Why should you exercise? There's no doubt that an active lifestyle is good for your overall health, and several studies have even proven that physical activity helps prolong your life. A major 2012 study of over 650,000 people found that physically active people of normal weight lived 7.2 years longer than inactive people who were overweight (Moore SC, et al., 2012).

In fact, estimates show that physical inactivity is responsible for over 5 million deaths per year worldwide (Nordic Council of Ministers (2014), p. 196).

What are lifestyle diseases?

Lifestyle diseases are any diseases that arise from the lifestyle you lead. To this day, more and more lifestyle diseases are developing, and in industrialized countries life expectancy has been rising steadily for many years, and increased life expectancy has given us more time to develop these lifestyle diseases. In this article, we provide tips and advice on how to avoid lifestyle-related diseases.

Another reason is that the western world is in many ways living in abundance compared to what it used to be, because we tend to eat too much, drink more alcohol, lead more stressful daily lives, eat more sugar and more processed foods, etc. Obesity is a classic example of lifestyle disease and is caused by too many calories and too little exercise.

Whereas in the old days most of the population had physical work, today we are much more sedentary. Add to this the fact that we drive cars more and sit in front of the TV/computer more than ever before, and you get some of the main reasons why obesity is a huge problem for society.

However, many of the so-called lifestyle diseases can be stopped in time if you change your lifestyle, and physical activity plays an important role in preventing and treating some of them. An active lifestyle can have countless positive effects on your body and health, and this article provides insight into some of them.

Recommendations for exercise and training

The Danish Health Authority recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day for adults aged 18 to 64. (National Board of Health, 2016).

High-intensity physical activity of 20 minutes at least 2 times a week is also recommended. Although we can achieve significant health benefits from low- and moderate-intensity physical activity, there is evidence that high-intensity physical activity provides more sustainable benefits as it improves fitness and further strengthens muscle strength (Nordic Council of Ministers ( 2014) p. 203).

If your body is difficult for some reason or you have been inactive for a long time, it is a good idea to start increasing the intensity slowly and gradually, as high-intensity training is associated with a higher risk of developing bone deformities. , joint and muscle damage.

It's important to note that ANY physical activity is better than nothing, so you should try to incorporate it into your daily life in one way or another. It is also a good idea to do strength training for large muscle groups several times a week, as it strengthens bones and muscle strength and can help prevent osteoporosis, for example.

Physical activity does not have to be strenuous to achieve a health-promoting effect. Another way to increase activity levels in everyday life is to increase the number of daily activities. This can be achieved by cycling to work instead of taking the bus, taking the stairs instead of the lift, going downstairs and shopping instead of driving, and any other activity that promotes a more active lifestyle.

Protect your body

Some people may think: "Why do you need to exercise? Lack of physical activity is associated with an increased risk of various diseases and earlier death. In fact, physically inactive people are expected to have 8-10 fewer years of life without long-term burdensome disease than physically active people (Folkesundhedsrapport 2007). There is now increasing evidence that regular physical activity reduces the risk of a number of chronic conditions and diseases such as atherosclerosis, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, breast cancer, blood clots, high cholesterol, colorectal cancer, etc. (Chodzko-Zajko, Wojtek J. et al. 2009), and it may also play an important role in the treatment of some of these conditions.

Below you can read descriptions of some of the points were being active has a positive effect.

Strengthen your heart

In general, an active lifestyle has a positive effect on the heart, as moderate to vigorous physical activity helps to strengthen the heart muscle. This improves your heart's ability to pump blood to your lungs and the rest of your body. So more blood is pumped into our muscles and our blood vessels expand, which means we can also send more oxygen into the body (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, 2016).

At the same time, we lower our blood pressure and increase our HDL cholesterol levels (HDL cholesterol is called 'good cholesterol'), which helps protect us from cardiovascular disease. In fact, people with a sedentary lifestyle have twice the risk of developing cardiovascular disease as people with an active lifestyle (Nordic Council of Ministers (2014), p. 196).

Protect your muscles and bones

As well as benefiting your heart, an active lifestyle also helps to strengthen our muscles, bones, joints and tendons. As you get older, you'll find that you naturally get weaker, and between the ages of 64 and 84, muscle strength decreases by 1.5% annually. This means that a 60-year-old who can normally lift a 20kg jug of water can only lift a 17kg jug of water as a 70-year-old, and a 14kg jug of water as an 80-year-old.

If you don't lead an active lifestyle and haven't exercised for most of your life, the decrease in muscle strength will be even greater. The result is an increased risk of bone fractures, which often occur due to falls. However, if you lead a physically active lifestyle, you can greatly reduce or delay the loss of muscle and bone strength. This helps you to depend less on the help of others, as it becomes easier for you to cope with everyday activities such as shopping, cleaning, climbing stairs, etc. Poker remains a game of skill, strategy, and sometimes, luck. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player looking to refine your approach, there are fundamental rules and tips that can enhance your gameplay.

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Exercise can prevent stress

If we had to describe all the physical benefits of physical activity, this article would turn into a novel, as we could address some forms of cancer, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, etc. So we move easily and gracefully to some of the mental effects that physical activity can bring.

Many people often think of physical effects when talking about physical activity, while much less attention is paid to mental effects. Being active can be good for your mental health in several ways.

It has been proven that physically inactive people are at greater risk of developing depression than physically active people (Nordic Council of Ministers (2014), p. 202). When we are physically active, the concentration of noradrenaline in the body increases, which can play a role in, for example, anxiety, depression and stress. When the body senses a stressful situation, it releases this hormone, which among other things makes us more alert and contributes to our ability to concentrate. (Cassata, K. 2015). Some of the newest antidepressants even contain norepinephrine.

 

Exercise boosts confidence

Research has also found a positive correlation between physical activity and improved mood and self-confidence (Nordic Council of Ministers (2014), p. 202). In addition to the fact that physical activity leads to the release of endorphins, which give us a sense of joy, the satisfaction of jogging alone can boost our mood.

In addition, even the slightest change in body composition, i.e. weight loss, has a big impact on how we feel about ourselves. Finally, it's worth mentioning that an active life can also play a role with regard to our social life. If, for example, you participate in team sports, are active in a running club or attend a group class at the gym, you automatically meet new people who may even share your interests. We hope the above blog posts have given you an idea of why you should exercise.

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