In our daily lives, we tend to be very comfortable. We often do not walk enough, and take the elevator and escalator all the time. Insufficient exercise and sitting for hours harms our health.
Exercise is not only important for our physical health, it also promotes our memory and contributes to a better well-being. Daily movement can serve as a holistic therapeutic.
If you exercise regularly, your body, mind and soul are challenged, and it can trigger feelings of happiness. Exercise also boosts self-confidence, and reduces issues with weight and cholesterol levels. Why take medications for these problems when there is such a simple and above all healthier alternative?
Exercise is essential for physical and mental health.
What does more physical exercise do to our body?
Several studies and observations have shown how important exercise is for us. In September 2015, German physicians attempted to investigate the effects of exercise with respect to brain health.
Within a few months of the study where the subjects danced, they examined the subjects brains twice with the help of magnetic resonance imaging, once before regular movement and once afterwards. The MRI image of the brain after the dance course showed considerably more stimulated areas than the image before the dance course.
This shows us that the brighter areas were activated and better stimulated by dancing. However, these were not only the areas responsible for rhythm, music, or movement, but also those of mental fitness, which are responsible for high attention and responsiveness.
Regular exercise could significantly reduce the risk of dementia.
American and Canadian brain researchers have also found that there is a kind of clock in the cerebellum region that is connected to the visual, auditory and balance organs. This area is better supplied with blood through regular dancing.
This reduces the risk of dementia by as much as 76%. Dancing is therefore more effective against dementia than reading or doing crosswords. Learning new dances stimulates new areas of the brain.
Yoga stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the part of the nervous system responsible for relaxation and rest. However, with our often hectic schedules and our lifestyle filled with sitting in the office, many people do not get enough of relaxation, which leads to stress symptoms.
The lack of exercise caused by our sedentary lifestyle is comparable to smoking in its dangerousness.
Some preventive physicians believe that regular exercise promotes heart health in particular. Sports and exercise can increase the heart rate, raise blood pressure, and then moderate again at rest. This makes the vessels elastic and the pumping capacity of the heart more economical.
It also pumps more oxygen into the muscles and organs, which can reduce cardiovascular disease. In connection with vascular health, the lack of exercise that inevitably arises in our sitting world can be compared to smoking in its health risks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 2.5 hours of exercise per week, which corresponds to 20 minutes per day. If you would ride your bike to work or take short “moving breaks” in between, it would be easy to do so.
Tip: Did you miss the bus? Why don’t you run to the next station and then take the next one? Or get off the bus one stop earlier and walk the rest. You drive to work? Why don’t you park 500 metres away?
Playing a sport naturally brings even more benefits in terms of heart health. However, one should also pay attention to the right nutrients, which are beneficial for regular sports activities. Especially as a beginner, different blood values as well as a stress ECG should be determined by your preventive physician.
Which nutrients can support exercise?
Chondroitin, for example, is a particularly important building material for bones and cartilage and is therefore used in the therapy of joint wear. It also has anti-inflammatory effects. Collagen is also important for our bones and cartilage and supports our ligaments and tendons.
Vitamin D contributes to normal muscle function, which improves endurance performance. It has also been shown to reduce the loss of bone substance (osteoporosis) and can prevent muscle ache. Magnesium is especially important for our muscle function, and reduces the tendency to cramp and regulates the energy metabolism. However, it should be dosed carefully, as too much can also cost energy or have a laxative effect.
Potassium helps maintain normal blood pressure and reduces fatigue and muscle weakness. Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin produced by the body itself. However, the older you get, the less Q10 your body produces, which minimizes your desire to exercise, which is why an additional supplement to maintain your ability to move well can be advantageous.
