Part B
Discuss the physical and/or mental health benefits for the different types of exercise that you will be doing over the summer. Remember, you can practice pronunciation for vocabulary by pressing the audio link next to each word in the tutorial. Record your response with your computer's audio recording software, and upload the file when you submit the unit activity to be graded.

Your spoken response should include:

health benefits for 5-8 sports/activities
correct pronunciation
a wide variety of vocabulary that you learned from the unit

Exercise is not just about aerobic capacity and muscle size. Sure, exercise can improve your physical health and your physique, trim your waistline, improve your sex life, and even add years to your life. But that’s not what motivates most people to stay active.

PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF EXERCISE

First, let’s check out just a few of the physical benefits of regular exercise:

Weight loss and weight control

Increased muscle strength and muscle mass (which helps burn calories and fat)

Increased energy

Improved flexibility and movement

Lower risk of some types of cancer (Exercising at least 4 hours per week has been shown to lower risk of breast cancer by 37%!)

Reduced risk of Diabetes 2 and metabolic syndrome

Improved immune system, for overall better health

Increased “good” cholesterol to keep blood flowing smoothly

Lower risk of a heart attack and stroke

Helps smokers quit with higher success rates

Strength training & weight-bearing exercise (like walking, jogging, etc), promotes stronger bones (which is particularly helpful for women entering menopause, when bone density is lost)

In short, Exercise can increase your life expectancy by an average of 7 years! (One study in New England Journal of Medicine showed that asymptomatic women who weren’t fit had twice the risk of death than those who were fit!)

MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF EXERCISE

Regular aerobic exercise increases levels of seratonin and dopamine in the brain, which is linked with improved mood

Aerobic exercise increases endorphins, or the “feel good” chemicals in the body, improving mood and energy

Exercise enhances the mind’s ability to withstand daily hassles and stressors and to regulate itself

Research shows exercise can alleviate symptoms of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome and Depression in women

Regular exercise has been shown equal to antidepressant use in treating Major Depressive Disorder

Exercise is associated with deeper relaxation and better quality of sleep (which protects the brain and increases energy)

Strength training has been shown to decrease tension and worry in the body and mind

Studies show exercise reduces/treats and may prevent anxiety and panic attacks

Exercise increases mental clarity and efficiency

Improves cognitive functioning in middle age and beyond

Exercise is associated with better thinking, learning, and judgment

It can help you tap into intuition and creativity

Exercise increases assertiveness and enthusiasm for life

Studies show exercise leads to a higher quality sex life

Group or partner exercise increases social activity and decreases feelings of loneliness and isolation

Those who exercise regularly tend to have a better body-image

Regular exercise is associated with higher self-esteem

Overall, exercise is one of the best ways to improve happiness and life satisfaction