EXERCISE AS MEDICINE CAN HELP VETERANS MORE THAN YOU MIGHT THINK
Serving in the military can put both a physical and mental strain on one’s body. After years of intense training, fighting, carrying heavy equipment, and pushing one’s mental toughness to the max, it’s normal to suffer from physical and mental health issues. When people leave the military, exercise as medicine has proven to be a beneficial source of improving one’s overall health so that they can continue to live healthy lives and won’t have to suffer the consequences of their past. Suggested read:The Veteran Sheepdogs of America Fight For Veteran Healthcare
Exercise as Medicine: Activities for Health Promotion for Mental Health
The biggest mental health issue that Veterans suffer from is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a condition where the individual can be triggered by terrifying events from their past, which can lead to nightmares, anxiety, and even depression. PTSD among Veterans is extremely common, as they often experience the worst of humanity firsthand. PTSD is not only due to their experiences in the field, but it can also come from bad experiences with their colleagues, for example, sexual assault and emotional abuse. Evidence shows that exercise helps reduce PTSD symptoms among Veterans. Dr. Daniel Reis, a clinical psychologist with VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, studied how helpful exercise was for Veterans experiencing PTSD. The four symptom domains that proved to be reduced in severity with exercise were arousal, thoughts, re-experience, and avoidance. Dr. Reis said: “If exercise does help Veterans with PTSD, it could make a big difference in how we treat the disorder by giving Veterans and their providers another option to use, either by itself or in combination with other treatments…Veterans with PTSD are more likely to have hypertension, which is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease—the number one cause of death in the U.S.—and is responsive to exercise. As such, exercise has the potential to protect the health and well-being of Veterans by simultaneously enhancing physical and mental health.”
Yoga Exercise and Mental Health
Yoga and meditation are also helpful in reducing PTSD symptoms because you can manage emotions and bodily sensations and practice breathing. Yoga will allow one to gain control of their body, and meditation breathing practices can help one become centered on their own body. Through breathing exercises, meditation techniques, and exercising physical postures, one can reduce anxiety, stress, and depression. More specifically, hatha yoga focuses on balancing heart rate variation. This is beneficial, as it can allow Veterans to learn how to calm themselves down. By being in control of the mind and the body, one can gain an increased awareness to better manage PTSD symptoms.
How To Be Physically Healthy
There are a lot of benefits of being physically active and physically fit that prove exercise as medicine is more than just a lofty ideal. Doing physical health activities and constantly moving your body can dramatically increase one’s quality of life, physical health, and mental health. This is especially important because once military personnel become civilians, the intensity of their physical activity is most likely to be drastically reduced, causing a shock to the system. Staying active after ETSing can help both the body and mind acclimate to a new normal. So, why is it important to be physically active? The following exercises will reveal physical activity benefits and what part of the body may be improved or protected.
Exercise to prevent blood clots
- Knee uplifting.
- Finger and hand flicking.
- Shoulder rotation.
- Ankle rotation.
- Neck rotation.
- Forefoot rising and hind foot rising.
- Arm stretches.
- Walking.
Exercise to prevent stroke
- Walking.
- Leg stretching.
- Weight lifting.
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT).
- Aerobic work.
Knee injury prevention exercises
- Jump squats.
- Nordic curls.
- Split squats.
- Side planks.
- Single-leg deadlifts.
- Squats.
- Lunges.
- Leg lifts.
- Calf raises.
- Hamstring curls.
- Hip bridges.
Exercise to prevent dementia
- Running.
- Walking.
- Swimming.
- Cardio machines.
- Biking.
- Circuit training.
Exercises to prevent throwing out your back
- Piriformis stretch.
- Hip bridges.
- Wall squats.
- Shoulder blade squeeze.
- Partial abdominal curl.
- Rotational stretch.
- Knee-to-chest stretch.
Exercises to prevent falls
- Leg raises.
- Standing marches.
- Foot taps.
- One-legged balancing.
- Heel-toe walk.
- Head rotations.
- Weight shifting.
Keep in mind that partaking in these activities does not automatically grant you immunity from certain conditions. Always exercise safely, and remember that exercise is only one part of creating an overall healthy lifestyle. More like this:Finding a Veteran-Approved Nutrition Plan on World Health Day
How Can I Improve My Physical Health?
Following the stretches and exercises listed above is one of the easiest ways to start improving physical health. The most important thing to keep in mind is that as long as you are staying active, whether it’s high intensity or just going for a 30-minute walk, you are still improving your health. The military places a lot of value on physical and mental health, so once Veterans leave the military, they should do their best to continue in those footsteps by taking care of themselves. Exercise is important not only for physical fitness and mental health but also for disease risk. Regular physical activity can help prevent disease by maintaining good blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and reducing the risk of obesity. By exercising, your heart becomes stronger, which also helps with blood circulation. When blood flows well, oxygen levels increase, which reduces the risk of heart diseases like heart attack, high cholesterol, and coronary artery disease. Type 2 diabetes is common among people experiencing obesity, but regular exercise is incredibly beneficial in preventing it, as it can lead to effective regulation of insulin and hormones. In turn, the risk of type 2 diabetes can be reduced by up to 58% (or by 71% for those over the age of 60) through simple exercise. Does exercise prevent cancer? While exercise does not completely prevent cancer, it can improve one’s heart rate and help the body regulate insulin, body composition, and hormones, all of which are connected to cancer.
Getting Started for Veterans
Exercise as medicine is the best way to feel physically and mentally healthy. If you are a Veteran and don’t know where to start, you can begin with a simple 30-minute walk, or anything that keeps your body moving and staying active. There is no need to push yourself; as long as the exercises you do are well-suited for your abilities and lifestyle, you’re taking a step in the right direction. However, you can also always reach out to your healthcare provider and see what problems your body may be suffering from in order to perform exercises that are catered toward improving problems specific to your body. For more information on exercise as medicine, there are also rehabilitation specialists available at your local Veterans Affairs facility that can help. Read next:How To Use the National Center for PTSD As a Veteran
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