What’s the point?
We hear it all the time, get some exercise every day. My youngest son is currently in medical school and he said to me the other day, “No matter what disease we are learning about, every one of them will improve with exercise.” The question is, why isn’t everyone doing it?
Some people love to run or go to the gym or play sports, but many don’t. It is so important to find something that you enjoy and feel you can do each day. Exercise is very personal. I find being outside helps to motivate me but North Dakota has so many days with great weather challenges. Our summers can be very hot, humid, and windy. Our winters can be brutally cold with icy roads and sidewalks. Did you know you can find all kinds of free video options on You Tube for yoga, Pilates, indoor walking, etc. Try something and see if you enjoy it. If you are socially motivated invite a friend to do something with you. If you love to learn new things listen to a podcast or books on tape while you exercise.
Research has confirmed that exercise improves our physical health by: maintaining a healthy weight, it lowers the risk of heart disease, improves cholesterol levels, manages blood sugar, reduces the risk of osteoporosis and falls, and helps reduce pain from arthritis.
Mental health benefits include: improved self esteem, decreased anxiety, improved ability to fall asleep and get into deeper sleep patterns. There are studies that say exercise can improve your sex life by improving arousal in women and decreasing erectile dysfunction in men.
Did you know that:
1) Walking and talking decreases your risk of Alzheimer’s disease
2) People that play paddle sports such as tennis, ping pong, badminton, or pickleball live longer.
3). Grip strength is directly related to health and lifespan.
One of the favorite quotes I’ve heard says “What if you only got one car in your lifetime; how would you treat it?” I think I would fill it with premium gas, get regular oil changes and be quick to fix any problem that came up. The truth is we only get one body! Let’s put premium fuel in, quickly fix any problems that come up and make it a daily priority to keep everything running smoothly. You only get one body so take care of it!
