MIND HEALTH <-> BODY HEALTH
I can’t say anything about the healthy lifestyle in Chicago yet since I’m still living in Brazil but I can give you a heads up on why this subject is important to me.
I've never really liked healthy food and gym. In fact, I hated the gym. The only sport I was dedicated to was dancing. I did more than 15 years of classical ballet and still regret quitting it. It’s been almost 5 years since I stopped dancing, from that time on I gained 22 lbs. (10 kg) and my health went downhill. It seems so stupid to let ourselves get overweight and ill, but it usually happens without us even noticing.
Nowadays health is a trend subject, girls want to be skinny with their muscles popping out and guys wanna be extremely gigantic like the hulk. I have nothing against it, as long as it’s done properly. I say this because I know how sports can be a life savior, people shouldn’t play with their bodies. When you work out a lot you have to replace some nutrients you lose over training hard, such as protein and carbs. So, girls: don’t ever do carb free diets. Be extremely careful with supplementation, whatever you decide to take talk to a doctor and do a research online. Chose government websites, they usually have the latest research on new products. Some medicines work your brain chemistry and might leave permanent damages. Always read about what you’re eating, even organic food. Problems usually happen with people that already have some kind of mental disturb and, believe me, a lot of those people don’t know they have something until it starts damaging their lives and I’m one of those people.
During the time I was sedentary, I used to get sick all the time. I can honestly tell you that I didn't skip one month without having to take antibiotics. It was tonsillitis, cystitis, sinusitis and all other “itis” in the book. I went to all kinds of doctors until one of them said “Have you ever considered therapy? This might be related to an emotional issue”. I felt like the ground disappeared and I had nowhere else to stand. - No, I hadn't considered it. How can our minds be so powerful? I thought about it for months and finally decided to take the first step. I didn't even tell my parents, I just went for it. It wasn't easy at all but my life was a mess. I was sick all the time, hating the university, not caring about myself. Something had to change. It was the best decision I made and as much as my friends and family tell me not to, I’m happy to share this with you. I think that sometimes we need to expose ourselves in order to help others.
I’m not here to discuss my diagnosis, it doesn’t really matter. If you want to know, I’ll talk about it someday. However, today I wanted to tell you that health starts in the mind, continues with alimentation and finishes with our physique. One thing is related to another, if you’re emotionally tired the workout won’t be successful; if you don’t eat well, your mind and body will be affected. Are you having any emotional instability? Search for help. Seriously, send me an email, anonymous if that’s the case, and I’ll gladly give you suggestions.
Why is mental health dependent on exercises? I can’t tell you how many times I sent emails to healthy lifestyle blogs asking them to talk about this. Exercise increases the serotonin level in our brain. This chemical is one of the most important substances in our brain for it affects our mood and protects us from certain mental disorders. Some cases of depression are treated with a healthy lifestyle. Of course, you should always seek help. If nothing changes, the doctor will recommend a medication.
An athlete will be more successful when taking care of their mind. If you don’t believe me, do your research!
