The mental health of New Zealanders is
being compromised by a lack of exercise and poor lifestyle choices warns the
New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association following reports from the USA that
mental health clinicians are considering exercise not just in therapy but as
therapy.
Dr Hayden Thomas, chiropractor and
spokesperson for the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association explains: ‘Not only
is our physical health being eroded but our mental well being is also being
compromised by poor lifestyle choices, stress, tension, and reduced spinal
function. It is becoming a phenomenon across New Zealand. In my own practice, I
am increasingly seeing depression arising from a lack of movement from
sedentary lifestyles and a lack of proper nutrition.
`To function properly, the brain
requires key nutrients from our food to build nerve cells, form connections,
and replenish chemicals that help signal between cells. Joint movement is also
a key element required to fire input into the brain and keep it functioning.
Essentially movement can be considered a nutrient for the brain. If we don’t
get enough overall, or areas of our spine in particular are not moving properly
due to injury or sedentary lifestyle, then there is reduced input to the brain
and a decline in higher neurological processing.’
This month
delegates attending Psych Congress 2012: US Psychiatric and Mental Health
Congress in San Diego, California, were told that evidence in recent years
suggests a unique effect by exercise on some psychiatric disorders, prompting
mental health clinicians to rethink treatment strategies and to consider the
possibility of exercise not just in therapy but as therapy[1].
Some of the
strongest evidence is seen in depression, where psychiatric benefits from
exercise have been shown in some cases to match those achieved with
pharmacologic interventions and to persist to prevent reoccurrence in the long
term[2].
Other studies
have shown equally impressive results in exercise for a variety of populations,
including pregnant women with depression, who have a high interest in avoiding
medications, people with HIV, and even patients with heart failure, who showed
not only a significant reduction in depression related to exercise but also
reduced mortality[3].
Dr Thomas points out that: `People may
not realise that chiropractic is a key wellness and prevention service.
Chiropractors don’t just wait for people to break down but are primarily
interested in preventing and correcting the underlying factors which cause ill
health. A chiropractor will be able to
check that all your spinal joints are moving properly to provide enough input
to the brain and also look at other physical, emotional, nutritional and
biochemical stressors that may be impacting on your body’s ability to self
regulate and heal. Then working in conjunction with other members of the
healthcare team your chiropractor will devise a programme that will help to
address each of the factors.
For further information on the
New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association visit www.chiropractic.org.nz.
-Ends-
Further
Information:
Dr
Hayden Thomas, Chiropractor 027 299 9939
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