When The Vital Life CENTER opened for
business in
1993,
the benefits of exercise,
especially for older adults,
were just beginning to be
publicized. The Surgeon
General’s Report on Physical
Activity and Health confirmed
what many of us have known for a
long time—exercise is good for
us—and maybe even better than we
thought.
The scientific data shows that
not exercising is hazardous to
our heath. In fact a sedentary
life style is equal to smoking a
pack of cigarettes per day.
A new landmark study shows that
one’s level of fitness has more
to do with longevity than a host
of other factors, including
smoking, high blood pressure or
a history of heart disease.
Previous studies also show that
thinner men who were out of
shape were nearly three times
more likely to die young than
fat men who were fit.
Exercise is medicine. A wise
person said that “Motion is the
potion.” The attached chart
shows how exercise can reduce
our risk of a variety of
illnesses. Additional benefits
of exercise that are not shown
on the chart are stress
reduction, improvement in mental
function, increased energy and
better sleep.
Exercise is also a key factor in
weight management. Increased
cardiovascular fitness helps us
burn more fat and strength
training can supercharge our
metabolism. Each pound of muscle
we add to our body will burn
about 1500 calories per
month—nearly a half pound of
stored fat.
Yes, exercise is good medicine.
How often are you getting your
potion?
Gene
PS. If you haven't got around to exercising
yet you may want to take a look
at the excellent Low Carb
Exercise site.
Just click here.
