Many people have become aware of the connection between physical activity and diabetes. Recently we’ve seen many studies regarding how physical activity and exercise can help to lower the risks of heart attack and stroke, as well as the development of type 2 diabetes. Obesity is now one of the most common diseases in America, costing Americans billions of dollars each year. The good news is that changes in lifestyle can make a big difference.
In a recent study examining over 15,000 individuals, those who had favorable lifestyle habits including not smoking, being not overweight, participating in moderate-intensity physical activity, and following a healthy diet significantly lowered their risk of heart disease. The study found that physical activity lowered the triglycerides in those’d blood by reduction of about 35% compared to those who did not practice regular physical activity. Exercise also decreased the blood pressure in those who participated in it by about seven points. Those who were physically active managed to drop about four pounds after completing the program. It was even more effective if they attended an aerobic class.
Smoking and obesity is now considered to be the most significant preventable cause of preventable death across all age groups. Although smoking and obesity can certainly affect adults, it is becoming a major problem in the United States. In the last ten years alone, smoking has dramatically increased in the United States. Among adults, about two thirds are now smokers. And the number of overweight adults continues to rise at a rapid rate, putting enormous stress on our nation’s already strained health care systems.
One of the most important aspects of preventing cardiovascular disease, especially heart attacks and strokes, is to promote physical activity. But there are other reasons too, which will reduce the risk factor for these diseases. And physical inactivity, or chronic inactivity, is one of them. Physical inactivity is one of the main contributors to death from all sorts of lethal diseases, such as diabetes, heart attacks, and hypertension.
Smoking, in the end, can cause about five hundred thousand deaths every year. If you add the number of heart attacks and strokes that it can cause, the figure is exponentially higher. Smoking and obesity also increase the chances of a person being diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, which can lead to cancer, and in time, even a death. People who are heavy smokers are more likely to have a coronary heart disease, or heart attack, sooner than non-smokers.
There are three main things that you need to do to keep your body in shape: a healthy weight, regular physical activity and a good diet. The first two things will help you control your weight. In most cases, if you are overweight, you will be at risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, as well as osteoporosis, just to name a few. Weight control is one of the keys to a healthy weight. In fact, a weight loss program has been proven to be the single best thing for keeping diabetes, hypertension, high blood cholesterol and other common ailments at bay.
The third thing you can do to prevent common health problems is to make sure that you engage in regular physical activity. Regular physical activity can raise your muscle strength, improve your metabolism and help prevent many types of chronic diseases, including cancer, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, arthritis, osteoporosis, stroke and some types of diabetes. It can also lower your triglyceride (fat) levels and lower your cholesterol levels. And for adults, muscle strength has been found to be an important indicator of physical activity and bone density.
Participating in physical activity is a good way to ensure that you will remain independent, healthy, and free from chronic conditions. The best way to do this is through regular aerobic exercise. This type of exercise can help you manage your diabetes, hypertension, obesity, heart disease, as well as some forms of cancer and arthritis. Studies have proven that people who participate in regular aerobic exercise are less likely to develop diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, stroke, kidney disease or cancer.