Be Hard to Kill
“Be hard to kill” has been a motto I’ve grown accustomed to lately. I’m certainly not claiming this as “my term” that I made up by any means, and it looks like with a quick Google search that Tim Kennedy has a whole video series from 2018 sharing a similar title, although I think he probably approached this term in a different way than I will.
There are endless ways to die, and we all know that this is inevitable, but there are lifestyles that facilitate living longer, and those that make it easier to “kill” you.
We all know that diet and exercise are important regarding avoiding becoming overweight and out of shape, but what kind of effects do these habits have on helping us live longer? A Study by Zhao et al (6) in 2020 looked at the association between the recommended physical activity guideline from 2018 and all cause and cause specific mortality which includes: cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory tract disease, accidents and injuries, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes mellitus, influenza and pneumonia, and kidney disease. What they found was that those who engaged in both aerobic and muscle strengthening activities consistent with the recommended physical activity guidelines showed a 40% reduced risk of all-cause mortality. In simple terms, the more you exercise, the less likely you are to die from the aforementioned diseases. This phenomenon was recently spotlighted during the COVID-19 outbreak with the correlation of those with increased co-morbidities and higher BMIs being more likely to end up hospitalized or die with the disease. Many of those co-morbidities come as the result of poor nutrition and lack of exercise.
So, what is the recommended amount of physical activity? According to the 2018 physical guidelines for Americans, recommended physical activity includes: at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity (such as walking or dancing) or at least 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity (such as running, faster cycling, and competitive sports), or an equivalent combination of both each week. When you break down the number of minutes required per week, its almost a crime to avoid that much physical activity. If you were to go for about a 20 minute walk each day, you are substantially reducing your risk of dying from disease. My typical recommendation for people looking to start exercising but not knowing where to begin, is to just start going for walks. Eventually, it will become a part of your daily routine, you’ll crave it, and at some point, it will become too easy or not fulfilling enough and you will look to alternate forms of more challenging exercise.
At the end of this blog is a link to a video that I think does a way better job of illustrating all the benefits of 30 minutes of exercise a day.
Digging a little bit deeper, and into a much more sensitive topic, is the effects of exercise on our mental health. Unfortunately, those suffering from depression are more likely to harm themselves and have suicidal thoughts that are a detriment to a long life. Evidence shows that people suffering from depression experience premature mortality by 10 years compared with the general population (1). It has been shown that depression is highly associated with physical activity levels, with those suffering from depression having lower levels of physical activity as compared to those without depression (5). It has also been found that people with major depression have about a 50% higher chance of not meeting the 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity outlined above (4). Physical activity has also been shown to decrease your risk of depression by 17-41% and has significant protective effects from depression across all ages. It can also improve depressive symptoms in those already suffering with depression (2). So for anyone suffering from depression who does not wish to utilize medications or is uncomfortable with talking to a professional, one of the best and easiest things they can do is become physically active.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
And finally, have you ever considered the effects pain has on your ability to move and perform? Aches and pains may not be terribly limiting for you with daily or work activity, but it may prevent you from being able to exercise and cause you to miss out on the above-mentioned physical and mental health benefits. However, on a much more serious note, have you every considered the possibility of being in involved in an unexpected “fight or flight” scenario? Let’s face it, no matter how hard we may try, there are events and scenarios in life that are completely out of our control, and unfortunately these types of things seem to be happening more frequently in today’s world. If you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to defend yourself or a loved one, run away, absorb trauma to the body, or physically perform to avoid an injury or accident, do you like your chances of surviving? Would you be physically up to the task to walk away with just a few bumps or bruises, or would your painful body fail you and yield a less favorable outcome? Of course, there are situations we have no control over, and fate is fate, but wouldn’t you at least like to have a fighting chance to not fall victim to an early departure from this world?
If you want to enjoy all life has to offer, it’s a hell of a lot easier to do so when you stick around longer. Not to mention, those who love you and care about you want you around as long as possible. So, if you get anything out of this blog, let it be to make it a priority to move your body.
If you are unable to do this or are limited because of pain, I am here to help. Head to the “free discovery consultation” button on the home page to book your free discovery phone call or email me at connect@toptierphysicaltherapy.com and let’s make you hard to kill!
23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo
References:
1. Charlson FJ, Diminic S, Lund C, et al. Mental and substance use disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa: predictions of epidemiological changes and mental health workforce requirements for the next 40 years. PLoS One. 2014; 9:e110208.
2. Meyer JD, Koltyn KF, Stegner AJ, et al. Influence of exercise intensity for improving depressed mood in depression: a dose–response study. Behav. Ther. 2016; 47:527–37.
3. Schuch FB, Stubbs B. The Role of Exercise in Preventing and Treating Depression. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2019 Aug;18(8):299-304. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000620. PMID: 31389872.
4. Schuch F, Vancampfort D, Firth J, et al. Physical activity and sedentary behavior in people with major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Affect. Disord. 2017; 210:139–50.
5. Stubbs B, Koyanagi A, Schuch FB, et al. Physical activity and depression: a large cross-sectional, population-based study across 36 low- and middle-income countries. Acta Psychiatr. Scand. 2016; 134:546–56.
6. Zhao M, Veeranki SP, Magnussen CG, Xi B. Recommended physical activity and all cause and cause specific mortality in US adults: prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2020 Jul 1;370:m2031. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m2031. PMID: 32611588; PMCID: PMC7328465.