See this week's lesson below. If you prefer, you can download and print the lesson in handout form. Additional handouts are available at the end of the lesson. If you would like to review the PowerPoint presentation that summarizes this week's topic, you can find them here: Exercise and Brain Health. After you complete the lesson, find out how much you have learned by taking this short quiz. And don't forget to check out the Student Spotlight to get to know Bonnie Asserson.

We live differently today than people did even 20 or 30 years ago. The progression of technology has made the physical performance of work less of a necessity today. Because of this, we actually have to make a concerted effort to move our bodies. In earlier times, work was exercise. Today, we have to exercise as a substitute for the lack of physical activity.

We know that staying healthy requires moving our bodies--we’re supposed to move a lot. We were built to walk great distances, climb trees, jump, carry, and lift. Dr. Raffaella Adami said, “It is no accident that we are meant to be active: to walk, run, crouch to sit, and use our leg muscles to lift things. Neurological health is not a one-way street with the brain telling the muscles “lift,’ ‘walk,’ and so on” (Mercola, 2018). Muscle use also plays an enormously important role in brain health.

While exercise is primarily valued for its influence on physical health, there is ample evidence showing it to be just as important for healthy brain function (Mercola, 2018). Movement and exercise are key factors in helping people maintain good brain function. As a person moves, the parietal lobe, cerebellum, and vestibular system are activated, and blood flow to the brain increases. As these movements take place, the neuroendocrine immune response completely changes, inflammation decreases, and the blood-brain and intestinal barriers are improved. Additionally, the vagus nerve, the longest and perhaps most important of our 12 cranial nerves (it touches virtually all of our internal organs and communicates with the brain), is activated (Human Longevity Project, 2018).

There are many mechanisms behind the body-brain link directly affected by exercise. One key factor is BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Exercise stimulates the production of a protein called FNDC5, which in turn triggers the production of BDNF. BDNF is found in both muscles and the brain. In the brain, BDNF helps preserve existing brain cells, activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons (neurogenesis), and promotes actual brain growth, especially in the hippocampus area, which is associated with memory. In the muscles, BDNF protects the neuromotor (a critical element in the muscle that is like an ignition on an engine) from degradation. Because exercise has such a powerful effect on BDNF production, it is clear why physical exercise has a beneficial impact on brain tissue. It very literally helps prevent and even reverse brain decay.

When people think of grandmothers, they may think of old women who knit, bake cookies, and who don’t do very much outside the home. But in South Africa, many grandmothers are the sole caregivers of grandchildren whose parents have passed away from HIV/AIDS. Though women in South Africa don’t play soccer, in Limpopo, grandmothers, known as the “Vhakegula Vhakegula,” or the “grannies grannies,” are forging new ground. They play soccer twice a week, primarily for exercise. In the process they also receive peace of mind and forge new friendships. Many of them look at exercise as their medicine, and believe it prevents them from getting sick. Many have overcome medical conditions they had prior to playing soccer, including difficulty sleeping. Go to this webpage and watch the video about these amazing soccer grannies: http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=8021

The National Institute on Aging, Laboratory of Neurosciences, studied physical activity in mice in an effort to determine its effect on the brain. In the study, soon after the exercise routines began, researchers found an increased number of new neurons in the brains of the mice, as well as subtle changes in the shape and workings of their brain cells. They found that mice brains, with exercise, were quantitatively and qualitatively different. These findings may have implications for memory and for delaying the onset of dementia (Reynolds, 2017).

There are SO many benefits you can derive from physical exercise! As we have learned, those benefits extend not only to our bodies, but to our brains as well. Posit Science maintains that the benefits of physical exercise, especially aerobic exercise, have significant positive effects on brain function, ranging from the molecular to the behavioral level.

Let’s review some of the many short- and long-term benefits that physical exercise can provide to our bodies and our brains:

• Better cardiovascular functioning. Exercise improves and increases blood flow. It pumps more oxygen to the brain, which allows the brain--almost immediately—to function better. Since your brain needs a significant supply of oxygen to function properly, this helps explain why “what is good for your heart is also good for your brain.” The improved cardiovascular functions also lower your blood pressure.

• Helps regulate blood glucose levels and reduce insulin resistance. By regulating glucose levels in the blood, exercise lowers the risk of diabetes. It is also one of the most effective ways to normalize your insulin level and lower your risk of insulin resistance. This in turn protects your cognitive health, as diabetes is linked to a 65% increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (Mercola, 2018).

• Releases growth factors that increase the growth of new blood vessels and brain cells. We learned about BDNF and how it preserves brain cells, as well as encourages neurogenesis (the growth of new brain cells). New brain cells require nourishment, so the vascular structure in the brain increases to supply blood and oxygen to the new cells.

• Helps rid your body of harmful stress chemicals that are related to stress and depression. Exercised muscles have higher levels of an enzyme that helps metabolize the stress chemical kynurenine. This can help enhance your ability to relax. Unexercised muscles may have too much of this chemical, which builds up and can lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (Mercola, 2018).

• Lowers your levels of inflammatory cytokines associated with chronic inflammation and obesity. Cytokines are small proteins that regulate and mediate immunity and inflammation. Some cytokines act to make disease worse--exercise lowers the levels of this type of cytokine. Both inflammation and obesity can adversely impact brain function (Mercola, 2018).

• Reduces damaging plaques in the brain. In one animal study, significantly fewer plaques and beta-amyloid peptides—both associated with Alzheimer’s disease—were found in mice that exercised (Mercola, 2018).

• Sleep quality and quantity enhanced. Exercise not only tires you out, but it reduces your stress level, making it more likely for you to get to sleep and enjoy quality sleep. Think of children who play hard all day and how sound they sleep at night!

• Boosts natural “feel good” hormones and neurotransmitters associated with mood control. Exercise can affect your mood by releasing increased levels of neurotransmitters like endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, and GABA. This boost occurs immediately after a workout and continues into the long-term, especially if exercise is done regularly (Mercola, 2018). This can improve your overall mental health state and lessen depression and anxiety.

• Increases connections between brain cells, particularly in the hippocampus. Exercise, particularly the kind that challenges the brain concurrently with the body, can increase synaptic activity and strengthen connections between brain cells.

• Restoration and preservation of flexibility. Exercise can help improve your ability to move, function, and take care of yourself, making you less dependent on others as you age. This, in turn, gives you confidence in your own abilities to meet the challenges of life.

• Improves mental health, cognition, memory, focus, creativity, relaxation, motivation, the ability to learn, stress levels, depression, and anxiety. The list goes on and on!

• Offers a great way to socialize. Many forms of exercise allow you to enjoy the company of friends while taking care of your body. Positive socialization is excellent for your brain!

Let’s take a look at two types of exercise—aerobic and anaerobic--and how they benefit the body and brain.

Aerobic exercise, also known as “cardio” exercise because it requires the heart to pump oxygenated blood to working muscles, is the most beneficial type of exercise you can do to keep your brain healthy. Aerobic exercise, meaning “with oxygen,” is great for both the body and the brain. Some examples of aerobic exercises are: running, swimming, walking, hiking, canoeing, stationary bicycling, bicycling, dancing, aerobics classes, cross country skiing, kickboxing, or volleyball.

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

Walking

Let’s talk about one of the many types of aerobic exercise—walking. Walking is something most people can do, and best of all, it’s free! Neurologist Robert P. Friedland said, “Walking is an excellent physical activity. . . . [It] has been associated with increased longevity and reduced risk of diseases . . . including heart disease and cancer (Harder, 2009).” The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates also had something to say about walking. He said, “Walking is the best medicine.”

How Much Aerobic Activity Do You Need?

We’ve learned what aerobic exercise is. Now let’s look at a different type of exercise—anaerobic. Anaerobic, meaning “without oxygen,” is a type of exercise that causes you to quickly become out of breath. Doing anaerobic exercise helps you build overall strength, increases your endurance, and increases your ability to stand fatigue. Anaerobic exercise increases lean muscle mass and decreases body fat, leading to weight loss, which is good for both body and brain health.

Weight Training

How Much Weight Training is Best?

It is recommended that a person work out with weights two or more days per week. Many people work out three to four times per week, alternating muscles groups being exercised. All major muscle groups should be worked out each week. Older adults benefit from more repetitions with lower weights, rather than less repetitions with heavier weights (Sayers & Gibson, 2014).

Note: It is advisable, if you have been inactive, or want to step up the activity level you are currently at, that you consult with your doctor first to make sure your plan will be beneficial to you and not be a health risk.

If possible, you should exercise in the morning before going about your daily activities. Why? Morning exercise helps prepare you for the mental stresses of the day, increases the retention of new information you acquire throughout the day, and enhances your reaction to complex situations you may encounter. If your schedule does not allow morning exercise, try to do it as early in the day as possible. Exercising too late in the day may increase your energy level enough to interfere with your ability to fall asleep.

• Select activities that you enjoy. Be sure you are not making a plan to please someone else. Everyone is different, and you may not enjoy someone else’s workout plan. Unless you enjoy your selected exercise and look forward to doing it, chances are you won’t do it or stick with it in the long run. So select activities that you enjoy!

• Gradually increase your level of activity. Don’t start with grandiose plans that you’ll do great things within a few days, weeks, or even months. Trying to “bite off more than you can chew” can backfire and discourage you from continuing with your program. Be sure to start off small, and reward yourself along the way for the progress you make.

• Manage stress levels. Though exercise tends to decrease stress in a person’s life, you should also endeavor to reduce or eliminate stressors in your life that can affect your brain health.

• Take good care of yourself. Make sure you have proper shoes and clothing, and watch your exertion level—take as much care of yourself as you would someone else you love.

Here are a few things you should think about before making a personal exercise plan. Giving these points proper consideration could mean the difference in the success or failure of your plan.

• Do you enjoy company when you exercise or would you prefer to be alone?

• Do you like the structure and companionship of a class setting?

• Would you prefer to be indoors or outdoors?

• Is transportation to and from an exercise activity an issue?

• Do you have any physical limitations that might limit your range of activities?

Exercise is a very broad topic. We cannot cover everything about it in this lesson, but there are a few more considerations that are important enough to mention. Let’s take a look at those.

In order for us to maintain our health and recover from any type of illness, we need a steady supply of oxygen entering our blood. We also need to push carbon dioxide out of our circulatory system (Kim, 2017). Breathing is such an important part of exercise (and life!) that we need to look at how and what we should be breathing.

How to Breath

• When you breath in through your nose, the air is warmed, moistened, conditioned, and mixed with nitric oxide, which kills deadly bacteria and also works as a vasodilator on the airways, arteries, and capillaries (Breathing.com, n.d.).

• Nasal breathing increases circulation, blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, slows the breathing rate, and improves overall lung volumes (Breathing.com, n.d.)

• Nasal breathing imposes approximately 50% more resistance to the air stream, resulting in 10 to 20% more uptake of oxygen. Oral exhalation empties the lungs more quickly, limiting oxygen absorption (Breathing.com, n.d.; ScienceDirect, n.d.).

• Increased airflow through the right nostril is correlated to increased left brain activity and enhanced verbal performance; increased airflow through the left nostril is associated with increased right brain activity and enhanced spatial performance (Breathing.com, n.d.; ScienceDirect, n.d.). Nasal breathing engages the brain more than oral breathing.

• Nasal breathing limits air intake and forces one to slow down, which can reduce hypertension and stress (ScienceDirect, n.d.).

Also, when consciously taking breathes, try to engage your abdominal muscles as you inhale and exhale. Be cognizant of your posture, as that affects the ability of your lungs and diaphragm to take in the maximum amount of air.

How do we ensure we are getting enough oxygen?

Dr. Ben Kim, a self-healthcare guru and author of the Natural Health Newsletter, quoted World Health Organization statistics on falling in his April 2, 2018 issue. These statistics showed that falls are the second highest cause of accidental deaths, and those over 65 years of age are at the greatest risk of experiencing a fatal fall. Dr. Kim indicated that we can reduce the risk of injury or death from an accidental fall through mindful exercise. He maintains that any activity that requires that we maintain balance will develop our joint position sense, thereby strengthening our immunity against slips and falls. This happens because as we sit, stand, and move, we are exercising our proprioception. There are specialized sensory receptors located in and around our joints that constantly send feedback to our brain about our relationship to the ground beneath us, and our central and peripheral nervous systems constantly fine-tune their motor output to prevent us from falling. The harder we have to work to maintain our balance, the stronger our proprioception becomes (Kim, 2018b). If you would like to read more about Dr. Kim, go to: http://drbenkim.com/welcome-message.html

As important as what Dr. Kim teaches about improving balance, we should also be mindful of recent research that suggests brain speed may be even more important to older adults in preventing falls. Researcher James Richardson, M.D. asked the question, “Why does a 30-hear-old hit their foot against the curb in the parking lot and take a half step and recover, whereas a 71-year-old falls and an 82-year-old falls awkwardly and fractures their hip?” (University of Michigan Health System, 2016). The research, published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, showed that brain speed is key in enabling older adults to stay balanced and avoid aberrant steps on an uneven surface. In this Brain Fitness class, you are working to improve your brain speed every time you do these exercises. Bravo!

A recent study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience showed that neurological health is as dependent on signals from the large leg muscles as it is on signals from the brain to the muscles. The study looked at astronauts who are limited in their movement and ability to exercise while in space. It looked as well at people affected by movement limiting disabilities. The study found that both groups face impairment in muscle and/or brain performance, and that severe movement limitation can influence not only the motor and metabolic systems, but also the nervous system, altering neurogenesis and the interaction between motor neurons and muscle cells (Mercola, 2018).

Another study using mice supported this conclusion. Researchers prevented mice from using their hind legs for 28 days. They could still use their front legs to eat and groom normally without getting stressed. It was found at the end of the 28 days that neural stem cells (stem cells that can develop into neurons) had declined by 70% compared to those in the mice that had not been hindered. The researchers concluded that “using the legs, particularly in weight-bearing exercise, sends signals to the brain that are vital for the production of healthy neural cells essential for the brain and nervous system. Cutting back on exercise makes it difficult for the body to produce new nerve cells—some of the very building blocks that allow us to handle stress and adapt to challenge in our lives” (Mercola, 2018).

Studies like these give doctors new clues as to why patients with neurological diseases often rapidly decline when their movement becomes limited. They also shed light on why the nervous system and brain can begin to deteriorate when we are unable to or don’t exercise.

Vishen Lakhiani, entrepreneur, tells the following story: “For the longest time, I accepted my body and I accepted the fact that I was going to put on weight and I was going to get less fit as I got older. It was just a way every man in my family evolved . . . as they went beyond their 40’s and 50’s. And then I met an American friend, a guy by the name of John Butcher. He’s a famous entrepreneur and [he] showed me a really interesting picture of himself at 29 and 49. [That] single picture changed my entire paradigm of health. It made me realize that all the ideas in my head of what I was supposed to look like at 45 and 50 and 65 might simply be pre-programmed and not necessarily true. In two years from seeing this picture, I completely transformed my health. My body fat went from 22% to 15%. I went from being average in terms of fitness to being really fit, all because something in my mind flipped and I decided I wasn’t going to accept aging in the regular way.” (Human Longevity Project, 2018).

If you are at a point in your life where you would like to change your momentum for the better, consider engaging in regular, physical activity. The Mayo Clinic emphasizes that “vigorous exercise remains the most effective way to bolster health” (Bergland, 2017). But do it for the right reasons. Dr. Sachin Patel, chiropractor and medical practitioner said, “Most people will exercise to lose something. Instead, why don’t you exercise to actually gain something? What can you gain from this experience?” (Human Longevity Project, 2018). Wise advice!

Art Kramer, professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Illinois, said, “If you do only one thing to keep your brain young, exercise” (Howard, 2012).

Read about a new research study linking the positive benefits of using Posit Science's BrainHQ for patients with heart failure: https://www.apnews.com/9438161ef5502085899bf537424a9ed1

Read Posit Science article “Balance and Fall Risk” to learn about published research on how BrainHQ (the online Brain Fitness program) affects balance, gait, and the risk of falling: https://www.brainhq.com/world-class-science/published-research/balance-and-fall-risk

For a look at a relatively simple but effective series of exercises you can do from just about anywhere within 5 to 6 minutes daily to improve your balance and decrease risk of accidental falls, please have a look at Dr. Ben Kim’s follow- along video here: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__youtu.be_iJEHxKakdio&d=DwIFAg&c=Nk1UtDBliM_fW3DCK8CoTNhFqaER3tCmN6o4Lel0Rw4&r=dKSEI6v0A1fjWWj2c83s3Cw0gmZn8mopy5MGUmW0xF0&m=uleifzYtr0bItJ6ydlUJkSmJ6EOd9aZ2oSiEQZQHz7s&s=aUAYn2jPQ1rldwkKg0qag4i8LNm3Ab_8ibGuINH2MEg&e=

Want to know more about yoga? Read this article by Dr. Joseph Mercola called, “What Happens To Your Body When You Do Yoga”: https://articles.mercola.com/yoga.aspx?utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=secon&utm_campaign=20180629Z1&et_cid=DM217343&et_rid=350708782

Dr. Kim's Cardio Workout

Dr. Merzenich's Thought on Physical Exercise

Exercise Boosts Your Brain--Here's How

Exercising the Body is Exercising the Mind

Healthy Heart Numbers--Recommended Screenings

Physical Exercise and Brain Health

Physical Exercise For Brain Health

Physical Exercise

Rethinking Exercise as a Source of Immediate Rewards

Sweat Smart

Table: Activity and KCals Expended

Walking Away From Dementia

What To Do If You Fall

If you are in class this week, you will also receive hard copies of the following booklets/brochures, provided by the National Institutes on Aging:

• Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging

• Exercise and Physical Activity: Getting Fit for Life

• Workout to Go: Mini Exercise Guide

Alzheimer’s San Diego. (2017). Dementia & Alzheimer’s disease. [Seminar notes].

American College of Sports Medicine. (n.d.). Guidelines for physical activity in adults (age 18-65). [PDF document]. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwjRzIHg3IHeAhXLtlMKHUqTAYYQFjAAegQICRAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bucknell.edu%2FDocuments%2FRecreationServices%2FAmerican%2520College%2520of%2520Sports%2520Medicine-Adults.doc&usg=AOvVaw3mrQG2-4iz-jkBLIHcADL3

Bergland, C. (March 8, 2017). Mayo Clinic study identifies how exercise staves off old age. Psychology Today. [Online magazine]. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201703/mayo-clinic-study-identifies-how-exercise-staves-old-age

Best-Martini, E. &. Botenhagen-DeGenova, K. A. (2014). Exercise for frail elders: Proven strategies for working with frail elders and adults with special needs (2^nd Ed.) Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. 323 pages.

Davis, J. C., Marra, C. A., & Beattie, B. L. (2010). Sustained cognitive and economic benefits of resistance training among community-dwelling senior women: A 1-year follow-up study of the brain power study. Archives of Internal Medicine, 170(22), 2036-2038. Retrieved from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/776438

Gow, A. J., Pattie, A., & Deary, I. J. (2017). Lifecourse activity participation from early, mid, and later adulthood as determinants of cognitive aging: The Lothian birth cohort 1921. Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 72(1), 25-37. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbw124

Harder, B. (July 2, 2009). Walking away from dementia: Moderate exercise protects aging minds. Science News. [Online Magazine—printed; no longer posted]. https://doi.org/10.2307/4015381

Howard, B. (February 2, 2012). 10 ways to keep your mind sharp. AARP The Magazine. Retrieved from: https://bangordailynews.com/2012/02/02/health/10-ways-to-keep-your-mind-sharp/

Human Longevity Project. (2018). Episode 3: Diet and exercise: The surprising habits of healthy populations. Retrieved from: humanlongevityfilm.com [Resource was privately purchased and is not available online without purchase].

Kim, B. (October 29, 2017). Simple breathing exercises for improved health. Experience Your Best Health. [Online Blog]. Retrieved from: http://drbenkim.com/how-well-are-you-breathing

Kim, B. (March 7, 2018a). Natural Health Newsletter. [Email].

Kim, B. (April 2, 2018b). Natural Health Newsletter. [Email].

Maliszewska-Cyna, E., Xhima, K., & Aubert, I. (2016). A comparative study evaluating the impact of physical exercise on disease progression in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 53(1): 243-257. Retrieved from: https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad150660

Memorise. (n.d.). Age proof your brain as early as you can. [Online blog]. Retrieved from: http://memorise.org/brain-articles/age-proof-brain-early

Mercola, J. (June 29, 2018). For optimal brain and nervous system health, you need to exercise your leg muscles. Peak Fitness. [Website]. Retrieved at: https://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2018/06/29/leg-exercise-importance-on-brain-nervous-system-health.aspx

Posit Science. (n.d.). Physical exercise for brain health. [Online article]. Retrieved from: https://www.brainhq.com/brain-resources/everyday-brain-fitness/physical-exercise

Reynolds, G. (July 12, 2016). Walk, jog or dance: It’s all good for the aging brain. Mercury. [Online blog]. Retrieved from: https://cn.nytimes.com/health/20160712/t00well-brain/en-us/

Reynolds, G. (October 4, 2017). For your brain’s sake, keep moving. The New York Times. [Online]. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/04/well/move/for-your-brains-sake-keep-moving.html

Robinson, D., Dasari, S., Konopka, A. R. Johnson, M. L., Manjunatha, S., Esponda, R. R. . . . Nair, K. S. (2017). Enhanced Protein Translation Underlies Improved Metabolic and Physical Adaptations to Different Exercise Training Modes in Young and Old Humans. Cell Metabolism, 25(3): 581-592. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2017.02.009.

Sayers, S. P., Gibson, K. (2014). High-speed power training in older adults: A shift of the external resistance at which peak power is produced. Journal of Strength and Conditional Research, 28(3): 616-612. doi: 10.1519/JSC.06013e3182a361b8

Underwood, E. (January 26, 2017). The polluted brain. Science. [Online magazine]. Retrieved from: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/01/brain-pollution-evidence-builds-dirty-air-causes-alzheimer-s-dementia

University of Michigan Health System. (December 21, 2016). For geriatric falls, ‘brain speed’ may matter more than lower limb strength. ScienceDaily. [Website]. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161221090359.htm