Health and Wellness

Some of us are guilty of going brainless in front of the TV with a tray full of snacks. The impact of these harmful habits is evident in Harvard University’s report on Adult Obesity Trends, where they claim two out of three U.S. adults are overweight or obese, totaling 69 percent of all Americans. The obesity rate in America continues to grow, especially among children, with more time spent indoors on computers and social media. The good news is, your local county parks offer incredible guided programs to help you get the most out of a healthy park visit.

Can you devote five minutes per day, every single day? Or, at least, most days of the week? The American Academy of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (with heart rate elevated). You can break that up into little chunks. Thirty minutes at a time may be daunting, so do five or ten minutes at a time instead. When you break it up, ten minutes, three times per day, isn’t so bad.

For decades, Empath Health and its affiliate healthcare organizations have delivered full life care to everyone with advanced or chronic illnesses in the Tampa Bay area. It became evident to Empath’s clinical experts early on, though, that military veterans’ experiences toward the end of life are different than what civilians go through.

On my journey, I realized that once I started to eat and exercise less, I began to see positive changes in my body. I began feeling better mentally. Before, I was doing what everybody thought I should do, eating small meals throughout the day; fat-free cottage cheese, tuna fish, eggs, chicken, and vegetables. I was eating a balanced diet, but I wasn’t eating enough.

There is an invisible and gentle current in our lives that can peacefully carry us to eternal life. It is always there, ready for when we are prepared to accept it by placing our trust in our Heavenly Father. We choose to believe this, accept it, and freely embrace it.