ArrayWe all know that exercise is important in our daily lives. But we may not know why or what exercise can do for us. It is important to remember that we have evolved from nomadic ancestors who spent all their time moving around in search of food and shelter. They also travelled large distances on a daily basis. Our bodies are designed and have evolved to be regularly active. In the same way that a sports car is designed to go fast we are designed to move. If the sports car is taken out once a week for a three mile round trip through a town center then it would probably develop engine problems fairly quickly. Over time people too develop problems if they sit down all day at a desk or in front of the TV and minimise the amount of exercise they do. There are many benefits of regular exercise. Exercise increases energy levels. Exercise improves both the strength and the efficiency of your cardiovascular system to get the oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. When your cardiovascular system works better everything seems easier and you have more energy for the fun stuff in life. Exercise improves muscle strength. Staying active keeps muscles strong. It keeps joints and tendons and ligaments flexible. It allows you to move more easily and avoid injury. Strong muscles and ligaments reduce your risk of joint and lower back pain by keeping joints in proper alignment. They also improve coordination and balance. Exercise can help you to maintain a healthy weight. The more calories are burnt by exercising more. You develop more muscle. Your metabolic rate becomes higher and so you burn more calories. You may lose weight and look better physically which will boost your self esteem. Exercise improves brain function. Exercise increases blood flow and oxygen levels in the brain. It also encourages the release of the brain chemicals that are responsible for the production of cells in the hippocampus. This part of the brain that controls memory and learning. In turn boosts concentration levels and cognitive ability. It also helps in reducing the risk of cognitive degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer. Exercise is good for your heart. Exercise reduces bad cholesterol and increases the good cholesterol. Exercising also reduces blood pressure so it lowers the stress on your heart. It also strengthens your heart muscle. Exercising combined with a healthy diet lowers the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Regular exercise lowers your risk of developing type two diabetes. Regular exercise helps to control blood glucose levels. It helps to prevent or delay the onset of type two diabetes. Exercise enhances your immune system. Exercise improves the ability of your body ability to pump the oxygen and nutrients around your body that are required to fuel the cells that fight bacteria and viruses. Staying active reduces the likelihood of developing some degenerative bone diseases. Weight bearing exercise such as running or walking or weight training lowers your risk of both osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Exercise may help to reduce the risk of certain cancers. Being fit may mean that the risks of colon cancer and breast cancer is reduced. It also reduces the risk of lung and endometrial cancers. According to studies cancer deaths are linked to being overweight and sedentary.