Chinese Food Health gives you the basic approaches on how to nourish and preserve health in the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

If you have been trying hard to look for reasons not to exercise, this article is for you.

Don’t mistake that you are advised not to sweat your body. On the contrary, after reading the following information, you will realize that you actually need/have no more excuse. Even if you may not wish to have strong muscles or a lean body, but you do want to have a healthy brain and mind. Don’t you?

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), our mental health includes brain’s physical health as well as emotional status which both can be contributed by staying physically active. “When we are exercising, oxygen and blood will be transporting to our brain, making it more favorable to reaction, memorization, and reasoning,” TCM Practitioners explained. “And this is about the brain’s physical health.”

As for our emotional status, a growing number of researches have demonstrated that exercise can mitigate symptoms of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Why? When we are engaging in physical activity, our brain automatically releases endorphin, a chemical acted as our body’s natural painkiller that is able to increase our feelings of happiness.

At the same time, exercise not only brings down levels of the stress hormone cortisol and helps raising our body temperature that carries calming effects, it also has the ability to boost our energy, as well as release muscle tension which leads to better sleeping quality—both are the common symptoms of anxiety and depression patients who often have low energy and poor sleep.

Of course, we don’t have to be suffering from depression or anxiety to get benefits from exercise. In reality, who doesn’t have worry, irritation, or grief in daily lives? “In fact, even short workout of 10 to 15 minutes in length can help us reduce psychological conditions like pressure and fear—and feel better,” TCM Practitioners added.

So, let’s say no more “no” to exercise. Get physical to maintain overall mental health by making your brain both physically and emotionally fit today!

Image by Netream