FOR BETTER AND MORE ENJOYABLE EXERCISE, Part 2
KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY
“All the deeper problems of physiology turn on the mutual action of the tissue and the blood”.
-Sir Michael Foster
It is important to know some basic knowledge about what happens to our body when we exercise so that we know better what we are doing and why we are doing it. Exercise alters our body’s response to physical stress and prepares our body to respond better to any physical and psychological stress in the future. Our body can adapt to any demands we impose on it.
As soon as we decide to exercise, our brain gets the message and start preparing our body for the extra demand of exercise with neuro-hormonal mechanisms. Our heart rate increases, and blood vessels dilate with exercise to increase the volume and the speed of blood circulation to our hard- working organ systems - such as the cardiovascular system, respiratory system and musculoskeletal system. Our brain also shifts blood volume from less active organs during exercise, like the gastrointestinal tract, to the hardworking organ systems. This is because life giving blood contains all the necessary ingredients like oxygen, nutrients, electrolytes, fuels for energy.
It would be wise to monitor the activity of our hardworking organs during exercise with readily available and wearable devices to make sure they remain at recommended levels.
Recent studies show that the higher your daily step counts, the lower your risk of diseases like heart disease, cancer or dementia. Studies also show that you may not need 10k steps per day. Even taking just 3,800 steps still created a reduced risk.
Exercise increases our respiratory rate as well as the depth of respiration to supply more oxygenated blood to our hardworking organs.
Our musculoskeletal system, which provides locomotion during exercise also works hard. Our muscles metabolically are very active. The more they work, the stronger and more efficient they become. Without any physical stimuli like walking, push-ups, sit-ups or light weightlifting, they become weak, atrophic and replaced by fat tissues.
Muscles contain a form of sugar (glycogen) as a fuel for energy. Our muscles also use blood sugar as source of energy, as well as mobilizes fat from fat tissues, convert to fatty acids and use it as fuel for energy. So, the activities from our muscles not only provide our strength and locomotion, but also help control blood sugar level as well as help to control our weight.
Exercise stimulates the pituitary gland to release more human growth hormone (HGH) to the blood circulation, to tell our body to boost tissue, muscle and bone production so that our body could accommodate our need for exercise.
Exercise also makes our thyroid gland produce more thyroxin hormone that help regulate our heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.
Exercise even affects our brain function to change for the better. Overwhelming evidence exists that exercise boosts our brain functions, while reducing stress hormones levels in the blood, delaying the risk of developing age-related dementia and other degenerative brain disorders.
Exercise increases the production of certain brain chemicals like endorphins (morphine like chemical). adrenalin, dopamine, endocannabinoids. These brain chemicals are associated with feeling good, happy, more energetic, and capable.
Experimental neuro-scientific studies have shown that exercise also affects our body at cellular level. Our muscles cells contain very minute energy producing subcellular structures called mitochondria. Working muscles increase their mitochondrial content to become more energy production and efficiency. It is believed that the other hard-working organs cells also do the same.
As I See It, it is obvious that exercise plays very important roles in our physical and mental health and wellbeing, and it should never be ignored.
