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Exercise provides the most
health improvement benefits
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January 20, 2006
From: January 16, 2006 issue of U.S.
News & World Report, page 65
ST LOUIS (MD Consult) - Exercise has
been shown to provide the most health
improvement benefits, according to "No
better health bargain" in the January 16
U.S. News & World Report.
Exercise not only preserves weight loss,
it also enhances the efficiency of the
heart, increases blood flow to the lungs
and muscles and keeps arteries supple
and elastic. Exercise reduces blood
pressure and cholesterol and improves
blood sugar and blood flow to the brain,
reducing the risk of dementia and
stroke. Exercise also prevents some
cancers.
Yet more people are willing to endure a
restrictive diet than commit to a daily
exercise regimen. A report last month by
the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention shows that less than half of
the U.S. population engages in the
minimum recommended level of physical
activity of 30 minutes of moderate
exercise most or all days of the week.
Plus, 15.6% are inactive, reporting 10
minutes or less of activity each day.
Harvey Simon, associate professor of
medicine at Harvard Medical School,
believes many people have a difficult
time exercising because of the way
society has defined exercise. Most
believe that without pain, there is no
gain, he said.
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"The aerobics revolution
inspired the few, but
discouraged the many."
-- Harvey Simon,
associate professor of
medicine at Harvard
Medical School
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"The aerobics revolution inspired the
few, but discouraged the many," Simon
said. "And I said thousands of times
that to get benefits from exercise it
had to be aerobic. But I was wrong."
Simon's new book, "The No Sweat Exercise
Plan" (McGraw-Hill 2006), urges looking
at exercise based on acquiring
cardiometabolic points.
"Cardiometabolic exercise is anything
that moves your body," he said.
Simon suggests people aim to accumulate
about 150 cardiometabolic points a day,
roughly equal to a brisk, 30-minute
walk.
"Walking is the poster child for the No
Sweat plan," Simon said.
His book also lists point values for
every activity from archery to yoga.
"Raking leaves, housecleaning—every bit
of exercise counts," he said.
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