Lack of regular physical activity is a primary cause of chronic
disease.
Regular exercise has been shown to improve insulin
sensitivity, cardiovascular fitness and body composition, yet decrease blood
pressure and blood fat levels.
In contrast, a lack of regular exercise — even in the short term —
can lead to significant increases in belly fat, which increases the risk of
type 2 diabetes, heart disease and early death.
Therefore, daily physical activity is recommended to reduce
belly fat and decrease the risk of developing these diseases.
Your skin can be affected by the amount of oxidative stress in
your body.
Oxidative stress occurs when the body's antioxidant defenses
cannot completely repair the damage that free radicals cause to cells. This can
damage their internal structures and deteriorate your skin.
Even though intense and exhaustive physical activity can
contribute to oxidative damage, regular moderate exercise can increase your
body's production of natural antioxidants, which help protect cells.
In the same way, exercise can stimulate blood flow and induce skin
cell adaptations that can help delay the appearance of skin aging.
Exercise can improve brain function and protect memory and
thinking skills.
To begin with, it increases your heart rate, which promotes the
flow of blood and oxygen to your brain.
It can also stimulate the production of hormones that can enhance
the growth of brain cells.
Moreover, the ability of exercise to prevent chronic disease can
translate into benefits for your brain, since its function can be affected by
these diseases.
Regular physical activity is especially important in older adults
since aging — combined with oxidative stress and inflammation — promotes
changes in brain structure and function.
Exercise has been shown to cause the hippocampus, a part of the
brain that's vital for memory and learning, to grow in size. This serves to
increase mental function in older adults.
Lastly, exercise has been shown to reduce changes in the brain
that can cause Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.