I Was Only Following Hors d’Oeuvres
September 29, 2008
I’ve been exercising lately, part of the Me Nazi programme I have embarked upon. Hopefully if I benefit then others will too, but I’ve also realised that it’s not going to happen unless I make it.
As a part of getting a bit healthier, and of course me being me, a lot of this involves looking stuff up about doing the thing. Something that’s written a lot about is the links between depression and exercise and how it helps blahblahblah because if you look and feel good, then you’re good and that’s good.
But then last week. – HAHAHAHAHA see what I did? I said good three times in one sentence and then started a new one straight away with “but”. heh – I read something saying the link was made up. They didn’t say “made up” it was a medical term. Like tenuous or fabricated, but those are writer’s words and lean more to scribbling than science.
Anyway, what it went on to say that it’s not exercise that makes people happier, it’s that people who feel good about themselves exercise. And that makes perfect sense. Or at least it appeals to me. I’m a pessimist. Luckily, I’m a stubborn and single minded son of a bitch pessimist, so I don’t give up, but I see the downside of things. And by doing that, I’m often pleasantly surprised. When I smell burning toast, the first thing I check is if I’m having a stroke. And if I’m not, then I’m in for some toast.
You can’t look at the habits of people with a certain outlook and then just get that outlook by doing that thing. It’s what they do for them. It could be just how they are wired, and it’s all part of the wiring. But go ahead, try it – don’t let me stop you.
I think exercise can’t hurt, especially for someone like me who has asthma and can be bent up for ten minutes after a minute’s running on a bad day. Thankfully I don’t have many of those bad days. I’ve been hospitalised with it, I’ve had bronchial pneumonia and temperatures of 105 – so high they’ve had to put me on of cold running water, I’ve been hooked up to tanks of pure oxygen when the tips of my fingers have gone blue and been given steroids to get my lungs strong enough to breath like a normal person. I’ve never died before, but I think when I was a kid at one point it was touch and go. Although what does that actually mean? Touch what? And go where? And why? You can’t make me.
While that happens less recently, I really don’t want that going on when I’m fifty, knowing that complications from a cold might kill me.
Don’t worry. I’m not going to die. That’s not what I’m saying, but neither at I going to live forever, you know what I mean?
Have a good week and look after yourself.
8 comments
I have the kind of mind that always, always looks at claims that “X causes Y” and mentally turns it around, thinks: “a connection is not a cause, and what other factors are at play here?” So I like that. But I’m not convinced that exercise *doesn’t* beat depression.
Well, I know nothing at all about proper depression, so I can’t say that. But I can say that exercise makes me feel better. At times when I’ve been under a huge emotional strain, feeling like crap, yadda yadda, it’s always been pretty reliable that exercise will help. So. Sample size of one. That’s science.
It’s a good argument. I think the patch is doing something good for yourself that makes yourself feel better. The CBT books are full of stuff like that. But I think that just a healthy glow and a low pulse rate does not a happy person make. Talking like Yoda now I am. This This Is
It’s all about the endorphins.
From Webmd.com: Endorphins act as analgesics, which means they diminish the perception of pain. They also act as sedatives.
They are like beer, without the hangover. That’s why I follow a strick regimen of beer and exercise. This way, all of my bases are covered!
As you long as you set plenty of posts in advance you could die young and we won’t notice. It’ll be like PS I love you. Great film.
I think there’s a very strong link between depression and exercise – I feel miserable when the escalators aren’t working at London Bridge.
Exercise always makes me feel better. I really have to force myself to go but I always feel amazing afterwards.
Once, in a momentary fit of extreme motivatedness I bought an exercise book from a bookshop in the nearby town.
However, I do believe the Universe was trying to tell me something, for when I got home and opened up the book – nothing. Just lots and lots of empty pages with lines on them. Not a thing contained therein.
Makes you think. Don’t it.
Len – After beer and excercise, I’d hat to think what your bases are covered in. But thanks for the medical advice, that’s awesome.
Sam – How do you know I’m not dead already, and all these posts aren’t going live in advance?
Katy – and then on the flipside, you feel worse if you don’t, but go with the positive reinforcement. It’s all carrot. It’s all carrot.
Jonners – How motivated were you, actually? I mean. you bought a copy of a book you hadn’t opened. “Today. Today’s the day. Day one. Alpha du jour. One book about getting fit please. That’s the one. It’s for a friend. ….. …… ….. Bugger.”
I’m glad you aren’t going to die but will die eventually.
Leave a comment. Play nice. I will turn this blog around.