Did You Know Consistent Weekly Exercise Prevents These Serious Conditions?
Why even mild to moderate weekly exercise significantly lowers your risk for dementia, heart disease, and even cancer.
Read below to see why you do have the power to possibly prevent chronic health conditions before they develop, without as much time and effort as you think. (Even if you’re a busy female physician like me!)
By Ali Novitsky, M.D.
Life Coach for Women Physicians
Triple Board Certified in Neonatology, Pediatrics, and Obesity Medicine
We all have something in our family history that we secretly worry about.
Whether that is a history of high blood pressure, stroke, or a certain cancer, we fear that someday in the future we will be the next in line to get blindsided by that scary gene that seems to run in the family. It begins to feel inevitable when we watch so many people in our families struggle with the same condition.
So, how do we break the legacy of disease that seems to get passed down from one generation to the next when it seems unavoidable?
As physicians, we know that even when you’re genetically predisposed to a certain condition, there is a lot that can be done to prevent it from developing and/or worsening through healthy habits.
The shocking thing is, most major conditions from diabetes to strokes, and even dementia can be thwarted by one simple thing — weekly mild to moderate aerobic exercise.
Sounds easy, right?
The problem is you don’t feel you have the time, energy, or motivation to follow through with weekly workout routines when you’re an over-achieving, hard-working physician. But this is also what creates physician burnout.
The truth is getting healthy and preventing major diseases you may be predisposed to doesn’t require as much effort as you think.
In my group coaching programs for physicians, I've helped hundreds of women fit regular exercise into their hectic lifestyles.
You don’t have to exercise every day or do a strenuous, high-intensity workout to get results and protect your health.
Read below to see some of the surprising ways moderate, bi-weekly exercise helps prevent the hereditary disease patterns in your family from becoming an ongoing curse.
Moderate Weekly Workouts Block Potential Strokes and Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, 10.5% of Americans had diabetes as of 2018. However, many conditions like diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure can be prevented or controlled simply by maintaining a regular exercise routine. As stated in this article from John Muir Health,
“The National Institutes of Health conducted a breakthrough study to show that diet and exercise can delay diabetes. The clinical trial proved that a half hour of walking or other low-intensity exercise daily, combined with a low-fat diet, reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent.”
58%! And, as physicians, we know that diabetes and high blood pressure also put us at risk for more serious medical conditions like stroke and heart disease.
Sounds like a good reason to take a short walk after work, besides the obvious mental health benefits of getting outside, clearing your head after a long day, and getting some fresh air and Vitamin D.
Even Walking 2 Mins. a Day Improves Memory and Prevents Dementia
In his book, Keep Sharp: Building a Better Brain at Any Age, neurosurgeon, Sunjay Gupta, states, “When people ask me what’s the single most important thing they can do to enhance their brain’s function and resiliency to disease, I answer with one word: exercise.”
This article goes on to state that Gupta says exercise is even more important than mind-sharpening tools like crossword puzzles in warding off dementia and cognitive decline, contrary to popular belief.
He says even two minutes a day of walking helps with preventing dementia and memory loss, and that’s something even the busiest women physicians can commit to doing. No excuses!
Staying active and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle promotes healthy cell growth and discourages inflammation, both of which keep major diseases like cancer at bay.
Exercise Helps You Sleep Better & Stops Major Disease from Developing
When you incorporate moderate exercise into your weekly routine you’ll find you fall asleep faster, have a better quality of sleep, and stay asleep longer according to the Sleep Foundation. And, as you know, regular sleep helps you fight everything from chronic fatigue that makes you feel grouchy and irritable, to major medical conditions like cancer and heart disease.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “ . . . infection-fighting antibodies and cells are reduced during periods when you don't get enough sleep. So, your body needs sleep to fight infectious diseases. Long-term lack of sleep also increases your risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease.”
Not sleeping enough is a risk you can’t afford to take as an on-the-go physician.
In a profession where you give so much, you must focus on the importance of your own self-care as a doctor, to maintain longevity in your career and balance in your personal life. You have to give your body the downtime it needs to keep you alert and focused during the day.
Getting enough sleep also allows you to be fully present with your kids, friends, and partners, thanks to being rested and refreshed, instead of drained and dragging. If you find yourself being snappy and on edge during the day, it might be time to look at your sleeping schedule to see how you can get more shut-eye each night.
When you get solid, restful sleep, you give your body a chance to fight off disease in the important early stages, before it has a chance to become a full-blown condition.
Staying Active Reduces Anxiety and Depression as Much as Medication
We all know exercise is important for our physical fitness, but our mental health needs it just as much. Our mood is greatly improved by regular workouts and anxiety has been shown to reduce by as much as 20% when you add exercise. In this article, they note that even walking or weight lifting significantly reduces anxiety.
Exercise also has a proven positive impact on depression. Depression is so pervasive that 1 in 10 adults are currently suffering from it in the U.S. and of those 13.2% are using antidepressants to treat it. However, according to Harvard Health,
“‘In people who are depressed, neuroscientists have noticed that the hippocampus in the brain—the region that helps regulate mood—is smaller. Exercise supports nerve cell growth in the hippocampus, improving nerve cell connections, which helps relieve depression,’ explains Dr. Miller.”
In the above article, they also note that the short-term “feel-good” endorphins produced during intensive exercise don’t do as much to curb depression as sustained, consistent activity. This can be as simple as walking or a “regular activity you enjoy,” they state.
This is proof we don’t have to do as much as we think to feel happier and more hopeful in our daily lives.
Exercise has also been proven just as effective as antidepressants in treating depression. Plus, it’s all-natural. According to this study, exercise had the same positive effect on treating depression as medication did!
How Much Time Do You Have to Exercise Daily to Protect Your Health?
According to this study, it only takes 30 minutes of “modest activity,” including walking, swimming, or even doing yard work, to keep your heart and body healthy.
The point is you don’t have to do intensive, Crossfit sessions to get stronger, healthier, and prevent disease. You just have to do something. But that motivation is often lacking in overworked physicians, and I get it. I was once there too.
That’s why my programs put a big emphasis on doing things in a physician’s group of your peers, so you stay motivated and don’t lose sight of how important your own health is.
One thing that motivates me is knowing it doesn't take massive effort to get results. The bonus is knowing that I am also preventing what could be a life-threatening or lifestyle-compromising illness from taking root and gaining momentum.
Still not sure you can make time to work out?
What if I told you a sedentary lifestyle is one of the 5 biggest risk factors for cardiovascular disease?
How I Help You Find Time to Work Out, Even as a Busy Female Physician
As physicians we all know how important regular exercise is to our overall health, but how do we fit working out into our insanely busy lives when we are already overwhelmed and exhausted?
And then there’s the energy it takes, which, let’s face it, most women physicians just don’t feel they have after standing on their feet all day at work, then coming home to more chores, tasks, and homework.
As a mom and physician myself, I know that it’s hard to find time to prioritize your own health and fitness.
But, as a life coach for women physicians, I’ve learned it doesn’t take as much time or effort as you think to see the results you want. In fact, the Mayo Clinic says you only need to strength train about 2x per week for 75-150 minutes each to stay healthy and it doesn’t even have to be an overly strenuous workout!
That’s why I designed a physician coaching program that is customized to fit into your busy schedule, without demanding more effort or time from you than you have to give.
This is exactly what we do in G.O.A.L.S. Society, my monthly coaching program for busy women physicians. I combine live weekly strength training workouts in a group of your peers, with my signature Mindful Macro Nutrition Plan that requires no meal prep or laborious planning, for the ultimate health and fitness plan.
I use an evidence-based scientific approach to fitness, along with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy mindset coaching to get you through those mindset blocks and fitness plateaus.
With a small minimum weekly time commitment from you and expert guidance from your fellow women physicians, you’ll feel better in your body and wow colleagues when you radiate from the inside out, plus protect your health and longevity for the long-term.
In coaching physicians, I’ve learned that:
Small changes = Big progress
Gain confidence through exercise and be present in every aspect of your life.
Join us for fun weekly workouts with your peers and protect your vitality for the long term.