Health is wealth – a series with the intent to help us build physical wealth while building physical fitness to ensure long life and prosperity. Health is wealth part 2.
First of all, physical fitness & exercise are one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve overall health. It directly contributes to the reduction of blood glucose levels and cuts the risk of cardiovascular disease. In our increasingly sedentary world, almost every essential task can be automated. Performing tasks online, from the driver’s seat, or with a phone call reduce our mobility. As a result, exercising and being physically fit can be a tough case to sell when creature comforts make life so easy.
A Key Component
Certainly, everyone should exercise. Yet surveys show that only 30% of the US adult population gets the recommended thirty minutes of daily physical activity. 25% of adults are not active at all.
Inactivity is thought to be one of the key reasons for the surge of type 2 diabetes in America. Inactivity and obesity promote insulin resistance. In fact, bed rest induced vascular dysfunction, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and increased blood pressure.1
I think in life, you should work on yourself until the day you die.
Serena Williams
Get Moving
The good news, it is never too late to get moving. Exercise is one of the easiest ways to start controlling the onset of disease. For people who are already candidates for serious diseases, physical fitness can improve the condition of some systems in the body. Exercise can increase the body’s insulin sensitivity, lower the risk of heart disease, and promote weight loss.
In 2003 and 2008 the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism published an issue regarding the lack of exercise and physical fitness. The results of their study found that the lack thereof were key factors behind obesity and other serious diseases like diabetes.2
For these reasons, it is extremely important for our community to stay healthy. Having a focus on being physically fit in order to avoid such illnesses.
Stats
It’s not news that Americans are dealing with an obesity epidemic. In contrast, the problem is particularly devastating for African-American women.
Four in five African-American women are obese or overweight, according to the U.S. Office of Minority Health. Carrying those excess pounds can spike the risk for several conditions including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke.3
- African American women have the highest rates of being overweight or obese compared to other groups in the U.S. About four out of five African American women are overweight or obese.
- In 2015, African Americans were 1.4 times as likely to be obese as non-Hispanic whites.
- African American women were 60 percent more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic white women.
- 2011-2014, African American girls were 50% more likely to be overweight than non-Hispanic white girls.
Getting Started with Physical Fitness
The first order of business with any exercise plan, especially if you are a “dyed-in-the-wool” couch potato. Consult with your health care provider, for exercise options that won’t inflate your health risks. For instance, weak heart health may prompt your doctor to perform a stress test. This would establish a safe level of exercise for you.
Certain complications of some diseases will also dictate what type of exercise program you can take on. Activities like weightlifting, jogging, or high-impact aerobics can possibly pose a high risk for people with arterial plaque buildup. It’s dangerous as it can obstruct or stop the flow of blood to major organs, such as the heart or brain. Left unchecked this can lead to a stroke, heart attack or possibly death.
Health experts also contend that patients with severe diabetic foot pain and swelling should avoid foot-intensive weight-bearing exercises. Instead opt for low-impact activities like swimming, long-distance walking, jogging, and step aerobics like Zumba.
Do physical ailments make exercise and physical fitness a challenge for you? Your provider may refer you to an exercise physiologist. This is a doctor who will design a fitness program for your specific needs to improve your health.
The bottom line is that physical fitness and exercise do not have to be a rigid set of activities. They should include a good mix of cardiovascular aerobics and weight training. Your exercise routine can be as simple as a brisk nightly neighborhood walk, walking the dog, or simply taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The important thing is that you keep moving. Every little bit helps a lot.
References
- Hamburg, Naomi M., et al. “Physical Inactivity Rapidly Induces Insulin Resistance and Microvascular Dysfunction in Healthy Volunteers.” Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 11 Oct. 2007, https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/atvbaha.107.153288.
- Bessesen, and Daniel H. “Update on Obesity.” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 1 June 2008, https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/93/6/2027/2598132.
- Whyy. “African American Women And The Obesity Epidemic.” Kaiser Health News, 28 July 2016, https://khn.org/news/african-american-obesity/.
