In my first post on this topic, I talked about you becoming the CEO of your own health and that your health is in your hands. (find that post here)
Following my 10 pillars will help you take control of your health. The last two posts covered Eating Good Food, Drinking Water, Sleeping Well, and Getting Outside. In this post, I will continue with two more of my 10 pillars:
- Move Your Body
- Develop a Sense of Community
Move Your Body
Moving your body whether it’s at the gym, running, dancing, walking, playing sports, or even just doing household chores, is imperative for a long and healthy life.
The benefits of exercise are plentiful and include:
- Improves blood flow and oxygenation
- improves lymphatic fluid flow,
- Improves digestion and nutrient absorption
- Improves toxin elimination
- Releases endorphins which promote general well being
- Increases or maintains muscle mass
- Prevents cognitive decline
- Reduces visceral fat
Humans are designed to move. Our legs are designed for locomotion. Our arms are built to carry things, grip things, push and pull, but so many of us spend hours upon hours sitting every day. It is estimated that Americans are sedentary for more than 50% the waking day with this increasing to 60% for the over 60 set! And even more concerning is how sitting for hours a day has become normalized. We don’t even think about it when we sit in school, we sit at desks at work, we sit in cars, planes, trains, and buses, and we sit while binge watching TV or playing video games.
Sitting is the new smoking
This may seem like just a new catch phrase, but there are several studies indicating how detrimental inactivity is to our health. People who mostly sit at work have higher risks of all causes of death. The World Health Organization (WHO) cites inactivity as a leading risk factor in non-communicable diseases and death. In fact, sitting and inactivity are associated with:
- Obesity
- Type 2 diabetes
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased blood sugar
- Increased cholesterol
- Increased abdominal fat
- Increased risk of death from heart disease
- Increased risk of death from cancer
Physical activity is important for all age groups from babies through centenarians. The UK NHS advises parents to avoid having babies sit in carseats, highchairs, strollers, etc for more than an hour at a time. Adolescence is another time of potential inactivity with 81% of the world’s 11-17 year olds classified as inactive. Inactive means getting less than 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity each week. That’s only 22 minutes of movement each day – quite a low bar. What’s more is that one third of the world’s population is not meeting this low bar!
On the positive side, this is an easy risk factor to control. All you have to do is move your body for at least 30 minutes a day!
What exercise is best?
First of all, any physical activity is better than none. Aerobic exercise was all the rage for a long time and its benefits to the heart and lungs is undeniable, but recent studies have shown that resistance training is critical to longevity, prevents cognitive decline, and improves the quality of life especially as you age. Resistance training specifically helps to fight off muscle depletion that frequently comes with aging and allows the body to retain full functionality. Resistance training can be done with weights, resistance bands, or even your own body weight. Exercise also has the hidden benefit of improving digestion which increases nutrient absorption and toxin elimination.
A combination of aerobic and resistance training is likely best, but also there are significant health benefits from doing high intensity interval training (HIIT). Sprinting or doing some other fast, intense movement helps reduce visceral fat stores in the body – the unhealthy fat that accumulates in the abdomen and around organs.
A little shout out to my favorite form of training: calisthenics.
It is an excellent way to incorporate body weight resistance training into your life and can be done anywhere and can also be done as part of HIIT sequence. Push ups, pull ups, squats, lunges, etc. can be done just about anywhere with very little or no equipment. Calisthenics promotes functionality by strengthening muscles needed for daily life.
Sports and recreational activities are a great way to incorporate movement into your life.
Play sports with your kids, especially those adolescents. Kick a soccer ball, shoot hoops, play catch, or even play tag, four square, or kick the can with your kids. There are plenty of sports adults can easily take up. Adult recreational leagues in soccer, basketball, volleyball, and pickle ball abound in many communities.
Hiking and walking can be done by nearly everyone. Biking can be done alone or as a group activity and is a great form of transportation. Yoga is another great activity that not only gets you moving but includes breathwork and mindfulness, two health promoting aspects. In addition, sports and group activities like yoga and exercise classes have a community aspect to them which hits the next one of my 10 health pillars.
Note that there are clear benefits to moving your body every day and throughout the day rather than sitting all day and relegating movement to a few hours a week in the gym. The people in the Blue Zones don’t typically exercise, instead their lifestyle includes carrying heavy things, climbing hills, and just moving their bodies throughout the day. In our culture, this might not be feasible, but “exercise snacks” are a new concept that can incorporate a few minutes of movement into your day. Get up from your chair every hour and do 20 squats or take a brisk walk or do 10 push-ups to incorporate movement throughout your day. You can also opt to take the stairs, walk instead of driving, bike instead of driving, and other small options to increase movement in your life. Choose the exercise that works for you and just move your body. Your future self will thank you.
Develop a Sense of Community
This pillar is an interesting one and may seem a little different than the other tips. Although it is a bit nebulous and hard to define, a sense of community has been shown to benefit us in numerous ways including reducing disease and mortality.
Humans are inherently tribal in nature. We naturally tend to form families, groups, and communities. Human babies are dependent on adults for survival for a long time. They are born with small brains that continue to develop and grow into their twenties.
This alone creates a need for family groups. Historically, humans formed groups for the strength and safety in numbers, shared effort, and subsequent increased resources. We are hardwired for social connection with parts of our brains, collectively referred to as the social brain network, dedicated to social interactions, social networks, and relationships. One study showed that social craving after loneliness was similar to food craving after deprivation.
There is a synergistic effect of communities on people where the inputs of each amount to greater benefits for all. Being part of a community benefits us in some obvious, but also some surprising ways including:
- creates a sense of belonging
- promotes feelings of support
- instills emotional resilience
- creates a sense of accountability
- reduces isolation and loneliness
- promotes immune system function
- lowers blood pressure
- lowers cholesterol
- decreases risk of obesity
Studies indicate that loneliness can be as detrimental to health as smoking, obesity, and inactivity. It is a significant issue for elderly people and contributes to premature death. (Call or visit your grandmother!)
People who have more or deeper friendships have been shown to be happier, healthier, weather, and live longer.
Three of the nine pillars of the Blue Zones incorporate the concept of community. These include “belong”, “loved ones first”, and “right tribe”. A common part of Blue Zone cultures is incorporating multiple generations in family or community life. Having grandparents actively participate in the family has positive effects on both the seniors and the grandchildren.
Did you know that a sense of community is also an effective tool to combat addiction? When people feel supported and connected, they feel accountable and to make better choices. Social circles support healthy behaviors; you tend to be similar to the people you surround yourself with. If your friends are healthy, you will likely be healthy. When you feel better and feel like you are part of something, you make better choices. Better choices like getting more sleep, eating better, getting outside, etc. have positive effects on your health.
To improve your health and happiness, find your tribe.
Join a church, civic group, or even a book club. Volunteer at community events. Get to know your neighbors. Incorporate grandparents or a local senior citizen into your family life. Find a way to connect with others. Get your friends to walk or hike with you – then you can be in nature, move your body, and build social circles simultaneously!
In a nutshell…
These two pillars are prime examples of your health being in your hands. Who knew moving your body and being part of a group could have such significant positive impacts on your health and wellbeing? Your body was made to move. However our culture has become sedentary and sitting for long periods has become normalized. To break free of this mindset, become conscious of how much time you are sitting and make a pact with yourself to move more. You can simply try to increase your daily step count, take the stairs whenever possible, or exercise daily. You can interrupt your sitting time with exercise snacks. Find an activity you love and will stick with and make it part of your life. Remember movement is important for young and old alike, so get your kids running around and don’t coddle your grandparents.
Another easy wellness hack is to join a group or get involved in your community. You will get the psychological benefits of being part of something, but also incredible physical benefits that improve overall wellbeing and contribute to longevity. Isn’t it cool that your monthly book club is doing much more than stimulating your mind? We are social creatures who thrive in groups and communities. Find your tribe and be an active member. Joining a sports team, hiking club, running club, or a recreational activity group is an excellent way to incorporate both of these pillars in one – you move your body while interacting with others.
Your health is in your hands.
I hope you are inspired to move your bodies and be social. I would love to hear about any tips you have for moving your body or creating a sense of community. Stay tuned for the next of my health pillars in 10 Steps to Take Control of Your Health – Part Four.