Health Nugget #5: Exercise

(I was requested by our church to do short health presentations for the local community. Here’s the 5th and final lecture.)

As the legend goes, a 16th century Spanish explorer, named Juan Ponce de Leon, found the fountain of youth, which allegedly restores the youth to anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters.

That fountain maybe a myth, but there is really a thing, proven by medicine and science, that can maintain our youthful condition. The real fountain of youth is called exercise.

More than its anti-aging effect, exercise can also extend your life. According to a Harvard Alumni study, it stated that for every hour you exercise, you live 3 hours longer. That is a very good investment I would say, 1 hour spent, you get 3 hours in return.

The men here (photo below) don’t look very young, especially the one with the long white beard. That is Fauja Singh. He finished a full marathon, which is 26.2 miles, at the age of100 years old. This photo was taken when he was 101 years old.

Besides maintaining your youthful look and extending your life, which is a great deal already, here are 7 other benefits of regular physical activity.

1. Exercise controls weight.

Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help you keep off lost weight. You can start by just getting more active throughout your day. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator or rev up your household chores. Consistency is key.

2. Exercise combats chronic health conditions and diseases.

Exercise keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which lowers your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Regular exercise helps prevent or manage many health problems and concerns, including:

• Stroke.
• High blood pressure.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Depression.
• Many types of cancer.
• Arthritis.

3. Maintains strong muscles and bones.

As we get older, we lose muscle mass and function. People who don’t regularly exercise may lose up to 80% of their muscle strength by age 65.

But exercising regularly may reduce muscle loss and maintain strength. According to a study, exercising while we’re young helps build bone density, which can help prevent osteoporosis as we age.

4. Exercise improves mood and reduces pain.

A gym session or brisk walk can give you an emotional lift. Physical activity stimulates the release of many brain chemicals (endorphins) that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed. There is really a phenomenon as a runner’s high, getting high without drugs.

You also may feel better about your appearance when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and self-esteem.

Exercising has been shown to help reduce pain, because endorphins are narcotic-like substance in our body. So it is a natural pain killer.

5. Exercise boosts energy.

Exercise sends oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores, and you can keep on going and going like the Energizer’s Bunny.

6. Exercise boosts brain health.

Exercise is beneficial for maintaining brain health for everyone, but even more for those who are at risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

A study suggests that in older adults, exercise can also impact the hippocampus. This part of the brain is important for memory and learning. Exercising can help it grow, which may improve mental function.

7. Exercise promotes better sleep.

Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and deepen your sleep. Exercise can reduce stress and anxiety levels, leaving you feeling more relaxed and stabilized, which is a perfect zone for sleep.

Just don’t exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to go to sleep.

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How intense should your exercise be? Are you doing it too much or not enough? There is a simple way to know. Here’s how to determine your target heart rate when you exercise. First of all, you all know how to get your pulse or your heart rate, right?

The maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. For moderate level of exercise the target heart rate should be 50-70% of the maximum heart rate, and for vigorous level of exercise it should be 70-85% of the maximum heart rate.

So go ahead and run, and race for your health. There is another race though that has an implication beyond our earthly existence. Here it is:

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(*photos taken from the web)