Emerging evidence reveals that there are plenty of reasons to start moving at any age, even if you are ill or pregnant. Indeed, scientists revealed that exercise is, actually, medicine. "There is no pill that comes close to what exercises can do," says Claude Bouchard, director of the human genomics laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana. "And if there was one, it would be extremely expensive."
Here are some of the amazing things that happen to a body in motion:
Exercise is great for your brain
Exercise leads to less depression, better memory and quicker learning. Studies also reveal that exercise is, as of now, the best way of preventing or delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Scientists don't know exactly how exercise changes the structure and activity of the brain, but it's an area of active research. So far, they have discovered that exercise increases blood flow to the brain, feeding the growth of new blood vessels and even new brain cells because of the protein BDNF (brain-delivered neurotrophic factor). BDNF triggers the growth of new neurons and repairs and protects brain cells from degeneration. It may also help people focusing, according to recent research.
You might get happier
Several studies reveal that many types of exercises, from walking to cycling, make people feel better and can even relieve from depression. Exercise triggers the release of chemicals in the brain like serotonin, norepinephrine, endorphins, dopamine, that reduce pain, lighten mood and relieve stress. "For years, we focussed almost exclusively on the physical benefits of exercise and really have ignored the psychological and emotional benefits of being regularly active," says Cedric Bryant, chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise.
It might make aging slow
Exercise has been shown to increase lifespan by as much as 5 years. Studies suggest that moderate-intensity exercise may slow down the aging of cells. As humans get older and their cells divide over and over again, their telomeres - the protective caps on the end of chromosomes - get shorter. To study how exercise affects telomeres, researchers took a muscle biopsy and blood samples from 10 healthy people before and after a 45-minute ride on a stationary bicycle. They discovered that exercise increased amounts of a molecule that protects telomeres, ultimately slowing how quickly they shorten over time. Thus, exercise appears to slow aging at the cellular level.
It will make your skin look better
Aerobic exercise pumps up blood flow to the skin, delivering oxygen and nutrients that improve skin health and even help wounds heal faster. "That's why when people have injuries, they should get moving as quickly as possible - not only to make sure the muscle doesn't atrophy, but to make sure there's good blood flow to the skin," says Anthony Hackney, an exercise physiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. If you train long enough, you will add more blood vessels and tiny capillaries to the skin, too.
Amazing things can happen in just a few minutes
Recent research suggests that it doesn't require much movement to get the benefits. "We have been interested in the question of, How long can you go?" says Martin Gibala, an exercise physiologist at McMaster University in Ontario. He wanted to see how effective a 10-minute workout would be, compared to the typical 50-minute workout. The micro workout he devised consists of three exhausting 20-seconds interval of all out, hard-as-you-can exercise, followed by brief recoveries. In a 3-month study, he compared the short workout to the standard one to see which was better. To his astonishment, both the workouts resulted in identical improvements in heart function and blood-sugar control, even though one workout was 5 times longer than the other.
It can help you recover from a major illness
Even very vigorous exercise can be appropriate for people with different chronic conditions, from type-2 diabetes to heart failure. That's new thinking, because for decades, people with certain diseases were advised not to exercise. Now scientists discovered that far more people can and should exercise.
Your fat cells will shrink
The body requires both carbohydrates and fat as energy sources. But after consistent aerobic exercise training, the body gets better at burning fat, which requires a lot of oxygen to convert it into energy. As a result, your fat cells - which produce the substances responsible for chronic low-grade inflammation - shrink, and so does inflammation.
Conclusion
The cumulative benefits of exercise add up to the most important result of all; a longer life. According to the CDC, individuals that engage in seven hours of physical activity a week decrease the chances of dying early by 40%. But exercising for at least 30 minutes a day may also decrease the chances of premature death. Any amount of exercise performed can improve the length and quality of your life.
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