Did You Know?

Exercise affects your fitness level


Physical Benefits of Exercise
The Department of Health in the United Kingdom conducted a series of studies that medically proved that regular exercise has substantial effects on an individual’s fitness level:

  • Up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
  • Up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
  • Up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
  • Up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
  • An approximately 30% lower risk of early death
  • Up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
  • Up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
  • An approximately 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults)
  • Up to a 30% lower risk of depression
  • Up to a 30% lower risk of dementia

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota found that exercising regularly helps:

  1. Weight control – The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.
  2. Combat disease – Being active increases “good cholesterol,” otherwise known as HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. High activity levels can also help prevent or manage health concerns such as stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis and falls.
  3. Improve mood – Just 30 minutes of exercise helps stimulate various brain chemicals that produce a feeling of relaxation, confidence and heightened self-esteem.
  4. Boost energy levels – When tired, exercise doesn’t make you more tired. It actually increases your energy levels by delivering oxygen and nutrients to the tissues in the body.
  5. Promote better sleep – This is a no-brainer. When you expend energy, you relax, and that helps you get restful sleep.

Mental Fitness
A study published in the journal Brain Research found that in nine- and 10-year-old children, those who were physically active and more fit tended to have a bigger hippocampus and perform better on memory tests. The hippocampus is known to be crucial for learning and memory. Studies have shown that in older adults and animals, exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus, which is also associated with better performance on spatial reasoning and cognitive functions.

The size of the brain actually shrinks with age and the risk of degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, increases. Exercise, especially between age 25 and 45, is found to boost the chemicals in the brain that support and prevent the degeneration of the hippocampus. More recent studies presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Vancouver suggest that a decline in cognitive function can be slowed by relatively moderate activities such as walking regularly.

The University of Edinburgh in Scotland conducted a study over a three-year timeframe that compared physically active people in their seventies with those who spent more time on intellectual pursuits. Those who chose physical exercise had less brain shrinkage and other signs of aging in the brain. How exercise protects the brain has not been established, but researchers believe that aerobic activities promote heart health, which keeps blood flowing smoothly to the brain to nourish neurons.

The bottom line? Get up and get moving!