BODY & SOUL

 Bombay Times, Times of India, Mumbai, Monday, 7th October, 2006

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Reap the benefits of a regular workout!

BT gives you nine good reasons to start today

Is 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise the magic bullet you’ve been looking for? With benefits ranging from heart disease prevention to increased stamina, it’s one of the best things you can do for your health. Aerobic exercise — a type of movement such as walking or bicycling that gets your heart pumping and increases your oxygen intake — can help you live longer and healthier and can help you prevent and manage chronic health conditions. Here’s what a 30-minute aerobics workout can do for you...

* Reduce your risk of coronary artery disease. Heart disease is one of the top causes of death for men and women in the world. If you’ve had a heart attack, achieving a higher level of aerobic fitness can help prevent a second attack.
   

* Reduce your risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure). If you have high blood pressure, aerobic exercise can help lower it.

* Improve blood fats. Exercise increases the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the ‘good’ cholesterol) and decreases the concentration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the ‘bad’ cholesterol) in your blood.

Regular aerobic exercise reduces your risk of developing hypertension

* Reduce your risk of stroke. Improving blood fats results in less build-up of plaques in your arteries. Deposits of plaques in blood vessels leading to your brain can result in a stroke.

* Reduce your risk of developing some cancers, including breast, colon, prostate and endometrial cancer.

*  Reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Aerobic exercise helps you control your weight, reducing the likelihood of your being overweight or obese, conditions that can lead to type 2 diabetes.

* Ward off viral illnesses. Aerobic exercise helps activate your immune system and prepare it to fight off infection. People who exercise regularly are less susceptible to minor viral illnesses, such as colds and flu.

* Improves your sexual performance. In 2003, scientists at Harvard School of Public Health found that men who ran at least three hours each week reported sexual functioning like that of men two to five years younger.

* Build strong bones. Weight-bearing aerobic exercise, such as walking, can reduce your risk of osteoporosis and its complications. Low-impact aerobic exercises — such as swimming, cycling and pool exercises — can help keep you fit without putting excessive stress on your joints, making these exercises good choices if you have conditions such as arthritis.