TAMPA, Fla. — Getting up and active has a direct effect on your overall health. Dr. Tanuja Sharma, a Family and Integrative Medicine Physician with Tampa General Hospital explains there’s ongoing research that overwhelmingly supports the benefits of physical activity.
“When we move our bodies and we exercise, we’re reducing these inflammatory markers and reducing our risk of developing cardiovascular disease such as ischemic stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity,” Sharma said.
She says most studies agree that at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week is ideal, but if that sounds daunting, start with smaller goals.
“We know that even short bursts of exercise can be beneficial. You can ride your bike to work if that’s doable or walk, take walks with your families at night. Take stairs, I always take stairs at the hospital and try to avoid the elevators, and that gets me up there on my steps,” Sharma said.
If you work from home or spend most of your day sitting at a desk, she suggests setting an alarm to remind yourself to move.
“Set an alarm on your phone, every 60 to 90 minutes, and when that goes off, just get up from where you are, wherever that may be and do a brisk walk for 1 to 2 minutes around your computer or your desk or your work area and if you work an 8-hour day, that’s getting about 15/16 plus minutes of exercise.”
She says to add in a walk outside when you can and plan to get more intense exercise on the weekends.
If you’re managing aches and pains, Dr. Sharma says to make an effort to do more deliberate, slow movements like tai chi or yoga. The bottom line is, “any movement is better than not moving.”