Why is exercise important?

Exercise is such a big part of my life, since I can remember. If I do not exercise and a few days go by, it feels like my entire world is out of balance. Reasons why exercise is important:

1. Weight loss- Exercise can never replace a bad diet but when combined with a clean nutritious diet exercise can help. Physical activity increases the number of calories your body uses for energy. The burning of calories through physical activity, combined with reducing the number of calories you eat, creates a “calorie deficit” that results in weight loss.

2. Stress reduction - Exercise reduces the stress hormone cortisol. Too much cortisol makes you become insulin resistant and store belly fat, crave sugar & carbs and makes you seek comfort food.

3. Improved sleeping patterns -Studies have found that physical activity helps people sleep better. In turn a good night's sleep is important for those who exercise regularly.

4. Reduced risk of chronic disease – Exercise helps chronic disease risk in several mechanisms: It protects your heart and reduces your risk of heart attack and stroke. It reduces inflammation. It balances hormones, therefore reducing breast and other common cancers.

5. Better insulin sensitivity - Exercise makes your cells and muscles more sensitive to insulin so you do not need as much to function. Less insulin means less belly fat & less insulin related damage.

6. Increased detoxification - Besides stimulating the colon, intense exercise allows your body to release toxins through your skin. It boosts the detoxification of environmental chemicals. Vigorous exercise will help you work up a sweat, but gentle exercise keeps your circulation going and flushes out all the toxic fluids that build up in your lymphatic system.

7. Slower ageing – Exercise helps to prevent cell aging by turning off the aging process in your chromosomes. Research have found that exercise can keep DNA healthy and young. Telomeres, the caps at the end of our chromosomes that are responsible for aging, get shorter as we get older.

8. Improved sexual function – Two main reasons why exercise increase sexual function is increased circulation and more energy.

Make exercise part of your life - you will never regret it!