With pool season here, everyone is talking exercise. Beyond looking good in a swimsuit, while you’re getting your heart rate up, you’re doing much more for your body than you know. From the brain to the eyes, skin, heart, lungs, stomach, joints and more, exercise has big benefits for almost every part of you.
Brain
If you’re looking to break free from a stressful situation or need to blow off some steam after a long day at work, hitting the gym is the way to go. Physical activity wakes up various chemicals in the brain that may make you feel happier and more at ease. When people exercise regularly, they often feel better about their body and physical appearance, which boosts confidence and self esteem. Also, exercise is a fun (and free) way to beat boredom and get social with family and friends.
Eyes
Many times, with aging comes eyesight loss. New studies show that exercise might reduce the risk of a condition called macular degeneration, according to the New York Times. This happens when neurons in the center of the retina begin to break down. It’s important to have your eyes checked and to seek professional help, especially if eye problems run in your family. Also, if you wear contacts or have had eyesight problems in the past, make sure to stay on top of your contact game. This means, making sure you have the right prescription and that you are replacing your contacts on a regular basis. Compared to the doctor’s office, it is more convenient and usually less expensive to purchase your lenses online from trusted sites like Vision Direct.
In the meantime, to keep eyes healthy doctors recommend exercising regularly can’t hurt— it can only help. And if you’re exercising outside, remember those sunglasses.
Skin
With skin health, activities like exercise promote healthy circulation which keeps skin healthy and glowing. By increasing blood flow, exercise wakes up and provides nourishment to skin cells. Along with providing oxygen, blood flow also helps detoxify and carry away waste the skin is holding. This helps ban free radicals and other environmental damagers that can cause harm to the skin.
Heart
If you’re worried about heart disease or just want to have more energy, get up and get active. Regular physical activity increases strength and endurance, making it easier for your body to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues. Additionally, no matter how much you weigh, being physically active helps boost high density lipoprotein, or HDL. HDL, most commonly known as good cholesterol, decreases unhealthy triglycerides which also decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Stomach
In addition to flat abs, a properly working digestive system is an effect of exercising, and can dramatically assist in weight control. Regular activity helps keep foods moving through your digestive system, reducing constipation and bloating. Exercise can also help you maintain a healthy weight, which is also beneficial to digestive health. A pretty easy correlation, exercising not only helps burn calories, but you’ll also see improvement in your digestive system which is essential to a healthy weight and body, according to Everyday Health.
Joints
If you have joint pain, aches, stiffness or soreness, exercise is for you. According to a study from Harvard, strengthening the connective tissues between muscles and getting joints moving and flexible has been shown to reduce pain and even stave off future pain. Whether you have pain now or not, exercise is definitely something joints love and need to have in order to function and their peak.
