Dr David Black is an Australian chiropractor in private practice. After 25 years as a pharmacist, he went back to study in 1980 as a mature aged student and has now practiced chiropractic for 25 years. He is passionate about patient education and giving people the tools to help themselves. Dr Black believes that everyone can enjoy better health and that spinal health and fitness is a key start in this journey. His website at http://blackchiropractic.com.au has many articles and chiropractic resources.
Most doctors, chiropractors and physiotherapists will tell you that they have patients who seem to be hooked on or addicted to their physical activities. How many times have I been asked by some patients who have hurt their low backs and can hardly walk to the bathroom, when they can start running again?
They just do not want me to tell them that they have to rest for several days and can only do gentle stretching exercises during their recovery period. It seems that they feel genuinely deprived when they have to stop running. Just like some people become addicted to alcohol, tobacco or drugs, the runner or jogger also becomes addicted.
Laboratory tests using mice have showed that mice can become hooked on running and that certain areas of their brains "light up" when these activities are occurring.
The mice also show symptoms of deprivation when these activities are denied to them. Physiologists think that you can become addicted to exercise, much like an addiction to morphine. Vigorous exercise causes an increase in your levels of endorphins. The name endorphin comes from combining the two words endogenous (made in your body) and morphine, and these chemicals act on the same receptors as narcotics.
Endorphin levels go up with most bouts of intense physical activity. Scientists think that endorphins account for a runner's high and explain why someone could get addicted to exercise. Please do not think for a moment that I am not recommending running and jogging. Both of these activities are wonderful to stimulate the heart, strengthen the muscles and increase our endurance.
In addition to these benefits is the burning of excess fat so that our bodies can stay trim and we can develop stamina. The essential thing to remember is that running, jogging and all other like activities form only a small part of our total lives. If we allow them to become bigger than us, our lives will be dictated to by an addiction and
will suffer as a result.
Do not forget to see your chiropractor regularly to ensure that your spine is correctly
aligned and that your joints are moving well. You will find that running and jogging will not be painful. Did I just hear you say that this will mean "No more endorphins" ?
This may be a problem!
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