30 days of giving - Day #2 - Are you a cardio queen? How cardio will make you happy!

Cardio, or cardiovascular exercise, is defined as "any activity that you can sustain for more than just a few minutes while your heart, lungs, and muscles work overtime." The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends 30-60 minutes of cardio exercise everyday. The intensity will depend on your level of fitness; however, just simply moving the body is a great start.

There are many great benefits of doing cardiovasular exercise, which include:

- Enhanced mood

- Reduced anxiety and depression

- Decreased blood pressure

- Stabilized, or reduced, blood sugar

- More efficient heart capacity and heart health, which decreases the risk of heart disease

- More efficient lung capacity and health

You can take advatange of these great benefits and upgrade you health by doing a variety of activites, such as:

- Go for a walk. If you have a dog, take them! They will love you even more than they do already.

- Go hiking

- Get out for a bike ride

- Take a group fitness class like spin, step or aerobics (if they still them. This may be showing my age)

- Play sports

- Go swimming

The first step is to take the first step. Get started today and your body with thank you for it tomorrow! Start with a few minutes a day and then work up to the recommneded 30-60 minutes. In no time at all you may just become a cardio queen, or king, and love the feeling you give your body the gift of movement.