Exercise and the brain: three ways physical activity changes its very structure

The Outdoors 

 Having been in indoors for two weeks because someone in my family tested positive to Corona Virus, I am longing to get out and walk and sample the fresh air once more.

 

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Regular exercise changes the structure of our bodies’ tissues in obvious ways, such as reducing the size of fat stores and increasing muscle mass. Less visible, but perhaps even more important, is the profound influence exercise has on the structure of our brains – an influence that can protect and preserve brain health and function throughout life. In fact, some experts believe that the human brain may depend on regular physical activity to function optimally throughout our lifetime.

Here are just a few ways exercise changes the structure of our brain.

Memory

Many studies suggest that exercise can help protect our memory as we age. This is because exercise has been shown to prevent the loss of total brain volume (which can lead to lower cognitive function), as well as preventing shrinkage in specific brain regions associated with memory. For example, one magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan study revealed that in older adults, six months of exercise training increases brain volume.

Another study showed that shrinkage of the hippocampus (a brain region essential for learning and memory) in older people can be reversed by regular walking. This change was accompanied by improved memory function and an increase of the protein brain-derived neutropic factor (BDNF) in the bloodstream.

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BDNF is essential for healthy cognitive function due to its roles in cell survival, plasticity (the brain’s ability to change and adapt from experience) and function. Positive links between exercise, BDNF and memory have been widely investigated and have been demonstrated in young adults and older people.

BDNF is also one of several proteins linked with adult neurogenesis, the brain’s ability to modify its structure by developing new neurons throughout adulthood. Neurogenesis occurs only in very few brain regions – one of which is the hippocampus – and thus may be a central mechanism involved in learning and memory. Regular physical activity may protect memory in the long term by inducing neurogenesis via BDNF.

While this link between exercise, BDNF, neurogenesis, and memory is very well described in animal models, experimental and ethical constraints mean that its importance to human brain function is not quite so clear. Nevertheless exercise-induced neurogenesis is being actively researched as a potential therapy for neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and depression.

Blood vessels

The brain is highly dependent on blood flow, receiving approximately 15% of the body’s entire supply – despite being only 2-3% of our body’s total mass. This is because our nervous tissues need a constant supply of oxygen to function and survive. When neurons become more active, blood flow in the region where these neurons are located increases to meet demand. As such, maintaining a healthy brain depends on maintaining a healthy network of blood vessels.

Regular exercise helps blood vessels grow in the brain. Magic mine/ Shutterstock

Regular exercise increases the growth of new blood vessels in the brain regions where neurogenesis occurs, providing the increased blood supply that supports the development of these new neurons. Exercise also improves the health and function of existing blood vessels, ensuring that brain tissue consistently receives adequate blood supply to meet its needs and preserve its function.

Finally, regular exercise can prevent, and even treat, hypertension (high blood pressure), which is a risk factor for development of dementia. Exercise works in multiple ways to enhance the health and function of blood vessels in the brain.

Inflammation

Recently, a growing body of research has centred on microglia, which are the resident immune cells of the brain. Their main function is to constantly check the brain for potential threats from microbes or dying or damaged cells, and to clear any damage they find.

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Read more: Microglia: the brain’s 'immune cells' protect against diseases – but they can also cause them

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With age, normal immune function declines and chronic, low-level inflammation occurs in body organs, including the brain, where it increases risk of neurodegenerative disease, such as Alzheimer’s disease. As we age, microglia become less efficient at clearing damage, and less able to prevent disease and inflammation. This means neuroinflammation can progress, impairing brain functions – including memory.

But recently, we’ve shown that exercise can reprogramme these microglia in the aged brain. Exercise was shown to make the microglia more energy efficient and capable of counteracting neuroinflammatory changes that impair brain function. Exercise can also modulate neuroinflammation in degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. This shows us the effects of physical activity on immune function may be an important target for therapy and disease prevention.

So how can we ensure that we’re doing the right kind of exercise – or getting enough of it – to protect the brain? As yet, we don’t have robust enough evidence to develop specific guidelines for brain health though findings to date suggest that the greatest benefits are to be gained by aerobic exercise – such as walking, running, or cycling. It’s recommended adults get a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic exercise, combined with activities that maintain strength and flexibility, to maintain good general health.

It must also be noted that researchers don’t always find exercise has beneficial effect on the brain in their studies – likely because different studies use different exercise training programmes and measures of cognitive function, making it difficult to directly compare studies and results. But regardless, plenty of research shows us that exercise is beneficial for many aspects of our health, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough. We need to be conscious of making time in our day to be active – our brains will thank us for it in years to come.

Brain Regeneration: Why it's Real & How to Do it

Brain Health

Keeping your brain healthy is vital as you age!

Posted on:

Tuesday, October 29th 2019 at 4:45 am

Written By:

Sayer Ji, Founder

This article is copyrighted by GreenMedInfo LLC, 2019
Visit our Re-post guidelines

Have you ever wished you could regenerate those brain cells you sacrificed in college? Do you fear that your aging brain is in a perpetual state of decline? Medical science is being rewritten to show that we CAN improve the health of our brain, and that repairing damage is not only possible, it's something anyone can do

It is a commonly held misconception that the brain is beyond repair. Even the medical establishment has asserted that once we kill brain cells, they are gone forever. The fact is, the brain can repair itself, and as science is now proving, there is real benefit to simple practices that can help keep our brains sharp and elastic throughout our lifetime.

Rewriting the Story of Brain Health

The field of cognitive neuroscience is relatively new - only around one hundred years old - so it's no surprise that we are constantly arriving at a newer and better understanding of how the neural circuitry of the human brain supports overall brain functioning.

For most of those one hundred years, it was believed that once damaged, the brain could not regenerate. Brain cells were finite, and any loss or injury would be suffered as a deficiency for the rest of that person's life. This created a false belief that the brain is essentially in a perpetual state of decline.

Although compelling evidence to the contrary was presented as early as 1960, medical dogma was (and is) slow to change. It wasn't until the 1980's when Fernando Nottebohm's research at Rockefeller University clearly indicated that neurogenesis - production of new nerve cells, aka neurons - was taking place in the adult vertebrate brain.

The next big step in this scientific evolution would take more than thirty years. However, the pace of our understanding of how the brain is wired was about to take a quantum leap.

Our Elastic Brain

The growth of new neurons in an adult, mammalian brain was first seen in 1992, when scientists isolated neural stem cells from mice in a Petri dish. This regeneration was then replicated thousands of times in a variety of published studies over the next twenty-five years.

It is now accepted in the medical scientific community that the adult brain is capable of growing new neurons and glial cells, something previously disbelieved by the medical establishment. The brain is now considered to be resilient, pliable - plastic.

The term neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain to "rewire" itself through practice of a desired skill. It is the combination of new cells and new learning that creates this magic. When fresh nerve cells are well-stimulated (i.e., trained through specific learning exercises) they make new connections. In other words, they become healthy brain cells that contribute to learning and the development of new skills.

Just like the muscles of the body, when the brain is well-nourished and stimulated through proper exercise, it heals and grows. And with proper care and feeding, this amazing brain regeneration can occur throughout life.

To help make this a "no-brainer", GreenMedInfo has compiled a simple list of ways you can safeguard brain health, stimulate new brain cell growth, and even heal the brain.

1.  Get Lots of Physical Exercise

When you hear the phrase "train your brain", you probably don't think of lifting weights. Turns out, physical exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body, and your brain.

The brain benefits of exercise are two-fold. First, the brain is a voracious consumer of glucose and oxygen, with no ability to store excess for later use. A continual supply of these nutrients is needed to maintain optimal functioning.

Physical exercise increases the blood flow to the brain, delivering a boost of fresh oxygen and glucose to hungry brain cells. A 2014 study showed that just 30 minutes of moderate cardio was enough to boost cognitive functioning in adult brains of all ages.

But the benefits don't stop there. Exercise is believed to stimulate hippocampal neurogenesis: new cell growth in the region of the brain associated with long-term memory and emotions. Healthy cell growth in this region is important to the aging brain, and believed to help prevent cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

2.  Use Stress Reduction Techniques

Our modern world runs on stress, so the need to unwind is easy to understand. What you might not be aware of, is just how damaging continual immersion in the fight or flight hormones of stress can be to your brain.

Stress is one of the top factors in age-related cognitive decline. This makes engaging in regularly scheduled leisure activities not just a fun thing to do, but an important step towards ensuring optimal brain health.

You don't need to look far to find ways to de-stress. Let your interests guide you. The key to picking brain-healthy pastimes is to avoid passive activities like watching TV, and instead choose stimulating hobbies that engage the brain through patterns, puzzles, and problem-solving.

A 2011 study published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry found that activities such as playing games, reading books, and crafts like quilting and knitting reduced rates of cognitive impairment by up to 50 percent.

Engaging with art also ranks high on the list of brain-healthy hobbies. Studies prove that once again, it's not enough to be a passive observer. To get the brain-boost, we must engage.

In a German study reported in the journal PLOS One, researchers studied two groups: a group who observed art, and a group that produced art. The study concluded that compared to those who observed art, the art producers demonstrated increased interactivity between the frontal and parietal cortices of the brain. This increased brain connectivity translates to enhanced psychological resilience in the group of art producers. In other words, their ability to resist the negative effects of stress improved.

Looking for a more low-key way to unwind? How about playing beautiful music or sitting in quiet contemplation? Meditation has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and even build resistance to feelings of anxiety and depression. And while listening to music may seem like a passive activity, research suggests that the act of listening to musical patterns facilitates brain neurogenesis.

Both meditation and listening to music affect the secretion of key hormones which enhance brain plasticity, thus changing the very way we respond to stress. Talk about good medicine! 

3. Take Strategic Supplements

Turmeric

You probably know at least one person who raves about the health benefits of turmeric. This deep, orange root has been used as a panacea for everything from soothing joint pain and calming inflammation, to lowering the risk of heart disease. And our awareness of the benefits of this ancient medicinal herb continues to grow.

Turmeric is an example of a remyelinating compound, which denotes a substance with proven nerve-regenerative effects.

Remyelinating compounds work to repair the protective sheath around the nerve bundle known as myelin, an area often damaged in autoimmune and vaccine-induced disorders. Research shows that even small doses of these restorative substances can produce significant nerve regeneration.

The Western model of pharmaceutical intervention has created a culture that seeks to identify and isolate the "active ingredient" of an organic substance. What this fails to account for is that organic compounds often work in concert: isolates by themselves may lack a critical key that another plant element provides.

Cucurmin is the isolated active ingredient in turmeric, however, new research shows that another element found in turmeric has magical properties of its own.

In an exciting study published in the journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy, researchers found that a little-known component within turmeric, Ar-tumerone, may make "a promising candidate to support regeneration in neurologic disease."

The study found that when brain cells were exposed to ar-tumerone, neural stem cells increased in number and complexity, indicating a healing effect was taking place. This effect was replicated in rats, who when exposed to ar-tumerone saw increased neural stem cell production and the generation of healthy new brain cells.

Green Tea

A 2014 paper studying the active compounds in green tea (known as catechins, a main class of micronutrient), determined that green tea catechins are not only antioxidant and neuroprotective, they actually stimulate the brain to produce more neurons.

Because of this therapeutic effect on damaged regions of the brain, green tea has been shown to have exciting implications in the treatment of 'incurable' neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease. This prompted researchers to declare green tea catechins  "...a highly useful complementary approach.." in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Further investigation of green tea examined a combination of blueberry, green tea and carnosine, and found it to promote growth of new neurons and brain stem cells, in an animal model of neurodegenerative disease.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba is considered a powerhouse in the herbal medicine pharmacopoeia, and its implications for brain health are equally potent. Ginkgo has demonstrated at least 50 distinct health benefits, and its medicinal value is documented in the treatment of more than 100 different diseases.

There are numerous studies on Ginkgo's ability to stimulate levels of a critical brain protein called BDNF: brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This protein affects healing in damaged regions of the brain and is essential in the regulation, growth and survival of brain cells, making it especially important for long-term memory.

Ginkgo is so effective that a 2006 paper published in the European Journal of Neurology found it to be as useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease as the blockbuster drug, Donepezil.

Recently, a new mechanism behind Ginkgo biloba's brain healing properties came to light with the publication of an article in Cell and Molecular Neurobiology. Researchers determined that Ginkgo is effective, in part, due to its ability to modulate neural stem cells (NSC's) into the type of cell that is necessary in the specific region of the brain where the BDNF proteins are active.

NSC's are multipotent cells; they have the amazing ability to shapeshift into any of the many different phenotypes of cells that make up the brain. Ginkgo stimulates the growth of the right cell phenotype for the affected region of the brain, giving our brain exactly what's needed, where it's needed. Now that's intelligent medicine!

4. Eat Your Veggies

Want to stimulate brain cell regrowth while you're having lunch? Add some freshly steamed broccoli to your plate!

Science has added a substance called sulforaphane, found in sulfur-rich vegetables such as broccoli, to the growing list of neuritogenic substances that have been documented to stimulate nerve growth in the brain.

The study, published in the journal Genesis, reveals that sulforaphane, in addition to stimulating new nerve growth, has demonstrated significant healing properties as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, as well as preventing disease and death of healthy neurons.

Adding to the excitement surrounding these findings, researchers observed the beneficial effect on neural stem cells that results in their differentiation to specific, useful types of neurons, lending powerful support to the hypothesis that sulforaphane stimulates brain repair.

Vegetables containing sulforaphane include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mustard leaves, radish, turnips, watercress, and bok choy. For therapeutic benefit, try to consume at least 3 cups per day, raw or cooked.

5. Employ Continuous Learning

Aging is often associated with cognitive decline, both in research and anecdotal evidence. However, a growing body of literature shows that retaining a sharp, lucid brain means never retiring our critical thinking skills.

The need to continually challenge and expand our thinking was demonstrated in the aforementioned 2011 study published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry. In this study, the leisure time activities of a group of older adults (ages 70-89) were monitored for effect on mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

The study determined that the level of complexity of the activity was key to its effectiveness at preventing MCI. Working with computers, reading books, and activities associated with patterns and problem-solving contributed to a significant decrease in the odds of developing of MCI. Less stimulating activities showed no statistical effect. This stresses the importance of feeling challenged and stimulated by the activities we pursue as we age.

These findings were reinforced by a 2014 study of nearly 3,000 volunteers, spanning more than a decade. This study examined the potential long-term benefit of cognitive training in older adults. Results showed that participants demonstrated enhanced brain processing speed and reasoning skills for up to ten years after the training was completed.

These tangible brain benefits spilled over into daily life and were measured in the participant's ability to complete normal daily tasks, such as personal finances, meal preparation, and personal care routines. Said of the study, "The idea is, the more stimulating your environment, the more you're increasing the complexity of your brain."

For more information on ways to keep your brain healthy, visit GreenMedInfo's brain health research database. Also, learn more by reading the following articles;

• How Music Can Support Brain Regeneration & Healing
  
• How WHOLE Turmeric Heals The Damaged Brain
  
• The Flame of Cell Life-Death In The Miracle of Regeneration
  

Originally Published 2018-10-05
Updated 2019-10-29

Sayer Ji is founder of Greenmedinfo.com, a reviewer at the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, Co-founder and CEO of Systome Biomed, Vice Chairman of the Board of the National Health Federation, Steering Committee Member of the Global Non-GMO Foundation.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

Brain Health

Herbs For The Brain

The Importance Of Keeping Your Brain Healthy!



It all started with minor slips you easily dismissed as "senior moments." You forgot your keys. You called someone by the wrong name. The word you were looking for was on the tip of your tongue, but you couldn't quite grasp it. You don't feel any older, but you do feel yourself changing. Researchers agree this could be a sign of something more serious.
A study published in the British Medical Journal of January 2012 has concluded that age-related cognitive decline begins much earlier than expected: by our mid-40s. Even more distressing, this decline can progress at very unpredictable rates. Scientists have identified that acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter, is responsible for forming new connections and strengthening neural pathways in the brain. In other words, it keeps your mind sharp. However, persistently low levels of this key neurotransmitter places you at risk. Without healthy levels of acetylcholine, the brain can physically shrink; at which point, the damage can be very difficult to repair.
And yet, we all know people of advanced age who seem immune to this cognitive decline. These so-called superagers retain high mental acuity well into their later years. Scientists have determined that superagers minds' function with high levels of acetylcholine. Therefore, their minds have stronger and more numerous neural connections. This creates the ideal environment for a steel-trap memory. Unfortunately, for most of us, levels of acetylcholine decrease as we age and rapidly so after age 45.
But it's not just our age that is to blame. Like a muscle, your brain needs constant exercise to stay in shape. Modern society deprives us of essential mental exercise.
Before the written word became accessible and affordable, oral history was the only way to spread culture to younger generations. As a result, a strong memory was an essential part of everyday life. For example, ancient Greek poets would memorize and recite entire epic poems that were thousands of lines long. Because of the demands society placed on their brains, these individuals engaged in rigorous daily mental exercise. They did not have telephones, TVs, and computers distracting their attention and distorting the ways in which their brains processed information. This kind of singular focus required optimal levels of acetylcholine.

Fig 2. A network of neural connections in the brain.

Modern technology denies crucial exercise to certain areas of our brains in two important ways, causing it to atrophy over time. We are exposed to numerous sources of stimulation which constantly disrupt our production of acetylcholine. Likewise, we no longer need to remember phone numbers, addresses, dates, or even basic navigation because our phones have replaced our memories. Both of these factors train your mind to forget and place you at risk for earlier onset of cognitive decline.
In good news, new research says you don't need to throw away your smartphone, cancel your Netflix subscription, or quit your job to turn back the clock on age-related cognitive decline. A team of researchers in a GMP-certified laboratory in New York has identified 5 compounds that can naturally restore optimal levels of acetylcholine. They are Alpha GPC, Huperzine A, Bacopa Monnieri, Lion's Mane Mushroom, and Ginkgo Biloba. Better yet, clinically-backed by scientific research, these natural compounds do not contain exotic, unproven chemicals derived from marine life.
Over the last 18 months, this research team has combined these 5 safe and powerful natural compounds to boost levels of acetylcholine into one formula. It's called RediMind, and here's how it works.*
RediMind restores optimal levels of acetylcholine, protects you from age-related cognitive decline, and strengthens neural connections in the brain. The result? You can process and store information more easily and recall it much more quickly. RediMind gives you back the steel-trap memory of a confident mind.
To test the product's effectiveness, Princeton Consumer Research performed a placebo-controlled clinical trial in which the International Shopping List test was administered at different intervals at baseline, after 2 weeks, and after 30 days. The ISLT is a standardized short-term memory test consisting of a list of random grocery items which must be memorized and reproduced within a limited time frame.

Fig 3. The results of RediMind's placebo-controlled clinical study.
^† Click here to view the complete results.

While RediMind is not guaranteed to give you a photographic memory, the study boasts some impressive results. After 2 weeks, participants taking RediMind improved their memory score by over 45%. At the conclusion of the study, memory performance increased by over 51% and significantly outpaced placebo.†
RediMind is vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free, and is made in a GMP-certified facility in New York to ensure the highest standards of safety. The entire RediMind compound fits into one pill with low-dosage, high-efficiency ingredients for maximum effectiveness. Taken daily, RediMind improves confidence in relying your memory, as over 85% of study participants experienced. And unlike a shot of espresso, it does not give you a temporary boost followed by an energy crash. RediMind does not contain any caffeine, making it safe for long-term daily use.
Protect your mind today with RediMind to ensure a clear and confident future. This exclusive offer is not available in stores. It is only available online through October 9th. Click the link below to claim your 30 Day Trial of RediMind.

Brain Regeneration: Why It's Real & How To Do It

Brain Regeneration: Why It's Real & How To Do It:

 Have you ever wished you could regenerate those brain cells you sacrificed in college? Do you fear that your aging brain is in a perpetual state of decline? Medical science is being rewritten to show that we CAN improve the health of our brain, and that repairing damage is not only possible, it’s something anyone can do.

Rewriting the Story of Brain Health

The field of cognitive neuroscience is relatively new - only around one hundred years old - so it’s no surprise that we are constantly arriving at a newer and better understanding of how the neural circuitry of the human brain supports overall brain functioning.

For most of those one hundred years, it was believed that once damaged, the brain could not regenerate. Brain cells were finite, and any loss or injury would be suffered as a deficiency for the rest of that person’s life. This created a false belief that the brain is essentially in a perpetual state of decline.

Although compelling evidence to the contrary was presented as early as 1960, medical dogma was (and is) slow to change. It wasn’t until the 1980’s when Fernando Nottebohm’s research at Rockefeller University clearly indicated that neurogenesis - production of new nerve cells, aka neurons - was taking place in the adult vertebrate brain.

The next big step in this scientific evolution would take more than thirty years. However, the pace of our understanding of how the brain is wired was about to take a quantum leap.

Our Elastic Brain

The growth of new neurons in an adult, mammalian brain was first seen in 1992, when scientists isolated neural stem cells from mice in a Petri dish. This regeneration was then replicated thousands of times in a variety of published studies over the next twenty-five years.

It is now accepted in the medical scientific community that the adult brain is capable of growing new neurons and glial cells, something previously disbelieved by the medical establishment. The brain is now considered to be resilient, pliable - plastic.

The term neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain to “rewire” itself through practice of a desired skill. It is the combination of new cells and new learning that creates this magic. When fresh nerve cells are well-stimulated (i.e., trained through specific learning exercises) they make new connections. In other words, they become healthy brain cells that contribute to learning and the development of new skills.

Just like the muscles of the body, when the brain is well-nourished and stimulated through proper exercise, it heals and grows. And with proper care and feeding, this amazing brain regeneration can occur throughout life.

To help make this a “no-brainer”, GreenMedInfo has compiled a simple list of ways you can safeguard brain health, stimulate new brain cell growth, and even heal the brain.

1.  Get Lots of Physical Exercise

When you hear the phrase “train your brain”, you probably don’t think of lifting weights. Turns out, physical exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body, and your brain.

The brain benefits of exercise are two-fold. First, the brain is a voracious consumer of glucose and oxygen, with no ability to store excess for later use. A continual supply of these nutrients is needed to maintain optimal functioning.

Physical exercise increases the blood flow to the brain, delivering a boost of fresh oxygen and glucose to hungry brain cells. A 2014 study showed that just 30 minutes of moderate cardio was enough to boost cognitive functioning in adult brains of all ages.

But the benefits don’t stop there. Exercise is believed to stimulate hippocampal neurogenesis: new cell growth in the region of the brain associated with long-term memory and emotions. Healthy cell growth in this region is important to the aging brain, and believed to help prevent cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

2.  Use Stress Reduction Techniques

Our modern world runs on stress, so the need to unwind is easy to understand. What you might not be aware of, is just how damaging continual immersion in the fight or flight hormones of stress can be to your brain.

Stress is one of the top factors in age-related cognitive decline. This makes engaging in regularly scheduled leisure activities not just a fun thing to do, but an important step towards ensuring optimal brain health.

You don’t need to look far to find ways to de-stress. Let your interests guide you. The key to picking brain-healthy pastimes is to avoid passive activities like watching TV, and instead choose stimulating hobbies that engage the brain through patterns, puzzles, and problem-solving.

A 2011 study published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry found that activities such as playing games, reading books, and crafts like quilting and knitting reduced rates of cognitive impairment by up to 50 percent.

Engaging with art also ranks high on the list of brain-healthy hobbies. Studies prove that once again, it’s not enough to be a passive observer. To get the brain-boost, we must engage.

In a German study reported in the journal PLOS One, researchers studied two groups: a group who observed art, and a group that produced art. The study concluded that compared to those who observed art, the art producers demonstrated increased interactivity between the frontal and parietal cortices of the brain. This increased brain connectivity translates to enhanced psychological resilience in the group of art producers. In other words, their ability to resist the negative effects of stress improved.

Looking for a more low-key way to unwind? How about playing beautiful music or sitting in quiet contemplation? Meditation has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and even build resistance to feelings of anxiety and depression. And while listening to music may seem like a passive activity, research suggests that the act of listening to musical patterns facilitates brain neurogenesis.

Both meditation and listening to music affect the secretion of key hormones which enhance brain plasticity, thus changing the very way we respond to stress. Talk about good medicine!

3. Take Strategic Supplements

Turmeric

You probably know at least one person who raves about the health benefits of turmeric. This deep, orange root has been used as a panacea for everything from soothing joint pain and calming inflammation, to lowering the risk of heart disease. And our awareness of the benefits of this ancient medicinal herb continues to grow.

Turmeric is an example of a remyelinating compound, which denotes a substance with proven nerve-regenerative effects.

Remyelinating compounds work to repair the protective sheath around the nerve bundle known as myelin, an area often damaged in autoimmune and vaccine-induced disorders. Research shows that even small doses of these restorative substances can produce significant nerve regeneration.

The Western model of pharmaceutical intervention has created a culture that seeks to identify and isolate the “active ingredient” of an organic substance. What this fails to account for is that organic compounds often work in concert: isolates by themselves may lack a critical key that another plant element provides.

Cucurmin is the isolated active ingredient in turmeric, however, new research shows that another element found in turmeric has magical properties of its own.

In an exciting study published in the journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy, researchers found that a little-known component within turmeric, Ar-tumerone, may make "a promising candidate to support regeneration in neurologic disease."

The study found that when brain cells were exposed to ar-tumerone, neural stem cells increased in number and complexity, indicating a healing effect was taking place. This effect was replicated in rats, who when exposed to ar-tumerone saw increased neural stem cell production and the generation of healthy new brain cells.

Green Tea

A 2014 paper studying the active compounds in green tea (known as catechins, a main class of micronutrient), determined that green tea catechins are not only antioxidant and neuroprotective, they actually stimulate the brain to produce more neurons.

Because of this therapeutic effect on damaged regions of the brain, green tea has been shown to have exciting implications in the treatment of 'incurable' neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease. This prompted researchers to declare green tea catechins  "...a highly useful complementary approach.." in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Further investigation of green tea examined a combination of blueberry, green tea and carnosine, and found it to promote growth of new neurons and brain stem cells, in an animal model of neurodegenerative disease.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba is considered a powerhouse in the herbal medicine pharmacopoeia, and its implications for brain health are equally potent. Ginkgo has demonstrated at least 50 distinct health benefits, and its medicinal value is documented in the treatment of more than 100 different diseases.

There are numerous studies on Ginkgo's ability to stimulate levels of a critical brain protein called BDNF: brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This protein affects healing in damaged regions of the brain and is essential in the regulation, growth and survival of brain cells, making it especially important for long-term memory.

Ginkgo is so effective that a 2006 paper published in the European Journal of Neurology found it to be as useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease as the blockbuster drug, Donepezil.

Recently, a new mechanism behind Ginkgo biloba's brain healing properties came to light with the publication of an article in Cell and Molecular Neurobiology. Researchers determined that Ginkgo is effective, in part, due to its ability to modulate neural stem cells (NSC’s) into the type of cell that is necessary in the specific region of the brain where the BDNF proteins are active.

NSC’s are multipotent cells; they have the amazing ability to shapeshift into any of the many different phenotypes of cells that make up the brain. Ginkgo stimulates the growth of the right cell phenotype for the affected region of the brain, giving our brain exactly what’s needed, where it’s needed. Now that’s intelligent medicine!

4. Eat Your Veggies

Want to stimulate brain cell regrowth while you’re having lunch? Add some freshly steamed broccoli to your plate!

Science has added a substance called sulforaphane, found in sulfur-rich vegetables such as broccoli, to the growing list of neuritogenic substances that have been documented to stimulate nerve growth in the brain.

The study, published in the journal Genesis, reveals that sulforaphane, in addition to stimulating new nerve growth, has demonstrated significant healing properties as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, as well as preventing disease and death of healthy neurons.

Adding to the excitement surrounding these findings, researchers observed the beneficial effect on neural stem cells that results in their differentiation to specific, useful types of neurons, lending powerful support to the hypothesis that sulforaphane stimulates brain repair.

Vegetables containing sulforaphane include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mustard leaves, radish, turnips, watercress, and bok choy. For therapeutic benefit, try to consume at least 3 cups per day, raw or cooked.

5. Employ Continuous Learning

Aging is often associated with cognitive decline, both in research and anecdotal evidence. However, a growing body of literature shows that retaining a sharp, lucid brain means never retiring our critical thinking skills.

The need to continually challenge and expand our thinking was demonstrated in the aforementioned 2011 study published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry. In this study, the leisure time activities of a group of older adults (ages 70-89) were monitored for effect on mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

The study determined that the level of complexity of the activity was key to its effectiveness at preventing MCI. Working with computers, reading books, and activities associated with patterns and problem-solving contributed to a significant decrease in the odds of developing of MCI. Less stimulating activities showed no statistical effect. This stresses the importance of feeling challenged and stimulated by the activities we pursue as we age.

These findings were reinforced by a 2014 study of nearly 3,000 volunteers, spanning more than a decade. This study examined the potential long-term benefit of cognitive training in older adults. Results showed that participants demonstrated enhanced brain processing speed and reasoning skills for up to ten years after the training was completed.

These tangible brain benefits spilled over into daily life and were measured in the participant’s ability to complete normal daily tasks, such as personal finances, meal preparation, and personal care routines. Said of the study, “The idea is, the more stimulating your environment, the more you’re increasing the complexity of your brain.”

For more information on ways to keep your brain healthy, visit GreenMedInfo’s brain health research database. Also, learn more by reading the following articles;

• How Music Can Support Brain Regeneration & Healing

• How WHOLE Turmeric Heals The Damaged Brain

• The Flame of Cell Life-Death In The Miracle of Regeneration

Sayer Ji is founder of Greenmedinfo.com, a reviewer at the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, Co-founder and CEO of Systome Biomed, Vice Chairman of the Board of the National Health Federation, Steering Committee Member of the Global Non-GMO Foundation.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

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For Optimal Brain and Nervous System Health, You Need to Exercise Your Leg Muscles

The Importance Of Leg Exercises For The Brain

Story at-a-glance

• Physical exercise, especially strength training, is important for healthy brain and nervous system function. A number of studies have linked leg muscle strength in particular to various cognitive benefits
• Research shows that whenever you’re unable to perform load-bearing exercises, you not only lose muscle mass, your body chemistry is impacted in such a way that your nervous system and brain also deteriorate
• By not using your leg muscles, a gene called CDK5Rap1 is adversely impacted, and this gene plays an important role in mitochondrial health and function. This is yet another important reason for getting weight-bearing exercise
• Weight-bearing against gravity itself is a crucial component of life that allows the human body and brain to function optimally
• While exercise influences brain health in several ways, one key factor is related to its ability to boost brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which rejuvenates both muscle and brain tissue

By Dr. Mercola
While exercise is primarily valued for its influence on physical health, strength and mobility, there’s ample evidence showing physical exercise, especially strength training, is just as important for healthy brain and nervous system function. A number of studies, which I’ll review below, have linked muscle strength, and leg strength in particular, to various cognitive benefits.
This fascinating link was again demonstrated in a recent study^1,2 published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, which shows that neurological health is as dependent on signals from your large leg muscles as it is on signals from your brain to your muscles. In other words, it’s a two-way street, and neither “lane” is more important than the other. As noted by the authors:

“Both astronauts and patients affected by chronic movement-limiting pathologies face impairment in muscle and/or brain performance. Increased patient survival expectations and the expected longer stays in space by astronauts may result in prolonged motor deprivation and consequent pathological effects.

Severe movement limitation can influence not only the motor and metabolic systems but also the nervous system, altering neurogenesis and the interaction between motoneurons and muscle cells. Little information is yet available about the effect of prolonged muscle disuse on neural stem cells characteristics. Our in vitro study aims to fill this gap by focusing on the biological and molecular properties of neural stem cells (NSCs) …

The overall results support the existence of a link between reduction of exercise and muscle disuse and metabolism in the brain and thus represent valuable new information that could clarify how circumstances such as the absence of load and the lack of movement that occurs in people with some neurological diseases, may affect the properties of NSCs and contribute to the negative manifestations of these conditions.”

The Importance of Leg Exercise for Brain and Nervous System Health

According to the press release,³ the finding “fundamentally alters brain and nervous system medicine — giving doctors new clues as to why patients with motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy and other neurological diseases often rapidly decline when their movement becomes limited.”
In other words, whenever you’re unable to perform load-bearing exercises, you not only lose muscle mass due to muscle atrophy, your body chemistry is impacted in such a way that your nervous system and brain also begin to deteriorate. To reach this conclusion, the researchers prevented mice from using their hind legs for 28 days. The animals could still use their front legs, however, and were able to eat and groom normally without getting stressed.
At the end of 28 days, the sub-ventricular zone of the animals’ brains was examined. This is an area of the brain responsible for the health of nerve cells. Remarkably, neural stem cells — undifferentiated stem cells that can develop into both neurons and other brain cells — had declined by 70 percent in the animals that had not used their hind legs, compared to unhindered controls. Neurons and oligodendrocytes (glial cells that insulate nerve cells) also failed to fully mature in the treatment group. According to the press release:⁴

“The research shows 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.”

Your Body Was Made for Weight Bearing

What’s more, by not using the leg muscles, two genes were adversely impacted. One of them, known as CDK5Rap1, plays an important role in mitochondrial health and function, which is yet another important reason for getting weight-bearing exercise.
As you may be aware by now, healthy, well-functioning mitochondria are crucial for optimal health, and mitochondrial dysfunction is a root cause of virtually all chronic disease, including neurodegeneration, as your brain requires the most energy of any organ — about 20 percent of the energy generated in your entire body.
As noted by lead author Dr. Raffaella Adami,⁵ “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." Previous research fully supports the notion that muscle use plays an enormously important role in brain health.
Indeed, weight-bearing against gravity itself is a crucial component of life that allows the human body and brain to function optimally. This has been clearly elucidated by Joan Vernikos, Ph.D., former director of NASA’s Life Sciences Division, in her book “Sitting Kills, Moving Heals.”

How Stronger Muscles Benefit Your Brain

Previous research has shown exercise is a key way to protect, maintain and improve your brain health and optimize your cognitive capacity. It’s even been shown to help fight dementia. There are a number of different mechanisms behind this body-brain link. One, perhaps key, factor is related to how exercise affects brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is found in both your muscles and your brain.
Exercise initially stimulates the production of a protein called FNDC5. This protein in turn triggers the production of BDNF, which is a remarkable brain and muscle rejuvenator. In your brain, BDNF helps preserve existing brain cells,⁶ activate brain stem cells to convert into new neurons (neurogenesis), and promote actual brain growth, especially in the hippocampus area; a region associated with memory.
In your neuromuscular system, BDNF protects your neuromotor, the most critical element in your muscle, from degradation. Without the neuromotor, your muscle is like an engine without ignition. Neuromotor degradation is part of the process that explains age-related muscle atrophy.
Yet another mechanism at play here relates to a substance called β-hydroxybutyrate, which your liver produces when your metabolism is optimized to burn fat as a primary fuel.⁷ When your blood sugar level declines, β-hydroxybutyrate serves as an alternative source of energy. β-hydroxybutyrate is also a histone deacetylase inhibitor that limits the production of BDNF.⁸
So, your body appears to be designed to improve BDNF production via a number of different pathways in response to physical exertion, and BDNF’s cross-connection between your muscles and your brain helps explain why a physical workout can have such a beneficial impact on both muscle and brain tissue. It, quite literally, helps prevent and even reverse brain decay as much as it prevents and reverses age-related muscle decay. Exercise also helps protect and improve your brain function by:

• Improving and increasing blood flow (oxygenation) to your brain
• Increasing production of nerve-protecting compounds
• Reducing damaging plaques in your brain, and
• Altering the way these damaging proteins reside inside your brain, which appears to slow the development of Alzheimer's disease

Studies Demonstrating Muscle-Brain Link

Here’s a sampling of studies demonstrating this fascinating muscle-brain link:

Drink Green Tea For Heart And Brain

Green Tea For Heart and Brain Health

 Revealing facts about Green Tea

Story at-a-glance

• Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant found in green tea, has been shown to positively impact a number of illnesses and conditions, including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer
• Long-term tea intake may improve your blood pressure. Those who regularly drank either green or black tea for 12 weeks had an average of 2.6 mm Hg lower systolic blood pressure and 2.2 mm Hg lower diastolic pressure compared to those who did not drink tea
• Drinking three to four cups of green tea daily has been shown to promote heart and cardiovascular health, and aid in the prevention of arteriosclerosis, cerebral thrombus, heart attack and stroke
• Recent research suggests EGCG in green tea can help prevent heart disease by dissolving arterial plaque
• Other recent research has found EGCG also has the ability to inhibit amyloid beta plaque formation in the brain, associated with Alzheimer’s disease

How To Boost Brain Health

Boost Brain Power


 Vital information on brain health!

Story at-a-glance

• The less inflammatory your diet is, the faster you’re going to get well, because inflammation is nearly always a contributor to neurological dysfunction. Sugar, damaged omega-6 oils, trans fats and processed vegetable oils need to be avoided
• A simple stress reduction technique done before meals can improve your digestion and absorption of nutrients, boost your immune function and relax your body
• Melatonin provides the best protection for your neurons against free radical damage, and you need a healthy release of melatonin through the night to calm and heal your brain
• As you get older, the enzymatic activity required to produce melatonin becomes impaired. To boost your body’s production, take 5-HTP before bedtime. 5-HTP is converted to serotonin, which is further converted to melatonin
• Natural alternatives to diuretics, commonly prescribed for hypertension, are discussed, as are the many health benefits of proteolytic enzymes

10 Dangerous Brain-Damaging Habits to Stop Immediately

Brain Damaging Habits

 Worth trying to see how much healthier your life can be:

by DailyHealthPostMay 7, 2018

On average, a human adult brain weighs about 3 pounds (1,300-1,400 g), which is roughly 2% of your total body weight (not counting excess body fat).

Your brain is responsible for almost every function in your body. This includes anything that has to do with regulating hormones, breathing, circadian rhythm, muscle control, heart beating, coordination, critical thinking, emotions and much more.

It goes without saying that the brain is one of the most energy demanding organ in your body. It’s estimated that the brain by itself eats up almost 20% of your body’s total calorie intake. And that number can vary based on age, gender, size and how much brain power you actually use throughout the day.

Since the brain is responsible for so many things, you’ll want to have it work at its optimum performance until The Big Sleep.

The following are ten common practices you may be doing that go against that goal.

Page 1 / 6 >

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Brain Regeneration

Brain Regeneration

 Good news, the brain regenerates itself like most of the body after illness, where it is not life threatenting.

It is a commonly held misconception that the brain is beyond repair. Even the medical establishment has asserted that once we kill brain cells, they are gone forever. The fact is, the brain can repair itself, and as science is now proving, there is real benefit to simple practices that can help keep our brains sharp and elastic throughout our lifetime.

Rewriting the Story of Brain Health

The field of cognitive neuroscience is relatively new — only around one hundred years old — so it’s no surprise that we are constantly arriving at a newer and better understanding of how the neural circuitry of the human brain supports overall brain functioning.

For most of those one hundred years, it was believed that once damaged, the brain could not regenerate. Brain cells were finite, and any loss or injury would be suffered as a deficiency for the rest of that person’s life. This created a false belief that the brain is essentially in a perpetual state of decline.

How Statins Degenerate Your Brain Health

How Statins Degenerate Your Brain Health


 This post is quite alarming considering how many people are taking statins to regulate Cholesterol.  Perhaps a healthy lifestyle is the answer to avoid the symptoms that Statins cause.

• Tens of millions of people are taking statin medications to lower their total cholesterol levels, which does not have a significant effect on your risk for cardiovascular disease
• Statin medications are linked to the neuromuscular degenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease
• Malfunction of mitochondrial energy production from the effect of statins on CoQ10 may be the primary cause of most side effects

The Healing Powers of Pomegranates

The Healing Powers Of Pomegranates

Here is a report about another great fruit that can help with so many health issues.  The Pomegranate has quite a number of vital vitamins and minerals that can support a healthy lifestyle.

• Pomegranates contain an impressive amount of antioxidants that may boost your heart and brain health, protect your bones, and lower your risk of diseases like cancer
• Pomegranates have significant anti-inflammatory properties that may help relieve joint pain, arthritis, and gastrointestinal issues
• Pomegranates also provide a good source of B vitamins, copper, manganese, fiber, and phosphorus

Tips On Improving Your Memory

Memory And Fitness

The importance of keeping mentally fit cannot be over-stressed.  Here are a few tips on how to keep memory to a healthy level at any age but most importantly later in life.

• Strength training boosts brain function and improves memory; just 20 minutes of strength training was found to enhance long-term memory by about 10 percent
• A study involving sets of twins found leg strength was a better predictor of brain health than any other lifestyle factor. The twin with more leg strength maintained her mental abilities better than the twin with weaker legs
• Daily walking has been found to trigger an anti-aging process, and recent research suggests it may add anywhere from three to seven years to your lifespan

Beetroot - A Vegetable Full Of Goodness

The Benefits of Beetroot

 I was delighted when I saw this post as I know how beneficial Beetroot is to our health.  Alas, it is a bit like the British produced Yeast Extract Marmite, you either love it or hate it.  Nevertheless, its benefits are numerous for those who enjoy this winter vegetable as the article shows.

• Beets are a good source of naturally occurring nitrates, which are converted into nitric oxide (NO) in your body
• People with heart failure who consumed nitrates-rich beet juice had a 13 percent increase in muscle power
• Previous research showed people who drank beet juice prior to exercise were able to exercise for up to 16 percent longer

How to Keep Your Brain Young

 Yesterday I shared an article on how grief can affect people especially older people.  That's why this video and article today may be of interest.  It is true that is up to each individual to keep the brain active and stimulated on a daily basis.  After all, like engines, they need to be used regularly in order no to rust.  Exercise is also a must and socialising.  So many people are lonely but often it is about them waiting for things to happen instead of taking the initiative to go out and seek activities.

How to Keep Your Brain Young

Can Sugar Harm Your Brain Health

 Interesting article on the effect of sugar on brain health.  Altzheimer is much in the news these days and the more we can inform ourselves about this the better. 
 
Can Sugar Harm Your Brain Health and Drive Alzheimer's Epidemic?