We all know by now that exercising strengthens the heart, lungs, bones and muscles. It helps to ward off illness, relieve stress and prevent depression. So let's take a look at the how and why all these benefits occur.
Let's start at the cellular level. No, not your cell phone, I mean the cells in your body. There are trillions of cells. How much is a trillion? That's 1000 x a billion= a trillion. That's a bunch of cells. And every single one of them uses oxygen, water, nutrients from blood and produces waste. It's almost as if they are tiny little bodies in their own right and they need care and support just like you do. And for all the care you give them they give back the energy and stamina you need to complete your activities of daily living.
When you drink the proper amounts of water every day you are keeping your cells immersed in the solution they need to carry nutrients (food) to them and carry away hormones that the other parts of your body need to operate. When you don't drink enough water or supplant it with soda-pop or alcohol, your cells become like tiny fish flopping around on a muddy riverbed. They can't do what they're designed to and you get that blah feeling and reach for the remote instead of reaching for a fulfilling life. This solution they live in also carries away the wastes they produce to the blood so it can flow to the kidneys and be expelled as urine. What would you prefer to swim around in, a clean pool or a dirty pool?
To produce energy, cells also need oxygen molecules to breathe. Again, the more oxygen in your blood the better they can operate. Exercising increases the body's capacity to regulate oxygen flow in and out of the lungs where it is transferred into the bloodstream. By exercising on a regular basis the oxygen rich blood flows to these cells where they perform their job of rebuilding and revitalizing the body. Try climbing a flight of steps while breathing through a straw and that's what you're asking your cells to do when you don't exercise.
Ever since you were a kid your parents told you "eat your fruits and vegetables". Well darn it, they were right. Our modern diet of fats and sugars are not what our cells need to be able to perform the miracles of life they do. Now, I will never advocate you move to a cabin in the woods and live on berries, nuts and twigs, but come on folks, let's take it easy on the "C" foods: Cake, cookies, candy and creamy desserts.
When you really discipline yourself to start eating a sensible diet it might be hard at first, but a few weeks down the road you will feel like a new person. Why? Your body (cells) are cleansed of the fats and sugars that have little or no nutritional value which prevents them from producing the biological products that increase the energy and stamina you wish you had more than enough of every day.
Aerobic activity is any physical activity that raises the heart rate to between 55-90 percent of its maximum capacity for at least 20 minutes. Examples are aerobic work outs, jogging, swimming or biking at a brisk pace. Doing these activities on a regular basis makes the heart stronger, more durable and larger which increases its ability to pump MORE blood through the body thereby feeding the cells the water, oxygen and nutrients they need.
Whoever said it's the little things that really matter was more right than they realized.
Suzanne Andrews, president of http://www.healthwiseexercise.com
and founder of Functional Fitness on PBS TV offers baby boomers and plus size people real life fitness solutions for real life challenges. As a licensed occupational therapy practitioner, she offers DVD's that are medically reviewed and approved for arthritis, weight loss, copd, osteoporosis, brain fitness, diabetes, back pain relief and more. To learn more and for FREE preview go to http://www.healthwiseexercise.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16173&category_id=103
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