A suppressed healthcare system?

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I came across commentary surrounding the topic I want to discuss today…

Because it suggests a giant GAP in our healthcare system.

See, when docs FAIL to address this HUGE contributing health factor …

Conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and more are sure to skyrocket.

Start talking

Doctors are trained to discuss sensitive topics… yet FAIL to address a major lifestyle prescription that fosters health and longevity.

Not to mention, much of conventional medicine is based around treating a condition or symptoms after it presents. When here again, a simple lifestyle prescription could build better health—ultimately preventing, even reversing, such ailments.

I’m talking about exercise—or, on the flip side, inactivity. It’s not a taboo topic, yet many docs treat it as such.

According to a 2015 study, over 50 percent of physicians trained in the U.S. do NOT receive any formal education surrounding the benefits of exercise. In addition, some might avoid having these conversations as to not offend a patient.

But—hello! There are reams of research proving the clinical benefits of exercise. So, I’d say it’s high time ALL healthcare providers start talking about it, as only 28 percent of Americans meet physical activity guidelines.

Plus, it seems many patients would like to be more active, but may not know where to start. That’s where advice from their doctor could really prove beneficial.

Get up and go

Look, I wasn’t trained in “exercise prescriptions” either. But that doesn’t make me want to avoid the topic. Instead, I stay current on the literature and work with my patients to decide what might be best for them.

(Think about it… who benefits from there being no official medical school curriculum on nutrition and exercise? You guessed it. Corporate America!)

And let me just clarify… the terms “exercise” and “physical activity” are interchangeable. Both simply refer to moving your body and overcoming sedentary behavior. Neither are meant to make you feel judged or down about yourself.

Many people have monitoring devices easily accessible to them—most commonly, your smartphone. But you can also get smart watches, a Fitbit, and more, so you get a better idea of just how much, or how little, you move your body.

And of course, I try to emphasize an individualized approach here—just do what you can do.

Focus on what ails you, whether the goal is decreasing pain, increasing energy, reducing medication usage, minimizing fall risk, improving sleep, losing weight… it really doesn’t matter, exercise can help. The only key is consistency.

Find something you enjoy doing—and do it every day. Because the most important thing to keep in mind is that finding the time and having the health to do so is a privilege.

Let’s stop looking at exercise (physical activity) as a burden… especially when it PROMOTES better health and longevity!

In fact, let’s start moving our bodies together. Click here to check out my very own exercise routine—no gym membership or expensive equipment required!

Source:

“Exercise: It’s what the doctor ordered.” CNN Health, 11/8/2016. (cnn.com/2016/11/08/health/prescribing-exercise-as-medicine/index.html)