Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

It has long been proposed that when one is physically healthy, one's overall mental and emotional health is also improved. Here's a recent study to add to the list. I was listening to CBC Radio's "Metro Morning" this week and host Matt Galloway was speaking with health columnist Dr. Peter Lin. Dr. Lin pointed to a recent study on the connection between treatment of depression and exercise. Dr. Lin was not suggesting to replace medication with exercise, but was reporting that exercise in conjunction with medication resulted in overall improvement in patients' mental health. Low energy and motivation for individuals with depression could make it difficult for them to engage in exercise. However, Dr. Lin suggested starting slow - walking 3 minutes a day (not much!), then adding an extra minute a day until 30 minutes was achieved. In addition, exercise need not be physically strenuous; when Tai Chi (a slow-movement Chinese martial art form) was practiced, an increase in quality of life was reported.

And if that wasn't enough, I was reading today in CMHA's Mental Health Notes, on another study that reported mental health benefits of exercise therapy for people with schizophrenia. Authors Paul Gorczynksy and Guy Faulkner from the University of Toronto discuss their findings on the following audio podcast: http://www.cochrane.org/podcasts/issue-4-5-april-may-2010/exercise-therapy-schizophrenia. And for the link to the abstract, go to: http://www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD004412/pdf_abstract_fs.html

Happy exercising, everyone!