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June 2023

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Physical activity may be beneficial in the treatment of mild to moderate mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety. Increased aerobic activity or strength training has been demonstrated to dramatically lessen depressive symptoms. Regular exercise appears to relieve anxiety symptoms and panic disorder, and the benefits appear to be comparable to meditation or relaxation. Acute anxiety reacts to exercise better than chronic anxiety in general. Although there have been few studies of older adults and adolescents with depression or anxiety, physical activity appears to be beneficial to these groups as well. The effect of physical activity on mental health conditions has been explained by a variety of psychological and physiological factors. To clarify the mental health advantages of exercise in varied populations and to address directly the processes underlying the benefits of exercise on mental health, well-controlled research is required. Exercise benefits mental health by lowering anxiety, depression, and low mood, as well as enhancing self-esteem and cognitive performance.  Exercise has also been shown to help people with low self-esteem and social withdrawal. 

Exercise is especially important in individuals with schizophrenia because they are already predisposed to obesity and because antipsychotic therapy, particularly atypical antipsychotics, carries an added risk of weight gain. University of Nebraska and Omaha Medical center doctors Ashish Sharma, Vishal Madaan, and Frederick D. Petty found that patients with schizophrenia who engaged in a three-month physical conditioning program improved their weight control and reported increased fitness, exercise tolerance, lower blood pressure, increased felt energy, and increased upper body and hand grip strength, according to a study done by doctors at the University of Nebraska. For these health benefits, thirty minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking three times a week, is sufficient. Furthermore, these 30 minutes do not have to be consecutive; three 10-minute walks are seen to be just as beneficial as one 30-minute stroll. Health benefits from regular exercise that should be emphasized and reinforced by every mental health professional to their patients include the following: Improved sleep, Increased interest in sex, Better endurance, Stress relief, Improvement in mood, Increased energy and stamina, Reduced tiredness that can increase mental alertness, Weight reduction Reduced cholesterol and improved cardiovascular fitness. 

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Don’t have a 30-minute slot set aside for yoga or a bike ride? Don’t be concerned. Consider physical activity as a way of life rather than a task to cross off your to-do list. Examine your daily routine for opportunities to add action here, there, and everywhere.

Move in and around your home. Clean the house, wash the car, tend to the yard and garden, mow the lawn with a push mower, sweep the sidewalk or patio with a broom.

Sneak activity at work or on the go. Bike or walk to an appointment rather than drive, use stairs instead of elevators, briskly walk to the bus stop then get off one stop early, park at the back of the lot and walk into the store or office, or take a vigorous walk during your coffee break.

Get active with the family. Jog around the soccer field during your kid’s practice, make a neighborhood bike ride part of your weekend routine, play tag with your children in the yard, go canoeing at a lake, walk the dog in a new place.

Get creative with exercise ideas. Pick fruit at an orchard, boogie to music, go to the beach or take a hike, gently stretch while watching television, organize an office bowling team, take a class in martial arts, dance, or yoga.

Coronavirus has wreaked havoc on our lifestyles, the economy,  and our stress levels. While a lot of our stress can be coming from being cramped up at home or the stock market tanking it really boils down to us “not having control”. We thrive in an environment wherewe dictate our own social plans, how we get around, and we just don’t have that right now.

The virus is tricky as can be picked up so easily; it can last on surfaces for days, it can be dormant in our system for up to two weeks without us knowing, not to mention, it can be contracted through air particles.While this is a worldwide pandemic that we can’t seem to slow down, we do have to look at what we can control in this case. We can control our sleeping habits, we can control our thought process, we can still exercise, we can still talk to our friends -thanks technology-, and though it’s a pain to go to the grocery store; we can still control what we eat. At the end of the day all of these things can helpus manage our immune system. While the thought of contracting Coronavirus is scary, we have to ensure we are as prepared as possible if we do happen to catch it. It’s time to boost your immune system so you can limit the potential effects of the virus. See below for ways we can boost our immune system.

**If you don’t read any further please take this home with you: 80% of our immune system lives in our gut. So the foods we decide to eat will have a major impact on the integrity of our immune system****

Ways to improve our immune system:

Diet – As mentioned above the quality of our digestive system will dictate how well our immune system can function. Our digestive tract contains “immune cells” that are activated by gut flora (good bacteria), these cells attack pathogens coming into the tract from the food we eat and ultimately stop the pathogens from entering our bloodstream. Gut flora flourishes when we eat vegetables and fruits as well as foods that have active cultures such as yogurt, kimchi, and Kombucha. The flora can become overwhelmed when we consume fried foods, artificial sweeteners, and processed foods. 

Sleep – Getting a great night of sleep is helpful for a number reasons, but mainly from the production of hormones that increase our growth, energy levels, tissue repair, regulate our appetite, and regulate our blood sugar. Sleep also helps our body produce T- Cells. T- Cells are designed to fight cells that have been infected with a virus or pathogen. Two of the hormones that effect our energy levels, Adrenaline and Noradrenaline, are low during sleep. This comes into play as the lower these hormones the “stickier” the T-Cells are in order to attach to the infected cell.

Exercise –  Vigorous exercise elevates our body temperature which leads us to sweat out toxins  and can prevent bacteria growing in the body. As we know, exercises increases our blood circulation, which will increase the flow of white blood cells (antibodies) that fight pathogens.

Increase of Vitamin D, C, and Zinc –

– Vitamin D increases the effectiveness and response rate of white blood cells  How can you get it? SUNLIGHT!!!. Food sources include salmon, tuna, egg yolks, cheese, and whole milk. 

– Vitamin C helps T cells and Phagocytes; immune cells that engulf bacteria, do their job. How can you get it? Food sources such as oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, strawberries, and broccoli.

– Zinc fires up T- Cell activity and helps modulate the immune system so it doesn’t spiral out of control. How can you get it? Food sources such as red meat and poultry, salmon, eggs, nuts, seeds, and – believe it or not – dark chocolate. 

Using supplements to boost vitamin D, C and zinc levels is fine as well, just make sure you take them with a “fatty” meal, like eggs or fish, to increase absorption. 

Mindset – Stress does not help our immune system at all! High stress levels lead to a high production of Corticosteroid, which in turn, lower the amount of:  B cells – produce anti-bodies and T- Cells, as mentioned before, that fight infected cells. Stress is certainly a major topic right now as the world has been affected by COVID-19. Ways to combat your stress: Breathing exercises, meditation, physical exercise, and sleep.