Another reminder of why you need to get moving!

We know you know, but here it is again: exercise is the most natural and easy way you can stay healthy and live longer. The first scientific study to show this was published in London, England, back in 1843. At that time, research had already revealed that the mortality rate of sedentary people was higher than that of those who were physically active. Now, outside of other factors like smoking, age and diet, we know that exercise considerably reduces the risks of today’s most common diseases, namely heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer... Not to mention the benefits on the most common psychological state in our times: depression. Here's a short reminder of some of the ways an active lifestyle benefits you:

Heart Disease
Overall, exercise reduces the risk of heart disease by more than 40% in terms of all major risk factors. People who are very active physically, such as marathon runners and triathletes, rarely suffer from heart disease. Exercise protects you in many ways: increased good cholesterol (HDL) and, with a lot of exercise, a drop in bad cholesterol (LDL); reduced blood pressure between 8 mm and 12 mm (sometimes enough to avoid medication) and reduced abdominal fat (the most dangerous fat for the heart). As well, exercise is a key part of post-heart attack treatment.

Cancer
Physically active people are less likely to end up with cancer than those of us who are sedentary. Should they have the misfortune of being hit with this disease, they have a greater chance of surviving, since their physical condition enables them to handle more the powerful and thus more effective treatments. The most common cancers whose risk is reduced by exercise: breast cancer (namely from the anti-estrogen effect of exercise) and colon cancer. The risk can drop by 30% to over 50%. No other prevention factor is as powerful! In the fight against obesity, exercise could also reduce the risk of developing cancers of the pancreas and oesophagus.

Type 2 Diabetes
This is the most common form of diabetes in the world. Exercise is effective prevention of diabetes, since it acts like a shot of insulin. It reduces blood sugar levels and improves the effectiveness of the available insulin. This results in the body being able to control its own blood sugar with less insulin. This hypoglycaemic effect is all the more apparent in endurance athletes. They produce up to two times more insulin than the average adult but maintain normal blood sugar levels. Moreover, when an overweight person loses weight, exercise attacks head-on one of the major risk factors of Type 2 diabetes: obesity.

Depression
Moderate aerobic exercise fights depression by letting people play an active role in improving their situation. Exercise helps make them feel more in control of their life. It is also believed that exercise affects us biochemically by freeing certain euphoric substances in the brain like endorphins and serotonin (anti-depressive effect). All in all, exercise practised regularly acts as a statin (a medication that lowers cholesterol levels), an antihypertensive, an anti-estrogen medication, a hypoglycaemic and an antidepressant. If you could put exercise into a pill, it would definitely be the most sold drug in the world, and the only one without side effects except for the odd ache or pain!