How Physical Activity Can Improve on Overall Health

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How Physical Activity can Improve Overall Health and Personal Development Benefits Of Physical Activity The benefits of exercise extend far beyond weight management. Research shows that regular physical activity can help reduce your risk for several diseases and health conditions and improve your overall quality of life. Regular physical activity can help protect you from the following health problems. Heart Disease and Stroke Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure, raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (good cholesterol) and lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (bad cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing your heart's working capacity. Optimizing each of these factors can provide additional benefits of decreasing the risk for Peripheral Vascular Disease. High Blood Pressure Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure in those with high blood pressure levels. Physical activity reduces body fat, which is associated with high blood pressure. Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes By reducing body fat, physical activity can help to prevent and control this type of diabetes. Obesity Physical activity helps to reduce body fat by building or preserving muscle mass and improving the body's ability to use calories. When physical activity is combined with proper nutrition, it can help control weight and prevent obesity, a major risk factor for many diseases. Back Pain By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise helps to prevent back pain. Osteoporosis Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation and may prevent many forms of bone loss associated with aging. Disability Running and aerobic exercise have been shown to postpone the development of disability in older adults. Stress and anxiety management Exercise may serve as an effective tranquilizer. Studies in adults indicate that 30 min of aerobic exercise reduces muscle tension by as much as does a dose of 400 mg o... ... middle of paper ... ...low off steam’). • the stimulus-seeking theory (the excitement and thrills resulting from physical activity satisfy the increased need for stimulation). • the boredom theory (sport provides an alternative to occupy a time void, and by participating in physical activities, the child is too tired and too occupied to have energy left for delinquent behaviour). Character development Athletic competition does not appear to promote character development; instead, there are some studies that suggest that individuals with athletic experience have poorer attitudes toward fair play. Socially desirable behaviours such as friendliness, generosity and cooperation are inconsistent with physical activities that emphasize winning. However, physical activity may have the potential for personal growth in qualities including persistence, deeper self-reliance, commitment and motivation, and may increase resourcefulness. This is probably truer for noncompetitive physical activities than team competition. http://www.pulsus.com/Paeds/07_05/niem_ed.htm http://diabetes.about.com/cs/exercise/l/blNIHweightexer.htm

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