

and health expenses resulting from the treatment of these
diseases are increasing rapidly. We have to take our children
outdoors who are spending toomuch time engaging in
stationary activities like television, computer, the Internet
and online games andwe should encourage them to live an
active life asmuch as possible,” said Aydoğ.
PHYSICALACTIVITY INCREASESSUCCESS
Many studies indicate that childrenwho play sports
regularly and engage in physical activity aremore
successful at school and in social life according to Aydoğ
who emphasizes that these children aremore responsible
and at peacewith themselves. Stressing that parents
should become rolemodels for their children by doing
sports and exercise first, Aydoğ stated that even though
adults come home tired from the daily rush and prefer
to lie down on the couch rather than go out for awalk or
exercise, doing so is a prime example of self-destruction.
WALKING HAS ITS RULES TOO
Aydoğ pointed out that althoughwalking is accepted as a
very beneficial sport, some rules should not be ignored.
“Walking certainly has benefits just likemedicine;
however, prescribingwalking to a patientwithout giving
the necessarywarnings is useless. Doctors should be
surewhether the patient has a disabilitywhich could
prevent him/her fromwalking. Additionally, patients
should be given specific information regarding the pace
atwhich they shouldwalk, whether or not they canwalk
on an incline onwhich days they shouldwalk on and for
how long andwhether they can do another exercise or
not. Otherwise, walking is no different than using your
neighbor’smedicine.”
WALKING ALONE ISN’T ENOUGH
Aydoğsaid that even if youwalkby following the rules, it
isnot enoughandstrength, stretchandbalanceexercises
must be incorporated intodaily life. “It isnecessary to
exerciseusingone’sownbodyweight or liftweights two
to threedaysaweek,” saysAydoğ, adding that if this is
ignored, theflexibilityof thebodywill decreaseandbalance
problemswill emerge later in lifedue to the inactivity
stemming frommodern life. Asa result, peoplebecome
prone to fallingwhichcauses fractures.
yesilay.org.tr
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YEŞiLAY
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October-November-December 2015