If you were offered a pill that could improve your mood, energy level, sleep and sex life, while at the same time decreasing your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, some cancers and osteoporosis, would you take it? This miracle drug is actually not in a pill form but is available to everyone right now and it's called exercise!
Most people know exercise is good, but do you really know how many health issues can be improved with simple, regular exercise?
Regular exercise will help you feel better and live longer. It stimulates chemicals in the brain that leave you feeling happier, giving you an emotional lift and leaving you more relaxed for that needed stress release after a long day or major life event. Exercise also improves your energy level by strengthening muscles and boosting endurance by delivering oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. This helps the cardiovascular system work more efficiently.
Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women, and with regular exercise, you can lower your blood pressure and help prevent or lessen the severity of heart disease. Exercise will also increase your HDL - the good cholesterol - and lower triglycerides. Not only is heart disease improved with regular exercise, but also, diabetes, colon cancer and osteoporosis is decreased in people who exercise regularly.
People who exercise regularly have also been shown to have better sleep, less insomnia and better sex lives. For women, exercise can help increase sexual arousal, and for men, it can decrease problems with erectile dysfunction. For both men and women, exercise helps with body image and therefore can improve intimacy in a relationship.
Hopefully, you are now asking yourself, "How much exercise do I need?" "What type of exercise, and how do I get started incorporating regular exercise into my life?" Just asking these questions is a great start. As a general rule, 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week is needed to gain all of the health benefits mentioned in this article. To get started, you should make a weekly plan and put it in writing. This could be broken up into 30-minute sessions five days per week or could consist of 50-minute sessions three days per week. If the thought of this is daunting, then start more slowly with 10 minutes per day - every day. Measure your progress by keeping a diary or getting a fitness app on your smartphone. Get motivated, make it fun and get started today - your life depends on it!
Curtis Dyer, MD, is a board-certified family medicine physician providing primary care with SSM Health Medical Group. His office is located at 140 Northstar in Holts Summit. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dyer, call 573-896-8301.