Exercise is for everybody

By Captain Mahmood Al Mahmood

Now that the weather is getting noticeably cooler, we are seeing more and more people out walking in the walking paths that have been thoughtfully incorporated into our urban spaces by planners.

These winter months till March are decidedly better to incorporate new exercise resolutions since the hot summer is waning at this time.

While I am happy to see people of all ages exercise, it is particularly good to note that women are now taking their health seriously.

Once a taboo topic, outdoor exercise and organised physical activity classes for women have become quite accepted for women in Bahrain.

Indeed, the Kingdom has a history of getting involved in women’s athletic activities and has regularly fielded women’s teams in local, regional and international competitions, performing to varying degrees of success.

W o m e n have brought back medals and glory to Bahrain from the Olympics and the Paralympics - Bahraini amputee and para-athlete, Shaikha Al Shaiba, who is a regular participant in the half-Ironman triathlons is a shining example.

Even if it is not for organised sports competitions, we owe it to our women to encourage and make available the facilities to help them exercise for good health.

Not everybody wants to go to the gym to train but a well organised network of walking paths will always help even busy people to incorporate a daily 10,000 steps into their routine.

November is specially a good time to kickstart a new exercise resolution – after all, it is designated Diabetes Awareness Month in honour of the discovery of insulin’s role in managing the condition and experts agree that just simple walking daily helps in controlling blood sugar and improve diabetic health.

Bahrain has the unenviable reputation of being a Diabetes Hotspot in the GCC and obesity has reached epidemic proportions in our Kingdom.

Let Bahraini women take up the task of seriously getting their families to embrace exercise as the route to good health and it will be their gift to our Kingdom!