7 Benefits of Regular Physical Activity

Want to feel better, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Look no further than old-fashioned exercise. The merits of regular physical activity — from preventing chronic health conditions to promoting weight loss and better sleep — are hard to ignore. And the benefits are yours for the taking, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Need more convincing? Check out 7 specific ways exercise can improve your life.

1. Exercise improves your mood.

Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down.

Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Regular physical activity can even help prevent depression.

2. Exercise combats chronic diseases.

Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Physical activity might be the ticket.

Regular physical activity can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular physical activity boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol while decreasing triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.

And there's more. Regular physical activity can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer!

3. Exercise helps you manage your weight.

Want to drop those excess pounds? Trade some couch time for walking or other physical activities.

This one's a no-brainer. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. You don't even need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during your lunch break. Do jumping jacks during commercials. Better yet, turn off the TV and take a brisk walk. Dedicated workouts are great, but physical activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too.

4. Exercise boosts your energy level.

Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Don't throw in the towel. Regular physical activity can leave you breathing easier.

Physical activity delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular physical activity helps your entire cardiovascular system — the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels — work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you'll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.

5. Exercise promotes better sleep.

Struggling to fall asleep? Or stay asleep? It might help to boost your physical activity during the day.

A good night's sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood. And you guessed it — physical activity is sometimes the key to better sleep. Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. There's a caveat, however. If you exercise too close to bedtime, you may be too energized to fall asleep. If you're having trouble sleeping, you might want to exercise earlier in the day.

6. Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life.

Are you too tired to have sex? Or feeling too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Physical activity to the rescue.

Regular physical activity can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there's more to it than that. Regular physical activity can lead to enhanced arousal for women, and men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise — especially as they get older.

7. Exercise can be — gasp — fun!

Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for an activity that suits the entire family? Get physical!

Physical activity doesn't have to be drudgery. Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new. If you're moving, it counts!

Are you convinced? Good. Start reaping the benefits of regular physical activity today!

(Article by Mayo Clinic)

Chia Seed Benefits

Who Cares? We Care! is excited about its beneficial all-natural products. Chia seeds are an ingredient of choice at the WCWC Fitness Facility. Not only do they help control and suppress your appetite, but they are great neutrally-tasting additives which can be used in a variety of food and health drink combinations.

What are Chia Seeds?

Chia plant (Salvia hispanica) belongs to the mint family of Lamiaceae and is native to some parts of Mexico and Guatemala. Although part of the mint family, these black or white seeds do not impart any mint flavor, instead having no particular flavor at all. Flavor or no flavor, these seeds have been known for increasing physical endurance and energy.

It is believed that the cultivation of chia plants as a food source, dates back to the time of the Aztecs. As per archaeological evidences, the use of chia seeds can be traced back to 3500 B.C. Even today, this plant is widely cultivated in these regions, as people have realized the nutritional value of these seeds. They contain a balanced blend of protein, carbohydrates, fats and fiber. Over the last few years, chia seeds have gained a lot of popularity and as such the plant is grown commercially in many parts of the world.

Australia is the biggest producer of chia seeds, which is now marketed under various names. Even the oil extracted from chia seeds are found to have a high nutritional value. Both seeds and oils are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antoxidants and amino acids.

What are some of the Benefits of Chia Seeds?

*Sustained increase of endurance and energy
*Builds and promotes lean muscle mass
*Supports cardiovascular health
*Stabilizes blood glucose levels
*Reduces cravings for sweets and junk foods
*Improved mental focus and concentration
*Super hydration and electrolyte balance
*Supports healthy elimination and detoxification

Chia Seeds for Weight Loss

Chia seeds are like nutrition bullets, that have been known to be great weapons against the enemy; obesity. It's been known as a 'dieter's dream food' because of its weight loss benefits. Eating chia seeds not only helps trim down and get rid of those unsightly flabs, but the various chia seeds also help increase overall body health.

Besides their high nutritional value and beneficial fatty acid content, chia seeds also contain a soluble fiber that forms a gelatin-like mass when bound to water. When this happens inside the human digestive tract, it slows the digestive process and helps to effectively alleviate and suppress hunger. Combined with the effects of increased metabolic energy and endurance, chia seeds are a powerful weight loss aid.

Chia Seeds for Appetite Suppression

Chia seeds were valued crops for the Mayan and Aztec civilizations. The Aztec warriors depended on chia seeds for energy and survival, as these seeds sustained them for about 24 hours. Their high fiber content keeps you full for longer, thereby suppressing one's appetite. When added to foods, they add bulk and prevent overeating as well. Thus, even if a person eats the typical serving of some food, he or she feels much fuller due to the chia seeds added to it. For example, adding just one tbsp of chia seeds to one cup of salad will fill you up completely and will get rid of hunger pangs between meals.

Chia Seeds for Increased Energy

Chia seeds slow down the conversion of carbs to fat, and thus when brought in contact with water, chia seeds swell up from 7 to 10 times their regular size due to the fantastic fiber structure within them. This high fiber content keeps us full and the nutrients present in the seeds furnishes the body with necessary energy to meet the challenges set before us during the day.

When a person eats these seeds they absorb moisture to form a gel-like consistency in the stomach, forming a barrier between the carbs consumed and intestinal dietary enzymes due to which the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar is slowed down. Thus, a steady source of energy is supplied to the body and the blood sugar level is stabilized. As we know, when the blood sugar level gets stabilized, the person does not crave for fatty or sugary foods, thereby preventing

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We invite you to come and taste one of our many nutritional - and all natural - health drinks. Schedule your visit by calling the Who Cares? We Care! main office at (813) 443-5654 or by visiting our main website at www.whocareswecare.com

Come Visit Us!

View a Virtual Tour of our Facility and then come visit us in person! Free introductory tours are available. To schedule your visit, please contact the front desk at 813.443.5654

Free Sample Packets

We may be able to accommodate you with a free sample packet. Please feel free to ask a staff member for availability at the time of your visit. Information packets are also available for new joining members.

Benefits of a Fitness Club

Exercising can be challenging at times even if we know it brings us only benefits. Following a schedule and the right pattern may be hard to achieve on your own. Who Cares? We Care! offers various levels of membership. Receive additional information by contacting our front desk at 813.443.5654

Benefits of a Fitness Club

Fitness clubs provide knowledgeable fitness consultants that will help you with finding the right exercises to give you the desired results. Lessons learned here will stay with you for a lifetime.

Many times what sets the mood for a great workout is the atmosphere in your fitness club, and observing other people perform can help you exercise better and keeps you motivated to succeed. Fitness clubs offer you a wide variety of fitness machines to work on, thus training your overall body and helping build stamina without getting bored. 

Working out in a fitness club boosts one's desire to exercise, as it is a professional place with people of all shapes and sizes exercising. It will also help you see results quicker than when working out on your own.

Fitness clubs have flexible schedules, which allow one to use it when desired.

Fitness clubs give you the advantage of having access to the latest technological information, equipment and specialists. (ie. sauna, facial specialist, massage chairs, detox programs, relaxation techniques, alternative health options, beauty treatments)

'WCWC: Time of Refreshing' Book Excerpt

The following excerpt is from 'Who Cares? We Care! A Time of Refreshing' book by Bishop M.B. Jefferson and Dr. Brenda Jefferson and is available on request. Please call our front desk at 813.443.5654 to order your copy today!

----------------------------------------

"...Learn how to stop and take time for yourself. Some people have the tendency to run themselves down doing for others and never taking time out for themselves. Now, it's your time and through Who Cares? We Care!, it's your time of refreshing.

Set your mind on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report. If there be any virtue; if there be any praise, think on these things. You can do all things through Christ; He is your strength.

* TAKE: Time for yourself
Stop and put all things aside. Cater to yourself! Get alone by yourself and get your mind together. Forget about those things which have you weighed down. Set your mind on things above and on things which will do you good. Set your mind on what you want to achieve as you embark upon a new journey to healthier living.

Mark 6:31-32
And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

 

Olive Leaf (Olea europaea) Benefits

Olives are native to Asia Minor and Syria, but are cultivated in Mediterranean countries and also Chile, Peru and South Australia. Olive leaf was first used medicinally in Ancient Egypt and was a symbol of heavenly power. It was also used in Ancient Egypt to mummify pharaohs. More recent knowledge of the olive leaf's medicinal properties dates back to the early 1800s when pulverised leaves were used in a drink to lower fevers. A few decades later, green olive leaves were used in tea as a treatment for malaria. The reported benefits of olive leaf extract's range from promoting increased energy and healthy blood pressure, to supporting the cardiovascular system, and the immune system. Contains 500mg herb per tablet (6% Oleuropein). Suitable for vegetarians.

Modern health professionals first started using Olive Leaf extract in 1995 when it first became available and although a long-term perspective is not yet possible, initial results are very positive. It is emerging as a very promising and unique herb with multiple applications. It shows considerable therapeutic action against many common conditions. Olive leaf extract is gaining recognition as a powerful defender against sickness, and numerous scientific studies have been conducted to investigate the extract's beneficial properties. The reported benefits of olive leaf extract's range from promoting increased energy and healthy blood pressure, to supporting the cardiovascular system, and the immune system.

From research and clinical experience to date, we can say that supplemental olive leaf may be beneficial in the treatment for conditions caused by, or associated with, a virus, retrovirus, bacterium or protozoan. Among those treatable conditions are: influenza, the common cold, candida infections, meningitis, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), encephalitis, herpes I and II, human herpes virus 6 and 7, shingles (Herpes zoster), HIV/ARC/AIDS, chronic fatigue, hepatitis B, pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, malaria, dengue, severe diarrhea, and dental, ear, urinary tract and surgical infections.

Green Tea Health Benefits

Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression.

Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:

•cancer
•rheumatoid arthritis
•high cholesterol levels
•cariovascular disease
•infection
•impaired immune function