Your body LOVES to move … right down to its smallest molecules!
In fact, we’re wired for it … and your health depends on it.
Here’s a shocking stat for you:
"In less than two generations, physical activity dropped by 20% in the U.K. and 32% in the U.S. In China, the drop is 45% in less than one generation." - designedtomove.org
I've always been an athlete, but doctoring and mothering got the best of me. A few years ago, when I got my second board certification in lifestyle medicine, I discovered the data behind REVERSING and PREVENTING disease with movement (and food) and wow was I inspired.
I am back to my college athlete weight because of my FOOD and back to my college athlete FITNESS because of a new commitment to movement... and kicking ass and taking names LOL.
But you don’t need to be an ex-athlete.
And I certainly don’t have extra time to exercise hours a day.
Instead, I’m smart about my lifestyle and movement…
… And leverage my time and effort to maximum health and fitness.
It doesn’t take much at all to see benefits.
The Benefits of Even Simple Movement Routines are Endless
Moving your body on a regular basis helps everything from your energy levels, emotions, relationships and ability to learn, to preventing cardiovascular/ metabolic/ neurologic / autoimmune conditions, to your overall quality and duration of life.
Here’s just a short list of how movement (walking, dancing, gardening, exercising, doing chores, etc.) has huge payoffs for you:
- It can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol.
- It can help support brain health. (One study even showed middle-aged women who were considered "highly fit" had a lower risk of developing dementia at an early age.)
- It boosts your mood by creating more brain chemicals associated with happiness.
- It helps you handle stress better.
- It can help improve your focus and attention span.
- It can help your body battle inflammation.
- It also helps power your body’s lymphatic system, which is like your own personal army against infection. Because there is no natural "pump" to help your lymphatic system drain toxins from your system, the movement of your muscles is actually responsible for helping to move this important fluid!
Here’s a little trivia you can even share with your friends:
How much faster can you recover from a common cold if you exercise on a regular basis?
Answer: Your chances of coming down with a cold are cut in half!
It’s true! A study of 1,000 people found people who were active 5 or more days a week were 50% less likely to come down with a cold over a 3-month period. And if they did come down with a cold, their symptoms were about 40% less severe.
Pretty amazing, right?
The great thing about it is that pretty much all forms of movement can help you – stretching, walking, even conquering a mountain of laundry!
But there are some surprising benefits of movement you might not even realize….
Benefits that go beyond toning your body, improving your mobility, and improving your cardiovascular health.
#1 - Moving your body BALANCES HORMONES
We can’t even count the ways that moving your body (stretching, strength workouts, cardio, or just through active daily living) helps balance your hormones!
First, it helps keep your insulin levels in check, which is super important because high levels are linked to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, inflammation and OBESITY. It also helps regulate the amount of estrogen in your bloodstream.
Plus, regular activity (strength training, stretching, and cardio) is linked with other vital hormones that preserve muscle as you age, including growth hormone, testosterone, and more!
This is not just for feeling better now, but for aging healthfully.
REFERENCE:
www.healthline.com/nutrition/balance-hormones
#2 - EMOTIONAL BALANCE AND REDUCING DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
The truth is, when you’re feeling anxiety or depression, it can be challenging to get up and move. But study after study shows that moving our bodies actually can make a big difference toward emotional balance!
When it comes to depression, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry reported that people who move more (not just exercise, but also daily activities) have a significantly lower risk for major depressive disorder.
And when it comes to anxiety, studies show that as little as 5 minutes of cardio exercise (brisk walking, biking, etc.) helps your body battle anxiety. It cuts tension, boosts and stabilizes the mood, helps you sleep better, and feel better in general.
Move to keep your body and muscles happy and healthy, to help reduce anxiety, reduce your stress levels, and stay in the MINDSET you need for long term healthy choices.
REFERENCE:
www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/more-evidence-that-exercise-can-boost-mood
#3 - BOOSTING GUT HEALTH
A flexible, supple body isn’t just important on the outside – it’s also vital on the inside … when it comes to your gut health!
Did you know that getting enough exercise (about 30-60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3x a week) can change the makeup of your gut microbiome in as little as 6 weeks?
Researchers say that level of activity was shown to boost the gut microbes that help create short-chain fatty acids. These particular fatty acids help your gut in so many ways … including cutting the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and inflammatory diseases.
REFERENCE:
www.healthline.com/health-news/exercise-improves-your-gut-bacteria
Get the Help You Need:
IF YOU NEED HELP and want long term health, the waistline you've wanted forever but keep yo-yo'ing away from, an agile and well mind... and want REAL info, REAL work, REAL results, with NO BS or products...
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