Healthy Mind, Healthy Body

We can do all the right things to make our bodies healthy. We can eat healthy foods. We can focus on organic and whole foods and make it a priority to put only the most nutritional foods into our bodies. We can have our workouts dialed in just perfect. We can incorporate strength training and endurance training in hopes of building a strong, healthy body.

All of these things are good things, important things. But if we don’t have our mind right, if we don’t have control of our mental and emotional health, it is very difficult, often impossible, to have a healthy physical body, despite our best efforts.

You may have heard the saying before: “It’s not what you eat, it’s what eats you that destroys your health.” I know first hand how true this statement is.

Let me give you a little personal background: I have suffered from long term depression and anxiety and in the last several years have been diagnosed with PTSD. It took me a very long time to admit this and seek the help necessary to begin the healing process. As a result, my anxiety, worry, fear and feelings of hopelessness, grief and sadness, claimed authority over my entire being.

During one of my most challenging periods of PTSD and depression, I was actively competing in bodybuilding. I had everything just right. My diet was right. My training was on point. However, my anxiety was through the roof. I hardly slept. I lived on stimulants and pre workouts to get through my days. My body completely stopped responding to all the “good things” I was attempting to do for my body. I gained weight despite substantial amount of cardio, weight training and low calories. Nothing worked.

It was during this time that I sought the help of a therapist to begin the healing process of my depression and anxiety. As I started on this journey to get mentally healthy, I noticed that my body immediately started following suit. And over several months, and without having to kill myself in the gym and eat ridiculously low calories, the weight fell off and my body got back to what I call its “happy place.”

I share my story because it’s very common. These days, it is rare for me to talk to someone who isn’t dealing with some level of anxiety, worry or fear. In our current political climate, it’s made matters even worse in this regard. It’s very common for us to take care of the outside - we feel good about weight loss or putting on lean muscle - but yet we are still sick with worry on the inside. Anxiety increases our cortisol levels and wreaks havoc on our adrenal system. Both of these are necessary for weight loss and it’s important to keep cortisol levels low and our adrenal system healthy.

Being healthy is a holistic matter. We can’t focus on what area and expect it to work. We must take necessary steps to be healthy mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. When we balance these areas, we will not only look healthy but we will feel healthy too.