As a person begins to age, certain physiological changes starts to take place – the hair becomes gray, the skin starts to sag, wrinkles are very much apparent, the cartilage in the bones grows thin, metabolism slows down, problems with balance and eyesight occurs.

These are only a few – but all these, plus more, can significantly affect the person’s quality of life.

One glaring change is the inability to carry out tasks you’ve done when you were young.  You’ll recall with fondness that when you were in your mid-twenties, or early thirties, you can stay up all night and then get up in time for a jog around the park.  The long distance run has never been a problem – until now.  Suddenly, you realize you cannot run faster, and at far distances, without you having to pause now and then in order to catch your breath.  Because of this, people would rather resort to stopping physical activity altogether and then remain sedentary.

Physical inactivity has been established as one of the major causes for a person’s risk in developing cardiovascular diseases. It should not only be practiced among adults, but among children as well. It does not only develop their bodies, but also their social skills, their brains, and their ability to learn.

However, despite its numerous health benefits, many people are still afraid to engage in physical activities because of the fear of getting hurt. But then again, you can just engage in moderate intensity aerobic activity like brisk walking which is deemed to be generally safe for most people.

Stay Active, Take Beetroot

A new research by the university in union with the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry has shown that the effects of consuming beetroot juice can benefit a wider range of people. It suggests that the performance enhancing benefits of beetroot juice is not only for athletes, but also for the elderly. People with heart and lung conditions can also benefit from its physiological effects and enjoy a more active life. The study was published at the Journal of Applied Physiology. The researchers examined low-intensity exercise and observed that less oxygen was used by the subjects while walking, reducing their efforts by up to 12%.

The lead author of the study, and a Sport and Health Sciences Department PhD student, Kate Lansley, said that the amount of oxygen intake during exercise drops as you get older if you have cardiovascular conditions.  This is the reason why some people even find it hard to walk. They have also seen in the study that consumption of beetroot juice can help lower the amount of oxygen needed when performing low intensity activities, making it easier to do things some could not otherwise do.

The beetroot juice showed two physiological effects when consumed. First, it widens the diameter of blood vessels, allowing more blood to flow and reducing blood pressure. Second, it also reduces the amount of oxygen needed for muscles when doing activities. These two, when combined, will result to easier performance of physical activities, whether low or high intensity effort is required. However, the research has only been done on young healthy subjects. But there is no reason why it wouldn’t help other individuals as well.

Beetroot juice contains nitrate, which is said to be the key ingredient that is responsible for the enhanced performance of physical activities according to the research.

Health Benefits of Physical Activities

Physical activity helps in promoting a healthy body by aiding in disease prevention as well. Through years, we have a general knowledge that physical activity is just for those who want to lose weight, or have a good figure, but there’s more to it than that. Engaging in physical activities gives you a wide range of benefits including the following:

• It plays a critical role, together with diet, in controlling a person’s weight. The calories that you burn must be greater than the calories you consume. This burning of calories can be done through aerobic activities depending on the intensity that you need and that can be tolerated by your body.
• It can put you at a lower risk of heart diseases.
• It reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
• It also reduces the risk of some forms of cancers. Physically active people have a lower risk of colon and breast cancer compared to non-active ones. It is also said that if you are a cancer survivor, getting regular physical activities can help improve your quality of life and physical fitness.
• It can help strengthen your muscles and bones. Moving your bones and joints daily makes sure that you are able to do your daily activities without easily experiencing pain. It can also help in arthritis.
• It can improve the mood and mental health.
• It also increases the chances of living longer.

Benefits of Beetroot

The health benefits of beetroot have been tested and proven in many studies all over the world. In fact, the benefits of beetroot in fighting diseases have been proven since Roman Times. Beetroot can also be taken as a juice. It is harmless and is very beneficial because of its high nitrate content.

• According to a research in the William Harvey Research Institute at Barts in the UK and the London School of Medicine, lower blood pressure can be attained through drinking 500 ml of beetroot juice a day.
• A study using rats with induced high blood cholesterol as test subjects had shown that a diet with red beet fiber significantly reduced the subjects’ serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
• Betaine, a nutrient found in beets, can lower plasma homocysteine, a major risk factor in heart diseases. Betaine can also improve liver function.
• Certain studies have also shown that beetroot ingestion can be a useful way to help prevent development of cancers.

Tips on How to Stay Active

We must always remember that staying physically active is important. May it be a low intensity or high intensity activity, it will all help us in developing our physique and maintain a healthy body. Here are some simple tips on how to become active.

1. Walk as much as possible. There’s no need to waste money on cab or gasoline, right?
2. Take the few flights of stairs up to your office.  Doing this every day, or every other day, can improve your endurance and keep your heart healthy. You may experience being short of breath the first few weeks, but once you get the hang of it, you will be reaping the benefits sooner or later.
3. Dance Cleaning. A fun and effective way to clean – and shape up – at the same time.
4. Basket Shopping. Still using cart? If you don’t have much to buy, try using baskets a bit. This way your muscles get worked up.
5. Play Sports – being active in sport could not only help you become physically fit but also enhances your social and mental skills as well.

Sources
eurekalert.org
choosetomove.com
cdc.gov
elements4health.com
surgeongeneral.gov