Regular physical activity is essential to staying healthy. The benefits are many.
Physical activity:
Helps maintain and increase muscle strength, improving balance, overall co-ordination, reaction time and flexibility. Some physical activities even improve mental concentration.
Prevents muscle decay. Inactive people lose muscle fibre at a rate of 3% to 5% every decade after age 30. This amounts to a loss of 30% of muscle fibre by age 60.
Increases tolerance to stress, improves mood and reduces the risk of depression and anxiety.
Improves self-esteem and self-confidence and may even contribute to widening one's social circle.
Increases resistance to diseases by bolstering the immune system.
Reduces the incidence of illnesses such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis.
Research suggests that regular physical activity may reduce the risk of colon cancer by as much as 50% and may also considerably reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Combined with healthy nutrition, regular physical activity is one of the simplest and most efficient ways to maintain a healthy weight.
Relieves symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and may reduce the need for medication.
Helps control hypertension, high blood cholesterol and diabetes.
Reduces the risk of accidental injury and shortens the recovery period from accident and illness.
Finally, physical activity increases longevity and improves quality of life overall.