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Health Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity:
- Reduce the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease
- Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
- Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
- Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer
- Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
- Improved glucose tolerance and reduced insulin resistance
- Reduce the risk of osteoporosis
- Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
- Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat
- Increased lean body mass (muscle mass)
- Reduce depression and anxiety
- Improve psychological well-being
- Reduce the risk of premature death
- Enhanced work, recreation, and sport performance
- Improve sexual performance
- Increased maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max)
- Improvement in cardivascular/cardiorespiratory function (heart and lungs)
- Increased maximal cardiac output (amount of blood pumped every minute)
- Increased maximal stroke volume (amount of blood pumped with each beat)
- Increased blood volume and ability to carry oxygen
- Reduced workload on the heart (myocardial oxygen consumption) for any given submaximal exercise intensity (whew!)
- Lower heart rate and blood pressure at any level of submaximal exercise
- Lower resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with high blood pressure
- Increased blood supply to muscles and ability to use oxygen
- Increased threshold for lactic acid (lactate) accumulation
- Increased HDL Cholesterol (the good cholesterol)
- Decreased blood triglycerides(fat)
- Improved weight control
- Increased muscular strength
- Increased strength of tendons and ligaments
- Potentially improves flexibility (range of motion of joints)
- Potentially decreases resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure
- Improved strength, balance, and functional ability in older adults
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