'Exercise for better health - Any movement is good'

'Exercise for Better Health'

If you are a regular reader of this blog you may have seen other posts about exercise and the benefits it can bring. Can you have too many posts about exercise? No, I don't think so, and with this in mind I will share a few details of an interesting article I read on Diet Doctor site. It was by Dr Tony Hampton called "Exercise For Better Health" and below I share some words from it.

"Bodies thrive on movement
Exercise has many evidence-based benefits:

Mental health: Exercise promotes the creation of positive endorphins, releasing stress and improving mood, helping reduce anxiety and improve symptoms of depression.

Sleep: It improves sleep quality and resets circadian rhythms. (read more information on how to improve sleep, here)

Energy: It increases energy levels throughout the day and fights fatigue. The more you exercise, the more energy you will have.

Blood sugar: It helps muscles take up excess blood sugar, increasing insulin sensitivity and helping lower your blood glucose measurements over the day.

Mobility: It builds muscle strength, flexibility, and balance — helping you keep mobile and preventing falls as you age. Did you know that elderly women with low muscle mass have significantly higher mortality than women with more muscles? Frailty kills.

Metabolism: Physical activity helps increase your metabolic rate, especially if you build lean muscle. Plus it promotes the health and functioning of the mitochondria, the powerhouses of our cells.

Circulatory system: It keeps blood vessels elastic and strengthens the muscles of your heart and lungs; it helps reduce blood pressure and reduces the risk of strokes. It increases blood flow to the brain and helps reduce the risk of dementia.

Immune system: It can boost your immune system, providing anti-cancer benefits and helping you fight infections such as Covid.

Weight maintenance: Exercise can help burn fat and improve body composition.

Think of exercise as a form of play, just like the movement you did as a child. Exercise should be fun and enjoyable for you.

Don’t feel you have to kill yourself in the gym, like a contestant on The Biggest Loser. Any movement is good.

Walking is good, walking towards metabolic wellness. Any step you take is a step in the right direction."

The above is a snippet from Dr Hampton's article which you can read in full here

I wonder do you have a favourite way to exercise?

Mine is walking ...

Sharing a picture of a bird feeder I see on some of my walks.

~ Enjoy your day ~

All the best Jan