We've been told many times about
the benefits to exercise. There's nothing earth-shattering
about that statement. Anyone, even a complete stranger like
me, can tell you to go right ahead and do it because it's good
for you, and you'd believe it anyway and take it as gospel truth.
But what exactly are these benefits to exercise,
and why should you really give it the time of day?
Benefit
to Exercise # 1: Body
A very compelling reason for
you to haul yourself up from your sedentary existence is that,
with being overweight or obese, comes greater risk for a host
of other health problems like heart disease and diabetes.
Here's the unpleasant news for
the fat-bellied ones - recent studies have also uncovered an
undeniable link between your growing waistline and the threat
of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, or NHL, a potentially fatal form
of cancer that takes root in the immune system.
Translation: beer belly - bad.
If that doesn't motivate you to get moving religiously every
morning, I don't know what will. Maintaining an active lifestyle
boosts the immune system, thus helping to keep harmful diseases
at bay.
Benefit
to Exercise # 2: Mind
Not only will your body reap
the benefits to exercise, but your mind will
be thankful for it as well. Studies have revealed that exercise
can enhance your brainpower. It enhances memory and learning,
heightens alertness, helps us think more clearly, and improves
specific cognitive functioning in seniors.
One valid explanation for the
latter could be that after an aerobic workout, the heart is
able to pump more efficiently and the blood is able to carry
more oxygen, which the heart then sends through certain areas
of the brain in a rush.
Benefit
to Exercise # 3: Soul
Tests consistently show that
hearty doses of physical activity help improve mood and likewise
relieve depression and anxiety. Experts have found that exercise
triggers the release of certain chemicals in the brain, like
dopamine, norepinephrine, and endorphins, all of which are our
natural, built-in antidepressants. This explains why we tend
to get a high out of working out and we feel good about ourselves
after each grueling training session.