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REGULAR EXERCISE MAY IMPROVE YOUR LIFE
IN UNEXPECTED WAYS

Aside from helping you sculpt a better body to improve your physical appearance, regular exercise also leads to some surprising fringe benefits.

1.             It can boost your memory.   Exercise boosts blood flow to a brain area involved in memory -- even in people who aren't in top shape.   Three months of exercise was all it took for people with low levels of aerobic fitness to increase blood flow to that part of their brain and improve their scores on memory tests a recent study showed.   Now, if you can just remember to get to the gym for those initial three months, you can start remembering where those car keys are...

2.             Lower your risk of repetitive strain injury.     Engaging in moderate levels of physical activity during leisure hours appeared to protect against work-related carpel tunnel syndrome and other arm- and shoulder-repetitive injuries in a newly reported study from Canada.   E xercise may benefit people at risk for work-related RSIs by restoring balance to the musculoskeletal system.   Sitting in front of a computer all day and other at-risk jobs can lead to muscle weakness and tightness which create a recipe for causing a repetitive strain injury.   Ultimately, when you are constantly sedentary, you are less agile and more prone to injury.

3.             Exercise may ease menopause symptoms.   Menopausal women who exercise regularly appear to have a better quality of life than those who don't get physical.   In a study that contrasted menopausal women who performed a minimal amount of exercise and those who performed none, the w omen who walked regularly or took yoga classes tended to report improvements in quality of life and reduced stress and anxiety stress related to menopause.   Although the study is still being debated and the results are not conclusive, all the experts involved did agree that regular exercise is especially beneficial for middle age women.

4.             Exercise can spice up your sex life.   A growing body of evidence supports the notion that regular exercise may enhance sexuality through a variety of mechanisms that affect both the mind and body. Physical improvements in muscle strength and tone, endurance, body composition and cardiovascular function can all enhance sexual functioning. But, be cautious not to over-train; too much exercise can actually decrease testosterone levels leading to a less-robust sexual appetite.   Additionally, individuals who exercise regularly feel better about themselves and this perception of being more sexually desirable leads them to experience greater levels of satisfaction.

Obviously, these are just a few (but important) benefits you can reap from regular exercise.   So get out there and get moving- even just a brief walk will bring improvements to your life.