Download April 2012

York University Staff Association Health and
Wellness News and Views
5 Really Important Reasons YOU Should Exercise --just in case you forgot.
Exercise Reduces Heart Disease
Regular exercise lowers blood pressure, reducing strain on the
heart. It increases good HDL cholesterol that transports fat away
from the arteries and back to the liver. It also reduces levels of
bad cholesterol that can form fatty deposits in the arteries and
contribute to heart disease. The best exercise for your heart is
aerobic activity. That means anything that works major muscle
groups. Swimming, brisk walking, cycling, dancing (my personal
favourite), and shoveling snow are all types of effective aerobic
activity. For exercise to be effective it needs to raise your heart
rate. While for the general population this is a good thing, people
with heart problems need to take care not to put the heart under
too much pressure. Start slowly and build up to maximum pace
and then slow down and bring the heart rate gradually back down
to normal. People with heart problems should always check with
their doctors or heart specialist before starting any exercise
program.
Exercise Can Prevent/Manage Diabetes.
The number of people diagnosed with some type of diabetes is
growing every year. This is because people are eating more
unhealthy foods and exercising less. These two factors are the
major contributor in the increased number of people suffering
from diabetes. Therefore healthy diets and exercise are keys to
reducing the odds of getting diabetes. There are two types of
diabetes. Type I diabetes, the body can’t produce adequate
insulin. The lack of insulin has to be made up via injection. This is
the more serious type and is usually supervised and controlled by
a medical professional. On the other hand, in type II your body
cannot properly use insulin due to resistance to insulin. This type
is more likely to occur as we age, and tend to adopt an
unhealthier more sedentary lifestyle. Exercise helps increase
insulin sensitivity. Physical activities have positive effects on the
level of sugar in the blood. It also increases the use of glucose by
muscles and improves the ability of muscle tissue to store it.
Like anything worth doing, persistence and consistency are keys
to conquering diabetes or controlling it. It requires a permanent
lifestyle change. If you have been living a sedentary lifestyle for a
while now talk to your doctor first before starting any exercise
program.
Exercise Lowers incidence of Cancer
Greater participation in physical activity has consistently been
associated with reduced risk of cancer. “The world in which we
live is designed to make us sit.”
Studies suggest that obesity may cause up to a third of all cancer
cases; it hasn’t been clear just what it is about obesity that can
cause cancer, but many studies show exercise reduces the
inflammatory process in the cells. According to the National
Cancer Institute, exercising four or more hours a week may
decrease the hormone levels in women, which can help lower the
risk for breast cancer. Physical activity also strengthens your
immune system. When your immune system is strong, it has the
ability to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells. Yet another
reason to lace up your runners and get out there!
Exercise Decreases Osteoporosis
Regular exercise will help preserve your present bone mass, while
also giving a nudge to increase bone mass. The younger you start
exercising regularly, the more bone mass you will retain. After
adulthood, the best way to maintain bone mass is the same way
you build it, getting adequate calcium in your diet and doing
weight bearing exercises. Lifting weights or any resistance
training two – three times a week appears to stimulate bone
formation and the retention of calcium in the bones that are
bearing the load. The force of muscles pulling against bones
stimulates this bone building process. So any exercise that places
force on a bone will strengthen that bone.
Exercise Reduces Stress
Exercise reduces stress and is a very effective stress management
technique. A number of hormones are secreted into the blood
stream when we are stressed. These hormones if not used up can
lead to feelings of irritability, increased anxiety and can eventually
lead to a number of stress related illnesses. Exercise can help you
use some of these stress hormones. Exercise also releases
endorphins into the body, which give your body a natural boost.
Endorphins are natural pain killers that give you a feeling of
happiness and positive well being. They usually peak out about
one hour after exercise and trust me there is no better feeling.
“Exercise isn't just good for your body – it's good for your soul. If
you feel a bit down, get up and get moving.”
Do you need any more reasons?
Kerrianne Brown
April, 2012