Sport and nutrition are two of the most important factors when it comes to physical health. They not only ensure a healthy cardiovascular system, but also have a positive influence on our brain function. In this blog post, you will learn how they manage this, what else they can do and why sport is so important for us.
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Why sport is so healthy
Physical activity is in the genes of every human being. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors in the Stone Age are estimated to have walked up to 15 kilometres a day.
This was still the case until about 10,000 years ago – it was only when the agricultural revolution ensured a sufficient food supply without having to travel many kilometres that people's behaviour changed. However, our biology has not changed much.
This brief history clearly shows how firmly physical activity is anchored in our genes. Even though we no longer have to hunt or gather our food, our bodies still need plenty of movement to function optimally.
Sport boosts circulation
Physical activity has a positive effect on our circulation. This is because our muscles are responsible for our movement during exercise – however, our muscles need oxygen to be able to work economically. Therefore, the body ensures that the muscles are supplied with sufficient oxygen by transporting oxygen via the blood to the muscles.
If you now do regular exercise, your body will slowly but surely adapt to the new circumstances – your heart can pump more blood through your body with each heartbeat, thus lowering your resting pulse. Since a high pulse is exhausting for the heart and can thus lead to cardiovascular diseases, this adaptation of the body is very healthy.
Exercise has a positive effect on brain function and zest for life
Sport can actually do much more than just strengthen the cardiovascular system. Even brain function and zest for life can be positively influenced by physical activity.
Sport in nature, for example, clears the mind and has an almost meditative effect for many people. In particular, cyclical sports such as jogging, cycling or swimming are ideal for this, as they require little concentration due to the repetitive movements.
In addition, breathing deepens during exercise, which also has a positive effect on the brain. Even after the end of the sporting activity, breathing remains deep and thus supplies the body with plenty of oxygen.
Another positive effect can be seen at the biochemical level. For example, mood-enhancing neurotransmitters such as serotonin or dopamine are released during exercise, which increase well-being and improve mood.
Sport helps to reduce stress
In addition to the release of mood-enhancing hormones, stress hormones are broken down during exercise. Adrenalin and cortisol are particularly affected – this ensures a demonstrable reduction in stress that can even be observed at the biochemical level.
However, sport not only helps to reduce stress, but can even counteract depressive moods. But sport often also goes hand in hand with increased self-confidence and a better sense of your own body.
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Nutrition is just as important as physical activity. We will now take a closer look at what you should pay attention to and how your body benefits from a balanced diet.
Why a balanced diet is so important
As important as sport is, you can't reap all the health benefits without a healthy diet. That's because, thanks to macronutrients, the food we eat is not only responsible for the body's energy balance, but also ensures that countless vital bodily functions run smoothly, thanks to micronutrients.
A healthy diet prevents dips in energy levels during the day
Food is our main source of energy – in particular, two of the three macronutrients are of primary importance for our energy intake: carbohydrates and fats. However, it is primarily the quality that matters when consuming food, not the quantity.
Complex carbohydrates, such as those found in wholemeal products, only cause a slow increase in blood sugar levels and supply your body with energy over a long period of time. This means that there are no dips in tiredness – unlike with short-chain carbohydrates, which are mainly found in foods containing sugar.
This is because the short-chain structure causes blood sugar levels to rise significantly faster and more sharply, but they fall again just as quickly. So, although we feel a brief surge of energy, this is usually followed by a noticeable drop in energy levels.
This quality-quantity principle is similar for fats. While saturated fatty acids put a strain on the body and almost call for an afternoon nap, healthy fatty acids ensure improved well-being . Healthy sources of fat include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
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Even if quality is more important than quantity, the latter should not be neglected. After all, as we know, the dose makes the poison!
Fruit and vegetables help to reduce stress
This statement may sound strange to some people, but it is actually true. This is because a balanced diet, which ideally consists of plenty of vegetables and fruit, increases the intake of antioxidants.
If the body has to fight free radicals due to a variety of environmental influences, the antioxidants help to combat them. Incidentally, if the concentration of free radicals increases, this is referred to as ‘oxidative stress’, which is why a wholesome diet can literally reduce stress 1.
Our gut health has this influence on our psyche
This may also seem hard to imagine – but it is by no means fiction. An increasing number of studies are concluding that a healthy intestinal flora has a positive effect on mental health.
On the contrary, a disrupted intestinal flora can lead to a worse mental state. Our intestinal health is particularly affected when we consume a lot of heavily processed products in our diet. The high degree of processing and the artificial additives mean that important fibres and micronutrients are missing – and the artificial additives put additional strain on the intestinal flora.
It is therefore important to eat a varied diet. In particular, the proportion of plant-based foods plays an important role here – because vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains are not only rich in vital micronutrients, but also contain plenty of healthy fibre, which stimulates digestion.
In particular, a porridge is suitable as a power breakfast for your intestines, because the oats not only make it rich in fibre, but the way it is prepared also makes it easy to digest and therefore not too heavy on the stomach. So a healthy breakfast with porridge is not a problem.
Fruit and vegetables put you in a good mood
Last but not least, there is another major advantage of a balanced diet that we don't want to withhold from you. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables will keep you in a good mood.
This is thanks to the secondary plant substances, or more precisely the polyphenols2, which are found quite naturally in fruit and vegetables. Various berries, cocoa powder, spices, vegetables and fruits such as cloves, cherries and spinach are particularly rich in polyphenols.
Conclusion
Sport and nutrition offer a wide range of health benefits. They not only have a positive effect on heart health and intestinal flora, but also increase our well-being. They also improve our mood and can even prevent bouts of tiredness or depressive moods.
Physical activity and a healthy diet are therefore essential to a healthy and happy life – so enjoy your exercise and your meals 😉
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- Simioni C, Zauli G, Martelli AM, et al. Oxidative stress: role of physical exercise and antioxidant nutraceuticals in adulthood and aging. Oncotarget . Published online March 30, 2018:17181-17198. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.24729
- Gomez-Pinilla F, Nguyen TTJ. Natural mood foods: The actions of polyphenols against psychiatric and cognitive disorders. Nutritional Neuroscience . Published online May 2012:127-133. doi: 10.1179/1476830511y.0000000035
