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The amazing benefits of Salsa Dancing

No Wonder Dancing …… Feels So Good

Music and dance has been part of many cultures different for centuries. It is part of the celebration and entertainment. And if they knew or not, when the dancing began, there are many health benefits astonishing. Now that the U.S. population is facing a major epidemic of obesity, the health benefits of dance is something that should be examined more closely.

The Benefits of Salsa Dancing

Not only is dancing an exceptional way to unwind and have fun, but it also provides some terrific benefits for your health.

In fact, researchers at the Mayo Clinic reported that social dancing helps to:

* Reduce stress

* Increase Energy

* Improve strength

* Increased muscle tone and coordination

Dancing

Dancing the night can burn more calories per hour than cycling or swimming.

And if you like to start your heals to hip hop, salsa or country, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute says that dance can:

* Reduce your risk of heart disease

* Decreased blood pressure

* Help you can manage your weight

* Strengthen the bones of the legs and hips

Salsa dancing is a unique form of exercise because it provides the heart-benefit a healthy aerobic exercise while allowing you to engage in social activity.

The amount of benefits you receive from dance depends, like most exercises, the type of dance you do, how painful it is, duration and your skill level.

Salsa Dancing

* Builds endurance and stamina

* Support weight loss

* Relieves stress

* Help you release toxins through perspiration

* May help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels

* May lead to reduced heart rate over time

Dancing off those calories

How many calories you burn while dancing? It depends type of dance. Here are a range of some of the most popular varieties, based on a person of 150 pounds per hour:

* Swing Dance: 235 calories / hour

* Ballroom dancing: 265

* Square dancing: 280

* Ballet: 300

* Belly dancing: 380

* Dance Salsa: 420 +

* Aerobics: 540 +

Mental benefits of dance

Dance is a unique form of exercise, because it provides heart health benefits of aerobic exercise while allowing you to engage in social activity. This is particularly stimulating for the mind, and a 21-year study published in The New England Journal of Medicine even found dancing can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in the elderly.

In the study, participants aged over 75 years of reading, dancing and to play musical instruments and games once a week had a 7 percent lower risk of dementia compared to those who did not. Those who engage in these activities at least 11 days per month had a risk 63 percent lower!

Interestingly, the dance is the only physical activity out of 11 in the study which was associated with a lower risk of dementia. Said Joe Verghese, a neurologist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and principal investigator Study: "This is perhaps because dance music engages the dancer's mind."

Verghese said in Mai triple benefit to the brain. Not only the physical aspect of dancing increase blood flow to the brain, but also the social aspect of the activity leads to less stress, depression and loneliness. In addition, dancing requires memorizing steps and working with a partner, who both have mental challenges which are crucial for brain health.

So clearly the dance is good for your body, mind and soul. Get a new heart habit healthy and learn to dance salsa.

About the Author

Columbia University-Dancing for Health New England Journal of Medicine, June 19, 2003; 348(25):2508-16 The Telegraph Online October 9, 2005 WebMD: Dancing Your Way to Better Health

Eminem – Square Dance (Uncensored)