Movement Feeds Your Brain

BRAIN GAMES

“The purpose of science is not to cure us of our sense of mystery and wonder, but to constantly reinvent and reinvigorate it.” – Neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky.

Have you ever noticed that the more and more we learn; the more and more we realize there is so much we don’t know? The brain is a remarkable organ. It is able to filter and process billions of bits of information in the blink of and eye. Everything from making sure you digest your breakfast to controlling your spleen’s red blood cell production is happening 24/7. Your brain is continually adapting, learning, and providing for you.

MOVEMENT & THOUGHT

The brain can overcome the body’s limitations. Dr. Joaquin Farias has developed a cost-effective and drug-free way to rehabilitate dystonia, the 3rd most common neurological movement disorder. He hypothesizes that in dystonia, the insular cortex mixes up sensations of pain and emotions and reacts by sending signals to the body to avoid pain and stress. His solution is to introduce movement and activate the motor centers of the brain. His results are extraordinary. Movement is life! Movement not only helps the physical body, but the emotional mind.

MOVING THE BRAIN

Neuroplasticity is the science of the brain’s natural ability to alter itself or adapt to change. Specifically, it refers to changes in the neural pathways and synapses (connections between nerve cells) in the brain due to changes in behavior, environment, thoughts, and emotions. A study published by the Center for Integrative Neuroscience (University of California, San Francisco in June 2014) examined how visual sensory deprivation is slow and incomplete in adult mice if they are not allowed the move.

However, locomotion (walking), promotes the recovery of the central neural circuits that are shared with the visual cortex. The findings of this study are consistent with other studies that have indicated that movement of the body promotes healing in the brain for damaged or under functioning neurons. In fact, research in chiropractic has previously shown that adjustments can dramatically impact the efficiency of neuronal firing and efficiency in the brain as evidenced on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Choosing to get adjusted not only feels great, but can improve your brain as well!