By Alex Ababio
In fact, researchers have found that physical activity affects nearly every cell in the body. Exercise is beneficial for preventing diseases, improving mental health, and maintaining overall health.
According to a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, vigorous exercise alters nearly every cell in the body, and those changes can persist for days or even weeks after the workout ends.
The study found that nearly every cell in the body is affected by exercise, from brain cells to gut bacteria. This means that regular exercise can have a lasting impact on overall health, even if weight loss is not the goal.
Many people believe that if they work out, they will automatically lose weight. However, fitness experts say this may not be the case. People may overestimate how many calories they burn during a workout, or they may not do enough to see results.
Exercising for 30 minutes might make you sweaty and out of breath, but it might only burn 200 to 300 calories.
“Exercise may help cancer patients and survivors,” said Glenn Gaesser, a professor of exercise physiology at the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University in Phoenix. He added, “It offers many benefits beyond burning calories — so there are plenty of reasons to keep moving in the new year.
We have found that exercise provides health benefits largely independent of weight loss.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that among the benefits of exercise are sharper thinking, less depression and anxiety, better sleep, help with weight management, stronger bones and muscles, and reduced risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancers of the breast, the colon and other organs.
To obtain “substantial health benefits,” federal health guidelines advise adults to do at least 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity
Gaesser said research shows that people who are overweight but exercise regularly have many health benefits. “We have found that exercise Basically improves health outcomes largely independent of weight loss,” he said.
Physical activity works on multiple mechanisms within the body, and that’s how it could potentially help prevent chronic conditions and therefore also prevent early deaths.
There is plenty of research that shows that people who are overweight but stay physically active still enjoy many health benefits. “We have found that exercise basically improves health outcomes largely independent of weight loss,” said Gaesser.
According to another study from last year, exercising- even if you only walk the often recommended 7,000 steps- promotes longevity. Middle-age people who walked more than 7,000 steps a day on average were about 50 percent to 70 percent less likely to die of cancer, heart disease or other causes over the next decade than those who walked less.
Dr. Robert Sallis believes that exercise is a crucial aspect of a healthy lifestyle. As president of the American College of Sports Medicine from 2007 to 2008, he championed the “Exercise is Medicine” campaign, which encourages doctors to talk to their patients about physical activity and even prescribe it.
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Anyone who is inactive can feel better after starting to move, no matter their age.
People who get active can start feeling better right away, said Sallis, a clinical professor of family medicine at the University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine and the director of the sports medicine fellowship at Kaiser Permanente in Fontana.
“The first thing is mental health. People often notice that they feel better after getting active, they have more energy and they sleep better,” he said.