Best “Drug” Known to Man
As the light at the end of the tunnel begins to shine brighter, the hope of returning to a more “normal” life draws near. The pandemic has been hard on all of us. With the closure of our coping outlets (gyms, sports teams, fitness studios, yoga classes) and transitioning to working from home or “living at work”, many of us are left feeling mentally exhausted, burnt out, and unable to concentrate. These added stresses are detrimental to our sleep quality, making us more irritable and anxious with worsening physical aches and pains. If only there was something that could address all these issues! Something free and if dosed properly had only positive side effects. The most potent “drug” known to humankind, exercise, can be a real-life changer.
Benefits of Exercise
There is nothing that has a more positive effect on our minds, brains, and bodies than a consistent well-designed exercise habit. It is well known that exercise benefits our cardiovascular health with reductions in our blood pressure and resting heart rate, both of which are vital metrics for reducing cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the developed world. Exercise also improves our ability to effectively manage our blood sugars by increasing our muscle mass while reducing our fat, with a preferential reduction on the visceral fat or the “bad” fat. This improves our “metabolic flexibility” the single most important component in preventing the onset of chronic disease, allowing us to live better and age gracefully. The physical and metabolic benefits of exercise are matched only by the mental, emotional, and cognitive advantages. Exercise is a potent trigger for the release of endorphins and nootropic growth factors that improve our brain’s ability to grow and adapt through the process of “neural plasticity”. Thus, exercise improves our mood, relieves stress and acts as a defence against cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. More recent research even shows exercise increases the healthy bacteria that live in our gut or “microbiome”. With so many positive effects of exercise, if we want to remain healthy and thrive throughout life, we should be incorporating exercise into our lives, no matter our age or fitness level.
What types of exercise are best?
Exercise can be broken into four general categories – aerobic, resistance, flexibility, and balance. A thorough exercise regime will incorporate each of these facets but of course, one’s individual goals will determine which plan is best for them. Each category provides its unique benefits and can be broken down into much more detail than provided here. Aerobic exercise is vital for cardiovascular health, improving our oxygen delivery and metabolic flexibility – flossing the cellular machinery responsible for energy production. Whereas resistance training stresses our muscles and bones with additional load, to which our body responds by burning a lot of calories, building more muscle, and improving the density of our bones. Resistance training becomes all that more important as we age, due to the natural loss of both muscle mass and bone density. Flexibility and balance training make up the foundation that allows us to move our bodies in a safe and controlled manner, reducing the risk of injury and setting us up for long-term success.
What can we do to help?
Exercise is one of the most powerful tools under your control that improves physical, metabolic, mental, emotional, and cognitive wellbeing. It is never too late to start incorporating exercise into your life or to reignite your inner athleticism. Come visit us to learn more about how a detailed, individualized exercise routine is a synergistic part of a comprehensive treatment plan so that you thrive as the world begins to reopen. If you are already exercising, then you know all too well that injury is the quickest way to derail your gains – learn ways to quicken recovery, prevent injuries and reduce pains to get you back out at your best as quickly as possible!