New Evidence Shows Aerobics Keeps You Healthy, in Shape and Alive

When U.S. Air Force Major Kenneth H. Cooper first came out with his book Aerobics in 1968, little did he know the potential impact it could have on America's health, let alone in the birth of a whole new trend in the physical-exercise industry popularized in the 80s by actress and fitness guru Jane Fonda. Now, for the first time, scientists have proved that aerobic activity may prevent a stroke and hence save a life.

During the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2008, experts reveled the results of a scientific study that proved that aerobic conditioning reduces the risk of a stroke in man and women. "This study is the first to suggest that there may be a significant independent association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and fatal and nonfatal stroke in men and nonfatal stroke in women," said Steven Hooker, director of the Prevention Research Center at the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, S.C.

According to the American Heart Association, strokes caused one out of every 16 deaths in the United States in 2004, and middle-aged women were the hardest hit in the past decade.

The health benefits of physical exercise are well known, but many people have found it hard to incorporate fitness programs into their busy lives. And after the aerobic revolution of the past decades, many misconceptions compounded the problem. To perform aerobics, you don't actually have to join a class, buy a video, equipment, or even learn complicated choreographic movements.

In its most basic form, aerobic exercise refers to any activity performed at low or medium intensity for a sustained period of time to increase respiration and heart rate. This may include jogging, cycling, swimming or any other activity that makes use of large body muscles.

This means you can incorporate aerobics combining through out the week different physical exercises or activities you might enjoy inside your home, in your backyard or outdoors. You may even invite family members or friends to join you. You start slowly at a comfortable pace and work around your own schedule.

Aerobic activity provides several benefits: better weight control and attitude towards life; less stress, a better body; and now, a better way to fight a possible stroke by helping you to use oxygen more efficiently and breathe better.

The American Heart Association says that strokes not only kill a person every four minutes, but it is the leading cause of serious long-term disability in the United States. Health experts estimate strokes will cost more than $65 billion dollars in 2008 alone.

Despite that, incorporating even a modest aerobic session into your schedule two or three days a week will help you stay in better shape and out of the statistics. And the more you understand what you can do with aerobics and what aerobics can do for you, the more benefits you will gain.