Exercise is Medicine Month

May is Declared Month to Promote Fitness

Rather than medicine as the fix all for physical aches and pains. Anthony Carey of Function First, an exercise studio in Mission Hills, located at 3974 Dove Street in Mission Hills, is encouraging those with bodily discomfort and other ailments to turn to exercise.

To help promote the benefits of exercise, Function First and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and the American Council on Exercise® (ACE®), are “Joining Forces” with San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders to celebrate May as Exercise is Medicine™ Month. In addition to joining forces, extra effort is being made to support actively deployed National Guard, reservists and their immediate families with professional fitness training services at no cost.

The Mayor’s office learned about “Exercise is Medicine Month™” from Anthony Carey, MA, CSCS, AHFP. Carey, the CEO and founder of Function First, is an internationally renowned biomechanics and corrective exercise expert as well as an award winning author, presenter and inventor. Carey is a Gold-Certified Advanced Health and Fitness Specialist through ACE and a proud member of the Exercise is Medicine™ initiative.

Function First is promoting Exercise is Medicine Month by pledging to provide 320 hours of free fitness training services throughout the month of May 2012 to U.S. service members and their families, thereby enriching their overall quality of life and health through exercise.

“Exercise is Medicine™ Month perfectly aligns with the goals of Function First. We promote improving quality of life through physical activity, and that is exactly what Exercise is Medicine™ does. Function First is proud to be collaborating with ACSM and ACE to provide these local heros and their family members the support they respectfully deserve,” states Anthony Carey.

“Physical activity isn’t about just looking good – it’s necessary for disease prevention and a long, healthy life,” Mayor Sanders said. “Just a small amount of exercise can positively affect overall mental and cardiovascular health.”

“We applaud Function First, the City of San Diego and Mayor Sanders for recognizing the vital role exercise plays in enhancing the health of our communities, especially for the men and women who fight for our country,” said Scott Goudeseune, president and CEO of the American Council on Exercise.

Carey says that there appears to be a growing realization among the health and fitness industries, mental and medical associations, and governmental agencies that exercise is a key element in fighting the obesity epidemic, as well as other diseases, including diabetes and coronary illnesses.

Joining Forces is an excellent opportunity for fitness certifying bodies, businesses and organizations to collaborate with a common cause. They are working together to give greater access to fitness resources – empowering people to live healthy and fit lives.

Exercise is Medicine™ is an initiative designed to encourage America to incorporate physical activity and exercise into their daily routine. The initiative, launched by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Medical Association (AMA) in November 2007, recognizes the role of the fitness community as part of the health care continuum by working with the medical community.

Category: Life Style