Hippocrates, known as the father of medicine, said that to stay healthy, we need to watch what we eat and how much we move. For a long time, people followed this advice by controlling their portions and staying active. However, in the early 20th century, the focus shifted from preventing health issues to treating them after they occur. As a result, exercise was no longer seen as crucial for good health.
In the last hundred years, exercise has mainly been seen as a way to improve appearance, like gaining muscle or losing weight. But recent research has shown that Hippocrates was right all along. In this article, we’ll explore how exercise can make your life better in many ways.
Anxiety & Stress Reduction
Exercise can help you feel less stressed and anxious before it gets worse and turns into depression. Just one session of aerobic exercise can make your body produce feel-good chemicals called endorphins. These chemicals can reduce tension, improve your mood, and help you sleep better.
When you’re stressed or anxious, you might feel like you have no control over your life. But exercise can make you feel more empowered and accomplished, which boosts your self-esteem.
When you exercise, your body makes more endorphins, which can improve your mood. It also reduces the release of cortisol and adrenaline, which can make you feel bad.
A recent study of 1.2 million people found that those who exercised regularly had fewer mental health issues than those who didn’t.
Heart Health
Regular aerobic exercise helps fight coronary artery disease by delivering more oxygen to the heart muscle and improving lung function. A study presented at the 2009 European Association of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation congress found that a moderate, supervised exercise program can enhance the cardiovascular system’s function.
Physical activity helps reduce the risk of stroke by increasing heart rate and lowering blood pressure and heart disease risk. When you exercise, your heart gets stronger and pumps blood more efficiently. This means it can deliver more oxygen to your body. Exercise also improves cholesterol levels by increasing good (HDL) cholesterol and decreasing bad (LDL) cholesterol. It helps remove LDL from the blood, especially when done regularly.
Bones, Joints & Muscle
Exercise makes your muscles stronger, reduces pain, and gives you more energy. It also helps keep the tissue around your joints healthy by stimulating fluid production. Being physically fit lowers the risk of muscle, bone, and joint problems. Studies show that exercise can help ease the constant pain of conditions like fibromyalgia by boosting mood and reducing pain.
Our bones get stronger when they’re put under stress. Activities like running, which involve a lot of impact, can increase bone density. A study from the University of Missouri showed that running is especially good for building strong spines compared to activities like cycling or swimming.
Another study found that older men who exercise three times a week for 30 minutes can prevent one-third of fractures.
Exercise can also help with back pain. Doing exercises that strengthen and stretch the muscles in your back can promote healing and reduce the chances of having more back pain in the future.
Digestive System
Regular exercise is good for your digestion. It makes your breathing and heart rate faster, which helps your intestines move food along and produce digestive enzymes faster. This means food gets to your large intestine quicker. Exercise also helps food move faster through your intestines to your colon.
Exercise is good for your overall health and immune system. Losing weight through exercise can reduce heartburn and limit the amount of stomach acid your body produces, which helps with digestion.
Increased Energy
Exercise may tire you out while you’re doing it, but it actually boosts your energy afterward. Many studies show that regular exercise can reduce feelings of tiredness, both in healthy people and those with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Eating well and exercising regularly, just like Hippocrates suggested 2,500 years ago, are crucial for staying healthy and preventing illness. In this article, we’ve discussed various science-backed benefits of exercise that go beyond just losing weight and gaining muscle. Use these benefits to stay motivated and consistent with your exercise routine, knowing it’s the best thing you can do for your body and mind.
