Di you know that 'the body heals eight times faster when you exercise regularly’?

A balanced diet is essential for a happy and healthy life, but without regular exercise no amount of kale, spinaches or kidney beans will make up for a lack of locomotion.

Just like certain foods protect us from heart disease, diabetes or serious illnesses such as cancer, regular physical activity has its own list of health enhancement. Without exercise, it’s hard to reach your full physical and mental potential and achieve overall well-being.

As everybody is different, it’s important to keep it in mind when it comes to exercise, how much, and which types, will benefit you most? Some people do better with more gentle exercises: yoga, Pilates, swimming, while others require vigorous activity: walking, jogging, boxing, biking, dancing, etc. Experiment with some of these ideas and simple strength exercises such as squats and planks. When you find what works for you, you will be more likely to do it consistently and reap the benefits including increased energy, improved mental clarity, optima digestive health and enhanced mood.

Don’t feel like yoga is a work-out? Your body says differently. Feel like you need to run 10 miles to make it count? Or just, imagine yourself having a long walk in the forest in autumn when the leaves are changing colours and everything is so beautiful.

Exercise also produces the feel good hormone serotonin, which has an uplifting effect on your entire body. Once you find what works for you, and start noticing all the benefits you are gaining, exercise will be like second nature and your body will thank you for it.

These are some of the BENEFITS of exercise:

• Controls weight

• Lowers blood pressure and arterial stiffness

• Enhances quality of sleep

• Delays loss of muscle mass and strength

• Improves balance and coordination

• Improves flexibility

• Improves digestion transit

• Reduce joint stress and back pain

• Reduce osteoporosis

• Decreases incidence of heart disease

• Reduces existing myocardial damage

• Decreases inflammation

• Improves immune function

• Decreases liver steatosis and fatty liver disease

• Improves insulin sensitivity and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes

• Increases energy and reduces risk of depression, anxiety and stress

• Improves cognitive function

It’s never too late to start exercising!!! Keep moving!