Do you need some reasons to move more? You’ve come to the right place!
Let’s start with these 3 reasons:
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Walking just 20 minutes a day may cut your risk of heart disease by 30%.
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One our each week of exercise could cut your chance of developing dementia in half.
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Researchers estimate that every hour of exercise leads to a two hour increase in longevity.
Another reason to get moving? You can beat brain fog. The scans below show how brain function can be increased, simply by walking (the increase in colour shows more brain activity).
Research/scan compliments of Dr. Chuck Hillman, University of Illinois
Here are some additional benefits to being active every day:
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Prevent cardiovascular disease. A study found that physically fit men reduce their risk of heart disease by half if they exercise each day. Exercise helps to reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure. And an increase in fitness levels improves the body’s efficiency in uptake of oxygen which in turn puts less pressure on the heart.
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Prevent obesity. Aerobic exercise and weight training contribute to reduce abdominal fat, helping to lower your waist/hip ratio. Exercise helps by burning kilojoules and improving your resting metabolic rate.
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Prevent depression. Research on anxiety, depression and exercise shows that the psychological and physical benefits of exercise can also help reduce anxiety and improve mood. Exercise can help ease depression by releasing feel good chemicals (endorphins). This reduces immune system chemicals that may worsen depression and increases your body temperature which may have calming effects.
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Prevent cancer. Smoking and lack of physical activity respectively are the primary and secondary risk factors in burden of disease for Australians. Lack of physical activity is also a specific risk factor for both colon and breast cancer. The more exercise you do, the lower your risk of developing cancer. In addition to this, physical exercise aids weight loss, further reducing your cancer risk.
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Prevent or control diabetes. A number of studies have shown that both resistance training and aerobic exercise can significantly improve insulin sensitivity. For those with type 2 diabetes, skeletal muscle is able to take up and lower blood glucose levels in response to exercise by mechanisms that do not require insulin.
That’s a lot of prevention! There really is no other ‘medicine’ with greater benefits for the body than exercise. Just 30 minutes each day can go a long way.
Don’t let the education and prevention stop here. Book a service for your staff today.