Strength: Health's Infinite Wealth

STRENGTH: Health's Infinite Wealth

If you were given one thousand dollars a week for the rest of your life as long as you performed a task an hour a day, 5 days a week, would you do it? I know, it depends on the task, right? There is an element of surprise about the required duty. It is an obstacle course you simply show up for and have one hour to finish. You can go at your own pace, but you MUST complete each task to the best of your ability. Sound fair? No danger involved, just your determination. What a retirement fund this could be! A simple side job, and you could have extra cash for vacationing, retirement, or buying your dream house. Whatever it is, it will add extra comfort to your life, you didn't anticipate having. A cushion!

That's how I feel about strength training. It's currency. It's giving me something positive for my future. It's giving me longevity, better health and mobility and mental clarity. Not to mention confidence, stamina, strength and a body I feel good about hanging out in. It's a bonus I get for showing up and performing a task that keeps my quality of life on a much better path than if I were to find an excuse for not showing up.

Inactivity is significantly contributing to chronic disease at an alarming rate. I'm not going to sugar coat the facts, because sugar is addicting and quite frankly, you should avoid it like the plague. Yes, it's that dangerous! Fact is, your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, certain cancers, anxiety and depression, osteoporosis, etc., increases significantly when you don't move. Health care (or should I say, "sick care") is getting the last laugh. That one thousand dollars a week you could have been earning, is no longer available, and now you have to dig deeper into your pockets to afford managing a disease, and not living your best life. You are now simply trying to survive.

I grew up in the 80's watching the commercial for Life Alert... the punch line was "I have fallen, and I can't get up.". It showed this poor old woman, laying helpless on the floor, trying to push the alert button, so help would come and get her back on her feet. I was frozen with fear watching that. I was terrified of getting older, and that being the ultimate circumstance I would find myself in. This is what my future holds? The answer I would tell my younger self, and I will tell you is, it doesn't have to be. You have a say in what your golden years will look like.

I am a HUGE fan of calisthenics. I started training about 5 years ago while training for my 1st and then 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I wanted to improve my flexibility and strength. Plus, I was fascinated with what you could achieve by using your own body weight. It requires very little equipment, and you can still do it when traveling.

Why strength training? It is the secret fountain of youth. By the age of 40 you are going to lose muscle and continue to lose it by 10 percent each decade after that. When you begin to put stress on your muscles, it signals the body to produce bone tissue. As your bones strengthen, bone mineral density increases. That means your risk of bone fractures and injury is greatly reduced! Not to mention the event of all those chronic diseases I mentioned earlier, reduce significantly! Your flexibility and range of motion increase as well as fascicle length (a bundle of muscle fibers within a muscle). That means you have greater muscle power. Excited yet?? Well, with all that oxygen pumping and blood flowing, you will score higher on the smart meter! Exercise influences the hippocampus more than any other part of the brain. Research "Hope Molecules" on the effect of mental health. It's fascinating! You will sleep better, think better, and enhance your immune system. Ready for the best perk? Drum roll please... it can have a positive effect on sexual function and libido! Phew! There are so many more benefits, that I challenge you to dive deeper into this topic if you are not convinced to start moving yet.

Exercise as medicine dates back to ancient civilization. Nothing new to see here. Hippocrates stated, "eating alone will not keep a man well, he must also take exercise." As with anything, you can over train! This can lead to a host of negative effects. Don't get too crazy, always listen to your body, and if you are seeing a health care provider, discuss your options. If you can afford a personal trainer to get you started, and on the right track, by all means, go for it! Your life does depend on what you decide now.

In summary, calisthenics, and other forms of strength training profoundly effects neurological, muscular and endocrine systems. The whole body and mind benefits. It truly adds wealth to your human experience.

"Health and good state of body are above all gold, and a strong body above infinite wealth."

-Ecclesiasticus 30:15

- Stacey Cirillo