Don't you love the feeling you get after a good run, an upbeat aerobics class, or a relaxing yoga session? Our bodies thrive with movement.
The four pillars to health and wellness are lifestyle, exercise, attitude, and nutrition. I addressed lifestyle here, but today's topic is exercise.
Exercise should be regular, as in we should move our bodies everyday. We should include elements of brisk activity to increase our heart rate, strength training and flexibility.
Exercise helps the body release its own internal medicines, especially nitric oxide. "Think of exercise as a promoter of the pharmaceutical response of you arteries; it's like walking into your pharmacy and picking up a bunch of free cardiovascular medicines that help your heart but have absolutely no harmful side effects." Movements also helps prevent clogged arteries and reopen clogged vessels. Movement helps increase HDL (good cholesterol) and decreases LDL and triglycerides (the bad stuff). Movement can also induce genes to perk up and release more nitric oxide, further improving health. [these benefits are covered in more detail in the Journey to a Happy Healthy Life eWorkshop, get details here]
In addition to physiological benefits, movement also releases beneficial hormones including serotonin and endorphins. These happy hormones can improve mental state, reduce feelings of depression, and improve attitude.
So what exercise regimen is best? Crossfit, Zumba, walking, running, Mutu, Fit2B? Whatever exercise you will actually do is the best for you! Even if that is just doing some laps around the office, some squats at your desk, or even an after dinner dance party with your kids, Just get moving!
Set a movement goal for yourself this month and let me know what it is. Write it down and put it somewhere you can see it regularly. Aim for progress not perfection and keep it realistic.
Erin Marie
Some of my favorite resources for more information on this topic are pictured below. (These are Amazon affiliate links, where I receive a tiny commission if you make a purchase but your price stays the same).
Content in this post was originally published in the monthly Nutrition Nibbles Newsletter. Be the first to get new content when you subscribe below!
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