Staying Active as the Weather Changes
Exercise creates a positive response in our body yet only 17% of Americans exercise daily!
With the Fall and Winter seasons quickly approaching, it is a great time to reflect on all of the activity you and your family have done this summer season; however the change of seasons should not prevent you from continuing to stay active. Our focus this month is Nurture and Transformation, and what first came to mind for me was exercise or physical activity. Personally, I have found that engaging in regular physical activity aids in nurturing my body to stay healthy, at the same time as promoting total body transformation.
I don’t think there is one person in our country that can say they have not been stressed at any given point in time during their lifetime.In fact, there has been research that suggests 8 in 10 Americans are afflicted by stress on a regular basis.Of those, 79% of Americans feel stress frequently throughout the day.According to Jackson, 2013, it has been estimated that between 75% and 90% of primary care physician visits are caused by stress-related illnesses ranging from cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression, anxiety, immune system suppression, headaches, pain, and sleeping problems.
Luckily for us, there are many “outlets” or ways to de-stress. It has been shown through scientific research studies that exercise creates a positive response in the body with the production of endorphins, which leads to those feeling good about themselves, being in a good mood and feeling less stressed.Why is it then that one-third of adults (37%) report exercising less than once a week or not at all??? Only 17% of Americans report daily exercise! This goes to illustrate how much we as individuals make ourselves our priority, however if we don’t start making ourselves a priority we will not be present on earth to enjoy time with our loved ones.For this reason, it is extremely important for you to develop your own exercise routine all-year round and that you commit yourself to it for your own well-being. As most of you likely already know, the same exercise regimen is not meant for all. But that is the beauty of having so many options.As we come into the cold months, let’s make it a priority to join a group, class, gym, etc. and get your body nurtured and transformed! I’ve listed a few different forms of physical activity that illustrated effectiveness in improving overall health through scientific research:
- Running
- Strength training with weights
- Tai Chi
- Yoga
- Martial arts
- Sports- football, baseball/softball, soccer, tennis, swimming
- Dance
References:
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/exercise
https://news.gallup.com/poll/224336/eight-american...
