Run run run for you brain

I run... a lot... my family think I'm crazy.  But, I have always maintained that I run not because I'm trying to lose weight or keep it off, but I run for psychological reasons.  It calms me down, and I can cope with stress better.  It is also great "alone" time, when I get lost in my thoughts, come up with new ideas or solutions to problems.  I also don't listen to music when I run, I listen to audio books... a bit like killing two birds with one stone, I catch up on my reading while I work out.

Lots of runners will tell you that it is addictive, and to a certain extent it is.  The addiction is usually associated with the "feel good" feelings you get when endorphins are liberated during your workout.  But I believe it is a mix of everything.  You can tune in, tune out, push yourself harder - or not... it just makes you feel good and clears your head.  And now, this has been proved - scientifically!

Scientists have revealed that 30 - 40 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise can make you feel much better, by creating new neurons and increasing blood flow to areas of the brain involved with learning and emotion.

It has taken about 30 years of neuroscience investigation to discover and identify a robust link between aerobic exercise and subsequent cognitive clarity.  They have also disproved the theory that as humans grow older they are unable to make new neurons.

Recent studies have found that after a run, new neurons are formed in the hippocampus, the area of the brain associated with learning and memory;

"If you are exercising so that you sweat - about 30 to 40 minutes - new brain cells are being born," said Karen Postal, president American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology. "And it happens to be in that memory area."

Other studies have noted increased blood flow to the brain's frontal lobe which is implicated in clear
thinking, planning, focus and concentration.  But the frontal lobe is also associated with the regulation of emotions.  A Harvard University study found that "acute aerobic exercise did not prevent an increase in sadness response to a subsequent stressor, results suggest that it may help people to recover."

During the study the researchers showed an extract from the film The Champ - the final scene which is famous for its emotivity, to a group of 80 volunteers.  Before watching the extract, some of the participants were asked to jog for 30 minutes and the rest performed stretching exercises, also for 30 minutes.  After watching the movie they were given a survey to judge how sad the film made them feel, in the meantime the researchers kept the participants busy for a further 15 minutes, and then asked them how they were feeling again.

The participants who had done 30 minutes of jogging were less overwhelmed by their emotions and reported less sadness at the end of the study compared to those who had just done the stretching exercises.

But there is something else too.  I have often talked about MINDFULNESS and how unaware we are of what and how much we eat.  Well, the researchers have also found that another benefit of going for a long run is MINDLESSNESS.

Getting lost in your own thoughts or daydreaming is said to be important for individual wellbeing.

Positive constructive daydreaming serves four broad adaptive functions - according to Jerome Singer from Yale University.  It assists with future planning, which is increased by a period of self-reflection, creativity for problem solving, attentional cycling that permits you to rotate through different information and streams to advance personal goals and enhancing learning through short breaks from external tasks.

So, running isn't just the sweat, it's a lot more - it's also cheap.  However, having said that, if you are going to start running it is very important to invest in a very good pair of running shoes: Saucony, Asics, or Salomon if you are trail running.  This is very important, I found out the hard way after changing from trail running to pavement, I fractured a bone in my foot and was VERY surprised to discover that all the serious runners I know, my physiotherapist and chiropodist trashed Nike for running.  I'd always used Nike now I use Salomon or Saucony depending on the surface.

Good Luck!

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

12 Ways to Keep Your Brain Young.

How well does your brain work?  You may think you don't have a problem and, if you are young, you're probably right.  But the truth is our brains need maintenance, just like the rest of our bodies.

Aging, in general, entails many physical, biological, chemical and psychological changes.  Therefore, it is only logical to assume that the brain is no exception to the aging process.

The brain suffers in 3 ways: Structural Changes, Chemical Changes and Neuropsychological Changes.

Structural Changes:
Computed Tomography (CT) studies have found that the cerebral ventricles expand as a function of age, this process is called ventriculomegaly.  However, more recent MRI studies have shown age-related regional decreases in cerebral volume.  This does not mean that the brain shrinks as a whole, some brain regions shrink at a rate of up to 1% per year, whereas others remain stable until the end of the life-span.

Loss of Neural Circuits and Brain Plasticity, thinning of the cortex, age-related neuronal morphology, neurofibrillary morphology, neurofibrillary tangles, role of oxidative stress, and DNA damage all contribute to structural changes in the brain as time goes by and we get older.  I won't go into detail as this post would be very long and probably very boring too!

Chemical Changes:
Add biochemical changes to the structural changes.  Neurons communicate with each other through specialized chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.  Dopamine, Serotonin and Glutamate are all found to decrease with age, making those messengers less efficient.

Dopamine:
Dysfunction of the dopamine system has several important diseases associated with it; Parkinson's Disease, an age related degenerative disease, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and restless leg syndrome are also believed to be associated with decreased dopamine activity.

Serotonin:
Serotonin regulates mood, appetite and sleep (all very important for a healthy body and well being), it also has cognitive functions including memory and learning.

Glutamate:
Glutamate receptors are important for neural communication, memory function, learning and regulation.  Glutamate is also used by the brain to synthesize GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter of the mammalian central nervous system which has an important role in regulating neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system and is also directly responsible for the regulation of muscle tone in humans.

Neuropsychological Changes:
This includes changes in orientation, changes in attention and changes in memory.  It has been suggested that orientation declines with age.  However, the evidence is non-conclusive.  Some elderly people show signs of deteriorating orientation and others don't.

Some elderly people find it more difficult to focus on more than one task at a time.  Since the human brain has limited resources, people use their attention to zone in on specific stimuli and bock others.

There are many different types of memory identified in humans: episodic, semantic, strategic, working, source spatial, and non-declarative. Studies carried out by Rapp et al., have found that memory functions, specifically those associated with the medial temporal lobe are especially vulnerable to age-related decline.  Several studies have supplied converging evidence that the frontal lobes and frontal-striatal dopaminergic pathways are especially affected by age-related processes resulting in changes in memory.

Basically what it all boils down to is that age old saying "If you don't use it, you'll lose it." just as you do muscle tone if you don't exercise.

So, what can you do to keep your brain healthy for as long as possible?
Just as you look after your body, eat healthily and take regular exercise, you also have to look after your brain, which is one of the two most important organs in the body, the other being the digestive system.

There are many things you can do to keep your brain as fit as the rest of you, here are just 12, but there are many more:

1. Eat Healthily - everyone know that this is the best thing you can do for your body but it will also protect your brain.
2. Exercise - Yes, longterm exercise has been proven to increase brain power and create new neurons in the brain.
3. Avoid Junk Food - junk food has been proved to decrease energy in the body and promotes "brain fog".  Eliminate junk food and enjoy the benefits of a calm and focused brain chemistry.
4. Meditate - Meditation has been known to increase IQ levels, relieve stress and also promotes
   
   higher levels of brain activity.  Meditation also stimulates the prefrontal cortex of the brain, this area of the brain is responsible for advanced thinking ability and performance.
5. Take Omega 3 supplements - These are very important for the brain, the 2 main components EPA and DHA strengthen both the emotional center of the brain and boost focus.  You need to take supplements for a while, but there will be an increase in overall brain activity.  Krill oil, in my opinion, is the best source of Omega 3 as Krill oil is water soluble and therefore, much easier for the body to assimilate it.
6. Deep Breathing - it is known that we do not breath properly, we only take in enough oxygen to continue what we are doing, our lung capacity is much greater and deep breathing increases oxygen levels and blood-flow to the brain.  You can combine this with your meditation, 10-15 minutes of deep breathing everyday can improve your quality of life and your brain's function.
7. Laugh a lot - When we laugh the brain releases endorphins, chemicals that stop pain and increase overall well being, it is also a natural stress reducer.
8. Change Your Environment - humans are creatures of habit, we tend to do the same thing day in and day out; drive to work, spend 8 hours in the office, eat mostly the same meals.  However, your brain does not become stimulated by routine so it is important to do different things, take a different route to the office, eat out at the weekends but change restaurants frequently.
9. Listen to Music - There are studies that have shown that listening to music strengthens the right hemisphere of the brain and literally changes the structure.  Those studies have shown that people who listen to music are on the whole, more intelligent and have more emotional intelligence than those who don't.
10. Avoid Stress - Stress overload causes detrimental increases in the hormone cortisol which in high levels kills brain cells and suppresses brain function - exercise, meditation and healthy eating can help you here.  When you are very stressed, the mere thought of exercise is enough to turn you off completely, but get out there, go for a brisk walk in the fresh air or a run - it does wonders for your stress level and will leave you thinking far more clearly.
11. Visualization - Visualization has been associated with focus at a deeper level.  You need to visualize your goals - whatever they are.  Visualization has been linked to lowered stress levels, increased creativity and peak mind-body performance.
12. Solve puzzles - Solving puzzles is the perfect way to stimulate your brains ability to critically think and process information.  Puzzles provoke thought, are challenging and a great fun activity that you can do on your own, or get your family involved.  Play word games in the car on the way to school or on car trips.

Social Nutrition:
You can make an appointment to improve your health with Social Nutrition either in person (Madrid) or online (Skype).  Just send an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com