Monday, September 29, 2008

fitness and exercise can prevent disease

Fitness and Exercise Can Prevent DiseaseWriten by Judith Brandy

Fitness and exercise slow the onset of disease.

This is a proven fact and yet more Americans than ever are suffering from obesity and Type Two diabetes thought to be at epidemic levels in the United States. If you are overweight, and especially if you are obese, or if youve been diagnosed with diabetes, then take your doctor's advice and begin and begin a regular fitness and personalized exercise program. Youll be very glad you did.

One of the bi-products of fitness and exercise, as any doctor will tell you, is that working out and consistent exercise helps manage your blood sugar. A diabetic who takes drugs daily may realize that less medication is needed with a habitual fitness and exercise program. Many diabetics who stay with fitness and exercise programs may find that they are able to reduce or quit the medication and manage their diabetes in a totally natural way.

High triglycerides are also rapidly becoming a norm for most Americans. High triglycerides are linked to heart disease, including strokes and heart attacks. A wonderful, easy-to accomplish and totally natural way to decrease your level of triglycerides is to begin and stick with a fitness and exercise program combined with a sensible diet. Elevated triglycerides are also connected to high blood sugar, and it is very common in diabetics. Fitness and exercise effectively minimizes two potential health risks at the same time.

Many people have despaired at the way obesity has become part of the American psyche questioning its causes. Some reasons are obvious. Sedentary lifestyles are now much more common and can include working in front of computers, watching television, staying indoors, playing virtual reality games and the like. In addition, many Americans eat diets high in fat and carbohydrates. Whatever the source, fitness and exercise can be a major part of the cure for this predicament. Increasing physical activity, raising the heart rate, and just getting active can help a person loose weight, control triglyceride levels and improve or stave off diabetes. It should not be ignored.

Parents should restrict time spent by children with video games or watching television and encourage them to engage in fitness and exercise. Children did this naturally in past generations, but now there are too many distractions to keep them inside. Playing games like baseball, basketball and jump rope outdoors can help alleviate this situation in a way that is fun and revitalizing for all involved. Children who learn the benefits of fitness and exercise at an early age will continue working out in adulthood. They will lead healthier lifestyles and tend to live longer, healthier and happier lives.

Fitness and Exercise Gains Popularity

Fitness and exercise is gaining in popularity for many reasons. Since the advertisement and educational commercials about obesity and its deadly effects on Americans in recent years as well as a rash of Type 2 diabetes on the upswing, people have begun seeing the benefit of engaging in fitness and exercise to improve their conditions. Parents are once again encouraging their youngsters to get up and away from the television and work out, and the baby boomers, pursuing fitness and exercise as they age, are taking to it with commitment in order to enjoy their lives well into the advanced years. Regardless of the reasons, many Americans take fitness and exercise very seriously now whereas a bare ten years ago it was on the fringes of societal consciousness.

Americans exercise in a wide variety of ways engaging in fitness and exercise activities which reflect the diversity of both the population and their interests. Many people go to gyms or athletic clubs. Others participate in sports events that they enjoy. Fitness and exercise activities can include bowling, racquet sports like squash, golf, summer softball leagues, horseshoes, hiking, horseback riding, and many other fun things to do. Fitness and exercise activities in American have many faces.

One of the most popular fitness and exercise activities is walking. Many people of all ages enjoy taking a brisk walk every day. This simple fitness and exercise activity can be done by almost anyone. So many Americans are walking these days that magazines are published devoted to the activity. Generally Americans are not as organized as their European cousins when in comes to walking. In Germany, one of the most popular weekend fitness and exercise activities is the volksmarch, or the peoples march. When a volksmarch occurs, people of all ages come together to take a day long or walk through a town or the countryside, stopping to share a meal and good conversation along the way. They combine fitness and exercise with social activity and everyone has a great time.

Americans may not be ready for the volksmarch yet, but they find many other fitness and exercise options to their liking. Golf is more popular now than any time in history. Tennis is making a comeback and even martial arts are fitness and exercise choices for many. For Americans the important thing about fitness and exercise is to do something and make sure that that is something they will enjoy so that they stick with it.

Fitness and exercise is now more mainstream, and with it's continued growth, it will lead to a longer and healthier life, and give a great deal of fun to the participants along the way.

Fitness, Exercise

About the author

Judith Brandy is a writer, breast cancer survivor and science fiction fan with a slightly skewed, amused perspective of the world. Read some of her other articles at:
http://www.writingbuzz.com.