Exercise doesn’t just keep you in shape or help you shed those extra pounds. A multitude of other benefits that can motivate you to keep up a regular exercise regime remain under the radar. Studies have repeatedly shown exercise as a key to strengthening immune systems and even fighting off viruses and bacteria. Now, it has been proven to lower the risk of stroke by 27% and reduce the occurrence of diabetes and high blood pressure by 50% and 40% respectively. The risk of recurrent breast cancer is reduced by 50%, and the risk of colon cancer is slashed by over 60%. Exercise also cuts the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 40%. In addition, it has been shown to be just as effective as Prozac or behavioral therapy in decreasing depression.
Alternatively, the health consequences of lack of exercise even match up to that of smoking. Staying on the couch may contribute to heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, depression, arthritis and osteoporosis. As shown, these ominous outcomes do not discriminate based on weight either.
However, the aforementioned problematic results are complex compared to the simple solution of daily exercise. Regular exercise can be as simple as taking the dog out on a brisk walk in the morning, or hopping on your bike and going for a cycle in the afternoon. If you are just starting to get yourself into shape, staying true to your regime is key. Push yourself to keep it up for a daily thirty to forty five minutes and you’ll be reaping the incredible benefits of regular exercise.
Photo by andy in nyc of Flickr.
