Hello, I am Dr. Deok, a functional medicine specialist. Today, I would like to discuss something I recently saw in the media. This is information from a broadcast that aired four years ago, but I happened to come across it while browsing YouTube. I believe it could lead to misunderstandings for patients, so I want to address it again today. 

What I’m referring to is a clinical research data presentation from Yonsei University’s Graduate School of Public Health, which focused on patients who visited the hospital for comprehensive check-ups. The study examined the preventive effects of exercise on four major diseases between individuals who exercise daily and those who exercise every other day. To summarize the findings, individuals who exercised three to four times a week showed a certain level of preventive effect against diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

When I looked into this, I found that it lowers blood pressure by 14%, reduces diabetes by 133%, decreases the risk of myocardial infarction by 21%, and lowers the risk of stroke by 20%. You can see that diseases related to blood vessels improve significantly. This is based on information about exercising three times a week at a moderate intensity or higher, including aerobic exercise that makes you sweat and strength training combined. However, if you were to exercise every day, it turns out that there is no preventive effect against vascular-related diseases such as diabetes, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Just looking at this alone, one might think, Oh, exercising every day is actually worse; it would be better to exercise every other day. This is a rather simplistic piece of information. However, it's not that straightforward; we need to think more diversely about this. The first concept we have about exercise is that we assume it is always good for us. But why is exercise...

I don't think you've ever considered whether it's good for you. People keep saying that exercising is good for you, and since they hear that, they assume it's beneficial. However, to put it accurately, exercise is a type of oxidative stress that we impose on our bodies. Just as we experience stress when we consume toxic substances or are exposed to bad environments, exercise similarly introduces oxidative stress to our bodies. It's something we do intentionally. 

But why is that good? When we subject our bodies to a certain amount of oxidative stress, our antioxidant systems kick into gear to resolve it. Understanding that we use exercise to engage this system might make it easier to grasp. In that sense, if we expose ourselves to oxidative stress every day, and if our bodies have enough antioxidants to handle it daily, then it would certainly be beneficial. The preventive effects would be greater.

I think it will turn out great. However, there is no study on such conditions here at all. If you exercise every day and take enough antioxidants, such as vitamins that can provide sufficient antioxidant effects, there will be no problems. In fact, I believe it will lead to even better results. But because this is not the case, and since they completely exclude that aspect and focus solely on exercise, those who rest for a day are given much more time to adapt to oxidative stress compared to those who exercise every day. When you stress the body again, it may appear that the preventive effects are much better. To illustrate this, I have an analogy involving Winston Churchill and James Fixx. Winston Churchill lived into his 90s and, as far as I know, served as the British Prime Minister in his 80s. One day,

He served as president, and I can't imagine someone over the age of 80 doing that. In the videos from before, he always had a cigar in his hand, and there was always Scotch whisky next to him in his office. He never went a day without drinking whisky or smoking a cigar. Yet, despite that, he lived healthily into his 80s and passed away in his 90s. There are people who inherit such genetic advantages. James Fixx, on the other hand, was a person who popularized marathon running across the United States and created a huge sensation. However, he died early from coronary artery disease. He passed away due to angina and a heart attack. Before that, he struggled with managing his health.

I gained weight and felt really bad, so I thought, If I keep living like this, I'll die quickly. I worked hard on my diet and exercised, losing a lot of weight. When I looked at my body during the marathon, it was well-managed and completely devoid of fat. I was proud that I managed my body so well that I could run a marathon one or two times a week, staying very healthy. The media even advertised that people should manage their bodies like this. However, this person died of a heart attack while running a marathon. The church emphasized that one should take sufficient antioxidants to prevent oxidative stress caused by excessive exercise. However, this person also had genetic issues. Nowadays, it has been revealed that through blood tests, we can identify when someone is genetically prone to oxidative stress.

최근에는 이러한 문제를 해결하지 못하는 유전자가 있는지를 찾을 수 있습니다. 특히 혈관학적인 문제는 더 자세히 살펴볼 수 있습니다. 만약 이분이 그 당시 다이어트와 운동을 하면서 올바른 기능학자를 만나 제대로 된 검사를 받고 운동도 제대로 교육받았다면, 어떻게 하면 내 몸이 건강해질 수 있는지에 대한 적절한 비타민 관리와 항산화 관리를 했다면, 저는 이분도 윈스턴 처칠처럼 80세, 90세까지 건강하게 사셨을 것이라고 생각합니다. 하지만 운동만 하면 된다고 생각하고 운동만 하니까, 제가 기억하기로는 정확한 날짜는 모르겠지만 50대 초반에 마라톤을 하다가 심장마비로 돌아가셨습니다. 이렇듯 운동이 나쁘다는 것이 아닙니다. 운동은 매일 할 수 있고, 매일 해도 좋다고 생각합니다. 그러나 그에 대해 충분히 우리가 사회 스트레스로부터 안전하게 내 몸을 관리해야 합니다.

If you provide enough antioxidants that can be protected, there will be no problem; in fact, exercise will be better for managing our bodies. However, for the average person who is unable to do this, it is better to give them some time to rest compared to those who do not exercise at all. Understanding this meaning will help you accurately grasp the presentation. Manage your body according to your own condition. For someone who has never exercised before, suddenly being told that exercise is good and to do it every day can be challenging. Our bodies are not used to that. Therefore, for those individuals, it is best to start with walking. Aim for about 3 to 4 times a week. As you gain some stamina, you can alternate between walking and jogging, gradually increasing the intensity. This way, you can establish a regular exercise habit that suits your body. Secondly, if you feel like you have exercised vigorously, it is essential to supplement with sufficient antioxidants. That is the most important point.

You need to give your body enough time to eliminate the reactive oxygen species produced within it. Along with that, if you manage the oxidative stress caused by various other pollutants your body is exposed to, you can achieve a much healthier state. If you work out hard but then go outside and eat instant fast food or consume vegetables and fish contaminated with heavy metals, it can lead to metabolic issues in your body. Ultimately, even though you might think you are eating well after exercising, this could lead to a decline in your health. If you understand this, your concept of exercise will become much clearer. I will conclude my discussion here today. Until the day all citizens become healthy, Dr. Deok is with you.

격일 운동 vs 매일 운동 어느것이 더 좋을까?

포항시 남구 ‘닥터웰의원’: 054-293-3010

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그러기 위해 필요한 것이 적절한 영양소 입니다. 
그 중에 대표주자가 비타민이겠지요. 그 외에도 미네랄, 양질의 지방질, 단백질 등도 필요합니다.

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많은 유익이 되시기를 바랍니다.

카카오ID: skinwell