Move Your Body, The benefits of regular exercise

If there’s a fountain of youth, it’s exercise. The human genome evolved under conditions of high physical activity. We’re designed to move. Inactivity signals our bodies that it’s time to pack up the tents. Bones demineralize. Muscles atrophy. As a result, strength, endurance, and flexibility tank, and the risk of falls and bone fractures rises. Appetite is less keen, which may not reduce eating. Sleep is less satisfying. Mood deteriorates, and mental skills waver. Quality of life erodes. The risk of obesity and a number of chronic diseases rises.

On the other hand, regular physical activity increases longevity, and decreases the risk of many chronic illnesses, including the big killers in America: heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.

The benefits of regular exercise are so farreaching that it’s difficult to think of a bodily system that doesn’t benefit. (The urinary system nearly qualifies, although the kidneys reap the benefits of increased circulation and certain exercises prevent bladder incontinence.) In the cardiovascular system, resting heart rate and blood pressure decline, LDL (lousy) cholesterol falls and HDL (good) cholesterol rises, and the delivery of fresh oxygen and nutrients becomes more effi- cient. Respiratory mucus clears. The immune system functions better. The bowels are more regular. Bones become denser. Joints are less likely to deteriorate. Muscles strengthen. Extra muscle mass raises metabolic rate, which burns more calories, which in turn fends off fat. Flexibility, endurance, strength, and agility reduce fall risk. Hormones, such as insulin, work more efficiently. Libido sashays. The nervous system sparkles, with enhancements in learning and memory.

Exercise relieves stress, improves sleep, and buoys mood. It lowers the likelihood of anxiety and depression and can augment conventional treatment of these conditions. Some research suggests exercise may reduce the risk of degenerative brain conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s.