| |
So, what is the link between
exercise, body weight, and good health?
If we take a closer look at how
these things relate, we can understand it better. Let's look at body weight
first. Your body weight is made up of two main components:
-
Lean Body Mass (muscles, bones,
organs, tissues, water, blood); and,
-
Body Fat (good for keeping us warm
on cold nights among other things!).
Your body is designed to operate
most effectively and efficiently at an optimum weight based on your height,
which takes into account the amount of body fat vs. lean body mass to function
properly. For example, when we look at just a few of the major
diseases, we can see that it is important to maintain a healthy balance of lean
body mass vs. body fat to ensure that disease does not develop. Click on
each heading to read about how it relates to fat:
|
Coronary Heart Disease |
One of the biggest causes
of heart disease is a process called atherosclerosis (narrowing of the
blood vessels). This happens when fat accumulates in the blood vessels,
then goes through a process resulting in the walls of the vessels becoming
thicker. This thickening leads to a reduced flow of blood to the heart.
One common sign of this is angina (chest pain).
 |
| Cancer |
It is widely accepted that
antioxidants contained in fresh fruits and vegetables can help to protect
against the majority of cancers. It is also accepted that maintaining a
healthy weight for your height reduces risk, as being
obese increases risk. Also, those who have too much body fat tend to eat a
diet high in fat content - with less fruit & vegetables, therefore not
taking advantage of their protective qualities. |
|
Diabetes |
There is a delicate balance between blood sugar, body
fat, and the hormone insulin. Excess blood sugar is stored in the liver
and other vital organs; however, when the organs are "full," the excess
blood sugar is converted to fat. As fat cells themselves become full,
they tend to take in less blood sugar. In some obese people, the
pancreas produces more and more insulin, which the body can't use, to
regulate blood sugar levels, and the whole system becomes overwhelmed.
This poor regulation of blood sugar and insulin results in diabetes, a
result of glucose levels in the blood being too high.
Type II diabetes develops when the body produces
some, but not all, of the insulin needed. It can also develop when the
body is not able to use the insulin that is produced properly.
|
So, if you want to decrease your
risk of developing disease and live a healthy life, you can see how important it
is to achieve and maintain a healthy body composition of lean body mass vs. body
fat. How do you do this?
|
|
