Exercise

Description

An in-depth report on the benefits and types of exercise.

Highlights

Overview

• The combination of inactivity and eating the wrong foods is the second most common preventable cause of death in the United States (smoking is the first).
• The American Heart Association recommends that individuals do moderate exercise for at least 150 minutes per week, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise.
• No one is too young or too old to exercise.

Benefits of Exercising

• Studies clearly show that exercise helps the heart, both by improving exercise capacity and reducing the risk of heart disease and premature death. In addition, studies report that even people with heart disease can gain important benefits from exercising, though they need medical clearance and special precautions.
• The benefits of exercise include:
• Decreased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke
• Decreased risk of colon and breast cancers
• Decreased risk of diabetes
• Decreased risk of osteoporosis and fractures
• Decreased risk of depression and dementia (memory loss)
• A recent review of available studies has shown that exercise benefits patients at all stages of dementia, improving balance, mobility, and the ability to perform basic activities of daily living.
• Aerobic exercise and resistance training, alone or in combination, improves blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Tips for Exercising

• Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after a workout.
• Warming up and cooling down are important parts of every exercise routine. They help the body make the transition from rest to activity and back again, and can help prevent soreness or injury, especially in older people.
• When exercising, listen to your body for warning symptoms

Motivation:

• Develop an interest or hobby that requires physical activity.
• Adopt simple routines such as climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator, walking instead of driving to the local newsstand, or canoeing instead of zooming along in a powerboat.
• Try cross training (alternating between several types of exercises).
• Exercise with friends.

Introduction

To enjoy a long and healthy life, everyone should make lifestyle choices that include a healthy diet, regular exercise, and maintaining normal weight. The combination of inactivity and eating the wrong foods is the second most common preventable cause of death in the United States (smoking is the first).
Most research on the benefits of exercise focuses on heart protection. Studies clearly show that exercise helps the heart. In addition, studies are reporting that even people with heart disease may gain important benefits from exercising, though they need medical clearance and special precautions.

Source: http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/exercise

Posted in: