Exercise not only changes your body, but it also changes your mind, your attitude and your mood.
~ Unknown Author
Do you find yourself planning your day around the ability to exercise?
Are you irritable when life interferes with your physical fitness pursuits?
Do you need more and more exercise to feel whole?
Have your social, occupational or recreational activities become increasingly focused on getting your exercise fix?
Are you spending a disproportionate amount of time planning, engaging in and recovering from physical exertion?
Too much exercise is seldom the problem for most of us. Today sedentary behaviour is of more concern.
Those who answered yes to any questions above may be addicted to the natural high derived from exercise-induced endorphins.
Endorphins are body-made opiates or feel-good chemicals that act as pain relievers and happiness boosters. They are produced by the nervous system, to help cope with pain and distress. In the United Kingdom exercise has been prescribed to combat mild to moderate depression.
Sedentary behaviour is associated with countless health challenges, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, arthritis and depression. Inflammation is a root cause of these conditions.
Research now shows that, besides the endorphins, exercise produces another mood-enhancing substance.
A new study published in Gut Microbes concludes that muscle-strengthening prompts the body to produce cannabis-like compounds (endocannabinoids) by increasing the diversity of beneficial gut bacteria and their production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). SCFA heal and seal the gut lining, preventing irritation and reaction to foods. Endocannabinoids reduce inflammation. A healthy gut is essential to a healthy brain.
Interestingly subjects in the study published in Gut Microbes only had to engage in 15 minutes of muscle-strengthening exercises daily for six weeks to achieve the anti-inflammatory effects.
Concluding thoughts
Physical distancing and social isolation have increased substance abuse and the demand for mental health services. People have spent more time sitting in front of computers and TVs and sleeping in. Sedentary behaviour hurts.
Consumers have sought ways to numb physical and emotional pain. Under the circumstances, the Ontario Government deemed the LCBO, the Beer Store, and cannabis shops essential services.
Over the years, I have seen people replace one addiction with another. Although there are countless health benefits associated with exercise, when it becomes obsessive and interferes with other life activities, it will never satiate. If physical exertion is used as a form of escape or to numb emotional pain, address the underlying cause. Seek a trauma-informed care specialist.
Through simple lifestyle interventions, the body can produce the medicine it needs. There is no magic pill. Exercise reprograms the brain for improved function. For me, meaningful physical labour is the best way to achieve euphoria. Providing service while I physically exert myself feels right. But fun, physically active play is something we can all benefit from engaging more in right now.
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