Gym As a Way of Life
Exercise is one of the most effective (and most enjoyable) ways to promote health and function. It may be a targeted weapon to prevent or treat a particular symptom or disease, but above all, it is a generic medicine that, when properly dosed, can have a beneficial effect on almost all body functions.
Physical fitness and health
Physical experts often talk about physical fitness and health. Physical fitness refers to good performance, especially endurance and muscle strength. Low blood pressure and blood cholesterol, ideal weight, musculoskeletal health and joint mobility are important issues for health. When physical activity is the goal of better physical fitness, it is about physical activity, and when the primary goal is health, it is about physical activity.
Exercise and sports, but also hobby or work-related activities and home and summer cottage work are often good health activities. It is a condition that exercise is repeated frequently and for a sufficient period of time and that it causes at least moderate but not excessive exercise. Very light exercise, such as slow walking, may not meet the conditions for health exercise, but it may also promote health. According to recent research, already light exercise reduces the health risks of immobility.
Health effects of exercise
Health exercise has dozens of beneficial effects on body functions. It improves impaired sugar metabolism, strengthens bones, facilitates stress management, lowers hypertension and high cholesterol, and reduces overweight. It prevents cardiovascular disease, type 2 (adult) diabetes and musculoskeletal disorders. It is especially important for the elderly to exercise. It improves balance, reduces roll-over injuries, promotes functional ability and self-reliance, and reduces the likelihood of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Exercise at moderate intensity boosts the body's defense response and seems to prevent viral diseases, the 'flu'.
Regular exercise has beneficial effects on mental health and mental well-being. Lack of physical activity is associated with poor sleep quality and daytime fatigue. Physically active people manage stress better than little exercise. Exercise improves mood and prevents depression.
Exercise, nutrition and obesity are intertwined in many ways. It is said that exercise is part of nutrition and nutrition is part of exercise. Overweight is most effective when you exercise more and eat less. If you cannot lose weight for one reason or another, you can exercise to reduce the health problems caused by obesity. Barter can also happen: lots of exercise can eat more freely without gaining weight.
The amount and quality of exercise
The amount of energy that is recommended for health exercise is approximately 1,000 kilocalories (4.2 MJ) per week. This means that about a half an hour fairly strenuous physical exercise (e.g. brisk walking) 5-7 days per week or strenuous physical exercise (e.g. jogs) from 20 to 60 minutes three times per week. Daily exercise can be put together in smaller pieces, as three times 10 minutes a day seems to offer the same health benefits as once every 30 minutes. The maximum health effect is achieved through fairly moderate physical activity. Thereafter, physical fitness can be further improved, but health benefits will continue to grow slowly, if at all.
Different forms of exercise have slightly different effects on body functions. Endurance sports (walking, jogging, skiing, swimming and cycling) consume energy, lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol, and improve sugar tolerance. Exercise and gym training, in particular, strengthens bones and enhances sugar metabolism. Gymnastics, ball games and aerobics strengthen the bones and improve balance. However, the differences are relatively small and most forms of exercise make it easy to achieve adequate health. The most important thing is to choose the kind of exercise you like. Then, exercise becomes a pleasure, a positive addiction, without which there can be no more.
The effects of high-intensity interval training (HIT) on fitness and health are currently being studied around the world. It improves physical fitness but may also be useful in rehabilitation and treatment of diseases (cardiac patients, type 2 diabetes). The method is not suitable for beginners. Physicians and patients with low physical activity should always consult with a physiologist or physician before using this method.
Wise to avoid disadvantages
Like all effective medicines, exercise can have its drawbacks, the 'side effects'. Physical injuries are the largest accident category in Finland. Excessive strenuous exercise can damage tissues and cause weeks and months of overload and sometimes, fortunately, even rarely, even sudden death. Therefore, exercise load should be increased gradually and avoiding 'overdose'. Senior citizens and people with poor basic fitness should work with their doctor to develop a health exercise program to maximize the benefits and correspondingly minimize the risks.
Does the disease prevent exercise?
Very few illnesses are an obstacle to health. After a febrile flu, it is advisable to take a few days' rest and reduce the amount of exercise if you have a feeling of illness, abnormal fatigue, or dizziness. After a heart attack or cerebrovascular accident, it is important to find the right balance between efficacy and safety. For this reason, all cardiac patients should receive in-depth physical counseling and the opportunity to participate in guided exercise to develop an appropriate exercise program and encourage continuous exercise. When properly dosed, health exercise is also suitable for most patients with heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias.
Health Exercise as a Lifestyle
The positive effects of exercise are typically short-term, lasting days and weeks. Therefore, exercise is not useful as 'cure' or other occasional activity. In order to maintain health, exercise must be a regular, lifelong lifestyle.
