Disuse Syndrome: the Leading Cause of Premature Death

Imagine a disease that is habitually fatal and could spread each and every time you took the elevator instead of going up the stairs, parked your car right in front of the doorway instead of walking an extra 5 minutes, sat watching 2 hours of television instead of going for a 30 minute exercise session. Now imagine that the disease progressed so slowly that it took an average of 20 years from the time of onset until the diseased person's death. Let's also imagine that the disease was totally preventable. And what if the disease affected mostly people in the prime of their middle aged lives, rather than at the end of their years? And what if the disease produced hideous symptoms like brittle bones, weak, cripple legs, curved spine, extreme fatigue, and weight gain? And imagine that disease growing and spreading around the world at an alarming rate, affecting millions of people and causing more deaths than smoking. There is no need to imagine this silent killer disease that devours you without causing any sudden onset of symptoms in the early stages. It's here and it's called Disuse syndrome - otherwise known as a 'couch potato.' One in 5 of all deaths of people over the age of 35 is attributed to living a sedentary lifestyle.

Physical immobility is a guaranteed way to experience a severe decline in your body functions. The distinguishing disorders of Disuse syndrome are cardiovascular disease, obesity, increased fall risk, muscle weakness, depression and accelerated aging.

Middle-aged people who maintain a reasonable level of physical activity are less likely to become unable to walk distances, climb stairs, maintain their sense of balance, stand from a seated position with their arms folded, or maintain their hand grip as they get older. Thus the old adage, use it or lose it applies. A common excuse not to exercise is "I don't have the time." 30 minutes of Functional Fitness will reduce your chance of getting heart disease, stroke and dying before your time by 40%. As far as time, there are 1440 minutes in a day. If you choose to exercise now, you will save hours, days and months in the Dr's office, hospital and/or operating room. Speaking about saving, guess how much a heart attack costs you? Depending on what procedure you have, a heart attack will cost you anywhere from $30,000 to 100,000, not a small chunk of change by any means. Ok so you have insurance, but insurance doesn't cover everything. How about the time off work or the irreversible damage you've done to your heart? Yes, that's right, 'you've done'. The first step to taking charge is taking responsibility for your actions. If your idea of weight lifting is standing up, you need to tell yourself, no more exuses! Stop telling yourself, " I really don't eat that much," or "I'll start the program - tomorrow." Take charge now and you have a greater chance of not only enjoying tomorrow, but of seeing tomorrow.