Terry Bader on Benefits of Regular Exercise

Do you want to have more energy? Do you want to spend more time smiling, and less time upset? Do you want to add years on to your life? Well, all you need to do is exercise. We all know exercise is good for us, but not many of us follow through with it. You wouldn’t ignore medicine from your doctor, so you shouldn’t ignore this powerful health advice. Since regular exercise is recommended by health professionals, let’s take a look at the benefits.

Health Facts

“Exercise is the magic pill,” Michael R. Bracko, EdD, FACSM, chairman of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Consumer Information Committee, said. “Exercise can literally cure diseases like some forms of heart disease. Exercise has been implicated in helping people prevent or recover from some forms of cancer. Exercise helps people with arthritis. Exercise helps people prevent and reverse depression.”\

The health benefits of regular exercise are hard to ignore. According to U.S. National Library of Medicine, exercise can help with the following:

• Control weight
• Help manage blood sugar and insulin levels
• Reduce the risk of heart disease
• Improve your mental health and mood
• Help keep your learning skills sharp
• Strengthen bones and muscles
• Reduce the risk of some cancers
• Improve your sleep and sexual health
• Increase the chance of living longer

These are just a few examples of how exercise can improve your health. The National Library of Medicine further states that exercise strengthens your heart and improves circulation. This increased blood flow raises the oxygen levels in the body and can help lower your risk of high cholesterol, heart attack, and coronary artery disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also supports these health facts and found that regular exercise can reduce your risk of depression and may help you sleep better. Research from the CDC has shown that exercising three to five days a week can have mental health benefits because during exercise our bodies release chemicals that improve our mood and help us feel relaxed.

Another great benefit from regular exercise is that it can help extend your life. According to the Center for Advancing Health, “adults who engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week live longer than inactive adults.” The study also found that exercise can extend a lifetime by five years.

Tips for Getting Started

Although our lives can be hectic, leaving limited time for exercise, the benefits speak for themselves. It’s never too late to begin working out and get healthy. If you are just starting to exercise, start slowly! If you suddenly start being more active, you increase your risk of cardiac events such as heart attack. It’s important to increase your level of exercise gradually. If you have a chronic health condition, be sure to speak with your doctor to find the best routine for your health.

Regular exercise is vital to our health. By working out, you will not only feel better, but you will reduce the chance of many health conditions and even live longer! Don’t be scared of exercise, even 30-minute brisk walks will help!

Terry Bader is an experienced and compassionate social worker in Tacoma, Washington. She has over 27 years of experience and is committed to providing unparalleled service to her clients. Read more of her divorce support or check out her Twitter!

Originally published at terrybader.com on March 27, 2018.