Why exercise and a healthy diet are the keys to better health

You’ve heard it before—exercise and a healthy diet are the keys to better health. And, yes, this has been said over and over again for years: Exercise is good for you, a healthy diet is good for you. But don't let the familiarity of these claims blind you to their truth.
Exercise and a healthy diet are good not just for your waistline but also your heart. It turns out that physical activity improves blood flow throughout your body, which means it will naturally find its way to your brain, too. That's great news if you'd like to keep dementia at bay as long as possible or even reverse symptoms in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Your skin will thank you too! The more oxygenated blood coarsing through your body thanks to regular exercise means that there's more nourishing blood flowing through every organ in your body—including the largest one: your skin!

The major cause of death and disease in New Zealand is heart disease. Diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity are all factors that increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease is sometimes called heart disease. It includes a number of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels. It's the major cause of death and disease in New Zealand.

In 2014, 8,000 people died from cardiovascular disease (CVD). That's about 22 Kiwis every day - one every hour. More than half of those who died were aged under 75 years old.

The most common form of CVD is coronary heart disease - sometimes called coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) - where blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced because arteries are narrowed or blocked by fatty deposits on their walls.

Stroke is another common form of CVD where there is bleeding into or around the brain, and no oxygen supply to parts of it because an artery has become blocked or has burst. Other forms include heart failure and irregular heartbeat (dysrhythmias).

In our increasingly sedentary lives, it is more important than ever to make time for exercise.

In our increasingly sedentary lives, it is more important than ever to make time for exercise. For many of us, we spend more time sitting down than standing. It’s important to get up and get moving throughout the day by taking regular activity breaks.
Of course, when it comes down to it, the best way to stay healthy is through exercise and a healthy diet. Regular physical activity can help with managing high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as preventing obesity and work-related stress — not to mention improving your sleep quality and confidence! That’s right: exercise not only makes you look better physically, but also improves your mood!

Regular exercise can help manage high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and work stress. And the side effects include improved sleep, confidence and mood!

Did you know that regular exercise can help manage high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and work stress? The best part is that you don’t have to be a gym junkie to reap the benefits. In fact, *any* exercise is better than none at all.
Low-intensity exercises like yoga or swimming are great for beginners and those with health problems. You don’t need any special equipment or a fancy gym membership — just get moving! Walking around your neighborhood for half an hour a day or investing in an inexpensive treadmill should be enough to get started.

Don’t push yourself too hard, though; if you overdo it your body will feel stiff the next day and soreness can discourage even the most motivated exerciser from trying it again. Remember: Rome wasn't built in a day! Set realistic goals for yourself and build up gradually: try adding 10 minutes of walking to your routine each week until you can do 30 minutes comfortably every day.

Fortunately, a healthy diet is easy to maintain - simply cut down on processed foods and increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Even with current food costs in New Zealand, a healthy diet is easy to maintain—simply cut down on processed foods and increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables. To get the most benefit from your healthy eating, you should also reduce your meat intake and increase healthful fats such as olive oil and avocados.

Remember that moderation is key. In our society, we tend to think in terms of absolutes rather than degrees: "This is good for me" or "I can't eat that." We are so focused on the small details that we lose sight of the big picture. When it comes to food, moderation will lead you to better overall health in the long run.
In addition to diet, exercise plays a vital role in achieving optimal health.

A sedentary lifestyle contributes greatly to physical illness; cardiovascular disease is among the most common causes of death in Western societies that have adopted a sedentary lifestyle as a norm. By getting up and moving around more, you'll be helping yourself now and later by remaining active throughout your life.

It is never too early or too late to start exercising regularly and making your health a priority.

It is never too early or too late to start exercising regularly and making your health a priority. The benefits of exercise not only help your physical body, they also help you mentally.

If you struggle with high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity, regular exercise can help control those issues. Exercise can also help manage the stress that comes with working long hours or being in a stressful environment. If you want to improve your sleep and increase your confidence, exercising regularly can help you do that as well. Studies have shown that people who exercise regularly tend to be happier than those who don't.