WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE?
- Being active isn’t just good for your heart, there are lots of benefits
- It can help you lose weight or keep a healthy weight, which reduces the risk of 13 different types of cancer
- And if you’re doing a lot, it can help prevent breast and bowel cancer
HOW DOES EXERCISE AND BEING ACTIVE HELP PREVENT BREAST CANCER?
Being active can affect the levels of some hormones in our body. Hormones are chemical messages that are carried around our body to tell different parts what to do. Oestrogen and insulin are both hormones.
Cancer starts when cells divide too much and multiple out of control. Oestrogen could encourage cells in the breast to divide more often. If you’re doing a lot of activity it can reduce the levels of oestrogen, helping to prevent breast cancer.
Insulin could also affect how cells multiply. Being very active can reduce levels of insulin and help prevent cancer.
HOW DOES EXERCISE AND BEING ACTIVE HELP PREVENT BOWEL CANCER?
The bowel helps us use the food we eat. It also processes waste which passes out of our bodies as poo.
Being active helps move food through our bodies. This reduces the amount of time any harmful chemicals in food waste are in contact with our bowel, helping to prevent cancer.
Being active also helps control levels of inflammation in the bowel. Inflammation is a normal way our bodies respond to damage. But if there is too much, it can cause our cells to multiple more often increasing the risk of cancer. So being active can help prevent bowel cancer by reducing the levels of inflammation.
10 BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS FOR CHILDREN
- Stronger bones. Children need to exercise to avoid losing bone density through inactivity. The years of childhood are the optimum time for building bones. Weak bones can lead to osteoporosis later on.
- Reduced risk of becoming overweight or obese. When children do not exercise, unused calories are stored as fat. Physical activity uses up those calories, so that fat is reduced, properly distributing fat in children’s bodies.
- Reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes. Children whose physical activity is limited often develop glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, eventually leading to Type 2 diabetes.
- Lower blood pressure. Exercise makes blood vessel walls more flexible, reducing blood pressure. For best results, they must combine aerobic exercise with activity to increase strength and flexibility
- A healthier heart. A lack of exercise adds stress to the heart and puts children at greater risk of cardiovascular disease in the future. Physical activity makes their hearts able to pump blood more efficiently.
- Reduced risk of cancer. Statistics show that those who exercise regularly have a decreased risk of many types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, liver, and kidneys. Exercise is thought to increase the circulation of cancer-preventive estrogen and insulin in the body.
- Better emotional health. An increase in the release of endorphins and serotonin in the brain during exercise helps children feel a greater sense of well-being and optimism, helping to combat depression. In addition, exercise helps give them a positive self-image.
- More energy. Exercise improves circulation, giving children a much-needed boost of energy, concentration, and focus. It also helps them balance their energy so that they do not become as tired throughout the day.
- Stronger muscles. Playing jump-rope, crossing the monkey bars, playing tag, or even dancing involves using their muscles, which means kids are making them stronger. Increased muscle strength also provides protection against injury.
- Stronger lungs. Exercise means kids are taking in more oxygen and expelling more carbon dioxide, increasing lung capacity. Increased oxygen also helps their heart and brain.