The Practice of Smiling Exercise and Warnings of Dangerous Sports
5. Smiling Exercise
Professors Shindo and Tanaka of Fukuoka University advocated for smiling exercises to treat obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
The so-called "smiling exercise" refers to exercises that allow for natural breathing, enabling one to speak pleasantly while simultaneously contemplating problems. The standard for smiling exercises is to maintain a pulse rate of at least 3 minutes for activities such as walking, running, jumping, cycling, swimming, playing tennis, and table tennis, with the following values: around 125 beats per minute for those around 20 years old, 120 beats per minute for those around 30 years old, 115 beats per minute for those around 40 years old, 110 beats per minute for those between 50 and 60 years old, and 100 beats per minute for those over 60 years old.
Exercise consumes energy. Mild exercise primarily burns fatty acids, while vigorous exercise depletes glycogen and blood glucose, causing a rise in blood lactate levels. Therefore, vigorous exercise does not burn fatty acids; only mild exercise does. In other words, only mild exercise can reduce fat. Measuring blood lactate levels can indicate whether the exercise is burning fatty acids or glycogen and blood glucose. Using blood lactate levels as an indicator, gentle exercise is the optimal exercise for burning fatty acids.
The intensity of so-called "smiling exercises" varies from person to person. The same level of exercise might be a "smiling exercise" for one person, but a vigorous exercise that burns glycogen for another. However, by consistently comparing gentler exercises, even vigorous exercises can become "smiling exercises." So why does this happen?
Muscle energy comes from glucose, which exists in the form of glycogen and blood glucose, and fatty acids transported from adipose tissue. The energy contained in glucose and fatty acids must be used in the form of ATP in order to be utilized during exercise.
The energy contained in glucose is released in the form of ATP in two ways. The first is anaerobic ATP production, in which glucose is converted into lactic acid. The second is aerobic ATP production, in which glucose is converted into carbon dioxide and water. Comparing the two, the aerobic method produces more ATP. It should be noted that the production of ATP from fatty acids can only occur under aerobic conditions.
People who don't exercise regularly have a lower ability to produce ATP from glucose and fat using oxygen, but their ability to produce ATP from glucose under anaerobic conditions is not low. Therefore, when such people who don't exercise regularly suddenly start exercising, lactic acid levels rise sharply. Lactic acid acidifies the muscles and the surrounding fluid (intercellular fluid), and it's a substance that contributes to fatigue. However, if one regularly engages in light, continuous exercise, the ability to produce ATP from oxygen increases, thus reducing fatigue.
6. Dangerous sports
It is extremely dangerous for people who don't usually exercise to suddenly engage in strenuous and intense exercise. Exercise-induced cardiac problems and sudden death are closely related to the fatty acids produced in the blood from the breakdown of fatty acids in fat cells.
When a person who doesn't usually exercise suddenly engages in strenuous exercise, the strong stimulation causes the simultaneous release of norepinephrine, adrenaline, and ACTH. This leads to the rapid breakdown of fat in fat cells, increasing the fat content in the blood. Normally, fatty acids in the blood bind to a protein called albumin (one albumin protein binds to seven fatty acids). Because albumin is present in relatively small amounts, fatty acids can no longer bind to albumin once their concentration exceeds a certain level (2 mmol). Incidentally, the concentration of fatty acids in the blood at rest is approximately 0.4 mmol.
Unbound fatty acids can damage the epithelial cells lining blood vessels. This causes platelets to stick together, leading to blood clotting. Even if clotting occurs in the blood, the blood can be dissolved by fibrinogen, but fatty acids inhibit fibrinogen activity. If the amount of unbound fatty acids increases excessively, it can impair blood flow in the vessels supplying the heart, inhibiting the conduction of electrical signals through the heart, thus causing cardiac arrest and sudden death.
Normally, fatty acids in the blood are consumed in muscles, but people who don't exercise regularly have a lower capacity to break down fatty acids in their muscles, so the more fatty acids they have, the greater the danger.
7. What kind of exercise should you start with?
People who don't usually exercise may experience a sharp rise in blood lipids when they suddenly start exercising, which can lead to heart problems and sudden death. This is especially true when participating in intense games like rugby, soccer, or rubber ball games, because these are team sports and you can't leave the game even if you feel unwell; such a delay can lead to danger.
Running is different from competitive sports like soccer; it's less stressful, and you can stop if you feel uncomfortable. Therefore, running is a good exercise for those who don't usually exercise. Even when running, avoid suddenly increasing the speed. It's best to maintain a level of conversation level during exercise. Depending on your physical condition, you can choose to walk, run 100 meters, or walk 300 meters, and repeat these exercises. It's essential to start with a slow 1000-meter jog and gradually increase the distance to allow your body to adapt. Then, participate in team competitions – this is the wisest approach. After World War II, Japanese society transitioned from a primary industry to secondary and tertiary industries, resulting in significant changes to its industrial structure. During this process, the number of cars increased dramatically, and trams and buses became readily available, greatly reducing opportunities for exercise. In the past, walking was unavoidable; now, people realize the need to increase physical activity. Using a 10,000-step count helps maximize walking opportunities, such as walking to the next bus stop instead of taking the nearest one, or climbing stairs instead of the elevator. In short, there are many opportunities for exercise in daily life. Insufficient exercise not only causes obesity but is also a contributing factor to diabetes and arteriosclerosis.