treating BACK PAIN with a ball and stick
by Jeff on Dec.25, 2009, under Fitness
Exercise May Help Treat ADD/ADHD as Well as Medication
by Jeff on Oct.24, 2009, under Fitness
Exercise May Help Treat ADD/ADHD as Well as Medication
Many experts agree that the one area we have the least knowledge of in this industry is the effect of exercise on the brain, or neuroscience. One particular area of interest in neuroscience is the potential for exercise in the management of ADD/ADHD. Attention Deficit Disorder, a condition characterized by impulsiveness, attention difficulties, and in many cases hyperactivity, affects nearly 2 million children under 12 and up to 8 million adults. Current management of ADD symptoms includes medication and behavioral therapy to learn techniques to enhance focus and productivity. Interestingly, exercise may help people with ADD to the point of reducing or eliminating the need for medication.
In a Medscape Today interview with the John J. Ratey, MD, the author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, Dr. Ratey suggests that exercise will become more integral to management of ADD in the coming years.
Dr. Ratey suggests that the neurotransmitters released during exercise, specifically nor-epinephrine and dopamine, act similar to Ritalin and Adderall, two commonly prescribed stimulants used to treat ADD/ADHD. He also suspects that chronic exercise effects on the brain results in increased volume of neurotransmitters along with increased capacity for binding in the brain.
Although many of Dr. Ratey’s theories are novel, he is relying on connections previously confirmed by neuroscientists who have studied the effects of exercise on the frontal cortex of the brain, the area most challenged in ADD/ADHD. Moreover, in practice Dr. Ratey has found a connection between long distance athletes and ADD following periods of detraining due to injury.
He began to recognize that individuals who were previously very active were seeking treatment for depression and exhibiting other symptoms of ADD when they no longer exercised as frequently or with as much volume. Thus, Dr. Ratey believes that severity of ADD and quantity of exercise to manage may be linearly correlated based. He uses Olympic Champion Michael Phelps as an example, whose ADD symptoms normalized after he began accumulating at least 3 hours of swimming practice daily.
Because of the variability in severity amongst ADD/ADHD cases, exercise may become the tertiary component in management in the future. Because hyper-focus on a single task is common amongst persons with ADD, and if Dr. Ratay’s theories are valid it might be possible that many long distance athletes have been healthfully self-medicating for many years.
Wyong, P. (2009) Exercise and ADD: An Expert Interview With John J. Ratey, MD. Medscape Online. October 8.
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by Jeff on Oct.17, 2009, under Fitness
Leave a Comment more...Change. It’s a fact of life.
by Jeff on Sep.17, 2009, under Fitness
It’s September 2009 and there’s change in the air. We could say this everyday, but the month of September symbolizes change for so many American families. Kids are going back to school, and with the new school year comes new schedules and routines, new goals and new dreams. Even though summer may not technically be over for a few more days, Fall is on its way. The weather will start to cool, football and other fall sports have started and for those of us with school-aged children, we have a moment to take a deep breath and look around us.
Change. It’s a fact of life. You’ve heard the saying, change or die… well, it’s true for all parts of our lives – personal and professional. This anonymous abridgement of Reinhold Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer is a real favorite of mine, “God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it’s me.” So, take a deep breath, look around you and then look straight in the mirror. What are your goals? What are your dreams?
My goal this month is to help you to get started on your future by choosing change before it chooses you! If it is true that change comes in two forms, evolutionary and revolutionary, maybe now is the time to START YOUR OWN REVOLUTION. Revolutionary change is planned change. Change you choose. Change you lead. Change you celebrate. Here’s how you can become an agent of change in your life.
- Choose a healthier you. Now is a great time to get back into your routine and focus on making steady progress toward a healthier you! Hire a trainer, get back to your favorite classes, get outside and enjoy the beauty of autumn while walking, running, biking or hiking. Re-establish healthy fitness and nutrition routines NOW! September and October are the “teetering” months. On the one hand, we are still anchored in 2009 and hanging on to the goals we set earlier this year. But, on the other hand, we teeter toward the chaos of the holiday season, as it draws us closer to the fresh start of a new year. It’s tempting to put our goals on hold and wait to renew them in January. Don’t fall for this annual temptation! Jump in hard and jump in fast to close 2009 stronger and healthier than ever! Lock into fitness and nutrition routines NOW! Wait too long, and you’ll be climbing a steep hill in January!
- Choose a lower stress you. The first ingredients of a lower stress lifestyle begin with a healthier you, and this means proper exercise, nutrition and sleep. But, you can’t lower your stress without supportive relationships – spouse, partner, family, friends, coworkers, classmates, teammates, etc. For years, research has shown that a lower stress you means a more social you. One positive outcome of these more challenging economic times is the increase in casual social gatherings among families and friends, without having to go out and needlessly spend money. Make the effort to be more social. Seek out healthy relationships. Take care of yourself by taking care of and enjoying those who love you. Turn off your cell phones, CHILL out and don’t be afraid to smell the roses.
Choose a successful you. Are you passionate about what you do? Do you love going to work everyday? I can tell you that as a personal trainer and massage therapist, I love what I do and can’t imagine doing anything else. I deeply believe that when you find your true purpose in life and aren’t afraid to live what you love,
