As the beautiful season of fall unfolds, Sweet Life wellness continues the journey through prevention of illnesses and diseases with one final stop at fighting and preventing chronic diseases through physical activity! Join Gaithersburg dietitian Kay Loughrey as she maps out how physical activity impacts the different diseases we may face in life, how we can prevent those diseases with an active lifestyle, as well as some suggestions for getting active during the fall!
Our bodies face significant chronic disease risks throughout our lives, especially in the areas of heart health, gastrointestinal tract health, and metabolism health. Yet these disease risks are not inevitable! Studies have shown that physical inactivity is strongly associated with chronic disease risk. With consistent physical activity, studies have shown a reduction in the risk for some of the most common chronic diseases. Keep reading as Kay shares several of these common diseases and how physical activity can help with disease prevention!
Heart Disease
Heart disease can develop in those who are physically inactive due to a buildup of fat in the arteries. Keeping physically active prevents this build up from occurring and keeps your heart healthy!
Diabetes Type 2
Regular exercise assists in keeping blood sugar levels steady. It further assists with keeping body weight in a steady state that is not increasing (overweight) or decreasing (underweight). This consistency of exercise can help prevent the development of Type 2 Diabetes!
Obesity
Obesity can develop due to a sedentary lifestyle. Because of this it is important to intentionally add adequate mid-intensity level physical activity to your everyday life!
Some cancers
Research has shown that regular physical activity assists in prevention of some types of cancer, most commonly breast, colon, and uterus cancers! This is believed to be linked to the fact that regular physical activity assists in prevention of obesity, which is linked to closely to 11 types of cancers.
The amount of physical activity we need varies according to our age, yet for most adults the amount is about 150 minutes of mid-level intensity aerobic activities per week with muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days per week. Also, if adults are over 65, activities that encourage strengthening balance are also strongly suggested! (These suggestions are based on the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans which can be found here.) When this suggested amount of physical activity time is averaged out, it would be the same as 5 days a week with at least a 30-minute walk on each day. One of the best ways to experience a good walk in the fall is by trail hiking/walking. Sweet Life Wellness has put together a list of some of the best hiking/walking trails in the Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland area. With just 30 minutes a day on these amazing trails and others, your body will be better prepared to keep preventing diseases so that you can continue living a happy life as your healthiest you!
Tips for Keeping Active During the Fall: Hiking and Walking Trails!
- Raven Rocks – Trail Link 4-hour hike. Bluemont, Virginia
- W&OD Trail – Trail Link 45-mile walking/biking trail. Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon.
- Sugarland Run Stream Valley Trail – Trail Link2-mile walking trail. Herndon, Virginia.
- Great Falls Park – Trail Link 15 miles of walking trails. Potomac, Maryland.
- Clopper Lake – Trail Link 5 miles of walking trails. Gaithersburg, Maryland
Learn more about keeping active by reading up on how to create a physical activity routine here!
Resources
National Library of Medicine. “Benefits of Exercise.” MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/benefitsofexercise.html#:~:text=Exercise%20strengthens%20your%20heart%20and,blood%20pressure%20and%20triglyceride%20levels. August 30, 2017. Accessed October 22, 2023.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Physical Activity Helps Prevent Chronic Diseases.” https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/physical-activity.htm. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. May 8, 2023. Accessed October 22, 2023.
Anderson E, Durstine JL. Physical activity, exercise, and chronic diseases: A brief review. Sports Med Health Sci. 2019;1(1):3-10. Published 2019 Sep 10. doi:10.1016/j.smhs.2019.08.006
Mayo Clinic. “Exercise and Chronic Disease: Get the Facts.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise-and-chronic-disease/art-20046049. June 14, 2023. Accessed October 22, 2023.
World Health Organization. “Physical Activity.” https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity. October 5, 2022. Accessed October 22, 2023.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Physical Inactivity.” https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/physical-activity.htm#:~:text=Not%20getting%20enough%20physical%20activity%20can%20lead%20to%20heart%20disease,cholesterol%2C%20and%20type%202%20diabetes. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. September 8, 2022. Accessed October 22, 2023.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.” https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/physical-activity-guidelines/current-guidelines. August 24, 2021. Accessed October 23, 2023.
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Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
Karis N. Hicks
North Carolina Central University
M.S. – Nutrition Studies
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