A nation is only as strong as its citizens. If those citizens are not healthy, the entire health system is placed under significant strain, resulting in further limited access to the resources that are so vital for all. As South Africans begin to address some of the health concerns that have risen from the pandemic, Dr Adrian Rotunno shares how a simple change in movement can go a long way to easing the burden of preventable chronic lifestyle diseases.
Research suggests that cardiovascular disease causes more deaths in South Africa than all the cancers combined – a sobering statistic. Many reports show that diseases of the circulatory system account for nearly a fifth of all deaths in the country, followed by what is termed “diseases of lifestyle” including diabetes mellitus (high blood sugar), hypertension (high blood pressure), hypercholesterolaemia (high blood cholesterol), and obesity.
Our population is worryingly one of the most obese in the world and the related complications place great strain on our already under-resourced system.
As we are hopefully nearing the end of one pandemic, we need to realise that the world has been in a chronic lifestyle diseases pandemic long before Covid-19 was discovered. But fortunately there is no contagious spread of these conditions, making it more preventable. This is where changes to lifestyle play a critical role, and serve as the protective ‘vaccine’ to these co-morbidities.
There is no quick fix here. But there is a way to change behaviour that can go a long way toward reducing and preventing these conditions.
Role of exercise in preventing and helping offset certain diseases
Prevention is better than cure but what should we be doing as a nation to prevent the onset of many of these life threatening diseases? Regular exercise is a good start. Exercise affects not just muscles and the cardiovascular system, but almost every part of the body, from the immune system to the brain to energy production systems within individual cells.
Moderate levels of exercise increase circulation of immune cells in blood that helps fight off infectious bacteria and viruses. The contraction and movement of muscles releases signalling proteins known as cytokines, which help direct immune cells to find and combat infection.
Exercise is even associated with lowering chronic inflammation. Here are a few examples of how exercise can positively impact your health and wellbeing.
Improving mood and mental health
Sleep, for instance, is greatly improved by working out. Not only does more restful sleep improve your mood, it has also been linked to boosted insulin metabolism and cardiovascular health. By doing cardio-based exercise your body produces more of this feel-good hormone which promotes nerve and cellular growth, shown by research to help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Known prevention strategy to the pre-diabetic state
Diet is the most common approach associated with most pre-diabetic and type 2 diabetes interventions. But more and more, science is finding that this is not enough and that healthy eating should be accompanied by exercise. This is because diabetes revolves around blood sugar, or blood glucose, the usable form of energy we make from the food we eat.
Foods with higher levels of quick-burning carbs or added sugar (high glycaemic index foods), such as most junk foods and sugary-filled snacks, will cause repeated and unwanted spikes in blood sugar. Low GI foods such as high fibre fruits, vegetables, and protein sources don’t cause these spikes and allow for your blood sugar concentration to remain more stable throughout the day.
Exercise requires energy from the body which means burning up the excess sugar in the bloodstream and has also been shown to improve insulin production, further helping the body to reduce its blood sugar levels.
When blood sugar concentration remains too high, this becomes dangerous for all organs and the health of the person. Exercise bypasses this insulin-glucose transport system, allowing for a separate glucose uptake transport molecule to become active, which results in reducing blood sugar concentrations without the use of insulin. This is why movement is so critical to preventing and better controlling type 2 diabetes.
Helping combat the effects of osteoporosis
Using weights is an important way to keep your body in good shape as you age. Women over the age of 50, in particular, are more at risk of osteoporosis, a problem related to bone density that can lead to fractures and broken bones. By lifting weights, or doing weight-bearing exercise, your bones draw in more calcium which has a direct effect on lowering this risk.
How much exercise is enough?
According to the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week is recommended, but anything is better than nothing. The amount of exercise you need depends on your reasons for exercising, your starting point, and how quickly you want to achieve your goals.
Finding a slot in your schedule for exercise is easier when you think about the time and resources it could save by keeping you healthy. It really is the best-kept secret in preventive medicine and the time is now to exercise your options as you start a movement towards a more preventative mindset in staying healthy.
