Balanced Living is maintaining a healthy, mind, body and spirit.   Today, I’d like to get into the impact of regular exercise and the interconnections with our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.  Your physical health is a huge contribution to your mental stability.  Good physical health gives way to improved healing from injury, less susceptible for infections and viruses, improved physical motion, emotional stability and improved spiritual connection.  I’ve outlined some topics that have impacted me, and I’d like to share some of those here:

1. Physical self-maintenance, from muscles to blood flow, nutrient distribution and brain function
2. Mental well-being, neurotransmitters, dopamine, serotonin
3. Spiritual connections, improved self-alignment, a sense of being, coincidences become messages
4. Start with something, stay the course for a while, you will desire more

 

1. Physical self-maintenance, from muscles to blood flow, nutrient distribution and brain function: Let’s start with the physical attributes. Regular exercise promotes cardiovascular health, enhances muscular strength, optimizes weight management and improves joint and muscle flexibility.  Engaging in activities such as cardio workouts – running and walking, strength training, or even lower impact exercises like yoga helps to keep our muscles toned, joints flexible, and bones strong.  As we age this becomes a greater necessity to maintaining an overall life balance

Benefits of blood flow increase as part of an exercise routine: 

 –  Oxygen Delivery: Blood carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, including the brain and muscles. Improved blood flow means better oxygen delivery, which is crucial for energy production and optimal functioning of both mental and physical processes.

 –  Nutrient Delivery: Blood also transports nutrients obtained from digestion to various tissues and organs throughout the body. Enhanced blood flow ensures that cells receive an adequate supply of nutrients necessary for growth, repair, and overall health.  Here’s where diet plays an important role as to what gets delivered.

 –  Waste Removal: Blood carries metabolic waste products, such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid, away from cells and tissues to be eliminated from the body. Improved blood flow facilitates efficient waste removal, helping to prevent the buildup of toxins that can impair cellular function and contribute to various health issues.  Stagnate, unhealthy cells can lead to inflammations, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS), aging (skin discolorations, sagging skin, osteoarthritis, frailty), autoimmune disorders.

 –  Brain Function: The brain requires a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to support its numerous functions, including cognition, memory, and emotional regulation. Increased blood flow to the brain enhances its ability to perform these tasks effectively, leading to improved mental clarity, focus, and overall cognitive function.

 –  Muscle Performance: Muscles rely on oxygen and nutrients delivered by the blood to fuel contraction and movement. Enhanced blood flow to muscles supports better performance during physical activities, reduces the risk of muscle fatigue and injury, and promotes faster recovery after exercise.

A good exercise blood flow rate can vary depending on factors such as age, fitness level, and overall health. However, a general guideline is to engage in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, which typically raises heart rate and increases blood flow throughout the body. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week for adults.  Breaking it down gives about 30 minutes per day for 5-days of moderate intensity, like walking or 25 minutes per day for 3-days of vigorous intensity activity.  Just taking a break from a routine for 30 minutes a day has benefit.  Especially if you’re stagnant much of the time.  A good walk or jog is a great relaxer.   You can plug into a podcast for mental gain.  I tend to stay away from news or stress filled information.  I want to enjoy my time and listening to that really puts me in a bad, unfriendly, ill-natured way.  My exercise time is for calming and adjustment from stress.  I’m gonna keep it that way. 

During aerobic exercise, aim to maintain a heart rate within your target heart rate zone, which is usually calculated as a percentage of your maximum heart rate. This can vary based on age, but a common formula for estimating maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age.  Again, just to re-iterate, to improve cardiovascular health and blood flow, aim for an exercise session lasting 30 minutes or more, most days of the week.

Moreover, exercise plays a crucial role in preventing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. It stimulates the immune system, reducing the risk of infections and other illnesses. The release of endorphins during exercise not only acts as a natural painkiller but also contributes to an improved mood.  Linking the physical balance with the mental balance.

It just doesn’t take that long to see and feel the benefits.   Improvements to lowering blood pressure, weight loss and mindful clarity can be seen in as little as two weeks depending on routine and consistency.  A daily walk starting with several blocks can see an uplift in mood and strength.  Of course, once you begin and establish a regimen of activity, it will become routine and something you want to employ into your life because you will garnish benefits in such a short time. 

If you are starting new, start slow, short intervals and work into a comfort level.  Do not push too hard when just beginning anything.   You could damage your health and if you don’t achieve what you think you should achieve you may resign to not continuing further on. 

Keep in mind you will see benefits in the short term but much greater benefits in the long run.   You can expect the overall feel good from endorphins within 10 to 20 minutes depending on intensity level.  Within 30 minutes after your exercise, you’ll get a mood lift from the dopamine and serotonin release.  Staying consistent over time, weeks, months, years you will see an overall improvement in mood uplift, less illness, mindful clarity and improved sleep.

Younger parts of our lives we are energized to peak our physical abilities.  We are more competitive and sometimes even miss the balance of mind, body, spirit all working together.

As we age we need to keep our bodies in motion.  Joints and muscles tend to bind if left idle for too long.  Physical activity dissipates that binding process.  We will lose muscle mass, which tends to be replaced by fat, if we don’t engage in walking or jogging, strength training or some form of elevated heart rate combined with muscle motion.

I’ve gone thru years of idleness, and it lowered my ambitions, lowered my gratitude, created personal animosities and judgements, just an overall ill spirit and outlook.  On the physical side my weight increased by 50 pounds, my flexibility decreased, I needed a new wardrobe, my blood pressure increased.

I looked around and saw myself becoming the overweight, gut over belt, rapidly aging, difficult walking, heavy breathing, unhappy embodiment of so many others that work in the industry I’m in.  I’m not judging others and their personal walk.  I was getting uncomfortable in my skin.   It was just that for me and my mental and spiritual wellbeing, I needed to change my lifes course.  I needed to get back to a place where I respected myself and I was going to be in charge of my destiny.  It’s much like removing a bad habit, I look at it like — this is my life, for me to control not the bad habit to control me.  My physical state needed to change and in doing that, I could change my mental state.  My spiritual state improved as well.  

Here, recognizing we are given our bodies as a provision from God, these are the physical domiciles provided for us to house our spiritual selves.   Regardless of what physical gift I’m provided or lacking I will work with what I have and care for or maintain what I can.   Here’s the deal, ya gotta start somewhere and the longest journey begins with the first step. 

I really admire folks I see walking or at the gym that are very much out of shape.  They are there, maybe even concerned about judgements from others BUT they are committed and this is admirable.  Even more admirable than those in shape because they are working to overcome.  I respect that. 

 

2. Mental well-being, neurotransmitters, dopamine, serotonin: along with physical improvements, exercise has a profound impact on mental health.  Regular physical activity initiates a surge of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.   These are natural mood enhancers, reducing stress and promoting mental clarity.  Also, alleviating anxieties, depression and ruminating thoughts.

Engaging in physical activities provides an opportunity for mindfulness. Whether it’s a walk or jog, strength training or a group fitness class, the focus on bodily movements in the present moment fosters a sense of mindfulness, helping to alleviate the burden of overactive thought and persistent worries.  I notice when I’m focused on lifting weights, allowing my muscles to form the motion, in a steady, non-rushed, weight managed method I am in the moment and not able to allow distraction.  It is a very self-accomplishing, self-respecting moment. 

Also, for resistance training you want to move thru the muscle at a moderate to slow pace.  Stop at the peak and at the bottom of the routine, not allowing a momentum or pendulum effect to carry the weight for you.  And —- never, never, never slam your weights down.  You should be able to place them as quietly as you lifted them.  Here again, controlling the muscle and safely managing the weight.   Weight slammers tend to be overimpressed with their limited abilities and it is obnoxious.  Especially when you’re working out near them and you’re not ready for a loud bang.  But I am diverting, more on weightlifting some other time.

I also get an increased mental clarity when I’m walking or strength training.  My mind is able to process with clarity.  I’ve had issues or problems needing resolution.  I wind up just putting them aside and taking on my work out, whatever it is for that day.  I am able to subconsciously process the issue and develop a possible resolution.  There’s just something to kicking off the body movements, synchronous with the mind and things change.   This also has a lift effect on my mood, I overall, feel better in my mind and relaxed in my body.  I further engage my spiritual being when walking by adding in prayer or just taking time to listen to God speak.  Another spiritual connection comes by engaging in a faith or spiritual podcast or audio book while working thru my exercise routine.  I just recommend staying the heck away from newscasts and specifically all the mainline media newscasts.   Fear sells, and they’ve mastered the technique.  Their brand of information is not conducive for anxiety relief and relaxation.  For me it’s just not a place that I should spend time in.  My mental clarity becomes shrouded in annoyance and irritation where I wind up striking out against someone that had no expectation of being part of such adversity.  When I search deeper for why I just reacted so unpleasantly, I find it rooted in the anxiety driven news feature that came blathering out to me from that familiar talking head reading the scripted agenda driven report.  I can only say that I am grateful for recognizing my source of displeasure and being wise enough to shut it off and seek a more tranquil space.  I just need to find a way to apologize for my ill way being directed on that person that crossed my dark pathway on their own journey and work to not do it again.

 

3. Spiritual connections improved self-alignment, a sense of being, coincidences become messages: exercise is a great tool in nurturing a sense of spiritual well-being.  I’d just like to promote a balance of healthy mind, body and spirit.  And exercise becomes a vehicle for cultivating this interconnectedness.

Engaging in physical activities, especially those that involve rhythmic and repetitive movements, can induce a meditative/prayerful focused state. Whether it’s running, swimming, weight train or yoga, the focus on the body’s motion allows you to transcend the physical and enter a state of mental and spiritual alignment.  There are times when I walk and focus to alleviate distraction, I can spend much time in prayer. 

 

I establish my connection with God and my place in this world.  I come away after the walk or hike feeling much more balanced, spiritually, physically and mindfully.  This integration of mind, body, and spirit creates a sense of belonging and a foundational sense of reason for existing.  This, to me, is life transforming.

I don’t ignore this part of who I am.  I continue to seek out who I am and what has brought me to this point.  I will spend time considering how I responded to some situation and did I act in a good way or adversely.  I connect with God and ask for His input.  Then I listen to ……… and when I listen ………….. what comes back is what I sought.  Now, it’s not always what I want to hear, and I know that because I will have conflict within myself.  That conflict is the truth fighting with desire.  After years of desire defeating truth, I realize my conflict never resolves and I am constantly agitated, stressed, physically exhausted or fatigued and foggy in thought.    Now, I let truth prevail, maybe suffer a minor set-back but my overall wellness is balanced.  It improves my physical being, as well as my mental being. 

I believe I am made as a spiritual being.  My physical presence is part of what I am.  There are so many indicators that reveal the spiritual realm around me and that I am part of that.  I’ve had profound revelations and small miracles.  I don’t ignore these accounts as simple coincidences or obscure possibilities these are connections in spiritual, supernatural surroundings.  It may be a prompt to move in a specific direction, it may come as a sudden solution, a specific person suddenly appearing or a course that is suddenly re-routed.  I now search more for the meaning behind the occurrence rather than ignoring it as fate or coincidence. 

A good exercise routine helps align these thoughts and open the way for spiritual alignment. 

4. Start with something, stay the course for a while, you will desire more: for me personally, I exercise at minimum 5-days per week.  I either walk 3 to 5 miles with just me or me and my dog pals.  Or, I get to the gym for some resistance training.  The latter actually improves fat loss moreover than just walking.  You’re actually expending energy during your weightlifting and after the routine.  While at rest your body is rebuilding the muscle you tore down during your sets.  Whereby expending energy and dissolving fats as a source of energy fuel. 

Walking provides an uplift for cardiovascular health, strengthening the heart and allowing blood flow.  Bone density is improved thru weight loading and impact; thus, tearing down old tissue.  New tissue is built, increasing bone density and making osteoporosis less likely.  Your immune system is improved due to the increase blood flow, reducing chronic or short-term illnesses.   If you need a reason to get up and get going consider that as we sit or lie down for a long time without movement, especially in positions where the legs are lower than the heart, blood can accumulate in the lower extremities.  This can lead to what’s known as venous pooling.

Venous pooling occurs because the blood, which is normally pumped back to the heart through the veins, encounters increased resistance due to gravity when we’re in a seated or lying position for too long. This can result in blood pooling in the legs and feet. Over time, this can lead to discomfort, swelling, and potentially more serious issues like blood clots (deep vein thrombosis) in some cases.

Regular movement and exercise help facilitate blood circulation, aiding the return of blood from the extremities back to the heart.  Regardless of age, just keep things going every day.  If you cannot walk any distance, then consider getting up every hour for a 5 to 10-minute walk about.  If you cannot walk, set in motion the parts that you can move.  Lift your arms, stretch your fingers, turn your head, take on what you can. 

In conclusion, the importance of regular exercise provides a stronger physical being and binds with the mind and spirit to create a balanced, harmonious life.  I’m telling you if you take this on, you will want more.  Start slow, set small goals and you will begin to challenge yourself because you will desire to do so.  Consider just walking daily, engage in the process by clearing your thoughts and just focus on the walk.  Listen to the wildlife around you, take in the scents, close out the traffic noise, appreciate what you have, who you are and enjoy the space being shared. 

 

Wrap it up, some key points:

1. Physical attributes from physical activity:

         Improve blood circulation, builds immunities, distributes nutrients, rebuilds cells

         Reduce blood pressure

         Increase muscle strength

         Increase bone density

         Reduce weight

         Improved joint and muscle flexibility

2. Improve mental clarity
3. Reduce anxieties, depression, ruminating thoughts
4. Improve or uplift in mood
5. Improved rest, better sleep
6. Improved spiritual connection, providing a sense of being
7. Provides a place to practice a deeper sense of faith and recognition of spiritual alignment
8. Move whatever you can, stay active, even small amounts add up