The Effects of Healthy Eating and Exercise on the Human Life Span - Research Paper Example

The Effects of Healthy Eating and Exercise on the Human Life Span Introduction Achieving a healthy body has always been one of the most elusive goals for most people. The necessary requirements for staying healthy are tied in with eating healthy and exercising – two activities which are difficult to integrate into people’s lives. The temptation to eat delicious, but unhealthy foods abound through fast food chains and other popular food markets. Coupled with more temptation to lounge around and avoid exercise, make healthy goals even more difficult to achieve. However, it is the achievement of these goals which often define people’s physical, mental contentment, and satisfaction in their lives. This paper shall discuss the premise that some exercise makes a man healthy, and thus, he can lead a longer and happier life. It shall discuss the effects of healthy eating and exercise on the human life span with particular emphasis on positive effects of adopting a healthy lifestyle. Discussion Eating is an important mechanism which all humans have to incorporate into their lives because it nourishes them and helps them survive. Inasmuch as it can nourish our bodies, it can however also bring about different negative effects, ranging high cholesterol levels to high sugar levels in the system. It is therefore important to eat healthy and to choose food and nutrients which can promote and maintain our health. These healthy foods and nutrients help promote permanent weight loss (Healthy Eating, 2008). Eating healthy foods is about supplying the body with a balanced diet – a diet which is rich in the resources which are needed for proper functioning. These healthy elements include protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fat, and water (WebMd, 2010). These elements provide calories, which are burned by the body to produce energy for its daily functions. The portions of these elements should however be ingested at balanced and adequate proportions. Most of the time, when the food we eat contains too much fat and cholesterol, they get stored in our body – through excess body weight. Cholesterol can also be deposited in our arteries (WebMd, 2010). By eating a balanced diet, these fatty deposits are metabolized and eventually lost. By integrating healthy eating as a regular part of our lives, most people lose weight, and, more importantly, keep extra weight off. Eating healthy can also build up more energy for the conduct of daily activities. Eating snacks which are protein-based 30 minutes before a workout can supply much needed energy for carrying out a vigorous workout (Romeo, 2007). Drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day can also keep the body refreshed and prevent dehydration. Fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables help maintain the digestive system and promote elimination (Romeo, 2007). At different times of the day, the right types of food help maintain and supply much needed energy to the body. For breakfast, a full breakfast of energy boosting foods like cereal, oatmeal, fruits with nuts, toast, and egg whites can provide the necessary morning boost (Romeo, 2007). For lunch, healthy foods and portions can be reduced because of the ‘big’ breakfast, and for dinner, big meals can be taken – but not too late and not too near one’s bedtime. Dinner meals may include rice, a small piece of meat, and vegetables. Such foods can provide the energy which is necessary for normal functioning. By following a healthy diet throughout the day, a person is also likely to sleep better at nights. Eating too much or too little can disturb sleep. Having a full stomach too close to bedtime can cause discomfort and wakefulness (Reader’s Digest, 2010). For individuals prone to acid reflux, lying down on a full stomach encourages the acids and gastric fluids to flow up to the esophagus which can later induce heartburn and make sleep difficult (Reader’s Digest, 2010). Too much alcohol can also disrupt the REM cycle; and it can dehydrate the body. For some people, caffeine can cause wakefulness and insomnia (Reader’s Digest, 2010). Meals which are high in fat can cause heartburn or indigestion, thereby disturbing sleep patterns. By avoiding all these foods and by following the above healthy eating habits, untoward health issues can be avoided and more health benefits can be enjoyed. Healthy eating habits can also prevent diseases. As was mentioned earlier, eating fatty foods can cause weight gain and cholesterol deposits in the arteries. These deposits can cause coronary artery diseases which can lead to high blood pressure and can increase a person’s risk for strokes and heart attacks (American Academy of Physicians, 2010). Strokes and heart attacks can sometimes lead to death. Healthy eating habits and exercise can also reduce a person’s risk for diabetes and other chronic diseases. Healthy eating habits can promote the function of the organs, including the pancreas which helps regulate insulin production. Insulin regulates our blood sugar and problems involving high blood sugar levels can eventually lead to diabetes (Sletten, 2010). In a study by Sletten (2010), about 40 overweight individuals aged 50 to 75 for four weeks ate foods which were said to reduce low-grade inflammation. These foods had high levels of antioxidants, slow release carbohydrates, dietary fibers, and whole grains. These foods included blueberries, barley, cinnamon, almonds, and vinegar (Sletten, 2010). Before the start of the trial, the participants had high levels of bad cholesterol. Towards the end of the study, they were able to reduce their bad cholesterol by 33% and they also reduced their blood lipids by 14% (Sletten, 2010). They also reduced their risk for blood clots by 26% and their blood pressure by eight percent. Their memory and cognitive function also manifested a marked improvement by the end of the trial (Sletten, 2010). This study indicates how healthy eating can prevent a host of diseases which eventually help a person live longer and disease-free lives. Exercise also helps deliver the aforementioned benefits; it helps complement the benefits of healthy eating to the general physiologic make-up of a person. Aside from the above benefits, exercise also helps improve a person’s mood. Physical activity stimulates brain chemicals to be released to the blood stream and these chemicals bring about a general feeling of happiness in a person after exercise (Mayo Clinic, 2009). It can also bring about a better feeling about oneself; it can boost one’s confidence and improve one’s self-esteem; in effect, it helps to prevent depression (Mayo Clinic, 2009). In addition to healthy eating – especially, one which avoids bad cholesterol – exercise can help prevent high blood pressure as it helps to keep blood flowing smoothly by decreasing the build-up of plaques in the arteries (Mayo Clinic, 2009). Some studies also point out that it helps reduce one’s risk for acquiring cancer, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, liver and kidney problems, and similar chronic diseases. Exercise also assists in weight loss. It facilitates the burning of calories and increases a person’s metabolism; eventually, it helps a person shed extra weight, and to keep such weight off (Mayo Clinic, 2009). Exercise promotes better sleep as it helps a person sleep faster and deeper. These deep sleeps help reduce stress during the daytime and revitalizes a person for his daily activities (Mayo Clinic, 2009). Healthy eating and exercise also helps clean out the toxins in the body. Foods rich in antioxidants fight the free radicals in the body. These free radicals destroy normal cells and promote the growth of abnormal cells which cause cancer and other diseases (Healthy Diet, 2009). Healthy eating and exercise also promotes smoother, clearer, and more nourished skin. It also prevents and cures cellulite. Once a person starts exercising and eating healthy foods, he would lose weight and consequently, these fatty deposits underneath the skin would disappear. In general, healthy eating and exercise also helps promote a general feeling of well-being and happiness. In a study Scheve (2010), the release of endorphins is stimulated by certain vigorous stimuli like sex, food, pain, and exercise. Endorphins are chemicals which make a person feel good. It also acts as a painkiller and as a pay-off for the body’s reward system. In effect, if a person hurts himself, a high dose of endorphins is released to ease the pain (Scheve, 2010). The study points out that exercise stimulates endorphin production, often giving a person a euphoric feeling when exercising (Scheve, 2010). The healthy feeling and one’s healthy appearance also boosts people’s self-confidence and consequently, decreases their risk for depression. Decreased health risks for diseases helps reduce stress and general unhealthy feelings in a person, in effect, making him feel good about himself and about his general health status. Conclusion Healthy eating and exercise brings about various effects on a person. First and foremost, it promotes weight loss and it helps keep extra weight off. Eating healthy foods helps reduce fatty deposits in the body and cholesterol deposits in the arteries. Consequently, reduced fat and cholesterol deposits in the body prevent the risk for coronary artery and other heart diseases. Other diseases like diabetes, cancer, liver and kidney problems, and similar chronic diseases are also prevented through healthy eating and exercise. Healthy eating and exercise promotes good sleep and reduces stress. They promote the release of toxins into the body which fight off free radicals – free radicals – which promote the proliferation of abnormal cells, and which consequently increase the risk for cancers and other diseases. Healthy eating and exercise also promotes the release of endorphins into the blood stream. These endorphins are chemicals which bring forth a general feeling of happiness. Healthy eating and exercise helps a person feel good about himself, thereby, reducing his risk for depression. Works Cited American Academy of Family Physicians (2010) Coronary Artery Disease: Reducing Your Risk. Family Doctor. Retrieved 18 October 2010 from http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/heartdisease/risk/239.html Benefits of Eating Healthy (2008). Healthy Eating. 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Retrieved 18 October 2010 from http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/sleep-and-diet-eating-to-sleep-well/article29172.html Sletten, D. (2010) Eating Healthy Reduces Risk Factors for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease by High Percentages. Health Mad. Retrieved 19 October 2010 from http://healthmad.com/nutrition/eating-healthy-reduces-risk-factors-for-diabetes-and-cardiovascular-disease-by-high-percentages/ What Are the Benefits Of Healthy Eating And Exercise (2009) Ultimate Healthy Diet. Retrieved 19 October 2010 from http://www.ultimatehealthydiet.com/healthy-weight-loss/what-are-the-benefits-of-healthy-eating-and-exercise Read More