WELLNESS

AEROBIC EXERCISE

Aerobic exercises use continuously repeated movement of large muscles in the arms, legs, and buttocks to strengthen your heart and lungs (cardiovascular system).

When you exercise, the muscles demand more oxygen-rich blood and give off more carbon dioxide and other waste. This makes your heart beat faster to keep up.

Types of Aerobic Exercise

Brisk walking, Jogging, Running
Swimming, Aqua Aerobics
Cycling, Treadmill, Elliptical Cross Trainer
Aerobic Classes, Pump, Step
Dancing, Cheerleading, Marching

When you're aerobically fit, your body becomes more efficient in the following ways:

Taking in more oxygen – as you breathe faster and more deeply to maximize the amount of oxygen in your blood stream.
Pumps blood faster and more forcefully. To produce energy and deliver oxygen more effectively to the rest of your body, your heart beats faster. The force of each beat of your heart increases to maximize blood flow to your muscles and back to your lungs.
Increases the diameter and number of small blood vessels – improving the transport of more oxygen to your muscles, and the carrying away of waste products, such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid.
Avoids overheating. Your body warms up when you repeatedly move your muscles. To compensate for the rise in temperature, your body releases heat into the air as you breathe out. You also lose heat, water and minerals as you sweat.
Releases endorphins. Regular aerobic exercise releases endorphins, acting as your body's natural painkillers and responsible for the ‘high’ that many people experience after aerobic exercise.
Aerobic exercise aids longevity by helping to prevent certain diseases and conditions
Reduces risk of coronary artery disease – strengthens the heart muscle requiring less effort to support normal activity. A stronger heart muscle pumps blood more efficiently around the body.
Reduce your risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure). Improves blood fats - increases the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) and decreases the concentration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) in your blood.
Reduces risk of stroke - Improving blood fats results in less build-up of plaques in your arteries. Deposits of plaques in blood vessels leading to your brain can result in a stroke.
Reduces risk of developing some cancers, including breast, colon, prostate and endometrial cancer.
Reduces risk of developing type 2 diabetes - helps control weight, and obese conditions that can lead to type 2 diabetes. For those already with diabetes, aerobic exercise helps avoid long-term complications such as kidney failure or heart disease.
Wards off viral illnesses - activates the immune system to fight off infection. People who exercise regularly are less susceptible to minor viral illnesses, such as colds and flu.
Relieves chronic muscle pain and fibromyalgia - stimulates the growth of tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in your muscles. This helps your body deliver oxygen to your muscles more efficiently and remove irritating metabolic waste products, such as lactic acid.

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