It’s vital to keep our bodies moving. Lately I’ve been hobbling about with a dodgy knee which has been driving me batty. It aches in the morning suggesting inflammation. Obviously in need of healing and I am working on it with a daily green drink, stretching, massages etc.

“Keep moving” is my mantra and this is the thrust of this article.

My parents had a friend over the other day — someone they have known all their lives. Margie is 85 and kind of mad. Not in the sense of losing her marbles but in the sense of fiercely dominating her surroundings and launching strong opinions by shouting at everyone — because she’s mostly deaf.

Margie is is also kindhearted, having worked tirelessly for the community all her vivid life. For years she has been holding weekly dancing/fitness classes. She has two: one with 60 people and the other 40….and she has leukaemia.

So you have to picture this: An 85 year old woman, moving (flailing) her body about, shouting above the loud dancing music (extra loud because she can’t hear it too well) and getting a whole bunch of others moving their bodies as well. And after the session with 60 punters she is off to the oncologist (and I’m told the latest news is good). Some never stop.

I am not a health professional so I can’t give specific advise on how much activity or what exercises are good for you. But we all know that regular activity is an key to good body/mind health.

But a lot of us don’t get moving enough. I face the same problem that many others do: exercise is dull and boring. Gyms don’t thrill me and I’ve tried yoga but found that all too hard.

Developing a daily rhythm can help tremendously but I think the key to motivation is finding ways to get moving that gives you pleasure — even a smidgeon of joy helps. Because all that extra dopamine and serotonin goodness will be swimming around in your body.

Walking in nature does it for me. That’s been hard lately but bit by bit I will get back into it. 85 year olds can be a source of inspiration also.

But what about pain? From time to time we all get pain from physical activity — it’s called living. Some of us are more prone than others.

Years ago the prevailing wisdom was that if you had back pain you rested and it got better. But now muscular-skeletal pain is treated with a different mindset. And that mindset firmly states: don’t stop moving just because you have pain (with the obvious exceptions).

Muscles around an injury will tighten to protect you from pain. If you have a recurring pain then over time muscles lose their integrity making it harder to bounce back. Moving and stretching will increase blood flow and free up tightness.

A few months ago I was experiencing a lot of stiffness and some pain around neck and shoulders so I began to incorporate some simple daily stretches. As a result I feel much freer and looser. Those few minutes every day has helped me greatly.

What can I say? Giddy-up