Self Care During Uncertain Times: Mental and Physical Health

            Working out will greatly increase your mental health. “Mental disorders include emotional and behavioral symptoms defined by The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Disease (ICD). These include schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder, and substance abuse and dependence.” (Dunn) As I applied exercise to my own life, I came to realize that other areas of my life became much more promising such as improvement in school, diet, water consumption, decreased stress and anxiety, and my ability to emphasize and focus on the important things in life. Many people in the world already have a good habit of exercising regularly, and that is great! I feel as if people with some of the above listed mental conditions are much more likely to not exercise.

In Andrea Dunn’s article The Effects of Exercise on Mental Health, she mentions Section 8 of the Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory report published in 2008 which concludes with the following statement. “Based on cross-sectional and prospective epidemiological data, are that physical activity can protect against feelings of distress, enhance psychological well-being, protect against symptoms of anxiety and development of anxiety disorders, protect against depressive symptoms and development of major depressive disorder, and delay the effects of dementia and the cognitive decline associated with aging. (Dunn) There are so many people who waste what little time they are given on this earth. If you want to better your life mentally, get up and get after it! Nothing is going to change if you don’t!

Working out will drastically improve your physical health. “Exercise is one of the most frequently prescribed therapies both in health and disease. There is irrefutable evidence showing the beneficial effects of exercise both to prevent and to treat several diseases.” (Vina) In this quote, Jose Vina, the author of the article Exercise Acts as a Drug; the Pharmacological Benefits of Exercise shows us how exercise is especially important in fighting disease. While Covid-19 is the popular topic these days, the death count as of July 13, 2020 in the United States is approximately 140,000. Meanwhile, about 650,000 people die annually in the United States from heart disease. So, which is the real pandemic?

Imagine if the news and media outlets emphasized the importance of exercise and good health, would anyone listen? The answer is no. Unfortunately, the average American does not get enough exercise or eat well. “Recent research suggests that modest increments in energy expenditure due to physical activity (∼100 kcal per week) or an increase in physical fitness of 1 MET (metabolic equivalent) is associated with lowering mortality by about 20%.” (Vina) Jose Vina suggests “modest increments in energy expenditure.” Modest; that is it. I am not asking you to go run a marathon, join a basketball team, or take up interpretive dance, I am merely suggesting that we as a country start exercising more and start becoming better people. It does not take much to start, just a bit of motivation.