Great evening in sober living enrichment land! We started with a presentation and discussion on how exercise helps us feel better, faster – especially when we are in early recovery.
How? Why? In a nutshell, exercise helps stimulate brain repair. Improvement in brain cell regeneration, stronger connections / better communication between neurons (brain cells), and a rebalancing of neurotransmitters (brain messenger chemicals) that make us feel happier, calmer, focused and energetic.
Exercise is critical to managing some diseases and shielding against others. We might think of well-known diseases – such as heart disease and diabetes type II. But did you know that exercise has been shown to protect against Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases?
Physical activity – and you needn’t be a gym rat to accomplish this – also reduces depression and anxiety. It’s a great coping skill and super way to reduce stress, worry and anger.
No doubt, working out with others, joining a team, or a club, works wonders for reducing our tendency to isolate, reconnect with old using buddies, or begin venturing into sobriety-risky environments.
One of the great success stories thus far on this front: “Joanne” has several limiting health conditions. Yet, she has not used this as an excuse to stay home. Just the opposite! She has been taking great advantage of the swimming pool. Several people her age, who regularly exercise in the pool, have been willing to teach and share with her what they do for their workouts. This has encouraged “Joanne” to do more and she looks forward to seeing her new friends and working to heal her body.
Ask yourself whether your lifestyle is 100% supportive of not only recovery, but of life!
Check out Shelley’s book on this topic and more: CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
