By Dr. Eddie Hall
Did you know that a simple decision on your part can turn a bad day, into a good day, and into a great week? And the best news is that it will only cost about 45 minutes a week!
While some people may look for a drug to turn their bad days into good days, there is something much cheaper and WAY better for our bodies…EXERCISE! That’s right, when we move well, we can literally improve our mood. Movement of our spines is like turning on the breaker switch between our brains and our nervous systems that has been tripped from non-movement. With the “power” turned on, it signals 2 neurotransmitters (serotonin and norepinephrine) to elevate. These are the body’s own natural antidepressant, mood altering chemicals. Exercise is the natural elevator of our nervous system function and brain power, without the nasty side effects that come from putting foreign substances into our bodies.
So many people are inactive these days that some experts have coined a term for it, “sedentary death syndrome”. The condition has cut short an estimated 250,000 lives in the United States annually, according to research from the University of Missouri. Inactivity is tied to all sorts of health problems: depression, osteoporosis (thinning and weakening of bones), dementia (loss of mental abilities), heart disease, obesity, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes. All these diseases have one thing in common, chronic inflammation. Exercise helps protect our bodies against chronic, harmful inflammation by releasing chemicals that counteract the process. The human body is designed to self regulate and heal under the right conditions; exercising is among the most important of these conditions.
We live in a society where being sedentary has become more accepted than ever and our population is suffering. Just think how healthy societies of hunters/gatherers are, and how they are constantly on the move to provide for their families. They burn more energy and in turn are less likely to become obese or have any weight related problems such as type 2 diabetes. At Stucky Chiropractic Center, we offer frequent MOVE WELL workshops with simple movements that everyone can do. Best of all, no equipment needed, no gym membership, just 45 minutes to be effective. Visit our calendar of events for more information!