We were made to move. Our bodies were created for physical activity. God never intended for us to sit all day, overfilling our stomachs and letting our systems atrophy. But sedentary lifestyles have become the norm. The typical American is sedentary 60 percent of their waking hours. This lack of physical activity is associated with a number of health problems, ranging from weight gain to osteoporosis to cardiovascular disease. Take a look at just some of the problems inactivity causes:
- People who are physically inactive have an increased risk of colon and breast cancer. One study showed a 40 percent decrease in cancer mortality in people who were physically active compared to those who were inactive.
- A recent study reported that for every two hours a person watched TV, the risk of type 2 diabetes increased by 14 percent. Physical activity helps prevent insulin resistance, the underlying cause of type 2 diabetes.
- Physical inactivity increases the risk of cognitive decline. One study reported a 50 percent reduction in the risk of dementia in older people who maintained regular physical activity.
- People who are sedentary have the highest rates of heart attacks. In the Nurses’ Health Study, women who were physically active three hours or more per week (half an hour daily) cut their risk of heart attack in half.
- Strokes, which are often referred to as brain attacks, affect approximately 730,000 people annually and are linked to physical inactivity. Data from Aerobics Research Center in Dallas, Texas, found that physically active men lowered their risk of stroke by two-thirds. And in the Nurses’ Health Study, physically active women decreased their risk of stroke by 50 percent.
- Bones, like muscles, require regular exercise to maintain their mineral content and strength. Bone loss progresses much faster in people who are physically inactive.
- People who don’t perform regular physical activity are more likely to become depressed. Physical activity is a good way to reduce mood swings and maintain a sense of emotional well-being.
- People who don’t get regular physical activity are more likely to gain excess weight. One study showed that an hour of walking daily cut the risk of obesity by 24 percent.
- People who don’t get regular physical activity have less efficient immune systems, which make warding off various diseases and illnesses such as colds and the flu more difficult.
Are you convinced?
So the question becomes, How much exercise do we need to achieve the physical benefits we are looking for? Experts agree that the ideal amount of exercise we all need to maintain good health is seventy minutes, six days a week. If you aren’t in the habit of exercising, that may sound like an impossible number to you. The best way to reach that amount is to start slowly with simple, consistent walking.
– Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson
The above excerpt is from p. 76-77 of The New You: A Guide to Better Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Wellness.
With your copy of The New You, you will come away with specific strategies on how to lose weight, get more sleep, lower stress, nurture better relationships, connect with God and much more! Anyone who wants to trade in the frustration of average living and less-than health for the hallmarks of the new life God promises will find The New You an effective personal guide for the journey.
Your partner in ministry,
Nelson
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