Mental health is as important as physical health – Times of India

Many people see health only in the physical sense, but with increased awareness, it’s crucial to also see it as a combination of physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being, because each aspect contributes to your overall health. It is extremely important to understand that the mind and the body are not separate. What affects one affects the other. For example, many people are affected by heart, thyroid, and various other hormonal disorders due to stress and other social pressures that they go through despite having healthy eating habits and exercising regularly.

Vijay Thakkar, a fitness entrepreneur and functional medicine trainer, explains: “Stress increases the production of the hormone cortisol in large amounts, which inhibits the production of TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) and ultimately causes hypothyroidism.On the other hand, stress can aggravate thyroid symptoms leading to increased hair loss, weight gain and other hormonal diseases such as insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, PCOS, etc. A study conducted in Sweden in 2018 showed that subjects experiencing stress-related problems were 30% more likely to develop an autoimmune disorder such as Graves’ disease, Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, etc.” Therefore, there are arguments that both stress and depression can lead to various hormonal diseases, autoimmune disorders, or even aggravate the severity of the disease. Only when you are mentally strong and clear can you take the right steps, have better cognitive ability, develop an interest in exercising, and stay motivated to be consistent on your fitness journey. Therefore, take care of your mental health every day to have a better physical and general well-being.