WHY IS EXERCISE GOOD FOR US ?

Those of us that do exercise know that good feeling (most of the time) that comes during and Science is just now beginning to open the door on this immensely interesting arena. That people who get more exercise have fewer heart attacks, was established in 1953 by a classic study from England, demonstrating that in 31,000 bus drivers and conductors, on London's double deck buses. The bus drivers had three times the heart attack rate, and more than twice the death rate from heart attack than did the conductors who were required to move about constantly and climb the stairs to the second deck of the bus.

Prior to this study there were almost no publications in the literature on physical fitness and cardiovascular disease but now they're almost 10,000 publications per year.
Reasons for the beneficial effect of exercise are just beginning to be understood.

In the last decade those of us that do exercise know that good feeling (most of the time) that comes during and Science is just now beginning to open the door on this immensely interesting arena. That people who get more exercise have fewer heart attacks, was established in 1953 by a classic study from England, demonstrating that in 31,000 bus drivers and conductors, on London's double deck buses. The bus drivers had three times the heart attack rate, and more than twice the death rate from heart attack than did the conductors who were required to move about constantly and climb the stairs to the second deck of the bus.

Prior to this study there were almost no publications in the literature on physical fitness and cardiovascular disease but now they're almost 10,000 publications per year.
has been firmly established that cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, stroke, type II diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and Alzheimer's disease are to a major extent inflammatory disorders. These disorders are characterized by an environment of sedentary lifestyle and excess body weight. Systemic low-level inflammation is a consequence, and cause of this environment.

Abundant, recent research has demonstrated that excess body fat contributes to the inflammatory burden by the production of pro inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines are signaling molecules that trigger the inflammatory pathways that are the basis for these chronic diseases. Elevated levels of pro inflammatory cytokines are present in all the diseases previously mentioned as well as acute and chronic depression.

The new and exciting research now being done, demonstrates that the contracting muscle fiber produces cytokines (named myokines because they are derived from muscle) that are profoundly anti-inflammatory and have a beneficial effect on metabolism mood and brain function. These myokines counter act, the pro inflammatory cytokines, derived from fat or adipose tissue (adipokines) and does have a positive effect on the heart, brain, bones, arteries, and the immune system.

Much more knowledge will come in the future as this complicated system is further studied.
But for now, get out and get some exercise!!!