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If something on the market would improve the longevity of your car as much as exercise improves your body it would sell off the shelves in minutes.
The human body was designed to move frequently, and when your body is not moved it breaks down more quickly. This leads to the old saying of “move it or lose it.” Technology is an amazing thing but it has dramatically reduced our need to move at our jobs or for daily household activities. Less than 100 years ago, we would have gotten exercise while washing clothes, getting water out of a well, gardening, and/ or making things at a factory. Now we have to set aside time to “tune up” our bodies to ensure we circulate the gas and oil keeping our bodies running smoothly. I want to change the general outlook that exercise is something “you HAVE to do” and food is something “you deserve”. I challenge everyone to DO something with a special person in your life that does not revolve around food the next time you are celebrating a special moment in your life. The activity can be anything from walking in a park, taking a class, or playing a game together. I bet you will remember your time with that person and will have a stronger relationship with them person due to the shared experience. Not to mention all the health benefits from the above list. Let’s all get out for a walk with a friend, run after your kids (grandkids), or play fetch with our dog to reap all the amazing benefits of moving our bodies. Before I tell you what could be increasing your pain, let’s look at a simple overview of the pain circuit and why pain is a vital sensation.
The basic pain process: Pain sensors (nociceptors) send messages through peripheral nerves from our muscles, joints, organs to our brain about pressure, temperature, and chemical changes. The peripheral nerves transfer this information to the central nervous system before being processed in the brain (thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and sensory cortex). Our brains process the signal and decide whether to increase or decrease the intensity of the signal as it returns to the body. Pain is important: The pain circuit allows us to process the data sensed by the peripheral nerves which allows us to save ourselves from detrimental damage or decide that the injury is minor. If the processing aspect was removed then we would have no control of how or when we feel pain. In a situation where moving in spite of an injury would save your life, there is a benefit to delaying pain sensation. Another benefit is not having the same reaction to a paper cut as a knife cutting your arm. |
WE HELP ACTIVE ADULTS OVERCOME THEIR ACHES AND PAINS TO GET THEM BACK TO THEIR FAVORITE ACTIVITIES WITHOUT MEDICATION, INJECTIONS OR SURGERIES.
Dr. Molly McDonald
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