A famous doctor and scientist very rightly quoted “If exercise were a pill, it would be one of the most cost effective drugs ever invented”. Regular exercise has a lot of significant benefits for your health, fitness and well-being. An inactive lifestyle is one of the top risk factors for heart disease. Sedentary lifestyle has led to obesity, stress, hypertension, not just amongst the older crowd but also the younger group. Exercise is an overall capsule for a human being. It provides energy to the body, increases strength, decreases stress and fatigue and also revitalises soul and body. It is good for heart, lungs, and the specially for the younger crowd whose looking for that butter soft glowing skin or boys who are looking for those perfect six pack abs.
Some of the benefits of exercises are listed as below:
- Strengthen heart and cardiovascular system
- Improves circulation and helps body use oxygen better
- Improves heart failure symptoms
- Increases energy levels
- Increases endurance
- Lowers blood pressure
- Improves muscle strength
- Improves balance and joint flexibility
- Strengthens bones
- Helps reduce body fat
- Helps reduce stress, tension, anxiety, and depression
- Boosts self-esteem
- Improves sleep
Exercise, also affects mentally. It improves mood. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave one feeling happier and more relaxed. One may also feel better about his appearance and hence, further boots self esteem and self image.
Exercise can be of various types. Depending upon choice, natural exercise is a physical activity that can be done by a two year old to a eighty year old person. Be it running in the park by a 2 year old kid or walking a grandson or granddaughter in a park, both are investing in what is called “exercise”. Exercise can be running, jogging, skating, playing basketball, badminton, walking a dog, doing aerobics, dancing, using the stairs to climb than the lift.
The present generation feels that to exercise one has to take out time. And for the Youth, time is money. Not realizing that exercise is something that can be done without investing extra time or money. Simple easy rules like taking staircase instead of the lift, is also a form of exercise. Someone who is passionate about dancing can take up dancing, which also acts as a form of exercise. The older lot can walk their grandson or granddaughter to an evening walk, indulge in yoga, or indulge in preparing meals in the kitchen. Cooking is therapeutic and hence keeps one happy and energetic, which also is a form of exercise that keeps the soul and body happy. Simple activities that are usually normal day chores are also part of exercises.
One can indulge in normal day to day chores to stay fit than higher servants or help for the same.
Activities that can be practiced are listed as below.
- Gardening
- Walking the pet
- Taking the stairs instead of lift
- Washing clothes or utensils
- Cleaning the house
- Washing the car
- Cycling
- Skipping
- Walking to the nearest market to buy groceries.
- Swimming
- Dancing
Exercise is the miraculous cure we’ve always had, but for too long we’ve neglected to take our recommended dose. Our health is now suffering as a consequence. This is no snake oil. Whatever your age, there's strong scientific evidence that being physically active can help you lead a healthier and even happier life.
Exercise has long been touted as the panacea for everything that ails a human being. Active people are much less likely to smoke; they are thinner and they eat differently than their sedentary peers. They also tend to be more educated, and education is one of the strongest predictors of good health in general and a longer life.
Therefore, “Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live.”
