Live Longer and Stronger

Physical activity is one of the best primary preventers of disease and ill-health, i.e. it prevents desease or injury before it has a chance to occur. A good example could be the use of vaccinations to protect against a disease or virus.

Research has proven that just because you are healthy today, doesn’t mean you should sit back and relax and only consider doing physical activity once you have a problem. Studies have proven that physical activity can prevent the risk of disease In more than 13 different conditions, so why wait, let’s get going now!

The benefits of physical activity for health people include:

1. Improved mood and mental health: Physical activity changes hormones in the brain and increases a release of endorphines (the happy hormones) and reduces cortisol levels (stress hormones).
2. Improved cognitive function: Dementia risk is reduced by up to 24% in people who engagaed in moderate to high levels of activity.
3. Maintain healthy weight: Exercise alone won’t guarantee long-term weight loss, a balanced diet and behaviour change is necessary. However, exercise helps to regulate your blood sugars, improve your glycaemic index and build lean muscle mass.
4. Live longer: Low fitness has been attributed as a cause of 16% of deaths. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of dealth by 30%.
5. Reduced chance of falls: Exercise has been proven to reduce the risk of falling by as much as 21% because you have stronger muscles and more stable joints.
6. Improved quality of life: Regular physical activity will improve your cardiovascular fitness (your heart and lungs), you will feel less breathlesss and able to do more.
7. Improved sleep and less fatigue: It is a well-known fact that as your fitness levels increase so your sleep improves.
8. Manage stress: Exercise is a healthy outlet for nervous energy and a welcome distraction from negative thoughts and feelings.

A good idea before starting an activity is to sit down with your therapist or even a family member or friend and write down what it is you want to achieve. Set goals, easy achievable ones initially. These will help with self-esteem and confidence. Then you can start looking from short-term easier goals (which may be as simple as walking 10 minutes every day, or achieving a walk around the block 3 times a week) to middle- and long-term ones, extending over the coming months and year.

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Get more information on how to future-proof your body here.