blog post #4 What role does physical health play in the prevention of some diseases, both physically and mentally?

Firstly, physical activity helps you stay healthy, fit, and live a healthier lifestyle.  As well as that, it also reduces your risk of chronic health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancers, depression, anxiety, and dementia (1). This is why tertiary prevention focuses on individuals who have already been diagnosed with a disease. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce disability, limit or delay complications, and restore function in order to improve your quality of life. This is accomplished by treating the illness and providing rehabilitation. Generally speaking, your treatment team can consist of several professionals, including your doctor, medical specialist, exercise professional, occupational therapist, and physiotherapist (2).

Chronic diseases cause a large number of deaths in the modern world. This is due to a lack of physical activity. A lifetime of chronic disease is not a given because physical activity tends to prevent or delay it (3). It is not unusual for people who regularly exercise to do so out of a desire to feel better. Getting in shape makes you feel better mentally and physically. You may even find that it improves your outlook on life. Exercising is complicated when it comes to mental health. As an example, mental illness can both cause and result in inactivity. However, exercise can have a wide range of benefits for your mental health (4). Regular exercisers often do it purely for the pleasure of feeling good afterward. The benefits of exercise include improved mood, concentration, and alertness. Some people even report feeling more positive after exercising. Exercise seems to have a complicated relationship with mental health. Mental illness, for instance, can lead to inactivity as well as cause it. Exercising can, however, have many mental health benefits (5).

1. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/physical-activity.htm#:~:text=Regular%20physical%20activity%20helps%20improve,depression%20and%20anxiety%2C%20and%20dementia.
2. https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthy-eating-physical-activity/conditions/physical-activity-and-disease-prevention
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4241367/
4. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/exercise-and-mental-health#exercising-for-your-mental-health
5. https://www.verywellmind.com/physical-exercise-for-panic-disorder-and-anxiety-2584094