Wellness Wednesday: Keep It Movin'!!

Exercise has been promoted for eternity as a means of improving our health but how does it ACTUALLY improve overall wellness? It is defined as any physical movement that makes our muscles work and requires the body to burn calories. Likewise, regular exercise is defined as doing such movements for up to 30 minutes 3-4 times weekly with the primary focus being to increase the heart rate. Below are the benefits confirmed via research that I hope will offer the motivation needed for you to “Keep It Movin’!!”.

Research Findings

Studies have proven that after 65 yo, a primary predictor of longevity is walking speed. Those that walk at a “decent pace” after 75 yo tend to have a higher probability of living longer lives.

For example, the research even specifies that an 80 yo man that walks at a pace of 1 mph has a 10% probability of living to be at least 90 yo, while a woman of the same age walking at the same pace has a 23% chance!! If these same two individuals are able to increase their average pace to 3.5 mph, the 80 yo man increases his probability to 84% while the woman now has an 86% chance!

Happy Pill

If you’re experiencing general anxiety and depression, exercise has been proven to be one the BEST natural treatments to alleviate symptoms AND it’s FREE! Reason being, exercise activates the same neuro-pathways as morphine and increases the release of endorphins…the natural feel-good neurotransmitters.

In fact, a depression study exists that compared the benefits of exercise to those of the prescription drug, Zoloft. After 12 weeks, exercise proved equally as effective as the prescription medication at alleviating symptoms. After 10 months, exercise was found by participants to be MORE effective than Zoloft and with zero side effects! Exercise has been consider a “fountain of youth” and is by far the closest resource known to a “happy pill”.

Fountain of Youth

According to research conducted at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, participants with weaker muscles proved to have a higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease and general cognitive decline as they aged. Those at the 90th percentile of muscle strength had approximately a 61% reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared with those in the 10th percentile!

Exercise actually improves maintenance of the chromosome telomere, which controls the aging process (biological clock). Telomeres are longest early in our lives and progressively shorten as we age. The rate of this deterioration is directly influence by our lifestyle choices. Physical exercise activates a natural increase in activity from the enzyme telomerase, which builds and repairs telomeres and inevitably slows deterioration.

The Top 10

Below are the top 10 body and brain benefits of regular exercise:

1. Increased Happiness 

Exercise has been found to improve mood and decrease symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. It naturally produces changes in areas of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety. Additionally, it can increase sensitivity to serotonin and norepinephrine, which relieve feelings of depression. It will also increase endorphin production, which is known to produce a positive mood and manage perception of pain.

2. Improved Weight Loss

It’s no secret that inactivity has a major influence on weight gain and obesity. We also know that our bodies use energy in three ways: digesting food, exercising and maintaining body functions (heartbeat, breathing, etc.). Dieting typically results in a reduction in caloric intake and a lowered metabolism, which hinders weight loss efforts. Conversely, regular exercise increases our metabolism, which burns more calories and improves weight loss efforts. Even better, research shows that combining aerobic exercise and resistance training can optimize weight loss due to fat lost and muscle gained.

3. It does the Body Good…Duh!

Exercise plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong muscles and bones. Specifically, weight lifting can stimulate muscle development when complemented by adequate protein consumption. The benefit is caused by exercise releasing hormones that promote amino acid absorption, which stimulates growth and guards against breakdown. As we age, our muscle mass tends to decrease, which causes more susceptibility to injuries. Regular exercise assists with maintaining muscle mass and protects against injury while also increasing bone density (maximized in high impact sports), which will prevent osteoporosis later in life.

4. Increased Energy Levels

Exercise is an absolute energy booster for healthy people and those suffering from various medical conditions. In fact, a recent study found that six weeks of regular exercise reduced feelings of fatigue some that had previously reported persistent fatigue. Additionally, exercise has been proven to increase energy levels in those suffering from progressive illnesses, such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and multiple sclerosis.

5. Guard against Chronic Disease

Plain and simple…a lack of regular physical activity is a primary cause of chronic disease and regular exercise improves insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular fitness and body composition while decreasing blood pressure and blood fat levels. Furthermore, a lack of regular exercise, even short term, can result in significant increases in belly fat, which is an potential indicator of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and early death. Needless to say, daily physical activity is recommended to minimize the chances of these developing.

6. Healthy Skin

Our skin’s health is directly linked to the amount of oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress occurs when our antioxidant defenses don’t properly repair damage caused by free radicals. While intense physical activity contributes to oxidative damage, regular moderate exercise can increase the production of natural antioxidants, which helps protect cells. Likewise, exercise stimulates blood flow and promotes skin cell adaptations that can delay the aging process.

7. Improved Brain Health and Memory

Exercise can improve brain function and protect memory and cognitive skills. Basically, it increases the heart rate yielding increased blood flow and oxygen to the brain. It also stimulates the production of hormones that promote growth in brain cells. Positive effects include the expansion (size) of the hippocampus, a part of the brain vital to memory and learning, and a reduction in brain developments that cause Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia!!

8. Better Sleep

Regular exercise will help with general relaxation, stress management and quality of sleep. The energy that is depleted during exercise stimulates the recuperative process during the sleep cycle. Specifically, the increase in body temperature during exercise assists with decreasing our body temperature later during sleep. One research study revealed that 2.5 hours of combined moderate-to-vigorous activity per week can improve sleep quality by up to 65%. Another study suggested that 16 weeks of physical activity can increase sleep quality in individuals with insomnia by providing longer, deeper sleep patterns.

9. Less Pain

Chronic pain can be incredibly limiting, but recent studies have proven that exercise helps with relieving chronic pain and improving overall quality of life. These results were even specific to various health conditions including lower back pain, fibromyalgia and soft tissue shoulder disorders. Physical activity can even increase pain tolerance and decrease pain sensitivity.

10. Better SEX...MUST READ!

Exercise has even been reported to boost libido! Engaging in regular exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system, improves blood flow, tones muscles and enhances flexibility, which can contribute to a healthier sex life. Even more so, it has been found to improve sexual performance and related pleasure while increasing the frequency of sexual activity.

• A group of women (age 40-49) reported more frequent orgasms when incorporating more strenuous exercise (sprints, boot camps, weight training, etc.) in their regimen.
• A group of 178 healthy men were able to increase sexual function scores by only increasing exercise hours per week.
• One study reported that a six-minute walk routine (at home) among male participants reduced symptoms of erectile dysfunction by 71%!
• Among women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (known to cause reduced sex drive), an increased libido was reported with regular resistance training for 16 weeks!

The Take Away

• Exercise has INCREDIBLE benefits that offer improvement in almost every area of individual health.
• Regular physical activity increases the production of “feel good hormones” and improves sleep quality.
• It will also slow the aging process, help with losing weight AND maintain, reduce the risk of chronic disease and light up ANY sex life!
• 2.5 hours of activity per week will inevitably improve overall health in MANY ways that are even still being discovered.

GET MOVIN'!!!

Credit: Information derived from article located at https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/exercise-for-long-life/ and https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-exercise#TOC_TITLE_HDR_12