Exercise, Benefit now and Later
I take my workout programme seriously, and I'm keenly aware of personal satisfaction derived from a physically fit body. Physical fitness is a powerful medicine which can decrease risk factors associated with a many lifestyle diseases. Exercise enhances my ability to do physical work as well as encreasing my enthuasism and encourages a feeling of well-being. It also help to control my weight, releases tension and aids relaxation and sleep and encourages positive changes in other lifestyle habits, like eating .
We know how it is. The thought of sweating through a workout can make you want to get up and go but you can only sit down and look. But here's some good news for you: Easy, breezy, light workout may do more for your energy levels than the hard stuff. So go ahead, put your workout on cruise control. Just this once.
Research shows that a program of low intensity exercise training -- like light cycling on a stationary bike for 30 minutes three times a week, can reduce tired-all-the-time feelings by as much as 65 percent. And it only takes 6 weeks of light workouts to feel pepped up. Moderate-intensity workout programs boost energy levels, too, but not as much. (Know what the easiest workout in the world is? It's this.)
One possible explanation for the better energy boost from lighter workouts: More vigorous workouts shape you up but also tire you out. So if you're just trying to get off the couch for a change, start slow. Go at whatever pace is comfortable for you -- in a few weeks, you'll feel your tiredness fade. Then you can think about kicking things up a notch. (How fit are you?) There is no substitute for a good workout programme. Everyone including you do know that exercise is absolutely necessary for good health. But quess what most of us do not do enough of? exercise. One of my mentors said that if exercise could be placed in a bottle, we would never have enough to sell. Here is a study I found that tells us how important a good workout programme really is: Exercising in middle age may help ward off dementia and Alzheimer's disease decades later. In a study of more than 1,400 adults, those who were physically active in their free time during middle age were 52% less likely to develop dementia 21 years later than their sedentary counterparts. Their chance of developing Alzheimer's disease was slashed even more, by 62%. These patterns were even stronger in people with the ApoE e4 gene, which is associated with higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. "By being physically active in midlife, people who carry the ApoE e4 gene can lower their risk of Alzheimer's to the same level as someone not carrying the gene," says researcher Suvi Rovio, MSc, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. But she's not talking about taking a leisurely stroll around the block now and then. Rovio tells WebMD that the study participants who gained benefit worked out for 20 to 30 minutes, two or three times a week, "fairly vigorously -- enough to make them sweat and feel out of breath." But Maria Carrillo, PhD, director of medical scientific relations at the Alzheimer's Association, says there's growing evidence that physical workout "does not have to be strenuous or even require a major time commitment. It is most effective when done regularly, and in combination with a brain-healthy diet, stress relieving activity, and social interaction. Proper nutrition and an active body is the ideal blend for healthy living. Physical activities is not only for the young, but also for the young at heart. In fact the more senior you get, the more active you should become. Here is more information for you, Senior Exercise Central
"Physical activities that also involve mental activity -- plotting your route, observing traffic signals, making choices -- provide additional value for brain health. And doing these activities with a companion offers the added benefit of social interaction," Carrillo tells WebMD. Work-Related vs. Leisure-Time Exercise. The new analysis comes from the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Incidence of Dementia (CAIDE) project, which involved 1,449 men and women in Finland. When they joined the study in middle age, participants filled out questionnaires that asked about their diet and work-related and leisure-time physical activity. Work-related physical activity, such as heavy lifting, didn't have the same protective effect as leisure-time exercise. "There was some reduced risk of dementia associated with occupational activities," but the findings could have been due to chance, Rovio says. There is absolutely no substitute for a regular workout programme. The benefits are even greater later in life. Exercise provides a host of brain benefits. "We know that physical workout is essential for maintaining good blood flow to the brain as well as to encourage the development of new brain cells," she says. It also can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes, and thereby protect against those risk factors for Alzheimer's and other dementias What are your excuses for not exercising regular? Don't tell me that you are too busy, don't tell me you wall from room to room in the house. Those are just excuses for not taking responsibility for your health conscious living. Get started now and reap tremendous benefits.
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