Everybody, with few exceptions needs to increase the amount of exercise that they do on a daily basis. There are several societal reasons for this and they range from the way food is mass-produced with additives, preservatives and hidden sugars, to the loss of industries that demanded a high physical activity and we have moved to having more sedentary service type occupations. This article looks at how a staircase, whether it's in our own home, at the office or even in the park can benefit our health.
Taking 2 flights of stairs every day is thought to give the average person a weight loss of 6lbs a year.
We are all supposed to do at least 30 minutes of exercise every single day. If you take the stairs, it counts towards that goal.
If you use them regularly you are more likely to be fit and healthy and less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease as you age.
Climbing the stairs builds stronger and healthier bones. This is especially important for women of all ages because it reduces the normally increased risk of osteoporosis after the menopause.
Not all types of cholesterol are bad for you. Stair climbing can improve the levels of the right type.
It increases strength in your lower limbs. If you have strong limbs, it will reduce the risk of injury if you fall and will reduce recovery time. This also means it is likely that you will stay mobile for longer.
Statistics show that if you can manage 55 flights of stairs every week there will be a positive impact on your life expectancy.
You will use approximately 8-11 Kcal of energy per minute. That equates to 1 Curly Wurly for every 10 minutes of stair-climbing.
Aerobic exercise is also thought to improve cognitive function and reduces the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Depression is affecting more and of us. The benefit of aerobic exercise that is gained by taking the stairs releases endorphins
Research published in the European Heart Journal has found that by using the stairs the participants in their research averaged the following quantifiable health benefits:
They lost 1.7% of their body fat
The average waist circumference reduced by 1.8%
They had a reduction in blood pressure of 2.3%
Bad LDL cholesterol fell 3.9%
The biggest improvement was with lung capacity which went up by 8.6%
Remember, money is no excuse because you can climb stairs for free.
Ellen Ralph is an expert in health matters. If you are looking to renovate your stairs to aid your fitness strategy,she recommends that you use a a supplier of quality stair parts.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ellen_Ralph
