Move to Improve

Your quality of life could be on the up if you take up regular exercise, say doctors in New Zealand.  A study published in the British Medical Journal looked at the benefits of prescribing at least half an hour of exercise five times a week.

Over a period of two years, over 1000 women aged between 40 and 74 were under doctors’ orders to step up their physical activity.  Results revealed that mental and physical wellbeing were boosted at the same time as the risk of diabetes, heart and lung disease, and some types of cancer.

The findings are especially interesting in light of a recent report that suggest women’s mental health in England is worsening, with more adult females – particularly in the 45 to 64 year age group - suffering from depression and anxiety than has been noted before.

Regular exercise is also helpful in maintaining a healthy weight (or losing weight if you need to), and may have a role to play in keeping cholesterol levels down.  Other benefits include improved digestion and memory function, as well as halving your risk of dying at a younger age from illnesses including cancer and heart disease.