Health Essentials
Can one ever exercise ‘too much’?
Can one exercise too much? The exercise addicts are wondering what the verdict is while the majority of us who dream of new excuses daily to avoid exercising are up in prayer hoping the answer favours them.
Nothing compares to exercise in our quest to discover the fountain of youth but we must “use” with caution. We have often referred to exercise as the “wonder-drug” and that is no exaggeration but like all other medications, too much of it may be harmful to our health.
Always remember that MODERATION is key; just as too little may be of no benefit, too much may send you to your grave early.
Why am I beating drums of caution about exercising? My goal is to make you healthier not worsen your current state.
You are aware that there is a particular dose of medication that is right for you; when you take less than that dose your condition may not improve and when you overdose, you suffer serious consequences that may even include death.
Exercise acts in a similar fashion. Avoiding exercise is harmful to our bodies but the benefits accrue as we start to exercise till a point is reached when we maximise our benefits. Beyond this golden point, additional (that is more intense, increasing duration or increasing frequency) exercise is harmful.
The areas that can lead to too much exercise are; intensity, frequency, duration and doing too much too soon. It is no secret that moderate intensity exercise is often best for the majority of us.
Very intense exercise has been found to decrease our immunity leading to increase in conditions such as the common cold. It may increase injuries such as sprains of large joints that may force us to take a long break from exercise.
As a guide, we should be able to carry on a conversation when we exercise at moderate intensity. At high intensity, we struggle to even put together a sentence and at very low intensity we can sing. If you have been singing for years while you exercise this may be your cue to go a notch or two higher.
Studies have shown that when the heart is in distress such as may occur in lengthy intense exercise sessions, an enzyme called troponin may be released. This signifies damage to heart muscle.
Over a long period, this damage may cause scar tissue to form in the heart muscle and may lead to abnormal heart beats. This means too much exercise may be harmful not only to your immune system, joints and muscle but your treasured heart may also suffer.
Mild left jaw pain lasting for a very short period especially during intense activity may be a sign of a heart under distress, please do not ignore.
Some of us also tend to exercise the same muscle groups too frequently. A common target is the abdominal muscle as we strive to acquire the elusive six-pack.
Muscles need time (about 48 hours) to recover from minor injuries we sustain while exercising. If we do not allow enough time for healing we never get the desired result. Remember this does not apply to those who “under-exercise” the muscle.
Yes exercise can give you a “high” that tends to drive exercise addicts to keep going on and on. Remember that after a point, the law of diminishing returns sets in and setting an all-day camp in a gym to exercise will be of no use.
For the majority of us a maximum of an hour of exercising is ideal especially when we spend the time appropriately.
Remember some of us may spend hours on end in our exercise attire just socialising rather than actively exercising. Socialising does have its benefits too but that is a discussion for another time.
A number of people who engage in strength training will continue lifting to fatigue. The danger here is continuing to repeat a movement with weights till fatigue means your last few repetitions may be done with poor form or posture. Do not try this without professional supervision. Keep to the number of repetitions that you can do with the right posture and your back and other body parts will forever be grateful to you.
Do you remember ever going to the hospital and your doctor started you on medication and over the months increased the doses? Exercise follows a similar pattern; start slowly and add on as you get fitter. Doing too much too soon can cause harm and even death.
The fact that you may overdose with exercise does not mean you have an extra arsenal in your “Exercise Excuse Chest,” remember that too little or nothing at all is suicidal. “The lesson is that the benefits of exercise don’t require extreme efforts. A Goldilocks approach is probably best: too little is bad for the heart, but too much could be also. Moderate activity anywhere – from 15 minutes to an hour a day, several days a week – is just right.”
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/ Mobissel
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition and corrective exercise.
Thought for the week – “Don’t lose out on laughter, the benefits match Exercise, Meditation & Sex all rolled into one.”
References:
- Ted Talk; “Why great leaders take humour seriously
A good relationship with your boss is critical for job success and career development. Supervisors have a great influence on your stress level, your team and company culture, and ultimately, whether you succeed or fail in a role.
They are also your best resource for support, problem-solving, and personal development. Building a strong relationship with them can be transformative for your work experience and professional growth, but navigating this connection can be complex.
Here are some key values and characteristics that will help you along the way.
- Be authentic
It is important to be yourself when building any new relationship. Do not be over-the-top trying to impress or kiss up to a manager. Be authentic and try to build a genuine connection with them instead. This will be incredibly helpful when it comes to dealing with personal issues, having difficult conversations, and building trust.
- Be empathetic and respectful
Bosses are human beings with their own professional pressures and personal lives, so it is important to maintain empathy toward them. Strive to get to know them on a personal level; you do not need to be best friends, but knowing the basics, like their family and hobbies, can be meaningful.
Also, help your supervisor look good. Every leader wants a high-performing and successful team. By developing trust, understanding, and excellent communication, you can help your boss achieve their goals.
- Build trust and add value
Showing initiative will win you big points with almost any boss. Whether setting up regular one-on-ones, volunteering for new projects, or offering help, the benefits of this dedication are twofold.
Proactivity makes leaders feel supported-like you are looking out for them. It also provides opportunities for your individual growth.
Whenever possible, add value beyond the limitations of your job description. Whether you have a special interest or extra capacity, find ways to support your team and relieve pressure. – Source:careers.vikingservice.com
..To be continued
This week I bumped into Deborah, one of my avid readers and I promised her I will be writing this weekend. So Deborah, this is for your reading pleasure and to pick some golden nuggets for the future.
The quest to find the best way to make one’s golden years, happy, exciting, healthy and a time most people look forward to continues unabated. One factor that keeps popping up is the need to grow friendships with people more than 20 years younger than yourself.
Do not take this for granted. It is a form of “social security” since these close friends who are much younger than you will step in to support you in more ways than you can ever imagine.
Some conditions may make life challenging for older adults but knowing these Geriatric Giants helps us to take the necessary steps to reduce our risk.
“Geriatric Giants” refers to a group of chronic health conditions that are common in the elderly, typically 65-year-olds and older.
These conditions quite often co-occur and can impact on the independence, dignity and overall wellbeing and quality of life of an elderly person.
These Geriatric Giants include:
- Impaired Intellect/ Memory (e.g. Dementia)
- one of the major battles we need to deal with is challenges with memory
- Exercise, adopt the Mind Diet, build a great social network and enjoy time outdoors
- Keep reading and solving puzzles for as long as possible
- Instability – leading to much feared falls
- A good reason to indulge in Balance Training and Core Strengthening exercises from today
- Ensure your home is safe; avoid clutter such as cables crisscrossing floors, toys etc. These are all trip hazards and should be avoided
- Many healthy, happy and fun-loving older adults have died soon after a fall with its attendant complications.
- Do whatever it takes to avoid falling
- Immobility (opening the doors to pressure sores, joint stiffness)
- Even when you are unable to move about on your own it is important to get support to change positions as often as possible or get an appropriate mattress or bed that prevents prolonged pressure over any single point.
- Make sure you passively or actively move joints daily.
- Incontinence (urine, faeces or both)
- This is one of the reasons older adults prefer to stay at home and avoid going out to meet friends etc.
- Iatrogenic Disorders – adverse effect of medication
- Quite often most older adults are on several medications and some side effects such as drowsiness may seem to cause more unhappiness and may even lead to falls.
- Inappetite – this may result in poor nutrition
- This may also be linked to loss of teeth thus making chewing very difficult or limited.
- The loss of smell and taste may also reduce the amount of food one may willingly eat.
The power to reduce the impact of the Geriatric Giants starts now and should be a lifetime commitment. It is never too early to start making the appropriate lifestyle modifications, nor is it too late to reduce the impact of the giants on one’s life.
Other conditions that significantly impact on the lives especially of the elderly are:
- Sleep Disorders
- Good sleep has the power to give us energy, improve our thought pattern and even helps us to make good choices.
- Good sleep sets the tone for a healthy life
- Constipation
- This is a challenge that confronts quite a number of older adults.
- Movement, fibre and lots of water go a long way to reduce the stress that frequent constipation generates.
- Fraility
- Muscle loss is real and as we age, we lose a significant percentage of our muscle plus our bones also become brittle.
- Make sure strength training is part of your exercise schedule
- Polypharmacy
- Another headache that needs to be confronted head-on
- Everyone especially older adults need a good primary care physician or a general practitioner who can coordinate all medicines from the different Specialists who may be attending to an elderly person. This ensures that unnecessary medicines are dropped
The goal of care at all times is to optimise the quality of life. As family, professional caregivers and friends we should always show respect so that the dignity of the elderly is preserved at all times. For those of us who are not yet in the age group with such challenges, we need to start the conversation about the type of care we will prefer and take steps to stay healthy and independent for as long as possible. The goal should be a long Healthspan and not just a long Lifespan.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “There is no magic formula to being happy but making a conscious effort to be happy goes a long way.” – Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Esse
