The Benefits Of Physical Inactivity

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Physical activity is one of the last things some people worry about. With the busy lives and constant advances in electronics, there are thousands of other things to do before going for a fun pops into a person’s mind. But at what point do you really need to go for that dreaded run? Physical inactivity has shown increased risk in premature death, as well as increased risk in a number of different diseases. Not only does physical activity provide a person with obvious physical benefits, but it also helps Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and people with depression by reducing symptoms. Physical activity may have a lot of physical benefits, but along with those physical benefits are many mental benefits. Many medical professionals recommend …show more content…

Physical inactivity can lead to chronic diseases such as cancer, obesity, hypertension, depression, and an increased risk in premature death. In a study with middle-aged men and women, exercise reduced the risk of premature death by about 20-35%. Being active, in general, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by about 50%. Even minimum training intensity reduced the risk by 45% in heart disease patients. At first, health care professionals recommended rest and physical activity for patients with heart disease. With constant advances in medicine, professionals have learned that the benefits of physical activity outweigh the risks. In type two diabetes patients, physical activity improves the glucose homeostasis, meaning it balances insulin and glucagon in maintain a healthy blood glucose. Even small improvements in physical activity significantly reduce health risks caused by inactivity. And especially in postmenopausal women, activity prevents the loss of bone mineral density. In a study conducted on rate, physical inactivity over the course of 2 weeks showed a significant change in the shape of the brain’s neurons. Although this study was done with rats, health care professionals think that there are very similar effects in the human brain. For older people, physical activity can be worrisome because of some of the risks, such as injury. However, the benefits prolong life, even if the physical activity is just taking the stairs more

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