St. Francis Parish Health Ministry . . . On the Journey To Wholeness With God!     [Questions: Call 821-2115]

Be a Steward of Your Own Health

The St Francis Health Ministry has identified some important tips to help start an exercise program with safety in mind.

Before you exercise:

People with known cardiovascular disease or people who have already experienced a major cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack, stroke, or heart surgery, should have a physical evaluation by their physician before engaging in even a moderate physical activity program.  In addition, men over age 40 and women over age 50 should also consult a physician prior to starting an exercise program.

How hard should you exercise to get results?

If...	Then ...
You do not currently engage in regular physical activity . . .	you should begin by incorporating a few minutes of physical activity into each day, gradually building up to 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activities.
You are now active, but at less than the recommended levels . . .	you should strive to adopt more consistent activity: --moderate-intensity physical activity for 30 minutes or more on 5 or more days of the week, or  --vigorous-intensity physical activity for 20 minutes or more on 3 or more days of the week.
You currently engage in moderate-intensity activities for at least 30 minutes on 5 or more days of the week . . .	you may achieve even greater health benefits by increasing the time spent or intensity of those activities.
You currently regularly engage in vigorous-intensity activities 20 minutes or more on 3 or more days of the week . .	you should continue to do so.

*source: CDC http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/recommendations/adults.htm

Moderate intensity physical activity

Moderate intensity physical activity means at a level where you experience an increase in heart rate and your breathing becomes faster, which is somewhere between 50 and 75 percent of your maximum heart rate. You should feel warm, possibly breaking out in a sweat depending on the temperature and your level of fitness, but you should be able to keep it up for many minutes without becoming fatigued and still be able to hold a conversation (examples: walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming for recreation, or bicycling)

To estimate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.  For example, a 30-year-old person's maximum heart rate would be 190 beats per minute (bpm): 

220 - 30 years = 190 bpm.

The upper and lower limits while exercising would be: 
190 x 0.50 = 95 (lower limit at 50%)
190 x 0.75 = 143 (upper limit at 75%)
So for someone aged 30, their heart rate should be somewhere between 95 and 143 beats per minute when they are performing physical exercise of moderate intensity.

Vigorous exercise involves activities that a healthy individual might burn while jogging, engaging in heavy yard work, participating in high-impact aerobic dancing, swimming continuous laps, or bicycling uphill.

The most common injuries associated with physical activity are to the musculoskeletal system (eg: the bones, joints, tendons, and muscles). These injuries are usually not serious, often require no treatment other than a few days of rest, and can be minimized by taking sensible precautions. 
Most of these types of injuries related to physical activity may be prevented by gradually working up to the desired level of activity and by avoiding excessive amounts of activity at one time.
Therefore, to avoid soreness and injury, people who have not been regularly active and are thinking about increasing their levels of physical activity should start out slowly, incorporating even a few minutes of increased activity into their day, gradually building up to the desired amount of activity, and giving their bodies time to adjust

Some important tips:

• Listen to your body--monitor your level of fatigue, heart rate, and physical discomfort.

• Be aware of the signs of overexertion. Breathlessness and muscle soreness may mean to slow down.  Don't perform beyond your physical capabilities.

• Use appropriate equipment and clothing for the activity.

• Take 3-5 minutes at the beginning of any physical activity to properly warm up your muscles. As you near the end of the activity, cool down by decreasing the level of intensity. Stretching should be part of both your warm-up and cool-down routines.

• Start at an easy pace--increase time or distance gradually.

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to replace lost fluids (i.e., at least eight to ten 8-oz. cups per day).

• Although it may be difficult to imagine warm weather- but as the weather warms up- remember to always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or riding in-line skates.  Always wear protective equipment.

• Take it slow & make it fun.  Remember, any activity is better than none.

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Through the days of Lent we encourage parishioners to participate in the St. Francis parish community's WALK TO JERUSALEM.  For this effort the parish community will strive to collectively walk the 6035 miles (9713 kilometers) from Ann Arbor to Jerusalem.  See page 5 for details.

For your health-related questions, call the parish health ministry voicemail at 821-2115. 

Health-care professionals interested in participating in the Parish Health Ministry, please call Debbie Coley at 994-5060.