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Take a Cerebral Spin Cycling for a Healthier Brain
by Marlaina Donato H
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20 Greater Oklahoma/OKC Edition
opping on a bicycle on a beautiful day
or taking a spin class at the gym off ers proven cardiovascular benefi ts like lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Now, growing research shows that it also packs a power- ful punch for brain health. Aerobic exercise has been found to
There is not one neurological disease that cannot benefit from aerobic exercise, from Parkinson’s disease to Lou Gehrig’s disease.
~Laurence Kinsella, M.D.
have the greatest impact on cognitive abil- ity, and low-impact cycling leads the way. David Conant-Norville, M.D., a Portland, Oregon psychiatrist, recommends cycling to help children challenged by attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Depression and Memory “Cycling brings more oxygen and nutrients to the cells,” says Carmen Ferreira, owner of SunShine Barre Studio, in Rocky Point, New York. “When we ride our bikes, our brains also increase their production of proteins used for creating new brain cells.” Cycling has been shown to sig-
nifi cantly boost the neurotransmitters
NaturalAwakeningsOKC.com
dopamine and serotonin, as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor— BDNF—a protein that increases during aerobic exercise. Low levels of BDNF have been linked to obesity, excessive ap- petite, clinical depression, anxiety and cognitive de- cline. According to a 2016
study by the New York University Langone Medical Center published in the journal eLife, higher levels of BDNF help decrease symptoms of depression while improving memory function. BDNF helps maintain brain health
and stimulates the growth of new neurons. Pedaling regularly can fi re up brain cell pro- duction by at least twofold; cycling only 20 to 30 minutes a day can decrease symptoms of depression—and might even prevent it.
Cycle for Alzheimer’s
and Parkinson’s Diseases “For years, we’ve been touting the benefi ts of mental exercises for Alzheimer’s disease, but physical exercise is also highly benefi cial.
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