For Those Who Work Hard And Play Hard...You May Pay For It Later!

If you are a sports fan like me…then you had to enjoy the Super Bowl last week…regardless of who won. But I'll tell you what, there were a few tackles in the game that made me ache just to watch.

I just don’t understand how they can take a hit by these huge guys and get up seconds later like nothing happened. And they take this abuse not only in games but also as part of their weekly practice. You just know it has to take a toll on a person's body.

Weight is also a factor when it comes to football. Some of those guys have to be huge. And getting to that weight level can put a levy on their cardiovascular systems, on their joints and even affect their sugar levels.

I got to thinking… just about every sport takes a toll on its players. Training that hard over a period of years may look like optimum health at a glance. If you look a little closer, you'll find an injury list and, in many cases, significant health problems. Take an avid golfer, for instance. Chances are you'll find back problems. Someone who plays tennis every day will have elbow problems.

Every doctor and media person out there thinks they have the answer to good health—more exercise and then more exercise.

To a degree, they're right. Many Americans are way too sedentary for their own good. But just what kind of exercise is best for the human body?

A Little of This…

The key to exercising well—and having fun while you do it—is moderation and variety.
Let's face it. No one really likes to exercise, but I know plenty of people who like to golf or swim or catch a pick up game of basketball.

The key to exercising in a healthy way is to find those activities you love and then do them regularly, but not every day and not the same activity all the time.

For example, I have a friend who loves to belly dance. She also loves hiking and basketball. She does each of these activities, usually every week. But she doesn't do any single one of them for hours on end or every day. It works out perfect. She exercises lots of different muscle groups. Sometimes she gets a long steady workout, other times she gets a shorter workout with lots of high intensity bursts.

This kind of variety and moderation will keep you active and having fun. It will keep you in shape, but it won't burn you out. And it will reduce your risk of injuries.

…And a Little of That

You can also apply this philosophy to how you eat. Your body works best when it gets lots of different nutrients. It thrives on variety. So when you eat a wide array of fruits and vegetables, you'll be doing better than if you just eat a banana for breakfast every morning and broccoli for dinner every night.

Moderation is key to good eating habits, too. For example, drinking one alcoholic beverage every day or so provides proven health benefits to most people. Drink five cocktails in one sitting, though, and you do your body more harm than good.

A little piece of chocolate after dinner provides anti-oxidants and can give your mood a lift. Eating a pound of that same chocolate is a different thing altogether.

So remember, whether it's food or exercise, variety and moderation are the keys to good health and more fun.

In Good Health
Al SerinEditor of Healthy Answers