Why you should exercise

Five years ago a very close member of my family suffered from a severe heart

attack. That was an experience that changed both his and my life forever. The doctors

told him it was a mixture between unhealthy eating, stress, and most importantly not

being active and exercising enough. He went through an intense surgery and thankfully

recovered. Throughout the whole recovery process the doctors kept stressing the

importance of exercising and this really opened my eyes. Exercising is a great way to

improve your life. Not only does regular exercise aid in weight loss but it also reduces

your risk for several chronic diseases, health risks and many other benefits. Many

Americans know this however the majority doesn’t take the opportunity to better their

lives by exercising. The benefits resulting from exercising are numerous. Finding

exercise related activities that you can enjoy and make part of your daily routine is the

key to a long and healthy life. Today I am going to discuss three major benefits resulting

from exercise that can greatly improve your life.

Many serious illnesses are becoming more and more common in today’s society

because people are becoming less concerned with the food that they eat and the condition

that their body is in. Heart disease and type 2 diabetes are both conditions that can be

caused by the lack of concern of the foods we eat and the shape that our bodies get in.

Heart disease is the number 2 killer in America. It is a restriction of blood-flow in the

heart caused by plaque build-up, which comes from eating unhealthy foods, and usually

requires extensive surgeries and can be fatal. With the numerous amounts of people

eating fast food these days, heart disease is becoming quite common. Many fast food

restaurants serve food cooked in hydrogenated oils which directly contribute to the
buildup of plaque in the heart which eventually can lead to heart disease. Type 2 diabetes

is another serious illness that is increasing at alarming rates. More than 17 million

Americans are affected with this illness. The main cause of this condition is obesity.

However, with the use of exercise these potentially life threatening conditions can be

prevented or controlled. Physical activity strengthens your heart muscles, lowers blood

pressure, and lowers cholesterol by percentages as high as 67%. Physical activity also

improves the body’s ability to use fat in useful ways, which prevents obesity. Exercising

greatly reduces the risks of getting these diseases and if you are already affected it can

help control and regulate them.

The second benefit to exercising is the amount of self-esteem and psychological

well being it can give you. Many people think of exercising as being a complete physical

activity but it is also a mental activity. A study was conducted over the campus of 50

colleges across The United States and there was startling evidence that students who

exercise daily have higher self-esteems and a better morale. Surveys were distributed to

all students throughout the campuses asking simple questions about the students outlook

on life, the feelings and images they held about themselves, and a brief description of

their daily physical activity. The results showed that 56% of students that exercised and

were physically active each day had reduced feelings of depression and anxiety and a

better self- image than the students that were not physically active. Exercising motivates

a person toward positive lifestyle changes, which can include improving nutrition,

enhancing physical appearance, quitting smoking, and controlling alcohol and drug use.

Exercise is proven to raise levels of energy, which contributes to more positive outlooks

on life which relives tension and helps people cope with life stresses.
 The last benefit of exercising I am going to talk about seems to be the most

interesting to me. I know many people don’t like to think about growing up and getting

old but it is something that we can’t escape. However exercising and physical activity can

increase the longevity of our youth and slow down the aging process. As the body ages,

changes begin to take place. Bones become fragile, energy is lost, the immune system

decreases making it easier to get sick, and injury recovery slows down. However studies

have shown that a people who have been physically active throughout their life age at a

much slower rate, sometimes as much as 15 years slower than the average non physically

active person. Exercising helps achieve peak bone mass in young adults and maintain

bones mass later in life, which decreases the risk of fragile bones and osteoporosis. Being

physically active also increases the production life span of white blood cells, which

enhance and maintain a healthy immune system.

In conclusion, studies have shown that any amount of exercise at any age can be

beneficial to health and well- being. So next time you are stressed over an exam or

worrying about the fast food you just ate, try exercising because you will experience both

physical and mental benefits.