So do it consciously
Exercise is good for slimming. Also good for heart and blood vessels. But exercise does more for the body. It is also good for the brain. Exercise consciously, then you will learn to know your limits and avoid injuries.
Not only the body, but also the brain stays in better condition by exercising daily. Research has shown that people who lead very physically active lives are up to 50 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s. This is because exercise has a favorable influence on a number of important risk factors for Alzheimer’s: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Physical activity also improves blood circulation in the brain. It ensures that the number of connections between the different brain areas decreases less quickly as we get older. And there it goes cognitive do function. That is to say: improving memory, reaction time, concentration and learning ability. Some scientists even believe that exercise is better for the brain than doing puzzles. Even if you start exercising at a later age, it still has a positive influence on the brain.
Happy with movement
In recent years, more and more is known about the beneficial effects of exercise on people with fears and anxiety depression. A large Dutch study showed that people who exercise regularly are 1.5 to 2 times less likely to develop such a mood disorder. And the study participants who had a serious mental health problem recovered 1.5 times faster thanks to regular exercise. It is therefore not surprising that exercise, and especially running, is increasingly used in the treatment of people with depressive symptoms.
Scientists suspect that the positive effects of sports on the psyche are due to the increase in neurotransmitters, the chemicals in the brain that regulate mood. In addition, people with good stamina react less strongly to stress.
Against diabetes
Sports scientist Hans Savelberg and colleagues from Maastricht University recently discovered that sitting less often and for shorter periods of time is even healthier than exercising a few times a week.
“Sitting too much is bad for your health,” Savelberg says. A few hours of exercise will not erase the negative effects of sitting. Therefore: reduce your sitting hours by consciously moving more. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Phone while standing or pacing. Walk or cycle to the supermarket. This improves blood fats and gives you a healthier insulin sensitivity. In other words: by sitting as little as possible you reduce the chance of diabetes.
Strength training for everyday life
Over the years we lose quite a bit of muscle mass. In many 60-year-olds, the muscle size is as much as 40 percent smaller than it was at the age of 20.
Fortunately, you can grow muscle mass by adding weight training to do, by training with weights and on so-called resistance machines. Never start with that, go to the doctor first for a condition check. Also find a good gym, where the intensity of the exercises is determined on the basis of what you can do and the training is professionally supervised to prevent injuries.
strong bones
Movement keeps the bones strong. Opt for a way of moving in which the body is loaded with its own weight, such as jumping rope and jogging. Very fast brisk walking also has a beneficial effect.
Not everyone is capable of such intensive ways of moving, some people have too fragile ones bones in front of. Then it is important to find other forms of movement, so that at least your balance remains in top shape, so that you fall less quickly. Strong muscles – through strength training – will in any case help you to keep your balance better.
quick defence
Exercise stimulates the natural defenses against diseases, perhaps even against certain forms of disease cancer. It is not yet entirely clear how this works exactly. It is well known that exercise improves blood flow. As a result, immune cells are transported through the body more quickly, so that they can eliminate germs earlier.
The faster blood flow probably also triggers the release of certain hormones, which ‘warn’ the immune cells if bacteria or viruses have entered the body. Finally, we know that the temporary rise in body temperature that occurs when you exercise vigorously can curb the growth of bacteria, allowing the body to better fight the infection.
Healthy heart, feeling fitter
Exercise is the way to keep the blood vessels, heart and lungs healthy. Especially the activities where the heart has to pump faster and more blood and the lungs are put to work.
Cycling, running, walking at a brisk pace and swimming are therefore excellent sports. It improves lung capacity, as does blood circulation, and the ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) in the blood rises, so there is less chance of clogging of blood vessels. In addition, after some time your condition also improves, making you feel fitter.
Sources):
- Plus Magazine
