Stress and anxiety seem to disappear during physical activity. Most people are aware of the physical benefits of exercise: heart-lung conditioning, weight control, and bone and joint strengthening. But exercise also improves mood by producing positive biochemical changes in the body and brain. Regular exercise reduces the amount of adrenal hormones your body releases in response to stress. Also, with exercise, your body releases greater amounts of endorphins, the powerful, pain-relieving, mood elevating chemicals in the brains. These produce the euphoric “runner’s high”, and also promote deep, restful sleep.
- excerpted from Kava: Nature’s Answer to Stress, Anxiety and Insomnia, ©1998, Prima Publishing

Tip: Take every opportunity to move your muscles: avoid the elevator -- climb the stairs, walk to the store, park at the far end of the parking lot and stroll into work, take the dog for an extra long walk, wash the floor, dig in the garden; run, swim or bicycle for just 20 minutes a day.

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P.O. Box 2219 | Chattanooga, TN 37409-0219 | USA