Exercise – the single best thing you can do for your brain.

The  best thing you can do for the health of your body is to eat well and exercise. Not surprisingly, more and more research is supporting the fact that these are also the single best things you can do for your brain. In terms of brain health, we’re looking for elements that have an anti-inflammatory effect as well as a stimulating effect. Eating the right foods helps regulate your nervous system by regulating a part of your brain called the HPA Axis (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis). When we do not eat regularly and the right blend of healthy fats, protein and carbs, the HPA axis can easily become activated sending a cascade of chemical alarms out through the system. Our blood sugar levels are influenced by the same, and the result is a system that is on high alert with survival instincts on board at a basic biological level. For anyone already suffering from anxiety, this series of interactions can heighten that even more. I recommend the book Grain Brain along with the Blood Sugar Solution books for anyone interested in learning how to nourish their bodies for the benefit of their brain, while maintaining healthy blood sugar levels at the same time.
Beyond a good diet that makes the brain healthy, which will always have a hearty dose of healthy fats and follow an anti-inflammatory approach, the brain has the capacity to grow and needs to. Like a muscle that improves and strengthens with use, the brain increases and improves with not just brain stimulating mental games, but with exercise as well. In fact, exercise is the single best thing you can do to increase neurogenesis – or the growth of new neurons – in the brain. The result is an increase in not just cognitive function in areas like processing speed and memory but also an improvement in overall regulation of the nervous system. For those suffering with depression and anxiety and other mental illness, a daily exercise program is a must. The more activities we incorporate into our daily life that promote neurogenesis the more we reduce the symptoms and inoculate against depression and anxiety.
Depression, anxiety, or traumatic experiences do not just impact how we feel – they actually change our brain. The hippocampus which is involved in primarily in differentiating novelty from threat and memory processes actually shrinks up to 15% in people that are suffering from depression. The HPA axis is activated leading to not just immediate release of cortisol but extended release of our fight or flight hormone. The prefrontal cortex which manages and regulates our emotions, processes information, regulates blood sugar among other important functions shows a similar shrinking in neurons. These changes in the brain are reversible with lifestyle adjustments and exercise is first on the list.
Studies have shown that for mild to moderate depression and anxiety that a 30 minute walk every day is more effective than any antidepressant every made to date. Doctor’s offices had posters on their walls almost a decade ago citing this research to encourage people to get active for their brains. Even though, ironically, that’s where most people go to get prescriptions for their anti-depressants. The impact of diet, exercise and supplementation on mental health is not new news. The combination of exercise and “couch time” or psychotherapy has proven more effective than anti-depressants as well and with long term success and void of any side effects.
The benefits of exercise for your brain health, your mood regulation and your body is irrefutable. You get the benefits without the side effects along with a sense of control about your health and well being. All of my sessions with clients evaluate the context of their current lifestyle and we address and seek to implement diet, exercise, supplementation, stress reduction and sleep improvement recommendations that have been researched and well documented as being safe and effective as an addition to their current medical or psychotherapeutic programs.
30 minutes a day, preferably outside, will change your body and your brain for life.