| Exercise is the central ingredient of good health. It | | | | gently. Do not bounce. Stretching should be done |
| tones the muscles, strengthens the bones, makes the | | | | relatively slowly, to the point of discomfort and just a |
| heart and lungs work better, and helps prevent | | | | little bit beyond. |
| constipation. It increases physical reserve and vitality. | | | | Stretching exercises can be therapeutic in certain |
| The increased reserve function helps you deal with | | | | situations. If you have a joint that is stiff because of |
| crises. Exercise eases depression, aids sleep, and aids | | | | arthritis or injury, if you have just had surgery on a joint, |
| in every day activity of daily life. | | | | or if you have a disease condition that results in |
| There are aerobic or endurance exercises, stretching | | | | stiffness, then stretching is usually an important part of |
| exercises, and strengthening exercises. You need to | | | | the therapeutic solution. Remember that there is |
| know the difference between the three types. | | | | nothing mysterious about the stretching process. Any |
| Aerobic (endurance) exercise is the key to fitness. | | | | body part that you cannot move through its full normal |
| This is the most important kind of exercise. The word | | | | range of motion needs to be repeatedly stretched so |
| "aerobic" means that during the exercise period the | | | | that you slowly - often over weeks or months - regain |
| oxygen (air) you breathe in balances the oxygen you | | | | full motion of that part. |
| use up. During aerobic exercise, a number of body | | | | For most people, however, stretching exercises are |
| mechanisms come into play. Your heart speeds up in | | | | useful mainly as a warm-up for aerobic or endurance |
| order to pump larger amounts of blood. You breathe | | | | exercise activity. Gently stretching before you begin |
| more frequently and more deeply to increase the | | | | endurance exercise can begin to warm up the |
| oxygen transfer from the lungs to the blood. Your | | | | muscles, make them looser, and decrease the |
| body produces more heat and compensates by | | | | chances of injury. Stretching afterward can help |
| sweating to keep your temperature normal. You build | | | | prevent stiffness. |
| endurance. | | | | Strengthening exercises can also be important. These |
| During endurance exercise periods, the cells of the | | | | are the "body building" exercises that are often |
| body develop the ability to extract a larger amount of | | | | performed just for cosmetic results. They build more |
| oxygen from the blood to increase function at the | | | | bulky muscles. squeezing balls, lifting weights, and doing |
| cellular level. As you become more fit, these effects | | | | push-ups or pull-ups are examples of strengthening |
| persist. The heart becomes larger and stronger and | | | | exercises. These exercises can be very helpful in |
| can pump more blood with each stroke. The cells can | | | | improving function in a particular body part after |
| take up oxygen more readily. As a result, your heart | | | | surgery (for example, knee surgery), where it is |
| rate when you are resting does not need to be as | | | | necessary to build up strength. |
| rapid, allowing more time for the heart to repair itself | | | | Strengthening exercises can help build up muscles and |
| between beats. | | | | decrease fat even in persons in their eighties and |
| Stretching exercises are designed to keep you loose. | | | | nineties. They can help increase bone strength and |
| Everyone should do some of them, but they don't | | | | make the bones more resistant to fracture. Their |
| have many direct effects on health. As you age, you | | | | drawback? They don't help protect the heart, so if you |
| want to be careful not to overdo these exercises. | | | | do strengthening exercises be sure to do your aerobic |
| Toe-touching exercises, for example, should be done | | | | exercises as well. |