Exercise Health and Lifestyle

Exercise Health and Lifestyle.
Written Report on Lifestyle Factors Lewis Wilson

Physical Activity – When it comes to keeping fit and having a healthy lifestyle, physical activity is vital to maintain those factors. Whether its just walking or having a full session at the gym, any fitness is good. However, men aged 18-39 are recommended to have at least 150 minutes (2 hours 50 minutes) of physical activity every week, and mostly its recommended that be cycling or walking at a moderately fast pace. They are also recommended to do muscle strengthening activities 2 days a week that will work major muscle groups. Keeping to a regime that’s similar than this you can decrease the chance of coronary heart disease by 35%. People are less active nowadays, partly because technology has made our lives easier. We drive cars or take public transport. We entertain ourselves in front of a TV or computer screen. Fewer people are doing manual work, and most of us have jobs that involve little physical effort. Work, house chores, shopping and other necessary activities are far less demanding than for previous generations. This has a massive affect of physical health, and people now have no motivation to get up and be active outdoors.

Alcohol – Alcohol can be a very serious subject. A lot of well known ‘celebrities’ have had trouble with the amount of the alcohol they drink, and this leads to bad press, health issues and ultimately death if not solved. Famously, the English football maestro of the 80’s and 90’s, Paul Gascoigne, had a huge problem with alcohol. While at the peak of his career in 1996, during the European Championships, Gascoigne, or ‘Gazza’ scored a phenomenal goal v Scotland which lead him to do a celebration which sparked controversy, he lay down on the grass and a team mate squirted a water bottle into his mouth. This was because he was out with friends before a game and the papparazzi spotted him and accused him of drinking heavily before a game. Recommendations for men are units a day, this is one pint of strong lager which is around 5.4%. However, people who become addicted to alcohol can suffer from a stroke, cirrhosis, hypertension, depression. These factors are all very serious and will stem from drinking a lot of alcohol for a very long time.

Smoking – Similar to alcohol, smoking is a massive problem. This is where people burn cigarettes and inhale the toxins, mainly tobacco. Around 500,000 people die per year because of smoking or smoke related illnesses/diseases. There was and still is a huge social stigma behind smoking, especially in the 1920’s. Cigarette companies advertised that smoking was essentially good for you. This meant by 1935, nearly 42% of the USA smoked cigarettes. Smoking is the direct cause for lung cancer, this is where tar builds up in your lungs, and reduces your aerobic respiration limit. Tar also builds up in your arteries. Smoking can lead people to having strokes, blindness, gum infection, an Aortic Rupture, and a reduced chance of fertility plus a lot more. Coronary Heart disease is a huge issue, this is why people are recommended not to smoke and do at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week. This will reduce your chances of coronary heart disease by 35%

Stress - Stress is a feeling of strain and pressure. Symptoms may include a sense of being overwhelmed, feelings of anxiety, insecurity, nervousness, social withdrawal, loss of appetite, depression, panic attacks, exhaustion, high or low blood pressure, skin eruptions or rashes, insomnia,migraine, and for women, menstrual symptoms. It may also cause more serious conditions such as heart problems. Also, experimental research which has been performed on animals, also displayed results relating to stress and negative effects on the body. It has been shown that stress contributes to the initiation and development of specific tumors within the body.
Healthy Diet - Maintaining an overall healthy diet not only offers your body the energy and nutrition that it needs to function, but offers several health benefits as well. Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables as an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, reduce risk for type 2 diabetes, also against certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer. It can also reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. It will help decrease bone loss and reduce the risk of developing kidney stones. Poor nutrition can impair our daily health and wellbeing and reduce our ability to lead an enjoyable and active life. In the short term, poor nutrition can contribute to stress, tiredness and our capacity to work, and over time, it can contribute to the risk of developing some illnesses and other health problems such as, being overweight or obese, tooth decay, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke, type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis, some cancers, depression and eating disorders.