When Life's Big Bumps Hit You---Family Illness, Job Loss, Divorce, Financial Woes, Stress of All Kinds---You Don't Stop Taking Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Acid Reflux, Anti-Anxiety or Anti-Depression Prescriptions. Right?
The same goes for Exercise, Eating Right & Meditation--It's your Do-It-Yourself Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Acid Reflux, Anti-Anxiety, Anti-Depression Medicine All Rolled Into One. Don't Stop Them Now!
-The Healthy Librarian-
By the time you reach 25 you pretty much know that life doesn't always work out as planned--you can't control everything that comes your way. And life isn't fair. Every last one of us is hit with loss, disappointment, disease or disaster sooner or later.
When big league stress hits me I'm likely to lose my appetite, close myself off to others and lose concentration & focus. When it comes to EXERCISE, EATING RIGHT & MEDITATION my brain's screaming "I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT!" My "inner coach" shouts out louder, "JUST DO IT! YOU'LL FEEL BETTER!" And I've learned to listen to my wiser self.
I know it feels self-indulgent, maybe selfish to take the time to exercise and prepare healthy meals when you're in crisis mode, but that's the most important time of all to be vigilant about your health. You need to be at your strongest, sharpest, and healthiest when HARD TIMES HIT. Not anxious, depressed, exhausted, unmotivated, or ill.
Dr. John Ratey, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard, and author of, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, says:
"We all know that exercise makes us feel better, but most of us have no idea why. We assume it's because we're burning off stress or reducing muscle tension or boosting endorphins, and we leave it at that. But the real reason we feel so good when we get our blood pumping is that it makes the brain function at its best, and in my view, this benefit of physical activity is far more important---and fascinating---than what it does for the body. Building muscles and conditioning the heart and lungs are essentially side effects. I often tell my patients that the point of exercise is to build and condition the brain."
Brain Benefits of Exercise During Tough Times According to Ratey
- Lowers Stress
- Lowers Anxiety
- Improves Mood
- When your body goes into flight or fight mode--exercise reduces the negative stress hormones of cortisol, adrenaline, & norepinephrine.
- Relaxation
- Sharper thinking & focus
- Improves sleep (to rest your brain)
Body Benefits of Exercise During Tough Times
- Lower blood pressure
- Improves cholesterol profiles
- Improves circulation
- Stronger immunity. The last thing you need when times are tough is to get sick.
- Improves flexibility--who needs an aching body to add to your stresses?
- Improves sleep (to repair your body)
Benefits of Healthy Eating
- All of the above--except for improving flexibility--and even that's debatable.
So, What Did I Do Today When My Brain Was Screaming: "I Don't Feel Like It!" ?
- I Just Did It! I knew the only time I could fit in exercise today was if I set the alarm clock for 5:00 am. Not my usual wake-up time. I didn't feel like it, but my brain, body & emotions needed it. Boy, am I glad I did it.
- I made myself a power-packed green smoothie of swiss chard, carrots, strawberries, flax & an orange for breakfast. I Didn't Feel Like It. Boy, am I glad I did it.
- I'm making a healthy dinner of Soba Noodle Salad with Tofu & Mango for tonight. I know my husband will be glad I did it.
- It's impossible to control the curve balls life throws us, but I can control my own reactions to stress by pushing through my "I Don't Feel Like It" inclinations and getting out to exercise, and cooking up a healthy storm.
Right now my amazing sister-in-law is caring for my mother-in-law, as well as managing a store. In spite of terrible time constraints she's making a concerted effort to carve out time to exercise and make healthy meals. My husband is redoubling his efforts to de-stress with runs and some early morning meditation. We've all learned what happens when we start to slack off because of tough times--
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