Happy Body, Happy Mind - Steps Toward Happiness with Exercise as Therapy
By guest contributor Gloria Park Perin
What if there was a pill that you could take every day to effectively prevent diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer? And what if the same pill would effectively reduce nearly every risk associated with all cause mortality? Would you take it? Would you urge your families and friends to take it?
These are questions Dr. Robert Sallis posed as I listened to him describe the new “Exercise is Medicine” initiative by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Medical Association (AMA). Amid fiery debate over escalating costs and declining accessibility to healthcare, this groundbreaking partnership intends to push exercise and physical activity into the forefront of the public healthcare management discourse and introduces them as an integral aspect of disease treatment and prevention.
What if this pill was also a powerful tool in warding off dementia, anxiety, and depression? What if it improved self-esteem, cognitive functioning, and boosted your mood?
Exercise is a low-cost, accessible, and self-directed activity, and the truth is, most of us know that exercise is both medicine and therapy. So why aren’t we doing more of it? We all hear the Surgeon General’s warnings about smoking, sedentary lifestyles, and the dangers of eating fast food, yet we still sit in front of our televisions watching incessant advertisements for the latest antidepressants, channel surfing with our greasy French-fried fingers, then wake up to a breakfast of Camel lights and coffee.
We need more than just information – we need motivation! Until an Exercise is Therapy initiative is developed, follow some of the simple tips in this blog series to get you on the path toward adopting a healthier and HAPPIER lifestyle, which begins like anything else: Just one step at a time.
*For more great tips, check out “Move Your Body: Tone Your Mood” by Dr. Kate F. Hays.
Sallis, R.E. (2009). Exercise is medicine and physicians need to prescribe it! British Journal of Sports Medicine, 43, 3-4.
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I think, by now, most people know that exercise is good for your mood, body, etc. People need fine-tuning of this information. How often, how long, what intensity of exercise… I’ve seen studies related to these issues. Great suggestions though.
Hi Alicja,
I agree 100%, but the problem with issuing blanket statements around exercise prescription is that how often, how long, what intensity varies greatly from person to person based on their current levels of physical fitness, health history, and other factors. I’m excited about the Exercise as Medicine initiative because I hope it will encourage safer, more collaborative practices around promoting physical activity.
The tips in this series focus on finding ways to enhance motivation and maintain a program of physical activity that is enjoyable and manageable. I would recommend everyone to seek the guidance of an exercise professional before beginning any program.
Thanks for your comments!
Best,
Gloria