Sports and nutrition have an influence on your energy and joie de vivre.

Exercise 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 positively influence our brain function. In this blog post, you can find out how they manage what they can still do and why sports are so important to us.

That's why exercise is so healthy

Physical activity is in the genes of every human being. According to estimates, our ancestors, the hunter-gatherers of the Stone Age, walked up to 15 kilometers a day .

This was still the case until about 10,000 years ago – it was only when the agricultural revolution ensured an adequate food supply without having to cover many kilometers that people's behavior changed. The biology, however, remained largely the same.

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 exercise to function optimally.

Exercise stimulates circulation

Sporting activities have a positive effect on our circulatory system. This happens because muscles are responsible for the drive during exercise—but these in turn need oxygen in order to work efficiently. The body thus ensures an adequate supply of oxygen to the muscles by transporting the oxygen via the blood into the muscles .

If you now exercise regularly, the body slowly but surely adapts to the new circumstances – the heart can pump more blood through the body per heartbeat, and thus our resting heart rate also drops. Since a high pulse is exhausting for the heart and can therefore lead to cardiovascular diseases, this adaptation of the body is very healthy.

Exercise has a positive effect on brain function and joie de vivre

In fact, exercise can do much more than just strengthen the cardiovascular system. Even brain function and joie de vivre can be positively influenced by physical activity.

Sport in nature , for example, ensures a clear head and has an almost meditative effect for many people. Cyclical sports such as jogging, cycling, or swimming are particularly suitable for this, as they require little concentration due to the constant movements.

In addition, exercise deepens breathing, which also has a positive effect on the brain. Even after the end of sporting activity, breathing remains deepened and thus supplies the body with plenty of oxygen.

Another positive effect can also be seen on a biochemical level. For example, during exercise, mood-boosting neurotransmitters such as serotonin or dopamine are released, which increase well-being and improve mood .

Exercise helps reduce stress

In addition to the release of mood-lifting hormones, stress hormones are broken down during sports. Especially adrenaline and cortisol are affected – this ensures a demonstrable stress reduction, which is even observable on a biochemical level.

However, exercise not only helps reduce stress, but can even counteract depressive moods. Self-confidence and one's perception of their body are also often enhanced by sports.

Nutrition is at least as important as physical activity. We will now take a closer look at what you should pay attention to and to what extent the body benefits from a balanced diet.

That's why a balanced diet is so important

As important as exercise is – without a healthy diet, all the health benefits can hardly be achieved. Thanks to the macronutrients, the food supplied is not only responsible for the energy balance in the body, but also ensures that countless vital functions in the body run smoothly, thanks to the micronutrients .

A healthy diet prevents fatigue breaks during the day

Food is our main source of energy – in particular, two of the three macronutrients are of paramount importance for our energy supply: carbohydrates and fats . However, consumption is primarily about quality, not quantity.

Complex carbohydrates , such as those found in whole grains, only cause a slow rise in blood sugar levels and provide your body with energy over a long period of time. This means that there are no fatigue breaks – this is different for short-chain carbohydrates, which are mainly found in sugary foods.

Because of their short-chain structure, blood sugar levels rise much faster and more intensely, but also drop just as quickly. Thus, although we feel a short burst of energy, this is usually followed by a noticeable drop into fatigue.

For fats, this quality-quantity principle is similar. While saturated fatty acids put a strain on the body and almost call for a nap, healthy fatty acids ensure improved well-being . Healthy fat sources include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Even if quality is above quantity, the latter is by no means negligible. Because as you know, the dose makes the poison!

Fruits and vegetables help relieve stress

This statement may sound strange to some, but it actually corresponds to reality. Because a balanced diet, ideally consisting of plenty of vegetables and fruits , increases the intake of antioxidants.

If the body is now struggling with free radicals due to various environmental influences, the antioxidants take care of the fight. If the concentration of free radicals is increased, this is called "oxidative stress", which is why a full-fledged diet can literally reduce stress . ^​1

Our intestinal health has this influence on our psyche

This may seem hard to imagine – but this is by no means fiction. Because more and more studies conclude that a healthy intestinal flora has a positive effect on mental health.

Conversely, a disturbed intestinal flora causes a worse mental state . Intestinal health is particularly affected when we supply our bodies with many highly processed products . Due to the high degree of processing and the artificial additives, important fiber and micronutrients are missing – in addition, artificial additives burden the intestinal flora.

Accordingly, it is important to eat as varied a diet as possible. In particular, the proportion of plant foods plays an important role here – because vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains are not only rich in vital micronutrients, but also contain plenty of healthy fiber that stimulates digestion.

Specifically, a porridge is suitable as a power breakfast for your intestines, as it is not only rich in fiber due to the oats , but is also easily digestible due to the method of preparation and therefore does not put a lot of strain on the stomach. So a healthy breakfast is no problem with porridge.

Fruits and vegetables keep you in a good mood

Last but not least, there is a great advantage to a balanced diet that we do not want to withhold from you: If you eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, you will be rewarded with a good mood.

This is due to the phytochemicals, more precisely the polyphenols ^​2 , which are naturally present in fruits and vegetables. Particularly rich in polyphenols are various varieties of berries, cocoa powder as well as various spices, vegetables, and fruits such as cloves, cherries, or spinach.

Porridge Smoothie Bowl Strawberry-Raspberry - Sugar Free

Preparation time 5 min.

Total time 5 min.

Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 50g Verival Porridge Smoothie Bowl Strawberry-Raspberry
• 120 ml water, milk or plant drink
• 30 g strawberries
• 20 g raspberries

Preparation

• First, add 50 g of the Verival Porridge Smoothie Bowl mixture in the strawberry-raspberry flavor to a bowl.
• Next, add about 120 ml of a liquid of your choice (water, cold or warm milk, or plant-based drink) to the bowl and mix well.
• Then let the porridge smoothie bowl swell for a minute.
• Now you can refine the smoothie bowl with different toppings of your choice. For example, fresh or frozen berries go perfectly with this smoothie bowl. You can also use different seeds or nuts as a topping.

Conclusion

Sports and nutrition offer a variety of health benefits . They not only positively affect heart health and intestinal flora, but also increase our well-being. In addition, our mood also benefits, and we can even prevent fatigue breaks or depressive moods.

Thus, physical activity and a healthy diet play a significant role in a healthy and happy life – so we wish you a lot of fun with sports and meals 😉

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