Exercise is medicine, the same way food is medicine, says a professor of exercise physiology at Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State, Oluwole Akeredolu.
The donation adds that exercising regularly and intentionally can solve several health problems.
The World Health Organization reports that one in four adults do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity around the world. He adds that regular physical activity, such as walking, cycling, driving, sports or active recreation, provides significant health benefits, indicating that people who are insufficiently active have a 20-30% risk of death. superior to those that are sufficiently active.
But exercise isn’t something that happens in a snap or when the mood calls for it. Several factors must be checked to determine the type of exercise to be done, the intensity, the time of day and the minutes to devote face-to-face, and the state of health of the individual.
Akeredolu advises that a medical examination be carried out at the start of exercise to check for health issues that need to be attended to.
The expert advises beginners to start gradually and determine the extent of the exercise and the time it would be done.
“When you start exercising, you have to think about a lot of things like, why am I exercising? Is it because I have a disease or because I want to make it my mode. normal life? There are a lot of exercises to do because the body is made up of many parts. There are exercises for the arm, the trunk, the leg, the neck, the head, it depends on what you want exercise,” says Akeredolu.
Also, a professor of physiotherapy at Bayero University, Kano, Kano State, Ganiyu Sokunbi, says that exercise is necessary to be in a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being.
Sokunbi adds, “For example, exercise is necessary to control weight, prevent certain health problems and diseases, improve mood, promote better sleep, boost your sex life, and many other health benefits. exercise. To be in perfect health, it is necessary to practice the exercises recommended by the WHO.
Below are some recommended daily physical activities.
While walking
Several statistics point to an overall increase in sedentary lifestyles. The long-term effects can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, among others.
Akeredolu advises, “No matter your age and status, walk around your house for an hour every day or take around 10,000 steps a day. If you can’t walk you can ride a bike, if you can’t ride a bike you can jog, move, run in place, do push-ups and jump.
The donation warns against sitting for long hours in the workplace. He advises individuals to take short walks around the office and use the stairs after sitting for a long time to avoid the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
“I know of some offices where they call such a health break for about 25-30 minutes. They have time for that and everyone would get up from their seats to walk around and go back to their seats. The music would play in the background and those who want to dance would. Sometimes in conferences, we also organize health breaks, small exercises like standing for a while, raising your hands, legs or stretching, it’s to avoid sitting too long, “he adds. .
He adds that this exercise would help the heart to be healthy.
Sokunbi also advises brisk walking, which involves walking faster than an individual’s normal steps.
Swimming
Using your whole body to move through water is a proper physical activity that helps build endurance, relieve stress, tone muscles, and build strength, among other things.
Akeredolu explains, “What happens when you swim is that you hold your breath underwater, it will help your heart and lungs. Using your arms and legs while swimming also helps strengthen them. People unskilled in the art of swimming are also advised to avoid diving into the pool without training or the presence of a trainer.
Reduce sitting time
Sokunbi says there was a need to reduce the time spent in sedentary positions such as sitting and lying down. He adds that such activities are contrary to perfect health.
“For those who cannot engage in daily moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes in a single attempt, they can break it down into five minutes a day and systematically incorporate it into their lifestyle while still achieving the same Eventually they can increase the time from five to 10, 15 minutes and then hit the daily recommendation of 30 minutes,” he says.
Ride a bike
A 2019 study suggests that cycling reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and improves cardiovascular fitness.
Cycling improves lower body function, strengthens leg muscles, builds muscular endurance, decreases stress levels, improves posture and coordination, and limits body fat levels, among others.
Sokunbi notes that there are two types of bikes, mobile ones seen on the streets and stationary ones that stay in one place while riding. He recommends cycling for at least 30 minutes regularly.
Conveyor belt
The treadmill is exercise equipment that helps you walk, jog or run at varying speeds. This provides a simple and effective aerobic workout and helps to stay in shape, burn calories and lose weight. Treadmill walking is recommended for 30 minutes a day.
Functioning
Sokunbi says running is vigorous-intensity exercise. It helps build strong bones, strengthen muscles, improve cardiovascular fitness and maintain a healthy weight. However, it is not recommended to run daily. This is because exercise is vigorous, and engaging in it continuously can lead to muscle soreness, stress, and prolonged fatigue.
Dancing
“If it becomes regular and part of his lifestyle, it helps to maintain a healthy state,” says Sokunbi.
A wellness blog states that dancing involves several movements such as skipping, hopping, shaking, dragging, and shimmy. However, it is an intense workout that burns calories and can increase your heart rate. Dancing helps boost mood and fitness levels.
There are several dance moves and exercises suitable for different ages and health conditions of people. This again reiterates the importance of knowing your health status.
It is advisable to start with aerobic dances such as ballet, jazz, and zumba, among others, since they are classified as low-impact and slow-paced workouts compared to others.
Resistance training
Sokunbi notes that resistance training helps build muscle strength in different parts of the body. It also helps improve concentration and cognitive function, reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms, and develop feelings of well-being. Squats, lunges, deadlifts, chin ups/pull ups, lat pulldown, bench press, and push ups are examples of resistance training.
Before the start of the exercises, warm-ups with light aerobic exercises are important. Also, since the goal is to stay healthy, the rush to reach a particular size should be non-existent.
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