Life is Good! When Depression Sets in Go For a Walk!

Every night when I go to sleep I think of that day's blessings. There is so much to be grateful for and I try to always focus on the positive! Unfortunately, many folks out there can only dwell on the negatives in their life. They can't think of anything positive because they have too much pain in their body, are in too much financial trouble, have marital woes, etc. The list could be endless. What I have found since my journey began is how tremendously my mood has improved since I started focusing on a healthy routine of eating right and exercising daily. It is rare for me to feel depressed, stressed out or anxious.  From my research into this, the links between anxiety, depression and exercise aren't entirely clear — but working out can definitely help you relax and make you feel better!

Other benefits of exercise are:

1. Gain confidence. Meeting exercise goals or challenges, even small ones, can boost your self-confidence. Getting in shape can also make you feel better about your appearance. This has started happening to me. It feels great to get those old jeans to button again!
2. Get more social interaction. Exercise may give you the chance to meet or socialize with others. Just exchanging a friendly smile or greeting as you walk around your neighborhood or at the gym can help your mood. The folks here in Columbus are always super friendly!
3. Take your mind off worries. Exercise is a distraction that can get you away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed anxiety and depression.
4. Cope in a positive way. Doing something positive to manage anxiety or depression is a healthy coping strategy. Trying to feel better by drinking alcohol, dwelling on how badly you feel, or hoping anxiety or depression will go away on its own can lead to worsening symptoms. So try to avoid those strategies and instead put your shoes on and go out for a long, brisk walk!

By the way, as of today I am 5lbs lighter! I accomplished this in 12 days by just eating healthy and focusing on exercise daily! I am not where I want to be, but definitely on the way!

Every Healthy Body Needs a Healthy Soul! Meditation Anyone?

Today it is storming outside, which, in my opinion, is just beautiful. Nature has a way of telling you sometimes that it's ok to slow down and take it easy! The sound of the rain on the tin roof is delightful. Soon enough the birds will be chirping again and the sun will be shining, but while it is raining I will reflect on the importance of not only having a healthy body, but the importance of having a healthy soul as well. My good friend Mollie who lives in San Antonio has encouraged me to take up meditation. I have to say that I am intrigued and am definitely going to look into it. She sent me her favorite cd from Dr. Andew Weil who she swears is the best to get her to a happy state of mind. I am looking forward to listening and learning as soon as I get it. In the meantime I have researched the topic myself and have read that if stress has you anxious, tense and worried, meditation is highly recommended. Spending even a few minutes in meditation can restore your calm and inner peace.

According to the Mayo School of Medicine, meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. It was originally meant to help deepen understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life. These days, meditation is commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction. Meditation produces a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind. During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits both your emotional well-being and your overall health. And these benefits don't end when your meditation session ends.  It has been found that meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day and can even improve certain medical conditions! I think that is something we all should take notice of  and should be reason enough to give it a try. 

According to the Mayo Clinic the emotional benefits of meditation include:

• Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
• Building skills to manage your stress
• Increasing self-awareness
• Focusing on the present
• Reducing negative emotions

 With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help such conditions as:

• Allergies
• Anxiety disorders
• Asthma
• Binge eating
• Cancer
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Pain
• Sleep problems
• Substance abuse

Of course, as always, be sure to talk to your health care provider about the pros and cons of using meditation if you have any of these conditions or other health problems.

So when you get to feeling overwhelmed or feel like life is just too hard to handle, maybe you should take a break and meditate!