“Exercise salience” is a mental state and is said to be “the propensity to undertake voluntary exercise or indulge in spontaneous physical exercise…” Chronic inflammation is related to the metabolic syndrome, associated with a reduced tendency to exercise.

Anti-inflammatory factors increase exercise salience. A few of these factors are caloric restriction, extreme temperatures, physical exercise and polyphenols. These factors stimulated the hunter-gathers of long ago, constantly. At this time, people are exposed to large amounts of fats, salt and sugar. These factors contribute to our increased incidence of lifestyle diseases and point to the benefits of Paleolithic and Mediterranean diets.

There is interest in motivating obese people to perform more physical activity and in studying which factors will aid in that motivation. Chronic inflammation plays a part in this as in the metabolic syndrome. C-reactive protein elevation is a marker of inflammation. Another marker is reduced adiponectin levels.

Our intelligence at developing easier lifestyles may have caused our high levels of chronic inflammatory diseases which we have today. Resveratrol, quercetin, green tea, and berberine are shown to increase exercise salience and, therefore, reduce chronic inflammation.

To read the author’s abstract and the free Pubmed full article, click on the title of the article.

NOTE: Read about hormesis, cell death and aging.

KEY WORDS:  Hormesis (hormetic,) Environment, Sedentary lifestyle, Exercise salience, Inflammation, Metabolic syndrome, Mobility, Anti-inflammatory phenotype, Mitochondria, Oxidative Stress, Caloric restriction, Polyphenols, Longevity, Resveratrol, Quercetin, Green tea extracts, Goldenseal, Berberine, Omega-3 fatty acids.

PMID: 21143891.

Summary #496.