Update your settings

The Importance of Exercise


Exercise. We see this word almost everyday especially when you're on the internet most of the time. Everyone knows exercise is good for you but why isn't everyone exercising? Why are people still telling themselves it's alright not to exercise despite the many reasons they should? Perhaps they only know exercise is good for them but they don't know how important it really is.

Is exercise really important? I'll answer that with another question: When was it not important? Consider the following health benefits of exercise:

1. Healthy weight

Exercise is one of the best ways to make sure your body is adding or reducing weight in a healthy way. This is particularly beneficial for those who want to make sure their diet works the way they want it to.

2. Reduces risk of disease

It goes without saying exercise can improve your overall health in ways you can't imagine. In fact various studies suggest increased physical activity can lead to better health no matter how small. It helps reduce the risk of diseases such as:

• Cardiovascular diseases
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Osteoporosis

Exercise basically prolongs life by reducing the odds of acquiring diseases that cause premature death. This study even claims:

There is incontrovertible evidence that regular physical activity contributes to the primary and secondary prevention of several chronic diseases and is associated with a reduced risk of premature death.

3. Relieves stress



Stress has become of one of the leading causes of disease leading to premature death. While there are plenty of food and psychological therapy help alleviate stress symptoms, one of the best ways is thru exercise. In fact one study suggests 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercise helps reduce depression induced by stress and could pave the way for a better recovery 3 months later.

4. Improves brain power



Since exercise helps relieve stress it also acts as a way to unclog our brains resulting to much more efficient use specially when it comes to focus and cognition. It also enables the brain to function better which translates to better bodily functions.

5. Maintains bodily functions

Speaking of bodily functions, exercise enables your body to fully maximize its capabilities. Sitting or lying around all day will make your body feel like it won't need muscles anymore and can result to less than optimal function.

Imagine your body reducing the amount of "connectors" it needs as it tries to adapt to your lifestyle. While this may be beneficial in a way that the body focuses its energy on other areas, this could be disastrous to your health as a whole. Once you start exercising your body will respond accordingly and begin to "reconnect" to the body parts you're using again.

More than the muscles, exercising also helps optimize functions of the liver, lungs, and the heart among other internal organs.