WHY IS EXERCISE NECESSARY?

This simple question requires a detailed answer as the effects of regular exercise on our body, soul and spirit are very complex and varied. In short, with moderate training, most of our so called “endemic diseases” can be controlled. You can find out why here:

IN WHICH DIRECTION IS OUR HEALTH GOING?

For years our health system has been steering towards a dead end, at which its collapse stands. Although the National Health Service is taking on fewer and fewer services, the yearly contributions continue to increase. Only the pharmaceutical industry, with its continuously growing revenues, can be pleased with this development. Basically though, it’s clear to everybody that it can’t go on like this for much longer.

Illnesses that only a few decades ago posed no problem, now affect an increasingly larger share of the population and the affected are also younger and younger.

A few examples are:

The continual spread of these illnesses goes hand in hand with an increasing lack of exercise and excess weight on the one hand, and rising demands at school, work and free time on the other. Nowadays, research confirms without a doubt that there is a causal connection between these developments: sustained exercise is essential for our health – without adequate exercise under the right circumstances we cannot remain healthy. If however we move regularly, then a whole chain of positive processes with huge benefits is set in motion.

HEALING THROUGH EXERCISE

With moderate exercise for example, the bodies’ self healing power, so called homeostasis, is activated. Our body is basically able to produce all the necessary substances itself that balance out our health. In many cases we can actually do that without expensive medication. Besides the above mentioned illnesses, there are many more health problems that can be reduced, prevented or even cured by our bodies’ own powers.

You can read more about this in detail on our implementation pages and from our incredible customer and expert opinions. Metabolism is essential for homeostasis, but it can only be achieved through sustained exercise at a medium intensity level. If we sit or lie down too much, or strain ourselves too one-sidedly, then our body and its ability for self healing loses its balance.

Joerg Blech – esteemed journalist at “der Zeit” and “Spiegel”- has brought together an impressive number of current articles about this subject in his books “Heilen mit Bewegung” and “Bewegung”. Unfortunately they are not available in English yet. Incredibly enough, even doctors know surprisingly little about the correlation between exercise and health, and in the media unfortunately far too little is heard about these wonderful insights.

WEIGHT CONTROL

A lack of physical exercise is the essential reason for excess weight and obesity. Where 50 years ago it was quite normal for us to walk for kilometers, we now spend most of the day sitting down. Very few people are still physically taxed on a daily basis, but despite this we still take in the same number of calories we used to. The unavoidable consequence is that the body saves this surplus energy in the shape of stored fat, and we gain weight.  

Basically though, it is quite easy to lose weight as calories burnt must be more than calories taken in. So those who like to eat and eat a lot, must also therefore exercise more. According to the latest research this is even more important than our diet.

SPIRITUAL FITNESS

The stimulation of our metabolism through exercise ensures that our brain receives more oxygen. I It is also especially developed and trained though by coordinatively challenging exercise sequences. This stimulates every day concentration and efficiency. For neurologist Johannes Holler, exercise is a must for our intelligence: “sport is required for spiritual agility. If you want to know how fit your brain is, feel your leg muscles”.  

Research in schools has confirmed that grades are directly connected to the coordinative ability of the pupil. Taken over the total school period, pupils with bad balance have lower grades in mathematics, German and sometimes sport. It seems that: He who moves more is also fitter in the head.  

With regards to age related diseases, Professor Wildor Hollman (German sports academy Cologne) says: “with an almost certain degree of probability, exercise can prevent Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia”. 

EMOTIONAL BALANCE

Nowadays, depression almost belongs in the category of national diseases. Are today’s emotional stresses really so much higher than they used to be, are we simply less able to handle them or is maybe this phenomenon also connected to a lack of exercise? It is definitely a fact that exercise makes us happy and lifts our mood. Have you ever seen a child that’s in a bad mood jumping on a bed or sofa ?
 
With the help of – especially playful – exercise, it is possible to really improve our frame of mind without psychotherapy or medication.

Dancing or bouncing on the trampoline for example has an immediate and positive effect on our psyche; makes us happier, more relaxed and therefore more resilient to everyday problems.

WHY IS THIS CORRELATION NOT BETTER KNOWN?

Perhaps you are now wondering why we don’t hear and read much more about the positive correlation between exercise and health? If you however think about who, besides the afflicted, would profit if suddenly many of the existing health problems were solved…!
 
All parties involved operate profit orientated and earn money from our illnesses. They are obviously not concerned with what is best for the patients, but only with what is best for the company and its shareholders. So why would they risk having less income and less to do? Why would they, on world diabetes day, take out a full page advertisement stating that in many cases diabetes can be inexpensively reduced through exercise when instead they can advertise insulin products and thus increase their profits?
 
Unfortunately, the yearly increasing health insurance contributions don’t lead to improved health circumstances, but mostly land in the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry. Regrettably, we are therefore required to take charge of our own health and to actively ensure we are able to move about properly again.

HOW MUCH EXERCISE SHOULD WE TAKE?

Only very few of us properly convert the insight of science in relation to exercise to our advantage. It is the same with exercise as it is with every other “nutrient”; the dosage decides whether there is no result , a positive effect or even damage done to the body. And unfortunately only a few are struck by the correct intensity of this balancing exercise:

Some are simply not interested in sport and therefore hardly exercise at all. After leaving school, many connect sport with the inseparable thoughts of achievement and the fear of failure. It’s probably become obvious to most of them that they should move more, but they are either already too lazy, ashamed or they lack confidence. Their inner demon wins the fight and they end up watching television instead of exercising more often.

Unfortunately, the others often go to opposite extremes, follow the mentioned achievement thoughts and mutate into “top athletes”. They set themselves high targets thinking that “a lot helps a lot”, by for example successfully participating in a marathon.

By now it should be clear that such torture to the body has negative consequences. Heart, muscles and joints are completely overtaxed and would be hurting terribly during the run if the body’s own endorphins didn’t so strongly reduce the sensation of pain. For hours, one runs on the edge of total collapse in good faith that it’s good for the body. It’s incomprehensible that these runs still regularly find support and marketing, even from the health services who should really know better.

CONCLUSION:

When exercising, the right dosage is very important: research confirms without a doubt that sport with no thoughts of achievement brings the biggest gains. Moderate exercise ( but at a medium impact level), two to three times a week with a lot of fun instead of stress has the most positive effect on body, soul and spirit with no risk of damaging side effects.