MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS: Exercise as TLC
Herald DemocratNov 14, 2019
In our continuing discussion of the depression cure, Dr. Ilard identifies six key areas that lifestyle changes can significantly help prevent and even reverse depressive symptoms. The changes are: 1) Diet (Brain Food), 2). Engagement, 3). Exercise, 4). Light Therapy, 5). Social Connections, and 6). Sleep.
This week we look at exercise, but first an overview of our country's state of health.
Genetics only count for a small percentage (10 to 20%) of the cause of these chronic diseases; therefore, we must look elsewhere for answers.
An incredible amount of research indicates that exercise is good for you. Exercise makes you happier, makes your brain function better, reduces depression, and helps you live longer. If this is true why do so few people exercise on a regular basis? First, when you start exercising it doesn't feel good and you don't see many benefits right away. Exercise for the sake of exercising never lasts. Make exercise enjoyable, purposeful, and meaningful. Chose an activity that requires movement, join a group of people with similar interests (dancing, bike riding, bowling, swimming, walking, etc.). The most important thing is to choose an activity that requires movement and you will be able to stick with.
Second, a consumption of the Standard American Diet (SAD) consisting of high amounts of refined sugar (sugar sweetened beverages, sports and energy drinks, and ice cream), dietary cholesterol (found only in animal products), and processed food (frozen pizza, margarine, self-stable crackers, donuts, pies, cookies, cakes and fried fast foods) results in chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation, in turn, results in muscle and joint soreness and fatigue. The body is spending so much energy fighting inflammation it has little energy to make available for other things. Eliminating refined sugar and processed foods (which the
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