Exercise

Be Active

Currently, participating in a sport at least 3 times a week is of vital importance in keeping ourselves healthy and in good shape. In our grandparent's day it was not necessary to "exercise" because the lifestyle was more active. But today, we have a sedentary lifestyle that little by little can lead to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic, degenerative diseases that result in an enormous social and economic cost.

We must therefore move more and be more active in order for our body to function well. Surely you know someone older than 60 who eats healthy and exercises every day. Isn't he or she in better shape that many 20 year-olds around them? It's true; everything depends upon the treatment and the quality of the fuel that we give this marvelous machine that we call our body.

Let us take a look at some of the benefits that exercising frequently can offer us.

• Because the heart is a muscle that must be kept in good shape through aerobic exercise, exercise helps us maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.
• It also helps to lower "bad cholesterol" or low density lipoproteins, and increase the amount of "good cholesterol" or high density lipoproteins, all of which lower our risk for a heart attack.
• It helps us control our weight and maintain strong muscles.
• It helps control safe blood sugar levels, especially in people who have diabetes.
• It helps lower arterial tension or blood pressure.
• It helps us to stay young and to age healthily.
• It gives us a feeling of well-being and helps to lower stress.
• It can improve our sex life.

What type of exercise should I do?

To begin, you should make an appointment with your doctor for a complete medical evaluation in order to determine if you are sufficiently fit to begin a physical conditioning plan.

Later, select a sport that you enjoy and that you can do easily with your family and friends. Then you must find the right place and wear appropriate clothing and shoes.

Aerobic exercise such as walking, swimming, running, skating, cycling, and playing tennis and football, is recommended because they involve the use of the main muscles of our body. Even dancing is excellent aerobic exercise, and almost all of us like to dance, especially if we are Hispanic. Think of how we sweat when we dance salsa or merengue. Slow dancing also counts, even though this must be done twice as long because it is slower.

On the other hand, anaerobic exercise such as weight lifting is an excellent way to make our muscles strong and healthy. It helps us maintain and develop muscle mass that is vital in keeping our body young and functioning properly.

When planning your exercise session, think about how often you should exercise. It is recommended that sessions of aerobic exercise be 30 minutes long. three times a week. If you wish to lose weight, it is recommended to engage in this same exercise for 45 minutes without stopping, 5 to 7 times a week.

Remember that you need to participate in a sport that can form part of your daily routine, as if it were a business appointment or something very important that cannot be postponed. Enjoy feeling the movement of your body and knowing that you are becoming healthier.