You’ve heard it all before – exercise is good for your body and overall health. But just what exactly does that mean? When people think of exercise they’re trying to lose some weight, stay physically fit and improve their overall quality of life. But did you know that exercise can have a positive impact on various parts of your body, especially your internal organs? In this article we highlight the many benefits exercise has on your whole body.

Brain

Working out increases blood circulation to the brain, allowing it to instantly function better. Certain neurotransmitters are also triggered, such as dopamine, endorphin, serotonin, and glutamate. These substances are well known for their association with mood control. This is why most people experience the sense of euphoria post-workout. Exercise also decreases the risks of dementia and age-related memory loss by helping increase the size of the hippocampus, an area of the brain that is the center of memory formation.

Breasts

A study was conducted to identify the correlation between exercise and breast cancer. The researchers split several hundred women into two groups. Test results showed that the group of women who worked out over the course of 16 weeks have lower levels of hydroxyestrone, the estrogen that is known to be associated with breast cancer. There was no recorded change in levels of hydroxyestrone in the group that didn’t work out.

Heart

Did you know that by working out for as little as 30 minutes a day you can greatly reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke? Exercise is one of the most effective ways to treat chronic heart disease. It improves your heart’s ability to pump blood and oxygen to the muscle, and when your muscles perform more efficiently, you’ll have more energy to work out longer and harder.

Lungs

Being out of breath is often a condition that bothers most people when working out. Once your lungs hit the VO2max – your maximum capacity for oxygen use – you’ll have difficulty breathing and experience chest tightness. By exercising regularly you’re increasing the capacity of your lungs to take in more oxygen, which in turn improves your endurance and stamina.

Bones

As we get older, our bone mass naturally decreases and weakens, which could make us susceptible to bone fractures. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy level of bone mass as you age. It increases bone density and the resilience of joints, while also decreasing the risk of bone-related health problems, such as osteoporosis and arthritis.

Exercise is a great way to boost your physical health and improve your fitness levels. As a general fitness goal, you should aim for at least 30 minutes of working out every day. Get in touch with our fitness specialists today and we can help plan a workout program that is right for you.