Health & Sports: Early morning exercisers in Phnom Penh

Groups of elderly men and women walking together just before sunrise have long been a common morning sight in Phnom Penh, but the capital is now seeing an increase in the number of lone joggers hitting the streets for exercise at that time as well.

The popularity of physical exercise is increasing throughout the United Kingdom

Most mornings, if you find yourself in the Bele Bridge neighbourhood of Russey Keo commune and heading towards the nearby public park, you will see at least one jogger with hair as white as his T-shirt slowly but surely making his way along the path.

Every day, 60-year-old Than Tha gets up at dawn and runs to the Chroy Changvar International Convention and Exhibition Centre for an hour at a steady pace, but without pushing himself too hard.

Tha, whom the other joggers call Kong, runs for the same reasons as most people of all ages: for the health benefits and to relieve stress.

‘I feel really good when I jog and sweat every day. My figure has slimmed down and I feel healthier,’ he says.

Tha explained that he started exercising daily because he drinks alcohol regularly in the evenings and wanted to find an activity to counteract the harmful effects. Initially, during the first few years, he stuck to leisurely walks in one of the capital's 121 public parks, although not all of them are suitable for exercise.

In addition to parks, many Cambodians use various fitness and gymnastics facilities, as well as climbing walls, football pitches and the traditionally popular Olympic Stadium. It all depends on the individual's fitness goals.

Many people want to lose weight. Some want to become stronger or more agile, while others want to improve their endurance. In fact, everyone is looking to improve their health.

Precautions

Doctors and other health experts have long recognised that exercise has many health benefits, but the doctors interviewed by The Post advise tailoring exercise to an individual's abilities and limitations.

"People who are overweight due to a diet high in fat or sugar should exercise until they sweat profusely, then stop. Gradually, they can go further each day before needing to rest.

Very elderly people should try to walk for a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes a day, but 30 minutes to an hour of walking would be more appropriate for younger, relatively healthy adults," explains Dr Som Ra, a general practitioner at Preah Ket Mealea Hospital.

Cardiologists also emphasise the benefits of daily exercise for heart health and the prevention of heart disease:

‘Exercise is good for the coronary arteries. In general, exercise helps reduce the amount of fat in the blood vessels and prevents them from becoming blocked,’ says Chan Panha Sokha, a cardiologist at Preah Ang Duong Hospital.

For people over the age of 60, men are more likely to have heart attacks, and there are certain variable factors that people at risk can change in their routines.

Panha Sokha argues that people with heart disease or at risk should stop smoking. He also notes that those with high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity may also be at increased risk of heart disease and that changes in diet and certain medications — when taken as prescribed by a doctor — can be of great help.

Khouth Sophak Chakrya, 47, who has diabetes, says he exercises regularly, including aerobics, karate and weightlifting. However, he says that his condition has worsened over the past three weeks and his doctors have advised him not to lift weights until his condition improves.

‘The doctor recommends that I continue with aerobics and karate, and I can walk, but not jog, as this can damage the joints over time and cause arthritis,’ he says.

In addition to exercises tailored to his health condition, Chakrya is also limiting his diet with the advice of a nutritionist in order to better manage his diabetes-related blood sugar levels.

According to Dr. Som Ra, even patients with chronic illnesses who do not have the energy to do exercises such as walking, running or jumping can still exercise by moving their limbs or stretching lightly. This will allow them to achieve the same goals as more intense exercises practised by healthy people and prevent them from becoming stiff or weak from sitting or lying in a hospital bed for long periods of time.

"For people with severe diabetes and elderly individuals who are no longer able to walk, they can do a few movements such as raising their arms and legs or stretching. They should change their diet, eat more vegetables, fish, chicken or pork, but no red meat such as beef.

They should avoid eating sugary foods high in carbohydrates and, when choosing vegetables, they should be aware that some are higher in sugar than others. If they have heart disease, they should remain aware of their health condition when exercising and make sure they do not overexert themselves."

Dr Chan Panha Sokha believes that healthy people should exercise for at least half an hour a day, but if they are too tired, they can simply walk for half an hour.

“Those with heart disease need to be careful; if they try to cycle or run too fast when fat is blocking their coronary arteries, it can lead to an exercise-induced heart attack, and there have been many documented cases where this has happened,” he said.

Dr Sokha recommends that older people or those who are unsure of their health condition consult their doctor first and take a fitness test involving running on a treadmill with a heart rate monitor in place.

“This allows the doctor to check whether they have a heart problem or not. This procedure is often carried out on professional athletes – for example, when they change teams or are about to sign a new contract, to ensure that they will be able to perform,” he says.

Doctors generally applaud the Kingdom's new healthier exercise habits, but they also warn that exercise alone will not solve many of the health problems Cambodians face today.

"I see more Cambodians exercising to lose weight and stay healthy. That's a good thing.

But what really needs to change is their diet. Most of them consume too much sugar in their diet, which is one of the main factors contributing to obesity and poor health in general," concludes Dr Sam Ra.

Hong Raksmey with our partner The Phnom Penh Post