Exercise Helps Your Brain – Another Motivation to Keep Fit



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Last week I mentioned one benefit of exercise is that it produces hormones that positively affect learning and retention.  This week I’ll cover studies that say no matter what your age, exercise helps your brain.

Increasing Name Memory

Do you find yourself forgetting people’s names? Aerobic exercise can help. Two studies showed that the brain actually grew more nerve cells in people participated in a three month aerobic exercise regimen.  The new neurons in the area of the brain that helps match names to faces one of the first skills to erode as we age. One of the studies showed. vigorous exercise can cause older nerve cells to form dense, interconnected webs that make the brain run faster and more efficiently. (1)

Improving Brain functions in Children

Exercise doesn’t just improve brain activity in adults. Charles Hillman, University of Illinois neuroscience and kinesiology lab, proved kids with the fittest bodies had the fittest minds.  He has studied physical activity against math and reading scores on a statewide standardized test.  Hillman says, “People have been slow to grasp that exercise can really affect cognition, just as it affects muscles.” Dr. Hillman’s preliminary data has shown that after exercise, children’s brains pay more attention to tasks, cognitive processing speed is increased, and cognitive performance improves. He has also assessed brain structure.  These studies show that High-fit children have larger volume of certain areas of their brain which positively affects how well children perform on certain memory tests and cognitive control functions underlying action. (1) (2)

Helping Alzheimer's Disease and ADHD

There are also clues that physical activity can stave off the beginnings of Alzheimer's disease, ADHD and other cognitive disorders.  (3) (4) (5) (6)

Growing Neurons

Now with brain scanning tools and sophisticated understanding of biochemistry, researchers are realizing that the mental effects of exercise are far more profound and complex than one thought.  Harvard psychiatrist, John Ratey, "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" notes that with regular exercise, the body builds up its levels of a protein he calls the Miracle Grow for the brain.  Brains with more of this protein, called brain derived neurotropic factor  (BDNF), have a higher capacity for learning.  A bout of exercise also elevates dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine which helps with focus, calming down and impulsivity, says Ratey.

According to UCLA neuroscientist Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a brain that's low in BDNF shuts itself off to new information. Until this new research, scientists used to think loss of neurons as people age was permanent. Now they know exercise can induce neuron growth in some parts of the brain.

Scott Small, Columbia University Medical Center neurologist says "Active adults have less inflammation of the brain." They also have fewer 'little bitty strokes that can impair cognition without the person even knowing," says University of California San Francisco, neuroscientist Kristine Yaffe.

To keep all the positive effects, you have to continue the exercise.   No matter what your age, it seems an activity ebony is crucial for building a strong, active mind.

So along with my previous motivation tips, remember, you aren't just exercising your body you're increasing your brain power.

References

1. Newsweek.com, Stronger, faster, smarter, Mary Carmichael, March 26, 2007
2. Charles Hillman Bio, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, The Department of Kinesiology and Community Health
3. Mayo Clinic, Preventing Alzheimer's: Exericse is Still Best, Alzheimer's blog, Angela Lunde, March 25, 2008, Angela Lunde
4. Journal of Neuroscience, Voluntary Exercise Decreases Amyloid Load in a Transgenic Model of Alzheimer's Disease, April 27, 2005, Paul A Adlard, et al , Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia, University of California, Irvine, Ca
5. WebMD.com, Exercise Amps Up Alzheimer’s Brain? , Study: Being Fit May Reduce Brain Shrinkage in Early Alzheimer’s Disease, Kelley Colihan, WebMD Health News, Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD, July 14, 2008
6. Health.com, Brain Games and Exercise: A Drug-Free Treatment for ADHD? ,  Get Physical to Get Results, Mara Betsch,  January 19, 2009

Seven Stick with it Tips

We all have days when we have trouble sticking with a healthy lifestyle .  My slump days are frequently based on mood. Today is a round-up of tips I’ve collected for sticking with healthy eating and exercise.   

Get a buddy. Form a relationship with a person or group who inspires hope and belief; someone who makes you say, if she can do it, I can, too. This the way many of the weight loss programs work. They are a support system to keep you going and to show you it is possible.¹ 

Read for inspiration. Reading magazines such as Runner’s World, Shape, and Fitness Magazine  boosts my enthusiasm towards working out and eating healthy. I read of people who face struggles similar to my own and how they overcome them. Just seeing the pictures of healthy people and healthy food keeps me enthused.  And nowadays, you can see most of the magazine’s content online. ^2,3,4

Have a Plan B. Figure out your biggest obstacle and have two or three back-up plans. If your obstacle is unhealthy snacking, always have healthy treats that you love around whether it’s crunchy (carrot, jicama or celery sticks with hummus) or sweet ( sugarless gum, sugarless jello,  sugarless hard candy). If you have a hard time exercising, have a plan that will make it easy – some favorite DVDs or a buddy at work to take a lunchtime walk.

Enter a race. Some people find working toward a goal keeps them on a program. Many of my friends swear by races as a motivational tool. Once you’ve entered a race, you have to train to complete the race. Not only do these events keep you striving to do your best, you have a great sense of accomplishment when you complete the race.

Hold a Contest. Several of us at work have a mass weight reduction plan. Contribute $50 in the beginning with a goal of losing 5% of your weight in 15 weeks. If you gain weight any week, $2 gets deducted from your pot for every pound you gain. At the end of the 15 weeks, those who reached their 5% weight loss goal split the money.  Everybody who reaches their goal wins!

Face your mood. One thing I’m slowly learning is to change my thinking when I feel tired or uninspired. When I start thinking of eating a treat to boost my energy or spirits, I ask myself if a treat is really going to make me feel any better.  The answer is always no (unless it’s a Ghirardelli dark chocolate square, broken into pieces and slowly savored).

Picture It.  For several years I had a picture of a running,  muscular 70-year old woman who placed first in her age group in the Ironman Triathalon on my desk. She had been a swimmer since she was a young adult. The image of someone who had kept at fitness her entire life inspired me. Some people post pictures of their slender selves on their refrigerators. Others post pictures of themselves when they were heavier as a reminder to avoid certain foods. Pick whichever picture works for you – the carrot (an inspiring picture) or the stick (a picture of something you want to avoid).

We all face times when it’s hard to stay on the healthy path. Hopefully, some of these tips will help you. Let us hear what you do when you to keep on track.

References

1. Losee, Stephanie. "The Willoower Myth. How to Really Make a Change at Work and in Life - Oprah.com." Oprah Winfrey's Official Website - Live Your Best Life - Oprah.com. Jan. 2008.Losee, Stephanie. "How to Really Make a Change at Work and in Life - Oprah.com." Oprah Winfrey's Official Website - Live Your Best Life - Oprah.com. Jan. 2008. -
2. Shape Magazine
3. Runner’s World -
4. Fittness Magazine 

Motivation List - 10 Reasons to Exercise

When you’re brain is thinking of excuses why you don’t want to exercise, keeping a list of reasons why you exercise can give you the boost you need to get going.  Make copies of the list and keep it in places where you can refer to it if you need it: the bathroom mirror, your office wall, the refrigerator, on your night stand where you can read it when you get up in the morning.

Here’s my list:

1. Exercise energizes me throughout the day and makes me feel peppy.
2. I like having a slim body that looks good in clothes.
3. I can eat a little more.
4. I am in a better mood. A friend told me when he kept a journal, he noticed he felt consistently happier on the days he exercised.
5. Since I exercise to music, it's a time when i can listen to my favorite music, which lifts my mood.
6. I feel good about myself when I do things that are good for me and I feel bad about myself when I don't.
7. When I exercise, I sometimes push my limits, a competition with myself and that gets my juices flowing.
8. I can handle the frustrations of the day.
9. It gives me the energy, flexibility and stamina I need to do fun things like hiking in Utah.
10. I’ve seen older people deteriorate because they didn’t stay active and I don’t want that to happen to me.

These reasons might not work for you. What are your reasons? Think of things that might inspire you. Or perhaps things you want to avoid. 

Share your list with us, so we can we can have even more reasons to get moving.

Here are links other lists:

The 10 Best Reasons to Exercise


Ten Great Reasons to Exercise


The Many Reasons to Exercise


Ten Top Reasons to Exercise