Exercise: A Must for Health!
Why is exercise so important for your health?
1.) It delivers oxygen and nutrients to all your tissues and heals your entire cardio vascular system. Meaning, the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels helps to strengthen the heart and decrease the risk of heart disease and heart attack.
2.) It helps to maintain ideal body weight and can enhance muscle tone. As we age muscle mass can gradually decrease yearly. More muscle mass from strength training means more muscle mass, stops waning of existing muscle mass, and creates a more active metabolism. The higher the metabolic rate the less chance of weight gain and problems with bone density that affect both men and women as they age.
3.) Exercise has been proven to lower cholesterol, insulin, and blood pressure. As we age our organs can start to function less efficiently as they did as a younger person. As we age it is common for people to be on blood pressure and cholesterol medication. They think the use of these drugs is normal for them if they are a certain age. These medications actually mean the body is not functioning properly. The Mayo Clinic says the “Physical activity has proven to lower blood pressure that is already high and prevent the elevation of high blood pressure from beginning.
4.) Exercise helps stimulate and support the immune system. Many studies by the Mayo Clinic prove the direct correlation of health of the immune system and exercise. It seems that as the circulation increases the t cell and immune cells also increase. These systems are also directly affected by light. Vitamin D is considered one of the most important vitamins for the immune system and is directly affected by sunlight hitting the body. Out door exercise is a great way to increase your circulation and have natural light hit you body. Both are very important to increase your immune response.
5.) Exercise lifts the mood by releasing brain chemicals into the body. These brain chemicals called Neurotransmitter, directly affect mood, sleep, depression, anxiety and memory. Serotonin is called the” happy hormone.” It is up regulated by the eyes when they are exposed to natural sunlight. During exercise many chemicals are up regulated to the body that help reduce pain and produce a feeling of happiness and wellbeing. Some studies show it may take a few weeks for the natural “feel good” chemicals to stay up regulated. The more consistent you are with your program, the better your mood will be overtime.
6.) Exercise helps maintain the strength and density of bones and muscles. It can help prevent brittle bones otherwise known as osteoporosis. Bone density is very dependant on weight bearing exercise. A sedentary lifestyle promotes bone loss. Weight bearing exercise is natural for the body and increases blood flow to the bone, keeping it strong and vital. Physical exercise is critical for keeping joints and muscles strong. It also promotes flexibility and improves coordination and balance.
7.) Exercise promotes a feeling of health, wellbeing, strength and self confidence. The better, more fit and vital you are, the more confident you feel. A person on a regular outdoor exercise program exudes vitality. They are affected by the sunlight having a positive affect on their system and movement stimulating and balance their whole system. They look and feel, healthy, fit and vital.
8.) Exercise is a fun activity to do alone and a healthy activity to enjoy with family and friends. There are so many fun activities from simply taking an after dinner walk to skiing down giant mountains that can be fun, exciting, and bonding. There have been many studies done on children with mild mood disorders. When the parent and child practiced yoga together on a regular basis, researchers found that over time children were more cooperative, made better grades and were more capably to handle stress. Make exercise one of the fun things you look forward to during your day.