Exercise And Killer Diseases
Is Exercise The Key To Preventing Killer Diseases And Conditions? By Kristoph Thompson
High Blood Pressure
What is it?
High blood pressure is also known as hypertension. It is a significant problem as it increases the risk of stroke ten fold and contributes to 75% of heart attacks.
What causes it?
Blood pressure tends to rise as we get older, as the arteries of the body become less elastic. Other factors including smoking, alcohol, high caffeine intake, stress and being overweight also contribute to developing hypertension.
Can it be prevented?
Changes in lifestyle can reduce the risk and the effect of the condition, stopping smoking, trying to reduce stress levels and cutting out caffeine and alcohol will all be beneficial.
Exercise will be beneficial by helping with weight loss; a risk factor in its own right, but also in maintaining the elasticity of the arteries. Those who exercise regularly have a lower resting blood pressure than those who do not showing that exercise plays a role in the prevention of high blood pressure. Exercise can be used in the treatment of those with high blood pressure; studies have shown that moderate exercise can reduce blood pressure amongst those with mild hypertension
Heart Disease
What is it?
Heart disease relates to many conditions affecting the function of the heart itself, it’s valves, or its blood vessels. Coronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease. It occurs when the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle are narrowed or blocked. This can lead to angina or heart attack.
What causes it?
Heart disease currently affects around 2 million people in the UK and kills more than 110,000 each year. Risk factors include a sedentary lifestyle, a nutritionally poor diet, smoking, and stress. The incidence of heart disease is highest amongst those who are obese (currently 23% of the population), obesity rates have tripled in the last twenty years and last year accounted for 30,000 deaths.
Can it be prevented?
Regular physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease (CHD). Physically inactive people have double the risk of CHD of those who are active on a regular basis. Exercise is key in the prevention of heart disease. It can help with weight loss, taking strain off the heart, and will help to make the heart stronger and more effective at pumping blood around the body.
Aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderate physical acitivity 3 times a week to help prevent and reduce the effects of heart disease.
Diabetes
What is it?
A disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is necessary to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy. As a result, the body is not able to regulate the levels of sugar in the blood. If the body doesn't make enough insulin to keep your blood sugar controlled, this is called Type I diabetes. In overweight individuals, diabetes is often caused by insulin resistance, where insulin levels may be elevated, but the body's tissues are resistant to its effects, this is called Type II diabetes.
Diabetes sufferers are at increased risk from heart disease, weakened immunity, blindness, and permanent nerve damage in the hands and feet.
What causes it?
Diabetes currently affects 1.3 million people in the UK and the number is rising each year. The main concern is the number of people diagnosed with type 2 or adult onset diabetes, this number is rising each year and is closely linked to the rising obesity epidemic.
Can it be prevented?
Prevention of diabetes involves dietary modifications including cutting out sugars and refined carbohydrates. While exercise can help with weight loss it can also help to increase the body’s insulin sensitivity, a major cause of type 2 diabetes.
Stroke
What is is?
A stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is suddenly interrupted by an obstruction (ischemic stroke) or by haemorrhage, which occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, spilling blood into the spaces surrounding the brain cells (hemorrhagic stroke).
What causes it?
Each year 110,000 people in England and Wales have their first stroke, and 30,000 people go on to have further strokes. A stroke can leave you unable to care for yourself for a short time while you recover your independence or for an extended period of time where you will need intensive care and rehabilitation.
Can it be prevented?
The root of the problem is behaviour – certain risk factors may contribute to a person’s chances of having a stroke. Individuals who have more than one risk factor have an even higher likelihood of experiencing a stroke. Key risk factors are physical inactivity or lack of exercise, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes and as we now know, exercise is important in reducing the risk of contracting each of these conditions.
The International Stroke Foundation recommends that you take more exercise. Walking the recommended 30-50 minutes at least three times a week is sufficient to reduce your risk of stroke.
Osteoporosis
What is it?
Osteoporosis is a condition affecting the density of the bones of the body. This is most common among post-menopausal women, and accounts for 14,000 deaths a year in the UK.
What causes it?
If calcium intake is not sufficient or if the body does not absorb enough calcium from the diet, bone production and bone tissue may suffer, resulting in brittle and fragile bones that can break easily.
The leading cause of osteoporosis is a lack of certain hormones, particularly oestrogen in women and androgen in men. Women are especially at risk after the menopause, during which oestrogen production decreases. Other factors that may contribute to bone loss in this age group include inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin D, lack of weight-bearing exercise, and other age-related changes in endocrine functions.
Can it be prevented?
One of the aims of osteoporosis prevention is to maximize peak bone density and slow the rate of bone reduction, which is achieved through physical activity and exercise. Two types of exercises are important for building and maintaining bone mass and density: weight-bearing and resistance exercises. Weight-bearing exercises are those in which your bones and muscles work against gravity. This is any exercise in which your feet and legs are bearing your weight. Jogging, walking, stair climbing, dancing and soccer are examples of weight-bearing exercise with different degrees of impact. Swimming and bicycling are not weight-bearing.
The second type of exercises are resistance exercises or activities that use muscular strength to improve muscle mass and strengthen bone. These activities include weight lifting, such as using free weights and weight machines found at gyms and health clubs.
In the case of osteoporosis, the recommended 30-50 minutes of aerobic activity three or more days of the week must be complimented with weight bearing activity such as resistance exercise. Exercises, such as squats or dead lifts, need not be performed in a gym but be careful to use correct technique and use minimal resistance to begin with. Aim to do 2 or 3 resistance training sessions a week consisting of 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions, focusing on exercises that place stress on the spine, such as squats to maximize bone density.
Copyright 2005 Kristoph Thompson. Kristoph graduated with a Masters Degree in Human Performance from the University of Houston, Texas in 1999 and is certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He spent two years in America training professional athletes, including the Houston Rockets Basketball Team and Houston Astros Baseball Team.
Kristoph now runs a successful personal training business in the UK, working with a variety of groups and individuals from professional footballers to those with disabilities, and most recently, Britain’s Strongest Man.
Visit his web site for more articles and information.
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