Iron Minds

A new show started on TV here last nightCalled Iron MindsThe premise of the show is all about the correlation between physical and mental healthThe show is presented by Niall BreslinBetter known as Bressie Bressie is the former lead singer of the band The Blizzards He is also a judge on the Irish The VoiceAnd has spoken out very publicly about his battle with depression and anxietyBressie is regarded as a well rounded individual here He also happens to be a 6'2 hunk which gets him a lot of female attentionBut more than that He is just a really really sound guyAnd genuinely wants to help others 
In recent years Bressie has turned to health and fitness to help him battle his demonsHe runs, swims and cyclesRegularly competing in triathlons and IronmansTo see if he could help others in the same position Bressie recruited four people from the four corners of IrelandOrla MarkTara John (Apologies, I know Tara and John are not the correct names but I can't for the life of me remember the right names)And put them through a series of endurance challenges All under the watchful eye of medical experts of course All the participants had varying degrees of mental illness Tara suffered from depression and tricotilamania Both the guys suffered from depression And Orla probably had the saddest story She had recently lost her Mum to cancerAnd her sister to suicide She is also a single motherOrla is actually from my areaShe is a Pilates instructorAnd attended the same yoga class I did last yearI never really said more than hello to herBut I remember my sister saying that she was a cold fish But it turns out she wasn't She was actually dealing with a hell of a lotHer whole world was caving in And was probably going around in a complete haze It just goes to show You can't judge people As you just don't know what they are dealing withSomeone who appears unfriendly or distant or cold Might actually be going through the warsUsually if someone is like that with meI usually presume it's me they don't like or don't wAnt to talk toBut As I remind myself regularly It's not all about me This is a huge lessonTo make allowances for others You never know what is going on in their heads 
The four participants all had a base line of fitnessThe all ran regularly And Mark was a former competitive cyclist So they weren't couch potatoes as suchAt the beginning of the showAll four spoke about their illnessThe crippling low moods The heavy feeling in their bodyThe weariness The feeling of being swamped by negative thoughtsI could relate to every word I thought they were so brave To go on national TV And talk about their deepest darkest issues It was clear that they all wanted to move forward And their strength and honesty shone through
First The participants were put through a fitness test They were also tested medically and psychologically And deemed fit and well to take part They were under the care of a team of professionals Nutritionists Psychologists Doctors And of course BressieWho was there for them every step of the way ThenThe next challenge Was to swim in a body of open water Bressie brought them to a lake in the Midlands And had them swim 1kmThey will all very anxious about the task But were determined to finish itThe two girls did wellAnd completed the swim first and secondThe guys however Really struggled And one had a mini panic attack half way through the swimAfterwards They had a mindfulness session And also cognitive behavioural therapyAgainI was blown away by their willingness to talk so openly It really was inspiring
At one point in the showOrla hit a real low pointAnd was struggling to copeThe psychologist visited her at home for a chat She spoke of how she was struggling to get over the death of her mother and sister She was asked if her mother was there What her mother would say to herOrla replied that she would say'Relax and enjoy it'She was then asked if her sister was there, what Orla would say to herShe had one simple question 'Why?Why did you do it?Why didn't you speak to one of us?Why were you so proud?'It was heartbreaking to watch 
A few weeks later And Bressie set their next taskTo compete in a half Iron ManWhich comprised a 1km swimA 20km bike rideAnd a 5 km runAgain They were all extremely nervous But they had all trained hard And we're ready Brilliantly They all finishedWith Tara coming first I could see they were on such a highThe feeling of accomplishment was clear to see on their faces 
I really enjoyed the showAnd probably more so because I knew one of the participants I think the concept is a great ideaAs I firmly believe there is a strong link between mental health and physical healthI can see it working in my own life I walk every day Lea especially is always keen to go for a walk And that's great for meAs some days it's hard to leave the house But I would never refuse my dogs a walkI also started back swimming recently And go once or twice a weekI actually hate the thought of going swimming Having to organize myself to goGetting in to the cold water And taking ages to warm upBut once I am there I really enjoy itAnd I always feel great after pushing myself It's great for my mental health My confidenceSelf esteem And it generally gives me a good feelingI would also love to take up runningBut my body doesn't seem to want to let me do that So I will stick to walking 
The show also showed How important it is to get out there and get stuck in to something Be that exerciseA support groupVolunteering Being around other people is good for us It takes us out of ourselves It's talking to others And getting out of our own heads It definitely helped me see that I need to do this more Get out of the houseGet involved in activities Meet people Learn new skills I am a loner at heart But I also love people So it's something to think about 
The show is on again next weekSo I wil update you then
With all that said I was wondering about youDo you believe that there is a link between mental and physical health?Have you seen that work in your own life?Do you find that getting out and about helps you?What role does exercise play in your life?Inquiring minds want to know....