Ep 05 -Move it or Lose it: Movement is Medicine

In this episode of Health, Healing, and Hope, Natiki Hope Pressley explores the life-giving power of movement. From scientific insights to personal recovery stories, she shares why our bodies are designed to move and how even small steps can restore strength, joy, and independence. With reflections on dance, daily routines, and biblical wisdom from David’s uninhibited worship, this episode reminds us that movement is not just exercise—it’s medicine for the mind, body, and spirit.

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Transcript

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Hello, hello, hello, and welcome back to Health Healing and Hope. I'm your host, Natiki Hope Presley, and thank you so much for being here. There are so many other places that you could be, but you chose to spend your time with me and I am so grateful. Last week we talked about rest and resistance. Rest and resistance, and how rest itself can be a radical act of self-care and healing. But today we're gonna move in a different direction. Literally, we're moving from rest to movement, from being still to not being still at all. Today's episode is titled Move It or Lose It. Move It or Lose It. I know you probably heard that phrase before and it's true. Our bodies are designed to move. When we stop moving, we begin to lose strength, mobility, and energy, and even hope. Movement is a mind, body and spirit activity. But the good news is that it's never too late to start moving. It's never too late. So maybe you used to move a lot, you used to do a lot of exercise or physical activity, and you haven't been doing a lot lately. Okay, now it's time to get back to movement, and I'm gonna tell you why it's important. Let's start with the science. Did you know that according to the CDC, and I know there's so much controversy around how much information we're getting, what kind of information we're getting, and is the information we're getting accurate? But here's what I wanna share, and I honestly believe this to be the case. According to the CDC, it says only about one in four adults in the US get enough physical activity each week. 25%. That means that most of us are not moving nearly as much as our bodies need. And I'm gonna repeat that our bodies need. This would be something we probably wouldn't talk about right now. If this wasn't a need, your body needs to move. You were created to move A sedentary lifestyle increases our risk for things like heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, depression, and even early death. Movement is powerful medicine. Because when we move, we improve our circulation, which keeps our hearts and brains strong. We reduce inflammation, which is the key to a lot of chronic illness. We boost our mental clarity, energy, and focus, and we protect our independence as we age, as you know, get older and things start shifting. For those of you who are young and you're like, oh, I'm, I'm never gonna not be able to do things. I'm always gonna move and jump and spin and run and all the things that you like doing when you're young. Here's some news for you. You gotta keep moving if you don't wanna lose it, because eventually things do change. Your body does change. And although your body was made to move, eventually things start to deteriorate. And the way to keep that from happening quickly is to move. It also protects our independence, right? Because eventually when you get older, you don't wanna have people tending to you a lot sooner than you need it. There may be a time when you do need care, and there's nothing wrong with that. I think the problem comes when we need care because we didn't take care of ourselves. You hear what I said when we need care because we didn't take care of ourselves. Some things you have no control over. There's some things it's like there's nothing that you could have done, but there are some things that are in our control. Movement is one of those things. Moving is a choice. We choose to move every day, or we choose not to move. So the science is clear, movement is essential. It helps to fight chronic disease, including some cancers, and the statistics are there. If you're interested and you need to know more, I'm actually gonna provide a link in the podcast to some statistics on, uh, why there is an incredible amount of cancer cases lately and some of the reasons that they believe that's happening in our current, uh, society. Now let's shift from little bit of science to a little bit more science, because movement isn't just about fitness.'cause every time somebody says movement, the first thing we think about is exercise. And oh, were you asking me to go get a gym membership? No. Movement is not about fitness or looking good. It's about restoring ourselves mind, body and soul exercise also lowers stress hormones like cortisol and increases that, you know what? That feel good chemical. We like that endorphin. That's why when we take a little walk outside, you know, sometimes when you're upset, something happens. Somebody says, okay, take, take a walk. Take a walk. They're not saying that because they're trying to get rid of you, although they probably are, but. It also benefits you because it's going to help reset you combination of fresh air or fresher air, right? And a combination of moving and getting that body moving and getting your blood circulating, and also getting those feel-good chemicals, those hormones activated. Gentle forms of movement, like a lot of people like yoga and tai chi or even just stretching, also help lower our blood pressure eases our anxiety and gives our nervous system a chance to reset. You got mood swings, right? Some you're not feeling, really, you're not feeling it today. Take a walk. Do some stretching or whatever you prefer, whatever physical activity you like, you enjoy. Because if you enjoy it, you'll do it. If walking in the park is your thing, that's your jam. That's what you should do. Get up and take a walk in the park. It's actually one of the things I enjoy doing. I just love to be around, you know, trees and grass and as often as I can. I think about what happened to me when I was recovering after my surgery and the chemo and the radiation. I knew that I had to incorporate movement as quickly as possible. As a matter of fact, my doctor who was a surgeon, told me, came in my room and she said, you know, I come in here because I had to check on you. My surgery was a very difficult and complicated surgery, so she wanted to make sure I was okay. But she also says I needed to come in and make sure you're moving and you could imagine after 17 hours of surgery and being on anesthesia for that long, I came out very foggy. I had no idea where I was. I couldn't see, well, I couldn't hear things well. I saw faces, but couldn't really make them out. I was really, really groggy, sick to my stomach. So many things were going on. The last thing I wanna do is get up and start walking around. But she says to me something very important and pivotal for me. She said, you have to move. You have to tell your body that you're okay. Your mind has to communicate to your body that you're okay. And the more you do that, the better you will feel. So I made a decision. I got up and I walked. Around that hospital, did that circle around the nurses station three times a day. For those 10 days that I was there, it was imperative. I was there for 10 days. I walked three times a day, 30 times at least. I might've walked more, and I made it a routine. I knew, okay, I'm gonna walk before breakfast. I'm gonna walk before lunch, and I'm gonna walk before dinner. None of those things were appetizing or good, but it was a good way to remember that I needed to walk yeah. But here's what I wanna break down. This myth, that movement means you gotta go to the gym. And like I said, I know that as soon as someone says you need to start, working out. I think that's what we say you need to work out. And I wish we'd stopped saying things like work out. I don't even know what that really means. I think we need to say You need to start incorporating some more physical activity in your daily life. You need to start incorporating more physical activity in your daily life. You need to start incorporating more physical activity in your daily life instead of saying things like, you need to work out more. I just think it just, it limits you. It's very limiting because as soon as you say workout to me, I'm thinking, you mean I need to go get a gym membership and I need to go bench press and do squats and run around and all the things that people are doing at the gym. And honestly, that's not necessarily something I enjoy. I like the physical activity. I just don't really like the gym and not that there's anything wrong with it. The gym is fine. There's lots of equipment there and all the things I need and tools are there, but something about going into a place where there's. Other people doing that and being surrounded by other people. Sometimes it's a little bit intimidating and it's not as comfortable, but I press and I go anyway because it is a way to help me discipline myself. So I know that there's a place I go, and when I go there, the only thing I'm doing is physical activity. I'm not talking on the phone, I'm not doing anything else. But movement can be other things too. It can be dancing. If you like to dance, do that. Dance in your living room. Dance while you're gardening in your backyard, and chasing the dog. It's the daily steps you take that keep your body alive in your spirit. Joyful. Here's a little secret when I'm home alone. I put on some music and I danced like nobody's watching. You know why? Because nobody's watching. I let loose. I enjoy the freedom that movement brings, and in many cultures, movement has always been a way to connect to joy, to celebration, and even prayer or praise. I think of praise dancers in church, African drumming and dancing, and communal celebrations or ceremonies. Or a family reunion where, you know, music brings everybody to the dance floor, you know, IE the electric slide and things like that, and your boots on the ground and et cetera, et cetera, Movement connects us to our communities and to our cultures. And it's healing, but it's also restorative. When there's too much to contain on the inside, expressing that outwardly through dance is a great way to do it, david in the Bible, he danced his clothes off, so to speak, dancing before God outwardly sharing his joy and his gratitude. And that's in two Samuel six 14 and 22. If you wanna read further. But David reminds us that movement is not just exercise, it's worship, expression, and freedom. His dance is an act of gratitude, an act of surrender, a declaration that honoring God mattered more than appearance, pride, or opinion. But just like David, we're invited to move in ways that bring us closer to God, closer to Joy, closer to hope, closer to peace. Sometimes it's going to the gym. Sometimes it's just dancing in your living room. Sometimes it's taking a walk, but it's doing something that is going to be good for you, something that benefits you, no matter who's watching. Let me ask you a question. Where in your life are you holding back out of fear of what others may think? I love that. A lot of times you go to gyms and it says, no judgment zone right or no judgments, and I'm glad they do that because I think it helps to remind us that we're not here for anybody else. You're not here to look at anybody to see what anybody else is doing, how much they're bench pressing, how much they're running or how hard they're working, or how much they're sweating. You're there for you. It doesn't matter what anybody else is doing. How could movement, physical, emotional, or spiritual, help you step into freedom and joy? Like David, could you just say, you know what, I'm home quiet. Let me turn on some music and just move around. Whatever song motivates you. Whatever you listen to that gets you on the dance floor. You know that song when you used to go out to clubs and things like that, and it didn't matter what you were doing, you could be talking to somebody. It's like, yeah, how you doing? What's been going on? And you're like, oh my gosh, that's my song. And then you're. You're on the dance floor. That's it. I gotta dance to this song. Well, maybe there's a song that draws you. So if the word exercise feels intimidating, shift your perspective. Ask yourself this question. What kind of movement brings me joy? Because let's make it practical, right? You don't have to go to the gym. I think that's what I'm really trying to emphasize. You don't have to go a certain place instead of standing still in line at the supermarket. Maybe you just bring your headphones to the supermarket and you just dance. I've done it. Dance with my cart. Pushing my shopping cart and I'm dancing or standing in line and I'm moving. And honestly it wasn't because I was trying to like, oh, I need to get my steps in today. It really was because I was in the space where I just wanted to enjoy myself. I needed to find ways to increase my joy, a way to keep my spirits lifted, a way to keep my energy up. To keep my mood stable and it was helpful. Bring your headphones and instead of complaining and wondering, well, how many people are online and what line is shorter, and, oh, why don't they have enough people at the register? Instead of doing that, put your headphones on and get to moving. I know people are watching. Okay, let'em watch. You might encourage them to do the same. That's something I call movement snacks. Just a few minutes while you're standing in line you know you're just taking a walk. Just, I need to take a quick walk, a 10 minute walk or stretch while your coffee's brewing. Marcian Place, white watching tv, you know, like Netflix and chill. Maybe not Netflix and chill, maybe Netflix and move Netflix and stretch. I'm starting some new stuff. And swap sitting down for long times too. Sitting a little bit and standing a lot more. Park further away. Take the stairs in the airport. Don't just jump on the escalator. Pair your movements with something you already do. Stretch after brushing your teeth, or take a short walk after every meal, or like I did in the hospital before breakfast or after breakfast, however you wanna do it, but find ways to incorporate it into your daily routine. Even if you're moving only five to 10 minutes a day can make a significant difference. When I was in the hospital I had to walk, but once I left the hospital after those 10 days, I knew I had to keep moving because this is my opportunity to fight, to get my life back, to be able to do the things that I used to do. My legs started to get sore and sometimes I just felt the tingling and the neuropathy and my, my feet and my hands. I had to make significant changes if I wanted to get my life back. And not to say that I wasn't moving as much before, but I clearly wasn't moving enough. Yeah, maybe you're moving. Sometimes. Maybe you go to the gym every once in a blue moon. Maybe you walk here and there. But what I'm talking about is not just doing a little something every once in a while. I'm talking about a lifestyle change, and you don't have to change your life to change your lifestyle, but changing your lifestyle will change your life. I don't even know what I just said, but I I, if you heard it, write it down and send it to me because I don't remember it, but I know that making some small changes can make a really big difference. That's another one, y'all. I, I'm, I'm on fire today, y'all. Im on fire. But let's pause for some reflection. Ask yourself this. Where in your life are you feeling stagnant? And how could movement, whether it's physical, emotional, or spiritual, help shift that energy? But here's your journal prompt for the week. Track how your body feels before or after movement. Write down like not only the physical changes, but also your emotions. How do you feel? I'll tell you this. One of the things that I really love about. My movement routine, especially when I do things early in the morning, I get a chance to go outside or go somewhere and do something in the house and move some form of physical activity, I feel like at least I've dedicated the morning to the things that I need. It makes me feel like I'm putting myself first, if that makes sense. Right. There's, I put God first, and then there's me, and then there's everybody else. And when I do things out of order, I do feel a little bit out of whack if I get up in the morning and the first thing I'm doing is trying to see if everybody else is okay and I haven't checked in with me, I haven't done anything for me except just put my feet on the ground and stand up. And once I do that, I'm ready to now help everybody else when I do that. Things are just outta order. You are priority. You're important. What do you need to do for you? I'm asking you to incorporate movement. We talked about rest. I was asking you to be still last week. Now I'm asking you not to be still this week. But I'm saying you need both. There's times to rest and there's a time to move, and you have to do both, and you have to incorporate both in your lifestyle. Remember, small steps matter. Little changes, like I said, make a big difference. But as we wrap up today's episode, I wanna remind you that our bodies were made to move. And movement is medicine, movement is healing. Movement is certainly a bridge to healing. Just like rest is also a bridge to healing. Don't wait until illness forces you to move. Don't wait until like me, you have to use movement to recover from illness. You can start now. Start with what you have, where you are. I know a lot of you bought those little products that you saw on TV and maybe you've got an A band or you one of those medicine balls, or you got something in your house, maybe you got a yoga mat that you just rolled up somewhere. Whatever it is, use it. Thank you so much for joining me today. If this episode encourage you, please share it, subscribe and join our community, and stay tuned for next week's episode. I'm looking forward to sharing another shared story with you next week. Until then. Be well be strong, be you.