Helping our patients attain good health holistically consists of diagnosing and treating their organic diseases, assisting them in achieving a healthy mental and emotional state as well as providing education on the fundamentals of a balanced diet, sleep hygiene, supportive relationships and exercise.
With over 65% of Australians recognised as being either obese or overweight, promoting and detailing a practical exercise plan should be one of our key health objectives for patients coupled with healthy eating. Often a busy schedule, poor health and both a lack of confidence and motivation can make exercise challenging for our patients. Generally, the biggest barrier to establishing the important habit of exercise is a mental one. Whatever our patients’ age or level of fitness there are many steps we may lead patients along to make exercise less intimidating and painful and more fun and instinctive. We have to help our patients’ overcome excuses couched in terms such as ‘I hate exercising’, ‘I'm too busy’,’ I'm too tired’, ‘I'm too old’ or ‘I'm too fat’, ‘my health isn't good enough’, or ‘exercise is too painful and difficult and I'm just not athletic’.
Whilst going for a walk at any pace is better than sitting on the couch, the current recommendation for most adults is to exercise for at least 150 minutes at moderate activity per week and this may be achieved in many ways such as exercising for 30 minutes five times a week.
Thinking about intensity of exercise, low intensity activity is where one can easily talk in full sentences or sing during exercise, at moderate intensity one can speak in full sentences but not sing. At vigorous intensity exercise one is too breathless to even speak in full sentences.
It's important to recommend that patients start small with realistic chunks of time dedicated to exercise before slowly building momentum and a healthy habit. Personal trainers, exercise physiologists and exercise apps may all provide specialist assistance as well as further motivation whilst injecting fun and confidence into a routine. Group exercises can also be inspiring and hold individuals accountable to a routine exercise program. It is important to remember that whilst health gains from exercise provides excellent positive feedback to patients, as clinicians encouraging words and interval health checks including measurement of fitness parameters such as pulse and blood pressure as well as lipid profile can be immeasurably helpful in building a patient’s esteem.
In this podcast we hold a conversation with a brilliant man, a podcaster, philanthropist, Myo therapist, athletics trainer for some of our future star athletes who is also blind and managing director of Blind magic Communication. Murray Stewart hails from Australia’s’ deep heart and discusses in this podcast his approach to exercise and how he’s managed to motivate many of our young Australians of whom a significant number are indigenous on the athletics track of our own Alice Springs located in the deep red centre of Australia. Please welcome him to the Podcast.
References:
Murray Stewart: Bridgeovermurray@bigpond.com
www.healthline.com
