According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “any amount of physical activity is better than none, and more is better.”
In fact, the WHO strongly advises and actively promotes the increase of physical activity as a remedy against the detrimental effects of a sedentary lifestyle. This advice counts for all people, young and old, and also for people with disabilities, and pregnant and postpartum women.
Research done on the topic has over and over again concluded that doing regular physical exercise is good and healthy for our body and mind. It doesn’t really matter what type of exercise we engage in as long as we use our entire body.
In addition to that, it’s best to do the types of physical exercises we feel are a fit for us and which we like to do. That will make it easier for us to build a routine and continue doing exercise as part of our lifestyle.
A human being simply needs to move frequently, preferably on a daily basis. It makes things flow and keeps things flowing. Movement and moving, and change and exchange are essential aspects of life and living. The more we move, the more we live, and the opposite is likewise true.
When we exercise, our blood circulation and our lymphatic system become more active. That’s beneficial for the timely delivery of much needed nutrients to all parts of our body and for proper waste management and expulsion.
Physical exercise also increases cardiovascular health, builds stronger muscles, joints, and bones, improves our memory, sleep quality, concentration and learning ability, vitality, immunity, endurance and perseverance, stimulates weight loss or maintains one’s optimal weight, improves digestive health, develops our sense of balance and motor coordination, and prevents or helps manage respiratory problems, early death, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and various types of cancer.
On a psychological, emotional, and mental level, exercise can work as a sacred moment for ourselves and a form of stress management, it reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, provides emotional and mental relief of the hustle and bustle of our daily and often hectic life, and promotes feelings of overall wellbeing.