I subscribe to a number of health and fitness newsletters to keep up with the latest information on maintaining good health. I have always been a big proponent of using exercise as a preventative method for many of the ailments people get as they age. I caution people that exercise is not necessarily a cure of a health problem with a few exceptions, such as obesity. This week there was an article in the ‘Consumer Reports On Health’ newsletter that emphasized the importance of exercise in preventing some health problems.
The first health problem mentioned was prediabetes. The article mentioned that it was only a small percentage that have prediabetic symptoms actually develop diabetes. The problem is that diabetes is a very prevalent disease and the number of people that have this disease seems to keep growing. The last paragraph listed a recommendation of, “opt for lifestyle changes.” The next sentence mentioned, “Increase your exercise and try to lose weight.” There was that word “exercise” again.
Listed in the health problems was prehypertension. This is in regards to a person’s blood pressure. For years the standard level was 140/90. Now the standard is 120/80 or below. Much over that and the blood pressure is listed at “elevated.” Reading the steps to help correct this health problem sounded familiar. Making lifestyle changes is the first step. This was followed by regular exercise, losing weight, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol. Diet changes with an emphasis on fruit, vegetables, and whole grains and less saturated fat and sodium (salt) was also mentioned.
