Many of us exercise in the pursuit of a particular physique to prevent weight gain or to keep fit. And of course because we know that regular exercise is key to good health.
And arguably, good health is all about longevity and long-lasting youthfulness, right?
Take a look at this – it’ll make you want to get moving right away!
1. Longer telomeres mean you slow down ageing
Scientists have identified the part of your DNA that’s responsible for ageing – the grey hairs, the wrinkles, the achy joints… They’re called telomeres.
Telomeres are the caps on the ends of your chromosomes (which carry your genes). Every time a cell in your body divides, the telomeres shorten a little. Eventually, that cell runs out of telomere and it can’t divide anymore. It dies.
Scientists have found that exercise can actually lengthen your telomeres and slow ageing! This is especially so if you combine this exercise with a healthy diet and good stress management.
2. Your heart will thank you
There’s a good reason why your doctor takes your pulse when you go for a check-up: he wants to see what your resting heart rate is. This tells him how hard your heart has to work to get oxygenated blood to the rest of your body. The higher the resting heart rate, the harder your heart is working to pump oxygenated blood to your body.
The average resting heart rate for an adult is somewhere between 70 and 75 beats per minute. If you’re unfit, this will be higher – around 80 to 90 beats per minute. If you’re fit, it will be in the 50s and 60s.
Regular exercise (especially aerobic or cardio) lowers your resting heart rate. And doctors believe that this lengthens your life.
3. Your immune system will thank you
Regular exercise stimulates the body’s production of white blood cells, which are responsible for preventing bacteria and viruses from entering the body.
Plus, when you exercise, your lymph nodes (the little glands that move lymph around the body to collect and remove toxins) are stimulated to remove more toxins, faster.
Once your body has rid itself of toxins, it’ll function better for longer.
4. You’ll sleep better
Getting a good night’s sleep is not only good for your body in terms of recovery from exertion. It also means your body’s hormones are in balance. After all, if your levels of stress hormone are too high, you’ll battle to wind down and fall asleep (and your quality of sleep will be poor).
Exercise is a powerful way to rid the body of excess cortisol (among others). And this facilitates healthy sleep cycles. Which in turn promotes good health and longevity.
If you’ve always understood the power of exercise, and now want to help others enjoy this power too, consider a career as a personal trainer. Check out the Comprehensive Personal Training Certification offered by Trifocus Fitness Academy.