The first issue of the Camp Clark Courier was officially released this month. It's a newsletter dedicated to informing the citizens of Camp Clark on the happening events around the FOB...with a touch of humor.
I made Camp Clark history with the first Ask the Doc column. The brief article is not quite as sophisticated as the New England Journal of Medicine, but at least it's fun out here. Check out the article below...
Question: What's the big deal about exercise?
As military service members, the often painful ritual of "PT" can be a bit of a love-hate relationship. We know it's good for us, but at the same time, our flawed human nature prefers the caloric bliss of Big Macs, chocolate shakes, and the feel of a remote control. But, have you really ever thought about the benefits of exercise? For starters, realize that 25% of adults do not engage in any leisure physical activity.
Based on a US survey of 6300 adults and children in 2004, 55% of waking hours were spent on sedentary behaviors. In other words, we Americans prefer to chill.
See if any of these facts motivate you: regular exercise decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease through it's beneficial effects on lipid profile (decreases bad cholesterol, increases good cholesterol), blood pressure (10-15 point reduction), and blood glucose control (prevention of diabetes). Regular exercise also decreases the risk of breast cancer and certain intestinal cancers. It's benefits on anxiety, stress reduction, and smoking cessation have also been proven.
So what's the right "dose" of exercise? Well, the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine recommends moderate intensity exercise (brisk walk, walking stairs, gardening, raking leaves, leisurely swim, washing cars) 30 minutes a day for a minimum of 5 days per week as a guideline.
There is no real consensus on the utility of achieving a certain percentage of your max heart rate (220 minus age). According to people much smarter than I, endpoints indicating an "adequate" degree of exercise include sweating, breathlessness, and fatigue...duh! Bottom line: hit the gym, start a garden, volunteer to clean HUMVEEs, just do something to break a reasonable sweat. Doctor's orders!
Based on a US survey of 6300 adults and children in 2004, 55% of waking hours were spent on sedentary behaviors. In other words, we Americans prefer to chill.
See if any of these facts motivate you: regular exercise decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease through it's beneficial effects on lipid profile (decreases bad cholesterol, increases good cholesterol), blood pressure (10-15 point reduction), and blood glucose control (prevention of diabetes). Regular exercise also decreases the risk of breast cancer and certain intestinal cancers. It's benefits on anxiety, stress reduction, and smoking cessation have also been proven.
So what's the right "dose" of exercise? Well, the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine recommends moderate intensity exercise (brisk walk, walking stairs, gardening, raking leaves, leisurely swim, washing cars) 30 minutes a day for a minimum of 5 days per week as a guideline.
There is no real consensus on the utility of achieving a certain percentage of your max heart rate (220 minus age). According to people much smarter than I, endpoints indicating an "adequate" degree of exercise include sweating, breathlessness, and fatigue...duh! Bottom line: hit the gym, start a garden, volunteer to clean HUMVEEs, just do something to break a reasonable sweat. Doctor's orders!
3 comments:
Wow...you're famous, Mike!
Nicely put. I like the cancer prevention line especially.
cool! it's your deployment version of Total Health - Live... on paper! ;)
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