The Health Benefits Of Exercise-5 Great Benefits

There is little doubt that regular exercise benefits health yet many people do little or no real exercise at all. This is unfortunate because the benefits of exercise include:

1) Reducing the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease. Exercise helps to lower levels of LDL (or "bad") cholesterol, reducing the risk of plaques (blockages) in the arteries.

2) Reducing high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure. Regular exercise helps increase lung capacity, improving the amount of oxygen available to the body's tissues, which, together with increased heart muscle strength, helps blood flow more efficiently through the body.

3) Reducing the risk of developing obesity. Exercise burns calories, so that on a regular basis, exercise can help lose weight, which has a knock-on effect in helping to prevent several diseases, including diabetes for example. Strength training exercises help build muscle tissue, improving overall strength, and boosting metabolism which further helps in avoiding excess weight. Also regular exercise helps keep joints flexible and less prone to injury through strain. Weight bearing exercise stimulates bone growth, helping to keep bones strong and warding off osteoporosis. Weight bearing exercises are not just about weight lifting, but include also walking, jogging, running, skiing, dancing, tennis and other sports.

4) Reducing the risk of developing colon or breast cancer. Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly seem to have lower rates of these cancers, although the precise mechanism is not known. Regular exercise does help maintain healthy muscle, including that of the intestines and probably thereby assists in removing toxins from the body.

5)Improving psychological well being. Physical activity stimulates brain chemicals called endorphins which can lift mood and promote feelings of well-being. Regular exercise can make you look better, trimmer and brighter, and therefore helps to boost self confidence. Regular exercise can help ease stress and lift depression. The actual level of benefit from exercise depends on three factors: the frequency, level of intensity, and the length of time engaging in the activity.

For example, aerobic exercise performed only twice a week, at less than moderate intensity, and for less than 10 minutes is unlikely to be sufficient to make any difference to physical fitness. The minimum requirement to maintain fitness is reckoned to be exercise performed three times a week, at moderate intensity ( raises the heart rate by 20-30%), for a period of at least 30 minutes. More intense or longer periods of exercise may be required to improve on a level of fitness.

These are generalisations of course, and people vary with regard to their needs and abilities, so the amount of exercise that you do, is up to you. There seems little doubt that any exercise is better than none, so even a short walk each day can help to maintain health. To increase fitness you may need to take on rather more than that and tailor a plan suitable for you.

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