Move for health

Exercise helps to prevent cancer? It is true. Research has shown that people who exercise are much less likely to get colon cancer, for example. And people with do get cancer, and who start to exercise after cancer treatment are much less likely to get cancer again. Exercise also does a magical job of managing diabetes. It is a key tool for preventing heart disease and stroke.  And it helps to prevent or manage high blood pressure. All of these conditions are potentially life-threatening (and if you have any of them, or develop them, your GEMS medical scheme will be your partner in fighting the health impact) which can, at least, prevent you from enjoying life to the full and spending time with your family and friends. So knowing that exercise can help stave off such dread conditions is really good news. You need to do at least two and a half hours of exercise a week to reap these kind of benefits. But who has the money to join a gym - let alone buy all the spandex clothes and cute gym shoes?

Here is the good news: getting the right amount of exercise does not have to cost a lot.

Walk
You may already be walking quite a bit during the week, but chances are you are not going at a pace which will provide aerobic benefits. You do not march along at a brisk pace when you are strolling through a shopping centre, or if you are walking to catch public transport - you do not want to arrive out of breath. When you walk for exercise, you should get just a little out of breath - not uncomfortably so, but you should find yourself breathing a little faster and perhaps not able to say a long sentence without taking a breath. (As you get fit, you might step up the pace till you are jogging. If that suits you as a form of exercise, you will probably want to invest in a pair of running shoes.) All you need to get started is a decent pair of walking shoes - nothing special, just a shoe with a sturdy sole and low heel, one that holds your foot firmly. If you are afraid of walking alone, persuade a group of neighbours that they, too will be able to get healthy walking with you.

Skip
Skipping is wonderful exercise. It improves your heart fitness and blood circulation, boosts your stamina and strength and gives you more flexibility. And all it takes is a cheap skipping rope and a small space where you can swing the rope without fear of breaking things!

Dance
If you have any sense of rhythm at all, you probably enjoy dancing at parties. Dancing regularly makes you fitter, and it also improves your balance and co-ordination. But you don not need to be at a party to do it. Pop on some music with a danceable beat and dance by yourself - or make it a social thing and dance with a spouse or a friend!

Do not take the easy way
Never take a lift or escalator when you can take the stairs. Walk to the shop around the corner, or put a basket on a bicycle and cycle there. Clean your own windows (great for the arms and chest muscles!) dig your own garden and mop your own floors. If you turn various activities such as housework and gardening into fun ways of moving your body, you will never need to visit a gym in your life!