Physician Insight for National Physical Fitness & Sports Month

If you find yourself glued to your seat this very moment, you are not alone. Americans are more inactive than ever, due to the increasing popularity of sedentary jobs and advanced technology. These modern day conveniences enable us to accomplish tasks that used to require a certain degree of physical effort – such as depositing a check or mailing a letter to a friend – without leaving the comfort of our couches. While making life easier, they do have a downside. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “Only one in three adults receives the recommended amount of physical activity each week.”

Internal medicine physician Karen Botsoe, who serves on staff at Presence Saint Joseph Hospital - Chicago, says, “Ideally, adults should aim for at least twenty minutes of exercise, four times per week.” She notes, “However you allocate this time is up to you. It could just be ten minutes of exercise three times a day.” Although it seems more comfortable to kick back on the couch after a long day, the human body was designed to move, responding positively to physical activity.

According to Dr. Botsoe, “Regular physical activity, including weight bearing exercise, improves bone density and increases muscle mass, and thus increases baseline metabolic rate (the amount of calories we burn at rest). Adding, “It also helps maintain weight loss; improves cardiac and lung function; and acts as a mood booster.” On the flip side, the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle include: high blood pressure and cholesterol, heart disease, reduced circulation, and loss of muscle bone and strength.

“Not exercising enough is linked to shorter life span & increased falls in those over age 65,” adds Dr. Botsoe. While this may sound bleak to anyone dealing with a sedentary lifestyle or “sitting disease,” a term coined by the scientific community to denote the negative effects of inactivity, the good news is that it’s never too late to jumpstart healthier habits.

Dr. Botsoe provides the following tips to get moving on a path towards better physical and mental health:

• Stay fit by doing things you enjoy; walking by the lake, dancing, or taking a workout class are just a few fun ideas.
• Schedule time for physical activity like you would for a doctor’s appointment by adding it to your calendar each day.
• If your work is typically done seated at a desk, set an alarm on your phone to remind yourself to stand up and stretch at least once an hour.

To make an appointment with Dr. Botsoe at her Stony Island office, please call 773.731.0670. To book an appointment online or read more about Presence Health physicians, please visit PresenceHealth.org/findadoc.