leads to a healthier lifestyle.
The prevalence of physical inactivity in the Philippines is relatively low (
World Health Survey, 2003,
Global School-based Health Survey, 2007) but overweight and obesity among adults is increasing (
7th National Nutrition Survey in PIA Press Release, 2009, August 27). Diseases of the heart remains the number one leading cause of mortality in the country (
Department of Health, 2009).
...
Filipinos love to eat.
According to data based on body mass index, few are overweight and obese (
2nd National Diabetes Survey, 2002). It would be interesting to look at the body fat. People can be thin but are still considered fat because of the relative amount of body fat the person has compared to his fat-free mass.
My hypotheses are that Filipinos are not getting enough physical activities to reap health benefits and they eat more than what they actually need.
More Filipinos should do yoga. It's a complete system in itself with physical activities (asanas), proper diet and moderate eating (mitahara), and stress management (pranayama and meditation).
Do you need motivation? Exercise psychology says professionals can use all types of gimmicks to increase motivation and adherence but in the end it's all about the person's intrinsic motivation. Yoga says it's all in the mind. We all create our own suffering.
So stop making
"arte", lay down your mat and do 108 surya namaskars. (of course, it's more complicated than just telling people to do this). Yoga says people are disconnected to their inner self that they don't realize that they already have within themselves the power to change and do whatever it is they want to do with their lives. I have a hardy personality so most of the time, my solution to things is very simplistic.
Hardy people have these three traits (Gentry & Kosaba, 1979, in
Weinberg, 2007, p407):
- a sense of personal control over external events.
- a sense of involvement, commitment and purpose in daily life.
- the flexibility to adapt to unexpected changes by perceiving them sa challenges or opportunities for further growth.
Last Sunday,
C said a doctor on tv didn't mention physical activity or exercise as one of the interventions for obese people. The doctor only mentioned dietary modification, medication and surgery. There is a study that says exercise
"should not be prescribed for people who are obese (40% or more over ideal body weight), those with severe heart disease, or those with high blood pressure that cannot be controlled by medication." (Buffone, 1984, in Weinberg, 2007). But honestly, how many Filipinos are 40% or more over their ideal weight? I just browsed through the available data (
2nd NDS, 2002;
7th NNS in PIA Press Release, 2009). My guess is it's very few.
The general message that most people will be getting from that interview (again, I'm guessing) is that you don't need exercise. Just do liposuction. (I didn't see the interview so this argument is based solely on
tsismis).
...
I'm supposed to prepare my lecture for this afternoon on overtraining, burnout and injuries in sports and exercise. I'm cramming already but with this stress I'm experiencing, the motivation to write becomes high. Thus, the motivation to blog is more than the motivation to read.
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"Exercise may also be contraindicated for people who are severely depressed and for those who have tenuous contact with reality or suicidal tendencies." - Weinberg, 2007, p411.
Too much introspection leads to depression.
...
Going back to physical activity and moderate eating. The solution to all these health problems is simple (again, my simplistic view of things), eat moderately and be active. If you're just going to sit around all day, just have something enough to maintain good health.
The ancient yogis have outlined the formula for perfect health thousands of years ago. People just have to rediscover it.
OM.
