Exercise & Fitness
Exercising regularly, every day if possible, is the single most important thing you can do for your health. In the short term, exercise helps to control appetite, boost mood, and improve sleep. In the long term, it reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, depression, and many cancers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the following:
For adults of all ages
- At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise like brisk walking or 75 minutes of rigorous exercise like running (or an equivalent mix of both) every week. It’s fine to break up exercise into smaller sessions as long as each one lasts at least 10 minutes.
- Strength-training that works all major muscle groups—legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms—at least two days a week. Strength training may involve lifting weights, using resistance bands, or exercises like push-ups and sit-ups, in which your body weight furnishes the resistance.
For pregnant women
The guidelines for aerobic exercise are considered safe for most pregnant women. The CDC makes no recommendation for strength training. It’s a good idea to review your exercise plan with your doctor.
For children
At least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, most of which should be devoted to aerobic exercise. Children should do vigorous exercise and strength training, such as push-ups or gymnastics, on at least three days every week.
Exercise & Fitness Articles
There is no magical way to reduce belly fat. Cutting back on food intake, burning calories with regular aerobic activity, and doing core exercises to strengthen the back, sides, and abdomen will help.
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Regular exercise in people without dementia reduces (but does not eliminate) the risk of cognitive decline and dementia as we age.
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Diet plus exercise is more effective than either intervention alone for reducing pain and improving function in overweight people with osteoarthritis of the knee.
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You don't need to set large goals to have large accomplishments. Taking small steps can help women make huge strides toward achieving their goals.
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Shoulder pain may be caused by tendinitis, inflammation, neck pain, whiplash, arthritis, and rotator cuff tears. These conditions may occur from overuse of the shoulder. The cause may be something simple, such as reaching up when hanging curtains. Shoulder pain doesn’t always lead to surgery. Physical therapy can help strengthen the shoulder and reduce pain in 90% of cases. Physical therapy will focus on three goals: increasing your range of motion, strengthening the shoulder muscles, and stretching the muscles and ligaments to keep them supple.
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For some common health conditions, exercise may have a benefit
similar benefit to that of medication.
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Strengthening and flexibility exercises, done on land and in water, significantly reduce hip and knee osteoarthritis pain and also improve physical function.
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For people with cardiovascular disease, exercise may boost survival just as much as taking medications.
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Walking for seven hours a week may help lower breast cancer risk. The more exercise women get, the lower their risk drops.
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Exercising in 10-minute bursts can help people control their body mass index (BMI). However, the exercises need to be of high intensity-such as a brisk walk or climbing stairs.
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