Ways regular physical activity benefits your health

Experts have said physical activity holds a lot of benefits in keeping one healthy, as well as helping recovery from a lot of illnesses.

They said a sedentary lifestyle, that is living without physical activity, on the other hand, has a negative impact on health and wellbeing.

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) said regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and manage non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and several cancers.

WHO said it also helps prevent hypertension, maintain healthy body weight and can improve mental health, quality of life and well-being,

“Physical activity refers to all movement including during leisure time, for transport to get to and from places, or as part of a person’s work. Both moderate – and vigorous-intensity, physical activity improves health”, it said.

The organisation said popular ways to be active include walking, cycling, wheeling, sports, and active recreation and play, and that it could be done at any level of skill and for enjoyment by everyone.

According to a physiotherapist, Oluwatobi Adesokan, exercise is a physical activity that is planned, structured and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning the body.

He said the various ways of doing the physical activity are:

–    Thirty minutes brisk walk five times a week

–    Cycling with a stationary bike

–    Lightweight lifting and swimming

–    Cycling if no knee pain or arthritis, tennis, yoga and theraband exercises.

Adesokan, who is also the medical director of Menthand Physiotherapy and Wellness Clinic, Abuja, said for diabetic patients – especially type two diabetes – exercise lowers blood glucose levels and boosts their body’s sensitivity to insulin, countering insulin resistance.

He said, “it also reduces body fat, improves circulation and lowers risk for heart diseases, helps maintain good cholesterol level, builds strong bone, lowers blood pressure, and helps with good sleep and stress management.

“The impacts of physical activity to a patient with diabetes, most especially when they have wound in parts of their body, also includes reducing blood sugar by aiding quick healing, improves blood circulation and reduces inflammation.”

The physiotherapist advised people to take physical activity as part of their daily life activities as it costs them nothing especially walking, dancing and some other mentioned indoor exercises. “Have a lifestyle modification, and consult your dietician if you are obese,” he said.

Narrating how exercise helped him manage diabetes, Haruna, who gave only his first name, said he noticed considerable change in his symptoms compared with when he was not doing regular physical activities.

He said, “It has helped with the management of my sugar level, and makes me fit and manage the disease well.”

Bridget Yakubu, 60, who suffered from back pain, said regular physical activity greatly helped in her recovery, and in overcoming the condition and other associated ailments that came with it.

WHO said countries and communities must take action to provide everyone with more opportunities to be active.

It recommended that children under five years, be physically active several times a day in a variety of ways, particularly through interactive floor-based play.

The organisation said adults 65 years and above, as part of their weekly physical activity, should do varied multicomponent physical activity that emphasizes functional balance and strength training at moderate or greater intensity, on three or more days a week, to enhance functional capacity and to prevent falls.a