Treat the Brain With Exercise
By Tom Herrin
When most people think about being physically active, they usually have in mind some ways to build muscle and endurance. They may also be thinking about managing weight and/or blood pressure. Those are all good things, but there may be much more. Exercise may go far beyond serving the physical needs of the body. It may do some things for the brain as well. Most of the time, when people think about the brain, academics is one of the first things that come to mind. In reality, some of those physical activities may be as good for the brain as they are the body.
Increase the Size of the Brain Like the Muscles
To many people, exercising means building bigger muscles. Most like that look. Building a larger brain is likely the last thing that comes to mind. When people exercise, they create better blood flow to the body. This includes the brain. More blood flow generally means more oxygen supplied to body parts. When the brain receives more oxygen, it can experience growth. As some of these parts of the brain grow, they are able to perform better. This can be seen in greater efficiency and speed of function.
Physical Activity May Train the Brain
Even though it may not seem to be the case, exercise may be a good way of helping the brain to make the right connections. Anytime people learn a skill, the brain must be able to repeat an activity that has been deliberate. With practice, or repetition, the brain is able to make a smoother process of the actions. Before long, it is able to carry out the necessary movements without much conscious activity. Many other things may be done in much the same way. Physical activity has been used, in some cases, to help to treat some mental functions such as reading.
Do What It Takes
We all have to make decisions about our health. When we consider our mental health, it is well worth whatever effort we have to go through. Taking care of our brain may pay off big. When we keep it active, we win in the long run. I try to do everything I can to preserve my brain. If I can do a little exercise to keep it working well, so much the better. None of us wants to experience any kind of decline in our mental abilities if we can at all help it.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Corpus Christi, Tex.