Aerobic exercise (the kind that active kids and adults get when they play) gets the heart pumping blood into the muscles, tissues and organs, and the toxins flushed out. Stretching helps release accumulated tension and free toxins from the joints. Strength building creates stronger muscles and organs.
Exercise not only strengthens our muscles, heart and lungs; it also ensures that more oxygen-rich blood is pumped to all parts of the body so that every cell is bathed in vital nutrients, and stimulates the release of healing, ‘happy’ hormones. Our plump cells are rejuvenated, undoing the effects of aging so that we look and feel younger.
Moreover, wastes and toxins are quickly flushed through the body’s elimination channels, preventing the harmful buildup of sludge and toxins around our cells and in our tissues. Your lymphatic system, which carries cellular waste and toxins away from our cells, cannot push the toxins out unless the body is active. This can cause your body to store weight, since fat is an ideal storage place for toxins. Only one hour of moderate exercise a day can keep your body’s energy, nutrients, and cleansing processes flowing: that can be as little as a brisk daily walk in the fresh air.
Enough rest
When it is at rest, your body repairs and counteracts the normal damage and stress caused by everyday living. Without frequent rest, your body can be quickly pushed too far, stressing the immune system, and making you more susceptible to infection, illness and disease.
Sleep is therefore enormously important to your health, both physiological and psychological. Even 30 minutes of additional sleep at night can make a huge difference to your mood, your ability to think clearly and to learn, and your body’s ability to recover from daily stresses. Recent research showed that starting school even 1 hour later can give school children the sleep they need to significantly improve their school performance.
The amount of sleep needed by any individual can vary, though around 8 hours is usually considered a good average. You can gauge what you need by how you feel. If you are continually feeling stressed, tired, or irritable, or are forgetful and overly anxious, you may not be getting enough sleep. Add another 30 minutes to your sleep time and note the difference.
You also need enough rest in addition to good sleep. How you rest is up to you. Many find deep relaxation exercises very restful and refreshing. A calm stroll along the beach can be restful, as can stopping now and then in a busy day to stretch, or just sitting and breathing in the clean air as you watch the clouds. Qi Gong, Tai Chi and Yoga can be restful as they relax and calm both body and mind, and the smooth motions wash the tired body with fresh energy, oxygen and blood.
Most important is the quality of your rest …and also of your sleep. Built up stress or over-tiredness can cause disturbed, shallow sleep, as can allergies and other health problems. Worrying, negative emotions, feeling overwhelmed, helpless or angry can make it difficult to really rest. You might sit down with a cup of tea, but your distressed mind is not resting, which means that your body is not fully relaxed.
The point is that both your body and mind need breaks through the day, time to let go and relax. If you find this difficult, you may find the sixth health secret especially helpful.
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