by Sandra Quevedo

Created on: October 01, 2009   Last Updated: October 04, 2009

Being mentally fit comes from being physically fit and there is no way around it This is a fact! Mental agility is a consequence of physical agility; one doesn't exist without the other. The more physically active you are, the more endorphins your brain will release making you feel absolutely fabulous.

Be good to your body and your body will be good to you. At age 45, and through much personal havoc, I now understand there are no truer words spoken. Mind, body and soul are all intertwined and keeping them healthy is a heck of a balancing act.

Recently, I woke up one morning and could barely move everything hurt, bones, brains, being. Where was this excruciating pain coming from all of the sudden? I truly thought I was DYING. After several doctor (specialists) appointments, a 30-day round of anti-depressants and a fist full of no answers, my partner and I decided to look within and the ugly reality was that I was aging and badly too.

Throughout our lives, we all manage to abuse our bodies, our minds and our souls in one way or another. Even though I have never engaged in any destructive behavior [such as drugs, sex & rock-and-roll] so I though, in retrospect, and through close self examination, I can easily be called a self offender.

I had no "balance" in my life. I abused my self through my work - staying longer hours than I had to, stressed myself to death worrying about problems (which had not happened yet) and drank quite a bit to forget it was all taking place. Awww "modern" life therapy or sef-abuse?

I was literally at-the-edge of the cliff waiting for my number to be called, when my partner (who suffers from the silent killers, high blood pressure and hi-cholesterol) and I decided to make some drastic changes as to how we lived our daily lives.

We embarked on a structured well known exercise and nutrition plan. Sixty days later and thirty days shy of our goal, the rewards are simply spectacular. This programs talks about changing DNA. I have muscles in places I never thought I would including my brain these no doubt help me withstand the daily emotional rollercoaster that is my life.

Through a serious of well rounded extreme exercise routine (cardio x, yoga, core, kempo, and all of the other muscle groups) each day you massage your entire being including your nervous system which is vital. Your body has a brain and memory too. Like all things it reacts to love!

Yours truly found a way to abuse all of the above mainly through negligence. Needless to say is all a domino effect from there and the gunk starts building up compiled with the aging process, half ass attempts to lead a good life, and all of the other junk made a horrific equation amounting to an overnight deterioration.

Weight management has always been my biggest "fre-nemy." Now ten years after gastric-by-passsurgery, having survived insurmountable amounts of weigh losses and gains, along with tons of mental distress (due to life's unavoidables,) I find myself thinking 'my God I think I got it.

A balanced diet, an exercise routine and some meditation are the perfect combination to a real good life.

I am happy to report that today, I am stronger physically, mentally and more importantly on my way to becoming a mentally fit warrior - through diet and excercise!

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