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The
benefits of physical activity have been extolled throughout western history,
but it was not until the second half of this century that scientific evidence
supporting these beliefs began to accumulate. The body responds to physical
activity in ways that have important positive effects on musculoskeletal,
cardiovascular, respiratory, and endocrine systems. These changes are
consistent with a number of health benefits, including a reduced risk
of premature mortality and reduced risks of coronary heart disease, hypertension,
colon cancer, and diabetes mellitus. Regular participation in physical
activity also appears to reduce depression and anxiety, improve mood,
and enhance ability to perform daily tasks throughout the life span.
Sports Medicine: Uses holistic, comprehensive, and
multidisciplinary approach to health care for those engaged in a sporting
or recreational activity. The American College of Sports Medicine identifies
ancient roots for the approach. The Indian Ayur-Veda, dating to 800 BC,
prescribes exercise and massage for rheumatism, and the Greek historian
Herodotus (ca. 480 BC) commented on the therapeutic benefits of physical
exercise in moderation guarded against disease. The field has burgeoned
with the worldwide rise in organized sports and individual exercise, which
began in the early 1950's. It now embraces attempts to refine understanding
of human kinesiology, to detail the physiology of exercise, and to determine
the powers of exercise in preventing and reversing disease. Stedman's
Medical Dictionary 26th edition, William & Wilkins, 1995.
| Databases | | | - National Nutrient Database
- United States Department of Agriculture: contains information on nutrients in foods including calorie and carbohydrate content, vitamins, minerals and fats
- SPORTQuest
- Information on sports, statistics and results, sports training, sports medicine,
sport science and physical education from SIRC, the producers of the SPORTDiscus database.
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