Exercise is defined as physical activity that is performed to maintain fitness and health. It is a vital part of any healthy lifestyle and has long been shown to provide many health benefits, including:

• Reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease
  
  
• Reducing or managing weight and body fat
  
  
• Improving ability to manage diabetes
  
  
• Reducing high blood pressure

• Easing chronic and acute pain
  
  
• Reducing the risk of many cancers, such as breast and colon cancer
  
  
• Improving mental health disorders such as depression
  
  
• Preventing osteoporosis
  
  
• Improving sleep and digestion

Studies have shown that a combination of lack of exercise and poor diet may account for about 14 percent of total mortality rates in the United States and are second only to smoking as the biggest killer of Americans. It is because of this that regular moderate-intensity exercise – between 30 to 60 minutes a day, four to six times a week – has become the cornerstone for both the treatment and prevention of many chronic diseases. For example, exercise provides significant benefits for cardiovascular patients and those wishing to reduce their risk of heart disease, such as:

• Decreasing the heart’s need for oxygen
  
  
• Strengthening the heart muscle
  
  
• Reducing levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol while increasing levels of HDL “good” cholesterol
  
  
• Lowering blood pressure
  
  
• Stimulating the creation of new blood vessels
  
  
• Reducing the buildup of plaque
  
  
• Reversing the process of “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis)

Regular exercise can also help people to manage their diabetes by providing the following benefits:

• Lowering glucose (blood sugar) levels
  
  
• Reducing insulin resistance
  
  
• Promoting weight loss and management
  
  
• Reducing dietary restrictions
  
  
• Relieving stress
  
  
• Helping reduce the risk of numerous diabetes-related disorders