Paul Graham Health & Fitness Newsletter

Welcome to The Paul Graham Health & Fitness Newsletter - Issue 20.
Exercise and Mental Health Recent studies have found that exercise boosts activity in the brain's frontal lobes and the hippocampus. We don't really know how or why this occurs. Animal studies have found that exercise increases levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters have been associated with elevated mood, and it is thought that antidepressant medications like Prozac also work by boosting these chemicals. Exercise has been found to increase levels of "brain-derived neurotrophic factor" (BDNF). This substance is thought to improve mood, and it may play a role in the beneficial effects of exercise. BDNF's primary role seems to be to help brain cells survive longer; so this may also explain some of the beneficial effects of exercise on dementia. The bottom line is that most of us feel good after exercise, and it's probably not from endorphins. Physical exercise is good for our mental health and for our brains. Someday we will understand it all better - but we can start exercising today. A Natural High? Sources - John Briley "Feel Good After a Workout? Well, Good for You." The Washington Post Tuesday, April 25, 2006; James A. Blumenthal, et.al. "Effects of Exercise Training on Older Patients With Major Depression". Archives of Internal Medicine, October 25, 1999; Michael Babyak, et.al. Exercise Treatment for Major Depression: Maintenance of Therapeutic Benefit at 10 Months. Psychosomatic Medicine, September/October 2000. Paul Graham Personal Health & Fitness Training email: Paul Graham Paul Graham H&F Home Page Tel: 07710 761 147	Personal Training with You in Mind In these dark and dismal winter months it can be very difficult to maintain any regime including the trek to the gym. However, it is during these months that our fitness plan can really help keep winter 'blues' at bay. It has been shown that exercise does more than keep your body in good physical shape. It also has a major impact on our mental well-being. With this in mind, personal training takes on a new and very important role. Helping maintain your health and fitness plan through the winter months becomes an addition to the fitness professional usual plan. In the knowledge that your personal trainer will help you through any low spots, maintaining your physical and mental health through to brighter days becomes, not a task but something to look forward to. If you think this message applies to you maybe you should be looking to employ the services of a personal trainer, a personal trainer that can help keep your 'head' and 'body' in the best possible shape. Priceless Benefits The benefits of exercise on mental health are priceless. If you could put those benefits into a pill, it would be a billion dollar drug. Regular activity, such as walking, not only prevents disease, improves your health and makes you feel better physically. It also builds self-confidence and self-esteem, relieves anxiety and depression, increases energy, improves sleep patterns and helps to put you into a better mood. Those are pretty good results for a stroll around the block, don’t you think? Because that’s all it takes to lift your spirits and get you feeling really good. Want some proof? Researchers at Duke University followed a group of clinically depressive people for four months and found that 60% of those who exercised were able to overcome their depression without antidepressant medication. Those who took the medication had the same percentage of recovery. Of course, they had to deal with the depressing side effects of antidepressants. The results of physical activity on mental health have also shown that exercisers are much less likely to have a recurrence of depression than those patients taking antidepressants. That’s why the Mental Health Foundation recommends that all depressed patients be offered exercise on prescription in place of drugs. It’s a much safer, more pleasant and less expensive therapy. But you don’t have to be clinically depressed to experience the feelings of wellbeing associated with exercise. Aerobic exercise such as walking, cycling or swimming all release endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, which help create a feeling of happiness that can last for hours. These endorphins help exercisers to deal with all of the petty little disturbances that get people angry, sad and frustrated on a daily basis, allowing them to cope better with the ups and downs of everyday life. © Copyright Moss Greene. All Rights Reserved.	Home Feedback Dogpile Search GP's Subscribe? Many people with mental health problems use physical exercise to make them feel better, a survey has found. The survey by the charity Mind found that 83% of people with mental health problems looked to exercise to help lift their mood or to reduce stress. Two-thirds said exercise helped to relieve the symptoms of depression and more than half said it helped to reduce stress and anxiety. Some people even thought it had a beneficial effect on manic depression and schizophrenia. Six out of ten said that physical exercise helped to improve their motivation, 50% said it boosted their self-esteem and 24% said it improved their social skills. Mind found that people with mental health problems were more likely to get their exercise from everyday activities like walking, housework and gardening. However, 58% did not know that GPs can sometimes prescribe exercise sessions and activities. 'Valid' The biggest barriers that prevented people from taking part in physical exercise were motivation problems, the cost of sport and lack of confidence. One respondent to the survey said: "I would not have recovered over the last few years without daily exercise, combined with alterations of diet." Another said: "I still suffer from depression, anxiety and stress, but doing exercise does give relief and greatly helps me through the days." Report author Sue Baker said: "Our survey proves, beyond any doubt, that physical activity and exercise has a valid place in the 'treatment' of mental health problems. (source: BBC news)
Copyright © Paul Graham 2010

Welcome to The Paul Graham Health & Fitness Newsletter - Issue 20.

Exercise and Mental Health

Recent studies have found that exercise boosts activity in the brain's frontal lobes and the hippocampus. We don't really know how or why this occurs. Animal studies have found that exercise increases levels of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters have been associated with elevated mood, and it is thought that antidepressant medications like Prozac also work by boosting these chemicals. Exercise has been found to increase levels of "brain-derived neurotrophic factor" (BDNF). This substance is thought to improve mood, and it may play a role in the beneficial effects of exercise. BDNF's primary role seems to be to help brain cells survive longer; so this may also explain some of the beneficial effects of exercise on dementia.

The bottom line is that most of us feel good after exercise, and it's probably not from endorphins. Physical exercise is good for our mental health and for our brains. Someday we will understand it all better - but we can start exercising today.

A Natural High?

Sources - John Briley "Feel Good After a Workout? Well, Good for You." The Washington Post Tuesday, April 25, 2006; James A. Blumenthal, et.al. "Effects of Exercise Training on Older Patients With Major Depression". Archives of Internal Medicine, October 25, 1999; Michael Babyak, et.al. Exercise Treatment for Major Depression: Maintenance of Therapeutic Benefit at 10 Months. Psychosomatic Medicine, September/October 2000.

Paul Graham
Personal Health & Fitness Training

email: Paul Graham

Paul Graham H&F Home Page

Tel: 07710 761 147

Personal Training with You in Mind

In these dark and dismal winter months it can be very difficult to maintain any regime including the trek to the gym. However, it is during these months that our fitness plan can really help keep winter 'blues' at bay. It has been shown that exercise does more than keep your body in good physical shape. It also has a major impact on our mental well-being. With this in mind, personal training takes on a new and very important role. Helping maintain your health and fitness plan through the winter months becomes an addition to the fitness professional usual plan. In the knowledge that your personal trainer will help you through any low spots, maintaining your physical and mental health through to brighter days becomes, not a task but something to look forward to. If you think this message applies to you maybe you should be looking to employ the services of a personal trainer, a personal trainer that can help keep your 'head' and 'body' in the best possible shape.

Priceless Benefits

The benefits of exercise on mental health are priceless. If you could put those benefits into a pill, it would be a billion dollar drug. Regular activity, such as walking, not only prevents disease, improves your health and makes you feel better physically. It also builds self-confidence and self-esteem, relieves anxiety and depression, increases energy, improves sleep patterns and helps to put you into a better mood. Those are pretty good results for a stroll around the block, don’t you think? Because that’s all it takes to lift your spirits and get you feeling really good. Want some proof? Researchers at Duke University followed a group of clinically depressive people for four months and found that 60% of those who exercised were able to overcome their depression without antidepressant medication. Those who took the medication had the same percentage of recovery. Of course, they had to deal with the depressing side effects of antidepressants. The results of physical activity on mental health have also shown that exercisers are much less likely to have a recurrence of depression than those patients taking antidepressants. That’s why the Mental Health Foundation recommends that all depressed patients be offered exercise on prescription in place of drugs. It’s a much safer, more pleasant and less expensive therapy. But you don’t have to be clinically depressed to experience the feelings of wellbeing associated with exercise. Aerobic exercise such as walking, cycling or swimming all release endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, which help create a feeling of happiness that can last for hours. These endorphins help exercisers to deal with all of the petty little disturbances that get people angry, sad and frustrated on a daily basis, allowing them to cope better with the ups and downs of everyday life. © Copyright Moss Greene. All Rights Reserved.

GP's Subscribe? Many people with mental health problems use physical exercise to make them feel better, a survey has found. The survey by the charity Mind found that 83% of people with mental health problems looked to exercise to help lift their mood or to reduce stress. Two-thirds said exercise helped to relieve the symptoms of depression and more than half said it helped to reduce stress and anxiety. Some people even thought it had a beneficial effect on manic depression and schizophrenia. Six out of ten said that physical exercise helped to improve their motivation, 50% said it boosted their self-esteem and 24% said it improved their social skills. Mind found that people with mental health problems were more likely to get their exercise from everyday activities like walking, housework and gardening. However, 58% did not know that GPs can sometimes prescribe exercise sessions and activities. 'Valid' The biggest barriers that prevented people from taking part in physical exercise were motivation problems, the cost of sport and lack of confidence. One respondent to the survey said: "I would not have recovered over the last few years without daily exercise, combined with alterations of diet." Another said: "I still suffer from depression, anxiety and stress, but doing exercise does give relief and greatly helps me through the days." Report author Sue Baker said: "Our survey proves, beyond any doubt, that physical activity and exercise has a valid place in the 'treatment' of mental health problems. (source: BBC news)