Can Exercise Slow Down Aging?
As they say, “work with no play made jack a dull boy.” Medical experts, research papers, case studies, magazines, the media, teachers in schools and almost every other information sources are always stressing the importance of physical exercise to normal body functioning. Recent research has proven that those people who are physically active and exercise moderately and frequently have younger looking cells than those people who do not do any physical exercise at all.
People are constantly searching for effective ways to control ageing, with some turning to plastic surgeries and others adopting the use of anti-ageing creams, vitamins, and pills. However, for all their efforts, they often forget that the most important contributor to having a young looking healthy skin is physical exercise. The body as well as the skin is designed to benefit from physical exercise, slowing the effects of age while increasing your lifespan.
Benefits of Physical Exercise in Controlling Ageing
Physical exercise done regularly contributes to a healthy brain with smart and quick functioning. Exercise causes the nerve cells to multiply and the connections to strengthen, thus protecting them from any damage or even disease like the Alzheimer’s disease. On the other hand, an inactive body leads to a similarly inactive mind and this will cause poor functioning. A brain just like any other body muscle or joint must be fully stimulated to function normally and properly.
Physical exercise gives the body strength and fitness. (It also leads to smooth joints and firm shapely bodies.) The Human Growth Hormone [HGH] which is responsible for regulating the development and growth of the body is typically released automatically by the brain. Good exercise keeps this hormone in check, which in turn gives one a young, looking healthy skin.
Unfortunately, inadequate or no physical exercise at all inhibits the brain from releasing HGH properly, resulting in signs of ageing.
Regular physical exercise also contributes to a good functioning of the memory.In a health research conducted among 5,000 men and women aged 65 and above, those who exercised regularly were less likely to experience memory loss, suffer from dementia, or contract Alzheimer’s disease and other mind related diseases. Science has indeed proven that physical exercise boosts the overall functioning and health of the brain.
Exercise increases longevity. Participating in regular physical activity can actually increase your total lifespan by 25%. A research study showed that those people who took part in intense physical exercise such as cycling, swimming and jogging had a lower death rate compared to those who did less rigorous activities like strolling, golfing and bowling or those who did no physical exercise at all.
As we age, our immune systems continue getting weaker and less effective. Protection from harmful environmental factors and free radicals that cause ageing also lessens. A person should therefore adopt a healthier lifestyle with age such as taking a well balanced nutritious fruit and vegetable diet rich in vitamins A, C and E and also doing regular physical exercise so as to keep ageing at bay.
