| We all know, or have been told, that exercise is | | | | control, look better and have more energy |
| good for our health - our physical and mental | | | | available for work, home and play. |
| health - but just how good is it for our mental | | | | So, taking regular exercise can lift our mood, take |
| health? Can it really help to lift us out of any | | | | us out of a rut, help to keep depression, anxiety |
| uncomfortable, stressful condition: depression, | | | | and other disorders at bay. This is EMPOWERING |
| anxiety, etc? | | | | as we have the means to help control our |
| Well, exercise can certainly help to boost our | | | | situation in our own hands (and lungs, legs, heart, |
| ability to cope with stress, for example the stress | | | | etc!). |
| and frustration we might accumulate during a | | | | But it is important to recognise that in taking up |
| difficult day at work. Far better to release any | | | | an exercise program, in order to achieve these |
| such pent-up energy by some vigorous | | | | desirable results, we need to EMPOWER ourselves |
| movement - running, swimming, martial arts and | | | | to be able to see it through. We do this by |
| so on - than to seek out solace and well-being in a | | | | positively motivating ourselves, by really wanting |
| few drinks at a bar (probably a lot cheaper too!). | | | | the benefits, by believing it is possible - for us, not |
| Because exercise not only clears the body of | | | | just for other people! - and by visualising the |
| toxins, but also works to clean out the mind, it | | | | results we want. |
| releases endorphins in the brain, 'feel-good' | | | | And we then need to take consistent action |
| chemicals, replacing the potentially damaging | | | | towards our goals, being patient enough to take |
| amounts of cortisol, the chemical induced by an | | | | one step at a time, to be content with small, |
| overload of stress. | | | | incremental improvements. |
| With this enhanced pleasure and well-being - and | | | | Doing all the above will certainly end in success |
| greater lung capacity leading to more oxygen | | | | and will be great for our self-esteem! And |
| reaching the brain - we are better able to focus | | | | therefore, for our general mental health. |
| on and solve problems. | | | | Hopefully, these measures will go some way |
| We will also probably keep our weight under | | | | towards solving your panic attacks issues. |