If we were to tell you that there is a new drug on the market, which protects against heart disease and many cancers and makes your bones strong and resistant to fractures in the old age? If we go on to tell you that this wonder drug is the protection against depression and anxiety and prolongs life by more than 10 years and tell you, in addition, that it hardly costs anything and can be taken once daily only, would you be prepared to take it on a daily basis. The answer of course is “yes”. Most of us would be prepared to pay any cost to ensure that we take this drug on a daily basis. There is one caution however, which you must know about. As part of the requirement to take this drug you have to walk for 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after taking the drug. “No problem” you will say “we can do all this; if a drug will prolong life, what can be more important than that!”
This was precisely the approach that was taken in Brazil. A drug was developed by the name of “Agita Brazil” people flocked to the market to buy this drug and started to exercise 15 minutes prior to taking it and 15 minutes after it had been taken hoping to prolong their lives and live healthier lives.
But the trick was that the drug was a placebo (a drug with no action). The component which was meant to prolong life was the 15 minutes of physical activity before and 15 minutes after taking the drug. People believe that drugs can prolong life, of course no one believes that exercise can do the same.
The life saving potential of exercise needs to be recognized; regular physical activity can prolong life and save one from a variety of ailments which include heart disease, stroke, many cancers, anxiety, depression and osteoporosis (brittle bones). Why then must we wait for disease to strike when we are older when we can invest now to reasonably ensure disease free survival? And all it takes is 30 minutes a day. So get moving!