EXERCISE – KEY TO HEALTH & HAPPINESS
C. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D.
I have been an exercise buff all my life. As a child I did the Charles Atlas dynamic isometric exercise program. At age 16, when I sent to college, I weighed 132 pounds at 5 feet 11 inches height. I lifted weight for 3 years and gained 52 pounds of muscle. I entered medical school at 19 followed by 7 years of internship and residency with a significant decrease in weight lifting and most exercise. Eleven years later, at 170 pounds, I finished residency and immediately started playing squash, later graduating to racquetball 5 days a week, plus yoga and walking. Today I do 75 to 90 minutes of exercise daily—no weight lifting: I have shrunk 2 inches in height and am down to 150 pounds with a BMI of 22. Two years ago I did a treadmill stress test and was equal to most healthy 26 year olds. All of this is just to emphasize my BELIEF that physical exercise is the single greatest boost to health and longevity. Of course, it takes a certain conscientiousness and belief but IT FEELS GOOD. I have often said that I could probably cure most depression if I could just tie people to a horse walker and make them go with a cattle prod!
A March 15, 2011 article in the American Journal of Psychiatry reported on 24, 214 patients who had suffered a stroke. In these patients, the prior use of antidepressants was associated with a 48% increase in stroke risk!! No surprise.
Physical exercise:
- The single best and safest treatment for mild to major depression, even in those resistant to drug therapy!
- The single best and safest treatment for anxiety
- Reduces stress, hostility and anger
- Improves cognitive thinking at all ages
- Reduces fibromyalgia symptoms more than any known drug
- Reduces all age mortality, especially from heart disease
- Improves immune function
- Helps prevent Alzheimer’s
- Helps weight balance
- Reduces risk of diabetes
If you are resistant to exercise, try Bouncing, even while watching TV. Build up to 3 minutes 10 times a day. Your health, immune system, mood and overall health will improve immensely! Google “Bounce with Dr. Shealy” or www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtMVJ6yJaBs