Depression can hit any age, gender, or ethnicity at any time, knocking us square in the face.
Clinical depression usually has a clinical approach to treatment, fattening big pharma’s pockets on the road to recovery.
Thankfully, we aren’t forced to accept just one method for kicking the blues – and there is one remedy that has side-effects you’ll want to have!
Over 300 muscles are used just to take a step.
Countless more are used when you’re walking to your front steps while holding a toddler, five grocery bags (because we refuse to take that second trip), and a cup of coffee.
And despite these great uses of your muscles, you’re probably not allowing them to work to their full potential.
We’re not talking about turning into She-Hulk, but rather working your muscles to transform your mind in some very powerful and real ways.
It wasn’t until 2003 when a group of Copenhagen-based researchers discovered muscles secrete chemical messengers called myokines that “exert powerful effects on organ function, including brain function,” reports Psychology Today.
Myokines are a communication tool that, through a chain-reaction of biological responses, improve memory, learning, and mood, the researchers revealed.
Maintaining a healthy fitness regimen not only keeps your waistline down, your heart healthy, and your biceps tone, but fights against a negative mood.
And you can even easily use this tried-and-true remedy for depression when pregnant without worrying about some of the more severe side-effects that come with taking anti-depressants.
The trillions of cells at work to maintain your body take a lot of energy, so for this treatment protocol to work you need to fuel your body appropriately.
Resistance training, where you lift weights, and eating healthy isn’t reserved for only fitness models and celebrities.
Anyone who wants optimal brain functioning, including a stable mood, should be using the weight room to their advantage.
For the busy mom struggling with depression, postpartum or otherwise, adding one more responsibility to the day may seem unbearable.
Try one of Mommy Underground’s 3 easy ways to sneak in a workout in your day – or hire a trainer that can keep you on track for your mental health goals.
And always remember, your children look up to you and hang on every word you say, whether good or bad.
So when speaking on your journey to better fitness for better mental health, be sure to protect your kid’s body image by using positive speech.
Say things like, “I am going to work out so I can be stronger,” instead of sentences like, “I am working out to lose weight.”
Also convey to your children that building a strong body builds a strong mind and you want your mind to be at its best so you can enjoy spending time with them.
And don’t stress about having to have a controlled workout schedule with no wiggle room – as long as you are consistent with your fitness and nutrition, the rest will fall into place.
Some days you get a workout in before the children wakeup to start their day and sometimes you’re sneaking one in during a Bubble Guppies episode.
Whatever works for you and your day!
Whatever you do, don’t neglect your depression. Begin steps to the best you now, even if you think your depression may go away soon or you don’t want to “burden” the family.
You are worth it, and your family will benefit from your efforts. So take the time you need to begin your fit body, fit mind plan today.