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The Amazing Impact of Exercise on Health and Well-Being
We live in a very technologically evolved
society. This has many benefits in terms of making our lives easier, more
comfortable, and more convenient. In fact, it makes our lives a bit too
convenient.
We take our cars to and from work, we sit at a desk all day, and come home
to houses that are heated and cooled automatically, and that have water
available at the turn of a tap. Car, computers, indoor plumbing, these might
seem like commonplace things, but they are all relatively recent inventions,
and they all lead to our living sedentary lifestyles.
This means that we don’t get enough exercise, which is one of the primary
causes of overweight and obesity, which, in turn, cause high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and premature death.
Even a small increase in our daily level of physical activity can
dramatically improve our health. For every bit of exercise we do in a day,
we use up calories, which translates into weight loss, and maintenance of
healthy weight. The more we do, the less we are at risk of developing number
one killers like heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Regular physical activity can also help us combat depression, anxiety, and
panic attacks. These are often caused by chemicals that build up in our
bodies until they flood our systems and make us feel miserable. Exercise
helps our bodies to flush these excess chemicals out.
Furthermore, our musculoskeletal and immune systems benefit hugely from
regular exercise. This is important when we are young, of course, but many
people don’t realize that it is just as important in our later years.
Older people need physical activity in order to maintain their immune
systems, and to keep their muscles, joints, and bones strong. This reduces
the risk of falling, improves coordination, and defends against many of the
illnesses and injuries that tend to plague us later in life.
But wait! Don’t jump off the couch like a crazy person and begin an
intense
exercise regimen. Many people who want to become more physically active fail
because they begin by setting extreme, dramatic goals that are impossible to
achieve.
We shouldn’t be exercising just to “get healthy.” We need exercise in order
to be healthy, and that means that we are going to need to get into doing
regular physical activity on a daily, or near-daily basis, for the rest of
our lives.
This may seem daunting at first, but don’t let yourself get overwhelmed. We
don’t need to run 10 K every day, or do two hundred crunches every morning,
in order to be active. Studies show that moderate levels of daily physical
activity will dramatically improve the health of a sedentary person, and
that any increase in our regular exercise level has big
health benefits.
This means that if you can walk at a brisk pace, cycle, or
swim for just 30
minutes each day, or even every second day, you will be reducing your risk
of contracting heart disease, diabetes, and other
obesity-related health problems
that lead to a difficult, unhealthy old age, or even to premature death.
And you can, and should, start slow. If you are a complete couch potato,
find time in the day for even ten minutes of light exercise. This could be a
stroll around the block, a set of tai chi, or a short spin on an exercise
bike or treadmill.
Starting out with just those ten minutes every day or two will quickly find
you building your way up to twenty minutes, half an hour, than an hour or
more of exercise, easily done throughout your day. This process can happen
so gradually that you will not even feel the strain. In fact, it will be
your pleasure to do a little more and push a little further each day.
Of course, sometimes it can seem just about impossible to find even that ten
minutes. An easy way to make time for exercise is to put it into your
regular routine in some way. This might involve
walking or
cycling to and
from work, or turning your lunch break into a workout break.
It doesn’t sound like too much fun on paper, but in practice, exercise
throughout the day will actually leave you with a sharper mind, more energy,
and a more positive outlook than does a car ride through rush hour traffic
and a big, carb-o-riffic lunch.
Integrating physical activity into your daily routine is also a great way in
which to make it a life-long practice. This is absolutely crucial to good
physical health. Even a few weeks without exercise will negatively affect
our bodies, so our goal should be to get out there every day and move those
muscles!
Finally, remember that every little bit helps. Never tell yourself it’s not
worth it because you only have ten minutes, or that since you missed
yesterday, it doesn’t matter if you skip today. Whatever little thing you
can do to get burning calories will lengthen your life by strengthening and
protecting your body. So start now, take it slow, and say hello to a future
of limitless health.
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