The benefits of exercise

By Dr. Gary S. Sy

April 12, 2011, 10:20pm

MANILA, Philippines – People who exercise are stronger and have greater endurance than people who do not. Exercise has a lot of benefits. Research has shown that exercise protects against coronary heart disease. Part of this protection comes from improvement in the heart's pumping action; a person who is physically fit pumps more blood with each heartbeat and is able to sustain demanding physical exertion at a lower heart rate than someone who is out of shape.

Regular, moderate exercise improves your capacity for endurance, meaning you will be able to walk (or swim or bike) farther as you continue to work out. Exercise lowers the blood pressure - a clear benefit since high blood pressure is associated with both heart disease and stroke. Exercise also burns up fat, controls weight, lowers your harmful cholesterol level, and raises your good cholesterol level.

Research has also shown that people who are physically active are less susceptible to the type of diabetes that develops in adulthood (type II diabetes).

Anyone who has been confined to bed for more than a few days knows that his or her muscles and bones become weak. This occurs because the kidneys in large quantities excrete the minerals in the bones during long periods of immobility. Exercise, however, builds up the strength of bones by stimulating bone-building cells to create new bone.

Research has shown that an exercise at all ages improves bone strength. This is especially important for women after they reach menopause, when a lack of the hormone estrogen may lead to osteoporosis (thinning and weakening of the bone). Exercise will help build up the bones to help protect against fractures in the future. Finally, exercise makes people feel good. People who exercise regularly feel healthy and are less likely to become depressed.

Joints:

Joints that are exercised regularly stay flexible and healthy. Regular exercise will benefit the muscles that work the joints and the ligaments that support the joints. Brisk walking, and swimming are good exercises to help keep your joints moving smoothly.

Heart, lungs, and arteries:

Regular, moderate exercise will make your heart and lungs stronger and more resilient. Although exercise may not decrease the amount of fat deposits laid down in arteries, it may increase HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), widen the arteries, and make complete blockage, such as that from a clot, less likely.

Muscles:

Because the muscles that move the legs are among the largest muscles in the body, activities that exercise your legs, such as brisk walking, bicycling, and aerobic dancing, is excellent ways to place healthy demands on your heart and lungs and help improve fitness.

Sports:

Gymnastics combines strength, endurance, and flexibility, resulting in high level of physical fitness. Other sports such as running require simply endurance.

Choosing a good exercise program:

The best exercise is exercise that you will enjoy and will do regularly. These recommendations are based on guidelines that apply to most people.

1. Exercise throughout the day for a total of 30 minutes, at least 5 days every week. You do not need to do the exercise in one session. Exercise moderately. If you begin to get dizzy or nauseated, or if you feel any pain, stop what you are doing. These are signs that you are overdoing it. Always do warm-up, stretching exercises before the main exercise session and cooling down, stretching exercise at the end.

2. Choose types of exercise that you enjoy and that you can fit into schedule. Consider brisk walking, bicycling, or swimming. Many people find that bicycling or brisk walking to and from work, or walking up stairs instead of taking the elevator, fits nicely into their everyday routines. The goal is to develop a habit of integrating physical activity into your life, so that you look forward to your chosen activity.

3. Do not attempt to get into shape too rapidly. Start slowly, exercising just hard enough to become aware that you feel mild strain, and increase your efforts gradually over the first 4 weeks. If you are out of condition, avoid vigorous exercise that can demand unhealthy sudden burst of strength and energy. Carefully choose your activities in terms of your capacity.

Before you exercise:

Healthy people of any age can generally increase their routine physical activity with very little risk. An increase in an activity you normally do such as walking, does not require a medical examination. If you belong to one of the following groups, however, it may be wise to call your physician for advice before you begin an exercise program:

* People over 50 years of age, or those over 40 who have had little or no exercise since early adulthood.
* Heavy smokers (those who smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day).
* People who are overweight.
* People under medical treatment or supervision for a long-term health problem such as high blood pressure, heart, lung, kidney disease or diabetes.

Warm-up:

It is important to warm up for at least 10 minutes immediately before exercising. Slowly stretching your muscles helps increase blood flow and can help prevent injury to your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Try to stretch all the major muscle groups (your chest, abdomen, shoulders, arms, and legs) before starting your exercise. Begin your warm-up gradually, stretching slowly and carefully. Notice how your body feels, being careful not to overstretch. Never bounce or jerk your body while warming up. If your activity is walking, start slowly and gradually accelerate to your preferred pace. Work on some stretching after you have been walking for several minutes. Stretching will improve your flexibility. After exercising, be sure to cool down.

Cooling down:

Cooling down is just as important as warming up because it helps prevent muscle cramps and muscle injury, and it helps blood return to the heart. Always stop exercising slowly and gradually; never stop exercising suddenly. After a long run, for example, gradually slow down to a walk, continue walking for several minutes. Massaging your muscles after cooling down will help your blood circulate well.

When to stop exercising:

No matter how physically fit you are, or how long you may have been playing a particular sport, never ignore certain warning symptoms of over-exercise.

The following warning symptoms are potentially serious, and might mean you are having a heart attack or a medical emergency. If you injure yourself, stop what you are doing. Do not continue with the exercise. You won't "work through" the pain; you can make the damage worse. If you feel that the injury might be serious, do not take chances, consult your physician for advice.

Stop exercising right away if you have any of these symptoms:

* Chest pain or chest pressure.
* Pain in your neck, jaw or running down your left arm.
* Heart palpitations.
* Dizziness or light-headedness.
* Nausea.
* Blurred vision.
* Severe breathlessness.
* Feeling of faint or fainting.

Consult your physician immediately.

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Source: Manila Bulletin