When I started to study to become a personal trainer I really didn’t have a clue how the health of the body could really effect the health of my brain. “A healthy body equals a healthy mind and vice versa”.
I would have to say the most important thing that has happened to me since starting to live a better life is how much better I am of course physically but also mentally.
I’m so much more alert and yes when I concentrate on something it really does sink into this head of mine and yes the “natural high” after exercising is a high that no drug can match.
Folks who are prone to have major depressions can greatly reduce those episodes of depression.
Anxiety disorder, even in its mildest forms can be reduced if not eliminated for the most part.
Many other common mental illnesses can also be helped through exercise. I don’t mean you have to look like a body builder to function better mentally, just get away from the computer and social media, or the TV for a few minutes a day and go for a walk, at least as a starting point.
Breathing techniques and meditation can also be of great help. Ex: Yoga. I must admit I was a just a little bit skeptical at first about this until I tried it and yes it indeed works.
Nutrition is also a contributing factor. Exercise is just a piece of the puzzle for overall good mental health, although it is a major one for myself.
All this without the aid of prescription drugs for mental illness although in extreme cases it could be the only thing that helps. I’m not totally against prescriptions drugs to fight mental illness, just the fact that they are indeed over prescribed in a lot of cases.
So the next time you are feeling down, got the blues, anxiety, stressed, just to name some, how about a little exercise. Your mind and in return, your body will thank you for it.
