by Laurence Wiland
Imagine that there was a medicine that extended your life, kept you at a healthy weight, relieved depression and anxiety, decreased the risk of heart disease and cancer, and even improved kids’ academic achievement.
And what if this medicine had no dangerous side effects, cost little to nothing, and was available to everybody. Would you want to try it?
Well, that medicine is out there: it’s called exercise.
We’ve all probably heard of the benefits of exercise at some point or another, but what’s different now is that two of the largest and most influential professional medical organizations—the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)—are now urging doctors and patients alike to think of exercise as medicine.
“Physical inactivity is one of the most critical public health problems of our time,” said Robert E. Sallis, M.D., president of ACSM. “Our action plan addresses how to refine the trusted relationship between physician and patient so that improved health through exercise has the same stature as any other pharmacological intervention.”
The strong link between physical activity and good health has been established through many controlled studies—the same sorts of studies that test the value of prescription drugs and other medications. Time after time, these studies show the benefits of exercise to a wide array of physical ailments.
“Regular exercise can provide tremendous health benefits, but more than half of Americans don’t get enough physical activity,” said AMA President Ronald M. Davis. “We encourage patients and physicians to work together to incorporate physical activity into a patient’s daily routine and better protect their health.”
The two health groups recently launched an initiative called “Exercise is Medicine” which calls on patients to incorporate exercise into their daily routine, and on doctors to prescribe exercise to their patients.
Facilities like the Chequamegon Health and Fitness Center are in full support of this revolutionary way of looking at exercise, and are already active in helping deliver exercise prescriptions to Ashland area community members.
While you might see CHFC members working out in order to enhance athletic performance, other health outcomes are equally or more important at the Center, said CHFC President Craig Schowalter.
“People think ‘I’ve got to be in shape to go to a gym,’ but this is not our primary model,” he said. “We are interested in supporting members who want to use exercise to aid in outcomes like diabetes control, obesity management, depression control, and other health conditions.”
People face another common health challenge after undergoing surgery or treatment for an injury. Typical followup may involve sessions with a physical or occupational therapist, but once those sessions run their course, the individual often is left alone to complete recovery and adjust to new physical limitations or challenges.
“These are our target members as well,” said Schowalter. “We recognize that many people need post-treatment programs to help them with motivation and compliance with their doctor’s or therapist’s prescription.”
What might a prescription for exercise look like?
For able-bodies people seeking greater fitness, an exercise prescription would include participation in at least 30 minutes of physical activity and 10 minutes of stretching and light muscle training five days a week. For those with particular health problems, the prescription can be custom tailored to a person’s abilities, needs and preferences.
Schowalter stresses that the Chequamegon Health and Fitness Center mission promotes the benefits of health and exercise across all facets of the community. The Center itself is member-owned and self supporting.
“On a typical day at the Center, you may see seniors alongside the developmentally disabled alongside somebody recovering from a heart attack, alongside athletes in training,” said Schowalter. “That’s a sign of success; we definitely see ourselves as a community center, not a private health club.”
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