A recent study conducted in Wisconsin and reported on Maxnewshealth.com, states that people who are couch potatoes are twice as likely to catch a cold and a third likelier to suffer bad or extreme symptoms compared to those who are healthy and fit.
According to the study, people who were considered fit or who exercised at least five days a week had between 4.4 and 4.9 “cold days” on average. Those who were moderately fit or who exercised one to four days per week had between 4.9 and 5.5 “cold days” on average. Those who were not fit and exercised one day a week or not at all had between 8.2 and 8.6 “cold days” on average.
Getting exercise unleashes a rise in immune defenses, helping to prepare our bodies to fight viruses and colds. Therefore, those who were fit or moderately fit had increased immune systems resulting in less “cold days” on average compared to the couch potato.
Furthermore, according to Getbetterhealth.com, about 60 percent of adults in the U.S. are not getting the exercise they need resulting in side effects even more sobering than the common cold.
If your idea of exercise is working out your TV remote reflexes then take a look at these statistics:
• Physical inactivity increases the risk of heart disease and stroke by 50 percent.
• Sedentary people have a 35 percent greater risk of developing high blood pressure than do physically active people.
• Inactivity is one of the four major risk factors for heart disease, on par with smoking, unhealthy cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
If you’re still undecided, Getbetterhealth.com outlines a few heart-health benefits of getting off the couch and getting your heart beating. Here are a few:
• For each hour you spend walking, you can gain two hours of life expectancy.
• More than half of the participants in a study who jogged two miles a day were able to stop taking blood pressure medication.
• Taking a brisk one-hour walk, five days a week can cut your risk for stroke in half.
• People with an active lifestyle have a 45 percent lower risk of developing heart disease than sedentary people.
To avoid becoming a full-blown couch potato and having to endure the unhealthy risks associated with lack of exercise it is advised that people exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. If you find it difficult to find 30 minutes a day to get your heart pumping try breaking it up into two or three 10-15 minute sessions.
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Winter can seemingly be the longest season of the four. But if you find interesting ways to pass the time, like taking up snowshoeing, you will soon find that you will be wishing that winter could last a little bit longer.
Tis’ the season for Holiday shopping, preparing for family gatherings, eggnog and basically anything else that can either cause stress or wreak havoc on your body. It can be the happiest but also the most nerve-racking time of the year. You may want to consider adding exercise to your daily routine to not only promote health but to tackle all of those little Holiday stressors.
According to a study by researchers at Dalhousie University, a 30-minute walk is effective at reducing tension, anxiety, and mood disturbances and increasing energy and vigor. Getting out of the house has additional benefits. Natural light stimulates the brain which produces the neurotransmitter, serotonin, which can significantly improve your mood.