HOW ARE WE ALL DOING?
FROM THE DESK OF THE PO
As the first quarter of this year draws to a close and many New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside, I have been contemplating what lasting actions we can all take to improve our health.
In a recent conversation I had with Dr Odwa Mazwai, Managing Director: Universal Care, he mentioned a thought-provoking statistic released by the World Health Organisation – that while there are many determinants of health, including our genetic make-up, social and environmental factors, our access to healthcare and so on, the greatest determinant of all is our individual behaviour which accounts for a full 36% of our health.
Needless to say, we play a significant role in our own health and wellbeing and this means being mindful of our daily choices. This brings me to a subject that I am passionate about – and that is the importance of moving more.
Have you heard the term
“Sitting is the new smoking”?
This fairly alarming comparison may not be a scientifically accurate analogy, however it does get you thinking about how much time we spend seated instead of moving our bodies, and the long term impact this can have on the development of serious disease.
Sitting for long periods of time has been linked with various health concerns such as obesity, increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and unhealthy cholesterol levels.
However if you, like me, find yourself behind the desk most of the day five days a week, you may be glad to hear that all hope is not lost, as further research indicates that an hour or more of moderately intense physical activity a day can go a long way to counteracting the dangers of sitting. Other ways to reduce the amount of time you spend seated might include simple steps such as setting a timer to get up and move around every 30 minutes and taking phone calls while standing or walking.
I’m sure I am not the only one who finds that even when I’m away from my desk, screen time can so easily creep in, robbing me of precious chunks of time that I could otherwise be using to go for a short walk before dinner or do some stretches on the mat at home.
What I have realised is that moving our bodies more has a lot to do with moving our mindsets and seeing physical activity as something we can thread in throughout the day rather than viewing it as a huge task to which we have to dedicate more time and money than we can afford.
So, my challenge to the OMSMAF family as we round off this first quarter of 2023 is that you find practical and realistic ways to simply move more, every day. And if you find yourself hating every minute of physical activity, move on and try something else! Making movement part of your daily life means it has to work for you.
Let’s get moving and find out more about how OMSMAF can support you on your wellness journey with the many valuable healthcare benefits available to members in this latest issue of our member newsletter.
Happy reading!
Best wishes,
Julia