OPINION - Guest writer

Just do it!

Increase activity for better health

"My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 now, and we don't know where the hell she is."

I love this story from Ellen Degeneres. Maybe it's because I'm over 60, but it speaks to me with practical wisdom. It affirms that we Arkansans are never too old to increase our activity level, and we don't have to call it "exercise," and it doesn't have to seem like "exercise."

Recently my four little boys had an hour-long rehearsal for an ice-skating production of Oz. I circled the rink perimeter for almost an hour. I'm sure the other parents thought I was an exercise freak. I am not. I was trying to keep warm, and fortunately for me, my phone keeps track of my steps no matter what the purpose. Over 13,000 for that day! Okay, that day I was competing a little with one of the other doctors I work with on step count, but it was a cold rink on a cold day.

My wife and I occasionally get into a minor dispute over my inclination to look for the easiest place to park, even if it is in the back of the parking lot. I am now fortified with the ability to say, "But Ellen's grandmother would park here." Increasing activity does not mean finding a 45-minute block of time, putting on sweats, and pushing to the point of exhaustion. A minor chore like walking to the mailbox or putting out the trash can be increased activity, particularly if you add on an extra minute or two to briskly walk down the street to check out your neighbor's daffodils.

Ellen's story also affirms the multiple benefits of activity. The evidence is clear that increased activity as simple as brisk walking can improve both length of life and fitness; and fitness helps maintain independence. Most people my age won't live to be 97, but the probability increases with activity. I love the zinger at the end: Grandma is missing. She might be walking, she might be watching a Las Vegas show; but wherever she is, her ability to get there and enjoy it is enhanced by her fitness.

Enough about us old folks. Last year the medical journal Circulation looked at the impact of exercise on women who began exercising when they were young. Why? Because most studies had looked at the impact of exercise beginning in middle age. This 20-year study concluded that moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, helps lower the risk of heart disease for women who begin exercising as young women. And the study concluded that the total amount of activity was the key, regardless of whether or not there were regular 30- or 45-minute workout periods. In other words, if you do 20 different activities of 3 minutes' duration, your body benefits from a total of 60 minutes of activity.

The 2016 Circulation study also compared women with differing body weights. The study concluded that regardless of body weight, a positive benefit occurs because of increased activity even if weight does not change. People have lower risk of heart disease with a normal weight, but even for those overweight, exercise is of benefit.

I hope this conclusion becomes ingrained in all of us. Moderate exercise and increased activity can decrease the risk of coronary artery disease even in women who are overweight. There are a lot of good reasons for us to maintain normal body weight including prevention of diabetes and protection of joints. I don't know if Ellen's grandmother was overweight or not, but I do know that moderate exercise is good for her health even if she didn't lose weight doing it.

The American job of today is dramatically different than it was decades ago. One of the early medical studies that looked at the varying health impact of activity versus inactivity was done in the 1950s on trolley workers. The conclusion was new and disturbing at that time: The driver who stayed in the seat for almost the entire shift had more bad heart events than the conductor who was on his feet getting on and off the trolley at stops. Millions of jobs today reside in Cubicle-ville, that quiet, sedentary locale where nothing is seen but a computer screen, and nothing moves but a clicking mouse. Sedentary jobs can be incredibly productive and helpful for Arkansas and America, but they are unhealthy for the worker. Young women and men going into the job market today for the most part can look forward to several decades of job-related inactivity.

So here's my suggestion for busy people of all ages: Look for small opportunities and celebrate small victories. Watch for times at your work and home to add on a few minutes of increased activity and brisk exercise: a flight of stairs, a daily walk around the block, chasing a kid across the yard, a daily walk around your yard, parking in the back of parking lots. Regardless of your family situation, be a role model for children. If the neighbor's 5-year-old wants you to get up and play, do it.

Having something electronic that keeps track of your steps may be helpful. Encourage your workplace to become a healthy environment that enhances physical activity. Find a friend at work or in your neighborhood to walk with you, even for short amounts of time. Set realistic goals: If a month from now, you've become more active than you were last month, celebrate even if you're not keeping up with Ellen's grandmother.

And 20 years from now if you see me walking along a country road, please honk, wave, and drive on by.

------------v------------

Vic Snyder is the corporate medical director for external affairs at Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Editorial on 04/24/2017

Upcoming Events