Run to Heal a Broken Heart
By: Leigh Weingus
Most people can say they have gone through a rough break up or the death of someone they know and have been left with a broken heart as a result. Going through grief is not easy and often times you don't know what you can do to help yourself or others. Fitness Instructor, Shauna Harrison, believes running is a great way to handle loss or a broken heart. A 2010 study revealed our brain's response to heart ache is similar to that of cocaine withdrawal. This is because your mind and body crave "feel-good" chemicals. Psychiatrist Dr. Ellen Vora, and psychologist Dr. Alice Domar, both recommend exercise during heart aches as it helps to reduce stress and release endorphins, some of the "feel-good" chemicals. Any exercise is great but running is unique. Alice says, "Running tends to occupy your mind more thoroughly than other less intense forms of exercise." There is no certain amount of running that ultimately "cures" a broken heart, as long as you listen to your body it will be effective. For those who are not strong runners, yoga is another alternative. Yoga is also a form of exercise that focuses more on the breath which aids in meditation and calming your mind and stress levels as well.
I believe the author's purpose of writing this was to enlighten others. The author cares about exercise and what it can do for your body so I assume that she put this out on the internet to help others as well as teach them there's more to exercise than just losing weight. Evoking emotion was a secondary goal of Leigh. In the very first paragraph she describes what heart break feels like and being that I just lost a family member, I definitely felt emotional while reading this.
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