If you have not been active and exercise regularly, it is time to do so and increase your physical fitness. There are compelling reasons why you need to be fit.  High physical fitness improves the health of your heart and brain.

Heart

Being fit at 40 years old can predict your heart health when you are 80. High physically fitness strengthens the heart, which reduces heart related problem later in life.

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwest Medical School and the Cooper Institute in Dallas found that middle age adults who exhibit high or moderate level of fitness were significantly less likely to suffer from heart related problem later in life.

The study took place from 1970 to 2006, estimated the risk of cardiovascular disease death rate with traditional risk factors (total cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure, smoking etc) and compared against with and without physical fitness.

The study measured for fitness on a treadmill to test for cardiovascular endurance and muscle fatigue. It times how quickly individual can complete a mile on the treadmill.

The results showed that individuals who are physically fit have a 30% reduction in risk of developing cardiovascular heart disease.

Brain

High aerobic activities increases brain cell growth and regeneration in the hippocampus.  Hippocampus is the area deep inside the brain that is important for learning and short-term and long-term memory.

Evidence has shown that elderly adults who are physically fit have bigger hippocampus and this is linked to increase in memory.

Further studies by the department of Psychology & Beckman Institute, University of Illinois on preadolescent children aged between 9-10 years old showed that high fitness children have greater hippocampus and superior memory task performance.

Exercise

Get out of the chair and get active. If you have not been active, start with at least 30 minutes of physical activities each day. This need not be a full 30 minutes in a stretch. It can be broken into 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the afternoon and 10 minutes in the evening.

For young people, at least 60 minutes a day is necessary and for optimum health, and 90 minutes is required to prevent heart disease and obesity.

You can build physical activities into your daily routine. Walk at a brisk pace to the bus stop, subway station or to office. Climb the stairs instead of using the lift and escalator. Take the longer way instead of short cuts to increase the distance.

What are your favorite physical activities? Share with me in the comment below

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