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Volume 1, Issue 1
Got the blues? Feeling down in the dumps? Exercise can help!
Exercise strengthens your bones
Reduce your cancer risk through exercise
Get moving to keep your heart healthy and strong
Exercise keeps the body and the mind agile
Got the blues? Feeling down in the dumps? Exercise can help!
Regular exercise, like walking, jogging and running, can improve overall mental health. A recent study of 6,700 participants found that those who exercised regularly reported to have fewer depressive symptoms and greater emotional well being than those who were inactive.1
Skeptics can test out this theory!
A similar study at the University of Texas found that participants had a greater sense of emotional well-being after just one bout of exercise. Just 30 minutes of moderate physical activity had participants feeling better!2
Exercise strengthens your bones
It is a well known fact that calcium helps strengthen bones, but calcium alone may not be enough regular physical activity, including strength training and aerobic exercise also helps to strengthen bones.
Pre-menopausal women who introduce a calcium supplement and physical activity into their routines can increase the bone mineral density (BMD) in their necks, according to a two-year study at the Boston Medical Center. Low BMD in the neck is an indicator of increased risk for osteoporosis.3
Reduce your cancer risk through exercise
There is a growing body of research pointing to the fact that cancer risk is not only determined by genetic and environmental factors, but by lifestyle choices as well.
Most people know that steering clear of cigarettes and the sun decreases cancer risk, however what they may not realize is that going to the gym, taking a bike ride and running can also decrease their risk!
According to a 12-year study of over 90,000 participants, exercising vigorously five days a week can reduce breast cancer risk by 38%.4
The America Cancer Society explains that exercise impacts risk in a variety of ways, such as through weight control and by influencing and regulating hormones.
Get moving to keep your heart healthy and strong
The bad news: heart disease doesn't just affect men it's also the number one killer of women in the US.
The good news: exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease by 150%!
The Framingham Heart Study, a study of over 85,000 participants, found that incidences of coronary heart disease was 150% lower among women who exercise as compared with women who were inactive.5
Exercising at least 3 hours a week keeps the blood circulating, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, helps control weight and helps manages stress!
Exercise keeps the body and the mind agile.
Men and women over the age of 65 who engage in regular physical activity reduce their risk for dementia and Alzheimer's, according to recent research from Group Health Cooperative in Seattle, Washington.
Participants in this six-year study who exercised just 15 minutes three days a week were able to reduced their risk of dementia and Alzheimer's by 40%. While some seniors are wary of engaging in exercise, this study proved that just a small change in lifestyle 15 minutes, three times a week can make a significant impact on their mental health.6
Sources
1 Galper DI, Trivedi MH, Barlow CE, Dunn AL, Kampert JB. (2006). Inverse association between physical inactivity and mental health in men and women. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 38, 173-8.
2 Bartholomew JB, Morrison D, Ciccolo JT. (2006). Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood and Well-Being in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 37, 2032-2037.
3 Winzenberg T, Oldenburg B, Frendin S, De Wit L, Riley M, Jones G. (2006). The effect on behavior and bone mineral density of individualized bone mineral density feedback and educational interventions in premenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health, 23, 6-12.
4 Tehard B, Friedenreich CM, Oppert JM, Clavel-Chapelon F. (2006). Effect of physical activity on women at increased risk of breast cancer: results from the E3N cohort study. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 15, 57-64
5 Li TY, Rana JS, Manson JE, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Rexrode KM, Hu FB. (2006). Obesity as compared with physical activity in predicting risk of coronary heart disease in women. Circulation, 113, 499-506.
6 Larson EB, Wang L, Bowen JD, McCormick WC, Teri L, Crane P, Kukull W. (2006). Exercise is associated with reduced risk for incident dementia among persons 65 years of age and older. Annals of Internal Medicine, 144, 73-81
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