How to Exercise for Lifelong Health – and Why it Matters

In this series we give you tips on how to reach your most vibrant health by giving your body what it needs to thrive. Here are the 10 health foundations:

Come back next month to learn about love and self care. But now, let’s talk about exercise, how to add it into your lifestyle, and why it matters.

The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week for healthy adults, this could mean 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week, or 75 minutes of intense activity twice a week.

We all have heard that exercise is good for us, and that we need to be active to keep our bodies in peak condition.

Today, the average American walks about 3-5,000 steps and sits 9-11 hours per day. Let’s compare that to our ancestors. Hunter-gatherers are estimated to have spent 2-3 hours a day in moderate to vigorous activity, walking 5-8 miles daily. Agricultural societies were active for 6-10 hours per day, depending on the season, with about 5-10 miles of daily walking. Today’s average of walking—only 1 to 2 miles per day—is a stark contrast that contributes to the rise of chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and poor lymphatic function.

Our bodies evolved in environments where walking several miles a day was the norm. In fact, humans are surprisingly well suited for walking. Research shows we expend only about 0.2 calories per pound per mile, with great capacity for endurance over speed. Our long legs, spring-loaded feet, upright posture, and pendulum-like stride make walking one of the most energy-efficient activities we can do.

Walking benefits nearly every major system in the body. It’s gentle, rhythmic, and natural — and yet remarkably potent in its impact. From improved circulation and lower blood sugar to a calmer mind and stronger bones, walking is a full-body therapy that’s accessible to nearly everyone. It boosts mood, clears the lymphatic system, balances hormones, and even sharpens the mind. If you do nothing else but walk daily, youcan keep your body in good shape.

Sitting is now the main activity people do in our modern western society. In comparison, our ancestors spent their resting time in deep squatting or kneeling positions. These postures engage muscles, especially in the legs and core, and don’t suppress muscle activity the way slouched chair sitting does.

When the body doesn’t move, it starts to fall into dysfunction:

• Muscles start to atrophy.
• Bone density drops.
• The posture changes.
• Blood and lymph circulation becomes sluggish, especially to the lower body.
• The heart becomes less efficient, increasing risk of hypertension, stroke, and heart disease.
• The risk of varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis rises.
• Breathing becomes shallow,
• Metabolism slows
• The brain becomes foggy and fatigued.

A sedentary lifestyle isn’t just inconvenient; it’s a silent contributor to nearly every chronic disease we face today.

Moderate exercise is one of the most powerful forms of natural medicine – and it costs absolutely nothing! Just 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week of walking, cycling, swimming, or gentle yoga can transform your health, mood, and resilience without overtaxing the body. Exercise:

A well-rounded movement practice includes elements of:

• Cardio
  for vitality and to improve circulation
  Examples: walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, hiking, rebounding
• Strength
  for mobility and structure
  Examples: weightlifting, resistance bands, Pilates
• Flexibility
  for flow and balance
  Examples: Yoga, stretching, balancing ball
• Mind-body connection
  for awareness
  Examples: mindful walking, tai-chi, yoga

It’s not about pushing hard every day — it’s about listening to your body’s needs and moving in a way that supports your whole system: physically, emotionally, energetically.

How much is too much?

Moderate exercise supports resilience and strengthens the system. Too much exercise though – especially without adequate rest or nourishment – can tip the body into stress, breakdown, or burnout. More isn’t always better, and if exercise starts to feel like a burden, it’s time to pull back and listen to your body’s wisdom. Days of rest allow the nervous system to reset, muscles to rebuild, and hormones to rebalance. True fitness includes slowing down.

If you’re living with a chronic condition, the idea of exercising can feel overwhelming — but it doesn’t have to be. From a naturopathic perspective, movement is about reconnecting with your body, not pushing it. Begin gently, listen deeply, and let movement be a form of self-care, not stress. Even the smallest steps create momentum.

Start slow.
Begin with low-impact, gentle movement: short walks, stretching, gentle yoga, tai chi, or swimming. Even 5–10 minutes a day is a win — and you can build from there. The goal is consistency, not intensity.

Get Cleared by Your Practitioner.
Before starting, especially if you have heart disease, lung conditions, joint pain, fatigue, or blood sugar issues, check with your healthcare provider. Good questions to ask are: What is safe? What should I avoid? What warning signs should I watch for?

Choose Movement That Feels Good, and keep it short.
Choose gentle activities that feel nourishing, not depleting. If it feels like punishment, your body will rebel.

Try:


• Walking outdoors (even 5 mins)

• Chair yoga

• Range-of-motion stretches

• Dancing to one song in your kitchen

• Rebounding (mini-trampoline)

• Water exercise (very joint-friendly!)

Listen to Your Body.
On days when you’re tired, rest or do something lighter. On better days, build gently. If you feel worse after movement (fatigue, dizziness, pain, brain fog), back off — that’s your body asking for more support.

Make Movement Fun.
Nature, music, pets, or a friend can make movement feel like joy instead of a chore. When movement is connected to rhythm, beauty, or breath, it becomes medicine for body, mind and soul.

Support Recovery.
Focus on hydration, electrolytes, healthy meals, and restful sleep. Consider supporting mitochondrial health and adrenals if fatigue is an issue (a naturopath can help guide you). Gentle stretching or epsom salt baths can aid recovery and reduce soreness.

Regular movement lowers the risk of several major cancers. Most benefits appear at moderate activity levels. Exercise can also improve survival and well-being during cancer treatment.

Much scientific research has been done on exercise and cancer. A meta-analysis of 33 studies for example found that high physical activity reduces the risk of endometrial cancer by ~20%; similarly, 12–21% lower breast cancer risk was seen for highly active women across pre- and post-menopause. Another study shows that physical activity is linked to 19% lower colon cancer risk, along with reductions in bladder, kidney, stomach, esophageal, and renal cancers.

But why is that?
Exercise seems to lower sex hormones (e.g., estrogen), it also reduces insulin resistance, diminishes chronic inflammation, and boosts immune function – all key mechanisms in cancer prevention. It may even cause beneficial epigenetic changes that enhance tumor-suppressor gene activity.

There seems to be a direct correlation between cancer prevention and exercise: The more you move, the stronger the protection. This was proven by a dose–response study of 16.4 million people which showed a 10–17% cancer risk reduction when comparing very active individuals to inactive ones.

If you’ve had a complicated relationship with exercise, know this: you don’t need to punish your body to care for it. Gentle, joyful movement is enough. You’re allowed to start again — slowly, kindly, and just as you are.

Fatigue.
If you are too tired to exercise, the root causes could be overwhelm, stress, poor sleep, or trauma recovery. Or it could be adrenal dysfunction, mitochondrial depletion, anemia, thyroid imbalance, or other underlying health problems. If that’s the case, we recommend you make an appointment with your healthcare provider. Once your doctor clears you for exercise, start with gentle stretches, yoga, or short walks in nature, and make sure you get plenty of rest and good nourishment.

All-or-Nothing Thinking (“I have failed before, why try again?”).
The cause of this mindset could be cultural pressure, perfectionism, or shame for not being ‘good enough’. In this case start slow and celebrate each small win. Nobody else needs to see you, simply move because it feels good!

Trauma-related blocks (“Exercise is punishment”).
The cause for this block could be childhood trauma, body shaming, coercion around movement, or a history of overtraining. Reclaim movement as self-care. Dancing alone at home, breath based yoga, or mindful walking are excellent choices to break through this block.

Not enough time.
This is a very common complaint in our busy lives. Just know that exercise doesn’t have to be long. Adding 5 minutes of stretching into your morning or evening routine can help – or park the car further away from the store, school, or work, walk during meetings or phone calls, get a stand up desk, or exercise with your kids. More ideas below.

Movement doesn’t have to be a chore. In fact, our bodies love simple, joyful, consistent motion. The more you weave it into your daily rhythm, the more energized, calm, and connected you will feel.

Step up your game with these ideas.

A sedentary lifestyle – all by itself – promotes disease. Healthy physiology is stimulated by movement and activity. You can incorporate this easily in the normal course of life – where you park, how you shop, what you do during TV commercials.

Find natural opportunities to be outdoors and in fresh air frequently. Build on what you already enjoy! Don’t jump to a gym membership or classes or something that might feel too “big” or expensive or social.

Start low and slow.

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Written by Karen Wegehenkel
Medically reviewed by Dr. McClane Duncan, ND

Sources and Resources

CDC exercise guidelines:
https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html

Mercola: Weight training protects against dementia in older adults
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2025/05/24/weight-training-protects-against-dementia.aspx

Mercola: exercise to treat depression
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2022/07/20/exercise-to-treat-depression.aspx

Mercola: The therapeutic potential of exercise for depression
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/05/17/therapeutic-potential-of-exercise-for-depression.aspx

Sitting, squatting, and the evolutionary biology of human inactivity
David A Raichlen, Herman Pontzer, Theodore W Zderic, et.al
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32152112/

Physical Activity, All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality, and Cardiovascular Disease
William E Kraus, Kenneth E Powell, William L Haskell et.al
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6527136

Study: Taking This Many Steps Each Day Can Improve Mental Health
https://www.health.com/step-count-reduce-depression-study-8769848

British Journal of Sports Medicine: Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies
Haruki Momma, Ryoko Kawakami, Takanori Honda, Susumu S Sawada
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/13/755

Resistance Training and Mortality Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Prathiyankara Shailendra, Katherine L Baldock, L S Katrina Li, Jason A Bennie, Terry Boyle
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35599175/

Why exercise has a crucial role in cancer prevention, risk reduction and improved outcomes
Robert Thomas, Stacey A Kenfield, Yuuki Yanagisawa, Robert U Newton
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8431973

NIH National Cancer Institute: Physical Activity and Cancer
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/obesity/physical-activity-fact-sheet

Physical Activity in Cancer Prevention and Survival: A Systematic Review
Anne McTiernan, Christine M Friedenreich, Peter T Katzmarzyk et.al
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6527123/

Physical activity and cancer risk: a dose-response analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Xiayao Diao, Yudong Ling, Yi Zeng, Yueqian Wu et. al
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37743572/