Here is number three in our series of the best ways we can stay fit and healthy through the winter, by Louise O’Driscoll, Xen-Do’s affiliate Holistic Health Coach.

Keep up your training!

However tempting the sofa looks on a cold and rainy evening, keep making the effort to get to the dojo. Here are some very good reasons why:

Exercise balances blood sugar and hormones and has a particularly beneficial effect on cortisol levels. Cortisol, a hormone produced when we are under stress, is a culprit in a myriad of physical complaints – its over-production turns off the body’s ability to heal and has a knock on effect on sleep, mood and every aspect of our health.

It was thought until recently that exercise produced a substance that had beneficial effects on the brain, preventing or ameliorating depression. In fact, it has recently been discovered that well trained muscle actually produces an enzyme that purges the body of harmful substances in the same way as the liver or kidneys detoxify our systems. This is particularly relevant to those of us who live with a lot of stress, because the enzyme will reduce the negative impact it has on our brains, thereby lessening the chance of developing depression and other stress related disease.

Exercise improves liver function and prevents constipation.

Exercise has been proven to significantly improve your immune system and decrease inflammation in the body. It is thought to impact positively on our gut health, as described above, but scientists are only just starting to figure out exactly how!

This article is based on opinion:
– the author is not a qualified doctor or anyone who can dispense medical advice.
– any opinions stated are just that and people should consult a doctor before making any dietary changes or changes of any nature prompted by the articles published by or on behalf of Xen-Do.
– under 16’s please obtain parental permission before posting anything online.
– any opinions stated are that of the author and do not represent the opinions of Xen-Do.