Diseases that can occur when you don’t exercise

Topics

• Diseases that can occur when you don’t exercise
• Natural Remedies To Help You Sleep

_______________________________________________

Diseases that can occur when you don’t exercise

Written by Bukola Adebayo -  Punch, Nigeria.

Exercise, as simple as it sounds, is one activity that many people avoid. It is a cheap fact to say that people are not exercising as much as they should these days.

Many people find it difficult to walk to the market in their neighbourhood not to talk of going to a gym.

They categorise any walk that will take more than 20 minutes at a go as a stressful activity that they need not engage in.

However, for a family physician, Dr. Femi Omolola, the world is battling with three killer diseases because people do not exercise any more.

Type 2 diabetes

Studies show that the cases of Type 2 diabetes have skyrocketed due to sedentary living, especially in the last two decades. Type 2 diabetes is now a global problem. The non-communicable disease, hitherto associated with those above 50 years of age, is now rampant among young people due to what experts term obesity occasioned by lack of exercise.

Citing research date, another family health physician, Dr. Segun Agbaje, states that seven per cent of type 2 diabetes cases have links with lack of activity.

Agbaje explains that people who do not exercise regularly are more likely to gain weight or become obese, a condition that is fuelling type 2diabetes.

“The only way you can maintain a healthy body weight is through exercise and by keeping fit. When you gain weight, you increase your risk for diseases that are associated with obesity.

“ Being overweight can predispose you to Type 2 diabetes in just five years. That is why children who are overweight may develop this condition before they are 30.”

You may have laid out plans to lose weight and keep fit this year, please take them seriously. Physicians say that the incidence of non-communicable diseases is increasing because more people are not exercising.

Nobody wants to die in his or her prime, not after working so hard. It may seem much, but keeping fit will add more years to your life.

Heart diseases

A Consultant Cardiologist, Dr. Segun Akinsanya, says that a major reason why one should exercise is the link between sedentary lifestyle and heart diseases.

For Akinsanya, lifestyle choices such as lack of exercise and obesity are factors that predispose people to high blood pressure, a condition that leads to cardiovascular diseases when there is poor management.

He states, “There are many health problems that may lead to heart disease, such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol and metabolic syndrome.

“You can prevent many of these conditions by exercising. The truth is that being sedentary is actually a risk factor for heart disease. When you run, jog or walk regularly, you exercise your cardiac muscles, increase blood circulation and strengthen the muscles.

“When you don’t, the opposite is the case. The heart gets weak and lazy.”

Cancer

There is evidence that physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of cancers of the colon and breast.

Omolola notes that exercise can prevent tumour formation by lowering hormone levels, particularly in premenopausal women; lowering levels of insulin.

He says, “Exercise reduces body fat and gets rid of hormones that develop from stored fat that cause tumour development. Physical activity has also been found to alter a number of inflammatory and immune factors that cause breast and many forms of cancer.”

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that adults “engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes on five or more days of the week,” or engage in vigorous-intensity physical activity for at least 20 minutes on three or more days of the week to reduce their risk for various forms of cancer.

However, you do not have to register at a gym before you keep fit. Experts say that simple activities around your home can help you get back in shape. Here are a few lifestyle choices you can incorporate to get more active.

Walk more

When it comes to staying active without the gym, walking is one of the easiest, most convenient activities you can do. To burn calories, all you have to do is to walk faster and devote more time to each walk. For the most benefit, use a pedometer to keep track of how much you are walking, and slowly work up to 10,000 steps a day.

“Walking more does have added value, especially when you walk briskly for a longer duration, up hills, or use your arms for more than just a comfortable gait and swing them with your body,” says Debra Gray, a fitness expert and model in Omaha, Neb.

“It might not just be more that is better, but the intensity and variety of your walking.” If you cannot walk outside where you live, try indoor exercise at a nearby mall, or use a step-exercise video at home.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Natural Remedies To Help You Sleep
~TheGuardian, Nigeria.

Bed time rest is very important in our lives for our body to function well, that's why it is called "beauty sleep". Sometimes you feel so tired but find it hard to sleep, which can make you weak and inactive through out the day.National Sleep Foundation recommends getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night. If you have trouble(s) sleeping, here are some natural remedies to help you:


1.If you've suffered anxiety, headaches, muscle or joint pain, you might already be familiar with Wild Lettuce. It's also effective at calming restlessness and reducing anxiety and may even quellrestless legs syndrome.


2.Beer fans will no doubt be familiar with the calming effect of Hops, the female flowers used in beer making. For sleep purposes, though, this extract has been widely used as a mild sedative for anxiety and insomnia.


3.According to a study inThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating easily digested carbs (such as cereal, rice, potatoes or white bread) four hours before bedtime led people to fall asleep faster.


4.Lavender is the trick here, as studies have proven that it aids in sleep. It's also a cheap, nontoxic way to slip into a peaceful slumber. Find a spray with real lavender and spritz it on your pillow before bedtime. Or buy a lavender-filled pillow.


5.A cup of cherry juice is a tasty way to drift off to sleep as well as a natural sleep aid. Tart cherry juice is also a natural sleep aid filled with tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that converts to serotonin, which then converts to melatonin. Melatonin helps maintain our sleep and wake cycle by causing drowsiness and lowers body temperature, working with the central nervous system to sync our biological clock.


6.Magnesium and calcium are both sleep boosters, and when taken together, they become even more effective.Bananas contain tryptophan, and potassium and magnesium as well, which are muscle relaxants. Have one half-an-hour before bed every night and up your magnesium levels while simultaneously relaxing your muscles.


7.Valerian is a hardy plant whose roots are used in a number of ways as a sedative and sleep aid. It is thought to work by increasing the amount of GABA (gamma aminobutryic acid) which helps regulate the action of nerve cells and has a calming effect.