Exercise is Organic Medicine

The evidence that exercise will change your flyfishing life is overwhelming, but sometimes it’s not enough to get us moving. It’s truth secondhand. We read about the experiences of others, and it’s like watching TV, entertaining and inspiring but fleeting.

But when you learn firsthand that exercise is organic medicine that builds more than metabolism and muscle, it becomes transformational. Read on……………

In Parade Magazine, James Taylor describes his personal experience with exercise. Taylor’s reliance on drugs was his way of self-medicating. “I was trying to get normal,” he says. “I have been diagnosed and treated for depression my whole life.” At the same time, he has been proudly drug-free for the past 35 years, almost “more than half of my life,” he beams. A crucial part of his recovery has been physical exercise. “It’s the one piece of advice I give to people in recovery: You’ve got to start moving,” he says. “It’s the only way to get your nervous system back.”

The implicit message from James Taylor is self-medicating with synthetic drugs will shred your nervous system (and probably other parts of you too).

Low serotonin levels are associated with depression. Serotonin is the body’s natural mood enhancer, the “don’t worry, be happy” neurotransmitter. It is the chemical messenger that helps with sleep, a balanced mood, self-confidence, social engagement and appetite. And we now know that higher levels of serotonin are linked to vigorous exercise.

You can use your body to heal your mind naturally. Researchers argue that higher levels of depression in modern society may be due to the decline in physical activity associated with the shift from hunter-gatherers to the sedentariness of modern life.

This is more evidence that a sedentary lifestyle is the antithesis of growth and exercise is organic medicine

Author of the mega best seller Fault in Our Stars John Green said pretty much the same thing on 60 Minutes. He gets on wild thoughts like “someone was bleeding in my salad, and instead of being able to move on to the next thought, that thought just expands and expands and expands and expands. And then, I use compulsive behaviors to try to manage the worry and the overwhelmedness that that thought causes me.”

The only way out of the downward spiral is “I exercise. That’s probably the biggest thing. Exercise is pretty magical in my life.”

When the clouds of melancholy come over you, your first choice should always be your body. Try to ease your suffering organically. Start slow and move gradually. Remember, move your body change your mood. It’s almost impossible to feel anxious or depressed while exercising.

To paraphrase Cardiologist and Philosopher of Recreational Running George Sheehan, the good feeling from exercise is no delusion. The difference between running and drugs is the absence of fantasy.

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Note: The information herein is meant to be general guidance on fitness. It is not a substitute for consultations with a healthcare professional. Always consult a physician before making changes.

Categorized in: General Knowledge