Health concerns helped by FitWell
- gwindeatt
- May 13
- 7 min read
Updated: May 20
Aerobic FitWell exercise triggers powerful whole‑body benefits:
Normalisation of blood pressure
Improved glucose metabolism
Weight (fat) loss
Reduced inflammation
Better immune function
Reduced stress
Enhanced brain chemistry and neuroplasticity (adapt through life)
Stronger bones and muscles
Lower visceral fat (stored around organs) and improved lipid profile
These mechanisms overlap, which is why aerobic exercise improves so many conditions at once.
For you to achieve your benefits, the exercise programs of FitWell are based on the:
Correct duration - time of exercise session; little as 20minutes a session
Correct intensity - exercise heart rate in the session; Deeper breathing; still hold a conversation
Making sure you get the best from each of your exercise sessions.
Here is some detail on:
The top issues explained
How FitWell helps you
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
What is it?
High blood pressure — often called hypertension — is when the force of blood pushing against your artery walls is consistently too high, placing extra strain on your heart, blood vessels, and organs.
It’s one of those conditions that can quietly build over time, which is why doctors often call it a silent issue.
What high blood pressure actually means
Blood pressure is measured with two numbers:
Systolic (top number) — pressure when the heart beats
Diastolic (bottom number) — pressure when the heart relaxes
Hypertension is diagnosed when these numbers stay above healthy ranges over time. It’s not about one reading; it’s about a pattern.
High blood pressure is dangerous because it quietly damages the heart, blood vessels, brain, kidneys and eyes over many years. It often causes no symptoms.
Know your blood pressure. Check with your Doctor.
How does FitWell aerobic exercise help?
Aerobic exercise lowers high blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels, improving heart efficiency, reducing stress hormones, and improving how your body handles blood flow.
Aerobic exercise, upon which FitWell is based, is one of the most effective non‑medication ways to lower blood pressure
Depression, Anxiety & Stress Disorders
What is it?
Anxiety is the feeling of constant worry or fear that’s hard to switch off; Feeling on edge or easily overwhelmed.
Depression is a persistent lowering of mood, energy, and motivation that affects daily functioning.
How does FitWell aerobic exercise help?
Aerobic exercise, upon which FitWell is based boosts endorphins and BDNF, improves mood, reduces anxiety, and is as effective as antidepressants for many people.
BDNF: Brain‑Derived Neurotrophic Factor: a protein in the brain that supports:
Growth and survival of neurons; Formation of new neural connections; Learning and memory
Aerobic activity activates the sympathetic nervous system in a controlled way.
Boosts the mood chemicals of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and BDNF — all linked to improved mood and emotional resilience.
Releases endorphins: These natural chemicals improve well‑being and reduce emotional distress.
Interrupts negative thought cycles: Focusing on movement helps break rumination patterns common in depression and anxiety
Aerobic (FitWell) exercise is strongly supported by research as an effective way to reduce stress and ease symptoms of Depression, Anxiety & Stress.
Cognitive Decline & Dementia
What is it?
Cognitive decline is a drop in mental abilities, such as memory, thought processing speed, Problem‑solving, find the right words in conversation, planning and organisation.
Dementia is a syndrome (a collection of symptoms) caused by diseases that damage the brain, leading to a significant decline in memory, thinking, behaviour, and the ability to perform everyday activities. It is not a normal part of ageing.
How does FitWell aerobic exercise help?
Aerobic exercise improves brain health through several mechanisms:
Increases cerebral blood flow, reduces inflammation (a key driver of neurodegeneration)
Boosts neurotrophic factors like BDNF that support neuron growth
BDNF: Brain‑Derived Neurotrophic Factor: a protein in the brain that supports:
Growth and survival of neurons; Formation of new neural connections
; Learning and memory
Improves glucose metabolism in brain regions affected by dementia
Reduces vascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, obesity) that contribute to vascular dementia
Protects memory, reasoning, and thinking skills, and may delay or reduce the risk of dementia.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading single cause of death nationally.
What is it?
Heart disease refers to a group of conditions that impair the heart’s muscle, valves, blood vessels, or electrical system and include: Narrowing or blockage in the arteries supplying the heart (coronary artery disease) :Disrupt the heart’s rhythm (arrhythmias) : Damage or deform heart valves (valve disease) : Weaken or stiffen the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy or heart failure)
All of these are referred to heart disease and they interfere with the heart’s ability to circulate blood efficiently.
How does FitWell aerobic exercise help?
Aerobic (FitWell) exercise strengthens the heart, improves blood flow, and reduces all major cardiac risk factors including cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation.
Type 2 Diabetes; Insulin Resistance
What is it?
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition where your body can still make insulin, but your cells don’t respond to it properly.
This is called insulin resistance.
Your pancreas tries to compensate by producing more insulin. Eventually, it can’t keep up, and blood sugar rises.
This combination leads to chronically high blood glucose, which damages blood vessels, nerves, and organs over time.
Insulin resistance is when your body stops responding properly to insulin, the hormone that helps move glucose (sugar) from your blood into your cells for energy.
This causes higher insulin levels and eventually higher blood sugar, which can lead to pre‑diabetes, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and increased cardiovascular risk.
High insulin drives weight gain, inflammation, and fatigue.
Studies show that reduced skeletal muscle mass impairs the body’s ability to clear glucose from the bloodstream, increasing the risk of insulin resistance and eventually type 2 diabetes.
As one ages there is a preventable loss of muscle mass, so maintaining muscle mass through exercise is important in preventing insulin resistance.
How does FitWell aerobic exercise help?
During aerobic activity, upon which FitWell is based, your muscles pull glucose out of the bloodstream without needing insulin. After exercise, the muscles stay more responsive for 24–48 hours, meaning insulin works better.
Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome
What is it?
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic problems that occur together, dramatically increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Issues include
High waist circumference (excess abdominal fat)
High blood pressure
High fasting blood sugar (insulin resistance)
High triglycerides
Low HDL cholesterol
How does FitWell aerobic exercise help?
Aerobic exercise (FitWell) helps with weight control, reduces visceral fat, reduces insulin resistance, improves blood pressure management and metabolic markers like triglycerides and LDL cholesterol.
Stroke
What is it?
A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.
The majority of stroke cases are an Ischaemic stroke where blood flow to the brain is blocked usually by a blood clot: the buildup of plaque in an artery; A clot that travels from the heart (common in atrial fibrillation)
A Haemorrhagic stroke is when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing bleeding into the brain tissue.
How does FitWell aerobic exercise help?
Aerobic (FitWell) exercise lowers stroke risk by improving blood pressure, blood vessels, heart function, blood sugar, cholesterol, and inflammation — the major drivers of stroke.
It lowers high blood pressure — the number 1 cause of stroke; It improves blood vessel health.
It strengthens the heart; It improves cholesterol and reduces clot formation
Raises HDL (“good”) cholesterol
Lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
Reduces triglycerides
Makes blood less sticky and less likely to clot
Improves blood sugar control
Reduces inflammation in the brain and body
Helps maintain a healthy weight
Reduces stress and improves sleep
Aerobic exercise is one of the most powerful, proven ways to reduce stroke risk, and it works through several biological pathways at once. Think of it as tuning up every system that keeps blood flowing smoothly to the brain.
FitWell exercise sessions can be utilised solely to achieve these benefits
or combined with other exercise sessions to aid in injury prevention
and introduce variety, which can support exercise consistency.
Certain Cancers
What is it?
Cancer happens when cells in the body:
Mutate (their DNA changes)
Grow uncontrollably
Ignore the normal rules that tell cells when to divide, rest, or die.
The cancers with the strongest evidence of risk reduction from aerobic exercise include;
Breast cancer
Colon cancer
Endometrial cancer (lining of the uterus)
Bladder cancer
Kidney (renal cell) cancer
Stomach (gastric) cancer
Oesophageal adenocarcinoma (where the oesophagus meets the stomach)
How does FitWell aerobic exercise help?
It reduces chronic inflammation: Long‑term, low‑grade inflammation is one of the biggest drivers of cancer development.
Strengthens the immune system’s “surveillance”. Your immune system constantly scans for abnormal cells — including early cancer cells. Aerobic exercise boosts: natural killer (NK) cell activity; T‑cell function; circulation of immune cells
Regulates hormones linked to cancer. Some cancers grow in response to high levels of certain hormones. Aerobic exercise helps regulate oestrogen (linked to breast and endometrial cancer); insulin (high insulin promotes tumour growth)
Improves metabolic health: Cancer thrives in environments with high blood sugar; high insulin; excess body fat
Regular aerobic activity lowers the risk of several cancers and improves quality of life for people undergoing or recovering from cancer treatment.
Arthritis & Chronic Pain
What is it?
Arthritis is a general term for conditions that cause pain, stiffness, and inflammation in the joints. It isn’t one disease — it’s a whole family of disorders that affect how your joints move and feel.
Arthritis affects you by damaging your joints, causing pain, stiffness, swelling, fatigue, and reduced mobility, and these symptoms can significantly interfere with daily life.
How does FitWell aerobic exercise help?
Aerobic exercise:
Reduces pain, improves joint function, and is especially helpful in low‑impact forms like swimming, in water exercises or cycling.
Movement increases synovial fluid, the natural lubricant inside your joints. More lubrication = smoother movement = less pain.
Reduces stiffness, improves circulation to cartilage, helps muscles support the joint better
Lowers inflammatory markers (elevate when experiencing inflammation), Improves immune regulation, reduces systemic inflammation
Aerobic (FitWell) exercise is one of the most effective non‑drug ways to reduce arthritis symptoms, especially for osteoarthritis (the most common type) and inflammatory forms like rheumatoid arthritis. It helps your joints, your pain levels, and your long‑term mobility in multiple ways at once.
Osteoporosis & Fall Risk
What is it?
Osteoporosis is a chronic condition where your bones become thin, weak, and fragile, making them much more likely to break—even from minor falls or everyday movements.
It develops when bone loss happens faster than bone rebuilding, causing a drop in bone density and strength.
Fall risk refers to the likelihood that a person will experience a fall, especially as they get older or develop health conditions that affect balance, strength, mobility, or thinking.
How does FitWell aerobic exercise help?
Aerobic exercise reduces fall risk by improving cardiovascular fitness, coordination, endurance, confidence with movement, plays a meaningful role in reducing fall risk, which is important for preventing fractures.
Osteoporosis responds best to Progressive resistance training including isometrics and weight‑bearing impact exercise (jumping, hopping, multidirectional impact). These create the mechanical load needed to stimulate bone growth.
Weight‑bearing aerobic and resistance (FitWell) training exercise strengthens bones, improves balance, and reduces fall risk—especially important as we age.
