Don’t have time or it’s too cold to exercise? Here is something you can do to boost your physical and mental fitness right now, at home or in your office, for free! And it takes less than a minute!
Recently we have been looking at the research related to neuro-feedback and its impact on brain health indicators, such as Alpha waves, blood flow to the brain, and processing speed. All of which tend to decline with age. And next month, I will be sharing some practical tips on affordable devices that may facilitate improvements in those areas. Meanwhile I want to share an even more affordable and readily available activity that has also been shown to enhance all three of these – Alpha waves, blood flow, processing speed and more. Moreover, you can do it any time anywhere, sitting or standing, while on the go or waiting in line, on your own or with others, and it actually doesn’t cost a dime!
Moreover, not only does this activity enhance these important brain functions, it’s also been shown to actually promote growth and functionality of the hippocampus where memories are made and accessed, i.e. it improves memory as well as mood. What is this amazingly powerful activity? Well it’s a little known form of exercise known as isometric. But although it’s quick and easy, it may be the best type of exercise for our body and brain.
The information on the value of physical activity and exercise continues to surge, as our lifestyles become more sedentary and our bodies increasingly sag. The most robust studies on exercise extol the virtues of “aerobic exercises” such as a 30 minute brisk walk, a light jog or swim. The problem, however, is that these are primarily outdoor activities. What’s a body to do in the Winter time, when it’s cold or snowy or slick outside?
One of the best summaries of the value of exercise for the brain comes from a former Olympic Gold medalist, now an MD professor of Neurology by the name of Vincent Fortanasce. A major advocate for isometric exercise. His patients include many professional athletes as well as the Pope and the Dalai Lama. On his website which features his D.E.A.R program for preventing Alzheimer’s he notes:
“Physical exercise stimulates human growth hormone, regulates blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and blood lipids, and helps to maintain a normal weight. Exercise also increases blood flow to the brain, which is necessary for quick thinking and creativity. Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain in terms of mood, memory, and Learning. In the hormonal symphony exercise increases the youthful hormones, growth hormone, thyroid, testosterone and estrogen while decreasing the aging hormone cortisol by 70%.” You can learn more about his recommendation from his website at: http://www.healthybrainmd.com/conditions-treat/d-e-r-program/d-e-r-program-4-steps/
His site, like ours, provides a good free summary of things to take and do, and not do.
Now if you are like most of us, you don’t dispute the value of exercise, you just find it hard to do as much as you’d like, and especially during the Winter months. Enter isometrics.
He notes isometrics do not require equipment. They doesn’t even require you to leave your house or couch. As Dr. Fortanasce explains, the essence of exercise is moving against resistance, or working your muscles under “load.”
If you are hiking or swimming the hill or water provide the resistance, if lifting weights, it’s the weights. However, with isometric exercises you use your own muscles to resist each other, or your own body weight. But no movement is required. For example, you can make a fist with both hands, place one on top of the other, and push up with the bottom fist while pushing down with the top fist, for just 6 to 10 seconds, then switch positions. If you are doing a push up, or squat, you simply stop part way through the movement, tighten all the opposing muscles and just hold that for 5-10 seconds.
These are a bit hard to explain in writing, but Dr. Fortanasce has made an excellent video illustrating various isometric options. You can view these by clicking on the link below or copying and pasting this into your browser. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ewpc6b-Sfw
You will see that these exercises do not take long, are easy to do, but can have a powerful effect in strengthening our muscles, vascular system and brain.
Attention:
For more great ideas and a comprehensive plan for building a better brain and reducing your risk for Alzheimer’s you can now obtain a copy of How To Maintain A Healthy Brain and Escape The Epidemic of Alzheimer’s for only $10. (We would like everyone to have a copy for the holidays.) You can choose either pdf or I will send you a copy to print off and put in a Brain Builder binder – simple instructions included. Questions? email me at DavidRJL@aol.com
To learn more or purchase just click on the Buy Products tab above.
P.S. If you need more motivation to exercise. Here are some of the other benefits Dr. Fortanasce notes exercise brings:
* reverses the detrimental effects of stress
* increases brain capacity
* improves mood and lifts depression (better than meds)
* improves learning
* builds self-esteem and improves body image
* reduces high blood pressure, type II diabetes, obesity, back pain, osteoporosis, and more.
On the history and value of isometric exercises he notes.
Isometric Exercises have been around for thousands of years and are used in both Yoga and Martial Arts. In more modern times fitness pioneers as diverse as Charles Atlas and Bruce Lee have used this form of bodyweight training to build their impressive physiques.
The big advantage that isometrics have over more traditional, un-natural exercises like Weight lifting is due to something called the “synapse effect”. This refers to the fact that your body only uses the minimum number of muscle fibers it needs to at any one time. When you perform a movement like a bench press, there is only a fraction of a second in which all of the muscle fibers are being used to maximum effect. This is in direct contrast to isometric routines in which it’s possible to work all of the muscle fibers at once for up to 10 seconds or more (provided you put in the effort, of course).
You can do this! No sweat! Try it, you’ll like it!
And don’t forget to request a copy of our new book! Just click here.
Dave Larsen
801-529-8238
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