervention is generally for weight loss to combat obesity, diabetes,
heart disease, and other chronic conditions. However, there are other reasons
for exercising:
- Longer life.
- Improved thinking ability.
- Mood control.
There are even
benefits from exercise in treating mental illness.
The challenge is
getting people to exercise consistently. One recommendation is to promote the
social part of exercise through group programs.
The wellness
challenge, then, is "how to foster the engagement of consumers in exercise
programs and provide supports for maintaining lifestyle changes that include
exercise stands to improve the quality of their lives to the same or greater
extent as traditional treatment and rehabilitation interventions."
The Nordic Walking
Guy says it's hard to find more efficient forms of exercise than Nordic
walking. It involves the whole body in low impact activity where you can
customize the intensity level. It's also efficient in that it can be your only
activity or part of a varied exercise program. Give it a try.
