You just put in a good 10 hour day in front of your computer screen, and the last thing you want to do is exercise. Let’s see, exercise, and improve your fitness level, or sit down with a glass of wine and watch your favorite evening television show. What would you do?
Seventy percent of individuals know they should exercise, but choose the wine and the television program instead.
Do you know this simple daily decision can end up being detrimental to your health? According to the USCDC, 54.1% of adults don’t do the minimum level of exercise or physical activity recommended for wellness. The slogan “use it or lose it” has never been more true.
10 Serious Health Conditions Due to Not Exercising
The simple innocent choice of not exercising has shown, in studies, to promote 10 serious health conditions you don’t ever want to develop. The bottom line is physical inactivity has a lot of unhealthy implications even at our bodies cellular level. At the cellular level, inactivity decreases the ability to transfer oxygen from your blood stream to your cells, and also decreases the number of power activating mitochondria. However, the worst cost of not exercising or being physically active can result in the following 10 devastating conditions:
1. CANCER – Studies have shown that fitness enthusiastic men and women who are physically active have a 30 to 40 percent lower risk of colon cancer compared to individuals who are inactive.
2. DIABETES – Studies show lack of regular physical exercise increases insulin sensitivity. Diabetes is considered the “sedentary disease” which is striking people at an alarming rate. If it is not controlled, it can destroy the body’s organs.
3. HEART – Lack of consistent physical activity, over time, decreases the function of the heart muscle, affects the blood vessels, including the large aortic artery to the veins and small capillaries. According to many studies, scientists have good reason to believe that regular exercise protects the heart.
4. STROKE – Regular exercisers are 25% less likely to have a stroke than their sedentary counterparts. Being fit lowers blood pressure, raises HDL cholesterol, and reduces the risk of blood clots.
5. BRAIN – People who are physically active, according to solid evidence, are at lower risk for cognitive decline and dementia.
6. MUSCLES – If you don’t exercise on a regular basis, you are at risk of losing some 6 percent of your muscles mass every decade of life from the age of 30 on. This also translates into a 10 – 15 percent loss of strength per decade. Once again, if you don’t use the muscle, you will lose the muscle quickly.
7. OSTEOPOROSIS – Fragile bones cause more than 1.5 million fractures each year in the U.S. Bone is like muscle, if you stress it, it responds. If you don’t, you gradually lose its strength, and increase your chances of breaking them. Regular weekly strength training can help prevent osteoporosis, and decrease your chances of breaking a bone.
8. MENTAL HEALTH – People who don’t exercise on a regular basis are more prone to develop depression. According to a recent study, people who were more active were nearly 20 percent less likely to be diagnosed with depression over the next five years than less active people. Fitness conscious individuals also generally display an improved self esteem, or self image.
9. WEIGHT – If you are inactive, year in and year out, you will eventually gain weight and lose fitness which increases the chance of a heart attacks, and diabetes.
10. IMMUNE SYSTEM – Moderate amounts of exercise reduces the risk of upper respiratory infection. Regular exercise may boost immune function.
Now I would like to ask that same question I asked above. What would you do? Wine and television, or physical activity?
Now for the good news! In as little as 30 minutes of exercise or fitness work each day, you can significantly decrease your chances of developing any of these horrible conditions mentioned above. This is the best “medicine” any doctor can possibly prescribe!
I hope I have encouraged you to become more physically active today, and beyond. Your quality of life depends upon it. Consider these the most important words you will hear today!
Remember, you have a choice. Make the fitness choice.
Note From Brigadoon Fitness:
Yes, we all know what we should do, but for some reason we just don’t do it. Here is our list of benefits that exercise does for you.
- Exercise or regular physical activity delivers oxygen and nutrients to the tissues in your body and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. This in turn gives you more energy.
- Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and will even deepen your sleep
- Daily activity can additionally improve energy levels as well as increase your confidence about your physical appearance, which may boost your sex life.
- Physical activity can also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting. So take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it.
- Fitness isn’t just beneficial for your arms, legs, and core — it actually does wonders for your brain health, too! In fact, a study published in the journal Comprehensive Physiology found that exercise can improve your brain’s functionality, helping you to retain more memories and enhance your cognitive skills.
- Another mental benefit of exercise is reduced stress levels—something that can make us all happier. Increasing your heart rate can actually reverse stress-induced brain damage by stimulating the production of neurohormones like norepinephrine, which not only improve cognition and mood but improve thinking clouded by stressful events. Exercise also forces the body’s central and sympathetic nervous systems to communicate with one another, improving the body’s overall ability to respond to stress.
So you see exercise isn’t just about muscles and being fit, it also helps you with your body’s and mind’s functions. So no matter what your age, size or ability, get out there!
