The Best Medicine Is ...

This, my friends, is a "medicine ball."

Initially, it does not make you feel better. It doesn’t manipulate your central nervous system to reduce pain; doesn’t trick your blood vessels to relax and diminish blood pressure.

It doesn’t alter brain chemistry for a more more restful sleep.

But it does improve these conditions and more, permanently and without side effects.

 I was blown away when I saw this video that so concisely and entertainingly sums up that huge list.

 And no denying credibility of the source:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo

So why do so few of us exercise regularly?

Because it’s hard.

And maybe we’re just a little (or a lot) afraid that we’ll somehow fail.

 And we’ll feel even less empowered and confident.

 But let me clear up a misconception: Exercise should be challenging, and failure not only IS an option, it should, a times, be your primary objective.

Let’s face it, even for an experienced trainer, goal-setting is, at best, an inexact art.

How do I know for certain that you can run three, nine-minute miles if I’m confident it will be challenging for you based on your current displayed capacity?

 I don’t.

 But I guarantee if you do your best, and come close, you’ll not only be in a little better shape tomorrow than you were yesterday, your confidence and sense of personal power will soar.

And you will have earned it - the hard way.

That’s the best medicine for a number of ills that start out subtle but progress to disruptive or even debilitating levels, and that too many of us accept as we age as inevitable.

How do you want to live? Are you happy with what your body can do? Are you happy with how you feel?

Are you doing everything you can to minimize or delay your risk of major diseases that claim the vitality, if not the lives of most Americans?

What will be your call to action? A major health scare or the premature death of a friend?

The medicine is waiting for you. And it’s only real health insurance.

Dan is a nationally certified personal fitness trainer and former continuing education faculty member of the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise. He is the owner and head trainer at Tri Valley Trainer http://trivalleytrainer.com/, which provides personal and small group fitness training and nutrition guidance. He can be reached at Dan@TriValleyTrainer.com.