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Golfing for Health

Have you ever wondered why so many Doctors and other health care professionals play golf so often? Sure, part of the reason is that they can afford to, but they also know something that many of us may not know.

According to Cardiologist Dr. Edward A. Palank, "walking the golf course lowers low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, while leaving high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol alone."

Then there's the report from a Swedish Medical study that found Golf provided the equivalent of "40 to 70% of maximum aerobic power" which is the equivalent of a 45-minute aerobics fitness class.

All of a sudden, playing Golf makes a lot of healthy sense. It especially makes sense for those people whose work and lifestyles lean toward the more sedentary.

So, how does playing a round of Golf accomplish all of these major medical miracles? For starters, just being outdoors generates healthy responses from your body. Exposure to sunlight prompts the body to manufacture Vitamin D, and it signals the brain to release certain endorphenes which actually lift your spirits and enhance your mood.

But there's a lot more going on behind your putts and drives than just good moods and a dose of Vitamins. According to the August, 2005 issue of the "Harvard Men's Health Watch", the average golfer walks at least four miles during an 18 hole game, and that walk not only provides a great workout for your heart, but it helps to lower your blood pressure as well. Of course, if you're driving your cart around those 18 holes, then the heart-health benefits are greatly reduced.

Weight loss and weight maintenance are two more health benefits that come free with your Green Fees. If you carry your own clubs, and walk the entire course, you can expect to burn as many as 500 calories per game. But even if you drive around the course, you can burn at least 200 calories for your efforts. Just make sure that you don't put them all back on when you reach the 19th Hole!

Hand-in-hand with the benefits of weight loss comes the additional benefits of muscle exercise and toning. In fact, Golf is one of the few low-impact exercises that work most of the body's major muscle groups including:

* abductors * adductors * biceps * deltoids * dorsi * erectors * extensors * flexors * gluteals * hamstrings * infraspinatus * internal and external obliques * latissimus * pectorals * quadriceps * rhomboids * subscapularis * supraspinatus * terses minor * trapezius * triceps

And even if you've never heard of half of those muscle groups, you body knows exactly where each of them are located, and it thanks you very much for taking the time to exercise them frequently.

So there you have it. Not only is golf both fun and addictive, but it's an excellent way to take care of your heart, body, and mind all at the same time!

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