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Curt

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Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« on: February 16, 2008, 11:01:05 AM »
Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
•   The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Exercise
•   How Your Body Responds To Physical Activity And Exercise
•   The Benefits Of Physical Activity And Exercise

The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Exercise
The terms physical activity and exercise may seem synonymous, but there are critical differences between the two.
•   Physical activity encompasses any movement of the body in which your muscles contract and your metabolism increases. Everything from washing dishes to playing ice hockey falls under this umbrella.

•   Exercise is a subcategory of physical activity. It refers specifically to a structured program of activity geared toward achieving or maintaining physical fitness.
Levels of physical activity can be viewed on a continuum. At one end of the spectrum is a sedentary lifestyle, an absence of any significant physical activity. On the other end is the peak level of exercise training exhibited by a well-conditioned athlete. How you move along this continuum depends on both your starting point and your exercise goals. If you are currently sedentary, simply upping the amount of physical activity in your daily life is an important push forward.
At a certain point, however, you will need to establish an exercise program to continue making strides. And once you have a program in place, you should periodically review your fitness level and reexamine your personal goals to determine how you can continue to make progress.

How Your Body Responds To Physical Activity And Exercise
When you call on your body to perform any type of physical work — even something as simple as walking across the room — your cells are jolted out of their resting state of balance. What follows is a complicated set of physical processes that supply the cells with the extra energy they need.
First and foremost, the cells require additional oxygen to fuel the metabolic functions necessary for sustained activity. To meet this demand, the respiratory and circulatory systems gear up to deliver oxygen-rich blood to the working muscles. This accelerated metabolism, in turn, produces greater amounts of waste products. These products are transported back to waste-removal sites, such as the lungs and kidneys, for expulsion from the body.
It is because of these processes that you breathe more rapidly and your heart pumps more vigorously when you exert yourself. Another byproduct of increased energy production is heat. Sweating — a telltale sign of strenuous exertion — is your body's way of cooling your skin and keeping your body temperature at a safe level.

The Benefits Of Physical Activity And Exercise
Physical activity (and exercise) is a cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. Not only does physical activity make you look and feel better, but it is also critical for improving your health and extending your life. Being active significantly lowers your chances of developing potentially fatal illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. In addition, remaining active throughout your life can help you stay healthy and disability-free as you age.

Here's a rundown on the benefits you can expect from regular activity:

•   Lower risk of early death
•   Lower risk of heart disease
•   Lower risk of high blood pressure (If your blood pressure is already elevated, you can expect it to drop.)
•   Better weight control
•   Lower risk of diabetes
•   Lower risk of colon cancer
•   Increased bone strength
•   Improved balance
•   Lower risk of depression and anxiety
•   Increased energy level
•   Overall sense of well-being
FAITH - As God's blessed sons & daughters we are to attempt the impossible to the extent that we will fail unless God steps in.   Keep the faith

Suzanne

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2008, 04:28:21 PM »
Heal Thyself by Going Outside

Thanks, Brother Curt for the info on exercise. Here is more on the importance of exercising outside in the fresh air and sunshine.

It's no wonder that fitness resolutions tend to fizzle in February.  Americans vow to get in shape at the worst possible time of the year, just when miserable weather forces us indoors.  Yes we have health clubs. And winter kicks off the mall-walking season. But studies are finding that we need more than just physical exercise to stay healthy.  We need the emotional healing benefits of green exercise.

Also known as eco-therapy, green exercise simply means doing something, almost anything, outside.  Along with the activity you also get substantial mental-health benefits--reduced stress, depression and anger and enhanced mood and self-esteem--simply by seeking out the natural world, according to growing evidence from researchers in the U.S., Scandinavia and Britain.

Indeed, in color therapy, green balances the nervous system and is believed to have a calming, soothing effect.  Reconnecting with the environment could be as simple as walking outside amid green trees and  flowers, etc.  Studies have even shown that prisoners and hospital patients reported better health when living in rooms that face farmland and trees rather than brick walls.

Scenery also made a difference for another group of shutins: treadmill runners, according to researchers at the University of Essex in Britain. They found that runners who zoned out on idyllic rural views during a 20-minute run had the most substantial drop in blood pressure and the most improved psychological outcomes. The runners forced to look at gritty city environments, or "urban unpleasant" views, fared the worst.  Even those who had "no view" on the treadmill reported better outcomes than the ones looking at dreary urban scenes.

Green exercise could also mean sitting in a park, biking to work, walking, gardening, etc.  The stress-reduction benefits of healing gardens in hospitals (which we could now call "green care") date to the Middle Ages. And some say our modern hospitals have abandoned the healing properties that the connection to nature can bring.

The biggest challenge is redesigning cities to get people to walk more during normal working days, according to Jules Pretty, a professor of environment and society at the University of Essex. "Fifty years ago, an average adult ran the equivalent of a marathon a week more than an average adult does today--and that was not running, just walking, cycling, being more active in the home,"  said Pretty.  "No wonder obesity is such a problem."  --Riverside, Calif. Press-Enterprise, February 15, 2008.

Comment:  Our own Ellen White has much information on this important subject:

* "Exercise in the open air should be prescribed as a life-giving necessity."  Ministry of Healing, p. 265.

* "Nature is God's physician. The pure air, the glad sunshine, the beautiful flowers and trees, the orchards and vineyards, and oudoor exercise amid these surroundings, are health-giving--the elixir of life."  Counsels on Health, p. 170.

* "The whole system needs the invigorating influence of exercise in the open air."  Ibid. p. 193.

* "Those who are feeble and indolent should not yield to their inclination to be inactive, thus depriving themselves of air and sunlight, but should practice exercising out of doors in walking or working in the garden. "  Ibid. p. 200.

Outdoor exercise is strong medicine; be sure you get your share!

Suzanne


Suzanne

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2008, 05:55:28 PM »
Don't Vegetate In Front of the TV

Want a good night's sleep?  Try cutting back on nighttime TV and computer time.  Heavy users of electronic media right before bed (3  1/2  hours or more) were almost twice as likely to report poor sleep quality than lighter users (2  1/2 hours or less)--despite getting about the same amount of nightly shut-eye, according to a study of over 5,500 adults at Japan's Osaka University.  To ensure a good night's rest, spend more time reading before bed.... --Prevention, January 2008.

Suzanne

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2008, 11:04:23 AM »
A Walk in the Park

Need another reason to get outside and enjoy the fall foliage? A British study found that folks felt happier, less tense, and more energized after taking a walk outside compared witih walking indoors. --Consumer Reports on Health, Nov. 2008.

Suzanne


Wally

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2008, 01:51:08 PM »
A Walk in the Park

Need another reason to get outside and enjoy the fall foliage? A British study found that folks felt happier, less tense, and more energized after taking a walk outside compared witih walking indoors. --Consumer Reports on Health, Nov. 2008.

Suzanne



They needed to do a study to figure that out?  Ask anyone who has tried it both ways, and it would be the shortest study possible.  Nothing beats getting out in the fresh air for a walk, when compared to indoor excercise.  I'm crazy (determined?) enough that even when it's well below 0 and the wind is howling, I bundle up and get my walk in.  I can't say it's as enjoyable as it would be during the warmer seasons, but it still beats the gym, or the dreaded excercise bike.
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

Mimi

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2008, 02:09:31 PM »
Amen! There's nothing like it! I am quite like the hibernating bears around here - in the fall and winter it is all too easy to put on some extra pounds while spending a few more hours a day on the computer - and this year I didn't lose it during summer as I always have - so this winter will be one of more walks, sunlight, fresh air and all important exercise. I'm with you, Wally - didn't need a study to figure that one out - although maybe those who require studies will listen up!  8)
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

Lewis

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #6 on: October 21, 2008, 02:30:44 PM »
Amen! There's nothing like it! I am quite like the hibernating bears around here - in the fall and winter it is all too easy to put on some extra pounds while spending a few more hours a day on the computer - and this year I didn't lose it during summer as I always have - so this winter will be one of more walks, sunlight, fresh air and all important exercise. I'm with you, Wally - didn't need a study to figure that one out - although maybe those who require studies will listen up!  8)

You forgot something very important......... shoveling snow  :D :D :D

Mimi

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #7 on: October 21, 2008, 05:03:33 PM »
 :-[  Forgot about that!
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

Wally

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2008, 03:39:46 AM »
Amen! There's nothing like it! I am quite like the hibernating bears around here - in the fall and winter it is all too easy to put on some extra pounds while spending a few more hours a day on the computer - and this year I didn't lose it during summer as I always have - so this winter will be one of more walks, sunlight, fresh air and all important exercise. I'm with you, Wally - didn't need a study to figure that one out - although maybe those who require studies will listen up!  8)

You forgot something very important......... shoveling snow  :D :D :D

You would have to remind us of that.  ::)  A few inches fell last night in the mountains and in northern Maine--just cold rain here.  I can't believe I'm saying this at my advanced age, but I think I'd rather have the snow than cold rain. :o
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

Richard Myers

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2008, 10:54:25 PM »
Sounds pretty good right about now. I have been shoveling ton after ton of gravel and sand in 80 and 90 degree heat. Well....I am in the sun and that is the temp in the shade. So, we need to upgrade the temps a bit!  Snow?  Bring it on!! Its light to shovel, isn't it?  :)
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Wally

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2008, 03:36:48 AM »
Sounds pretty good right about now. I have been shoveling ton after ton of gravel and sand in 80 and 90 degree heat. Well....I am in the sun and that is the temp in the shade. So, we need to upgrade the temps a bit!  Snow?  Bring it on!! Its light to shovel, isn't it?  :)

Sometimes it is, but the snow where I live in the Sierra Nevada was usually heavy, wet snow--not always easy to shovel.  The snow in Maine (except in the spring) is usually drier and easier to shovel.  I don't really mind shoveling the stuff--it's driving in it that I've never really enjoyed.
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

Mimi

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2008, 06:41:18 AM »
Quote
Its light to shovel, isn't it?
Maybe it is because I am "a girl" ... snow has never been light to shovel. It looks fluffy, and as Wally said - some snow is lighter depending upon the humidity surrounding its fall.

I live in a high mountain valley so ours is typically quite heavy. If I don't have to go anywhere, the snow stays where it fell and the sun will do the job for me!
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

Wally

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #12 on: October 23, 2008, 09:49:11 AM »
Quote
Its light to shovel, isn't it?
If I don't have to go anywhere, the snow stays where it fell and the sun will do the job for me!

It will do that here, too, if you want to wait until April.  ;D
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

Suzanne

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #13 on: December 04, 2008, 04:58:09 PM »
Sweat Off 10 Years

Regular activity may actually keep you young--in virtually every cell, reports researchers at Kings College in London. In a study of over 2,400 twins, scientists found that the length of telomeres--a repeating section of DNA that becomes shorter with age--was longer in the sibling who exercised during his or her free time. Those in the most active group, who worked out approximately 28 minutes a day, appeared at the cellular level to be about a decade younger than their sedentary counterparts. --Prevention, May 2008.

Suzanne


Immanuel

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2008, 06:33:14 PM »
I just heard a presentation by Dr. Gerard McClane (DrPH) formerly with Lifestyle Centers of America, currently vice-president of Wellsource. In his presentation he listed research they had done from a number of studies that showed that an overweight person who got enough exercise (20+ minutes daily) had a lower risk of death from all causes than a person with optimal weight who did not get enough exercise. The same was true for meat eaters who got enough exercise vs. vegetarians who did not and, this is amazing, smokers vs. non-smokers. Think of that! A smoker who gets enough exercise will, according to a number of studies, live longer than a non-smoker who does not get enough exercise!

The point that Dr. McClane was making was NOT that we should become obese, meat-eating smokers. But that many Adventists believe that because they are not overweight, do not smoke, and are vegetarian they are ok. Those things are good, but not all there is to being healthy. Physical exercise is very important to our health. It was some very eye-opening research!

Mimi

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Re: Why Physical Activity And Exercise Are Important
« Reply #15 on: December 06, 2008, 01:19:24 PM »
No fruit? No veggies? No exercise? Watch out - this may be your fate!

Quote
German soldiers are 'too fat to fight' Taliban because they drink so much

By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 1:04 PM on 03rd December 2008


They drink too much and they're too fat to fight, that's the damning conclusion of German parliamentary reports into the country's 3,500 troops stationed in Afghanistan.

While British and U.S. troops in the country face a strict ban on alcohol, their German comrades are allowed two pints a day.

The stunning statistics reveal that in 2007 German forces in northern Afghanistan drank 1.7million pints of beer and 90,000 bottles of wine.

The troops also downed 896,000 pints of beer in the first six months of this year, the Times reported.

german soldiers

German soldiers prepare for a mission in Kabul. Last year Bundeswehr forces in northern Afghanistan drank 1.7million pints of beer and 90,000 bottles of wine

The statistics only add to the embarrassment of the country's federal army, Bundeswehr, after a report earlier this year found troops to be too fat, smoked too much and didn't exercise enough.

It showed they lived on beer and sausages while shunning fruit and vegetables.

The parliamentary report claimed that some 40 per cent of all German army personnel are overweight - a higher percentage than in the civilian population.

At the time Reinhold Robbe, the parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, stated: 'Plainly put, the soldiers are too fat, exercise too little, and take little care of their diet.'

The Times also reported the damning allegation from a senior officer that Germany is failing in its main mission to train the Afghan police. He descibed the efforts as 'a miserable failure'.

Since 2001, 28 German soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1091559/German-soldiers-fat-fight-Taliban-drink-boys-dry.html
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89