Daily Excerpt: Exercising in a Pandemic (Young) - Healthy Advantages

 

excerpt from Exercising in a Pandemic by Pat Young: 

(note: good information for any time where opportunities are limited) 

Healthy Advantages

            A leading medical journal, Lancet, states that people who are physically active have only 35 days of poor mental health per year on average, compared to those who are not physically active, who have closer to 53 down days.

            Another medical establishment, Nuvance Health, states that exercise boosts the immune system and keeps it functioning optimally. This is certainly an advantage during a pandemic such as the corona virus outbreak.

Exercise reduces stress, prevents weight gain and improves sleep. Many exercise enthusiasts say they are actually energized after a workout. Exercising also offers the opportunity to enjoy social activities, something curtailed by pandemic safety precautions.

            By working and exercising with family and friends (following social distancing rules), using online fitness resources, taking virtual classes, setting exercise goals and doing calorie-burning chores, it is easy to stay active and healthy.

            Nuvance Health says that it is essential to your physical and mental well-being during the pandemic to stay active. Pick exercises you enjoy. That way you are more likely to stick with your regimen, and perhaps add more exercises as you get stronger.

            Scripps states that getting enough physical activity could prevent one in ten premature deaths. Dedicate some time, three days a week or more, to focus on physical activity.

            Audrey Throne, a fitness lover and sports and fitness writer (RunSociety.com), suggests a brisk walk for 30 minutes. It burns up to 200 calories. She says walking or running boosts vitamin D naturally and builds self-confidence.

            Exercise is even good for your eyes. Cardiovascular exercise helps keep the flow of blood to the optic nerve and retina. Research suggests that exercise could also prevent diseases like breast cancer and colorectal cancer.

            Caring for children, home schooling and working from home during the pandemic made it challenging to schedule time to exercise. People were coping with fear, financial stress, sadness, boredom and isolation. Perhaps you were eating more, from boredom or lack of other things to keep you busy without the usual routines you were accustomed to. Exercise helps remedy this. It not only burns off calories and improves your mood, but it helps you sleep. A good night’s sleep has been proven to boost the immune system.

            For older people, exercise can help improve balance, flexibility, strength, mobility and cardio vascular health. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical exercise a week. A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine states that brisk walking or running helps you live a longer life.

Exercise is a good opportunity for family fun. Backyard games, bike rides, and even walking offers good physical activity for the whole family. Get outdoors, enjoy the fresh air, set goals and keep them. Tackle calorie-burning chores like mowing the lawn, washing the car, pulling some weeds and planting some flowers. Inside the house, vacuum, dust, or paint that dresser you have wanted to redecorate a room with.  

Advent Health states that exercise not only boosts mental and spiritual health, but also lowers the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. It can help build strong bones and improve cognitive function. They recommend two hours and thirty minutes of moderate exercise, or one hour and fifteen minutes of vigorous exercise twice a week for adults.

Dr. Joe Khabbaza, a heart specialist at Cleveland Clinic says, “Simply walk outside in nature. People can use this as an opportunity to exercise in other ways.”

The Journal of the American Medical Association agrees that exercise is good for older people. After a two and a half year study, participants ages 70 to 89 who had walked since youth were 28 percent less likely to become disabled.

Now that you know all the benefits of exercise, what are you going to do to take advantage of the situation?

For more posts about Pat and her books, click HERE.

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