health exercise essay

Importance of Exercise Essay

500 words essay on exercise essay.

Exercise is basically any physical activity that we perform on a repetitive basis for relaxing our body and taking away all the mental stress. It is important to do regular exercise. When you do this on a daily basis, you become fit both physically and mentally. Moreover, not exercising daily can make a person susceptible to different diseases. Thus, just like eating food daily, we must also exercise daily. The importance of exercise essay will throw more light on it.

Importance of Exercise

Exercising is most essential for proper health and fitness. Moreover, it is essential for every sphere of life. Especially today’s youth need to exercise more than ever. It is because the junk food they consume every day can hamper their quality of life.

If you are not healthy, you cannot lead a happy life and won’t be able to contribute to the expansion of society. Thus, one needs to exercise to beat all these problems. But, it is not just about the youth but also about every member of the society.

These days, physical activities take places in colleges more than often. The professionals are called to the campus for organizing physical exercises. Thus, it is a great opportunity for everyone who wishes to do it.

Just like exercise is important for college kids, it is also essential for office workers. The desk job requires the person to sit at the desk for long hours without breaks. This gives rise to a very unhealthy lifestyle.

They get a limited amount of exercise as they just sit all day then come back home and sleep. Therefore, it is essential to exercise to adopt a healthy lifestyle that can also prevent any damaging diseases .

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise has a lot of benefits in today’s world. First of all, it helps in maintaining your weight. Moreover, it also helps you reduce weight if you are overweight. It is because you burn calories when you exercise.

Further, it helps in developing your muscles. Thus, the rate of your body will increases which helps to burn calories. Moreover, it also helps in improving the oxygen level and blood flow of the body.

When you exercise daily, your brain cells will release frequently. This helps in producing cells in the hippocampus. Moreover, it is the part of the brain which helps to learn and control memory.

The concentration level in your body will improve which will ultimately lower the danger of disease like Alzheimer’s. In addition, you can also reduce the strain on your heart through exercise. Finally, it controls the blood sugar levels of your body so it helps to prevent or delay diabetes.

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Conclusion of Importance of Exercise Essay

In order to live life healthily, it is essential to exercise for mental and physical development. Thus, exercise is important for the overall growth of a person. It is essential to maintain a balance between work, rest and activities. So, make sure to exercise daily.

FAQ of Importance of Exercise Essay

Question 1: What is the importance of exercise?

Answer 1: Exercise helps people lose weight and lower the risk of some diseases. When you exercise daily, you lower the risk of developing some diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and more. It also helps to keep your body at a healthy weight.

Question 2: Why is exercising important for students?

Answer 2: Exercising is important for students because it helps students to enhance their cardiorespiratory fitness and build strong bones and muscles. In addition, it also controls weight and reduces the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Further, it can also reduce the risk of health conditions like heart diseases and more.

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• Importance Of Exercises Essay

Importance of Exercise Essay

500+ words essay on the importance of exercise.

We all know that exercise is extremely important in our daily lives, but we may not know why or what exercise can do. It’s important to remember that we have evolved from nomadic ancestors who spent all their time moving around in search of food and shelter, travelling large distances on a daily basis. Our bodies are designed and have evolved to be regularly active. Over time, people may come across problems if they sit down all day at a desk or in front of the TV and minimise the amount of exercise they do. Exercise is a bodily movement performed in order to develop or maintain physical fitness and good health overall. Exercise leads to the physical exertion of sufficient intensity, duration and frequency to achieve or maintain vigour and health. This essay on the importance of exercise will help students become familiar with the several benefits of doing exercise regularly. They must go through this essay so as to get an idea of how to write essays on similar topics.

Need of Exercise

The human body is like a complex and delicate machine which comprises several small parts. A slight malfunction of one part leads to the breakdown of the machine. In a similar way, if such a situation arises in the human body, it also leads to malfunctioning of the body. Exercise is one of the healthy lifestyles which contributes to optimum health and quality of life. People who exercise regularly can reduce their risk of death. By doing exercise, active people increase their life expectancy by two years compared to inactive people. Regular exercise and good physical fitness enhance the quality of life in many ways. Physical fitness and exercise can help us to look good, feel good, and enjoy life. Moreover, exercise provides an enjoyable way to spend leisure time.

Exercise helps a person develop emotional balance and maintain a strong self-image. As people get older, exercise becomes more important. This is because, after the age of 30, the heart’s blood pumping capacity declines at a rate of about 8 per cent each decade. Exercise is also vital for a child’s overall development. Exercising helps to maintain a healthy weight by stoking our metabolism, utilizing and burning the extra calories.

Types of Exercise

There are three broad intensities of exercise:

1) Light exercise – Going for a walk is an example of light exercise. In this, the exerciser is able to talk while exercising.

2) Moderate exercise – Here, the exerciser feels slightly out of breath during the session. Examples could be walking briskly, cycling moderately or walking up a hill.

3) Vigorous exercise – While performing this exercise, the exerciser is panting during the activity. The exerciser feels his/her body being pushed much nearer its limit compared to the other two intensities. This could include running, cycling fast, and heavy-weight training.

Importance of Exercise

Regular exercise increases our fitness level and physical stamina. It plays a crucial role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It can help with blood lipid abnormalities, diabetes and obesity. Moreover, it can help to reduce blood pressure. Regular exercise substantially reduces the risk of dying of coronary heart disease and eases the risk of stroke and colon cancer. People of all age groups benefit from exercising.

Exercise can be effective in improving the mental well-being of human beings. It relieves human stress and anxiety. When we come back from work or school, we feel exhausted after a whole day of work. If we can go out to have a walk or jog for at least 30 minutes, it makes us feel happy and relaxed. A number of studies have found that a lifestyle that includes exercise helps alleviate depression. Those who can maintain regular exercise will also reduce their chances of seeing a doctor. Without physical activity, the body’s muscles lose their strength, endurance and ability to function properly. Regular exercise keeps all parts of the body in continuous activity. It improves overall health and fitness, as well as decreases the risk of many chronic diseases. Therefore, physical exercise is very important in our life.

Exercise can play a significant role in keeping the individual, society, community and nation wealthy. If the citizens of a country are healthy, the country is sure to touch heights in every facet of life. The country’s healthy generation can achieve the highest marks in various fields and thereby enable their country to win laurels and glory at the international level. The first step is always the hardest. However, if we can overcome it, and exercise for 21 days continuously, it will be a new beginning for a healthy life.

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Frequently Asked Questions on the Importance of Exercises Essay

What are the benefits of exercising regularly.

Regular exercise helps in the relaxation of the mind and body and keeps the body fit. It improves flexibility and blood circulation.

Which are some of the easy exercises that can be done at home?

Sit-ups, bicycle crunches, squats, lunges and planks are examples of easy exercises which can be done at home without the help of costly equipment.

Is cycling an effective form of exercise?

Cycling is a low-impact exercise and acts as a good muscle workout.

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Importance of Body Exercise Essay

Introduction.

Physical exercise can be defined as any body activity that maintains body fitness and the entire body health status. It must be done for a number of reasons such as improving muscle strength and joint structures, improving energy levels and reducing the risk of heart diseases.

It also helps in naturally lowering or controlling blood pressure level, improving immune system, enhancing healthy weight maintenance, boosting the immune system as well as an excellent stress handler. Biological studies reveal that healthy exercise reduces levels of hydrocortisone. Physical exercise can be broadly categorized into three types based on the overall effects they can have in the body.

The first category is the flexibility; it involves exercises such as body stretching to improve the range of muscle and joints motion. The second category is anaerobic exercise; which includes cycling, swimming, and rope skipping, running or even walking that focus on increasing cardiovascular endurance. The third category is anaerobic exercise; which includes weight, functional and eccentric training or sprinting.

Physical exercise plays a tremendously role in reducing the risk of acquiring heart disorders such as heart attacks and stroke. These heart defects are most likely a factor in the reduction of human life expectancy. Healthy body exercise helps in strengthening the heart and lungs thus increasing the efficiency of the heart muscle.

It improves the heart’s pumping ability by regulating the blood and oxygen circulation in the body. Regular exercise enhances the heart muscle functionality and blood flow. It reduces the chances of developing blood clots, lowers heart resisting rate and relieves stress on one’s heart. Being fit before a surgery also helps in quick recovery from the operation.

Many recent studies have shown that exercise naturally lowers and control blood pressure. This helps in reducing the risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension). Healthy exercise yields to a stable condition reducing the level of medication dose one can take when ill. Studies have also revealed that a healthy body exercise lowers the blood level of fats and unhealthy cholesterol, which may contribute to the hardening and contraction of the arteries.

This may render one vulnerable to heart attack or stroke. By reducing the chances of contracting illnesses caused by winter weather such as common colds, moderate body exercise have been shown to boost the immune system. Good exercise also helps improve the quality of sleep giving the body ample time to rest and rebuild its defenses.

Exercise helps in weight loss and maintenance by elevating the metabolism thus more calories are regularly burned. This catalyses the breakdown and utilization of fats for energy during any activity and can result to a reduction in the Body Mass Index to a height ratio.

This figure is vital in the prediction of risk for developing conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, stroke and cancers. Regular body exercise has also been known to be an excellent stress handling by lifting the moods leaving one with something positive to focus attention on, reduce anxiety and provide a positive base to release stress.

For example, one can play football or run as a form of exercise and forget his stressful moments. This helps boost self-esteem and confidence providing a better ground to handle emotional stress. The mental benefits gained from exercising are of equal importance to the physical ones. Good exercise just makes one feel calm by bringing the overall feeling of quality life. It helps improve the physical appearance, body posture, and mental outlook of someone.

Healthy body exercise can also help improve muscle strength, joint functions and joint structures by boosting the strength of bones, muscles and tissues. Regular exercise makes the body adapt to these non-regular body activities leading to a gainful growth in strength. This enhances the one’s ability to perform daily chores more easily and conveniently.

Exercises that involve weight bearing such as running and long-distance walking is critically vital for women since it helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis (low-bone density) and body fractures. Studies have revealed that substantial exercise helps improve joint health for all people, especially arthritis patients by increasing the thickness of cartilage in the joints, thus protecting them against wear and tear. Healthy exercise may leave one tired in the early stages of an exercise program.

Gradual exercise helps one adapt to this new body requirement increasing the body aerobic requirement capacity, endurance and stigma. This helps one to improve the energy levels enhancing the ability to spend a day with less energy expenditure in performing the daily tasks.

Although it is essential to exercise as a daily body requirement, too much of this can sometimes be dangerous. Exercising without proper rest can lead to developing conditions such as stroke and other circulation problems leading to heart rhythm abnormalities. This is mostly experienced by athletes who train for large marathon events. It is advisable to consult a doctor before making a radical change from the current exercise routine to a new one to avoid inappropriate exercise activities.

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IvyPanda. (2023, November 25). Importance of Body Exercise. https://ivypanda.com/essays/importance-of-body-exercise/

"Importance of Body Exercise." IvyPanda , 25 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/importance-of-body-exercise/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Importance of Body Exercise'. 25 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Importance of Body Exercise." November 25, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/importance-of-body-exercise/.

1. IvyPanda . "Importance of Body Exercise." November 25, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/importance-of-body-exercise/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Importance of Body Exercise." November 25, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/importance-of-body-exercise/.

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• School Education /

Essay on Health and Fitness for Students

• Updated on  
• Nov 18, 2023

What did you play in your sports period at school? Was it football, Cricket, Badminton, or any other sports? Maintaining good physical health requires you to take good care of your body and in most cases, your mental fitness also. From an early age, we are taught how to take care of our health and fitness. School students are often encouraged to write an essay on health and fitness, where they must come up with ideas about how to keep themselves physically and mentally fit and the benefits of a healthy life. Well, if you have not, you need not to worry. I’ve got your back. I’ll be providing you with a detailed explanation about staying fit and how you can add them to your essay on health and fitness. Stay tuned! 

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Health and Fitness in 100 Words
• 2 Essay on Health and Fitness in 200 Words
• 3 Essay on Health and Fitness in 300 Words

Also Read: Best Fitness Exercises for Students Studying Abroad

Essay on Health and Fitness in 100 Words

Also Read: 7 Ways on Which Good Mental Health Leads to Good Physical Health

Essay on Health and Fitness in 200 Words

‘It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.’ – Mahatma Gandhi

Essay on Health and Fitness in 300 Words

Related Articles

To write an essay on health and fitness, you are required to describe how one can achieve his or her fitness goals. The health and fitness lifestyle depends on three factors; physical exercise, balanced diet and adequate rest. To achieve a healthy and fit life, you must focus on all these aspects. Describe them in detail and provide a positive conclusion.

Regular exercise boosts cardiovascular exercises, strength training, or flexibility workouts, enhances cardiovascular health, and strengthens muscles. A balanced and nutritious diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats is necessary. Adequate and quality sleep is crucial for physical recovery, cognitive function, and emotional well-being. The release of endorphins during physical activity helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, promoting a positive mindset. Health and fitness are not isolated concepts but interconnected elements of a holistic lifestyle. 

When on a diet, consider these fat-free foods: Beans and legumes, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, skim milk, egg whites, and yoghurt.

For more information on such interesting topics for your school, visit our essay writing page and make sure to follow Leverage Edu .

Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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Physical Activity Is Good for the Mind and the Body

Health and Well-Being Matter is the monthly blog of the Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Everyone has their own way to “recharge” their sense of well-being — something that makes them feel good physically, emotionally, and spiritually even if they aren’t consciously aware of it. Personally, I know that few things can improve my day as quickly as a walk around the block or even just getting up from my desk and doing some push-ups. A hike through the woods is ideal when I can make it happen. But that’s me. It’s not simply that I enjoy these activities but also that they literally make me feel better and clear my mind.

Mental health and physical health are closely connected. No kidding — what’s good for the body is often good for the mind. Knowing what you can do physically that has this effect for you will change your day and your life.

Physical activity has many well-established mental health benefits. These are published in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and include improved brain health and cognitive function (the ability to think, if you will), a reduced risk of anxiety and depression, and improved sleep and overall quality of life. Although not a cure-all, increasing physical activity directly contributes to improved mental health and better overall health and well-being.

Learning how to routinely manage stress and getting screened for depression are simply good prevention practices. Awareness is especially critical at this time of year when disruptions to healthy habits and choices can be more likely and more jarring. Shorter days and colder temperatures have a way of interrupting routines — as do the holidays, with both their joys and their stresses. When the plentiful sunshine and clear skies of temperate months give way to unpredictable weather, less daylight, and festive gatherings, it may happen unconsciously or seem natural to be distracted from being as physically active. However, that tendency is precisely why it’s so important that we are ever more mindful of our physical and emotional health — and how we can maintain both — during this time of year.

Roughly half of all people in the United States will be diagnosed with a mental health disorder at some point in their lifetime, with anxiety and anxiety disorders being the most common. Major depression, another of the most common mental health disorders, is also a leading cause of disability for middle-aged adults. Compounding all of this, mental health disorders like depression and anxiety can affect people’s ability to take part in health-promoting behaviors, including physical activity. In addition, physical health problems can contribute to mental health problems and make it harder for people to get treatment for mental health disorders.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the need to take care of our physical and emotional health to light even more so these past 2 years. Recently, the U.S. Surgeon General highlighted how the pandemic has exacerbated the mental health crisis in youth .

The good news is that even small amounts of physical activity can immediately reduce symptoms of anxiety in adults and older adults. Depression has also shown to be responsive to physical activity. Research suggests that increased physical activity, of any kind, can improve depression symptoms experienced by people across the lifespan. Engaging in regular physical activity has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing depression in children and adults.

Though the seasons and our life circumstances may change, our basic needs do not. Just as we shift from shorts to coats or fresh summer fruits and vegetables to heartier fall food choices, so too must we shift our seasonal approach to how we stay physically active. Some of that is simply adapting to conditions: bundling up for a walk, wearing the appropriate shoes, or playing in the snow with the kids instead of playing soccer in the grass.

Sometimes there’s a bit more creativity involved. Often this means finding ways to simplify activity or make it more accessible. For example, it may not be possible to get to the gym or even take a walk due to weather or any number of reasons. In those instances, other options include adding new types of movement — such as impromptu dance parties at home — or doing a few household chores (yes, it all counts as physical activity).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I built a makeshift gym in my garage as an alternative to driving back and forth to the gym several miles from home. That has not only saved me time and money but also afforded me the opportunity to get 15 to 45 minutes of muscle-strengthening physical activity in at odd times of the day.

For more ideas on how to get active — on any day — or for help finding the motivation to get started, check out this Move Your Way® video .

The point to remember is that no matter the approach, the Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (anything that gets your heart beating faster) each week and at least 2 days per week of muscle-strengthening activity (anything that makes your muscles work harder than usual). Youth need 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. Preschool-aged children ages 3 to 5 years need to be active throughout the day — with adult caregivers encouraging active play — to enhance growth and development. Striving toward these goals and then continuing to get physical activity, in some shape or form, contributes to better health outcomes both immediately and over the long term.

For youth, sports offer additional avenues to more physical activity and improved mental health. Youth who participate in sports may enjoy psychosocial health benefits beyond the benefits they gain from other forms of leisure-time physical activity. Psychological health benefits include higher levels of perceived competence, confidence, and self-esteem — not to mention the benefits of team building, leadership, and resilience, which are important skills to apply on the field and throughout life. Research has also shown that youth sports participants have a reduced risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts and tendencies. Additionally, team sports participation during adolescence may lead to better mental health outcomes in adulthood (e.g., less anxiety and depression) for people exposed to adverse childhood experiences. In addition to the physical and mental health benefits, sports can be just plain fun.

Physical activity’s implications for significant positive effects on mental health and social well-being are enormous, impacting every facet of life. In fact, because of this national imperative, the presidential executive order that re-established the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition explicitly seeks to “expand national awareness of the importance of mental health as it pertains to physical fitness and nutrition.” While physical activity is not a substitute for mental health treatment when needed and it’s not the answer to certain mental health challenges, it does play a significant role in our emotional and cognitive well-being.

No matter how we choose to be active during the holiday season — or any season — every effort to move counts toward achieving recommended physical activity goals and will have positive impacts on both the mind and the body. Along with preventing diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and the additional risks associated with these comorbidities, physical activity’s positive effect on mental health is yet another important reason to be active and Move Your Way .

As for me… I think it’s time for a walk. Happy and healthy holidays, everyone!

Yours in health, Paul

Paul Reed, MD Rear Admiral, U.S. Public Health Service Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Director, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.

Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by ODPHP or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.

You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.

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Health and Fitness Essay

The term "health" refers to a condition of complete well-being, not just physically but also mentally and socially. Fitness and good health are interrelated. In order to keep our health in check, we must focus on staying fit. Here are a few sample essays on ‘health and fitness’.

100 Words Essay on Health and Fitness

Fitness and health are intertwined, and neither can be attained without consideration for the other. In order to work properly and live productively, one must maintain good health.

Fitness is essential because it improves our ability to work without difficulty and increases our resistance to germs that cause illness. Maintaining our fitness not only improves our ability to work but also contributes to our happiness and contentment. Diet has a significant impact on our health . We need to consume a balanced diet and adequate amounts of water. By maintaining good health, we can better withstand illnesses like the common cold, viral fever, and other similar conditions. Running, dancing, and jogging are all effective forms of exercise.

It's crucial to have a supportive environment that fosters our development into fully realised adults. So, we should never neglect our health and make every effort to stay fit.

200 Words Essay on Health and Fitness

The majority of regular people never comprehend the significance of maintaining fitness and good health. They frequently underestimate the value of good health because they are unaware of its benefits. We all understand that good health is wealth, but few people actually live this out. We can perform our daily tasks more easily when we are healthy and fit. A disease-free body is only one aspect of health; mental calmness is another.

A person cannot have an unhealthy body if they have an unhealthy mind. Being in good physical and mental health enables us to succeed in life and fully enjoy it. We feel more physically and mentally strong and confident when our bodies and minds are both in good health. A strong physical condition aids us in difficult times, whereas a weak physical condition makes us more frail and susceptible to illness.

We must be knowledgeable about every aspect of maintaining our physical and mental health. Even though they are very conscious of how to keep their bodies neat, clean, and healthy, some people harbour mental tensions that prevent them from ever becoming physically fit. The healthy state of the body gradually deteriorates and becomes weak due to mental stress. People who take care of their health and fitness regularly exercise and eat wholesome foods at the appropriate times. They are very concerned about their health and refrain from being lazy, consuming unhealthy foods, and living sedentary lifestyles.

500 Words Essay on Health and Fitness

If we want to live happy lives, we must take care of our health and fitness. There are many benefits to keeping fit. We must first comprehend the causes of the need for fitness before focusing on how to be fit. In general, we now eat out more frequently because of how our way of life has changed. Although home-cooked meals are healthier, because of the places we must travel to for work, we cannot always rely on them.

We must take good care of ourselves by engaging in regular exercise to make up for our lack of a healthy diet. However, exercising does not require us to forgo our favourite foods or spend the entirety of the day in the gym. Most people choose the incorrect diet when trying to lose weight and stay in shape. Diets, such as those that involve eating cabbage soup or onions, are harmful and do more harm than good. People frequently skip meals because they believe that eating less will aid in weight loss.

But experts have emphasised the significance of eating properly time and time again. Skipping meals causes a slow metabolism, which causes additional weight gain. Insufficient calorie intake causes our bodies to start storing any extra calories as fat. Food is not converted into energy as a result, and we become lethargic and frail. Our ability to function properly depends on when we eat.

Dietitians advise us to spread out our food consumption into smaller meals. This aids in the efficient digestion and absorption of food. In addition to plenty of water, we should consume enough green, leafy vegetables. Water controls internal bodily functions and promotes smooth operation. To maintain your fitness, start by eating a balanced diet. All of the essential nutrients—carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, roughage, and water—should be included in our diet.

A balanced diet keeps us healthy and fortifies our immunity, which wards off disease. Our physical and mental well-being must both be maintained. Because of our hectic schedules, many people do not find the time to exercise. We must therefore devise alternative application techniques. Some ways to stay in shape include walking a certain distance, taking the stairs rather than the elevator, and following a regular sleep schedule. For a healthy and successful life, sleep is essential. Every day, an average of eight hours of sleep is required for every person.

Contrary to popular belief, staying fit also means making the most of our potential. Maintaining emotional fitness is just as important as maintaining physical fitness. Indicators of mental health include lower stress levels and appropriate emotional venting. People who are unable to communicate their feelings experience mental instability and suppressed depression. A breakdown or a panic attack, both of which are harmful to our health, may result from these circumstances.

Therefore, maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires fitness. A healthy individual will be less prone to illness and perform tasks more effectively. This is why it's important to give our health top priority.

Incorporating Fitness and Health

I practise the following to incorporate the idea of health and fitness into my life:

I work out for an hour each day.

I try to maintain a healthy diet.

I try to stay away from foods that are high in sugar and fat.

I go for 20 to 30 minutes of daily walking.

Explore Career Options (By Industry)

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Data Administrator

Database professionals use software to store and organise data such as financial information, and customer shipping records. Individuals who opt for a career as data administrators ensure that data is available for users and secured from unauthorised sales. DB administrators may work in various types of industries. It may involve computer systems design, service firms, insurance companies, banks and hospitals.

Bio Medical Engineer

The field of biomedical engineering opens up a universe of expert chances. An Individual in the biomedical engineering career path work in the field of engineering as well as medicine, in order to find out solutions to common problems of the two fields. The biomedical engineering job opportunities are to collaborate with doctors and researchers to develop medical systems, equipment, or devices that can solve clinical problems. Here we will be discussing jobs after biomedical engineering, how to get a job in biomedical engineering, biomedical engineering scope, and salary. 

Ethical Hacker

A career as ethical hacker involves various challenges and provides lucrative opportunities in the digital era where every giant business and startup owns its cyberspace on the world wide web. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path try to find the vulnerabilities in the cyber system to get its authority. If he or she succeeds in it then he or she gets its illegal authority. Individuals in the ethical hacker career path then steal information or delete the file that could affect the business, functioning, or services of the organization.

GIS officer work on various GIS software to conduct a study and gather spatial and non-spatial information. GIS experts update the GIS data and maintain it. The databases include aerial or satellite imagery, latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, and manually digitized images of maps. In a career as GIS expert, one is responsible for creating online and mobile maps.

Data Analyst

The invention of the database has given fresh breath to the people involved in the data analytics career path. Analysis refers to splitting up a whole into its individual components for individual analysis. Data analysis is a method through which raw data are processed and transformed into information that would be beneficial for user strategic thinking.

Data are collected and examined to respond to questions, evaluate hypotheses or contradict theories. It is a tool for analyzing, transforming, modeling, and arranging data with useful knowledge, to assist in decision-making and methods, encompassing various strategies, and is used in different fields of business, research, and social science.

Geothermal Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as geothermal engineers are the professionals involved in the processing of geothermal energy. The responsibilities of geothermal engineers may vary depending on the workplace location. Those who work in fields design facilities to process and distribute geothermal energy. They oversee the functioning of machinery used in the field.

Database Architect

If you are intrigued by the programming world and are interested in developing communications networks then a career as database architect may be a good option for you. Data architect roles and responsibilities include building design models for data communication networks. Wide Area Networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), and intranets are included in the database networks. It is expected that database architects will have in-depth knowledge of a company's business to develop a network to fulfil the requirements of the organisation. Stay tuned as we look at the larger picture and give you more information on what is db architecture, why you should pursue database architecture, what to expect from such a degree and what your job opportunities will be after graduation. Here, we will be discussing how to become a data architect. Students can visit NIT Trichy , IIT Kharagpur , JMI New Delhi . 

Remote Sensing Technician

Individuals who opt for a career as a remote sensing technician possess unique personalities. Remote sensing analysts seem to be rational human beings, they are strong, independent, persistent, sincere, realistic and resourceful. Some of them are analytical as well, which means they are intelligent, introspective and inquisitive. 

Remote sensing scientists use remote sensing technology to support scientists in fields such as community planning, flight planning or the management of natural resources. Analysing data collected from aircraft, satellites or ground-based platforms using statistical analysis software, image analysis software or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a significant part of their work. Do you want to learn how to become remote sensing technician? There's no need to be concerned; we've devised a simple remote sensing technician career path for you. Scroll through the pages and read.

Budget Analyst

Budget analysis, in a nutshell, entails thoroughly analyzing the details of a financial budget. The budget analysis aims to better understand and manage revenue. Budget analysts assist in the achievement of financial targets, the preservation of profitability, and the pursuit of long-term growth for a business. Budget analysts generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field. Knowledge of Financial Management is of prime importance in this career.

Underwriter

An underwriter is a person who assesses and evaluates the risk of insurance in his or her field like mortgage, loan, health policy, investment, and so on and so forth. The underwriter career path does involve risks as analysing the risks means finding out if there is a way for the insurance underwriter jobs to recover the money from its clients. If the risk turns out to be too much for the company then in the future it is an underwriter who will be held accountable for it. Therefore, one must carry out his or her job with a lot of attention and diligence.

Finance Executive

Product manager.

A Product Manager is a professional responsible for product planning and marketing. He or she manages the product throughout the Product Life Cycle, gathering and prioritising the product. A product manager job description includes defining the product vision and working closely with team members of other departments to deliver winning products.  

Operations Manager

Individuals in the operations manager jobs are responsible for ensuring the efficiency of each department to acquire its optimal goal. They plan the use of resources and distribution of materials. The operations manager's job description includes managing budgets, negotiating contracts, and performing administrative tasks.

Stock Analyst

Individuals who opt for a career as a stock analyst examine the company's investments makes decisions and keep track of financial securities. The nature of such investments will differ from one business to the next. Individuals in the stock analyst career use data mining to forecast a company's profits and revenues, advise clients on whether to buy or sell, participate in seminars, and discussing financial matters with executives and evaluate annual reports.

A Researcher is a professional who is responsible for collecting data and information by reviewing the literature and conducting experiments and surveys. He or she uses various methodological processes to provide accurate data and information that is utilised by academicians and other industry professionals. Here, we will discuss what is a researcher, the researcher's salary, types of researchers.

Welding Engineer

Welding Engineer Job Description: A Welding Engineer work involves managing welding projects and supervising welding teams. He or she is responsible for reviewing welding procedures, processes and documentation. A career as Welding Engineer involves conducting failure analyses and causes on welding issues. 

Transportation Planner

A career as Transportation Planner requires technical application of science and technology in engineering, particularly the concepts, equipment and technologies involved in the production of products and services. In fields like land use, infrastructure review, ecological standards and street design, he or she considers issues of health, environment and performance. A Transportation Planner assigns resources for implementing and designing programmes. He or she is responsible for assessing needs, preparing plans and forecasts and compliance with regulations.

Environmental Engineer

Individuals who opt for a career as an environmental engineer are construction professionals who utilise the skills and knowledge of biology, soil science, chemistry and the concept of engineering to design and develop projects that serve as solutions to various environmental problems. 

Safety Manager

A Safety Manager is a professional responsible for employee’s safety at work. He or she plans, implements and oversees the company’s employee safety. A Safety Manager ensures compliance and adherence to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines.

Conservation Architect

A Conservation Architect is a professional responsible for conserving and restoring buildings or monuments having a historic value. He or she applies techniques to document and stabilise the object’s state without any further damage. A Conservation Architect restores the monuments and heritage buildings to bring them back to their original state.

Structural Engineer

A Structural Engineer designs buildings, bridges, and other related structures. He or she analyzes the structures and makes sure the structures are strong enough to be used by the people. A career as a Structural Engineer requires working in the construction process. It comes under the civil engineering discipline. A Structure Engineer creates structural models with the help of computer-aided design software. 

Highway Engineer

Highway Engineer Job Description:  A Highway Engineer is a civil engineer who specialises in planning and building thousands of miles of roads that support connectivity and allow transportation across the country. He or she ensures that traffic management schemes are effectively planned concerning economic sustainability and successful implementation.

Field Surveyor

Are you searching for a Field Surveyor Job Description? A Field Surveyor is a professional responsible for conducting field surveys for various places or geographical conditions. He or she collects the required data and information as per the instructions given by senior officials. 

Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth. 

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs. 

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story. 

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook. 

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion. 

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article. 

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or  MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.  

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications. 

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product. 

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans. 

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party. 

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems. 

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack 

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process. 

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Health Benefits of Exercise

Gregory n. ruegsegger.

1 Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211

Frank W. Booth

2 Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211

3 Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211

4 Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211

Overwhelming evidence exists that lifelong exercise is associated with a longer health span, delaying the onset of 40 chronic conditions/diseases. What is beginning to be learned is the molecular mechanisms by which exercise sustains and improves quality of life. The current review begins with two short considerations. The first short presentation concerns the effects of endurance exercise training on cardiovascular fitness, and how it relates to improved health outcomes. The second short section contemplates emerging molecular connections from endurance training to mental health. Finally, approximately half of the remaining review concentrates on the relationships between type 2 diabetes, mitochondria, and endurance training. It is now clear that physical training is complex biology, invoking polygenic interactions within cells, tissues/organs, systems, with remarkable cross talk occurring among the former list.

The aim of this introduction is briefly to document facts that health benefits of physical activity predate its readers. In the 5th century BC, the ancient physician Hippocrates stated: “All parts of the body, if used in moderation and exercised in labors to which each is accustomed, become thereby healthy and well developed and age slowly; but if they are unused and left idle, they become liable to disease, defective in growth and age quickly.” However, by the 21st century, the belief in the value of exercise for health has faded so considerably, the lack of exercise now presents a major public health problem ( Fig. 1 ) ( Booth et al. 2012 ). Similarly, the lack of exercise was classified as an actual cause of chronic diseases and death ( Mokdad et al. 2004 ).

Simplistic overview of how physical activity can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and one of its complications, cardiovascular disease. Physical inactivity is an actual cause of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and tens of other chronic conditions ( Table 1 ) via interaction with other factors (e.g., age, diet, gender, and genetics) to increase disease risk factors. This leads to chronic disease, reduced quality of life, and premature death. However, physical activity can prevent and, in some cases, treat disease progression associated with physical inactivity and other genetic and environmental factors.

Published in 1953, Jeremy N. Morris and colleagues conducted the first rigorous epidemiological study investigating physical activity and chronic disease risk, in which coronary heart disease (CHD) rates were increased in physically inactive bus drivers versus active conductors ( Morris et al. 1953 ). Since this pioneering report, a plethora of evidence shows that physical inactivity is associated with the development of 40 chronic diseases ( Table 1 ), including major noncommunicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) and CHD, and as premature mortality ( Booth et al. 2012 ).

Worsening of 40 conditions caused by the lack of physical activity with growth, maturation, and aging throughout life span

The breadth of the list implies that a single molecular target will not substitute for appropriate daily physical activity to prevent the loss of all listed items.

In this review, we highlight the far-reaching health benefits of physical activity. However, note that the studies cited here represent only a fraction of the >100,000 studies showing positive associations between the terms “exercise” and “health.” In addition, we discuss how exercise promotes complex integrative responses that lead to multisystem responses to exercise, an underappreciated area of medical research. Finally, we consider how strategies that “mimic” parts of exercise training compare with physical exercise for their potential to combat metabolic disease.

EXERCISE IMPROVES CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS

There is arguably no measure more important for health than cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) (commonly measured by maximal oxygen uptake, VO 2max ) ( Blair et al. 1989 ). For example, Myers et al. (2002 ) showed that each 1 metabolic equivalent (1 MET) increase in exercise-test performance conferred a 12% improvement in survival, stating that “VO 2max is a more powerful predictor of mortality among men than other established risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD).” Low CRF is also well established as an independent risk factor of T2D ( Booth et al. 2002 ) and CVD morbidity and mortality ( Kodama et al. 2009 ; Gupta et al. 2011 ). Similarly, Kokkinos et al. (2010) reported that men who transitioned from having low to high CRF decreased their mortality risk by ∼50% over an 8-yr period, whereas men who transitioned from having high to low CRF increased their mortality risk by ∼50%.

Importantly then, from the above paragraph, physical activity and inactivity are major environmental modulators of CRF, increasing and decreasing it, respectively, often through independent pathways. Findings from rats selectively bred for high or low intrinsic aerobic capacity show that rats bred for high capacity, which are also more physically active, have 28%–42% increases in life span compared to low-capacity rats ( Koch et al. 2011 ). Endurance exercise is well recognized to improve CRF and cardiometabolic risk factors. Exercise improves numerous factors speculated to limit VO 2max including, but not restricted to, the capacity to transport oxygen (e.g., cardiac output), oxygen diffusion to working muscles (e.g., capillary density, membrane permeability, muscle myoglobin content), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation (e.g., mitochondrial density, protein concentrations).

Data from the HERITAGE Family Study has provided some of the first knowledge of genes associated with VO 2max plasticity because of endurance-exercise training. Following 6 wk of cycling training at 70% of pretraining VO 2max , Timmons et al. (2010) performed messenger RNA (mRNA) expression microarray profiling to identify molecules potentially predicting VO 2max training responses, and then assessed these molecular predictors to determine whether DNA variants in these genes correlated with VO 2max training responses. This approach identified 29 mRNAs in skeletal muscle and 11 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that predicted ∼50% and ∼23%, respectively, of the variability in VO 2max plasticity following aerobic training ( Timmons et al. 2010 ). Intriguingly, pretraining levels of these mRNAs were greater in subjects that achieved greater increases in VO 2max following aerobic training, and of the 29 mRNAs, >90% were unchanged with aerobic training, suggesting that alternative exercise intervention paradigms or pharmacological strategies may be needed to improve VO 2max in individuals with a low responder profile for the identified predictor genes ( Timmons et al. 2010 ). Keller et al. (2011) found that, in response to endurance training, improvements in VO 2max were associated with effectively up-regulating proangiogenic gene networks and miRNAs influencing the transcription factor–directed networks for runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1), paired box gene 3 (PAC3), and sex-determining region Y box 9 (SOX9). Collectively, these results led the investigators to speculate that improvements in skeletal muscle oxygen sensing and angiogenesis are primary determinates in training responses in VO 2max ( Keller et al. 2011 ).

Clinically important concepts have emerged from the pioneering HERITAGE Family Study. One new clinical concept is that a threshold dose–response relationship influences the percentage of subjects responding with an increase in VO 2max to endurance training volumes (with volume being defined here as the product of intensity × duration), as previously published ( Slentz et al. 2005 , 2007 ). Ross et al. (2015) later extended the aforementioned Slentz et al. studies. After a 24-wk-long endurance training study ( Ross et al. 2015 ), percentages of women and men identified as nonresponders to the training (i.e., defined as not increasing their VO 2peak ) progressively fell inversely to a two stepwise progressive increase in endurance-exercise training volume, as described next. Thirty-nine percent (15 of 39) of training subjects did not increase their VO 2peak in response to the low-amount, low-intensity training; 18% (9 of 51) had no increase in VO 2peak in the group having high-amount, low-intensity training; and 0% (0 of 31) who underwent high-amount, high-intensity training did not increase their VO 2peak . A biological basis for the dose–response relationship in the previous sentence could be made from an analysis of interval training (IT) and IT/continuous-training studies published from 1965 to 2012 ( Bacon et al. 2013 ). A second older concept is being reinvigorated; Bacon et al. (2013) indicate that different endurance-exercise intensities and durations are needed for different systems in the body. They suggest that very short periods of high-intensity endurance-type exercise may be needed to reach a threshold for peripheral metabolic adaptations, but that longer training durations at lower intensities are required to see large changes in maximal cardiac output and VO 2max .

A comparable example exists for resistance training. Maximal resistance loads require a minimum of 2 min/per wk for each muscle group recruited by a specific maneuver to obtain a strength training adaptation [(8 contractions/set × 2 sec/contraction × 3 sets/day) × 2 days/wk) = 96 sec]. As of 2016, one opinion from Sarzynski et al. (2016) for the molecular mechanisms by which endurance exercise drives VO 2max include, but are not limited to, calcium signaling, energy sensing and partitioning, mitochondrial biogenesis, angiogenesis, immune functions, and regulation of autophagy and apoptosis.

Perhaps more importantly, lifelong aerobic exercise training preserves VO 2max into old age. CRF generally increases until early adulthood, then declines the remainder of life in sedentary humans ( Astrand 1956 ). The age-related decline in VO 2max is not trivial, as Schneider (2013) reported a ∼40% decline in healthy males and females spanning from 20 to 70 yr of age. However, cross-sectional data show that with lifelong aerobic exercise training, trained individuals often have the same VO 2max as a sedentary individual four decades younger ( Booth et al. 2012 ). Myers et al. (2002) found that low estimated VO 2max increases mortality 4.5-fold compared to high estimated VO 2max . They concluded, “Exercise capacity is a more powerful predictor of mortality among men than other established risk factors for cardiovascular disease.” Given the strong association between CRF, chronic disease, and mortality, we feel identifying the molecular transducers that cause age-related reductions in CRF may have profound implications for improving health span and delaying the onset of chronic disease. In two of our recent papers, transcriptomics was performed on the triceps muscle ( Toedebusch et al. 2016 ) and on the cardiac left ventricle ( Ruegsegger et al. 2017 ). We were addressing the question of what molecule initiates the beginning of the lifelong decline in aerobic capacity with aging. Aerobic capacity (VO 2max ) involves, at a minimum, the next systems/tissues, as oxygen travels through the mouth, airways, pulmonary membrane, pulmonary circulation, left heart, aorta/arteries/capillaries, and sarcoplasm/myoglobin to mitochondria. We allowed female rats access, or no access, to running wheels from 5 to 27 wk of age. Surprisingly, voluntary running had no effect on the delay in the beginning of the lifetime decrease in VO 2max . Our skeletal muscle transcriptomics elicited no molecular targets, whereas gene networks suggestive of influencing maximal stroke volume were identified in the left ventricle transcriptomics ( Ruegsegger et al. 2017 ).

Publications concerning the effects of exercise on the brain (from 54 to 216 papers listed on PubMed from 2007 to 2016) have increased 400%. In addition, a 2016 study ( Schuch et al. 2016 ) of three previous papers reported that humans with low- and moderate-CRF had 76% and 23%, respectively, increased risk of developing depression compared to high CRF in three publications. With this forming trend, the next section will consider exercise and brain health.

EXERCISE IMPROVES MENTAL HEALTH

Many studies support physical activity as a noninvasive therapy for mental health improvements in cognition ( Beier et al. 2014 ; Bielak et al. 2014 ; Tian et al. 2014 ), depression ( Kratz et al. 2014 ; McKercher et al. 2014 ; Mura et al. 2014 ), anxiety ( Greenwood et al. 2012 ; Nishijima et al. 2013 ; Schoenfeld et al. 2013 ), neurodegenerative diseases (i.e., Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease) ( Bjerring and Arendt-Nielsen 1990 ; Mattson 2014 ), and drug addiction ( Zlebnik et al. 2012 ; Lynch et al. 2013 ; Peterson et al. 2014 ). In 1999, van Praag et al. (1999) showed the survival of newborn cells in the adult mouse dentate gyrus, a hippocampal region important for spatial recognition, is enhanced by voluntary wheel running. Similarly, spatial pattern separation and neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus are strongly correlated in 3-mo-old mice following 10 wk of voluntary wheel running ( Creer et al. 2010 ), and the development of new neurons in the dentate gyrus is coupled with the formation of new blood vessels ( Pereira et al. 2007 ). Many exercise-related improvements in cognitive function have been associated with local and systemic expression of growth factors in the hippocampus, notably, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) ( Neeper et al. 1995 ; Cotman and Berchtold 2002 ). BDNF promotes many developmental functions in the brain, including neuronal cell survival, differentiation, migration, dendritic arborization, and synaptic plasticity ( Park and Poo 2013 ). In rat hippocampus, regular exercise promotes a progressive increase in BDNF protein for up to at least 3 mo ( Berchtold et al. 2005 ). In an opposite manner, BDNF mRNA in the hippocampus is rapidly decreased by the cessation of wheel running, suggesting BDNF expression is tightly related to exercise volume ( Widenfalk et al. 1999 ).

Findings by Wrann et al. (2013) highlight one mechanism by which endurance exercise may up-regulate BDNF expression. To summarize, Wrann et al. (2013) noted that exercise increases the activity of the estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) complex, in turn increasing levels of the exercise-secreted factor FNDC5 in skeletal muscle and the hippocampus, whose cleavage products provide beneficial effects in the hippocampus by increasing BDNF gene expression. While future research should determine whether the FNDC5 cleavage-product was produced locally in hippocampal neurons or was secreted into the circulation, this finding eloquently displays one mechanism responsible for brain health benefits following exercise. Similarly, work by van Praag and colleagues suggests that exercise or pharmacological activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in skeletal muscle enhances indices of learning and memory, neurogenesis, and gene expression related to mitochondrial function in the hippocampus ( Kobilo et al. 2011 , 2014 ; Guerrieri and van Praag 2015 ).

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), is central to many exercise-induced adaptations in the brain. Like BDNF, physical activity increases circulatory IGF-1 levels and both exercise and infusion of IGF-1 increase BrdU + cell number and survivability in the hippocampus ( Trejo et al. 2001 ). Similarly, the protective effects of exercise on various brain lesions are nullified by anti-IGF-1 antibody ( Carro et al. 2001 ).

In 1979, Greist et al. (1979) provided evidence that running reduced depression symptoms similarly to psychotherapy. However, the precise mechanisms by which exercise prevents and/or treats depression remain largely unknown. Of the proposed mechanisms, increases in the availability of brain neurotransmitters and neurotrophic factors (e.g., BDNF, dopamine, glutamate, norepinephrine, serotonin) are perhaps the best studied. For example, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity, the rate-limiting enzyme in dopamine formation, in the striatum, an area of the brain's reward system, is increased following 7 days of treadmill running in an intensity-dependent manner ( Hattori et al. 1994 ). Voluntary wheel running is also highly rewarding in rats, and voluntary wheel running in rats lowers the motivation to self-administer cocaine, suggesting exercise may be a viable strategy in the fight against drug addiction ( Larson and Carroll 2005 ).

Similar to the above examples, secreted factors from skeletal muscle have been linked to the regulation of depression. Agudelo et al. (2014) showed that exercise training in mice and humans, and overexpression of skeletal muscle PGC-1α1, leads to robust increases in kynurenine amino transferase (KAT) expression in skeletal muscle, an enzyme whose activity protects from stress-induced increases in depression in the brain by converting kynurenine into kynurenic acid. Additionally, overexpression of PGC-1α1 in skeletal muscle left mice resistant to stress, as evaluated by various behavioral assays indicative of depression ( Agudelo et al. 2014 ). Simultaneously, they report gene expression related to synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, such as BDNF and CamkII, were unaffected by chronic mild stress compared to wild-type mice. Collectively, these findings suggest exercise-induced increases in skeletal muscle PGC-1α1 may be an important regulator of KAT expression in skeletal muscle, which, via modulation in plasma kynurenine levels, may alleviate stress-induced depression and promote hippocampal neuronal plasticity.

TYPE 2 DIABETES, MITOCHONDRIA, AND EXERCISE

T2d predictions show a pandemic.

In a 2001 Diabetes Care article ( Boyle et al. 2001 ), investigators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) predicted 29 million U.S. cases of T2D would be present in 2050. Unfortunately, the 2001 prediction of 29 million was reached in 2012! For 2012, the American Diabetes Association reported that 29 million Americans had diagnosed and undiagnosed T2D, which was 9% of the American population ( Dwyer-Lindgren et al. 2016 ). More rapid increases in T2D are now predicted by the CDC than in the previous estimate. The CDC now predicts a doubling or tripling in T2D in 2050. The tripling would mean that one out of three U.S. adults would have T2D in their lifetime by 2050 ( Boyle et al. 2010 ), which would be >100 million U.S. cases. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) reports T2D cases worldwide. In 2015, the IDF reported that 344 and 416 million North American (including Caribbean) and worldwide adults, respectively, had T2D. Furthermore, the IDF predicts for 2040 that 413 and 642 million, respectively, will have T2D. In sum, T2D is now pandemic, and the pandemic will increase in numbers without current apparent action within the general public.

Type 2 Diabetes Prevalence Is Based on a Strong Genetic Predisposition

The Framingham study found that T2D risk in offspring was 3.5-fold and sixfold higher for a single and two diabetic parent(s), respectively, as compared to nondiabetic offspring ( Meigs et al. 2000 ). Thus, T2D is gene-based.

Noncoding regions of the human genome contain >90% of the >100 variants associated with both T2D and related traits that were observed in genome-wide association studies ( Scott et al. 2016 ). Another 2016 paper ( Kwak and Park 2016 ) lists at least 75 independent genetic loci that are associated with T2D. Taken together, T2D is a complex genetic disease ( Scott et al. 2016 ).

Type 2 Diabetes Is Modulated by Lifestyle, with Exercise as the More Powerful Lifestyle Factor

Three large-scale epidemiological studies have been performed on prediabetics, each in a different geographical location. The first study, and only study to have separate study arms for diet and exercise, was in China. The pure exercise intervention group had a 46% reduction in the onset of T2D, relative to the nontreated group, after 6 yr of the study ( Pan et al. 1997 ). Diet alone reduced T2D by 31% in the Chinese study. The second study on T2D was the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study. It found a 58% reduction in T2D in the lifestyle intervention (combined diet and exercise) in its 522 prediabetic subjects after a mean study duration of 3.2 yr ( Tuomilehto et al. 2001 ). The latest of the three studies was in the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program. The large randomized trial ( n = 3150 prediabetics) was stopped after 2.8 yr, because of harm to the control group. T2D prevalence in the high-risk adults was reduced by 58% with intensive lifestyle (diet and exercise) intervention, whereas the drug arm (metformin) of the study only reduced T2D by 31%, both compared to the noninnervation group ( Knowler et al. 2002 ). Thus, if differences in genetics in the above three differing ethnicities are not a factor, combined exercise and diet remain more effective in T2D prevention than the drug metformin two decades ago.

Exercise Increases Glucose by Signaling Independent of the Insulin Receptor

A single exercise bout increases glucose uptake by skeletal muscle, sidestepping the insulin receptor and thus insulin resistance in T2D patients ( Holloszy and Narahara 1965 ; Goodyear and Kahn 1998 ; Holloszy 2005 ). After insulin binding to its receptor, insulin initiates a downstream signaling cascade of tyrosine autophosphorylation of insulin receptor, insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) binding and phosphorylation, activation of a PI3K-dependent pathway, including key downstream regulators protein kinase B (Akt) and the Akt substrate of 160 kDa (AS160), ultimately promoting glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation to the plasma membrane ( Rockl et al. 2008 ; Stanford and Goodyear 2014 ). Despite normal GLUT4 levels, insulin fails to induce GLUT4 translocation in T2D ( Zierath et al. 2000 ). However, exercise activates a downstream insulin-signaling pathway at AS160 and TBC1 domain family member 1 (TBC1D1) ( Deshmukh et al. 2006 ; Maarbjerg et al. 2011 ), facilitating GLUT4 expression translocation to the plasma membrane independent of the insulin receptor. We contend that exercise could be considered as a very powerful tool to primarily attenuate the T2D pandemic.

Complex Biology of T2D Interactions with the Complex Biology of Exercise

An important consideration from the above is that T2D is such a genetically complex disease that a single gene has not been proven to be sufficiently causal to be effective, at this stage in time, to be a successful target for pharmacological treatment. The expectation for a single molecule target has been met for infectious diseases, which are often monogenic diseases. For example, a vaccine against smallpox was highly successful. Edward Jenner in 1796 produced the first successful vaccine. An important fact is that exercise is genetically complex. The literature allows us to speculate that exercise is at least as genetically complex as the approximately 75 genes associated with T2D ( Kwak and Park 2016 ). An example indicating that exercise is complex biology follows. RNA sequencing analysis of all 119 vastus lateralis muscle biopsies found that endurance training for 4 days/wk for 12 wk produced the differential expression of 3404 putative isoforms, belonging to 2624 different genes, many associated with oxidative ATP production in 23 women and men aged 29 yr old ( Lindholm et al. 2016 ). Our notion is that over 2600 genes suggests complex biology.

A “Case-Type” Study of the Molecular Underpinnings of Exercise, Mitochondria, and T2D Interactions

A PubMed search for the terms “diabetes mitochondria exercise molecular” elicited 74 papers. We arbitrarily selected some of the most recent 50 (spanning from mid-2014 into January 2017), with the assumption they would be representative of any other papers that we did not find in our search. Papers fell into our two arbitrary categories of single gene studies versus “omic”-type studies. First, subcategories of studies that develop themes will be arbitrarily presented.

Recent Studies Show Single Gene Manipulation Alters Mitochondrial Level and Running Performance

Numerous reports in the past couple of years observed that single gene manipulations increase mitochondrial gene expression and activity, which was also associated with increased exercise performance/capacity. A few of these are presented below:

• Irisin was shown to increase oxidative metabolism in myocytes and increase PGC-1α mRNA and protein ( Vaughan et al. 2014 ), which extends the first observation made earlier in adipose tissue by Spiegelman ( Bostrom et al. 2012 ).
• Patients with impaired glucose tolerance underwent low-intensity exercise training. Patients whose mitochondrial markers increased to levels that were measured in a separate cohort of nonexercised healthy individuals recovered normal glucose tolerance ( Osler et al. 2015 ). In opposition, those patients whose mitochondria markers did not improve, remained with impaired glucose tolerance.
• In 2003, muscle PGC-1α mRNA was shown to be induced by endurance-exercise training in human skeletal muscle ( Short et al. 2003 ). PGC-1α was shown to have multiple isoforms ( Lin et al. 2002 ). After a 60-min cycling bout, human vastus lateralis biopsies were taken from both sexes in their mid-20s. Additional biopsies were taken 30 min, and at 2, 6, and 24 hr postexercise. At 30 min postexercise, PGC-1α-ex1b mRNA and PGC-1α mRNA increased 468- and 2.4-fold, respectively, whereas PGC-1α-ex1b protein and PGC-1α protein increased 3.1-fold and no change, respectively. Gidlund et al. (2015 ) interprets the above data as implying PGC-1α-ex1b could be responsible for other changes that have previously been recorded before the increase in total PGC-1α postexercise.
• Mice with knockout of the kinin B1 receptor gene had higher mitochondrial DNA quantification and of mRNA levels of genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis in soleus and gastrocnemius muscles and had higher exercise times to exhaustion, but did not have higher VO 2max ( Reis et al. 2015 ).
• Mice do not normally express cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), which is a lipid transfer protein that shuttles lipids between serum lipoproteins and tissues. Overexpression of CETP in mice after 6 wk on a high-fat diet increased treadmill running duration and distance, mitochondrial oxidation of glutamate/malate, but not palmitoylcarnitine oxidation, and doubled PGC-1α mRNA concentration ( Cappel et al. 2015 ).
• The myokine musclin is a peptide secreted from exercising muscle during treadmill running. Removal of musclin release during running results in lowered VO 2max , lower skeletal muscle mitochondrial content and respiratory complex protein expression, and reduced exercise tolerance ( Subbotina et al. 2015 ).
• Lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB), which produces pyruvate from lactate, was overexpressed in mouse skeletal muscle. Increases in markers of skeletal muscle mitochondria were associated with increased running distance in a progressive speed test, and increased peak VO 2 ( Liang et al. 2016 ).
• Another example of endurance-type exercise adaptations is the 2016 paper that transcription factor EB (TFEB) regulates metabolic flexibility in skeletal muscle independent of PGC-1α during endurance-type exercise ( Mansueto et al. 2017 ). Lack of metabolic flexibility, termed “metabolic inflexibility,” is important because it is common in T2D. One definition of metabolic inflexibility is its inability to rapidly switch between glucose and fatty acid substrates for ATP production when nutrient availability changes from high blood glucose levels immediately after a meal to decreasing below 100 mg/dl when not eating for hours after a meal. A clinical consequence of T2D-induced metabolic inflexibility is prolonged periods of hyperglycemia, because skeletal muscle is more insulin insensitive in T2D. In contrast, after sufficient endurance exercise, skeletal muscle increases its insulin sensitivity by a second pathway that is independent of proximal postreceptor insulin signaling (see Stephenson et al. 2014 for further discussion).

Studies Showing that Manipulation of One Signaling Molecule Does Not Alter Expression of All Genes with Mitochondrial Functions Found in Skeletal Muscles of Wild-Type Animals to Exercise Training

A 2010 review article ( Lira et al. 2010 ) concludes from gene-deletion studies that p38γ MAPK/PGC-1α signaling controls mitochondrial biogenesis’ adaptation to endurance exercise in skeletal muscle. Two studies do not completely agree with the conclusion in the review article. The Pilegaard laboratory published a 2008 study ( Leick et al. 2008 ) that did not confirm their hypothesis that PGC-1α was required for every metabolic protein adaptive increase after endurance-exercise training by skeletal muscle. They reported that PGC-1α was not required for endurance-training-induced increases in ALAS1, COXI, and cytochrome c expression ( Leick et al. 2008 ). Their interpretation, at that time, was that molecules other than PGC-1α can exert exercise-induced mitochondrial adaptations. A second study published in 2012 rendered a similar verdict. A 12-day program of endurance training led to the middle portion of the gastrocnemius muscle demonstrating a similar 60% increase in mitochondrial density in both wild-type and PGC-1α muscle-specific knockout mice (Myo-PGC-1αKO) ( Rowe et al. 2012 ). The paper concludes that PGC-1α is dispensable for endurance-exercise’s induction of skeletal muscle mitochondrial adaptations.

Exercise signaling targets have actions that are independent of PGC-1α, which is specific to endurance exercise. In 2002, two groups identified PGC-1β, a transcriptional coactivator closely related to PGC-1α ( Kressler et al. 2002 ; Lin et al. 2002 ). Later in 2012, the PGC-1α4 variant of PGC-1α was found to induce skeletal muscle hypertrophy and strength ( Ruas et al. 2012 ). The importance of the finding of a PGC-1α variant is that it partially explains the phenotypic variation for differing types of exercise. Since the 1970s ( Holloszy and Booth 1976 ), it has been appreciated that the biochemical and anatomical observations between endurance and resistance differed. For example, Holloszy and Booth (1976) noted in 1976 that, whereas endurance-type exercise markedly increased skeletal muscle mitochondrial density with very minor increases in muscle fiber diameter, strength-type exercise, in contrast, increased muscle fiber diameter without increases in skeletal muscle mitochondrial density. Taken together, a drug specific for PGC-1α will not likely mimic separate physical training for endurance, strength/resistance, and coordination types of exercise in the same subject. Thus, the common usage of the term exercise capacity is a misnomer because endurance training and resistance training were shown to have different exercise capacity phenotypes very long ago.

In a 2015 Diabetes paper ( Wong et al. 2015 ), Muoio’s laboratory concluded that changes in glucose tolerance and total body fat depended upon how much energy is expended in contracting muscle rather than muscle mitochondrial content or substrate selection. A finding to support the previous sentence was the glucose tolerance tests (GTTs). MCK-PGC-1α mice and their nontransgenic (NT) littermates were not different in GTT, with both being the most glucose intolerant after 10 wk of high-fat feeding. Adding 10 wk of voluntary wheel running to the two high-fat-feed groups during the next 10-wk period (weeks 11–20 of the experiment) lowered the glucose intolerance, and then during weeks 21–30 of the experiment, glucose intolerance was further lowered by adding 25% caloric restriction with the high-fat food and running during the final 10 wk. The percentage weight lost after 30 wk of high-fat feeding was positively related to greater running distances. No single front-runner gene candidate could be identified by principle component analysis. Taken together, the paper suggests “doubts” that pharmacological exercise mimetics that increase muscle oxidative capacity will be effective antiobesity and/or antidiabetic agents. Rather, Muoio and investigators suggest energy expenditure by muscle contraction induces localized shifts in energy balance inside the muscle fiber, which then initiates a broad network of metabolic intermediates regulating nutrient sensing and insulin action. A further discussion of complex biology produced by polygenicity continues next.

POLYGENICITY OF EXERCISE LEADS TO COMPLEX MULTISYSTEM RESPONSES TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES

Multiples tissues, organs, and systems are influenced by physical activity, or the lack thereof ( Table 2 ).

Worsening of maximal functioning in selected major organ/tissue/systems that are caused by the lack of physical activity with growth, maturation, and aging

The higher their maximal function is before the end of each item’s maturation, the longer chances are that the quality of life will remain optimal. The breadth of the list implies that a single molecular target will not substitute for appropriate daily physical activity to prevent the loss of all listed items.

To present one extreme, that most will agree, one molecule will not describe the 1000s of molecules adapting to aerobic, resistance, and coordination exercise training. On the opposite extreme, many could likely agree that usage of the various “omics” underlying all adaptations to physical activity will differ (i.e., not be identical in most aspects) among the next list: various cell types within a tissue/organ, tissues/organs, and various intensities of physical activity (i.e., the thresholds among gene responses for health benefits will differ because of the presence of responders and nonresponders, or protein isoform type); during various types cycling (circadian or menstrual); postprandial versus fasting between meals; male and female; child, adult, and the elderly; trained and untrained; aerobic- and resistance-exercise types; and so forth. Others have repetitively written that only ∼59% of the risk reduction for all forms of CVD have been shown to be caused by effects through traditional factors ( Mora et al. 2007 ; Joyner and Green 2009 ). Thus, we pose the next question: what is the identity of all molecules in the yet-to-be-discovered gap between our knowledge of single gene functions and the totality of personalized prescription of physical activity to maximize the period of life free of any chronic disease, termed health span?

While approaches using single-gene manipulations are valuable tools, research must also focus on integrating exercise-responsive molecules into networks that maintain or improve health. This process will reveal complex, multisystem, polygenic networking essential for the advancement of many goals pertaining to exercise physiology, such as tailoring exercise prescriptions and implementing personalized medicine. One example is the developing myokine network with auto-, para-, and endocrine molecules. The first myokine interleukin (IL)-6 began to be described as early as 1994 by the Pedersen laboratory ( Ullum et al. 1994 ), with a history of its development as the first exercise myokine recounted in 2007 ( Pedersen et al. 2007 ). Since their discovery, myokine action within and at a distance from their origins in skeletal muscle have been increasingly studied, as schematically illustrated by Schnyder and Handschin (2015) ( Fig. 2 ).

Figure provides an illustration of myokine production by skeletal muscle for actions within or at a distance. Myokine release promotes a high degree of intertissue cross talk. CNTF, Ciliary neurotrophic factor; OSM, oncostatin M; IL, interleukin; BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor. (From Schnyder and Handschin 2015 ; reprinted, with permission, courtesy of PMC Open Access.)

Similarly, maximal aerobic exercise is accompanied by tremendous stress on many systems, yet whole-body homeostasis is remarkably maintained. For example, world-class endurance athletes can increase whole-body energy production well over 20-fold ( Joyner and Coyle 2008 ), whereas maintaining blood glucose concentrations at resting levels ( Wasserman 2009 ). Intuitively, such effort would require sophisticated interorgan cross talk and polygenic integration of numerous functions.

Exercise Provides Too Many Benefits to “Fit into a Single Pill”

Despite the well-known benefits of exercise, most adults and many children lead relatively sedentary lifestyles and are not active enough to achieve the health benefits of exercise ( Warburton et al. 2006 ; Fried 2016 ). Accelerometry measurements suggest that >90% of U.S. individuals >12 yr of age and ∼50% of children aged 6–11 yr old fail to meet U.S. Federal physical activity guidelines ( Troiano et al. 2008 ). Given this incredibly low compliance, the identification of genetic and/or orally active agents that mimic the effects of endurance exercise might have high appeal for a majority of sedentary individuals. This high appeal has led to recent identification/development of exercise “mimetics.” In 2009, we set criteria for proper usage of the term “exercise mimetic,” based upon its common usage ( Booth and Laye 2009 ). We gave the Oxford English Dictionary’s definition of mimetic, “A synthetic compound that produces the same (or a very similar) effect as another (especially a naturally occurring) compound.” While many exercise “mimetics” activate signaling pathways commonly associated with muscle endurance, these agents have not completely mimicked all effects for all types of exercise. For example, the AMPK activator 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR), when given daily to rats over a 5-wk-period, did not increase maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2peak ) in the sedentary group of rats that were forced to run to VO 2peak on treadmills, as compared to sedentary rats receiving the vehicle ( Toedebusch et al. 2016 ). Thus, in our opinion, the published claim ( Narkar et al. 2008 ) that AICAR is an exercise mimetic is invalidated because it did not increase VO 2peak . While these agents may undoubtedly have specific health benefits, it is currently impractical to assume that all of the benefits of exercise can be replaced by “exercise mimetics.”

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Exercise is a powerful tool in the fight to prevent and treat numerous chronic diseases ( Table 1 ). Given its whole-body, health-promoting nature, the integrative responses to exercise should surely attract a great detail of interest as the notion of “exercise is medicine” continues to its integration into clinical settings.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors disclose no conflicts of interest. Partial funding for this project was obtained from grants awarded to G.N.R. (AHA 16PRE2715005).

Editors: Juleen R. Zierath, Michael J. Joyner, and John A. Hawley

Additional Perspectives on The Biology of Exercise available at www.perspectivesinmedicine.org

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Essay on Health and Fitness

Students are often asked to write an essay on Health and Fitness in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Health and Fitness

Introduction.

Health and fitness are vital for a happy life. They are like two sides of the same coin. If we are healthy, we can enjoy our life. Fitness, on the other hand, helps us stay active.

Importance of Health

Good health helps us perform our tasks with ease. A healthy person can study well, play, and do their chores efficiently. However, poor health can hinder these activities.

Role of Fitness

Fitness is about being physically active. Regular exercise strengthens our muscles, improves heart health, and boosts our mood. It can also prevent various diseases.

In conclusion, health and fitness are essential for a fulfilling life. We must strive to maintain them for our well-being.

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250 Words Essay on Health and Fitness

Introduction to health and fitness.

Health and fitness are two interrelated concepts that significantly influence our overall well-being. Health, a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, is not merely the absence of disease. Fitness, on the other hand, is the ability to perform daily tasks efficiently without undue fatigue.

The Importance of Health and Fitness

In the modern world, the importance of health and fitness cannot be understated. Sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, and increasing stress levels have led to a rise in lifestyle diseases. Regular exercise and a balanced diet are vital to maintaining good health and high fitness levels, which can ward off these diseases.

The Interplay between Health and Fitness

Health and fitness are intricately linked. Good health allows for increased fitness levels, and high fitness levels, in turn, contribute to better health. For instance, regular exercise can help control weight, combat health conditions, and boost mood and energy.

Role of Discipline in Health and Fitness

Discipline plays a crucial role in maintaining health and fitness. Regular workout routines, balanced diets, adequate sleep, and stress management techniques are all part of a disciplined lifestyle that promotes health and fitness.

In conclusion, health and fitness are essential for a happy and productive life. They are not just about physical well-being, but also about mental and social well-being. Achieving health and fitness requires discipline, effort, and a commitment to making long-term lifestyle changes.

500 Words Essay on Health and Fitness

Health and fitness are two sides of the same coin, each playing a pivotal role in the overall well-being and functioning of an individual. The importance of these components has been accentuated in the modern world, where sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy eating habits have become the norm.

The Interplay of Health and Fitness

Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, but also the complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being. Fitness, on the other hand, is a state where you are not just physically healthy, but also have the endurance, flexibility, and strength to meet the demands of daily life.

It’s crucial to understand that health and fitness are interdependent. A high level of fitness often equates to a robust immune system, lower risk of chronic diseases, and improved mental health. Conversely, poor health can make it challenging to maintain an adequate fitness level.

The Role of Lifestyle in Health and Fitness

Lifestyle plays a significant role in shaping our health and fitness. Sedentary behavior, unhealthy dietary habits, and stress are some of the common lifestyle factors that adversely affect our health and fitness levels.

Regular physical activity is a cornerstone of fitness. It not only helps in maintaining a healthy weight but also reduces the risk of various diseases. Additionally, exercise has been linked to improved mental health by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

A balanced diet is another essential aspect of maintaining health and fitness. It provides the necessary nutrients required for the body to function optimally, contributes to a healthy weight, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases.

Challenges and Solutions

Despite the known benefits of health and fitness, many individuals face challenges in adopting a healthy lifestyle. Lack of time, motivation, and accessibility to healthy food and fitness facilities are some common barriers.

However, these challenges can be overcome with the right strategies. Time management and prioritization can help in carving out time for exercise. Setting realistic goals, finding an activity you enjoy, and seeking social support can enhance motivation. As for accessibility, exploring local resources, home workouts, and preparing meals in advance can be beneficial.

In conclusion, health and fitness are crucial elements in our lives that directly influence our quality of life. They are interconnected, with each influencing and supporting the other. By adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and a balanced diet, we can improve our health and fitness levels. Despite the challenges, with the right strategies and mindset, we can overcome these barriers and pave the way for a healthier and fitter life.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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How Exercise Strengthens Your Brain

Physical activity improves cognitive and mental health in all sorts of ways. Here’s why, and how to reap the benefits.

By Dana G. Smith

Growing up in the Netherlands, Henriette van Praag had always been active, playing sports and riding her bike to school every day. Then, in the late-1990s, while working as a staff scientist at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, she discovered that exercise can spur the growth of new brain cells in mature mice. After that, her approach to exercise changed.

“I started to take it more seriously,” said Dr. van Praag, now an associate professor of biomedical science at Florida Atlantic University. Today, that involves doing CrossFit and running five or six miles several days a week.

Whether exercise can cause new neurons to grow in adult humans — a feat previously thought impossible, and a tantalizing prospect to treat neurodegenerative diseases — is still up for debate . But even if it’s not possible, physical activity is excellent for your brain, improving mood and cognition through “a plethora” of cellular changes, Dr. van Praag said.

What are some of the benefits, specifically?

Exercise offers short-term boosts in cognition. Studies show that immediately after a bout of physical activity, people perform better on tests of working memory and other executive functions . This may be in part because movement increases the release of neurotransmitters in the brain, most notably epinephrine and norepinephrine.

“These kinds of molecules are needed for paying attention to information,” said Marc Roig, an associate professor in the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill University. Attention is essential for working memory and executive functioning, he added.

The neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin are also released with exercise, which is thought to be a main reason people often feel so good after going for a run or a long bike ride.

The brain benefits really start to emerge, though, when we work out consistently over time. Studies show that people who work out several times a week have higher cognitive test scores, on average, than people who are more sedentary. Other research has found that a person’s cognition tends to improve after participating in a new aerobic exercise program for several months.

Dr. Roig added the caveat that the effects on cognition aren’t huge, and not everyone improves to the same degree. “You cannot acquire a super memory just because you exercised,” he said.

Physical activity also benefits mood . People who work out regularly report having better mental health than people who are sedentary. And exercise programs can be effective at treating people’s depression, leading some psychiatrists and therapists to prescribe physical activity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week is a good benchmark.

Perhaps most remarkable, exercise offers protection against neurodegenerative diseases. “Physical activity is one of the health behaviors that’s shown to be the most beneficial for cognitive function and reducing risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia,” said Michelle Voss, an associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Iowa.

How does exercise do all that?

It starts with the muscles. When we work out, they release molecules that travel through the blood up to the brain. Some, like a hormone called irisin, have “neuroprotective” qualities and have been shown to be linked to the cognitive health benefits of exercise, said Christiane Wrann, an associate professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School who studies irisin . (Dr. Wrann is also a consultant for a pharmaceutical company, Aevum Therapeutics, hoping to harness irisin’s effects into a drug.)

Good blood flow is essential to obtain the benefits of physical activity. And conveniently, exercise improves circulation and stimulates the growth of new blood vessels in the brain. “It’s not just that there’s increased blood flow,” Dr. Voss said. “It’s that there’s a greater chance, then, for signaling molecules that are coming from the muscle to get delivered to the brain.”

Once these signals are in the brain, other chemicals are released locally. The star of the show is a hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or B.D.N.F., that is essential for neuron health and creating new connections — called synapses — between neurons. “It’s like a fertilizer for brain cells to recover from damage,” Dr. Voss said. “And also for synapses on nerve cells to connect with each other and sustain those connections.”

A greater number of blood vessels and connections between neurons can actually increase the size of different brain areas. This effect is especially noticeable in older adults because it can offset the loss of brain volume that happens with age. The hippocampus, an area important for memory and mood, is particularly affected. “We know that it shrinks with age,” Dr. Roig said. “And we know that if we exercise regularly, we can prevent this decline.”

Exercise’s effect on the hippocampus may be one way it helps protect against Alzheimer’s disease, which is associated with significant changes to that part of the brain. The same goes for depression; the hippocampus is smaller in people who are depressed, and effective treatments for depression , including medications and exercise, increase the size of the region.

What kind of exercise is best for your brain?

The experts emphasized that any exercise is good, and the type of activity doesn’t seem to matter, though most of the research has involved aerobic exercise. But, they added, higher-intensity workouts do appear to confer a bigger benefit for the brain.

Improving your overall cardiovascular fitness level also appears to be key. “It’s dose-dependent,” Dr. Wrann said. “The more you can improve your cardiorespiratory fitness, the better the benefits are.”

Like Dr. van Praag, Dr. Voss has incorporated her research into her life, making a concerted effort to engage in higher intensity exercise. For example, on busy days when she can’t fit in a full workout, she’ll seek out hills to bike up on her commute to work. “Even if it’s a little,” she said, “it’s still better than nothing.”

Dana G. Smith is a Times reporter covering personal health, particularly aging and brain health. More about Dana G. Smith

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English that goes straight to the heart

Health and Fitness Essay

An essay is a piece of writing that revolves around a particular theme and contains the academic opinions of the person writing it. A basic essay mainly consists of three parts: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.

Regular exercise helps us to keep fit and healthy. ‘Health and Fitness Essay’ will tell you everything you want to know about health and fitness.

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Health and Fitness Essay (950+ Words)

With his superior intellect, man has been able to control nature, making him the dominant species. However, it is essential for man to maintain a healthy body and mind, as a healthy individual is deemed wealthy. Engaging in regular exercise not only keeps the body fit but also keeps the mind alert. The soundness of one’s health is reflected in their mental state and emotions, as a weak and unfit body can adversely affect one’s psychological well-being.

Recent studies suggest that the increased stress of modern-day living is leading to a range of medical conditions, predominantly heart and neurological problems. Maintaining good health and fitness is crucial in cultivating a positive outlook towards work and life in general.

Life is meant to be positive and joyful, despite the challenges we may encounter. To enjoy the marvels of life, we require energy and vitality, which is only achievable through a healthy and fit body that can overcome life’s obstacles.

The care for good health starts during childhood, and it depends on how a feeding mother maintains her health and fitness. She should consume a balanced diet with the necessary nutrients and live in a hygienic environment. These are the primary requirements for both the mother and baby. Various children suffer from dreaded illnesses such as polio, diphtheria, and typhoid, making disease prevention crucial to keep children healthy.

Parents love their children and want them to grow physically and mentally well. They dream of having healthy, intelligent, and bright children. However, taking care of children is not just the parents’ responsibility. As children are the future of the country, everyone shares the responsibility of ensuring their good health and fitness.

A healthy child grows up to be a healthy and fit man. The growth and development of a child are crucial in shaping their future. A well-rounded development during childhood can lead to a productive resource for the country, benefiting society and humanity. It is essential for others to extend their services to help children maintain their good health and fitness.

Various individuals such as educators, neighbors, companions, athletes, teachers or masters in physical and mental training, media, social workers, doctors, and gymnasts can play a vital role in motivating children towards good health and fitness.

While schools provide children with an opportunity to develop their physical and mental abilities, good health holds more significance in this competitive era where modern demands must be met. Life has become fast-paced and stressful from an early age, and the educational syllabus is extensive, expectations are high, and competitions are becoming more challenging.

Given these conditions, it is crucial for students to study hard and spend long hours in the classroom. Educational institutions must prioritize physical exercise and recreational programs to promote good health and fitness among students. This is the primary means by which students can learn effectively while maintaining their well-being.

A school or educational institution that provides students with adequate facilities for sports and other activities that offer physical exercise and entertainment is considered excellent. After spending long hours studying and working mentally, students require outdoor activities to relieve their mental stress and weaknesses.

Irrespective of the career path chosen, every individual with a good academic record and sound health strives to achieve their goals in life. Good education and good health and fitness are crucial for individuals to face challenges confidently and achieve success.

A closer look reveals that individuals with good health and fitness perform better in their personal and professional lives. Both physical and mental health are equally essential for better performance and outcomes. It is essential for everyone to prioritize their health to become a result-oriented individual.

Even an untalented individual can succeed in their occupation through good health and fitness. We often observe individuals with good physiques working on farms all day, putting in their energy to earn a living for themselves and their families. This gives them mental satisfaction and a restful night’s sleep. Additionally, physically and mentally strong individuals can provide better support to society and receive appreciation from others.

There are various professions that require good health and fitness as a primary eligibility criteria. Individuals who are physically fit and mentally strong tend to excel in the armed forces, paramilitary , police, and other similar forces. We have witnessed numerous decorated members of these forces who have shown extraordinary performance and heroism while fighting the enemy or exhibiting bravery in incredibly challenging circumstances.

Having good health and fitness can open up numerous job opportunities for an individual, as even the private sector values a well-built appearance. Health is highly valued in all aspects of life and can benefit an individual greatly throughout their lifetime.

A person’s mental state can greatly impact their physical appearance. Negative thoughts and emotions can reflect in a person’s appearance, whereas a healthy mind can bring a positive glow. The connection between the mind and body is so strong that one can affect the other, and if not properly controlled, can create a cycle of negative reactions.

The lack of healthcare facilities in many areas has resulted in people suffering from diseases and injuries without proper medical attention. Poor individuals cannot afford treatment in big cities, and private hospitals charge exorbitant fees for major diseases. Relying solely on medical facilities is not enough to solve this issue; people need to be aware of the importance of regular physical exercise to maintain good health and efficiency. Joining Gymnasiums and Yoga camps can promote awareness and inspire others to follow good health practices.

By freeing oneself of unhealthy and negative thoughts, a person can motivate themselves to improve their body and avoid most psychological illnesses. When on the path to good health and fitness, a person can achieve a superior mind.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Physical Exercise — Exercise in our daily life

What Do You Feel after Exercise: My Experience

• Categories: Physical Exercise

About this sample

Words: 855 |

Published: Mar 14, 2019

Words: 855 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Works Cited

• Smith, J. (2019). The Psychological Benefits of Exercise: A Comprehensive Review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 15(2), 45-62.
• Johnson, L., & Davis, M. (2017). The Impact of Exercise on Stress Reduction: A Meta-analysis. Journal of Health Psychology, 32(3), 201-215.
• Thompson, C. L., & Anderson, R. (2018). Exercise and Mental Well-being: Exploring the Connection. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 42(1), 189-204.
• Davis, A., & Roberts, M. (2020). Physical Activity and Emotional Well-being: A Longitudinal Study. Journal of Positive Psychology, 28(4), 201-215.
• Gonzalez, L. S., & Wilson, B. (2016). The Effects of Exercise on Sleep Quality and Duration. Journal of Sleep Research, 52(2), 345-360.
• Johnson, S., & Miller, C. (2019). Exercise and Social Interaction: The Role of Physical Activity in Promoting Social Bonds. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 45(4), 521-536.
• Baker, S., & Turner, R. (2017). Exercise and Self-esteem: Exploring the Relationship. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 32(1), 89-104.
• Smith, E., & Davis, M. A. (2018). The Impact of Exercise on Weight Management : A Comparative Study. Journal of Obesity, 28(2), 233-248.
• Anderson, R., & Roberts, M. (2016). The Psychological and Social Benefits of Exercise: A Systematic Review. Journal of Health Promotion, 42(2), 233-248.
• Gonzalez, L. S., & Johnson, S. (2020). The Effects of Exercise on Cognitive Functioning: A Meta-analysis. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 28(2), 233-248.

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Essay on Health and Fitness for Children and Students

Table of Contents

The maintenance of health and fitness helps a person to be in the general state of health and well-being. It provides ability to perform physical actions without being tired or restless. However, the maintenance of health and fitness requires regular physical exercise with balanced diet.

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It is very necessary for all to maintain their health and fitness in order to be fit, healthy, fearless of diseases, and get so many other benefits. Now-a-days, teachers generally assign their students to write some paragraphs or full essay on any topic to enhance their English writing skill and knowledge as well as spread awareness.

Following are some paragraphs, short essays and long essays on health and fitness to help students in completing their task. All the health and fitness essay are written very simply. So, you can select any essay according to your need and requirement:

Long and Short Essay on Health and Fitness in English

Health and fitness essay 100 words – sample 1.

A person with good health and fitness becomes able to live his/her life to its fullest extent. It is very important for a person in life to be physically and mentally fit to live a healthy and happy life. Healthy and fit people become less prone to the medical conditions.

Fitness does not mean to be physically fit only, it also means with healthy mental state of the person. One can get healthy mental state if he/she becomes physically fit. The simple way to remain healthy and fit is having stress free mind with regular exercise and balanced diet. People who maintain their ideal weight become less prone to the cardiac and other health problems. People who are physically active can easily maintain a relaxed state of mind. Healthy and fit people can easily face all the ups and downs of their life and less affected by any drastic change.

Health and Fitness Essay 150 words – Sample 2

People are being more conscious towards their health and fitness as time changes. Male wants to have a muscle bound body whereas female a slim and trim look. Everybody is doing lots of struggle on daily basis to achieve a perfect body. Getting healthy and fit body and mind requires lots of patience, time, commitment, goal, believe, and a strong mind to face all the struggles. Some people have ability to maintain fitness on their own however some need a good qualified personal trainer to take care of the daily exercises and diet. People who are in corporate businesses have very little movement and lot of sitting all through the day. That’s why they face being overweight, obese, lazy, and tired. It is proved with studies that people who are more fit and healthy achieve greater success in life.

Health and Fitness Essay 200 words – Sample 3

Health is a very important aspect in the life of everyone. Nothing is more important than health and fitness for any human being. Healthy and fit people really enjoy their life very happily and peacefully. An unhealthy person cannot enjoy life in full extent.

He/she cannot enjoy eating, watching sports, or other luxury of the life. It is truly said by our elders that health is wealth. In order to maintain good health we need to properly take care of the hygiene and sanitation all around us. We have to eat healthy and complete food in timely manner.

We should eat green and fresh vegetables, milk, fresh fruits, egg, etc. Our body need sufficient amount of proteins, minerals and vitamins on daily basis to be fit and healthy. Together with the healthy food and physical activities we need to maintain cleanliness in our home and surrounding areas including our personal cleanliness.

The maintenance of physical and mental fitness is very important for a person needed to be successful and do best to the society. It is truly said by the Buddha about health and fitness that, “To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear”.

Health and Fitness Essay 250 words – Sample 4

Most of the common people never realize the importance of being healthy and fit. They generally underestimate the importance of good health as they never know the advantages of it. We all know that health is wealth but only few people follow it in their life. Being healthy and fit, helps us in carrying out our daily tasks. Being healthy is not only a body free of diseases, but it also means to have a tensionless mind. If a person has unhealthy mind, he cannot has an unhealthy body.

Good health of both, body and mind helps us to get success in life and enjoy it in full extent. Good mental health makes us feel like a well-being and healthy body gives us physical strength and confidence. Good physical health helps us in our trouble times whereas poor physical becomes more weak and prone to diseases.

We need to be aware about all the points of how to keep us healthy both physically and mentally. Some people know well about how to keep their body neat, clean and healthy however they carry some tensions in their mind, so they always lack of being fit. Mental tension gradually deteriorates the good condition of body and makes it weak. People, who are serious about their health and fitness, do exercises on daily basis and eat healthy food in timely manner. They are much conscious about their health and avoid being lazy, eating unhealthy food and sedentary life.

Health and Fitness Essay 300 words- Sample 5

Now-a-days, people have been so busy in their hectic life style and do not have time to keep themselves healthy or stay fit. It is the fact that we must eat healthy, practice cleanliness and involve in daily physical exercises in order to remain healthy and fit. As we know that there is no alternate to the hard work, in the same way there is no alternate to the health and fitness. Health and fitness is the combination of healthy living with healthy lifestyle. Psychological health is very necessary with the physical health of a person in order to be healthy and fit. We need to eat healthy food and do physical exercises on daily basis in order to remain physically healthy however we need to think positive to remain mentally healthy.

We need to get self motivated as well as take part in the fitness-style activities. We should take our fitness as the matter of every-day routine. Being fit should be our first aim of living a healthy lifestyle. It doesn’t require exercising for hours, just a small amount of exercise and healthy food on daily basis is enough to maintain the health and fitness.

We should keep our eyes always open and select stairs instead of the elevator, use cycle instead of car or bike for nearby areas, walk to the next bus stop, etc creates really a big difference. Being involved in daily physical exercises not only keep us fit but also improve our lifestyle and healthy living. It increases our energy level and thus confidence level.

We should enjoy spending hours on morning walk, running, working out at the gym or other physical activities to keep body functioning well as well as improve muscle endurance. We should eat fresh cooked food instead of stale food in order to remain away from the digestive disorders.

Health and Fitness Essay 400 words- Sample 6

Introduction

Health and fitness is the state of being healthy both, physically and mentally. Regular exercises and balanced diet can improve health and fitness of a person. We can define health as the state of complete mental, physical and social well-being of a person. It is not only the absence of illness, diseases or infirmity. We can define the fitness of any person as the ability to meet demands of the environment.

How to Maintain Health and Fitness

There are various ways we can keep us healthy and fit if we follow regularly the following:

• We should regularly involve in the daily physical exercises by getting some time from our much hectic schedule. 30 to 60 minutes of exercise on daily basis or five to six times a week is ideal for anybody to remain fit.
• Healthy and clean food in right amount and at right time is very necessary for a person to stay healthy and fit. Healthy nutrition with high-fiber, low-fat, high protein, and rich source of vitamins and minerals is the key to good health.
• In order to get fit and healthy, good sleeping pattern is very necessary for any person. We need to maintain a discipline in our daily routine and focus on good sleeping pattern which must start and end at right time. Taking quality sleep of eight hours each night boosts our immune system and helps in preventing cardiovascular diseases as well as improves mood. Inadequate sleeping pattern leads to the sleep disorders and various mental disorders.

Importance of Health and Fitness

Health and fitness is very important for people who want to live a healthy life very happily and peacefully. A healthy and fit person is only capable to live life to its fullest extent. We can say a person healthy and fit if he/she is physically and mentally fit. Physically and mentally fit people become less prone to the medical conditions. Health and fitness of any person helps in:

• Decreases the risk of diseases (high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary heart diseases, colon cancer, osteoporosis, obesity, stroke, breast cancer, etc).
• Make them feel better both, physically and mentally.
• Improves their confidence level.
• Heals injuries soon.
• Helps to live longer by adding years to the life.
• Reduces stress and improves quality of life.
• Reduces anxiety level, stress, and feelings of depression.

Conclusion : Regular physical activities and routine exercise is very necessary for the people of all age group especially younger generations. Health and fitness brings happiness in the life and helps a person to live stress free and disease free life.

Helpful Resources on Health and Fitness

FAQs on Health and Fitness

What is health and fitness.

Health and fitness refer to physical well-being and the ability to perform daily activities with vigor. It encompasses a balanced diet, regular exercise, and mental stability.

What are health and fitness benefits?

Benefits include reduced risk of chronic diseases, enhanced mood and mental health, and improved longevity and quality of life.

How do you maintain good health and fitness?

Maintain a balanced diet, engage in regular physical activity, manage stress, and have regular health check-ups.

What are the 4 types of fitness?

The four types are cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and muscular endurance.

What is health and fitness for life?

It means adopting lifelong habits that promote overall well-being and physical resilience, ensuring a better quality of life.

How is health and fitness important?

Health and fitness enhance mental and physical performance, reduce health risks, and improve overall well-being and life satisfaction.

What is the short note on health and fitness?

Health and fitness are vital for a high-quality life, reducing disease risks, and ensuring physical and mental well-being.

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“How can we help teens develop a healthy relationship with food and movement, and create preferences that will carry them forward?” asks Erin Hennessy, dean for research strategy and associate professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, and director of the project ChildObesity180. Illustration: Silvia Stecher / Ikon Images

On Teens, Nutrition, and Exercise: How to Encourage Healthy Habits

Experts across Tufts outline the challenges for today’s teens when it comes to healthy eating and physical activity, and how parents and caregivers can help

Ask a teenager whether they’re eating healthy or getting enough exercise, and you might get a blank look.

With school getting more demanding, extracurricular activities multiplying, and college applications looming, teens have a lot going on. Many are also starting to work jobs, care for younger siblings, and take on other family duties–even amid drastic changes to their hormone levels and bodies, as well as their sense of who they are and their relationships with family and peers. 

Dietitian Venus Kalami, N20

“It all comes together in a way that can be really wonderful, but also really overwhelming,” said Venus Kalami, N20, director of pediatric nutrition at the company Solid Starts, who has worked heavily with teens in her seven years of experience as a clinical dietitian.

Erin Hennessy , dean for research strategy and associate professor at the  Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts and director of the project  ChildObesity180 , agreed. “In the order of things that teens have to be concerned about, nutrition and exercise are low,” she said.

But as a public health concern, they’re high on the list. Whether they know it or not, most teens are not meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in major ways, according to  Christina Economos , dean of the Friedman School and founder of ChildObesity180. 

Christina Economos

They’re eating fewer fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and more added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium than the guidelines advise. And only one in five adolescents are meeting the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities (60 minutes of physical activity a day, 30 of them “vigorous”).

Due to demanding schedules and other factors, many teens find it difficult to eat regular meals and stay hydrated, Kalami said, which leads to lower energy levels and worse moods. 

If not addressed, it can affect their health in the long run, too. Not building enough muscle and bone can lead to lower bone density in adulthood. Obesity in adolescence makes adult obesity almost 18 times more likely–and almost 30% of teens today have overweight or obesity, compared to 15% 60 years ago. On top of that, a record high 10% of U.S. households with children are food insecure, and rates of eating disorders among teens are on the rise. All this only got worse over the pandemic, with many parents out of work, teens stuck at home, and high levels of stress across the board.

But there are things that teens and the adults around them can do to promote healthier eating and more exercise, Tufts experts agreed–and there is reason for optimism, Hennessy added.

Erin Hennessy

“Over the past few decades as we’ve seen an increase in obesity rates, we have also seen a shift in interest among children, teens, and young adults who are becoming much more interested in food, food justice, agriculture, the environment, and how those pieces are interconnected,” Hennessy said. “They’re coming to us at the Friedman School with far more understanding and knowledge about the field than I’ve ever seen, and it’s great to see that kind of shift and personal engagement with those topics.”

Tips for vegetarian and vegan teens

• Contrary to popular belief, kids and teenagers can be vegetarians or vegans and still eat a healthy, complete diet that meets all their nutrient needs.
• Eating vegetarian or vegan does not automatically make for a healthy diet. 
• Cow’s milk is not less healthy than plant-based milks, and can play an important role in a healthy diet if you’re vegetarian but not vegan.
• If you’re vegan, drink plant-based milks for calcium and vitamin D—particularly soy milk, which has high bioavailability of these nutrients.
• Eat high-protein plant-based foods, such as nuts, beans, and seeds—quinoa is a great high-protein alternative to rice or pasta. Read the ingredients before buying meat substitutes, which can be high in added sugars and sodium.
• Eat plant-based foods high in iron, such as beans and leafy greens. Try to consume vitamin C-rich foods (such as citrus fruits) at the same time to increase your iron absorption.
• If you’re vegetarian, consume eggs and dairy to meet your vitamin B12 needs. If you’re vegan, consume nutritional yeast or B12-fortified products such as plant-based milks or yogurts.

Source: Christina Economos, dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy

Challenges for Teen Nutrition and Exercise

As children become teens, their energy and nutrient needs shoot up to an all-time high, because their bodies are growing. Particularly important for this growth are protein (for new tissue of all kinds), calcium and vitamin D (for bones), and iron, especially for those who are beginning to menstruate.

At the same time, teens’ schedules are getting busier, and their sleeping hours are shifting, leading to more barriers with eating regular meals and instead, leaning more on snacking. They are eating less at home, where parents might offer a healthy menu, and more with their friends or on their own–which leads to more fast food, processed snacks, soda, and sports drinks, especially at high schools with nearby convenience stores. “There’s a whole system that pushes the production, distribution, access, marketing, and palatability of unhealthy processed and  ultra-processed foods ,” Economos said.

Teens’ higher order executive functions such as impulse control and long-term thinking are still developing, making it tougher to make nutritious choices in a landscape already skewed toward unhealthy options. And with adolescence comes greater self-consciousness about one’s body and eating, more scrutiny and comparison on social media, and increasing levels of judgment from a society with unrealistic expectations about body size and weight–adding an extra level of stress, which drives emotional eating.

“There are growth spurts that cause their height and weight to shift in ways they haven’t experience before,” Hennessy said. “They can feel like their bodies are no longer in their control, which can cause stress and anxiety.”

More teenagers are also struggling with food allergies or intolerances, or medical conditions requiring dietary limitations–and the stress that comes along with them. “We can see a lot of over-restriction out of fear of accidentally ingesting something,” Kalami said. “And this may affect social life, hanging out with friends, participating in team sport events, and many domains of life.”

On the exercise side of things, Hennessy pointed out that research shows teens—particularly those who identify as girls—are less physically active than younger children. It helps to have access to team sports, exercise programs, or any physical activity opportunity and the support for engaging in these opportunities.  But it also takes an environment—like having green space and neighborhoods safe to walk in—to also be physically active. Many teens from marginalized communities don’t have this type of access, she said.

And even parents’ most well-meaning efforts to improve teens’ eating and exercise can backfire. Studies show that an authoritarian parenting style, or one that’s high in control (lots of rules, restriction and controlling parental behaviors) and low in responsiveness (a lack of openness, warmth, support), is correlated with disordered eating symptoms in youths up to 18 years old, and high-risk behaviors such as substance abuse.

“Some younger adolescents are more comfortable with the rules and structure that their parents create and lay down,” Hennessy said, referring to the developmental psychology concept of the legitimacy of parental authority. “But older teens especially feel there are particular domain areas that their parents should not be making rules about, like who their friends are, or the ways they move their bodies, or what they ingest.”  This can cause tension between parents and their teens.

Tips for teens with food allergies and intolerances

• Get the facts. If you suspect you have a food allergy or intolerance, visit an allergist for a blood test, skin prick test, or oral food challenge to determine what foods cause what reactions. If you were diagnosed a long time ago, visit an allergist again and see what treatment options may be available to you.
• Don’t unnecessarily cut out foods. Over-restriction can also be problematic. If you can comfortably consume a food without having difficulties, keep doing so. Try not to cut out foods you don’t have reactions to.
• With food allergies, take precautions . Read food labels and learn to properly interpret them. Ask about ingredients and cross-contamination potential at restaurants. Get an EpiPen prescription and always carry one in your purse or backpack, in addition to any other allergy medications; make sure your family or friends know how to administer it if you can’t (and what you’re allergic to). 

Source: Dietitian Venus Kalami, N20

Tips to Promote Better Nutrition in Teens

In light of these many factors, what can parents do to supporting teens in nourishing their bodies and finding forms of exercise that make sense for them? Tufts experts offered guidance ranging from being aware of specific nutrients, to including teens in food-related decision-making in the family.

Margie Skeer , interim chair of the public health and community medicine department at  Tufts University School of Medicine , advised having regular family meals. Besides being linked to higher fruit and vegetable consumption and lower rates of disordered eating among adolescents, family meals have a protective effect against other high-risk behaviors, such as substance abuse. 

It’s also essential to recognize the many forces in play beyond individual choice, and to approach nutrition and exercise as not solely the teen’s problem, but a function of the overall health of the teen’s family and the broader environmental context in which the family is situated, Hennessy said.

Margie Skeer. Photo: Anna Miller

It’s essential to recognize the many forces in play beyond individual choice, and to approach nutrition and exercise as not the teen’s problem, but a function of the overall health of the teen’s family and environment, Hennessy said.

“How can we help teens develop a healthy relationship with food and movement, and create preferences that will carry them forward?” she asked. “How do we help create that foundation to return to throughout life for those who don’t have it, and how do we maintain it for those who do?”

Start with yourself.  “How do I get my teen to go on a diet / exercise?” is a common online search phrase around teens and nutrition. But Hennessy suggested first stepping back and asking, “How am I role modeling healthy behaviors for my child?” and to shift the thinking from focusing on one child to thinking about the whole family and how the whole family can support and adopt healthy eating and movement behaviors. 

Provide structure without being intrusive.  Structure refers to the way parents organize their child’s environment to facilitate their child’s competence.  What does that look like in practice?  Setting rules and limits, providing limited or guiding choices, setting routines, role modeling, involving teens in food preparation and meal selection, and making healthy food available and accessible. 

Know your teen’s nutritional needs.  Consult a pediatrician or dietitian, Economos said, as well as resources such as the  USDA’s MyPlate Nutrition Information for Teens . Pay special attention to whether your teen is getting enough dairy or plant-based dairy alternatives (for calcium and vitamin D), and iron sources such as red meat, beans, leafy greens, and fortified cereals.

Watch for changes and patterns.  Rather than focusing on your teen’s size or weight, watch for new behaviors such as skipping meals, starting to eat much more or less, as well as higher stress levels around food, Hennessy said. Observe how often these behaviors repeat and provide support for your teen, and if there is ever a concern about certain behaviors, consult your healthcare provider.

Connect with your teen.  Kalami has often asked about teenage clients’ passions and interests, which can provide the will and the ways to improve health. Skeer emphasized not just spending mealtimes with teens (ideally at least half of all meals), but making sure it’s quality time—meaning a relaxed, supportive environment with open communication and no distractions (such as phones). “Parents eating meals with teens conveys that spending time together is important to them,” Skeer said.

Empower your teen. Instead of prescribing healthy habits, learn your teen’s goals around eating–for example, being a vegetarian–and help them accomplish them in a healthy way, Hennessy said. Economos highlighted the importance of including kids in meal planning and preparation from a young age, teaching them culinary skills and healthy approaches to eating.

Look to local resources. Organizations like  Girls on the Run can bring teenage girls together with supportive adults to walk, jog, and run in their neighborhoods, while local dance classes could introduce elements of culture and fun, Economos said. Teens can also get together to walk or train for a 5K, or take free online classes on yoga or strength training. “Goal setting as a group, and a structure where people care if you’re coming, can be really helpful,” Economos said.

Find one small change that works. Whether it’s swapping in nuts for potato chips, setting phone alarms to drink water, dancing to Zumba videos, or going to the park with a friend or family member, it’s the small, realistic changes that make a difference, Kalami said–and you can start with just one.

Support balance and variety. Encourage not just physical health, but overall “food-related quality of life,” said Kalami–especially among teens anxious about eating the wrong thing. “One of the main things I advocate for is minimizing unnecessary restriction, and loosening it up so we can get some flexibility, freedom, and variety back in our lives,” Kalami said.

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How Exercise Improves Microbiome Health (and Vice Versa)

By Mary Grace Descourouez, MS, NBC-HWC

The human gastrointestinal tract is home to trillions of microorganisms that create the gut microbiome. The gut is where the body digests and absorbs nutrients from our food and therefore where we get our energy to perform daily human functions. Microbiota, or “good” bacteria, help the body harvest energy, fight pathogens, and regulate immunity. Therefore it is crucial to make lifestyle choices that promote a healthy microbiome.

Many people know that a nutrient-rich diet contributes to a healthy microbiome; however, research shows that movement and exercise may also have a positive effect, and, inversely, a healthy microbiome may improve athletic performance.

“It is a relatively new field, but available studies suggest a bidirectional relationship between performance and the health of the microbiome,” says Anne Friedlander, PhD , Exercise Physiologist and Assistant Director of Stanford Lifestyle Medicine. “People who are more active have a healthier and more diverse microbiome, and that, in turn, provides the person with the nutrients required to enhance physical and cognitive performance. It is a mutually beneficial relationship.” 

How Exercise Improves the Microbiome 

Movement and exercise have many benefits on our overall health, including positive effects on the microbiome. Studies show that athletes have a more diverse microbiome composition than non-athletes. Microbiome diversity is important because it helps make our food’s nutrients more bioavailable for optimal functioning of the body.

Another study found that active women were associated with high microbiome diversity compared to sedentary women. Specifically, researchers found that consistent physical activity increased the amount of the 11 genera of “good” bacteria, including Bifidobacterium spp , R . hominis , A . muciniphila, and F . prausnitzii . 

How the Microbiome Improves Athletic Performance

Just as exercise positively impacts the microbiome, research shows that microbiome health may also play a part in enhancing exercise performance.

A 2019 study showed that a specific gut microbe in marathon runners may have enhanced their athletic performance on race day.  In this study, researchers collected fecal samples from the runners before and after the marathon and compared them to microbiomes of non-runners. The Veillonella bacteria emerged as the most common in the runners, especially post marathon. Veillonella is a bacterial strain that converts exercise-induced lactate into propionate, which is a natural enzymatic process known to enhance athletic performance.

Researchers put the bacteria into lab mice who underwent a treadmill exertion test to investigate the hypothesis that this bacterial strain enhances athletic performance. The results showed the mice improved performance by 13 percent after inoculation of the bacteria. This study is one of the first to infer that a healthy microbiome could enhance athletic performance. 

“Having a healthy microbiome that processes fuels effectively gives you the substrates that you need to keep going throughout the day,” says Dr. Friedlander. “Although a lot of details are still vague, eating fermented foods and fiber, along with exercise, is a great place to start if you want to improve your gut health and overall health.” 

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More From Forbes

Intense exercise is not harmful for people with long covid, study finds.

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BROOKLYN, NEW YORK - JANUARY 2: People run on treadmills at a New York Sports Club January 2, 2003 ... [+] in Brooklyn, New York. Thousands of people around the country join health clubs in the first week of the new year as part of their New Year's resolution. Many health clubs see a surge in business of 25 percent immediately after the new year, only to see those numbers level off by spring. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

While the World Health Organization has advised people with long Covid to avoid intense exercise, a recent study found that different types of exercise were not harmful for people diagnosed with long Covid.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open , included 31 patients with long Covid (also known as post Covid condition) who were matched with a control group of 31 healthy participants. All of them completed several sessions of strength training, high-intensity interval training, and moderate-intensity continuous training across a span of several weeks.

“What we can generally see is that the post-COVID patients do just as well as the controls, even though they had more symptoms to begin with. By equally well, I mean that they did not worsen their symptoms or negatively affect their body during the 48 hours we observed them," the first author of the study, Andrea Tryfonos, said in a press release.

Tryfonos and colleagues observed that patients with long Covid who opted for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) experienced more muscle pain than the control group. Whereas moderate-intensity continuous training was associated with concentration problems and 62% of the 31 long patients had myopathy or inflammation in the muscles.

“People with post-COVID had generally lower levels of fitness and muscle strength, which could be due to both the infection and lower activity. After two years of prolonged symptoms and being discouraged from exercising, it's not surprising that you have lost some of your work capacity," added Tryfonos, who is a researcher at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

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People who suffer from long Covid experience debilitating symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, headaches, sleep problems, dizziness, impaired sense of smell and taste, depression, and anxiety. These symptoms last for month than three months and in some cases, can continue for longer than one year. The WHO estimated that anywhere between 10% to 20% of people who have Covid-19 are affected by long Covid.

The WHO and other key public health organizations said that long Covid symptoms could worsen after physical exertion and defined the phenomenon as postexertional malaise (PEM).

“This has led many healthcare professionals to be reluctant to incorporate exercise into rehabilitation programs for patients with post-Covid condition. However, there is ample evidence that physical inactivity negatively impacts health, including functional impairment within weeks and increased risk of cardiometabolic disease in the long term. The latter represents a significant burden on health care systems worldwide,” the researchers wrote in the study.

“While several plausible factors have been proposed to explain exercise intolerance in individuals with post-Covid condition, including muscle atrophy, physical deconditioning, dysautonomia, and increased inflammation, current data from studies are limited,” they added.

To investigate further, the team recruited study participants aged between 18 to 64 years from September 2022 to July 2023 via advertisements. They closely monitored each participant’s exercise sessions and took continuous measurements of their oxygen saturation, heart rate, and blood pressure.

"The main finding was that participants with post Covid condition generally tolerated all exercise sessions without significant worsening of symptoms or decline in aerobic performance after 48 hours," the researchers concluded.

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