Exercise: Your secret for staying young

Have you ever wondered “what is the fountain of youth?”  Is it found in a bottle of skin cream, eating just the right foods or obtaining sufficient sleep each night?  Even though all those things can certainly help in the quest for eternal youthfulness, probably one of the best known explanations is staying active throughout our lives. 

It’s no secret staying physically active keeps us looking, feeling, and even acting years much younger than we really are.  But why is that?  There are many reasons why physical activity pays off big time in retaining that quality.  You’re search for the fountain of youth is within each one of us – turn off the TV or computer, get off the couch, put on your tennis shoes and get moving:

·      Increases metabolism controlling body weight

Our metabolism is the rate at which the body uses energy just to keep us alive - from our heart beating, our respiration, nerve activity, hormonal regulation and the amount of calories we burn.  All movement throughout the day adds up and regular, consistent exercise is vital to increasing metabolic rate turning you into a calorie burning machine.  This means you get to keep a healthy body weight meant for you throughout your life.

·      Enhances flexibility

Never take your flexibility for granted.  Maybe you never could do the splits or leap in the air touching your toes – that’s okay, few of us can.  But, maintaining good flexibility is critical to keeping your range of motion in play.  Physical activities of brisk walking, jogging, swimming or practicing yoga are all good at keeping you flexible preventing you from becoming stiff and unmovable.  Each night, stretch and bend to work out the kinks keeping your muscles toned and pliable making life easier.

·      Maintains independence

Maybe you’ve never thought of being physically active as a means of maintaining independence.  But if you want to be able to continue to do the activities you love whether its gardening, golfing, walking or staying busy with your family, staying active is a must.  By keeping yourself fit, you’ll be able to enjoy a full, autonomous life.

·      Reduces osteoporosis

If you have the brittle bone disease of osteoporosis, you may find yourself walking more gingerly and with extreme caution than usual.  No one wants to fall and break a bone and having osteoporosis makes the reality of it that much more likely.  Osteoporosis affects millions of people preventing them from participating in the pursuits they desire.  This is why exercise – particularly weight-bearing – will help immensely to strengthen your bones keeping osteoporosis at bay.

·      Strengthens your immune system

Do you hate being sick?  Then get out and move.  Each time we engage our body in movement from walking, dancing, stretching, jogging, or swimming, we give a boost to our immune system.  From endorphins being released to our blood flowing vigorously through our veins, exercise is like a shot of just what your immune system needs to function at its best.  People who exercise regularly tend to have less illness and even if they do get sick, their bout with sickness is less intense and they recover much quicker.

·      Boosts your social life

Many people maintain their fitness levels by belonging to a gym or participating in some sort of exercise class. What a great way to get out and be social.  Attending an exercise class expands your social network exposing you to different people and interests.  When we exercise our bodies, it gives us more confidence helping us to feel more at ease around others in getting to know them.  Check out what your community offers in regards to exercise classes, gym memberships, walking trails or other group fitness activities.

·      Enhances brain healthy by improving memory, thinking skills

Talk about a brain boost – regular exercise has been shown in many studies to be a key component of maintaining sharp thinking skills and cognitive abilities.  A study conducted at the University of British Columbia, found that regular aerobic exercise appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning.  Other brain benefits coming from exercise include reducing insulin resistance, inflammation, and stimulating the release of growth factors – chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells, growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and even the abundance and survival of new brain cells.  Frequent physical activity also improves mood and sleep, along with reducing stress and anxiety, all of which can cause or contribute to cognitive impairment.