Good News - December 2020

HEART AND SOUL 44 DECEMBER 2020 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition I wish all of you Good News readers a very Merry Christmas and a safe, Happy New Year. And I have a little gift for you: a new perspective on exercise programs, that object of many a New Year’s resolution. You know the routine: after all the turkey and dressing and homemade desserts, many Americans will look down onto the bathroom scales with a groan. Then the thought springs to mind: This year I’ve got to start exercising regularly. I have personal feelings about why to exercise and how to make it a habit, but first I must share some refreshing thoughts from a fellow scientist, Dr. Matthew Mitchell. Matthew is associate professor of Health and Human Performance at Palm Beach At- lantic University. He and his colleagues and their students conduct fascinating research in their lab. “Too often we think of exercise in just the context of being more fit and seem- ing to look better,” said Matthew, “but from what I do and the bigger picture, the benefits are so much greater.” Helping cancer patients For example, in that PBA lab students and their professors study how a specially designed exercise program can reduce the fatigue cancer patients experience due to chemotherapy and other factors. We’ve all felt fatigue, but these pa- tients sometimes can’t do the simple things we take for granted, like going to the mailbox to get their mail or going up a flight of stairs. “When you’re unable to do those little things, suddenly your world becomes incredibly small, not just physically, but emotionally, men- tally,” Matthew said. So these researchers are studying exercise and activity as a means to im- prove quality of life for cancer patients. Numerous groups of cancer patients have participated in structured, eight-week workouts in the lab, carefully monitored by professors and encouraged by smiling student volunteers. The participants consistently report enthusiastic progress. The researchers seek more than anecdotal evidence, so they’re using a variety of equipment and measures to analyze and document the results. Similarly, the lab has worked with young people diagnosed withAutism. Many in that group tend to trip and fall more often than the general population. The re- searchers studied how these young subjects walk, and they used structured ac- tivity to help improve balance and coordination. Matthew Mitchell earned his Ph.D. in physiological sciences from the Univer- sity of Florida. Previously he went to seminary and served 12 years as a pastor, and now he shows a pastor’s heart for people as he interacts with students and with subjects in the lab. Wisdom from older pastor Matthew had been a college athlete, and he’s an avid runner. He recalls peo- ple in church saying, “You don’t look like a pastor; you’re too thin.” But one day when he sat down with an older pastor, he learned something about exercise that he’ll never forget. “I’m never going to run a five-minute mile, but I walk three miles a day, and I make sure I eat right,” said the elder pastor. “Whatever God calls me to do, I want to be so available that nothing gets in the way, and that includes my health.” Matthew knew how the Bible speaks of the Christian’s body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, but never before had he heard that concept expressed so clearly and practically. “It just totally changed my perspective,” he said. I love that outlook! And I’ve seen how exercise has helped equip me for my calling. I feel more alive after working out, and allowing extra energy to be dis- charged this way helps me be a better leader. I started in a gym with group exercise about four years ago because I wanted to get back into a routine and I find it easier to exercise with others. There is some- thing about seeing others struggle, yet persist, that gives me the courage to com- plete the set of activities myself. So I recommend the group approach, for the support and camaraderie to keep you going down that profitable path of physical fitness. And now, thanks to Matthew Mitchell and his pastoring mentor, I have a new approach to recommend. As 2021 begins, adopt this powerful purpose for exer- cise: It’s not about how I look, how fast I run or how much I can lift. It’s about how I can make myself healthy enough so nothing gets in the way of what God calls me to do. Dr. Debra A. Schwinn is president of Palm Beach Atlantic University (www.pba.edu ). A physician, researcher and innovator, she began her role as uni- versity president on May 4, 2020. Palm Beach Atlantic University students work out in their fitness center. New Year’s Resolution for Fitness - Dr. Debra A. Schwinn - Palm Beach Atlantic University President Former pastor Matthew Mitchell earned his Ph.D. in physiological sciences.