The Benefits of Daily Exercise for the Body and Mind
Remember, exercise doesn’t necessarily have to be about the way you look, it’s about the way you feel. Daily exercise, no matter how little, can significantly lengthen your life span by keeping you healthy and happy. Any amount of exercise from a half hour walk, to an intense 2-hour cardio workout, can make the world of difference in your daily life. Here are some of the ways exercise can benefit you.
Perfect Posture
Do you suffer from back pain and poor posture? Exercise is one of the most effective ways to tackle these types of issues naturally. As you go about your daily life without exercise, your muscles weaken. Although you may not realize it, weak back muscles means more stress on your spine. Without the support of strong back muscles, your body weight is supported by your spine alone. This type of pressure is what causes severe back pain and horrible posture. No matter what shape or size you may be, the weight is simply too much to handle, and this causes the spine to curve and weakens lumbar support. Simple activities like yoga, swimming, jogging, or light weight lifting are great ways to help strengthen your back muscles and prevent future joint and spinal issues from developing.
Immune Booster
Exercise does in fact boost your immune system. As you exercise, your heart rate rises and this increases blood flow. This blood flow helps to circulate oxygen through the body, which is beneficial for a number of reasons, including your defense against illness. The blood flow allows for your white blood cells to circulate through the body much faster, giving them a chance to detect viruses at a quicker rate than if you were not exercising. Besides the increase in blood flow, your body temperature also changes as you exercise. The rise in temperature can prevent certain foreign bacteria in your body from growing.
Respiratory Revival
Weak or damaged lungs can lead to a number of respiratory issues from cancer to bronchitis, and asthma. During exercise of all forms, your breathing is much deeper and much heavier. This means that your lungs are contracting and expanding at a higher level than when you’re not exercising. This promotes a large lung capacity, which means you can hold more air in your lungs. Having a strong lung capacity improves your breathing which is an incredibly efficient in preventing respiratory issues. Especially for smokers, exercise is a great way to cleanse your body of the harmful chemicals that are in your lungs. The constant hard breathing flushes foreign bacteria out of your system and strengthens your lungs to fight against disease.
Peace of Mind
That’s right, exercise can be beneficial both physically and mentally for the body. During exercise, your adrenaline increases making you feel more confident which is a relatively healthy state of mind to be in. When feeling under pressure or anxious, a quick jog is great way to boost confidence. After a work out, your brain releases endorphins, which are hormones that actually make you feel happy. Exercise also releases body tension, which reduces stress. The combination of this and the endorphins enables you to live your life less stressed, happy and healthy.
As one of Dr Spitz’s patients, he will discuss with you how exercise can help you improve your health. Listen to his April 27, 2016 visit on a local radio show by clicking HERE.
Dr David M. Spitz is the founder and clinic director of the Chiropractic Health Center of Bristol, located in Bristol, CT. Since 1982, he has treated thousands of patients for various conditions ranging from neck and back pain, to migraine headaches. He specializes in treating patients who have suffered whiplash injuries and/or back injuries in a motor vehicle accident.
Dr Spitz was a volunteer EMT-I and a lieutenant for several years at the Burlington Volunteer Fire Department. He has lectured throughout CT on various topics including, chiropractic, stress management, headaches and preventing back injury in the workplace.
