We all want to live forever, right? Well, sadly while that’s
not possible, we can live longer, happier and more productive lives through the
magic of exercise.
Yes, I said exercise. There have been many news articles
recently telling of all the advantages of a healthy, active lifestyle. Many of
us sit at work, and then sit at home living almost sedentary lives. This lack
of exercise is giving rise to obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, as
well as increases in dementia and mental health problems.
So, why is it that exercise is so good for us?
Over 30% of children in the UK are overweight or obese, so
it’s important to make time for exercise in your child’s day. Exercise in
children stimulates bone, muscle, joint, heart and lung development. Exercise
also helps children maintain their weight, allows them to develop friendships
with other children and reduce the chances of anxiety and depression.
For adult’s exercise improves cardiovascular health and
lowers bad cholesterol which in turn reduces the likelihood of stroke and heart
disease. This is best achieved with at least 15 minutes per day of walking at a
brisk pace or any other activity that can be done at a brisk rate like cycling,
rowing or running.
Muscle and bone health is also improved with exercise. By
using resistance (strength) training you improve the function of muscles and
allow the bones to remain strong and healthy. This will lead to fewer fractures,
injuries and falls later in life. If specific exercises are used strength
training can also reduce low back pain.
If you already suffer from osteoarthritis, it is important
to continue to exercise to keep the joints moving and strong. This can be done through
walking, swimming or cycling to reduce pain.
The C word, cancer. If you exercise regularly you are less likely
to develop cancer. This is due to the advantages that exercise has on weight
management. Maintaining a healthy body weight reduces the likelihood of bowel
and breast cancer as obesity is a major risk of developing cancer.
Diabetes effects 3.2 million people in the UK, by reduce
weight through exercise you can reduce the likelihood of developing type 2
diabetes. Regular exercise can also keep blood glucose levels within ideal range
and lower blood pressure.
Improvements in mental health. Regular activity can reduce
your chances of developing depression and help reduce its symptoms in those
already diagnoses. This is due to the chemicals in the brain, dopamine and serotonin,
which are affected positively by exercise. This improves your mood and
thinking. A good place to start is with an outdoor running group, parkrun or
just taking brisk walks with friends. People diagnosed with mental health
conditions are also at a greater risk for respiratory and heart disease, so
exercise will help reduce the likelihood of both.
The greatest benefit of exercise is weight management. Being
overweight predisposes you to a variety of diseases. IT’s important to also eat
a well-balanced diet and allow yourself to recover after exercise.
How do we know how much exercise to do?
According to the NHS and Public Health England the aim is to
be active every day for at least 150 minutes per week of activity. This means
moderate activity of at least 10 minutes or more such as brisk walking,
cycling, running or swimming. Public Health England also advised of at least 2
or more days of strength training of the legs, hips, abs, chest, shoulders and
arms. The addition of balance training can also help reduce the likelihood of
falls in older age.
So now you know the whys and the how’s there is no excuse to
get off your laptop or smartphone and go out in the outdoors and exercise.
If you would like to know more about how exercise can help
you and what you can specifically do for your sport please contact me
sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk
