Did you know that there was a 100% increase in the occurrence of Type 2 diabetes and obesity in the US during the latter half of the 20th century, which must be attributed to a changing environment since basically, 0% of the human genome changed during this time period!
Interestingly the most effective therapies for insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes) are weight loss and increased physical activity.
In fact, with the possible exception of diet modification, we know of no single intervention with greater promise than physical exercise to reduce the risk of virtually all chronic diseases simultaneously.
So where does this put the average Australian? I often hear people claim that they can’t expect to be able to do the sort of activity that they were doing at a younger age. While it is true that their deconditioned bodies probably would get injured, if they tried to progress too quickly, there is nothing to say that they couldn’t reverse (or prevent) many of those movement limitations with the right sort of therapy and training. I believe anyone could gradually be guided towards their best health potential through the following two simple steps:
1) Restore proper quality and range of movement by creating balanced:
Flexibility / Movement-control / Strength.
2) Then continue to move the way the body was designed with fun, varied functional movement patterns just the way humans used to move in everyday life.