Part 5: Be Physically Active

Stronger Muscles and Bones

Muscles let you move, lift, and stretch. When you use your muscles, they get stronger so you can do everything from opening a door to smiling, chewing, and talking! Weight-bearing exercises, in particular, help bones become stronger. This helps prevent osteoporosis and fractures.

Stronger muscles and bones will help you have good posture and keep your joints and body more naturally aligned.

Improved Cardiovascular Health

Heart Strength: Exercise strengthens your heart muscle. This means the heart can pump more blood per stroke and doesn’t require as many heartbeats to pump the same amount of blood. This makes your heart more efficient and lessens your risk of having a heart attack or blood clots.

Cholesterol Levels: Exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This helps to keep your blood flowing smoothly, decreasing your risk of cardiovascular disease. The more you exercise, the more your cholesterol levels will improve.

Blood Pressure Control: Hormones that are released during exercise make blood vessels more elastic. This helps lower blood pressure.

Improved Breathing

Exercise improves your body’s ability to take in oxygen and transport and use oxygen throughout the body. This helps your muscles get the oxygen they need to be more efficient during exercise. With improved lung function, your ability to exercise longer (stamina) can increase! You’ll also be able to think more clearly throughout the day.

Improved Immune System

Exercise improves the circulation of immune cells in your blood that fight off viruses and bacteria. Exercise also helps combat damage done to cells, tissues, and organs.