Health and Exercise

I regularly find myself giving the advice "I think it would be beneficial if you increased the amount of exercise that you do!" Unfortuantely I have not been taking my own advice for several years now, so yesterday 1st October, the "International Day of the Older Person" I decided to do something about that, and went along for my first Pilates class with Deborah  Higgins. I went along to one of her classes in Prestwick, as I had done Pilates before, but would recommend that you have a one-to-one with her before joining in a class.

Why do I recommend Pilates? Well, my work as a McTimoney Chiropractor is all about aligning the spine, so that you can be the healthiest individual that you can be, as the "nerve highway", the spinal cord, is cleared of any blockages, traps or impingements that having a misaligned spine can bring, this results in the body becoming ill at ease with itself, or dis-ease. For the body to remain in alignment, the muscles need to be toned, especially in the region that we refer to as the "core". Core stabilty is important, and this is where Pilates comes in. But are there any other benefits to exercise?

A study published in the Lancet, (the peer reviewed publication of the medical profession) showed that just 15 minutes exercise a day had significant health benefits, and that it added 3 years to the average life. Researchers have studied the changes that occur in the body at the chemical level when you exercise, and noted that many metabolites change when you exercise. These changes alter the blood sugar level, helping to maintain a healthy weight and prevent  heart disease and diabetes, it can also lower oestrogen levels which has an effect on breast cancer. The MacMillan Cancer Support suggests that moderate exercise for two and a half hours a week,be part of the treatment plan for those diagnosed with cancer, but always one to preach prevention is better than cure (or at least it is better than the treament offered by the health care systems of today) I suggest you don't wait until you have the diagnosis, GET OUT THERE AND EXERCISE NOW!

So this morning "how do i feel?" Well a bit stiff and achy as I might have expected, but also positive about the step that I have taken to ward off the common complaints of being an Older Person (not that I consider to be one yet, but it is a label that has been applied to people of my age) "Wear and Tear consistent with age" is a common diagnosis that my clients have been given by the medical profession. I love it, because it means that I can truly demonstate the abilty of the McTimoney method of Chiropractic in returning them to better health!

If reading this has made you think that you would like to get out there and exercise more, then please discuss any health issues with the person that is providing the class. As you can see from the research that is being done, having a diagnosis of any kind should not be a reason not to exercise, but do so within your own limits. We should all take the responsibilty for our own health, get to know what our bodies can and cannot do, but you may be in for a surprise that yours can do more than you thought given some daily exercise.

As for me,I look forward to a long and happy working association with Deborah J Higgins Pilates. I shall be there again next Monday morning, and I am happy to say that there were no "Tena moments", (for me at least, I cannot speak for Deborah!: ))