Column: Exercise is Medicine

My goal and passion as the fitness and wellness specialist for the City of Cape Girardeau is to help people improve their health and quality of life. Although we all have different goals and are at different stages in life, we still have the same end goal: To be able to enjoy the life we have, because let’s be honest, our time on Earth isn’t promised for tomorrow. To enjoy life to the fullest, we aim to not be limited by health restrictions. So, let’s move! I stand behind the popular quote, “Exercise is medicine.”

Physical activity is proven over and over to be a great treatment and prevention for many medical conditions and age-related functional decline. It is estimated that only approximately 21% of older Americans are engaging in regular physical activity at least five days a week for 30 minutes, which is the recommended amount of activity. That means four out of five adults are inactive and increasing their risk for chronic disease.

Physical activity is associated with improved mental health, delay in onset dementia and improved quality of life and wellbeing. The benefits of physical activity most definitely outweigh the risks that may be associated with physical activity. Exercise has also been shown to reduce falls when including balance activities into a movement routine.

Now that we know how important exercise and physical activity are, where do we begin? Walking is my favorite exercise of all time! First of all, it’s free, and who doesn’t love free? You can walk anywhere, no gym memberships required, no special equipment, just you and the ground below you.

If you are just beginning, start with a goal of walking to the mailbox and back a couple of times a day. The goal is to reach 30 minutes a day, five days a week. That can be overwhelming, so let’s start with three bouts of 10 minutes a day. Wake up and walk for 10 minutes, with breaks as needed. Around lunchtime, repeat that goal of 10 minutes. Then after dinner, repeat it one more time.

Those 10 minutes add up to some great benefits and are as beneficial as walking for 30 minutes at one time. Your body is happy with any activity, so always remember, something is better than nothing.

Now that you’re a walking pro, let’s add our strength training goals in. Resistance training can prevent and decrease loss of muscle mass as we age. As we focus on our muscle mass and strength, we aim to focus on our “ADLs,” or Activities of Daily Living.

My goal with my clients is to look at their daily lifestyle and see how we can make it easier. Do you have stairs in your house and are worried about carrying laundry up and down the steps? If so, that is our new goal! Balance, strength and endurance is the focus.

We should be adding our strength training at least two times a week, hitting all major muscles. You can use your body weight and start with 10 rounds of standing up and sitting down. Eventually, you can add in some light weights.

Or, join us at the Osage Centre for a fun class that walks you through a routine. Everything we do is centered around exercise — our favorite medicine!

Christine Jaegers is the fitness and wellness specialist with the City of Cape Girardeau. In the fitness and wellness world for more than 13 years, her passion for helping others live a healthier life only grows more and more as she continues to spread her roots.