Physical Activity is Good for Mind and Body
Friday, August 7, 2015 
- Author: Karen
There are no limits to the benefits you can receive from physical activity. When you get some form of physical activity into your day you will find you're thinking more clearly, your judgement skills will sharpen and you'll even find it easier to learn new things. Research has proven when you do some form of aerobic or muscle-strengthening activity for as little as three to five times a week for about 30 to 60 minutes each time, you will achieve better mental health.
Being more physical will of course use up some of your energy so sleeping will become easier for those who suffer not being able to fall asleep. Depression is another risk you can avoid by staying physical. Keeping your body and your mind in good shape will hold off those depressive moods found in those who sit idly through their day.
When you find you are unable to climb stairs like you once did or it is becoming difficult to do simple daily tasks such as play with your grandchildren or grocery shop you may suffer, functional limitation. This is when you lose the ability to perform normal everyday tasks. If you remain physically active however, you have a much lower risk of losing these abilities. If these conditions have already surfaced you can do some aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities to try and regain some of your lost movements.
Getting older has enough discouraging side effects, why let something as simple as walking up stairs become difficult? Find a routine to keep physically active and you will feel younger a lot longer. Sometimes as we age we are at a higher risk of falling. Research shows if you do balance and muscle-strengthening activities every week along with brisk walking you can reduce the risk of falling.
There are a few choices we can make in our lifestyles that can have such a high impact on our health, especially good impacts. Physical activity is a lifestyle change you can make without actually making a life-altering change to your style. If you can find seven hours in a week to do physical activity such as; walking, swimming or biking you have a 40% less chance of dying early.
That merely involves taking a nice brisk walk each morning and enjoying your surroundings, or going swimming with a group or a friend each day. Perhaps you can alternate between activities each day, you don't have to do high amounts or vigorous workouts, you just have to get up and get your bodies moving. Health benefits from physical activity are for everyone no matter your age, shape, size or ethnicity.
There are other advantages to physical activity other than for the aging. Anyone with a chronic health condition will also benefit. Those who suffer from arthritis, diabetes or heart disease can talk to their doctor to find the right amount for their body to handle. A physician can recommend what your body is capable of performing and help you set up a routine that will get you moving.
Weight and controlling it is a topic that comes up often. We see advertisements and hear on the news that weight control is an important issue in this country. This is a problem that affects all ages and all types of people. With a combination of healthier eating habits and physical activity you can get control of your weight and keep that control.
At first losing weight will take more energy and work on your part. A high amount of physical activity will be necessary to remove the excess weight you've put on. The exercise along with reduced calorie intake from the foods and drinks you consume on a daily basis will help you to achieve a healthy weight. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) website has information to help you know what a healthy weight is for your body type.
Once you have lost the weight keeping active will help you to keep it off. A combination of moderate to intense and some vigorous activity will keep your body at a healthy weight. This will still mean you have to watch what foods you eat, just not as closely. Scientific evidence has proven physical activity continued over time will maintain a person's body weight. The amount varies from person to person as we all have different metabolisms.
Other health factors facing our country today are heart disease and diabetes. Guidelines have been set proving at least 150 minutes a week of moderate to intense physical activity can reduce your risk of developing either of these life-threatening diseases. Regular activity will not only lower your blood pressure it will also improve cholesterol levels. It has also been shown to control levels of blood glucose making it easier to manage diabetes type 2.
There is no way around it; physical activity is the best life choice you can make. It can improve your life with a healthier body and a healthier mind. Start with a moderate routine and work yourself higher if you can, what's important is you start moving.
