“In order for man to succeed in life, God provided him with two means, education and physical activity. Not separately, one for the soul and the other for the body, but for the two together. With these means, man can attain perfection.” PLATO
Why is physical health linked to mental health?
"Why even in the process of thinking and not using our body, it is a matter of common knowledge that grave mistakes may often be traced to bad health. And because the body is in a bad condition loss of memory, depression and discontent often attack the mind so violently as to drive out whatever knowledge it contains." SOCRATES
Aerobic exercise leads to brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Think of it as top soil for the brain. It grows a healthy brain.
Why does nature, a physical thing, restore us?
“Nature itself is the best physician.” – Hippocrates
Our bodies increase in it's efficiency, the more it's used. There is no saving it. It gets better with use. This in fact reinforces the idea of use this physical thing. Do not save your heart beats.
We are programmed from birth to crave physical touch. Babies that are denied it, will have emotional problems. One of the most powerful drugs in the world is Oxytocin. It is secreted from the first time a baby feeds from the mothers breasts. It is often called the cuddle hormone because it is released from hugging and emotional touch.
The body gets stronger when its used against gravity. The bones and muscles respond to the presence and usage, by getting more resilient. Can you think of another "Thing" that improves the more it is used?
Our bodies are hardwired to have positive feedback loop of satisfaction and enjoyment from its use. Ever hear of the Endocannabinoid system? It has receptors in every part of the body and brain. One of the signals from physical exercise is anandamide. It rises and crosses the blood brain barrier along with potential a few other neurochemicals that creates euphoria. Runners High!
Why does sunlight have such a magnificent effect on our health? We were meant to be in nature. Divorcing our bodies from nature into self made metal structures is against nature. The farther we get away from nature, the more health issues arise. Physical beings in a physical world.
Study after study shows how simple things like walking in the woods, which now has a fancy name called "forest bathing" does for us. How sticking our hands in soil, i.e. gardening, produces positive outcomes in our gut bacteria. How sunlight on our eyes in the morning sets our circadian rhythm and will positive effects our our metabolism.
Sometimes I wonder if manual therapy works because it's just another human touching another human with good intentions. Sometimes I wonder if foam rolling and body tempering helps, because deep physical pressure just feels good at an inmate level.
Maybe our bodies need a certain amount of touch and compression. My kids want hard hugs, they want to tumble and roll, they want piggyback rides, they crave touch.
Everyone has experience the feeling of complete tiredness. Energy is low. Move the body, make the muscles contract and relax, breath. Energy is improving. Move a little more, breath a little harder. Wow, my energy is back. Why would exerting energy in a low energy state give us more energy?
"Do you not know your bodies are temples...therefore honor God with your bodies."
I don't think it is coincidence that our minds and mental health are showing signs of anxiety and less health the more screen time and social media kids are exposed to. Again, we are taking away a natural thing of physical involvement in the world, with secluded, sedentary, FOMO idea.
Play. Play is simple bodily interactions in the physical world in a manner that creates enjoyment. It definitely creates a learning environment. Lack of Play leads to not only under development of the body, but the mind. Cutting recess isn't such a good idea when you realize the body leads to mental growth.
Everywhere we look, from examination of the outside worlds influence on our physical selves, to our physical self interactions with the world, the human body and mind were meant to engage.
We were not designed to wear out. Our physiology improves with stress. Enjoy the contraction of the muscle, the beat of the heart, the deep breath of air that comes from rest, the gasp of air that comes from exertion and the deep body ache from exertion.
