Your Brain on Exercise & Problem Solving with Feet

Weekly Resource Roundup

Your Brain on Exercise

Exercise boosts brain health. Strength training has been shown to improve executive functions in the brain (decision making, planning, focus, remember instructions). It  enhances neuromuscular connections which leads to improved contractile strength and improved neuromuscular communication. Aerobic exercise increases the blood flow in the brain  and facilitates the development of more  motor neurons (neurogenesis) which helps with brain plasticity and learning new things. Vigorous aerobic exercise (80% of max heart rate) and long duration >40 minutes has been shown to elevate Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) which is a key molecule needed for learning and memory. Motor skills that involve coordination, balance, and reaction time such as sports, dance, martial arts, and mind-body exercise improve concentration, learning of new motor skills, and executive functions. Exercise has also been shown to improve mood, cognition, memory, increase energy, increase our self-esteem, and improve sleep. 

Problem Solving With Our Feet

Our ability to have movement control in the lower leg helps with fall prevention and fall preparedness. If our feet can do the hard work then everything else up the chain can (knees, hips, back) can relax. To build up our lower legs we must condition and train the feet. There are three things our feet should be able to do: 1) Our toes should be able to disassociate from the foot to allow them to dampen force and stress on the body. 2) The toes should also be able to move separately from each other and 3) our front foot should be able to move separately from our back foot. Toe yoga is one way to help condition the feet. Trainer, Beth Lewis shows  3 ways to train lower leg mechanics.