The sedentary lifestyle means six or more hours a day lying or sitting and a lack of significant physical movement in daily life. Some diseases jump at us “out of the blue,” while others flow directly from a life of lethargy. Our phone- and computer-based society is slowly taking away our good health. As another birthday rolls around, I am reminded that I am not getting any younger. However, I am pursuing an ambitious goal of trying to keep my strength, coordination and range of motion as long as I can. The old theory of “use it or lose it” is, in fact, somewhat correct. A walking program is good for the legs, and other activities are good for the arms. It’s not a muscle or bone, but the brain also needs to be exercised in order to continue to function at a higher level.
Since most Americans with a diagnosis of cancer live five or more years, these ideas of renewing the mind and body through a moderate amount of exercise are just as important for cancer survivors as other patients.
And, for some, a birthday is a reminder that they need to see their primary care physician again and stay on top of their health.
