Blog

Good Day and Happy New Year to all of you, I wish you health, happiness and prosperity for the new year. One of my New Year Resolutions, yes I made some, is to “blog” and communicate through social media more regularly.

One of the activities I enjoy is reading. History and historical fiction are my favorites but I also enjoy reading about new advances in Health Science from diet and nutrition, exercise, rehabilitation to surgery. I thought this year you and your circle of friends might enjoy and gain insight from the blogs I post, commenting and relaying info from the current literature I am reading.

The first book is; Spark: The revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, by John J. Ratey M.D. Dr. Ratey is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He has authored/co-authored many books on neuroscience and the brain. His Book, “Spark” has excellent reviews and is frequently referenced in today’s Health Literature.

As I read, I will be sharing my thoughts on topics within the book:

Exercise elevates “Miracle-Gro” type chemicals in the brain. One study found people learn 20% faster following exercise. Exercise improves learning on 3 levels:
1. It optimizes your mind-set to improve alertness and attention.
2. It encourages nerve cells to bind together.
3. It spurs development of new nerve cells.

During vigorous exercise, learning is decreases then sharply increases shortly after.

How much exercise do I need to improve my brain function? GOOD QUESTION!
Jogging/fast walking 30 minutes, three times per week for twelve weeks is a good start. The brain also needs to be challenged with various physical activities to continue to grow. So mix it up!

Stay tuned to see what next week brings!!