Ep#104 All too often in the wellness world, especially in the diet and fitness circles, our mental and emotional well being doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It’s a huge blindspot because how we feel and what we think is so fundamental. Mental health disorders are linked to the prevalence, progression, and outcome of some of today’s most pressing chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. They increase the risk for substance abuse and addiction. Our mental health affects how we handle and respond to stress, make choices, relate to ourselves and others. Bottomline, mental health IS health. When our mind is suffering, our whole being suffers.
Today’s episode is a poignant example of how our bodies have the power to heal our minds and how our minds have the power to heal our bodies. I talk with Nita Sweeney, an award-winning wellness author of the running and mental health memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink , and her upcoming book, Make Every Move a Meditation, which was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal. Nita’s personal journey of overcoming a lifetime of chronic depression and anxiety through a unique combination of running, writing and meditation is a powerful example of how it really is never too late to reclaim our health and happiness. Her story, a brave and honest account of beating the odds and cultivating inner resilience is incredible inspiration for anyone struggling with mental health or even just stuck in a rut and needing to make some healthy lifestyle changes.
Three Ways to Heal Your Mind (free ebook)
https://nitasweeney.com/ebooks-2/
Depression Hates a Moving Target
https://nitasweeney.com/about-the-book/
Make Every Move a Meditation (preorder)
https://www.amazon.com/How-Make-Every-More-Meditation/dp/1642509892/
Couch to 5K Running Program
http://www.c25k.com
Morning Pages Practice (Julie Cameron)
https://juliacameronlive.com/basic-tools/morning-pages/