Exercise: Your Secret Weapon for Staying Healthy

Exercise is essential for maintaining our health. Let's support this with evidence from the works of Maimonides (Rambam) on ethics and health.

Why is it important to exercise?

* "Exercise is the primary key to maintaining health and preventing most illnesses... Movement and physical activity can mitigate the harmful effects of many poor habits that most people indulge in." To elaborate, exercise prevents the damage caused by our poor habits, especially eating, and also our negative personal behaviors that can cause stress and illness, like anger, which Rambam discusses at length in his writings."

* "As long as a person exercises regularly and is not overly full, with an empty stomach, illness will not come upon them and their strength will increase, even if they eat poor-quality foods.. ".

* "Anyone who sits idle and does not exercise, even if they eat good foods and follow medical advice, will suffer from pain and weakness throughout their life."

When should you exercise?

* "It is advisable to exercise only on an empty stomach (before a meal) and after emptying the bladder and bowels."

* "Do not exercise in extreme heat or cold, and the best time to exercise is early in the day, after waking up...".

* "Just as movement before a meal is wholly beneficial, movement after a meal is entirely harmful and very damaging".

What type of exercise is good for us?

* "The best kind of exercise is when it leads to physical exertion that brings joy to the soul, like playing ball, because it enhances joy... Playing with a small ball is one of the easiest ways to engage all body parts, as it moves muscles, tendons, and ligaments we usually don't use daily. Additionally, exercising with enthusiasm is vital, and this is most possible with enjoyable activities!

In summary, start moving your body through fun, enjoyable activities that motivate you to continue daily, and most importantly, make sure to sweat, as sweating helps eliminate many toxins from the body. We will cover more on this topic in future articles, with Hashem's help.

To book a free home class with naturopath Ruth Liat Pelz, call 073-2221290