With a quarter million Americans dying prematurely each year from conditions like diabetes, heart disease and obesity, it's important now more than ever to discuss the health benefits of exercise.
The Way We Were
Exercise is the ultimate preventative measure. Though medication is great for stabilizing existing conditions, it doesn't solve the underlying health issues.
Scientists theorize that humans are genetically programmed by evolution to be physically active. After all, our ancestors spent millions of years hunting and gathering and only the last few thousand years farming.
Use It Or Lose It
Cushy office jobs aren't doing our bodies any favors, either. Our natural state is to be highly active, but the average person today doesn't get nearly the exercise our bodies demand. So it's no wonder health problems are so common and serious.
It's not that exercising decreases our risks for certain diseases; it's that NOT exercising increases our risks for all kinds of sickness. Our bodies expect us to exercise, and when we don't, our physical health start to decline.
By doing nothing, we're actually doing ourselves great harm. Because when it comes to our bodies, we have to use them or we risk losing them.
