It’s no secret that being physically active is good for health. According to the World Health Organization, insufficiently active people have a 20 percent higher risk of death than those who are active enough.
Though it’s often not given attention, the body is constantly under assault. From the food you eat up to the air you breathe, many factors work to break down cells and undermine health. But one powerful ally in the fight against disease is physical activity. Here’s how staying active can help you stay healthy:
Delay the onset of diseases
The human body is designed to move, and physical activity helps to keep it functioning correctly. When people don’t get enough exercise, their body becomes less efficient at fighting illness. This condition can lead to various health problems, including heart disease, stroke, neurologic disorders, and diabetes.
But regular physical activity can help delay these diseases’ onset by keeping the body healthy and functioning at its best. Though it may seem counterintuitive, research has shown that being physically active helps enhance the body’s ability to get rid of damaged cells and repair itself. It helps to keep the immune system functioning correctly, which in turn helps stave off degenerative diseases. That’s why it’s a standard part of the professional treatment for neurological disorders.
So, if you want to improve your health, don’t forget the importance of physical activity. Staying active can help delay the onset of diseases and keep your body functioning at its best.
Reduce inflammation
Chronic inflammation contributes to many diseases, including heart disease and cancer. Luckily, physical activity has contributed significantly to reducing inflammation throughout the body.
In one study of over 1,600 adults, those who were physically active had lower levels of inflammatory markers than sedentary individuals. Furthermore, another study found that regular physical activity was associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer—cancer strongly linked to inflammation. These findings suggest that physical activity can help reduce the risk of various diseases by reducing inflammation.
Thus, if you’re looking to improve your health, one of the best things you can do is get moving. Regular physical activity can help reduce inflammation throughout the body, which in turn helps protect against various diseases.
Lower risk of developing chronic diseases
Chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are some leading causes of death worldwide. These diseases are often due to factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.
Regular physical activity can help lower your blood pressure and triglyceride levels and increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels. These changes in blood lipid levels can reduce your risk of atherosclerosis, a condition in which plaque builds up in the arteries, leading to heart disease.
Regular physical activity can also reduce your risk of stroke by up to 27 percent. And being physically active can help you manage your weight and blood sugar levels, reducing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
That means that if you’re looking to lower your risk of developing chronic diseases, one of the best things you can do is stay active. Regular physical activity can help improve your blood lipid levels, manage your weight, and keep your blood sugar levels in check—all of which can help reduce your risk of chronic diseases.
Improve mental health and mood disorders
Exercise releases endorphins—chemicals that have mood-boosting effects—and reduces stress hormones such as cortisol. These effects can help improve mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. It’s a particular help for people having trouble in these areas.
In addition, increased fitness level has been closely linked with improved self-esteem, self-confidence, and cognitive function. That’s because physical activity helps to increase the brain’s supply of neurotrophic factors, which are chemicals that promote the growth and development of nerve cells. These cells are essential for learning, memory, and mood.
So, if you’re looking to improve your mental health, one of the best things you can do is get active. Doing so can reduce the risk of developing mood disorders and improve your quality of life.
Staying active can help improve your health in a variety of ways. It can help delay the onset of diseases, reduce inflammation, lower your risk of developing chronic diseases, and improve mental health.
With all these benefits, it’s no wonder that the World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week—or about 30 minutes a day, five days a week. So if you want to improve your health, get moving and stay active. It’s definitely worth the effort.
