The Miracle Pill

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How did we get here? Daily, constant exertion was an integral part of humanity for millennia, but in just a few decades movement was virtually designed out of people’s lives through transformed workplaces, the dominance of the car, and a built environment which encourages people to be static. This book is pretty life-changing – encouraging, optimistic, rich with information. It got me off the sofa.' Jeremy Vine This book is pretty life-changing - encouraging, optimistic, rich with information. It got me off the sofa.' Jeremy Vine

How did we get here? Daily, constant exertion was an integral part of humanity for millennia, but in just a few decades movement was virtually designed out of people's lives through transformed workplaces, the dominance of the car, and a built environment which encourages people to be static.Despite the somewhat misleading title (it's NOT about pharmaceuticals), I found this work engaging if occasionally repetitive. The message, however, is worth repeating - move or die.

However bleak the situation might seem, the author shows that countries can do better! I enjoyed the examples of the Netherlands and Denmark which developed infrastructure to allow people to move easily by bike or by foot. This book is pretty life-changing – encouraging, optimistic, rich with information. It got me off the sofa.' Jeremy Vine Four in ten British adults, and 80% of children, are so sedentary they don't meet even the minimum recommended levels for movement. What's going on? That boils down to this - for health and longevity it is important that we move our bodies by walking, bicycling, jogging, running, etc. That movement doesn't have to be strenuous, it just has to raise our heart rate a little. And, it doesn't have to be hours long sessions at the gym; just getting up once an hour to walk a bit is helpful.How did we get here? Daily, constant exertion was an integral part of humanity for millennia, but in just a few decades movement was virtually designed out of people’s lives through transformed workplaces, the dominance of the car, and a built environment which encourages people to be static. How did we get here? Daily, constant exertion was an integral part of humanity for millennia, but in just a few decades movement was virtually designed out of people's lives throughtransformed workplaces, the dominance of the car, and a built environment which encourages people to be static. What is the 'miracle pill', the simple lifestyle change with such enormous health benefits that, if it was turned into a drug, would be the most valuable drug in the world? The answer is movement and the good news is that it's free, easy and available to everyone.

If we can find a way to add movement to our routines it will be easier to develop and maintain the habit of moving. To do that most effectively means finding a movement we enjoy. Taking a walk after a meal if great! Riding a bicycle to work or the store is excellent! Using the stairs instead of the elevator is highly recommended! Easy. This book ispretty life-changing encouraging,optimistic, richwith information.It got me off the sofa. Jeremy Vine Four in ten British adults, and 80% of children, are so sedentary they don’t meet even the minimum recommended levels for movement. What’s going on? So, basically, here's the thing the book is pushing: moving more improves our health. Little things like walking and riding bikes—and sitting less—will do wonders to help our health in ways we can't imagine. Essentially, he argues that if we could take an expensive pill that would have the same impact, we all would. So why not do the free, natural thing?This book also touches upon the discussion of the nanny state. It could be summed up by saying that whether we want to or not governmental decisions will have an impact on our life. So why not let it have a positive impact? For people to move more, they first need the ability to do so and preferably movement as the healthiest choice is the easiest choice to make or at least equally easy as the other ones. That way the government is not forcing people but merely allowing movement to be possible and easy to do.