Fine Balance Wellness

If Doctor X practices yoga and jogs multiple times a week, and Doctor Y does not, who would be the better steward and advisor when it comes to your health and the health of your family? What if both doctors advised you to begin an exercise regime? Whose advice would resonate more? According to the former president of the American Medical Association, Dr. Ronald Davis, the answer is the doctor who exercises.

Unfortunately, studies are finding that doctors, like many of us, don’t get enough exercise. It is a common-sense conundrum: doctors, who know the health risks and complications of a sedentary lifestyle better than any lay person, aren’t getting enough exercise themselves. Astonishingly, a study conducted by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that almost 80% of doctors in the United Kingdom fall short of meeting the recommended exercise guidelines of 30 minutes of moderate activity, five times a week. Aside from impairing their own health, sedentary physicians are less likely to be able to prompt us to healthy habits.

Before you dismiss the study as having been conducted in an island nation that is ‘across the pond,’ consider the fact that one of the co-authors of the study feels that the issue of sedentary doctors is most likely to be worse in the United States, not better. He is quoted on the “Get Fit” blog from Healthy Living’s website as saying: “In many ways, it’s probably worse in the U.S. as the doctors there are working on average 30 hours more [a week] than those in the U.K.”

Blogger and oncologist Craig Hildreth of “The Cheerful Oncologist” succinctly sums up the point of having an active physician: “Physicians who exercise regularly not only are more likely to help their patients get off their duffs and reduce their risk of major diseases by joining them on the treadmill, but are more likely to understand the unique need of athletes who exercise.”

So, when you are evaluating a possible family physician, take a conscious approach and don’t be squeamish about asking questions. Consider whether he or she shares your approach to health.  Do they understand the important role fitness should serve in your life? Do they understand how nutrition affects your family’s overall health? Do they take a holistic approach? Or does your doctor tend to see health issues in their own little silos? In many ways, it makes sense to seek out a doctor who is similar to you. Humans are attracted to fellow humans whether they are selecting a future spouse, an employer, or a best friend. Finding a family physician should be a similar process.

Of course, if you lead a sedentary lifestyle and want to get moving, don’t seek out a doctor who is like you and is also sedentary. Find someone who you can admire and someone who can get you motivated. Find a doctor who makes time to exercise.

Just like busy New Yorkers who juggle multiple projects and tasks all at once, harried doctors say that they don’t have the time for exercise. But it couldn’t be more important than now, a time when obesity, diabetes and heart disease are increasing at meteoric rates. Find a physician who relates to you and understands the multifaceted approach to healthy living. He or she is more likely to support you in achieving the highest levels of health for you and your family.

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Amanda Joyce is a freelance writer living and working in New York City. She has been practicing vinyasa yoga for more than six years, and she credits its restorative power for getting her through two marathons and one very stressful day job.