How Can Exercise Benefit Your Mental Health?

Posted on April 12, 2018 by Christy B

The benefits of exercise are very well known. It can help you get fitter and have a healthier body, but what effect can it have on your mind and mental health? There is a very important relationship between the two, and anyone wanting to improve their mental health should consider fitness. You should also consider exercise and fitness whatever your current state of mind, as there are so many benefits. So, how can exercise benefit you? And what kind of effects can you expect to see? Read on to see how you can change your life by making a few healthy choices each week, and when you put in the effort you can receive great rewards.

Building New Relationships

There are many individual exercises and activities you can do, whether it be a relaxing swim in the pool or spending some time alone with your thoughts. But exercise often brings with it the chance to build new relationships with people. Joining a gym, sports team or fitness class can be a great way to spend time with others.

Forging new relationships that are built on something positive like fitness often fills people with positivity. Having other people rely on you and being needed within your group also gives people a sense of purpose and lets them know that they are needed and valued. Exercise highlights these relationships with others and celebrates them.

This runner feels better mentally after she’s finished her workout.

Endorphins

Exercise releases adrenaline and a rush of endorphins, which gives us a sense of contentment, happiness, and well-being when we have work out hard. These positive feelings can have a great effect on anxiety and depression, and exercise often has an amazing effect on a person’s recovery.

Although no mental illnesses can be cured overnight, learning ways to cope and deal with your thoughts and symptoms in a healthy way is a useful tool to possess. Remember, if you do need more than exercise, make sure you consider therapy. When you put your mind, body, and soul into something, your body rewards you for it with an amazing sense of accomplishment.

Pride

Another important aspect of exercise and fitness is the sense of pride that it makes you feel. Fitness goals and accomplishments come in all shapes and sizes, such as being able to jog non-stop for 10 minutes, swim 3000 meters, or simply to get out of bed in the morning. Every goal is individual and working hard for something then achieving it can evoke an incredible sense of pride and self-worth. Having that extra bit of self-confidence and pride can make anyone feel great and can be especially helpful when struggling with your mental health.

There are so many more reasons to exercise than simply to stay fit, although that is a good enough reason in itself. It can have incredible effects on your mental health; it can relax you, help you build new relationships, and instill a sense of self-worth.

These Alternative Health Remedies Could Be Exactly What You Need

Posted on March 20, 2018 by Christy B

This woman does yoga as an alternative health remedy. Photo by Emily Sea on Unsplash.

As humans, we tend to focus more on medicinal remedies and traditional assessments of health than anything else. But this isn’t something that we can blame ourselves for. It’s only natural for us to follow what our families do, and stick with the majority when it comes to finding solutions for poor health. When all you know is traditional medicine, doctors, and the more accepted ways of healthy living, it’s what you do. But it’s also good to open your mind up to alternatives. Just because Western medicine is what we’re used to, it doesn’t mean that it’s the right or the only solution for your health. In fact, there are plenty of alternative health remedies that could be exactly what you need at some point or another in your life.

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The Importance of Exercise and Diet: It Sets the Tone for Your Children

Posted on February 27, 2018 by Christy B

Please join me today in welcoming Breanna, also known as The Medical Mama, to the blog with this guest post. I first came across her blog a few weeks ago and right away appreciated the in-depth research she does on parenting, health, fitness, and more. She is helping women and I’m so happy to have here here. First, here’s a bit about Breanna.

About Breanna “The Medical Mama”

Meet Breanna C., also known as “The Medial Mama” (Photo via Breanna)

Hi there. My name is Breanna and I am The Medical Mama. I want to first and foremost thank Christy B for allowing me to guest blog today. You can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and my own personal site. I am a mother of 2 beautiful little girls. One is 5 years old, and the other is coming March 5th. I have a background in nursing (Pediatrics) and education (K-12). Again, thank you for having me and reading my article today.

Let’s jump right in.

Your Child is Watching You.

Have you ever sat and thought about what you put in your mouth? Have you ever sat and thought about what your child watches you put in your mouth? Or what your child sees as your eating habits and health habits? I never really thought about it until I got bit by the “fitness bug” about a year ago. I noticed while my husband and I started counting calories and talking about it out loud our daughter started becoming obsessed with calories and eating. Granted, she didn’t know what a calorie was or what it meant, but she knew it was important for getting fit and eating healthy. She then started making healthier choices on her own. I can proudly say, to this day, that she continues to make healthy eating habits a priority.