It can be hard to get motivated in the winter when it’s cold, dreary and dark, and that throw blanket is just so comfy! The good news is, spring is here. So, step outside and take a long, deep breath of cool, fresh air. 

Now listen closely. Do you hear what your muscles are telling you? That’s right. They are practically yelling at you to get active, get moving, go for a walk or resume your morning runs. Listen to them. 

The Government of Canada recommends that adults between the ages of 18 and 64 be active for at least two and a half hours per week. They recommend getting your heart rate up with some aerobic activity (also known as cardio) in spurts of at least 10 minutes at a time. 

Even if you are not an athlete, doing cardio exercises regularly will benefit you in many ways. Regular exercise can improve your overall health and help you better manage any illness and disease. The list of benefits includes but is not limited to:

So to sum it all up, regular exercise will lead to a lighter, happier and healthier you! The best part is that you only need 10 free minutes at a time to reap these rewards.

Try any of the following, just remember to put in your best effort at whichever you choose in order to maximize the benefits.

In an article titled “ Health Reports: Ten-year trend in physical fitness among Canadian adults ”   Statistics Canada states that “ High physical fitness is associated with many health benefits and is a strong predictor of future morbidity and mortality.”  

It is never too late to develop healthy habits and positively impact your health. Start small, start simple, but start!

It can feel impossible to find the time to get active in our busy lives, especially if you have a family to take care of. The key is to remember that you will be better able to care for others if you feel good! Many of the activities in the list above can be done in short bursts of time. Here are some ideas for when you can squeeze in a quick cardio session:

There are a million ways to get motivated, the key is to find one that works for you. I can’t list all of the ways here, but here are two of the most common. Try them out, do some research, make some changes and do what works for you. It doesn’t really matter how you get motivated, so long as you are keeping active.

Pharmacists can help you be safe while active in a number of ways.  Drop by the Riverbend pharmacy and speak to one of our pharmacists for personalized advice on how to be active and live a healthy lifestyle regardless of your medical history and circumstances. We always love to chat with our customers. 

Here are some services that we offer that you may want to take advantage of this spring in your efforts to adopt a healthy, active lifestyle.

Pharmacists often see their patients more often than doctors do, and as a result, are in a unique position to be able to help screen and identify at-risk patients. The key is to communicate with your pharmacist how you are feeling and your symptoms whenever you go into the pharmacy.

5. Pregnancy and Healthy, Active Living: You want to be active while pregnant and you understand the importance of maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle, especially for the health of your baby, but you are always nauseous or experiencing heartburn and it feels like you’ll never be able to exercise again.

Speak with a pharmacist. They can help you manage your nausea and suggest the appropriate vitamins/minerals and medications to help with nausea and heartburn and to keep you and the baby healthy throughout your pregnancy. They can also double-check that any medications prescribed by your doctor are safe for your baby.

You can get these symptoms under control and live the active lifestyle that you want with the help of your pharmacist.

No matter what your life currently looks like or what obstacles lie in your way, it is possible to become more active and improve your health. Spring is the season of new beginnings, so why not start your new story of healthy, active living right now. Speak to a pharmacist to safely get started, get fit and get active.

Until next time,

Nathalie Jolivet