It is great to want to drop a few pounds to improve
physical health and appearance. But for
many people that I have worked with, particularly those who have are at the
beginning of what will be a long journey, looking better during that vacation
to the beach is simply not in the picture yet.
Consequently, noticeable changes in physical appearance, while desired,
are inadequate motivation. For the
person who starts, as I did, severely obese, that beach body is simply not
going to cut it. The mirror is a very
unforgiving entity because nearly everyone is their own worst critic. Far too
often, when exercise is discussed, it is only in the context of the physical benefits
for the body. Rarely, if ever, are the
mental or emotional benefits considered.
This is tragic because it is through the underlying
foundation of increasing mental and emotional strength that spurs on those who
were once obese into the physical body.
Stress, anxiety, and depression are the most common and fastest growing
mental health problems in America today.
One research group is predicting by 2020 that this will be the
second-highest lifelong disease that will afflict both children and adults. Only heart disease will surpass mental health
as the most common of health problems in America.¹ Please understand that I am not some crazy
person whom believes that the pharmaceutical industry is the only source of
this problem or that all forms of prescription drugs are bad. But, at best, it seems inappropriate and
misinformed to rely solely upon drugs to fix problems of the mind. After all, how smart is it to put complete
trust in a drug treatment if the worsening of stress, anxiety, or depression is
one of the possible side effects? Call
me crazy but I thought medicine is supposed to make you better. Now, in no way I am saying that someone who
struggles with these issues should ignore the advice of a doctor and completely
forgo any use of what may be helpful medicine.
What I am saying is, that limiting treatment just to prescription
medications is not exploring all of the options. By taking this path, a person is missing out
on what may be the best natural form of medicine available.
Stress and anxiety both cause a response by the
sympathetic nervous system, commonly referred to as “fight or flight.” This response is both physical and
mental. Physically, the heart rate
increases as two hormones, epinephrine and norepinephrine are dumped into the
blood stream. Breathing rate and blood
pressure also increase. At the same time
the brain focusing on the source of stress, sometimes to the exclusion of all
other surroundings. This process happens
within a few short seconds with the aim of deciding and acting to either fight
the stress or run from it. Depending
upon the nature of the stress this may last from a few seconds to a few hours,
however, the body should return to its normal state shortly after the source of
stress is absent. Short-term stress is
no big deal when comes to the body’s ability to cope. However, long-term stress has several
negative consequences that may lead to anxiety and depression. The body is not meant to stay in this
heightened state for days or weeks on end.
The body responds to stress primarily in two ways: the
immune system and hormonal system, both respond differently when dealing with,
chronic or individual, stressful situations.
The ability of the immune system to fight diseases and infections is
suppressed. The hormonal balance of the
body can be thrown off, possibly disrupting sleep or other bodily functions, in
severe cases long-term chronic stress may throw off a woman’s normal menstrual
cycle. People with blood pressure or
other heart problems often see a worsening of the effects during stress. Behavior and mood can undergo extreme changes
creating substantial change in a person’s personality.
Exercise has been shown to help reduce, and given time
and persistence, has the potential to eliminate the harmful effects of stress. Under prolonged or extreme stress the immune
system can be severely depressed. This
effectively makes it harder for the body to fight infections, viruses, and
bacteria. A biochemical substance, αKLH, found in the brain plays an important
role in activation of the immune system.
However, stress and anxiety will inhibit the brain’s ability to produce
αKLH. Exercise counteracts this by
increasing the brains ability to produce αKLH.
In as little as six weeks of 20 minutes or more of daily physical
activity the brain can increase the production of αKLH to reduce signs of
anxiety and stress by almost half.²
Hormonally, serious changes take place as the result
of stress and anxiety. The pituitary
gland is the region of the brain responsible for the vast majority of hormonal
regulations of the body. Under short
term stress incidences large amounts of the hormone cortisol are released into
the bloodstream. Cortisol drastically
raises levels of blood sugars and triglycerides. These are released to provide the energy
necessary to support a literal “fight or flight,” the body it preparing itself
for a physical fight for survival or to run and hide. In today’s modern society the overwhelming
number of stressors do not require this kind of physical response, so this
extra surge of energy goes unused, leaving blood sugar levels high. In response, extra insulin, the hormone
response for lowering high blood sugar levels, is released causing it to become
stored as extra body fat. This extra
insulin is so effective during its response to stress that it often removed
more blood sugar than necessary, resulting in low blood sugar, and causing the
body to crave carbohydrates. During this
time most people reach for a candy bar or soda, causing the insulin cycle to
repeat itself. If the stressor is a
chronic problem, cortisol levels will constantly be produced by the pituitary
gland, potentially causing substantial weight gain. Daily exercise reduces the output of cortisol
during stressful times and, in combination with a healthy diet, minimizes the
cortisol produced.
High levels of stress potentially may disrupt a sleep
pattern. A disruption in sleep prevents
the pituitary gland from releasing the two most important hormones, insulin
growth factor-4 (IGF4) and growth hormone, from restoring and repairing the
body in preparation for the following day.
These two hormones are at the highest levels during the fifth and sixth
hours of sleep. A minimum of seven hours
of sleep is needed to maximize the benefits of these hormones, more is
better. IGF4 and growth hormone focus on
tissue repair and insulin regulation, minimizing body fat storage and improving
muscle growth; the more intense an exercise session the higher response of
these hormones. Not only does poor sleep
disrupt the good that these hormones do, but in response to poor sleep the
pituitary gland secretes higher levels of insulin and ghrelin. Ghrelin is the hunger stimulation hormone,
have a poor night’s sleep and the body wakes up feeling hungrier. This makes it incredibly easy to overeat the
day after a night of little sleep.
Exercise reduces the presence of both hormones.
So how much exercise is necessary to improve the
brain’s function and regulation of the body?
For people who are not interested in hitting the gym to lift weights or
engage in intense cardio, light daily activity for 30 minutes is needed. Easy activities like going for a walk,
cleaning around the house, yard work will do wonders. Lifting heavy weights, in the 4-10 rep range,
four days per week for 45 to 60 minutes per session will accomplish this. Fans of cardio need to engage in 5 to 6
sessions per week of 30-60 minutes at a moderate to intense pace. Exercise performed with these guidelines
improves and strengthens the brain’s response to stress and anxiety: a strong
mind literally builds a strong body. The
stronger the body becomes the more effective the mind becomes at regulating the
body and the body becomes even stronger.
A strong mind builds a strong body.
It is a cycle, ride it.
Sources Cited
1.
Exercise,
Stress Resistance, and Central Serotonergic System. Journal of Exercise and
Sport Science Reviews. Vol 39 (3), p140-149, July 2011.
2.
Physical
Activity and Stress Resistance: Sympathetic Nervous System Adaptations Prevent
Stress-Induced Immunosupression. Journal of Exercise and Sport Science
Review. Vol 33, #3, p 120-126
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