Exercise is a classic commandment for health and longevity

Everybody tells you to exercise, so what are the benefits of exercise?

1-Stimulate GH secretion

2-Burn calories

3-Increase muscle strength

4-Maintain bone health and delay osteoporosis

5-Increase metabolism

6-Prevent and treat spine degeneration and pains

7-Cardio-vascular health

8-Increase the good cholesterol (HDL-Cholesterol)

9-Reduce the risk of diabetes and hypertension

10-Helps relieve stress

In order to get all the benefits of exercise, you need a routine physical acitivity program.

Walking is beneficial but not enough for optimal health!

These are the recommendations of the american diabetes association with some personal comments.

Rule of thumb: do what you feel like doing, avoid competitive exercises, keep it safe.

A comprehensive physical activity routine includes three kinds of activities:

• Aerobic Exercise
• Strength Training
• Flexibility Exercises

Aerobic exercise increases your heart rate, works your muscles, and raises your breathing rate. For most people, it's best to aim for a total of about 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. If you haven't been very active recently, you can start out with 5 or 10 minutes a day and work up to more time each week. Or split up your activity for the day -- try a brisk 10-minute walk after each meal. If you're trying to lose weight, you may want to exercise more than 30 minutes a day. Here are some examples of aerobic exercise:

• Take a brisk walk (outside or inside on a treadmill)
• Go dancing
• Take a low-impact aerobics class
• Swim or do water aerobic exercises (particularly beneficial for people with joint pains)
• Try ice-skating or roller-skating (This type of exercise may lead to falls and fractures and I would not recommend)
• Play tennis
• Stationary bicycle indoors or outdoors away from the streets

Strength training, done several times a week, helps build strong bones and muscles and makes everyday chores like carrying groceries easier for you. With more muscle, you burn more calories, even at rest. Here are some ways to do it:

• Join a class to do strength training with weights, elastic bands, or plastic tubes
Lift light weights at home

Strength training is forgotten by most medical doctors. It prevents muscle atrophy, called sarcopenia, which aggravates balance problems and subsequently falls.

Flexibility Exercises

Flexibility exercises, also called stretching, help keep your joints flexible and reduce your chances of injury during other activities. Gentle stretching for 5 to 10 minutes helps your body warm up and get ready for aerobic activities such as walking or swimming. Your health care team can provide information on how to stretch. Being Active Throughout The Day.

Yoga pilates are great for flexibility. They are actually the base of physical therapy for spine and joints rehabilitation programs.

In addition to formal exercise, there are many opportunities to be active throughout the day. Being active helps burns calories. The more you move around, the more energy you'll have. These strategies can help you increase your activity level:

• Walk instead of drive whenever possible Take the stairs instead of the elevator
Work in the garden, rake leaves, or do some housecleaning every day
Park at the far end of the shopping center lot and walk to the store

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