Exercise

Exercise – The 2nd Pillar of a Healthy Lifestyle

Exercise is the 2nd pillar of a healthy lifestyle. It not only helps strengthen the body but also helps delay ageing, maintain good mood, and prevent chronic lifestyle diseases including heart diseases, diabetes, certain cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Exercise is very important at each age group, but sadly as a person grows older, the level of exercise often drops and life becomes more sedentary. Based on the principle of “Use it or Lose it”, a prolonged sedentary lifestyle leads to disuse of muscles, bones, and joints. It also increases the risk of arthritis and obesity.

A sedentary lifestyle is frequently associated with poor eating habits, compounding the problem even further.

Not only regular exercise, but being active throughout the day is also known to reduce all-cause mortality.

Exercise should include all 4 components:

1. Cardiovascular exercise or aerobic exercise – walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, etc.
2. Strength training exercises – bodyweight exercises, free weights such as dumbbells and barbells, and gym equipment. These are also called resistance exercises and should be done at least 2 times a week.
3. Flexibility exercises – stretching, yoga, etc. These help improve range of motion at the joints and enhance overall exercise form and capacity.
4. Balance exercises – important for the elderly to prevent falls. These include exercises using a Bosu ball, yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong. Balance exercises should be practiced at least 3 times a week.

Current recommendations:

• Adults: At least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week.
• Children (5–17 years): At least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily, with vigorous activity on at least 3 days a week.

Considering the recommendations, we realize that most of us and our kids do not fulfill these requirements. It is important to follow an exercise schedule and be as active as possible throughout the day.