I’ve
described in this blog that my path took a sharp turn when I became ill with a
chronic disease in an earlier post, To the Journey. As those of you who know me
personally definitely know, hitting the gym has been a part of my daily life
for years. However, this may surprise you, but physical exercise has become
more important to me than ever before.
As
part of my recovery and continuing health care I practice cardio, weight
training, and MAT to help build my balance, endurance, and
other important neuromuscular and neurological abilities as well as stay in
shape! MAT, Muscle Activation Techniques, is a therapy that helps alleviate
muscle and joint pain caused by neuromuscular imbalances. In addition to my
already rigorous workout schedule, two weeks ago I started Pilates lessons at
my gym, Clay,
and I’m loving it!
So
I wasn't surprised when I read in the New York Times an article about how many ways exercise can heal and prevent
illness. In a nutshell, exercise will cure almost anything that ails
you, from arthritis to diabetes. Exercise keeps your whole machine running
well.
Last
year I learned how crucial exercise is to my emotional well-being as well when
my father died suddenly. Just when exercise was the last thing I wanted to do,
when my spirits were at their lowest, a regular exercise regime was exactly
what I needed to moderate my moods and recover from the emotional trauma of my
father’s death. Adrenalin fights depression!
And
that’s the tricky part about exercise, for everyone, and especially for people
fighting an illness. Often times it’s when you feel the least motivated to
exercise that you need regular exercise the most. The key to making it work for
me has been sticking to my routine: while I may vary how much I exercise
depending on how I feel, I make exercise a regular, scheduled priority.
I
don't have to tell you how much I value the power of medicine, wisely
administered. But there is so much more to wellness and healing. It's a daily
commitment I make to myself to keep caring for my body, eating what will make
me strong, getting enough sleep, and exercising -- because it's good for me and
because it makes me feel fantastic.
What's
your favorite way to move?
For
more information about MAT read Clay Gym’s description of their MAT program: http://www.insideclay.com/html/mat.html
and this explanation of MAT by specialist Todd Collura:
http://www.wptv.com/content/health/story.aspx?content_id=52c7b3e2-1f70-4ede-816d-24e2613eefdf
Here are some steps to making exercise routine from The Happiness Project: http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2006/05/this_wednesday__3.html
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