We all know that regular physical activity is an important part of effective weight control because it helps us to burn excess calories that otherwise would be stored as fat, but there are lots of other health benefits of exercise that are PROVEN to help you prevent many diseases and improve your overall health. First, daily activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure, raising your HDL (“good” cholesterol) and lowering your LDL (“bad” cholesterol), improving blood flow and increasing your heart’s working capacity.
Next, regular exercise reduces blood pressure in people with high blood pressure (hypertension). Also, by reducing body fat, physical activity can help to prevent and control type 2 diabetes. Of course, regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation and may prevent many forms of bone loss associated with aging. Also, by increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise can prevent back pain, which is one of the most common reasons in America for visiting Emergency Rooms.
Finally, and just as importantly regular physical activity can improve mood and the way you feel about yourself and can reduce depression and anxiety and help you to better manage stress. Think about it-all these great benefits from one simple thing---regular exercise!