Lower Your Health Risks with Exercise

By now, many people are well versed in the exercise advice prescribed by many experts: Get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. But does it go far enough? You may be able to further reduce your risk for some chronic illnesses by expanding on this workout schedule.

HEART DISEASE
In one study, runners who averaged more than 40 miles a week had a 30 percent lower risk of heart disease than those who ran less than 10 miles a week. However, there is a limit to how much you can exercise for heart health. Some experts place it at 60 minutes of vigorous activity a day. If you are at high risk for heart disease, check with your doctor before starting a vigorous program.

OSTEOPOROSIS
To decrease your risk of osteoporosis, choose weight-bearing activities, such as brisk walking and aerobics. High-impact exercises, such as jogging or jumping rope, may promote bone growth, but be careful not to overdo it. Also, adding some strength-training and flexibility exercises to your routine can help decrease your risk of falls and fractures. Some of these exercises may be too risky for people whose bones have begun to thin, so check with your physician before beginning an exercise regimen.

Arthur P. Vasen, M.D., Ph.D., an orthopedic surgeon affiliated with Ocean Medical Center, uses astronauts as an example to his patients dealing with osteoporosis. Dr. Vasen states, “One of the major physical effects that astronauts suffer from spending prolonged time in space is losing bone mass, because if you don’t put weight on the bones, they thin out. This is why astronauts are carried from the shuttle after a flight — because they could literally break their bones, which have become brittle. The bones respond, thicken, and get stronger when you use them. Basically, if you don’t use it, you lose it.”

OSTEOARTHRITIS
High-impact exercises, such as running, may increase the risk of osteoarthritis. “If you have osteoarthritis, exercising can be a painful experience, which is why people often avoid it,” says Dr. Vasen. “The problem with this is that the lack of exercise weakens the muscles around the bones and makes exercising even more challenging. As a possible solution I suggest low impact exercises to my patients, which include swimming instead of running, or riding a stationary bicycle instead of high-impact aerobics.”

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STAY SAFE WHEN EXERCISING OUTDOORS
Do you like to keep fit with a morning jog or a brisk walk after dinner? These simple self-defense tactics can keep you safe when you’re out exercising:

• Take a dog along or exercise with someone.
• Know the location of hospitals, police or fire stations, and public phones.
• Vary your exercise route. Write down or tell family and friends your route that day, when you’re going out, and when you’ll be back.
• Keep jewelry and your headset at home, but take along a loud whistle.
• Stay alert and aware of your surroundings. Regularly scan the area from side to side.

If you don’t feel comfortable exercising outdoors, look for some indoor alternatives. For example, a local school may allow public recreation.