Fitness

Studies show that fitness or exercise can curb anxiety in patients dealing with a chronic illness such as heart and circulatory problems, fibromyalgia, arthritis, mental health problems, cancer, and breathing disorders.

The study demonstrates that aerobic exercise has profound effects on brain chemistry and physiology. The behavioural effects of a single exercise “intervention” include improved executive function, enhanced mood and decreased stress levels. The results are a big step toward understanding how the positive impact of exercise may accrue over time to cause long-lasting changes in the brain.

“Exercise interventions are currently being used to help address everything from cognitive impairments in normal ageing, minimal cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease to motor deficits in Parkinson’s disease and mood states in depression,” Suzuki says.

So if you’re serious about keeping your mind healthy and active, it’s worth moving your body too.

Research conducted by Roy Morgan showed that almost three in four New Zealanders doesn’t eat the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables. Only around one in three Kiwi women and one in five men eat three or more serves of vegetables and two or more serves of fruit each day, the amount recommended by the New Zealand Ministry of Health.