Biokinetic Blueprint: The Fountain of Youth, the secret ingredient.

I have held onto a statement that a professor made during a conference on "Exercise is Medicine." The statement, initially posed as a question, was intriguing and left the audience, which included exercise therapists, doctors, and physicians, quite baffled. The statement went something like this, and forgive me if I don't get it 100% right: "If you could have one pill for the rest of your life that could cure 90% of chronic diseases and prevent aging, would you take it?" Now, I'm sure you've already worked out what I am referring to, and the medical professionals in the room had also started working it out. However, it came as a bit of a shock to everyone. The inevitable answer was exercise – something very simple, yet the majority of people find it hard to even fit in the minimum requirement of exercise per day, week, month, or year. How is it that, as humans, the quickest, easiest, and path of least resistance is inevitably the road we take, even to our own detriment?

If this is the case, we, as the proverbial minority of people who do exercise, not even on a regular basis, are assumed to be the healthier, fitter, or even crazy people. So my question to you is, what is your preferred drug?

The exercise we do should be a passion, and it should be enjoyable to each individual. Let's not lie, exercise is and can be difficult, but if we attribute more of our lifestyle and wellness towards exercise, shouldn't it become a prerequisite instead of a grudge? I have always seen exercise in any form as part of my lifestyle, and it has never become something I take for granted. Being able to perform exercise as an able-bodied person is something you cannot take for granted.

The spectrum of exercise on offer today is the broadest it has been in history. You do not have to be a sportsperson to do exercise. Exercise originates, in its simplest form, as movement of the body performing a certain action to elicit a certain physical response. Therefore, exercise can be deemed virtually anything active. The benefits of exercise, although predominantly physical, also have a profound effect mentally. The promotion of mental health by using exercise as a means of reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as releasing endorphins, which are natural mood enhancers, can improve self-esteem, confidence, and social connectedness.

Another aspect of exercise that I have come to appreciate and understand better over the years is age-appropriate exercise. In my mind, exercise is for everyone, although some exercises may suit better at different stages of life, for different age groups. A 70-year-old doing burpees in strict form is a very impressive feat. However, this is very seldom experienced. Therefore, the exercise that we prescribe must be for the utmost benefit of the patient and translate into positive outcomes, enjoyment, and, inevitably, goal attainment.

Aging is inevitable, and the realization of our mortality is always a daunting aspect that anyone has to come to terms with. Quality of life, therefore, should be one of our greatest goals. One of my greatest sayings in regard to this aspect of quality of life is, "What is the point of coming to the grave in a well-preserved body? Rather, live life to the full, utilize your body to the maximum, slide into the grave sideways shouting, 'Holy cow, what a ride!'"