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With everything that is
going on the world, it may seem that our day-to-day lives are
no longer as important as they once were. Or it may even seem
selfish to think that our daily activities are even worthy of
mentioning. But I truly believe that it is our duty as Americans
not to let these difficult times disrupt our lives, but to go
on with them in good faith, both in honor of our troops and to
in order to stand united as a nation. I feel it is especially
important at a time like this to maintain as good of physical,
mental, and emotional health as possible in order to be at our
best.
This issue will focus on the relevance of a sound body and mind.
While many people don’t see a relationship between the two,
I believe they directly affect one another. While small amounts
of stress can actually be beneficial to your health, stress in
large amounts can drastically affect it in a very negative way.
While it is not always apparent at first, the effects of undo
stress can have serious consequences on our bodies over time.
While our current state of the nation is far from normal, most
of us are under greater amounts of stress than usual, with many
worried and concerned over loved ones that may be fighting for
our nation. While it is next to impossible to completely turn
off the part of human nature that causes us to worry, it may be
possible to keep it under control and in tact, if for no other
reason than for the benefit of our loved ones and the rest of
our families that depend on us on a daily basis.
One of the best things we can do to help relieve stress is to
exercise. It releases tension and serves an important role in
balancing out our mental as well as physical and emotional selves.
Not only does undo stress result in high blood pressure and cardiac
arrest, it can also surface in the form of headaches, insomnia,
fatigue, and even nervous breakdown, amongst many other frightening
conditions. Exercise can help combat or at least improve all of
these. I have a client that first came to me on four different
blood pressure medications, and over the course of about two years
we have managed to get her blood pressure down to normal levels
again, resulting in her physician taking her off all of them!
With our current level of stress already influenced, I don’t
think we can afford to allow any additional factors to affect
us. We need to take control of our health and make our own decisions
concerning how we live our lives, rather than let circumstances
control us. On a personal level, we should look beyond the present
day and into the future if we want quality lives on down the road.
I hope I haven’t offended anyone out there reading this,
but I feel it is important to address our current situation. We
owe it to ourselves, our families, and our fighting men and women
to maintain our health and to be at our best, now more than ever.
Melissa Allen is a certified
personal trainer, Blackbelt & fitness consultant, as well
as the owner of Optimum Condition— personal fitness training
and kickboxing instruction. She is a regular columnist with various
newspapers and welcomes input from her readers. Please contact
her with any questions or comments that you may have by calling
(619) 252-4993, email her at Opticondit@aol.com, or visit her
website at www.optimumcondition.com. |
