Health @ Heart
It improves sex life too
(First of two parts)
Daily exercise is a magic spice, a most significant ingredient in the healthy lifestyle recipe which includes eating the right quality and quantity of food, abstinence from tobacco, a disciplined moderation in alcohol intake, and a lust for the wonders of nature and, especially, for life itself.
There are at least a dozen vital reasons why we should exercise daily, to the maximum extent our body can medically and safely tolerate. (For those with health concerns, a consultation with the physician is most prudent.)
1. Body Weight - Physical exercises burn calories, boost resting metabolism and prevent bone weakness and muscles loss, which can occur if one only diets.
2. Sleep - Daily exercise provides a more restful sleep. A research study revealed that persons who walked more than six blocks a day had 33% fewer insomnias than the less active individuals.
3. Depression - Thirty minutes of aerobic exercise 3 to 5 times a week cuts symptoms of mild to moderate depression by 50%. Studies have shown that exercise can be very effective in the management of depressive disorders. But even mild depression we all get once in a while can be prevented by exercise.
4. Colon Cancer -- Intensive physical exercises daily can lessen the risk of development of colon cancer by 40% to 50%. With diet rich in vegetables and fish, minimal red meats, the risk of colon cancer (and cardiovascular diseases) is even much lesser.
5. Breast Cancer -- Brisk walking for an hour or two a week can decrease the risk of breast cancer by nearly 20%. And for those already with breast cancer, studies have shown walking 3 to five hours a week may lower the chance of dying from it by about 50%.
6. Cold -- Aerobic exercises, like fast walking for 30 minutes five times a week, can cut the risk of catching a cold by 50% in postmenopausal women.
7. Energy -- Individuals who work out daily, compared to those who do not, have more energy and are livelier, according to 70 independent studies, reviewed by researchers at the University of Georgia, who reported "that the boost, on average, beats the effects of stimulant drugs."
(To be continued next week)