Physical health
When most people think about health they conjure up images that are related to physical health. Physical health is anything that has to do with our bodies as a physical entity. It has been the basis for active living campaigns and the many eat right fads that have swept our country. With so much information about physical health it is often difficult to determine what is current and relevant. This web page will attempt to provide you with accurate relevant information to empower you to enhance your physical health.
Mental & Physical Health
It is generally accepted that there is a relationship between physical and mental health. Many athletes would agree that it takes a great deal of mental effort to sustain physical performance. You need only think of a momentary lapse in concentration, say in a game of tennis; to see how closely related the mental and physical aspects of sporting performance are. Although the impact of the mind on physical performance is generally accepted the influence of physical activity on mental health is not as widely acknowledged or understood. There has, however, been research supporting the notion that physical activity has the capacity to enhance mental health. Physical activity had been linked to a host of outcomes including positive mood, lower levels of depression and elevated alertness and concentration.
But the effect on the body of the symptoms of mental illness, along with the side effects of medications such as antipsychotics or antidepressants, can also have an effect on our health. Movement disorders, weight gain and changes to heart function are some of the more extreme side effects experienced by some people, which have the potential to make us physically ill.It is therefore important to make sure you are aware of the signs of physical health problems that may be associated with certain mental health diagnoses, and that you take active steps, where possible, to look after your health; and there is a lot that you can do.
How much exercise should you do?
Brisk walking is recommended because it’s cheap, needs no fancy equipment apart from supportive shoes, and is less daunting for those used to doing nothing at all. A kilometre in 15 minutes is a good guide. But you can also mow the lawn, vacuum, dig in the garden, swim or cycle – as long as your breathing and heart rate are sufficiently raised. If you can talk but not sing, you’ve got the pace about right.
PTSD may promote poor health through a complex interaction between biological and psychological mechanisms. The National Center for PTSD and other laboratories around the world are studying these mechanisms. Current thinking is that the experience of trauma brings about neurochemical changes in the brain. These changes may have biological, as well as psychological and behavioral, effects on one’s health.
Nutrition
Not only should the all the body parts work well and work together, they also need proper nutrition for energy and to continue to operate effectively. In general, humans and animals seem to be able to tell what foods their bodies need to function properly and to be healthy. Physical fitness is good bodily health, and is the result of regular exercise, proper diet and nutrition, and proper rest for physical recovery.
