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Exercise

Therapeutic Benefits of Exercise

An active way to better health

Below are four steps to better health for Australian Adults taken from the Australian Government's Department of health and ageing website.

1. Think of movement as an opportunity, not an inconvenience

Where any form of movement of the body is seen as an opportunity for improving health, but as a time-wasting inconvenience

2.   Be active every day in as many ways as you can

Make a habit of walking or cycling instead of using the car, or do things yourself instead of using labour saving machines.

3.    Put together at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days.

You can accumulate your 30 minutes (or more) throughout the day by combining a few shorter sessions of activity of around 10 to 15 minutes each

4.    If you can, also enjoy some regular, vigorous activity for extra health and fitness.

This guideline does not replace guidelines 1-3. Rather, it adds an extra level for those who are able, and wish, to achieve greater health and fitness benefits.

For more information, visit: www.healthyactive.gov.au

Below is a table taken from the Journal of Complementary Medicine outlining the Therapeutic effects of exercise. Please remember to consult your Doctor or health care professional before commencing any physical activity program.
Diabetes	Weight reduction and improved glucose tolerance when combining with nutrition counselling to reduce glycemic load and saturated fat intake and improved fibre intake
Stroke	Improved walking ability, walking speed and mobility and community integration
Obesity and Overweight	Weight loss when combined with dietary advise
Chronic fatigue syndrome	An improvement in function such as restoring the ability to work
Depression	Achieve and sustain full remission in depression in combination with antidepressants
Fall prevention and increasing strength in the elderly	Exercise, including lifting weights, is most effective when combined with falls risk assessment
Fibromyalga and chronic pain	Light exercise twice per week, such as walking and lifting weights, can reduce symptoms
Osteoporosis	Weight training and cardiorespiratory exercise, such as aerobics, improve bone density in the lower back: and aerobics alone in the neck of the femur (hip)
Chronic Heart Failure	Clear evidence of an overall reduction in mortality due to participation in properly supervised exercise

Source: http://www.physicalreality.com.au