Benefits of Exercise

I'm currently reading Superfoods Health Style by Steven G. Pratt, M.D. I just got it today so I'm not that far into, but so far it's a good read. He list many reason that exercise is beneficial to your health and I thought I'd share them with you:

• Exercise can make your heart stronger.
• Exercise burns calories and helps you maintain a healthy weight.
• Exercise is essential for keeping off lost weight.
• Exercise decreases inflammatory markers.
• Exercise helps to control your blood sugar and thus helps to manage or prevent diabetes.
  
• Exercise can improve circulation, which has myriad beneficial health effects.
• Exercise can decrease blood pressure.
  
• Exercise increases your cognitive ability, including your ability to concentrate and remain alert.
• Exercise before and after a meal diminishes the postprandial rise in potentially harmful triglycerides(a type of fat).
• Exercise can decrease your risk for metabolic syndrome.
• Exercise can decrease the levels of bad low density lipoprotein(LDL cholesterol) and increase the levels of good quality high density(HDL) cholesterol.
• Exercise can boost the immune system.
• Exercise can reduce back pain.
• Exercise lowers your risk for upper respiratory infections.
• Exercise helps relieve arthritis.
• Exercise lowers your overall risk of dying prematurely.
• Exercise can make you stronger and more flexible.
• Exercise, particularly weight bearing exercise can make you stronger.
• Exercise increases your levels of endorphins which are brain chemicals that increase your sense of well being. Thus exercise can improve mood and fight depression.
• Exercise reduces the frailty of old age.
• Exercise is an essential activity to prevent cataracts and age related macular degeneration.

With all these benefits exercise offers, get out and do something!!