Thursday, March 29, 2007

Is exercise good for you?


Look up 'exercise' on Google, and you will soon find that the popular wisdom is an overwhelming 'YES'.

Benefits touted include:

1. Strengthening cardiovascular and respiratory functions

2. Strengthening muscles and bones

3. Weight management

4. Preventing diabetes

5. Managing mood swings

7. Managing pain and stress

8. Reducing the incidence of some types of cancer

7. Better sleep

What is not said often enough is that millions of people live long and healthy lives without doing a second of 'organised exercise'. And that people who faithfully maintain strict exercise regimes are not spared the myriad of maladies that are humanity's lot.

I do believe that regular exercise is important and beneficial. However, like food, there are good and bad kinds of exercise, too much is every bit as damaging as too little, and each person will need to find a particular 'exercise diet' to suit their aims, physique and life-situation.

In subsequent blogs I'll be taking a look at a variety of exercise options, and providing my 'half-baked, biased and flawed opinion' on their pros and cons.
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