In our concrete jungle, need we exercise?

Most people do not exercise enough. With modern facilities like the elevator, fast transport system and communication made possible without venturing out of our doors, we hardly use our limbs for anything.

Anyway, in the concrete jungle where most heavy work is done by machines, there is not much need for strength. So, where is the need for exercise?

No way can the human body remain healthy for long without direct or indirect exercise. Indirect exercising the body through strenuous work gives the same benefit as exercises obtained through brisk walking and running or any other physical activity.

How do we know that? Through physical exertion, we breathe deeper and through this, stagnant air in the lower lobes of our lungs are exchanged with fresh air. We take in more air and, in the process, more oxygen.

The heart pumps faster in exercising. Circulation goes to the very extremities of our limbs, to every part of our body. Thus, blood carrying essential oxygen reaches all our cells, even those at the extremities. Oxygen rejuvenates our oxygen starved cells.

Of course, besides sufficient oxygen brought through better circulation resulting from exercise, our cells also need nutrients from balanced meals.

Besides these, we sweat more during exercise. Through sweating, the elimination of toxins is efficiently performed. After exercise, we drink more water and replenish our body with it for further elimination through our kidneys and urination.

More often than not, we overeat. Excess food is stored as fat in our body. Unless this excess energy is burned up during exercise, the fat increases each day not only under our skin but also around our vital organs. To breathe while being held tight by the layers of fat, the lungs need to exert more. To pump blood, the heart needs to put in greater effort. They are strained, put to really hard labour, every second, every minute, every hour, every day, without any rest. (In exercising, we do give our body rest to recuperate and strengthen.With rest and strengthening, exercise does not overstrain our body.) Without the much needed reprieve from such torturous exertion, will our organs knock out sooner?

The body gets heavier with each additional weight. Our skeleton is also burdened at the joints. I have seen joints in bad shape because of the body weight. Knees feel the pain of carrying a heavier than usual load. The spine compresses and a hunch develops. Lumps of fat envelop in every part of the body. Movement becomes awkward and restricted. How can life be enjoyed in such circumstances. The only way to prevent this is through vigorous activity or exercise at an age when we still can.

Excess fat can also obstruct the blood vessels. Our blood vessels are like a delivery system. When unneeded rubbish like excess fat blocks the flow of blood, essential oxygen cannot be supplied to our organs and their cells. Without delivery of sufficient oxygen; cells can die and our extremities experience numbness. With no oxygen, organs fail. If it is the brain, we get a stroke. If it is the heart, we have a heart-attack. Either way, we are in trouble.

With exercise, our cells and body are in good condition due to better circulation. The white blood cells respond better to fighting disease-bringing foreign bodies, assuring us of good health. Our immune system is strengthened.

With a better immune system and sufficient rest, our health is certainly excellent. Just half an hour of vigorous exercise each day can keep the doctor away. Even more important, life will appear so much brighter, flowers will seem so much lovelier and we will be so much happier.