Wednesday, December 27, 2006

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports - Exercise: The Key To The Good Life

Exercise: The Key To The Good Life

The exciting news from recent scientific studies is that exercise benefits everyone – regardless of age. Exercise can help you take charge of your health and maintain the level of fitness necessary for an active, independent lifestyle. This booklet is designed to help you start a fitness program of exercise so you can maintain or improve your physical health.

Many people think that as we age, we tend to slow down and do less; that physical decline is an inevitable consequence of aging. For the most part, this is not true. According to The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, much of the physical frailty attributed to aging is actually the result of inactivity, disease, or poor nutrition. But the good news is – many problems can be helped or even reversed by improving lifestyle behaviors. One of the major benefits of regular physical activity is protection against coronary heart disease. Physical activity also provides some protection against other chronic diseases such as adult-onset diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, certain cancers, osteoporosis and depression. In addition, research has proven that exercise can ease tension and reduce the amount of stress you feel.

To put it simply – exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health.

The exercise program described and illustrated on the following pages has been prepared specifically for you! It is a daily routine that takes 20 to 30 minutes. Take a minute to read the instructions carefully. Performing each exercise properly is as important as spending enough time on them.


http://www.fitness.gov/pepup.htm

No comments: