Keeps your brain fit

Keeps your brain fit

Whereas many believe that the heart is the engine of the body I personally don’t think so, I believe it is the brain. Why, because nothing can happen in the body with out there being proper and live brain function. The heart can stop beating and man can still pump blood throughout the body but if the brain stop functioning, life stops as we know it.

The brain keeps us alive. It sends electrical currents to each organ and gives every organ the energy it needs to keep functioning as that organ is supposed to. The brain is the battery of the body. It sends the electrical currents to were ever they have to go. The brain sustains life and knows when something is in trouble and needs mending. It is the command center of everyone body. Like the Capitan of a ship, the brain controls every aspect of our being.

Here is the problem that one could have if you are not fit, as stated above our brain monitors every part of our being. There isn’t one organ that the brain is not in control of and help sustains its life. Now add obesity or heart disease or any other illness, this makes the brain have to work harder to either cure the issue or sustain that organs life. With a person who exercises, it gives the brain a fighting chance to overcome illnesses and injuries. Exercise allows blood flow to all aspects of one being and this blood flow supplies the brain with the fuel to fight whatever the issue may be.

When the brain doesn’t have to work so hard to sustain life, it also has its moments to relax and that is huge. If your brain is working overtime 24/7 at some point it will not work as it is supposed to work. Can you say stroke, dementia or Alzheimer’s. Yea, there is even evidence to show that exercise and a fit body can slow the incidence of strokes, dementia and even Alzheimer. “ Can Exercise Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk?” By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS on JULY 2, 2014 wrote an article in the New York times talking about this subject and I found it quite fascinating.

Scientist had a study done on people with Alzheimer’s and found that their E4 gene was smaller in those that did not exercise to those who did exercise. I would suggest that everyone read his article at https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/02/can-exercise-reduce-alzheimers-risk/?_r=0, it is good reading.  All the articles I have read suggest to me that a fit brain gives us a good quality of life on so many levels, so my suggestion to everyone is don’t stop exercising, the benefits of that outweighs anything else in the present and most definitely in the future.

Improves learning abilities

Improves learning abilities

I read this on a website the other day and wanted to share it with you:

“Exercise helps memory and thinking through both direct and indirect means. The benefits of exercise come directly from its ability to reduce insulin resistance, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the release of growth factors—chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells, the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and even the abundance and survival of new brain cells.

Indirectly, exercise improves mood and sleep, and reduces stress and anxiety. Problems in these areas frequently cause or contribute to cognitive impairment.

Many studies have suggested that the parts of the brain that control thinking and memory (the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal cortex) have greater volume in people who exercise versus people who don’t. “Even more exciting is the finding that engaging in a program of regular exercise of moderate intensity over six months or a year is associated with an increase in the volume of selected brain regions,” says Dr. Scott McGinnis, a neurologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an instructor in neurology at Harvard Medical School.”

I have noticed that when I need to really clear my mind and think about solutions, after exercise I seem to be able to come up with solutions much easier. Exercise allows the blood to flow more efficiently thru the body which gives us the ability to allow the proper chemicals in our brain to react. Also after exercise we can focus more on the tasks at hand which gives us the ability to clearly think thru our day.

Now I am not saying that the only intelligent people in the world are all physically fit. But what I am saying is that according to doctors and The Harvard Medical School daily exercise causes less stress on ones organs and thus allows the body (the mind) to focus on the task at hand and not focus on trying to stay alive.

My challenge to all that read this is to ask yourselves a question, are you actively exercising? If not, then why not? Why not begin the process, it may just improve your learning ability.

Lifts your mood

50 Reasons to exercise (Lift your mood)

How many times have we gotten up in the morning and felt as though it was just going to be one of those days. Nothing seemed to be going right and good ole murphy was having breakfast with you. How many times did we finish a day of work and ask ourselves why we even went in to begin with. The boss yelled at us. The employees were complaining about something. There was more month than money and thru all this the stress was killing us on so many levels that your mood may have gone from happy to sad in the manner of Nano seconds.

There have been studies done that have shown and proven that exercise, when in the midst of a depression can lift your mood. We have a chemical in our body that is released by our glans that makes us feel much better and brings about a feeling that in the end swings our doom and gloom to happy and confident.

I know for myself that on those days that I have a bad day or things are just not going right I will go and get some exercise in and my whole attitude changes. Exercise allows me to get out of my own head and concentrate on something else, which in the end, benefits both my mind and body. Also I find that exercise allows me to logically think thru my issues. I can’t even tell you how many times, when in the midst of a complicated problem, a solution has come to my mind that has solved the problem at hand.

Exercise is also one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health. Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts overall mood.

Studies show that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication—but without the side-effects, of course. In addition to relieving depression symptoms, research also shows that maintaining an exercise schedule can prevent you from relapsing.

Exercise is a powerful depression fighter for several reasons. Most importantly, it promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. It also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good. Finally, exercise can also serve as a distraction, allowing you to find some quiet time to break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression.

I have noticed that when I am under a lot of stress my muscles tense up. My lower back hurts. I get a low migraine headache and my neck hurts. On some occasions my blood pressure will go sky high (some cases 180-105) and I need some way to reduce the stress. Most people go and take drugs, but there are side effects to all that medication. Whereas with exercise there are no chemical side effects like there would be if I was taking medications. After exercising, I feel 100% better and ready to tackle any stresses that may come my way.

I highly recommend exercise. It will change your mood on so many levels.

50 reasons why

50 reasons why you should exercise

The number one reason why people don’t exercise is…. You guessed it, we are lazy. However, this blog is about quit the opposite. This blog is about the 50 reasons why we should exercise. Then once a week after that I will break each reason down why they are so important. So here are the 50 reasons why we should all be exercising:

01.Lifts your mood                                                                      26.Strengthens your bones

02.Improves learning abilities                                                     27. Strengthens your heart

03.Builds self-esteem                                                                  28. Improves posture

04.Keeps your brain fit                                                                29. Prevents colds

05.Keeps your body fit and able                                                  30. Improves appetite

06.Boost mental health                                                                31. Improves cholesterol levels

07.Boosts mental health                                                               32. Lowers risk if (certain) cancers

08.Reduces stress                                                                         33. Lower high blood pressure

09.Makes you feel happier                                                           34. Lowers risk of diabetes

10.Has anti-aging effect                                                               35. Fights dementia

11.Improves skin tone and color                                                  36. Eases back pain

12.Improves sleeping patterns                                                      37. Decreases osteoporosis risk

13.Helps prevent strokes                                                              38. Reduces feelings of depression

14.Improves joint function                                                           39. Prevents muscle loss

15.Improves muscle strength                                                        40. Increases energy and endurance

16.Alleviates anxiety                                                                    41. Increases sports performance

17.Sharpens memory                                                                    42. Increases pain resistance

18.Helps to control addictions                                                      43. Improves balance and coordination

19.Boosts productivity                                                                  44. Improves oxygen supply to cells

20.Boosts creative thinking                                                           45. Improves concentration

21.Improves body image                                                               46. Helps with self-control

22.Gives you confidence                                                               47. Lessens fatigue

23.Helps you keep focus in life                                                     48. Increases sex drive and satisfaction

24.Improves eating habits                                                              49. Makes life more exciting

25.Increases longevity                                                                   50. Improves quality of life

So there you have it, 50 reasons why we should exercise. In my next blog I will being the process of discussing each one in more detail. But just for the fun of it, read  them over again and ask yourself this question, where do I need help and can exercising really help me? Think about it.