Vigorous exercise must be a regular part of our lifestyle. We benefit much by being just a bit more active, e.g. walking briskly for a half hour 4x a week.
Aerobic exercise – fast walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, roller skating, dancing, etc., to enable our heart, lungs and blood-delivering network to stay tuned up and efficient.
Flexibility exercises – isometrics, vigorous dancing, yoga postures, tai chi, to stretch our muscles and keep joints more mobile, body movements more graceful and posture more comfortable – very important for lifelong body-mind-spirit wellness.
Strength increasing exercises – lightweight high-repetition weight lifting and many types of calisthenics like push ups. These increase the bulk, tone and power of our muscles and freedom of movement. If you breathe in deeply you can lift heavy things.
As well as the cardiovascular system, we have 2 other circulating fluid systems: lymphatic & cerebrospinal. Both the lymphatic system and the cerebrospinal fluid system have absolutely no pump. So those fluids require bodily movement to circulate. The most fluid movement in the least amount of time comes through rapid up and down jumping movements. Of these, the dances of tandava and kaoshiki are obviously good. In addition, we may use rope jumping.
The interstitial fluid of the lymphatic system is absolutely vital as a carrier for both taking away metabolic waste, and also for carrying in nutrients & oxygen. So for that reason, if this fluid is full of waste, the cells cannot be properly oxygenated. The interstitial fluid is derived from the blood, and is the medium around every single living cell except those in the blood stream. Furthermore, if there is not enough exercise to cause the water in the interstitial fluid to nicely flow, then stagnant water encourages negative bacterial growth. When the interstitial fluid from within the tissues drains away from tissues, it passes out through lymph vessels, thickens and is called lymph. It drains into the lymph ducts or lymph nodes, carrying (among other things) waste materials and white blood cells, (especially lymphocytes, an important cell class of the immune system which produces anti-bodies) back into the cardiovascular system.
Aerobic Exercise Benefits
- Promotes blood circulation…at your own pace only!
- Strengthens heart & lungs
- Sweats out toxins
- Aids sleep
- Improves brain power
- Improves immune system
- Reduces stress
- Regulates weight
