"Exercise Advice from the House Call Doc"

Regular exercise is essential to maintaining good health and is beneficial in treating a variety of medical conditions. Regular aerobic exercise helps to lower cholesterol, control blood sugar and lower blood pressure. Regular aerobic exercise is necessary for healthy weight loss and maintaining weight loss. Weight bearing and stretching exercises strengthen muscles, bones and joints which helps to prevent osteoporosis and some forms of arthritis and can benefit people who have already developed these conditions. Regular exercise helps to increase energy level, reduce stress and treat anxiety and depression as well. As always, you should discuss exercise programs with your doctor and chose a plan that is right for you.The key to any good exercise plan is to be consistent, persistent and PATIENT! Especially if you have not exercised regularly in a while, it will take time to recondition your body to exercise. Expecting too much too soon or trying to do too much too soon will only increase your risk of injury and usually leads to discouragement. Starting with easy to obtain goals and gradually increasing until you reach an effective level of exercise gives the best chance of success.

The best programs include aerobic exercise, muscle strengthening and toning, and stretching to maintain flexibility. If you enjoy a particular activity such as walking, bicycling or yoga, this is a good place to start. Usually any physical activity becomes enjoyable once your body becomes conditioned and the fitness benefits become evident.Aerobic exercise is sustained activity which raises your heart rate and breathing rate. To find your target heart rate, take 220 and subtract your age. Then take 65-80% of this number to find the range suggested for your maximum heart rate while exercising. For example, if you are 40 years old, 220-40=180. .65 x 180=117; .80 x 180=144; your target range would be 117-144. Exercising vigorously enough to maintain your heart rate in this range is aerobic training. In the beginning it is best to make the lower number your goal, but as your body's condition improves you can tolerate more vigorous activity and raise your heart rate toward the higher number. Begin each exercise session with a warm-up and stretching. This is best achieved by walking in place for a few minutes, followed by gentle range of motion exercises and stretching. After you have completed your exercise, finish with a cool down and more stretching.

Dr. Lorne Stitsky is the owner and founder of Personal Choice Family Practice in Jupiter, Florida; an "old-fashioned family practice" that provides house callsto all his members.

For a free consultation on his membership practice, please call 561-779-1520 or visit www.drstitsky.com