Maintaining a healthy Lifestyle

Daniel Dickenson

Maintaining Healthy Lifestyle

Unfortunately, over the years, the norms of socialization in the United States have changed.   In the past, before computers and video games, both children and adults were more active.  They would play outside and meet up with friends to participate in sports or other physical activity.  Americans have become much more sedentary in the recent years, however.  Unfortunately, because of the new changes to how children are socialized, American children have become the fattest in the world.  Maintaining a healthy and fit body is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.  Regular exercise reduces one’s risk for disease, lowers stress, and can even help combat mental health issues.  Whichever method of exercise one chooses; running biking, swimming, weight lifting, etc, the overall result to regular exercise is living a longer, healthier, more productive life. 

            Regular cardiovascular exercise can reduce one’s risk for many diseases.  In fact, some sources report that a combination of healthy diet and exercise would reduce 50% of diseases.  Exercise can protect the body from obesity, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and can even help balance the sugar levels for those with diabetes. 

            Being active can also reduce the stress level in your daily life.  This is important because stress can lead to serious health issues and diseases.  Stress releases hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline in the body.  Too much of these hormones can be hazardous to the body.  Exercise releases endorphins that naturally reduce stress and stress hormones.  This allows one to release tension and maintain overall health.

            Finally, exercise can also help combat symptoms of mental health, such as anxiety and depression.  The endorphins released in the brain during exercise naturally make people feel good.  They can reduce symptoms of depression and release the stress and worry related to anxiety.  Overall exercise is and important aspect of maintaining good mental health.

            Exercise has many benefits.  It can help maintain both physical and mental health.  Physically it helps reduce disease and stress.  Mentally it can help combat depression and anxiety.  Americans need to begin making exercise and physical activity a norm, rather than an extreme.  It is far too important to our health to ignore.  Rather than socializing on the internet, Americans should meet with friends for some physical activity.  American parents need to be responsible and encourage these healthy lifestyles with their children.