It’s a well-known fact that exercise will increase the strength and size of lean muscles. This is not new information. But did you know that we have 3 different types of muscle in our body: skeletal muscle (voluntary), smooth muscle (involuntary), and cardiac muscle (heart). When we exercise, we affect skeletal and cardiac muscles. Skeletal muscles are the only ones we have complete control over (barring a neurological condition). When we choose to exercise, we’re focusing on strengthening our skeletal muscles by increasing the size of its cells. We don’t increase the number of cells, but we can strengthen them and increase their size.

UNLIMITED activities to choose from! There are so many different forms of exercise available, that we can expand our horizons and find new things to learn and enjoy. It’s also fun to spend some time remembering the kinds of activities we used to enjoyed in the past, and reengage in some of those as well.

Many exercises can be done in your own home. If you have enough room to put something like a stationary bike or a tread mill, this can be a very convenient way to get daily exercise. The out-of-doors provides unlimited places for walking, jogging, bicycling, hiking and etc. Most neighborhoods have recreational parks with tennis courts or baseball fields. There are easily accessible bowling alleys and local gyms in most cities. Water sports include canoeing, surfing, swimming, and scuba diving. Some sports are available only in wintertime — like skiing and outdoor ice skating. Other sports are played in teams. But most exercises can be done with a friend, or in a larger group, or simply by yourself.

Certainly, some forms of exercise are more vigorous and physically challenging. Whatever form of exercise you choose, you will be strengthening different areas of your body, and your muscles will get stronger.

FREE Exercise! Some exercise requires special equipment, but there are lots of fun activities that are very inexpensive or free. Think back to all the things you did when you were young, or watch your own children or a group of children playing outdoors or at your local park. Children are only limited by their own imaginations, and they naturally enjoy engaging in activities that require physical exertion. If exercising together as a family is an option for you in your current situation, this can be a great way to involve both children and adults.

Choose a time of day that works for YOU!  I know all too well that many people struggle with making time for regular exercise. Many feel that they are just too busy to exercise. Somehow they mistakenly think that if they’re busy all day, then they must be getting some form of exercise. However, that’s not necessarily the case. There needs to be a specific time period set aside for meeting your body’s physical needs. Morning time is best, if you’re interested in matching your body’s diurnal rhythm for cortisol production. But, if evening works better for your schedule, that can also work.

Choose activities that you ENJOY!  When figuring out how to implement a regular exercise schedule into your daily routine, there is one thing that you MUST do in order to be successful in reaching your goals – make sure that the exercises you choose to do are activities that you ENJOY doing! Exercise needs to be fun. 

As a healthcare provider, I am definitely a strong advocate for health, and I spend a lot of time talking with my patients about healthy lifestyles. If you are going to be healthy in this challenging 21st century, you need to be actively involved in creating your own plan for optimizing and maintaining your health.

COMMIT to daily exercise! The decision to exercise MUST be a priority. Once you’ve decided on the time that will work with your busy schedule, the next hurdle is sticking to your plan. For me, I know that the decision to exercise is made the evening before. That way, no matter what obstacles or feelings come up the next morning, it’s much easier to ignore those distracting, self-defeating thoughts and feelings. Commit to yourself that you’re going to stick to your plan, and then learn to trust yourself by consistently following through.

In my next post I’ll expand on 3) Exercise decreases fat – another reason why exercise is your best friend.

1)         Exercise promotes heart health

2)         Exercise increases lean muscle

3)         Exercise decreases fat

4)         Exercise improves your mood (creativity, motivation, enjoyment of life)

5)         Exercise helps you sleep better

6)         Exercise increases your energy

7)         Exercise makes you look better (complexion, move easier, toned)

8)         What benefits have you personally experienced from exercising?

The added benefit of heart health is at the top of my list of reasons for why it’s important to exercise every day, and why exercise is your best friend. Why does exercise promote heart health? One reason is that it requires the heart to work hard and to pump harder over an extended period of time. This work strengthens the muscles of the heart. In turn, the strong muscles enable the heart to adequately supply the cells and muscles of the body with the energy and oxygen they need. The vascular system of the heart is well designed. The supply of freshly oxygenated blood returning from the lungs via the pulmonary vessels is pushed from the left atrium into the larger chamber beneath and then into the main artery — the aorta. The coronary arteries branch off from the base of the aorta, and flow directly  to the cardiac muscle cells. In other words, the first muscle to benefit from the increased blood flow is the heart itself.

Biological processes that enable life  The physical organs of the human body are relatively easy to describe and visualize. The microscopic chemical and biological processes that enable life to exist are what fascinate me. I do understand that this same fascination does not exist in all my readers. However, if you will bear with me as I describe just one of the microscopic processes that occur during exercise, this understanding may provide the impetus you need to make daily exercise a priority in your life! That is my hope in writing.

Blood labs for providing physical evidence  There are a number of labs that I typically order for each of my patients in order to assess for specific risk factors and for possible heart disease [i.e. CBC, CMP, hsCRP, HgbA1c, lipid profile (cholesterol levels and triglycerides)]. Over the years as I have worked with many patients from all walks of life, I have seen certain patterns in individuals with specific lifestyles and preferences in terms of their diet, stress level and exercise habits. Of course there may be genetic factors which predispose someone to any number of variations. However, these variations are the exception rather than the norm, and in almost all cases, the physical evidence of a sedentary lifestyle can actually be seen in the results of that person’s blood tests.

Would you rather “exercise” or  “take a drug”?  The physiological evidence of some high risk factors for heart disease are frequently scrutinized by health care providers. If a person is diagnosed with high risk factors for, say, elevated cholesterol levels, the first line of treatment should always be EXERCISE and lifestyles that promote health. If lifestyle intervention does not result in the desired result of lowering cholesterol levels, the medical standard of care treatment will be pharmacologic intervention, which always carries with it certain risks. For example, if a person is diagnosed with hyperlipidemia (which includes high cholesterol), and chooses NOT to exercise or practice healthy lifestyles, their doctor will more than likely prescribe a statin drug to lower their cholesterol level. If that sounds like your situation, be aware that the cholesterol-lowering drug will do a lot more than just lower your cholesterol levels. A statin drug (such as Lipitor) will also lower Coenzyme Q10. A lowering of this enzyme is why so many people who take statin drugs feel weak, have muscle aches, or experience a drop in their energy level. This is because CoA, acetyl CoA, Coenzyme Q10 and NADH are all critical components of the Kreb cycle which creates Adenosine  Triphosphate (ATP) – a high energy molecule. Without Coenzyme Q10, ATP cannot be made!!

Krebs cycle produces ATP  Ever since I first learned about the Krebs cycle, it has fascinated me. Other names for Krebs cycle are citric acid cycle, or tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle). Basically, it’s the process used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy, in the form of ATP, from carbohydrates, fats and proteins. This process takes place within eukaryote cells. Eukaryote cells contain a nucleus and other structures, or organelles that are enclosed within membranes. The organelle that fascinates me is the mitochondrion. These mitochondria are the power houses where the process of making ATP occurs. ATP is energy!

How to boost your body’s production of ATP  When you exercises, your body makes more mitochondrial cells. I like to remember this miraculous fact on those sometimes bleak mornings when I wake up and don’t feel like exercising. I remind myself that the more regularly I exercise, the more mitochondrial cells my body will make, the more ATP will be produced, and thus the more energy I will have. I am much smarter when I listen to my body!

The solution for having a higher energy level is pretty straight-ward. If you’re wanting to get rid of the doldrums (for those Dr. Seuss fans out there) and wanting to feel more energized, alive and motivated, then just exercise more! The good news is, it’s not necessary to go over-board and over-exercise. Listen to your body and it will let you know what’s right for you. If you’re not in the habit of exercising regularly, first get a check-up with your doctor, including blood labs, to make sure everything is in order.  By incorporating daily exercise into your routine, you will increase the overall health of your heart and enjoy all the benefits of increased energy.

P.S. Please be aware that the lack of exercise will produce the opposite results. If you choose to live a more sedentary life, your body will eliminate the superfluous mitochondrial cells that are not being used. The end result is that you will have less energy. Perhaps after reading my post you will reconsider, and even make a different choice.

In my next post I’ll expand on 2) Exercise increases lean muscle – another reason why exercise is your best friend.

1)         Exercise promotes heart health

2)         Exercise increases lean muscle

3)         Exercise decreases fat

4)         Exercise improves your mood (creativity, motivation, enjoyment of life)

5)         Exercise helps you sleep better

6)         Exercise increases your energy

7)         Exercise makes you look better (complexion, move easier, toned)

8)         What benefits have you personally experienced from exercising?

Behind each benefit gained from exercising, there is a physiologic process going on in the body. The human body was designed to create and sustain life, and if we take care of it, it can serve us well. It’s truly amazing to me that exercise affects every cell of the body. It can extend the length of your life. It creates more ATP (energy) because of the mitochondrial cells that are produced when you exercise. Exercise helps your body eliminate toxins. It increases your metabolism. Exercise decreases your risk of cancer and other health problems. It makes you look better – pink cheeks, healthier skin, increased flexibility, and movements that are more fluid. Exercise makes you look younger. Morning exercise resets your cortisol level. It decreases feelings of stress. It decreases fat. Exercise increases lean muscle. Exercise promotes heart health – the heart is a muscle. Exercise makes you feel better. It improves your mood by increasing your levels of serotonin. Exercise helps with regularity and the health of your digestive system. It helps you sleep better. Exercise stimulates and improves brain function, thus improving your memory. It increases your creativity. When you exercise outside, it creates a connection to the earth and the beauties of nature. Exercise provides social interaction with other people.

In my next post I’ll expand on one (1) of the following reasons why exercise is your best friend:

1)         Exercise promotes heart health

2)         Exercise increases lean muscle

3)         Exercise decreases fat

4)         Exercise improves your mood (creativity, motivation, enjoyment of life)

5)         Exercise helps you sleep better

6)         Exercise increases your energy

7)         Exercise makes you look better (complexion, move easier, toned)

8)         What benefits have you personally experienced from exercising?

As a medical provider I have a serious responsibility to help people live healthier, happier lives. So, if you’re really wanting to look and feel your best, pay attention to doing these 5 things. If you do, it will change your life!

#1 Exercise every day
#2 Eat only real food
#3 Take top-quality multivitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and calcium
#4 Make sure your hormones are balanced
#5 Reduce your stress

In my next several posts, I’ll be focusing on the miraculous benefits of exercise (Topic #1 – Exercise every day)