E X E R C I S E. It really can improve your heath on so many levels. Sure, it can make you making you fitter and stronger, but it has a massive impact on your overall health and longevity too.
Taking part in regular exercise improves your heart health, brain health, muscle health, bone health, diabetes, and arthritis. As if that wasn’t enough, it also reduces stress, boosts your energy, betters your mood, and can improve your sleep.
Convinced yet?
The benefits of exercise come from improving blood flow, and reducing inflammation and blood sugar levels. They come from moving your muscles (including your heart muscle) and pulling on your bones.
You don’t need to bust your butt in the gym or go crazy with exercising to get these amazing health results though. As little as 30 minutes of moderate activity 5 days/week is enough to reap the benefits.
And you don’t have to do specific kinds of exercise either. All four types of exercise benefit your health. They are:
- Endurance (brisk walking, jogging, yard work, dancing, aerobics, cycling, swimming)
- Strength (lifting weights, using a resistance band or your body weight, Pilates)
- Balance (standing on one foot, Tai Chi)
- Flexibility (stretching, yoga)
The best bit is all exercise counts, even if it’s not in the gym or running around playing sport. Weekend hikes, walking to the store when you normally drive and doing household chores also count towards your weekly exercise goal.
Let me talk you through how healthy exercise really is. Here are a few key points.
Exercise for heart health
Amazingly, exercise reduced cardiac mortality by 31% in middle aged men who had previously suffered from a heart attack.
People with hypertension (high blood pressure) who exercise regularly reduce their blood pressure.
Exercise for brain health
Exercise can improve physical function and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease. Plus, it also reduces changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Mental functions are improved with exercise by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which is involved in learning and memory. It also increases the size of the part of the brain for memory and learning (the “hippocampus”); this was shown mostly with aerobic exercise.
Exercise for muscle and bone health
Strong muscles and bones are maintained by participating in regular physical activity; especially strength exercises. As we age, We naturally start to lose muscle mass and bone density as we age so, to help prevent osteoporosis, exercise regularly.
TIP: Balance exercises and Tai Chi can help prevent falls.
Exercise for diabetes
People with diabetes who exercise have better insulin sensitivity and HbA1C values (the marker of glycemic control).
This is because when you exercise you are contracting your muscle which fuels them with sugar in your blood. This helps to manage blood sugar levels better than without exercise.
Conclusion
When it come to the health benefits of exercise, what is listed above is just the tip of the iceberg. You can majorly improve your health by doing just 30 minutes 5 days/week, it doesn’t take hours in the gym or playing sports. There are different health benefits for different types of exercises so mix up what you do throughout the week. Walking to the supermarket or ramping up the intensity of household chores can count too.
Just starting out? Brilliant! Start with picking something you enjoy, get an exercise buddy or fitness tracker for some accountability, and go from there!
Coconut Water Refresher – Serves 2
1 cup coconut water
2 cups watermelon
½ tsp lime juice
1 dash salt
1 cup ice
2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
Instructions
Blend the first four ingredients until well mixed. Add ice and pulse until ice is crushed.
Pour into glasses or water bottle and add chia seeds. Shake/stir before drinking.
Serve & enjoy!
Tip: The chia seeds add extra fiber, protein, and omega-3s.
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFBBjynBpSw&t=3s
https://authoritynutrition.com/10-benefits-of-exercise/
http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/exercise-is-good-for-diabetes
https://authoritynutrition.com/15-ways-to-lower-blood-sugar/