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Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things that you can do for your health. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) it can help:
- Control your weight
- Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
- Reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
- Reduce your risk of some cancers
- Strengthen your bones and muscles
- Improve your mental health and mood
- Improve your ability to do daily activities and prevent falls, if you're an older adult
- Increase your chances of living longer
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) MyPyramid.gov website provides an excellent explanation about the importance of exercise and tips for increasing physical activity. This diagram graphically shows a physical activity pyramid that gives great suggestions to get you up and moving.
To get started with ideas, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services developed a booklet entitled Be Active Your Way: A Guide for Adults. This offers a structure to get you started on an exercise program, or keep you motivated, within your interests and lifestyle. Another source of useful information is Go4Life from the National Institute on Aging. This site is packed with ideas for seniors who wish to learn more about becoming physically active.
Not only is physical activity important for adults, but it is critical for children and teens. For ideas on how to motivate your children to be physically active, visit the Kids Health website from Nemours. On the site you can look up healthy recipes, discover your child's body mass index, and learn to provide you child the nutrients they need at every stage of their life.
There are many activities available to those of us fortunate enough to live in the Northwoods. View this chart (Excel spreadsheet) for suggestions of activities and contact information for area businesses that provide instruction or equipment if needed.
Be Active Your Way (open accessible version in new window)