“Start today to reduce the risk of poor health for you, family and friends young and old. Making a conscious decision to take small steps (literally) today and consisntelty can have a great impact on your health and well-being- Start Today.”
Steven Berkman- Physiotherapist & Founder BOOST PHYSIO
The more active you are the, more likely it will be that you will enjoy improved well-being and health. Steven Berkman, owner of BOOST PHYSIO shares simple tips how you and your family can improve physical health and quality of life into later years.
Physical activity or exercise, when performed regularly, has been proven to prevent and help manage more than 20 chronic conditions. These include coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, mental health problems and musculoskeletal conditions. Sadly, you can’t bank the benefits of exercise from your youth. Ideally being active throughout your lifespan would give optimal health benefits, however research has shown that health gains achieved through physical activity can be attained at any time. So, it doesn’t matter when you start as long as you start!
“Everyday we help people who have become immobile and struggle with daily activities such as climbing stairs or walking. Taking simple steps today and consistently to be more mobile, more active and stronger will help you now and in the future” says Steven. Physical activity includes all forms of exercise, such as walking, cycling, dancing, gardening, sports, exercise classes, tennis, housework and gym.
Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for death. The latest research shows that a sedentary life is as great a risk factor as smoking and obesity, for heart disease risk. Sedentary behaviour is not simply a lack of activity but a cluster of individual behaviours where sitting or lying is the dominant mode of posture, and energy expenditure is very low.
Steven Berkman’s Top Tips For Improving Physical Health
- Start today with small steps.
- Walk and move more, use the car less.
- Do something you will enjoy. Do it consistently.
- Social activities done with others is brilliant: tennis, golf, football, bowls, table tennis, exercise classes etc…
- Swimming, pilates, yoga, tai chi are all very good for flexibility, strength and balance.
- Include activities that improve balance- can you balance on one leg for at least 15 seconds?
Inactivity was always associated as a cause of being overweight or obese, which in turn results in an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. However, the most current research has shown that even normal weight individuals that are inactive, are at risk of developing disease.
Regardless of your activity starting point, there are benefits to be gained for anyone who increases their activity levels. Individuals that follow recommended physical activity guidelines have shown a 39% reduced risk of dying from any disease. Chartered Physiotherapist, Steven Berkman advises that anything is better than nothing – even doing half the amount of the recommended weekly activity has shown a 20% lower risk of mortality.
Regular physical activity roughly halves your chance of developing some cancers, like bowel and breast cancer. Studies have shown that people who continued to exercise once diagnosed with cancer had significantly less cancer deaths and any-cause death than those who were inactive.
