If President Obama found time for Exercise then so can you!
The Importance of a Healty Diet and Exercise for the New Year
Wow, it is hard to believe we are heading towards the end of January already. The holidays are well & truly behind us but the impact of poor diet and no activity over christmas means the weighing scale tipping to the right. Winter brings with itself cold and flu bugs and you need to be in good shape to fight them. A healthy diet (rich in minerals like iron, zinc) and a regular fitness regime is extremely important to help boost your immune system and maintain a healthy weight.
“I don’t have the time” or “It’s too cold to go out for exercise” are the commonest excuses to wriggle out of a fitness routine. Believe me you don’t need hours to become fit. Running on the spot, skipping or going up and down the stairs is an excellent way to increase your cardiovascular fitness and lose weight at the same time. And the best part is it can be done in your backyard or the living room. Ten minutes of sprinting in the back garden or in the sitting room for 8 cycles of 30 -40 seconds are all you need for a fit body all year round
Relevance of a Healthy Diet and Exercise in the winter:
The winter season brings many things – shorter colder days, scarce sunlight & lack of exercise can adversely affect your body.
During the cold weather, blood vessels in our body constrict and the blood thickens, increasing the chances of heart attacks and brain strokes. The lungs too shrink increasing breathing problems. The heat produced by exercising keeps blood vessels diluted and lungs expanded for better blood circulation and deeper breathing respectively. This has a positive effect on the heart and brain.
Shortage of sunshine vitamin D not only affects calcium metabolism and bone density but also has a major role in seasonal affective disorder. Being active during the winter, even if it’s simply walking or avoiding prolonged sitting, helps in the release of mood alleviating endorphins in the body helping you to fight the winter blues. Loss of a few kilos in the process is icing on the cake.
Remember that fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in iron, zinc and other minerals that increase immunity without piling up calories. Add a small exercise routine and you chances of having an infection free winter will increase exponentially.
For more information call Naas Physio Clinic on: (045) 874 682
or email: info@physioclinic.ie
