Many people in recovery from drugs or alcohol wonder if exercise can truly help their recovery. A simple yes or no is worthless without first proving facts people do not already know about, and then letting each reader decide for themselves.
So, most readers look for a simple “yes”, “no” or “maybe” answer so that they may promptly:
- Agree with the “yes” answer and confidently be reassured that the author knows what they are talking about
- Disagree with the “yes” answer and confidently be reassured that the author does not know what they are talking about
- Agree with the “no” answer and confidently be reassured that the author knows what they are talking about
- Disagree with the “no” answer and confidently be reassured that the author does not know what they are talking about
- Agree with the “maybe” answer and confidently be reassured that the author knows what they are talking about
- Disagree with the “maybe” answer and confidently be reassured that the author does not knows what they are talking about
Many readers are avid collectors of information and already have an answer to the question at hand.
Many assume they are knowledgeable enough to render an informed answer because today we know more than we knew in the past.
Have we lost the humbling misinformation and disinformation, mixed in with true facts, regarding the past such as:
- Nine out of 10 doctors recommended filtered cigarettes
- The disease concept of nicotine addiction is controversial
- The disease concept of nicotine dependence was essentially proven in 1991
- Eggs are good for you
- Eggs are bad for you
- Two eggs daily are okay for you
- Many people between the age of 100 and 117 eat eggs almost daily
- Cheese is bad for you
- Many people between the age of 100 and 117 eat cheese almost daily
Many readers do not realize that many of today’s commonly accepted “truths” will become tomorrow’s healthy advice.
Many readers do not realize that many stories regarding pivotal lifesaving research, get bumped from each day’s headlines because of hissy fit partisan posing from government officials around the world.
Let’s now review information that you probably never read or heard about and then you decide whether or not exercising might actually help your recovery from drugs or alcohol.
To answer the question, we must first review pertinent redox (reduction oxidation) biophysics as it relates to psyche-physics.
Redox Biophysics and Psychephysics
Your body is a direct current or DC battery containing electrochemicals.
Electrochemical balances and electrochemical imbalances in the body in general, and reward center or pleasure center (nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area or VTA) specifically.
“Redox” refers to the countless atomic electrochemical reactions that go on in every living cell in your body.
Redox is an abbreviation of the two-way reaction between reduced species and oxidized species, or oxidation-reduction.
Redox biophysics and redox psyche-physics should look new to you. That is because today’s “healthy lifestyle” gurus evidently don’t really understand the antioxidant, free radical, reactive oxidative species (ROS), oxidative stress, systemic oxidative stress (SOS) and associated buzzwords they judiciously toss about in hopes that readers thing they know what they are talking about.
In addition, they advise readers regarding:
- what to eat and what not to eat
- how to exercise and not exercise
- and why love and not hate
- without providing any data regarding how many vital people 100-years-old and older used their method to reach their age in good health
- While we will provide redox-friendly and longevity-friendly exercises living centenarians use each day in order to increase longevity by decreasing SOS and systemic acidity and simultaneously increasing corporal antioxidant tone (CAT) and systemic alkalinity
Here is How Redox Looks
Oxidized Species + negatively charged electron + positively charged proton ↔ Reduced Species
Let’s simplify it by abbreviating:
- oxidized species = ROS (free radical)
- negatively charged electron = e-
- positively charged proton = H+
- reduced species = antioxidant = antiox
- Organic first pressed olive oil in glass (FP)contains almost a dozen powerful antioxidants
- FP = Antiox
- If FP is heated to 212 F in sauce or put on cut up cucumber, also an antioxidant,
- FP remains a super strong antioxidant that contributes to longevity friendly corporal antioxidant tone (CAT) and relative systemic alkalinity,
- while FP used to sauté or God forbid, fry, becomes an nasty oxidized species,
- which contributes to longevity slicing systemic oxidative stress (SOS) and relative acidity
- Sliced boiled potatoes are antioxidants
- Boiled Potatoes = Antiox
- Boiled potatoes remains a antioxidant that contributes to longevity friendly corporal antioxidant tone (CAT) and relative systemic alkalinity,
- while sliced potatoes fried in already oxidized 4 times vegetable,
- becomes a super oxidized species,
- which contributes to longevity slicing systemic oxidative stress (SOS) and relative acidity
- When you eat a large cheeseburger and fries your SOS surges by let’s say 1,500 while your pH falls
- When you drink a shake made of filtered water, FP, 2 cups of previously frozen lima beans, kale and a raw egg, your CAT level surges by 1,500 while your pH rises
- Compassion increases CAT and relative systemic alkalinity,
- by reducing levels of SOS producing adrenal hormones and increasing opioid mediated dopamine in the pleasure center.
- Compassion = Antiox
- Compassion is an antioxidant that contributes to longevity friendly corporal antioxidant tone (CAT) and relative systemic alkalinity,
- while heartlessness is an oxidized species by virtue of dopamine depletion and increase in levels of adrenal hormones,
- which contribute to longevity slicing systemic oxidative stress (SOS) and relative acidity
- Love increases CAT and relative systemic alkalinity,
- by reducing levels of SOS producing adrenal hormones and increasing opioid mediated dopamine in the pleasure center.
- Love = Antiox
- Love is an antioxidant that contributes to longevity friendly corporal antioxidant tone (CAT) and relative systemic alkalinity,
- while heartlessness is an oxidized species by virtue of dopamine depletion and increase in levels of adrenal hormones,
- which contribute to longevity slicing systemic oxidative stress (SOS) and relative acidity
- Recovery sensitive cognitive behavioral therapy literally fosters positive proton type feelings congruent with joyously living over 100 years of age, according to centenarian data,
- while out of control anger, hate, behavioral, drug and alcohol addictions literally foster negative electrocuting type feelings
- contribute to longevity slicing systemic oxidative stress (SOS) and relative acidity
- All exercise types increase SOS and decrease pH, both are longevity enemies
- But like the oxygen paradox, without the free radical that is oxygen, we die
- The same paradox applies to the already oxidized promise of exercise
- We don’t breath less in order to keep SOS to a minimum because to do so is a recipe for disaster
- Never curtain breathing
- Similarly, never curtail exercise
- Minimize the high SOS exercises and maximize the lower SOS enhancing exercise types
- Keeping in mind that the more rigorous exercise you do, the more of your body’s fat and protein is oxidized and the more lactic acid builds up in your system so that your pH plummets and your SOS surges as if you ate a 1,500 calorie cheeseburger and fry
- While taking a brisk walk up a mountain like the many centenarians in a small European Union country do is akin to just eating a small amount of fries
- If you insist on high SOS inducing exercises, neutralize the serious damage you are doing to your body by drinking the above super-CAT shake,
- just as we kind of suggested after or before eating that large cheeseburger with fries
- So, here are some examples
- Walking – low SOS
- Brisk walking – low SOS
- Kung fu katas (dances) – moderate SOS
- Running – high SOS
- Stairmaster – high SOS
- Sprinting – very high SOS
- Weight training – very high SOS
- Whey, albumin and soy protein powders are oxidized species 3 times over (3x)
- Supplement amino acids are often 2x-oxidized
- Protein bars are often 3x-oxidized
- Other gym and exercise supplements and packaged goods are oxidized
- Your fitness trainer never told you about any of the above
- Your therapist never told you about any of the above
- Your nutritionist never told you about any of the above
- Your “healthy lifestyle” sage never told you about any of the above
- Your last rehab never told you about any of the above
We can now illustrate redox as follows:
ROS + e- + H+ ↔ Antiox
We need to now show you the biophysics equation for how acidic or alkaline our body fluids are. This is important because acidity slices longevity short and alkalinity helps people become centenarians.
Look above at the H+ in the redox equation.
Here is the equation for pH:
pH = minus the log of the H+ protons present
pH = [H+]
pH ranges from 0 to 14
pH of 7 is neutral
A pH of below 7 is acidic or predominantly negatively charged electrons
A pH above 7 is alkaline
pH of normal blood is 7.35 and 7.45, one full pH point off and your dead
pH of urine range from an extremely unhealthy low of 4.5 to a high of 8.5
Let’s look at some real examples of ROS + e- + H+ ↔ Antiox:
Now we are ready to look at exercise as it relates to:
Let’s look at some real examples of ROS + e- + H+ ↔ Antiox regarding various forms of exercise:
Remember that:
We base our exercise and recovery research on generation of centenarian lifestyle data from countries and regions with the highest density of lively centenarians, not centenarians with handicap devices or centenarians that are not full ambulatory.
We do the research for you so that you can focus on your recovery.
Reach Out
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse problem, please reach out to our addiction specialists for guidance and support, at (877)-RECOVERY or (888) 559-5109. Our addiction specialists make themselves available to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Because We Care.