How exercise can improve your moods !

        While it's obvious that your feelings can influence your movement,it is not as obvious that your movement can impact your feelings too.For example,when you feel tired and sad,you may move more slowly. When you feel anxious,you may either rush around or become completely paralyzed. But recent studies show that the connection between your brain and your body is a "two-way street " and that means movement can change your brain,too!
         Exercise can reduce anxiety by making your brain's "fight or flight " system less reactive.When anxious people are exposed to changes they fear, such as a rapid heartbeat,through regular exercise,they can develope a tolerance for such symptoms.Regular exercise such as cycling or gym-based aerobic,resistance,flexibilty and balance exercises can reduce depressive symptoms. Exercise can be as effective as medication and psychotherapies. Exercise may boost your mood by increasing a brain protein called BDNF that helps nerve fibers grow.For people with ADHD a single 20-minute bout of moderate- intensity exercise briefly improved their symptoms. It increased their energy,and reduced their feelings of confusion,fatgue and depression
          Meditative movement has been shown to alleviate depressive symptoms. Qigong,tai chi and some forms of yoga are helpful for this. Studies have shown that frequent yoga practice can reduce the severity of symptoms in post- traumatic stress disorder to the point that some people no longer meet the criteria for this diagnosis. Changing your posture,breathing and rythem can all change your brain,thereby reducing stress,depression and anxiety and leading to a feeling of well-being
       Your mind and body are intimately connected. And while your brain is the master control system for your body's movement,the way you move can also affect the way think and feel. Exercise therapies are often used as treatments for depression and anxiety when mental effort,psychotherapy or medication is not enough.When you are too exhausted to use thought control strstegies such as focusing on the positive or looking at the situation from another angle,exercise can come  to the rescue.By working out ,you may gain access to a "back door" to the mental changes that you desire without having to "psych yourself" into feeling better ! 
Final Thoughts
Let's look at what has happened to our overall health in the last 20 years:

• Diabetes-UP
• Hypertension-UP
• Heart disease -UP
• Metabolic Syndrome X-UP
• Obesity-UP
• Depression-UP
• Anxiety-UP
• Stress- UP       

Do you see the connection? Trust me,it's no coincidence. There is no single medication on this planet that can have a positive impact on all of the above mentioned conditions. Can you imagine the amount of pills you would have to take to treat every single condition? If you are on any type of medication for any of these conditions DO NOT STOP ! But i can tell you there is one thing you can do that will have an immediate and positive impact on every single condition i have mentioned. EXERCISE !!!! With as little as 90 minutes a week you will immediatly begin to reap the rewards. Go on. Give it a go !