Move it! Move it!

We’re often given conflicting news about what is best for our health.

Eggs are bad for you… eggs are good for you.
Cell phones give you brain cancer… or maybe not.
Too much sun is bad… but you need some to get Vitamin D.
Use sunscreen… but sunscreen might contain chemicals that could give you skin cancer.

And when it comes to supplements and medicines that ‘should’ improve health… the conflicting news is everywhere.

Calcium supplements should strengthen bones… but now a report suggests that excess calcium might increase the risk for heart attacks.

Some diabetes drugs lowered blood sugar beautifully… but then reports showed they increased the risk of heart disease.

And the big one for women:

For decades, women were told that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) would protect them from all kinds of problems associated with aging. Heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women, was near the top of the list.

Then, in 2002, a large study showed that HRT actually increased the risk for heart disease, strokes and breast cancer. – from The People’s Pharmacy

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Because good health is so vital and so personal, we should each take time to educate ourselves and to figure out what is best for our health.

Thankfully there one piece of health advice that is never contested!

Seriously, there is one piece of health advice that absolutely everyone* agrees on… from my grandmother to doctors to physical therapists to all the health experts, scientists. TV doctors and more.

And it is: our bodies are made for moving.

This was driven home to me after my injuries and during the years I struggled with depression. If you’ve a regularly reader, you know that running is part of my life now, but for a few years post-accident I didn’t want to exercise at all, not even walk more than necessary. (walking from the couch to the fridge and back was enough for me)

I was angry and depressed that I couldn’t run or bike like I did pre-accident, so I didn’t want to do anything. And I felt like I was justified to sit and do nothing the rest of my life.

Thankfully I had a tough-love doctor who blew that theory for me… he told me that since my body had been compromised with all the injuries, I needed to give it better care, not less care. To stay healthy to 100 or beyond, my body would need more exercise, not less.

That’s when I began doing what I can, with what I have, where I was.

For me, moving it meant walking. (trust me, you don’t want to see me dance)

Step-by-step… my body recovered better than I (or the doctors) ever thought it would. Walking increased the blood flow to my legs and feet which brought more healing. With time, I was able to walk with less pain and I’ve been back to running for about three years. I firmly believe that if we keep our bodies moving, it’s amazing what it does for our health… both physically and mentally.

You don’t have to run to be healthy… I happen to like it and it keeps me sane. Experts from Dan Buettner to the Mayo Clinic say walking is enough movement to help keep you healthy.

Because of the many benefits of walking, I walk to warmup and cool down before and after a run. I also take walking breaks during a run. No matter what pace I move, I’m still lapping everyone on the couch. I also try to park farther away from building entrances. And recently adding more steps to my days has been easier with my treadmill desk… nothing beats walking while working! (I’m walking as I write this)

Walk on!

There’s no debate that you will be doing the right thing for your body… and you might be amazed how many other health issues it takes care of.

Move it, move it!

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What can you do today to move it? Or to add a few more steps to your day?

 

(Ok, I didn’t actually talk to everyone in the world, but you get my drift)