How your brain heals with exercise . . .

If you’re like most people these days, you

probably know that regular exercise does your body good.  You know that exercise can help you gain physical strength, lose weight, improve your cardiovascular endurance and obtain that summer “beach body” that you’ve been dreaming about while sleep.  You may also know about the various benefits of exercise for your health such as how it will help you to lower your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.   It certainly is all over the news these days on T.V., online and media advertisements.  However, you rarely hear about how exercise is a critical element in helping you to heal your brain.  Beyond building a better “beach body” and being great for your heart, exercise is important for  protecting, building and healing  your most important muscle – your brain!

Several human and animal studies strongly suggest that exercise induces neurogenesis (i.e., the production of new brain neurons and synaptic connections), protects your brain against strokes, and helps you to preserve your memories to avoid having those senior moments.^1,2,3,4  Exercise promotes the production of brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and other nerve growth factors like glial cell derived neurotropic factor (GDNF), helps to raise the circulating levels of proteins like FNDC5 and helps to stimulate angio­gen­e­sis (i.e., the formation of new blood vessels that help  to improve cerebral blood flow) so it will help to repair damaged brain cells.⁵   Many of these effects have been demonstrated in people with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis.^2,6,7 
So if you’re concerned about preserving your brain health and want to avoid having those  regrettable senior moments, it is important that you exercise regularly.  Although the research suggests that more vigorous exercise like sprinting and doing tabata training  seems to lead to greater benefits, simply walking briskly with conscious awareness (mindful walking) 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes will help you to build a better brain.  

To your health,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist  and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and wellbeing, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.

1. Cotman, CW &  Berchtold, NC. “Exercise: a behavioral intervention to enhance brain health and plasticity.” TRENDS in Neurosciences.  (2002). 25 (6), 295-301. 
2. Doidge, N. The Brain's Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity.  (2015).
3. Hayes, K, Sprague, S, Guo, M, Davis, W, Friedman, A, Kumar, A, et al. “Forced, not voluntary, exercise effectively induces neuroprotection in stroke.”  Acta Neuropathologica. (2008)115, 289–296. 
4. Praag,H, Kempermann, G & Gage, FH. “Running increases cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult mouse dentate gyrus” Nature Neuroscience. (1999). 2, 266 – 270. 
5. Huh, JY, Panagiotou, G, Mougios, V, Brinkoetter, M, Vamvini, MT, Schneider, BE, et al.   “FNDC5 and irisin in humans: I. Predictors of circulating concentrations in serum and plasma and II. mRNA expression and circulating concentrations in response to weight loss and exercise.”  Metabolism. (2012) 61 (12), 1725-38. 
6.  Ahlskog, JE.   “Does vigorous exercise have a neuroprotective effect in Parkinson disease?” Neurology.  (2011). 77 (3), 288 – 294. 
7. Gold, SM, Schulz, KH, Hartmann, S, Mladek, M, Lang, UE, Hellweg, R, et al. Basal serum levels and reactivity of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor to standardized acute exercise in multiple sclerosis and controls  Journal of Neuroimmunology. (2003). 138, (1–2), 99-105.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.fullofradiance.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.

What are you thankul for today?

Gratitude is holding the attitude and expression or acknowledgement of the positive aspects in your life. Acknowledging your basic needs, material goods, friends, family and loved ones that is a simple and easy practice that is custom in many world traditions.  

Several psychological studies have found that when you cultivate gratitude you are more likely to be happier, cope more adaptively and increase your relationships with the people who you love.^1,2,3,4 You are also less likely to get stressed or depressed and will engage in fewer negative coping behaviors, such as substance abuse.⁴  

Acknowledging the positive aspects in your life can be challenging; particularly, when you focus or hold on to negative emotions like frustration, anger and resentment. Holding negative emotions towards situations and people in your life can exacerbate the painful conditions you are trying to avoid or change.

Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to cultivate a grateful heart and reap the many psychological benefits. In order to have an attitude of appreciation, you must first release and let go of any negative emotions that you are holding on to in your life. Like any skill, you must also practice appreciation in order to cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

To help you release negative emotions, try the traditional Hawaiian practice of Hoʻoponopono. This traditional practice of forgiveness or reconciliation will help you to open your heart and mind to the many blessings in your life. It is defined in the Hawaiian Dictionary as a “mental cleansing: family conferences in which relationships were set right through prayer, discussion, confession, repentance, and mutual restitution and forgiveness.”

To practice, simply bring to your awareness the difficult situation or person with whom you are holding on to a negative emotion. As you visualize the situation or person, repeat in your mind and affirm “I’m sorry,” “Please forgive me,” “Thank you” and “I love you.” Let go of the need to find blame, be gentle and refrain from judging yourself. Continue the practice for 5 – 10 minutes. Do this every day for a few weeks and you will experience a shift in your heart and be more open and receptive to the good graces in your life.

As you let go of the negative emotions that are holding you back and cultivate gratitude, you will also want to keep a gratitude journal.  Start each morning reflecting on the people, situations or aspects of your life for which you are grateful. You can use The 5 Minute Gratitude Journal that has prompts for you to write down 2 aspects each morning. Gratitude journals have been found to help people experience more positive emotions and reduce painful feelings like depression in many psychological studies.⁵

To your health,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist  and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and wellbeing, call or  email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.

1. Algoe, Sara B.; Fredrickson, Barbara L.; Gable, Shelly L. “The social functions of the emotion of gratitude via expression.” Emotion, (2013) 13(4), 605-609.
2. Emmons, R.A., McCullough, M.E. “Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life.”   Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (2003) 84(2), 377-389.
3. Gordon, A.M.; Impett, E.A.; Kogan, A.; Oveis, C.; Keltner, D. “To have and to hold: Gratitude promotes relationship maintenance in intimate bonds. “ Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2012) 03(2) 257-274.
4. Grant, A. M.; Gino, F. “A little thanks goes a long way: Explaining why gratitude expressions motivate prosocial behavior.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (2010)  98(6), 946-955.
5. Lyubomirsky, Sonja; Dickerhoof, Rene; Boehm, Julia K.; Sheldon, Kennon M. “Becoming happier takes both a will and a proper way: An experimental longitudinal intervention to boost well-being.” Emotion (2011)11(2), 391-402.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.fullofradiance.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.

How Mother Earth can help you to heal . . .

If you’re like most people, you are making

plans to spend part of your Memorial Day weekend relaxing and spending time with your family and friends.  You may also spend a good part of this time outdoors either at a beach, park, or backyard cooking and celebrating your day off from work.  Spending time with your family and friends connecting is undoubtedly good for your mind, body and spirit.  More than these social aspects, however; the time you spend outdoors with nature has the added benefits of reconnecting your body with our Mother Earth.  
                                                    
Laying on the beach, walking barefoot on the grass, dirt or sand allows your body to make contact with the electrons and negative ions that are produced by our planet.  Modern research has found that making contact with the Earth (sand, grass, dirt, concrete) has several health promoting qualities.


“Earthing” (the term used to describe walking barefoot or making contact with the Earth) allows the electrons and negative ions that are naturally emitted by our planet to transfer into your body.   The transference of these electrons and negative ions into your body has numerous healing effects.  

Studies have found that the electrons and negative ions that are transferred to your body neutralize and scavenge free radicals (i.e., they act as antioxidants like eating blueberries or dark chocolate) and enhance your immune system.¹    Studies have also found that “Earthing” can improve and normalize your sleep, circadian rhythms, blood oxygenation and heart rate variability as well as reduce levels of stress, cortisol, pain, blood viscosity and inflammation.^2,3,4,5  So not only will you feel calmer but you will also recover more quickly from exercise and lower your risk for cardiovascular disease.^6,7  

The simplest way to make sure you are receiving the electrons and negative ions from the Earth is to walk barefoot outside.   Strive to do so whenever you have the opportunity.  Doing so every day for 30 to 45 minutes will help you take advantage of the most abundant and free source of healing energy available.  And if you cannot make it a part of your daily practice, you can also use modern technologies and footwear that can confer many of the same health benefits.

To your health,
Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.
 

1.  Chevalier, G, Sinatra, ST, Oschman, JL, Sokal, K and and Sokal, P. “Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth's Surface Electrons” Journal of Environmental and Public Health. (2012) 2012: 291541. doi:  10.1155/2012/291541. 
2.  Clinton, O., Sinatra, S. T., & Zucker, M. (2010). Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever? 
3.  Ghal, M and Teplitz, D.  “The Biologic Effects of Grounding the Human Body During Sleep as Measured by Cortisol Levels and Subjective Reporting of Sleep, Pain, and Stress” ” Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine. (2004) 10, (5) 767–776. 
4.  Chevalier, G and Sinatra, ST. “Emotional Stress, Heart Rate Variability, Grounding, and Improved Autonomic Tone: Clinical Applications” Integrative Medicine.  (2011) 10 (3) 16-21. 
5.   Chevalier, G. “Changes in Pulse Rate, Respiratory Rate, Blood Oxygenation, Perfusion Index, Skin Conductance, and Their Variability Induced During and After Grounding Human Subjects for 40 Minutes” Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine. (2010) 16, (1) 81-87. 
6.  Chevalier, G, Sinatra, ST, Oschman, JL, and Delany, RM. 4 “Earthing (Grounding) the Human Body Reduces Blood Viscosity—a Major Factor in Cardiovascular Disease” Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine. (2013) 19, (2) 102-110. 
7.  Brown, D, Chevalier, G and Hill, M. “Pilot Study on the Effect of Grounding on Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness” Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine. (2010) 16, (3) 265-273.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.fullofradiance.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.