Questions 1. What are B vitamins needed for? 2. What foods provide healthy fats? 3. Why is too much sugar harmful to health? 4. Why is water important in our diet? 5. List four sources of fibre.
Lifestyle The choices we make about how we live our life also significantly influence our health.
Exercise Exercise has a very positive impact on our health. Ensuring that you get at least one hour of aerobic exercise a day could help you to: Feel more peaceful and happy. Exercise releases chemicals called endorphins which greatly improve your mood. Regular exercise is one of the treatments for depression. Sleep better. When the body has been physically active it finds it easier to sleep well. Good sleep patterns are also essential to maintain good mental health. Maintain a healthy body weight. Our body weight is determined by a combination of the food we eat and the exercise we take. Exercise uses up the calories in our food so there is less to be stored as fat. Exercise also builds and strengthens our muscles. Reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure later in life. Strengthen bones and reduce the chance of osteoporosis (brittle bones) later in life.
l l l Fig. 11 Exercise greatly benefits our health.
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Improve your skin. Exercise increases our circulation. This brings more nutrients and oxygen to the skin making it better able to remove toxins and also improving its appearance. Reduce stress. Exercise has been shown to reduce the level of stress hormones circulating in our bodies. Think more clearly. Exercise sends more oxygen to our brains, allowing us to use them better. Resist illnesses better. Exercise improves our body’s immune response because an improved circulation will bring antibodies around our bodies faster. It also helps us to remove bacteria and viruses from our lungs more quickly and flush out toxins from our bodies.
