"Let's Get Moving: Boost Your Brain Health and Unleash Your Potential!"

Science unequivocally supports regular exercise as a means to improve cardiovascular health, maintain a healthy weight, boost mood, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and increase longevity. Age or fitness level should never be barriers, as everyone can benefit from incorporating movement into their lives.

"If you care about your contributions to the world, you will care for yourself" 
- Brendon Burchard 

BDNF stands for Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. It is a protein that plays a crucial role in promoting the growth, survival, and maintenance of neurons (nerve cells) in the brain. BDNF also supports the development and plasticity of synapses, which are the connections between neurons. Exercise has been found to increase the production and release of BDNF in the brain. When you engage in physical activity, such as aerobic exercise or strength training, it triggers a cascade of physiological processes. These processes, including increased blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain, stimulate the release of BDNF.  The increased production of BDNF promotes neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to change and adapt in response to experiences and learning. It supports the growth and survival of new neurons, as well as the formation and strengthening of synapses, leading to enhanced cognitive function and improved mood.

Until next time, take care as you commit to your physical well-being, embracing exercise as a joyful and empowering practice that nurtures your body and mind, bringing you vitality and strength. With each workout, you are building a foundation of health and resilience, cultivating a positive relationship with your body, and embracing the transformative power of movement. making it possible to get up every day and default to your extraordinary self!

Transcript

0:59

Welcome back to another week to default to yes, your extraordinary self. since I recorded my last episode regarding lifestyle medicine. I decided to break that up a little bit more. So I'm going to be talking about the various dimensions individually of. Lifestyle medicine, so we can take a little deeper dive as we assess where we are with each one of these areas. And I want you to know that When I say on the journey with you. I mean it, every topic that I talk about. is turning out to be almost. Therapy for me to cover these topics because it requires me of course, to research, decide what I think, decide what I'm going to say. And if I'm going to be in integrity with what I share with you, I need to make sure that I'm practicing it too. So this episode. Is a little while coming because I had to do some research and I got some encouragement from a listener on covering some of these topics. So I'm going to dive into some of these topics that I tend to shy away from, because I feel like I'm still in progress with them. But On this journey, we're always growing and learning. So this week, we're going to talk a little bit more. About that one dimension of lifestyle medicine, physical activity. We're going to explore what science says. We're going to debunk some common myths and obstacles Let's start by looking at what science says about physical activity. Countless studies have demonstrated the profound benefits of regular exercise and movement. And I know that is not new information for you. Physical activity not only helps maintain healthy weight, but also improves cardiovascular health. It boosts the mood reduces the risk of chronic disease. And increases overall longevity. The evidence is clear. There is no shortage of information about this. That incorporating physical activity into our daily routine is vital for a healthy and vibrant life. again. I know that this is not new information for you. We are almost bombarded with this information. If you pay attention to health and wellness at all, this is a common topic and everybody has a different idea of what this looks like. And I think we tend to hear from experts that have dedicated their life to these physical routines. And sometimes that can be a little intimidating. So let's address some of the common myths and obstacles. That prevent us from engaging in regular physical activity. Now for some of you, you've got this down and this is something you're wanting to take to a new level and challenge yourself. So these things As a mindset are going to apply to you as well. Now, one of them per Vaillant myths is that exercise needs to be intense and time consuming. To be effective. And the reality is that even light to moderate activities like walking can significantly contribute to your overall health. So if you're somebody who has some physical limitations or you're just getting started. This is a really great place to get started in a. In a way that's manageable. and not likely to cause a whole lot of discomfort. As you incorporate this into your routine, you're going to be able to adjust the levels of activity and increase the levels of activity. And it's only going to get better from there. Now another obstacle is the belief that exercise is only for the young or already fit individuals. And this comes from really our, probably our social media influences. When we see. The people that we learned from are already fit. They already have this great routine. They are pushing their bodies. They're inspiring, but they're also, like I said before, Can be a little intimidating because we start to question if we are ever going to be able to do that. However people of all ages and fitness levels can benefit from regular physical activity. And it's never too late to start. many individuals, myself included. finding time for physical activity in the midst of a busy schedule, balancing work and family and other commitments. Can make it challenging to prioritize exercise, but the whole, I will take care of myself. Leader story is not going to work for any of us. A sedentary lifestyle has really become more the norm in today's society With technology and convenience and some of our entertainment. Being watching screens. This discourages physical movement, and it's really it's time for us to break free from these obstacles and make some positive changes. I'm going to share with you some of my strategies for overcoming these obstacles And I would actually would love to hear. Especially from some of you who have this as your strength. You've got this down, you are thriving in this area. I'd love to hear some tips from you. And I'd be happy to share them here as well. Any tips that we can. Bring to the table to help us move forward on our journey Really being able to get up every day and default to our extraordinary selves. So here's our three tips that I've incorporated in my routine to To get me started. as with any habit that we're incorporating or anything new that we're starting start small and gradually increase. So you can begin by incorporating small bouts of physical activity into your daily routine. Start with a 10 minute walk during your lunch break or after dinner. As you build the momentum gradually increase the duration and intensity of your activities. Walk a little farther, walk a little faster. I remember that every little bit counts and consistency is key. And none of these things necessarily cost you time either. So in fact, often just by moving more and getting this exercise. You were actually buying back time and making you more energized and productive. All right. Tip number two is fight activities that you enjoy. Physical activity. Doesn't have to be a chore. It can be enjoyable too. It might take time to get there. Yes, because we all know that exercise is just something that we have to do, whether we feel like it or not. but we can try to find things that we enjoy more than others experiment with different activities until you find something that you genuinely enjoy. It could be dancing, swimming, hiking. Joining a local sports league. I hear a lot of people talking about pickleball. And it sounds like a lot of fun. if you're a more social person and you like to do things in community, then do something active in community with other people. lean into some of your strengths and the things that you'd naturally enjoy. Anyway. Those things that you value. Pull that in and try to see if, how you can incorporate that into moving more. when we enjoy what we're doing, we're more likely to stick with it. Here's the other thing to know about as far as the enjoyment of all of this is that, did you know that. science tells us that. six weeks of exercise has been proven to enhance dopamine production and receptivity in the brain. That means elevated mood and mental performance. So when we stick with it, we're more likely to be able to enjoy it as well. And you hear this from people who start their routines and get into them, or have been doing this for. Six months or a year, they start to enjoy it. And they talk about their exercise routines. Like it's fun. And. We can get there too. All right. Tip number three is make movement a habit. So create a habit around the physical activity by incorporating it into your daily routine. That means schedule it like any other appointment or commitment. For example, you can commit to walking 30 minutes every day after dinner. And by making it non-negotiable part of your day, you're more likely to follow through. You would not ever make a commitment to a friend. And then consistently break it over and over again. We need to be our own best friend. So when we make a commitment when we schedule a time to get out there and take care of ourselves, we need to follow through. In his book, the high-performance habit, Brendon Burchard says this. He says, if you care about your contributions to the world, you will care for yourself. I have written that down in my phone, on my morning alarm. So my morning alarm goes up And that message pops up. And that reminds me. That it's not just about doing something that I don't like to do just for the sake of it. It's really caring about the contributions that I make to the world. So I'm going to say it again. So if you missed it and you want to write this down, if you care about your contributions to the world, you will care for yourself. So if the demands of your life and your work require you to learn fast and deal with stress, to be alert, pay attention, to remember important things and keep a positive mood, no matter how others treat you. Then taking exercise seriously is a must. I'm going to outline a simple plan that just involves A daily walking goal. I would love to hear from you on your routine and what is working for you. And how we can make that really easy is just, first of all, there's a link in the show notes. You can go down there, hit that link and get on my mailing list. So where you can go to re-imagine wellness.org forward slash yes. And sign up there. every week. I will send you any of the resources that I mentioned in the podcast, along with the link to the podcast. It will come to your email every single week and you'll be able to access that there. But the thing that I want to highlight is then you could hit reply. And share with me your tips. I would love to hear from you. I would love to learn from you as well. And if you share something. That you want to share with others? I could even share with the rest of the community as well. I've been sharing recordings from nurses, To share what it looks like to default to. Yes. maybe you contribute that way is share your tip on what it looks like for you to default to yes. Okay. So the simple walking plan, first of all, set a daily goal. I determine the duration and the distance that you aim to achieve every day. Start with a realistic goal, like 30 minutes of walk, covering two miles. key for me is to have a route. I configure out actually why it was such a struggle for me I enjoy walking when I'm. Listening to a podcast. Or I'm looking at the flowers that I pass. I'm in nature. And it's more mindfulness walking. I can bring in something else that I've already incorporated. And isn't a challenge for me to practice. And it enhances that whole experience. I enjoy it. But what I couldn't do is make decisions on, should I turn right or left here? So having a route has changed everything. So start with a realistic goal, 30 minutes of the walk, determine your duration and distance that you want to go each day. Choose the right time, select a time of day that works for you. It could be early morning during your lunch break or in the evening. Just consider your schedule and your preferences and go that way. Now if you're somebody who has to make this a decision and it's really hard, it probably one of the tips that you will always hear is do it first thing in the morning so that you don't put it off. And that is so true for me. If I don't do it, first thing in the morning, I am less and less likely to ever do it. And then I carry around with me all day that I'm going to do this thing. And it's like a decision just lingering over. So get it over with, get it done. And make it happen. Step three plan your route. I talked about this already. So identify that safe and enjoyable route for your walks. Explore those different areas, parks walking trails, and your neighborhood. And having variety keeps things interesting. So you may want to have a couple of different options. For me having an option in my neighborhood was crucial for consistency. And so you may have one that you drive to, you may have one that you, that is right outside your door. Step four, make it enjoyable. Enhance your walking experience by listening to podcasts, audio books, uplifting music. you can also invite a friend or family member to join you, Making that time passed quickly. And make that social connection as well. And calling a friend might be. An option as well. I've talked to a lot of my friends is they're out on their walk. We get some things done. We get to connect while they are walking. All right. Let's talk a little bit about the rewards, We know all of the weight, loss, strength and endurance, those physical things. For me, my brain is important and I place more value probably on my brain health than I do. The rest of my body. So bringing that all together this that I'm going to share with you helps me tap into what's important to me and what I value to motivate, to do the things that I don't like to do. you may want to pick one goal. Maybe you're trying to normalize your blood pressure. Maybe you're trying to balance blood sugar levels. Whatever it is. That is a priority to you and your health. If you're having a health problem, can you move the needle on that health problem? By implementing a particular plan for movement. Now going back to what I value and motivates me to do the things that I don't like to do. And that's, BrainHealth. So a little bit of, of science here. Stick with me. B D N F stands for brain derived neurotropic factor. It's a protein that plays a crucial role in promoting growth, survival and maintenance of neurons, nerve cells in the brain. BDNF also supports the development and plasticity of synopsis, which are connections between the neurons. Exercise has been found to increase the production and release a BDNF in the brain. So when you engage in physical activity, like aerobic exercise and strength training, it triggers the cascade of the physiological process. And this process includes increasing blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain. Stimulating that release of the BDNF. Exercise induced. Increase in BDNF are also influenced by other factors like intensity or duration of the exercise. Research suggests that moderate intensity aerobic exercise or high intensity interval training that hit training. May have particularly beneficial effects on BDF levels. The increased production of BDNF promotes that neuroplastic plasticity with which is the brain's ability to change and adapt and response to experiences and learning. It supports the growth of the survival of new neurons, As well as the formation and strengthening of synapses, which leads us to enhanced cognitive function and improved mood. So if you're somebody who's. Dealing with stress or depression anxiety. This BDNF is going help with that as well. all of this just highlights the powerful connection between physical activity and brain health. And emphasize that importance of incorporating exercise into our daily lives for our overall wellbeing. Cause I would say brain health probably impacts everything. And if we have the ability to process and to change. And to embrace new things over time, we are going to can just continue to grow, continue to be able to default to our extraordinary selves. All right. In conclusion, we have explored the incredible benefits of physical activity as a dimension of lifestyle medicine. The science unequivocally supports regular exercise as a means to improve cardiovascular health. Maintain a healthy weight boost mood. And reduce the risk of chronic diseases and increase longevity. We debunked some of the common myths and obstacles surrounding physical activity. Emphasizing that even light to moderate activities like walking can make a significant difference. Age or fitness level should never be barriers. As everyone can benefit from incorporating movement into their lives. To overcome these obstacles. we talked about three practical tips, Start small and gradually increase. Find activities that you enjoy and make movement a habit by scheduling it in your daily routine. By following these tips, we can overcome time constraints, break free from sedentary habits and prioritize our physical wellbeing. We also explored the role of BDNF or brain derived neurotrophic factor. In exercise through exercise induced increases in BDNF production. We enhance neuroplasticity, cognitive function and mood contributing to overall brain health, actually overall health in general. Thank you for joining me on this episode of default to yes. Your extraordinary self. Keep moving, stay motivated and continue. Prioritizing your health. If you're enjoying this journey, subscribe and share the episode. And until next time, take care. As you commit to your physical wellbeing. Embracing exercises, a joyful and empowering practice that nurtures your body and mind bringing you vitality and strength. With each workout with each walk, you are building a foundation of health and resilience, cultivating a positive relationship with your body. And embracing the transformative power of movement. Making it possible. To get up every day at default to your extraordinary self.