Here are two words to strike fear in the hearts of most Americans: diet and exercise.
A diet is not some infomercial program that promises to melt fat like a tallow candle. A diet is simply whatever quality and quantity of food you put in your body.
Diets too high in fat, sugar, or unnatural chemicals can make people overweight, which damages mental health. The Karolinska Institutet found that obesity in young people increased the risk of anxiety and depression by 33% among boys and 43% among girls.
High sugar diets are also addictive, and the excessive pursuit of such easy dopamine kills the drive to perform more demanding tasks for long term rewards, crippling productivity like a drug.
As a distance runner, I can attest that my past eating habits limited my performance, so I tried an experiment this year. I ate more salad in January 2020 than in the entire prior decade; I also consumed less meat. As a result, I was more energized and even leaner than before. My internal engine felt clean and well maintained.
Eating superfoods can help the body recover from injuries or sickness faster. When I became sick this past January, I bought (the whole stock of) lemons from Pollock commons. Lemon juice helped give me the boost I needed to push through my assignments when I lacked energy and focus. Eating nutrient dense foods is a prerequisite to a healthy body and mind.
If diet is the input, exercise is the output. A lack of exercise paired with a good diet is missed potential; paired with a bad diet, it can be seriously consequential. Obesity promotes cardiovascular disease, which in turn increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Proper exercise tones the body. The physical benefits are obvious: health, longevity, and attractiveness. When I am in peak physical condition, I feel a sense of internal power. The discipline and self-respect increases confidence, which is useful across nearly all aspects of human life. I have recently begun to appreciate the mental benefits even more than the physical stamina.
Running is in itself a meditative practice for me. It is often the only time I can allow my mind to wander or even empty entirely. While physically exerting, it is mentally invigorating, and often a cardio workout leaves me feeling more motivated and sharp for the rest of my day’s work. I also feel less saddened by my distance from the university now that I am running again. One likely reason is my BDNF. Cardio workouts release BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor), which helps improve memory, sharpen cognitive focus, and combat depression.
To sharpen the body is to sharpen the mind, and while there are other ways to improve mental health and productivity, your body is a temple, a biomech suit for your brain. It is never too late for an upgrade.
Go forth and conquer!