YA Fit for Thought Summer 2017_Neat

Exercise & Overall “We don’t grow older…. Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Health we grow riper”
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PAGE 2 - Pablo Picasso

FOR

SUMMER 2017

What’s Good for the Heart…….is Good for the Brain!!

Cardiovascular disease is the second most common cause of dementia in older adults behind
Alzheimer’s disease. Research suggests that reducing heart health risk factors such as high
blood pressure and high cholesterol may reduce dementia risk, and possibly even slow down
the progression of cognitive decline due to mini strokes, known as vascular cognitive
impairment..
Researchers at Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada show
that aerobic exercise not only decreases heart health risk factors but also may improve brain
structure and function. Exercise increases the hippocampus, the area of the brain involved
in verbal memory, and learning. Physical activity however, declines with age, such that 54% of men and 66% of
women age 75 and older engage in no leisure time physical activity. Importantly, this decrease in physical
activity occurs when this population is at risk for dementia, namely Alzheimer’s disease.
Benefits of exercise:
1. Improves the body’s ability to use insulin to control glucose levels in the blood.
2. Increase growth of new blood vessels in the brain particularly in the hippocampus (the memory center of
the brain).
3. Reduces bad cholesterol (LDL) as well as total cholesterol and can raise good cholesterol (HDL).
4. Improvements in muscular function and strength improvements in the body’s ability to transport and use
oxygen improves.
5. Strengthens connections between neurons. Information is stored when neurons communicate with one
another.
Maria Carrillo, Ph. D., Alzheimer’s Association Chief Science Officer states:
“Exercise or regular physical activity might play a role in both protecting your brain from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias,
and also living better with the disease if you have it.”
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Julio Cantero, MD #6: It Regulates Emotions
Medical Director Being able to control your mindset, emotions and mood
is important. It’s also a cognitive skill. Emotional
Exercise may be more important than you think. Aside regulation is part of your psychological makeup, and it
from benefiting your physical health, exercise—research can be enhanced by your ability to master cognitive
shows—packs numerous cognitive benefits. Below, control. A number of positive behavioral patterns can
we’re covering the best benefits prolonged exercise has emerge from prolonged exercise—especially when that
on your brain. exercise requires a great deal of discipline.
#1: Exercise Improves Executive Functions
Your brain’s executive functions are higher-level #7: It Increases Short-Term Memory
thinking skills. These skills include task switching, Exercise also enhances your short-term memory
inhibitory control, goal management and attention. An capacity. Your post-workout day, in particular, is
exercise review supports the positive effects exercise affected. Working memory is important, and it can be
seems to play on these functions—helping healthy enhanced if your workouts are engaged religiously.
individuals manage executive tasks with ease. Other studies assert exercise’s positive impacts on long-
#2: It Lifts Depression term memory, too.
Other research suggests that burning away as little as
350 calories, three times per week, can reduce #8: It Promotes Quick Thinking
depression symptoms as effectively as antidepressants. Thought speed and exercise are connected.
Exercise appears to stimulate neuron growth, assisting Cardiovascular exercise, in particular, is suggested to
brain regions hindered by depression. improve one’s cognitive speed. Across all ages, at least
#3: It Boosts Learning Capabilities 30 minutes of exercise—in general—can boost one’s
Prolonged exercise increases the brain’s ability to learn. agility in short, medium and long-length problem solving
In fact, it boosts growth factor chemicals, which establish sessions. Aerobic fitness levels, experts believe, are
new brain connections needed to learn. Whether it’s linked with stronger white matter integrity within the
playing tennis, dance skills or coordinating a dexterous brain.
activity, the connections made can be applied elsewhere.
#4: It Improves Body Image #9: It Creates Euphoria
Exercise is an astounding tool for building self-esteem. Even short bursts of energy, like running or swimming,
You needn’t radically change your body’s shape to get can leave a euphoric “runner’s high,” which releases
more confidence. Simply seeing fitness improvements, endorphins. It’s a great day-boosting energy shot, and it
like lifting more weight or running faster, can greatly can be used to jumpstart productivity, too.
improve your body image and self-esteem.
#5: It Enhances Willpower #10: It Reduces the Risk Associated with Alzheimer’s
A 2013 British Journal of Sports Medicine meta-analysis The Alzheimer’s Research Center considers exercise to
examined several groups of people. It found that even be one of the best weapons against Alzheimer’s. It
short bouts of exercise boosts willpower. While protects the hippocampus, which is responsible for your
willpower gets a lot of coverage in the media, exercise spatial navigation and memory. Recent Archives of
isn’t mentioned nearly enough. Neurology studies, meanwhile, suggest that a daily walk
can greatly reduce one’s likelihood of Alzheimer’s, too.
2 Make sure you’re exercising regularly, and supplement
your efforts with a healthy diet. By keeping a tight
schedule, you’ll benefit your brain—as well as the mind
within it.

Nicci Kobritz, President

Exercise is the single most powerful tool you have to optimize brain functioning. Research in humans and animals has
shown that exercise causes a robust increase in new neurons in the hippocampus, a brain area important for learning
and memory.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC?
Aerobic means “involving or improving oxygen consumption by the body”. Aerobic exercise, therefore, enhances
respiratory and circulatory efficiency by improving oxygen consumption. Examples of aerobic exercise include car-
dio, jogging, cycling and running marathons.
Anaerobic, on the other hand, literally means “without oxygen”. Anaerobic exercise then does not require oxygen to
generate force. Examples of anaerobic exercises includes isometric holds, sprinting and high-intensity weight lifting.

HOW TO IMPROVE CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS
You can improve your cardiorespiratory fitness by performing any type of prolonged exercise that gets your heart rate
up and keeps it up for a prolonged period of time qualifies as legitimate cardiorespiratory exercise and is beneficial for
your aerobic fitness. Clients new to cardiorespiratory exercise need to develop a baseline level of aerobic fitness to
avoid overtraining and exhaustion. Generally, exercising at an estimated maximal heart rate (HRmax) of 65 to 75% is
a safe intensity for apparently healthy adults.

Clients should start slowly and gradually work up to 30 to 60 minutes of continuous aerobic exercise. During this
training period clients should strive to gradually increase the duration and intensity of exercise bouts. Clients who can
maintain a stage I intensity for at least 30 minutes two to three times per week will be ready for more intense cardi-
orespiratory exercise such as interval training.

Q We have a family history of frontotemporal dementia. What are the early symptoms that
should be concerning?

Frontotemporal dementia accounts for 5% of dementia cases and affects men and women equally, usually starting between the
ages of 40-65 and progresses more rapidly than Alzheimer’s disease. The earliest symptoms include changes in personality or
problems with language. However, these symptoms could be related to other factors. Your primary physician can evaluate your
symptoms and determine if a full neurological evaluation is needed.

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Surprising Facts About the Mediterranean Diet

The benefits go way beyond heart health
Although the Mediterranean diet may be best known for its heart-healthy attributes, it
offers benefits that go far beyond heart health. In fact, it has been shown to help increase
lifespan, protect your kidneys, reduce cognitive decline as you age, reverse metabolic
syndrome, and decrease risk of peripheral artery disease and diabetes. Not surprisingly, it
also improves overall quality of life.

The diet isn’t necessarily calorie restrictive
Mediterranean diet contains some of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world. They’re filling foods that are low in
calories, so if you manage your portions, counting calories shouldn’t be necessary.

Fat is “good” not “bad” Many of my patients fear fat. They feel that having fat in their diet makes them more likely to
gain fat on their body. But that’s just not true! The key is to eat healthy fats, which are abundant in the Mediterranean
diet. For example, nuts, olive oil and fatty fish rich in omega-3s are staples of the diet. According to several studies, all of
these foods actually help to keep weight down.

If you’re dairy or gluten-free you can still follow the diet
Because the Mediterranean diet is lower in dairy (think cheese and milk) and favors nuts, it’s easy to follow if you’re on a
dairy-free diet. Dairy alternatives like unsweetened almond milk or soy yogurt make perfect substitutions. If you’re on a
gluten-free diet, you can also enjoy the benefits of going Mediterranean by swapping whole wheat, rye and barley grains
for brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet and teff. They’re all delicious and great for your health!

It’s not an expensive diet
The Mediterranean diet is one of the best diets for your health, and it’s also one of the most economical. A 2013 study
found that those following a Mediterranean diet cut their food budget in half when they stopped spending on snack
food, meats, carbonated beverages and desserts. Preparing your own food is also less expensive than eating out. To
increase your savings while following a Mediterranean diet, try buying dried beans instead of canned, or frozen produce
(with no added sugars or sauces) instead of fresh.

Great for kids to eat!
One study found that children that adhered to a Mediterranean diet were 15 percent less likely to be overweight. The
staples of the diet can be transformed into just about any kid-friendly food (think peanut butter and banana sandwiches).
Helping your children eat the Mediterranean way establishes healthy habits while they’re young. And that’s a gift they’ll
have for life.

- Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD - Cleveland Clinic Wellness

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