Cafe of Life      32 Berwick Ave.    Suite 201

647-352-2233

wellness@

cafe-of-life.com

     As always, entering into the New Year brings with it many “New Year’s resolutions”…the most popular being “I’m going to start exercising”.  If this sounds familiar and you haven’t kept that resolution, this information may nudge you to start.  It’s pretty standard knowledge that exercise is a great way of countering cheesecake, midnight snacks and cookies.  What is not so well known however, is that aerobic exercise does more than just help trim away those extra pounds of unwanted flab.

      A recent study discovered that “Aerobic exercise may be more effective than medication at relieving depression!”  This study adds to the growing evidence that exercise is a very effective way to “improve mental health of all people with only modest costs.”  One of the largest studies on exercise and its effects on depression compared three groups:  those taking antidepressants only; another group on antidepressants as well as group aerobics; and finally those taking no drugs, only using exercise.  “After 16 weeks, nearly all subjects in all three groups were equally as likely to have recovered.”  What was different were the findings in a 6-month follow-up.  The study discovered that those who only used exercise to battle depression held a surprising edge.  Of those who recovered using exercise

alone, only a mere 8% relapsed to depression.  In comparison, 38% of the group that used only drugs returned to a depressive state.  And 31% of the group that combined drugs with exercise were again clinically depressed after 6 months”.  Other studies have discovered similar results…“drugs do not cure depression or improve our health, they place us in an induced state unable to handle mental stress”.

      Health is defined by the World Health Organization as “optimal, physical mental and spiritual well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.  This definition recognizes the intrinsic link between physical, emotional and spiritual health.  Exercise helps link these areas by producing important brain chemicals.  Serotonin and endorphins are examples of such chemicals that when produced and released in the body contribute to a feeling of well-being.  In one study it was found that participating in only 50 minutes of exercise a week decreases a person’s chances of being depressed by 50%.  Such research makes it hard to ignore that physical activity is a crucial key to all aspects of our well-being. 

      More and more research shows that addressing any symptom with only medication is of limited value and comes with side affects that destroy the organs and cells of the body.

      Lifestyle factors are paramount to good physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.  As a family chiropractor, one of my goals is to help people make healthier lifestyle choices.  Having regular chiropractic adjustments is one of the most important lifestyle choices a family can make.  Chiropractic adjustments remove nerve pressure, (i.e. subluxations) and help the body adapt to life stresses as effectively as possible.  Any subluxation interferes with the body’s normal nerve flow resulting in compromised health.  Without a doubt, removing these subluxations while minimizing unnecessary medications and exercising regularly is crucial for better health.  Make the healthy choice, remove your subluxations and remember just like lifestyle changes, it takes time but the benefits are well worth the effort.  Your health is your greatest asset so invest in yourself and your family.  Make the commitment to a healthier family today.

God Bless.