When you were a child, it was easy to exercise. Someone yelled tag, tapped you on the shoulder and said, “You’re it.” Game on! The older you get the harder it is to fit exercise into your schedule, but the more important it becomes. Not only does exercise help you look fabulous, it helps boost energy, too. There are also health benefits of regular exercise. In fact, it could be the perfect prescription for many chronic illnesses.
You start losing muscle mass as you get older.
The older you get, the more muscle mass you lose after you hit mid-thirties or so. Why is that important? The more muscles you have, the more they tug on the bone and tell the bone to take in calcium to stay strong. That helps prevent osteoporosis. In fact, one treatment for osteoporosis that works better than some medications is weigh-bearing exercise and strength building. Losing muscle mass also plays an important role in your ability to live independently as you age.
It doesn’t matter whether you have type 2 diabetes or its predecessor insulin resistance, exercise is good.
Strength training has been shown to help regulate blood sugar levels and can improve blood glucose levels dramatically. One study found that just four months of strength training can improve it, plus also lower body fat, while building muscle tissue. Weight loss can lower high blood pressure, too. It does that by helping you lose weight. Most professionals agree that by losing as little as 2.2 pounds, you can lower blood pressure by one millimeter of mercury. If you lose that in the abdominal area, it’s even more significant.
You’ll be surprised to find how exercise can relieve pain.
Painful conditions like arthritis and back pain can actually be helped by exercising. For those with arthritis, it helps build tendons, ligaments and muscles to relieve some of the pressure and stress on the joints. It increases the range of motion, which also helps reduce pain. For back problems, it helps relieve the tightness of the muscles and aids in making them relax so you can move easier. It also boosts circulation, so it increases the potential to heal if there’s a tear in the tissue. Start slowly and increase your exercise as you get stronger.
- Not only does exercise help you if you have pain, it can help reduce the potential for pain from tears and sprains. Exercise can improve flexibility and strength of the muscles so it doesn’t occur.
- Exercise helps improve your posture and poor posture can cause many health issues from breathing difficulties to acid reflux. It also helps boost your self-confidence.
- Women with PMS or hormonal imbalances can benefit from exercise. A program of regular exercise can also help reduce the pain and cramping of a period.
- Exercising regularly can help protect you at the chromosomal level. It increases the length of telomeres that protect the chromosomes from damage. Aging and an unhealthy lifestyle shorten them.
For more information, contact us today at Travel Trim