Mind. Memory. Mood. Motivation. Meth. Reflections titles the last few weeks have had a common thread. The words not only begin with the letter “M,” but they all express our deeper understanding of the remarkable link of physical activity with mental and emotional health. A natural question emerges from that discussion: how much and what kind of physical activity is needed to reap the benefits we have been talking about? While science does not yet provide a definitive answer to that question, it can tell us in general terms what we can expect to gain from different levels of intensity.
Walking, and other low-intensity exercise generates a neuro-chemical environment conducive to patience, optimism, focus, and motivation. It triggers the production of serotonin and dopamine, and moderates the chemicals of unhealthy stress.
Jogging is considered moderate-intensity exercise. Moderate exertion generates microtears in the muscles, a mild stressor that then triggers the proliferation of capillaries, nerve cells, and neurological connections. Moderate exercise benefits the learning process and strengthens the immune system.
Running takes us to a higher level of intensity, simulating a full-blown state of emergency. It switches on human growth hormone, burns belly fat, adds muscle, and increases brain volume.
In Spark, Dr. Ratey recommends that we exercise aerobically at least 30-45 minutes per day, 5-6 days a week. He suggests that we spend the most time in low and moderate intensity zones, but that we periodically push the limits to gain the benefits of intense effort.
Everything we hear or read turns to exercise as the fountain of physical health. Spark, considers it the source of mental health and happiness as well. There are so many reasons to get up, get out, and get moving. There are also many obstacles to carving out time and energy from otherwise busy schedules. Establishing a regular program of activity doesn’t just “happen.”
Do you find it helps to schedule a class? Are you motivated by training for a target event? Do you draw energy from joining a group for companionship and accountability. Do you welcome workouts as an opportunity for solitude, reflection, and recharging? What works for you?
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Movement, Meth, and Moderation
Shopping. Gambling. Facebook. Cookies. Meth. What do they have in common? In my life, addictive urges center on certain foods. Irrational, compulsive behavior also emerges when I check e-mail or Facebook every few minutes while doing something else on the computer. Even if the behavior is not life-threatening, it doesn’t feel good to spin out of control.
This week, we continue our sampling of insights from Spark by Dr. John Ratey, turning to “Addiction: the Biology of Self-Control.” In that chapter, we learn about the chemical and structural elements of addiction in the brain. Why is it so darned hard to stop a behavior that we know is bad for us, and that we don’t even enjoy all that much?
The answer comes back to our old friend dopamine (no wonder we call drugs “dope”). Dopamine functions in the reward center of the brain, reinforcing behaviors that trigger its release. First, it grabs our attention, then it imprints a behavioral pattern by “hard-wiring” the connection between stimulus and response. That wiring is the pathway in the brain that develops when nerve endings form synapses.The wiring is strengthened with every use. We are driving down the street, and our car turns into the Dairy Queen without our having the experience of making a decision.
Addictive behaviors bypass the rational part of the brain. They are automatic. They resist rational approaches to change; and the underlying brain structure persists, even after long periods of abstinence. Relapse is a familiar threat to drug addicts and dieters alike.
So, how does exercise work in this picture? Physical activity also triggers the release of dopamine. Dopamine acts on the reward center of the brain. The brain forms neural pathways that pull us toward taking a walk as they pull us toward eating a sweet. It doesn’t happen immediately (only a few drugs trigger addiction on the first try). But it does build. It becomes powerful. And it competes with other urges.
We know that exercise helps with weight loss. We know it burns off the calories we ingest. However, exercise also helps us control automatic eating. It is especially helpful as we gradually hard-wire the urge to be active, offsetting the pull toward unhealthy relapse.
What are your addictions? Would you like to confidently choose what you know is best for you long-term? If you knew of a miracle cure, would you make extra effort to seek it out? There is one. It takes commitment. It builds slowly over time. One day you realize you have a powerful new ally in the quest for health and happiness.
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
This week, we continue our sampling of insights from Spark by Dr. John Ratey, turning to “Addiction: the Biology of Self-Control.” In that chapter, we learn about the chemical and structural elements of addiction in the brain. Why is it so darned hard to stop a behavior that we know is bad for us, and that we don’t even enjoy all that much?
The answer comes back to our old friend dopamine (no wonder we call drugs “dope”). Dopamine functions in the reward center of the brain, reinforcing behaviors that trigger its release. First, it grabs our attention, then it imprints a behavioral pattern by “hard-wiring” the connection between stimulus and response. That wiring is the pathway in the brain that develops when nerve endings form synapses.The wiring is strengthened with every use. We are driving down the street, and our car turns into the Dairy Queen without our having the experience of making a decision.
Addictive behaviors bypass the rational part of the brain. They are automatic. They resist rational approaches to change; and the underlying brain structure persists, even after long periods of abstinence. Relapse is a familiar threat to drug addicts and dieters alike.
So, how does exercise work in this picture? Physical activity also triggers the release of dopamine. Dopamine acts on the reward center of the brain. The brain forms neural pathways that pull us toward taking a walk as they pull us toward eating a sweet. It doesn’t happen immediately (only a few drugs trigger addiction on the first try). But it does build. It becomes powerful. And it competes with other urges.
We know that exercise helps with weight loss. We know it burns off the calories we ingest. However, exercise also helps us control automatic eating. It is especially helpful as we gradually hard-wire the urge to be active, offsetting the pull toward unhealthy relapse.
What are your addictions? Would you like to confidently choose what you know is best for you long-term? If you knew of a miracle cure, would you make extra effort to seek it out? There is one. It takes commitment. It builds slowly over time. One day you realize you have a powerful new ally in the quest for health and happiness.
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Movement, Mind, and Memory
We evolved as hunters, always on the move, following the game. We wore down our prey by persistence, slowly and steadily covering the miles, wearing them down. As we moved, we learned. We learned where to find our prey, how they behaved, how to pursue and engage. Our highly developed brains compensated for weak and naked bodies. We developed tools, traps, and strategies. Always moving.
According to Dr. John Ratey in Spark, the connection between movement and memory is, for humans, inseparable. Dr. Ratey begins his book with the remarkable tale of a high school in Illinois, where students wear heart rate monitors and are challenged to push their physical limits during the day. They not only rank much lower than their peers in obesity, but their scores on tests of intellectual accomplishment are off the high end of the scale.
How many times a day do we make, or hear, a joke in reference to memory? We talk about "senior moments" (and everyone knows,it’s not about a discount). We are scared. As a generation, we are scared of dementia. It is tougher to face than heart disease and cancer combined. Losing our mind. Losing our selves. Before losing our lives.
Memory and learning rely on the ability of brain cells to build a path. “Where did I leave my keys?” “On the desk.” That simple sequence arises from nerves that connect the question and the answer in the brain. The maintenance and expansion of neural pathways requires a fine balance of neurotransmitters. Psycho-active drugs make a clumsy attempt to rectify imbalance; physical activity is designed by nature and does a better job.
According to Spark, Dr. Carl Cotman’s research on brain aging and dementia has demonstrated “a direct biological connection between movement and cognitive function.” Pictures of the brain after exercise show an increase in chemicals that stimulate the proliferation and connection of neurons in the learning center of the brain.
Last week we talked about the benefits of exercise for motivation, focus, and calm. This week we are examining the link between exercise, learning, and memory. Taken together, the complex interaction of movement and the mind makes a powerful case for getting off the couch and getting a move on. Maybe the next time it won’t take quite as long to find those keys.
What is your experience? Does this make sense? Do you want to learn more? Does your “senior moment” mean running into an age-mate, or does it mean that you forgot her name?
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
According to Dr. John Ratey in Spark, the connection between movement and memory is, for humans, inseparable. Dr. Ratey begins his book with the remarkable tale of a high school in Illinois, where students wear heart rate monitors and are challenged to push their physical limits during the day. They not only rank much lower than their peers in obesity, but their scores on tests of intellectual accomplishment are off the high end of the scale.
How many times a day do we make, or hear, a joke in reference to memory? We talk about "senior moments" (and everyone knows,it’s not about a discount). We are scared. As a generation, we are scared of dementia. It is tougher to face than heart disease and cancer combined. Losing our mind. Losing our selves. Before losing our lives.
Memory and learning rely on the ability of brain cells to build a path. “Where did I leave my keys?” “On the desk.” That simple sequence arises from nerves that connect the question and the answer in the brain. The maintenance and expansion of neural pathways requires a fine balance of neurotransmitters. Psycho-active drugs make a clumsy attempt to rectify imbalance; physical activity is designed by nature and does a better job.
According to Spark, Dr. Carl Cotman’s research on brain aging and dementia has demonstrated “a direct biological connection between movement and cognitive function.” Pictures of the brain after exercise show an increase in chemicals that stimulate the proliferation and connection of neurons in the learning center of the brain.
Last week we talked about the benefits of exercise for motivation, focus, and calm. This week we are examining the link between exercise, learning, and memory. Taken together, the complex interaction of movement and the mind makes a powerful case for getting off the couch and getting a move on. Maybe the next time it won’t take quite as long to find those keys.
What is your experience? Does this make sense? Do you want to learn more? Does your “senior moment” mean running into an age-mate, or does it mean that you forgot her name?
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Movement, Motivation, and Mood
We often find it challenging to maintain or re-start our physical activity programs this time of year. Mornings and evenings are dark; the days are cold. We are busy at work and at home, making up for time taken off during the holidays. Where do we find the inspiration to overcome a sedentary lifestyle and kick ourselves into motion?
I am currently looking for motivation in a book by John Ratey entitled Spark. Ratey makes a powerful case for the mental and emotional benefits of physical activity. Recent research shows that fitness is not just about the heart, blood sugar, and body mass index. It is about the mind. I plan to share some insights from Spark over the next few weeks. In doing so, I will only be scratching the surface: I want to inspire you to read it for yourself.
Let’s begin with stress. Stress is a complex response to a variety of stimuli. It can include fear (fleeing), anger (fighting), paralysis (freezing), or hyperactivity (flitting from one thing to another). Stress responses are designed by nature to deal with an immediate threat and to learn lessons for future reference. The whole complex of chemical and neurological reactions to challenge is intended to leave us stronger and more resilient. As philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is credited with saying, “That which does not kill you makes you stronger.”
How can we tip the balance toward “stronger” and away from “dead”? The difference between stress that harms and stress that helps is the level of dopamine found in the brain. Dopamine is the key to focus, learning, and adaptation; it transforms stress from enemy into friend.
Dopamine, in turn, relies on a fine-tuned supply of the “emergency” hormone, epinephrine. With too little epinephrine, the dopamine supply is dormant (and we react passively). With too much of the hormone, dopamine shuts down (and we freeze, like a deer in the headlights).
Research shows that dopamine levels are stabilized by physical activity. The brain interprets increased muscular activity and heart rate as a sign that something’s up. In response, it produces the chemicals of arousal, focus, and learning. On the other hand, activity defuses the build-up of panic and aimless hyperactivity, achieving the balance that makes us effective.
Are you easily stressed? Does public speaking cause your mind to go blank? Do deadlines trigger a frenzy of aimless activity and procrastination? Try a brisk walk around the Mall or a spin on the stationary bike that’s rusting in the basement. Buy some traction devices for your boots, find a friend, and head into the snow. Vacuum. Shovel. Watch to see whether your brain likes the change. I’ll bet it does.
Let us know.
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
I am currently looking for motivation in a book by John Ratey entitled Spark. Ratey makes a powerful case for the mental and emotional benefits of physical activity. Recent research shows that fitness is not just about the heart, blood sugar, and body mass index. It is about the mind. I plan to share some insights from Spark over the next few weeks. In doing so, I will only be scratching the surface: I want to inspire you to read it for yourself.
Let’s begin with stress. Stress is a complex response to a variety of stimuli. It can include fear (fleeing), anger (fighting), paralysis (freezing), or hyperactivity (flitting from one thing to another). Stress responses are designed by nature to deal with an immediate threat and to learn lessons for future reference. The whole complex of chemical and neurological reactions to challenge is intended to leave us stronger and more resilient. As philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is credited with saying, “That which does not kill you makes you stronger.”
How can we tip the balance toward “stronger” and away from “dead”? The difference between stress that harms and stress that helps is the level of dopamine found in the brain. Dopamine is the key to focus, learning, and adaptation; it transforms stress from enemy into friend.
Dopamine, in turn, relies on a fine-tuned supply of the “emergency” hormone, epinephrine. With too little epinephrine, the dopamine supply is dormant (and we react passively). With too much of the hormone, dopamine shuts down (and we freeze, like a deer in the headlights).
Research shows that dopamine levels are stabilized by physical activity. The brain interprets increased muscular activity and heart rate as a sign that something’s up. In response, it produces the chemicals of arousal, focus, and learning. On the other hand, activity defuses the build-up of panic and aimless hyperactivity, achieving the balance that makes us effective.
Are you easily stressed? Does public speaking cause your mind to go blank? Do deadlines trigger a frenzy of aimless activity and procrastination? Try a brisk walk around the Mall or a spin on the stationary bike that’s rusting in the basement. Buy some traction devices for your boots, find a friend, and head into the snow. Vacuum. Shovel. Watch to see whether your brain likes the change. I’ll bet it does.
Let us know.
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
Sunday, January 2, 2011
New Years Reflection: Winter Driving
Earlier this week, we cut our cabin stay a day short. It was not an easy decision, but the weather maps were ominous. A large green blob of moisture approached from the Pacific Coast. A surge of white and negative numbers descended from the Arctic Circle. They were converging on the highway home, the day we planned to travel.
In weighing the implications, my definition of a successful trip sharpened significantly. I wanted two things, and I wanted them very much: visibility and traction. The forecast of ground fog, blowing snow, and black ice was unsettling. We headed home. As we drove, I reflected on the importance of traction and visibility in life’s larger journey. “Where am I, and where am I going?” Those are good questions for the new year.
Visibility while driving allows us to see what’s coming and adjust. We can watch for signs pointing to our destination, move around a slow truck on the grade, and avoid an elk crossing the road. Visibility in life enables us to maintain keep our goals in view, working our way through challenges and around obstacles that arise en route.
Traction while driving gives us solid contact with the road. It enables us to accelerate confidently, to negotiate a winding route, to brake smoothly to a stop when needed. Traction in our lives gives us solid contact with our deepest values. It stabilizes our journey, holding us to the path while we navigate the adventures, the growth, and the setbacks of daily life.
In preparing a fresh start for this segment of life’s journey, consider the lessons of winter driving. Where are you going? Do you have a vision of success for the year ahead? Is that vision clear enough to see the signs and take the proper exit? Can you see the potholes, the curves, the “bridge-out” warnings up ahead? If so, the chances of arriving safely are greatly enhanced.
How are you tracking? Are you solidly grounded in values and beliefs as you move forward? Do you know what you want to keep and what you want to change in the way of lifestyle habits? Do you know why it is important that you do so? If so, you will be able to stay on course when the inevitable challenges come your way.
I look forward to the journey through 2011, whatever it brings. Thanks for joining me.
In weighing the implications, my definition of a successful trip sharpened significantly. I wanted two things, and I wanted them very much: visibility and traction. The forecast of ground fog, blowing snow, and black ice was unsettling. We headed home. As we drove, I reflected on the importance of traction and visibility in life’s larger journey. “Where am I, and where am I going?” Those are good questions for the new year.
Visibility while driving allows us to see what’s coming and adjust. We can watch for signs pointing to our destination, move around a slow truck on the grade, and avoid an elk crossing the road. Visibility in life enables us to maintain keep our goals in view, working our way through challenges and around obstacles that arise en route.
Traction while driving gives us solid contact with the road. It enables us to accelerate confidently, to negotiate a winding route, to brake smoothly to a stop when needed. Traction in our lives gives us solid contact with our deepest values. It stabilizes our journey, holding us to the path while we navigate the adventures, the growth, and the setbacks of daily life.
In preparing a fresh start for this segment of life’s journey, consider the lessons of winter driving. Where are you going? Do you have a vision of success for the year ahead? Is that vision clear enough to see the signs and take the proper exit? Can you see the potholes, the curves, the “bridge-out” warnings up ahead? If so, the chances of arriving safely are greatly enhanced.
How are you tracking? Are you solidly grounded in values and beliefs as you move forward? Do you know what you want to keep and what you want to change in the way of lifestyle habits? Do you know why it is important that you do so? If so, you will be able to stay on course when the inevitable challenges come your way.
I look forward to the journey through 2011, whatever it brings. Thanks for joining me.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Holiday Makeover: The Web We Weave
We had one not-so-favorite relative who wrote holiday letters. As I was growing up, each year brought the letter and a predictable rant from my mother, who pointed out how self-serving it was, and how annoying to read about the accomplishments of children, the enviable travels and untarnished successes of adults in that family. The dreaded “holiday letter” is not a warm and fuzzy memory from those early years.
Today, no other holiday tradition gives me more pleasure than connecting with people we have known at different times in our lives. I love reflecting on our year, pulling out the interesting parts, and sharing them. I delight in glimpses of other lives, many of them so different from our own. I enjoy reading about accomplished children, well-traveled and successful adults. I also appreciate hearing about the challenges, setbacks, and losses that come with life. Most of all, I revel in a web of connection that extends widely, encompassing the rich diversity of our fellow life-travelers and their experiences.
Why “make over” this treasured tradition and the web it weaves, catching up bits and pieces of family and friendship into a single, connected whole? Because an even better approach to web-weaving has emerged for me: Facebook!
It is no surprise that a holiday-letter junkie would love Facebook. Social networking takes the holiday letter 24-7, global, and viral. Every day my life is enriched by the successes, travels, struggles, humor and profundity of my Facebook friends. Through this remarkable technology, many relationships out of the past have become a vital part of the present. I receive inspiring words from the Dalai Lama, tips from Runners World, and reminders of local events. Photos and movies clips add color and action to the mix.
This holiday season, I wrote another letter. Pasted together favorite photos. Made copies. Updated the address book. Printed labels. Bought stamps. Printed return address labels. Folded and stuffed, sealed and mailed. We have also received a number of letters. I enjoy the surprise of personal mail in the mailbox.
But I am thinking about a makeover. Perhaps the expanding web of Facebook communication will replace the web of holiday mail with some of our family and friends. Perhaps it won’t. Still undecided.
What do you think? Do you welcome or dread the tradition of holiday letters? How do you experience the changing face of building and nurturing relationships across the miles? What is your perspective on weaving a virtual web?
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
Today, no other holiday tradition gives me more pleasure than connecting with people we have known at different times in our lives. I love reflecting on our year, pulling out the interesting parts, and sharing them. I delight in glimpses of other lives, many of them so different from our own. I enjoy reading about accomplished children, well-traveled and successful adults. I also appreciate hearing about the challenges, setbacks, and losses that come with life. Most of all, I revel in a web of connection that extends widely, encompassing the rich diversity of our fellow life-travelers and their experiences.
Why “make over” this treasured tradition and the web it weaves, catching up bits and pieces of family and friendship into a single, connected whole? Because an even better approach to web-weaving has emerged for me: Facebook!
It is no surprise that a holiday-letter junkie would love Facebook. Social networking takes the holiday letter 24-7, global, and viral. Every day my life is enriched by the successes, travels, struggles, humor and profundity of my Facebook friends. Through this remarkable technology, many relationships out of the past have become a vital part of the present. I receive inspiring words from the Dalai Lama, tips from Runners World, and reminders of local events. Photos and movies clips add color and action to the mix.
This holiday season, I wrote another letter. Pasted together favorite photos. Made copies. Updated the address book. Printed labels. Bought stamps. Printed return address labels. Folded and stuffed, sealed and mailed. We have also received a number of letters. I enjoy the surprise of personal mail in the mailbox.
But I am thinking about a makeover. Perhaps the expanding web of Facebook communication will replace the web of holiday mail with some of our family and friends. Perhaps it won’t. Still undecided.
What do you think? Do you welcome or dread the tradition of holiday letters? How do you experience the changing face of building and nurturing relationships across the miles? What is your perspective on weaving a virtual web?
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Holiday Makeover: Giving and Receiving
I take on the topic of holiday gifts with trepidation. As I reflect on my personal journey of ambivalence around the tradition of gift exchange, I find pockets of pain that resist further probing. Hot buttons and exposed nerves. In spite of this response—and because of it—I am wading into the deeper water.
What could be more central to Christmas than presents? A tree without colorful boxes beneath is incomplete. “Are you ready for Christmas?” means “Are you done shopping?” Santa Claus. St. Nicholas. Three kings. How could any of this have an overtone of pain?
Should I live her a gift? What if I don’t, and she gives me one? What if I do, and she didn’t intend to? The dance of reciprocity can be awkward and painful, especially when expectations are in transition. A few years ago, I proposed that Lyle and I stop buying gifts for each other, and plan instead for a shared purchase or activity. That first year, he stopped. I didn’t. When Christmas morning came, I felt hurt despite myself. A pocket of pain.
What do we need (or want)? Many of us have all we need, and more. As I age, a lifetime collection of “stuff” is more of a burden than a treasure. Each gift brings, with the love of the giver, a mark of sentimental attachment that brands it non-disposable. A mixed blessing.
Surprise or fondest wish? Some of us love a surprise. We are pleased by a gift that reflects the giver. Others covet specific treats that they don’t indulge on their own. They want the beloved to know them so deeply that the perfect gift appears without prompting. Under the tree, we find Mr. Surprise presenting his own Fondest Wish, and wondering what went wrong. Oops!
Lyle and I have moved past that first awkward experiment, and decorative boxes under our tree are now empty. We are investing our shared indulgence in a holiday trip. We still have fun exchanging surprises with a few family members and close friends but, by and large, we celebrate in other ways.
I am reluctant to admit this ambivalence about gift exchange. It seems small-minded and ungrateful to question the purity of a practice rooted in generosity and love. I put it out there nonetheless, and welcome your response. How do you navigate the waters of change as your children grow beyond Santa, your bank balance falters, your storage area overflows, and your imagination struggles with the search for the perfect expression of your love?
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
What could be more central to Christmas than presents? A tree without colorful boxes beneath is incomplete. “Are you ready for Christmas?” means “Are you done shopping?” Santa Claus. St. Nicholas. Three kings. How could any of this have an overtone of pain?
Should I live her a gift? What if I don’t, and she gives me one? What if I do, and she didn’t intend to? The dance of reciprocity can be awkward and painful, especially when expectations are in transition. A few years ago, I proposed that Lyle and I stop buying gifts for each other, and plan instead for a shared purchase or activity. That first year, he stopped. I didn’t. When Christmas morning came, I felt hurt despite myself. A pocket of pain.
What do we need (or want)? Many of us have all we need, and more. As I age, a lifetime collection of “stuff” is more of a burden than a treasure. Each gift brings, with the love of the giver, a mark of sentimental attachment that brands it non-disposable. A mixed blessing.
Surprise or fondest wish? Some of us love a surprise. We are pleased by a gift that reflects the giver. Others covet specific treats that they don’t indulge on their own. They want the beloved to know them so deeply that the perfect gift appears without prompting. Under the tree, we find Mr. Surprise presenting his own Fondest Wish, and wondering what went wrong. Oops!
Lyle and I have moved past that first awkward experiment, and decorative boxes under our tree are now empty. We are investing our shared indulgence in a holiday trip. We still have fun exchanging surprises with a few family members and close friends but, by and large, we celebrate in other ways.
I am reluctant to admit this ambivalence about gift exchange. It seems small-minded and ungrateful to question the purity of a practice rooted in generosity and love. I put it out there nonetheless, and welcome your response. How do you navigate the waters of change as your children grow beyond Santa, your bank balance falters, your storage area overflows, and your imagination struggles with the search for the perfect expression of your love?
Until the next time, go well.
Pam
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