4.1 - This is your brain on shrugs
In this off-shoot of chapter 4 (4.1) we are discussing movement and its effects on the nervous system. It’s crazy to me that we need to produce studies at high costs to prove the efficacy of movement and exercise on the well-being of the human body. Nevertheless, here I am gathering a crap ton of research so I can support my ideas of natural living for my audience. After reading some of these studies produced, I keep thinking – Duh! Of course, exercise is healthy. Of course, it helps your brain. Of course, we need to utilize our body’s components or they will degenerate. Do we really need another study for this?
We never needed to see a study on why we should walk our dogs. We recognize that they are animals and that domestication into a box is somewhat flawed for an animal. Yes, it has its advantages, but over domestication of our animals does not align with their genetic code. Why is it that we need proof that 7 hours of school conformity followed by 6 hours of hypnotizing screen time for our kids is unhealthy? Why have we strayed so far from our genetic code? What effect does this have on our well-being?
I’m not sure if we need any more studies on the necessity of exercise, but nevertheless, we keep trying to prove the limitations of movement and health. Let’s dive into what these studies relate in regard to the effect of movement on our Nervous system.
Movement is essential to life
If you read my opening to chapter 4 “12 reasons movement is critical to our entire human body”, you know that movement has been an integral part of our evolution. Without the complex movements we have created in order to survive, we would be a whole different species. We wouldn’t have we if we couldn’t hunt, gather, climb, jump, roll, and grasp.
I explain, in the opening blog post on movement, that we have come to understand that our modern exercise is acting as a training ground for your muscular, skeletal and cardiovascular systems. The act of stressing your body physically using a controlled (balanced) dose to improve and strengthen your musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems is known as hormesis. Hormesis, in this case, can best be summed up in a ten-word phrase – “use it or lose it, but don’t overdo it”. What I also relate is that you have a total of 12 bodily systems and movement impacts each of them. For this chapter 4.1, we will take a closer look at some possible roles that movement has on the nervous system.
The Brain is the master system
The Nervous system is known as the master system. The one system that controls all the other 11 bodily systems you need in order to live to your fullest potential. The system detects and responds to our environment for the sake of survival. The system that is constantly regulating all of our systems to respond to the internal and environmental stressors provided.
“We have a brain for one reason and one reason only — that’s to produce adaptable and complex movements. Movement is the only way we have affecting the world around us… I believe that to understand movement is to understand the whole brain. And therefore it’s important to remember when you are studying memory, cognition, sensory processing, they’re there for a reason, and that reason is action.” – Daniel Wolpert
The nervous system largely functions to control and coordinate the movements made by your body’s musculoskeletal system. The movement itself then provides a feedback loop and nourishes the human brain with proprioception and kinesthetic awareness constantly. You’ve all had this system malfunction at one time or another. A common occurrence is waking up startled from a dream in which you were falling. The position of your dream body and your real body were out of sync.
Brain freeze
So what happens if you block the nervous system from proprioception and motor action? One could only assume that the looped system gets weaker, much like the well-known effect on muscle fibers at the distal end of this neural pathway. They get weaker, less fine-tuned and more degenerated from their lack of use. This assumably may be similar to what happens at the proximal end of this neural pathway. The brain may not lose the motor neuron, but it will lack the ability for new connections to be made, thus decreasing the brain’s ability to thrive and become more diverse and complex. At the same time, it will lose its ability to gain input from the body’s position in space (proprioception). In this scenario, the motor neuron, muscle cell, and sensory neurons will all degenerate from the lack of movement.
This lack of efferent and afferent actions in these neural pathways will decrease chemical nutrition to the brain affecting everything from mood and energy to memory and cognition. It will literally degenerate your body’s master system – The Brain!
This scenario can create an enormous amount of negative effects on the body. I’ve listed brief descriptions with links of 7 scientifically known effects that movement has on the brain below.
The 7 Scientific Examples of how Exercise Improves Your Brain
1.) Exercise and neurogenesis (brain growth)
Exercise helps to improve cognition by releasing multiple neurotrophic factors as well as increases neurological connections for complex actions. One rockstar protein released is BDNF or Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor. BDNF helps to support the survival of your existing neurons and encourages growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses. BDNF isn’t just released to targeted areas of the brain but has a rather sweeping effect on the entire brain. Just like protein helps to build strong muscles, this protein helps to build strong brains. I’m excited to give you a little tease that we will also connect BDNF with sleep in a future chapter.
So, why would your body need movement to make new neurons and new neural pathways?
Movement triggers a cascade of events to happen in your body to help facilitate your long term survival. These complex movements were the origin of brain function long before we possessed the language to explain or understand our environment. Think of the complexity of hunting, hiding from predators or locating shelter to survive. Hell, the mere act of speaking takes an incredible amount of brainpower just to form the proper combinations of movement in relation to your tongue, jaw, and body. The more that you practice any movement the more it’s neural pathway is turned on Autopilot. Movement will create, feed and maintain these neural pathways.
A great book that dives deep into the current science of exercise and brain development is Spark by Dr. John Ratey. His book along with the work from Heidi Haavik sealed the deal for me with objective scientific facts that movement is essential for the well-being of the human body. My quote here of Dr. Ratey references the work of Dr. Carl Cotman when explaining how movement, BDNF and cognitive function are interconnected.
“By showing that exercise sparks the master molecule of the learning process, Cotman nailed down a direct biological connection between movement and cognitive function.”
– Dr. John Ratey
Neurogenesis due to exercise has been shown to have multiple positive effects that also include better memory, cognition, learning and slowing of age-related cognitive decline. Here is one such study showing the effects of cardiovascular health and brain health in twins.
2.) Exercise and Depression
Exercise has been shown in numerous studies to be one of the greatest mood enhancers. Again, the stars of the show are the chemicals that are released as a result of movement. The most popular antidepressant chemical endorphins that are released are dopamine and serotonin. These chemicals are increased during prolonged exercise and give a person that euphoric feeling after prolonged exercise. Think of a runner’s high.
What I find frustrating is the deeper we look into understanding the function and abilities of these chemicals, the more muddied the waters become. Some studies show too much serotonin leads to osteoporosis and sexual inhibition. That’s definitely not in line with creating a well-being. While other scientific research has tied a lack of serotonin to depression. Our current medical paradigm has us label a set of symptoms (due to physiological adaptation) as a disease, prescribe a medication, change the symptoms and declare health of the individual. This paradigm is under the assumption that we know more than our body’s ancestral physiology. Prozac is a great example of this. We create a drug that, we think but haven’t been proven, (SSRI section 12.1 states the mechanism of action is unknown) reduces the uptake of serotonin in the body and rejoice in health. As if the body is confused about what it is doing. It’s adapting to the environment for survival. Fix the environment, not the symptom!
If you’ve been reading most of my blog posts, you would agree that the body is constantly adapting to its environment by altering its physiological processes. Figure out the root cause for the adaptation process and fix that!
Do you think it wise to throw in a curveball and see if your body can handle another variable to which it will have to adapt to further? How about returning back to our core Innate Essentials and realize that there is more that we don’t know about the human body than we do know. Get back to the basics and stop trying to outsmart your body. But, I digress.
Movement is natural for exploring and surviving the landscape of the world. Exercise (prolonged movement) produces positive physiological reactions. Exercise innately balances itself out. Too much movement equals and injury and forced rest. Too little and you waste away. It was once needed to survive and now is taken for granted. This is a perfect example of the hormetic effect, that voluntarily confronting tough challenges, within our abilities, is needed to create a healthy well-being. It is this lack of individual responsibility and grit that we are missing today. Convenience is making us weak.
The endorphins released during exercise are a response to pull you out of your sympathetic state. They work on the pleasure, reward and analgesic centers of your body. Dopamine binds to the opiate receptors for pain relief as well as for a reward signal. Serotonin (also made in the gut needs healthy water, food and balanced stress for improved bioavailability) has multiple functions and receptors but is best known as the feel-good endorphin.
Here are two studies, both are meta-analyses of the effect that exercise has on reducing depression.
3.) Exercise and Anxiety
This is crazy! You mean to tell me that exercise helps depression and anxiety too? You know what they say, if it’s too good to be true, then…
Nevermind that. Exercise really is the magic pill. Stop looking for someone else to fix your problem. The responsibility is yours.
So speaking of magic pills, people have taken our knowledge of endorphins and have decided that they can trick the body or bypass the body’s natural physiological process by supplementing with synthetic chemicals to get a desired effect (decrease anxiety). Specifically precursors of the endorphins and synthetic endorphins like Gaba and 5htp. I’m not discouraging their use, but merely pointing out that this still fits in with our current medical paradigm. Try and get all the results with none of the work. I truly understand and have on occasion promoted the usage of these supplements due to our cultural ways.
So, here is the deal. Exercise releases endorphins to help both anxiety and depression. This combined with mindfulness of your physical activity can quell some of the deepest worries your brain can imagine. Be in the moment, ideally in nature where your body was meant to be. Make it fun. Fun will pull you from your current reality and put you in a better place. Enjoy!
Oh and here is a link to some research on anxiety and exercise
4.) Exercise and Stress
I wrote to you previously exposing the 3 stressors in life. Chemical, physical and emotional stressors all create similar physiological responses in the body. The response is commonly referred to as fight or flight. More formally this is known as the sympathetic nervous system. It is part of a system that is sometimes referred to as the primitive brain. The primitive brain is responsible, in large, for the continuation of our species due to its desire for survival.
The encounter of a threat (stressor) will increase a host of chemicals used to aid in your survival from the threat. After successfully navigating the threat (fight or flight) your body will then produce a host of opposite chemicals to return your body back to a regenerative state (parasympathetic state). The physical act of running or fighting along with evading the threat sends a signal to the body that it can return back to a parasympathetic state. One study found that moderate exercise at least 30 minutes a day will help in activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Yes, this can be overdone. Read the 90/10 rule for a more balanced lifestyle.
The key is balance and voluntarily confronting challenges that make you stronger. The voluntary action of taking on a stressor (daily exercise) can produce a different, yet similar cascade of effects with regenerative and strengthening qualities that will help reduce the effects that other stressors have on your body. One such study found that maids who treat their work routine as a way to get physical exercise created healthier outcomes than those who were not educated about their activity. Meaning your perception of doing something versus having something done to you can create a better well-being. Think predator vs. prey or victim vs victor. I write a short blurb about this in Take the Oath.
How often are we in a sympathetic state? How often do we make ourselves the victim of stress? As I related to you in 3 ways Chronic Stress Kills You Faster, we are constantly in a state of stress in our current society and we tend to neglect the processes that help our bodies return to a parasympathetic state. Finding balance of our stressors and voluntarily taking them on is essential to creating that hormetic effect that strengthens our well-being and prepares us for any future potential threats.
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.
– Franklin D. Roosevelt
I should also mention that there are a few other natural ways of “coping” with stress. Being in nature, prayer or meditation and quality social interactions are great ways to help balance out your Autonomic Nervous System in today’s high-stress society.
5.) Exercise and ADHD
As I stated earlier, exercise immediately boosts the brain’s dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels. The release of these endorphins works in much the same way as ADHD medications such as Ritalin and Adderall. These chemicals help to increase the focus on the desired task at hand.
One of my favorite studies shows that kids that exercise learn better.
In a previous blog, I have linked multiple studies to the effects that movement and other factors have on ADHD. 7 ADHD friendly habits to improve focus. Movement creates new neural pathways that satisfy the need for novelty. We need constant variation of movements to satisfy our brain. It is my belief that this satisfaction allows the brain to shift gears to a new concentrated focus.
6.) Exercise and PTSD or Trauma
I am not an expert in PTSD or psychology for that matter, so I will be brief and point out my lack of qualifications when it comes to PTSD. I will, however, state that I am human and have experienced my fair share of horrible interactions or events in my life.
In my understanding, PTSD is thought to be confrontation of something novel, but also something unexpected and usually unimaginable. It is thought that the brain (person) is unable to reconcile the incident with any better possibility, option or outcome. Many times the person cannot even replay the traumatic event in its entirety to imagine any other possible outcomes.
It has been said that voluntary confrontation of the event is healing. Confrontation of the issue to navigate and understand what other options could’ve been utilized and what other outcomes could have happened. This idea, much like that of facing voluntary feats of strength or cardiovascular exercise can have a strengthening effect on the person.
An article in Psychology Today surmised that “symptom reduction in these studies seems to occur through a renewed sense of determination and hope, increased quality of life, and the cultivation of positive self-identity. The researchers explain that participating in sports and physical activities helps combat veterans gain or regain a sense of achievement.”
Evidence suggests that by focusing on the sensation of exercise, increase in heart rate, rapid breathing, strain of your muscles and movement of your joints, you can help your brain move past the neurological blockage and into a familiar environment. Quite possibly this is helping to retrain the sympathetic nervous system from being hyper-reactive through habituation.
“Physical activity seems to be an effective adjunct therapy to reduce PTSD symptom severity.” -Opizzi
7.) Exercise & Increased Self-Esteem
Jordan Peterson has related that when we say “higher self-esteem” what we really mean is a decrease in neurotic thoughts or negative emotions. He goes on to educate his audience that neuroticism, not self-esteem, is one of the big 5 traits of personality.
In my series titled Reality, Responsibility and Resolve I attempt to map out a way of looking at your life, removing the distraction, setting specific goals and making a conscious effort to obtain them by almost any means. Success in all areas of your life depends on how you play the game of life.
I relate that starting small with just One Adjustment at a time is a great way to build your confidence. Small wins over time create success. Success over time creates that self-worth or self-esteem and this will invariably decrease your neuroticism.
How does exercise relate?
Exercise releases a cascade of endorphins. Endorphins such as dopamine work on the reward/motivation system in your brain. They are a signal of success. Multiple consistent wins and successes signal to your brain a feeling of competence. A routine of exercise (prolonged movement) is an easy stepping stone for every human being’s potential. An increase in success inversely correlates to a decrease in resentment, bitterness, and other more complex neurotic behavior.
Here's a Recap of the 7 Scientific Examples of How Movement Improves Your Brain
These 7 positive effects of exercise create an ideal way to nurture your central nervous system (brain). Almost all of us can move in some capacity. Movement of each and every joint correlates with nutrition to the motor segment (efferent) and proprioceptive segment (afferent) of each joint, muscle, tendon and ligament.
To recap, this seemingly basic physical movement has been shown to positively affect the brain in regards to:
- Neurogenesis
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Stress
- ADHD – Focus
- PTSD – Trauma
- Self-Esteem
So… if movement is globally important for your health and well-being then, what is the consequence of stiffness and immobility of one or more joint segments?
If it’s good for the sum, is it good for its parts?
First off... Why do we get stiff?
I have had the privilege of speaking about health to many ages in my career. One question I always ask is “as we get older, do we get looser or stiffer?” Without fail, this question is answered correctly 100% of the time. With time comes the universal law of entropy. Which is to say that the organized world will decline into disorder naturally over time without intervention. Chronic stiffness leads to adaptive degenerative changes in the joints and discs. Some other factors that will increase the rate at which joints will entropically degenerate include:
- A. Trauma – a toxic imbalance of physical stress. Think, car accident.
- B. Microtraumas – an imbalance of chronic toxic physical stress. Think, poor posture.
- C. Sedentary lifestyle – A deficiency of physical stress. Think, sedentary couch potato.
- D. Poor Nutrient Exchange – 2 Reasons
1.) Increase in friction due to lack of lubrication and nutrients. The synovial fluid exchange is limited due to increased viscosity of blood – Think dehydration and increased stress chemicals (i.e. hyperglycemia, cholesterol, triglycerides)
2.) The synovial fluid exchange may also be stunted due to malnourishment – Think, Eat Real Food.
- E. Restraint – Increase in muscle tone due to emotional stress. Think, verbally abusive relationship. A chronic sympathetic dominant state will encourage an increase in muscle tonality. Increased muscle tone restrains the joints from a full range of motion. Toxic Stress
These physical, chemical and emotional stressors lead to what is commonly known as a subluxation.
What is a Subluxation?
Subluxation – Alteration or dysfunction of neurological signals (afferent and efferent) due to anatomical dysfunction of a spinal segment.
Theoretically, each segment in the spinal column correlates to individual organ systems. A Meric chart (below) maps each segment of the spinal column with the corresponding organs through a process of nerve tracing. Nerve tracing along with the work of Dr. Speransky MD led to the earliest understanding of how a Chiropractic adjustment can increase the health and well-being of an individual. Dr. Speransky, a Neurophysiologist, theorized in his book, A Basis for Theory of Medicine, that a physical stressor (pressure) at the root of the peripheral nervous system could lead to neurodegeneration. Here is an article in which he establishes a connection to the same ideas.
Another great study looking at the effect of pressure on nerve roots was done at the University of Colorado. It explains that as little as 10mm hg will decrease nerve transmission by about 50%. If we decrease the nerve transmission from the brain to its intended end-organ, how will this affect the body?
The proof is in the pudding?
This model, while only being theoretical, has had multiple case studies and anecdotal testimonials in its favor. I must confess, that even I have been shocked at some of the results claimed by many of my patients
Subluxation Updated
More recently, Dr. Heidi Haavik is a leading researcher in the field of Chiropractic showing the neurological effects of subluxation. She has related that the subluxation theory related above is a little outdated, but not far off from the truth of the matter. Here is some of the latest science explaining how a Chiropractic Adjustment can help reduce subluxations and increase overall well-being.
“When we adjust a subluxation we don’t just relieve pressure off that particular nerve root – we change the master control system of the body! We change the brain!”
“Based on the research findings, when we adjust dysfunctional areas of the spine (chiropractic vertebral subluxations) we affect parts of the brain known as the control or command centers (such as the prefrontal cortex and the cerebellum).”
-Heidi Haavik
Dr. Haavik’s research relates that a subluxation is the lack of central nervous system control over movement patterns of spinal segments which changes the input to the brain and the output to the body and environment. The lack of communication between the body, brain and environment will alter the physiological well-being of a person. (Brain, Body and Spine Video Link)
Check out more of her videos here.
What's the best way to treat a Subluxation?
I’m glad you asked.
The only way to treat a subluxation is with a Chiropractic Adjustment. The stiffness and immobility that is created can be hard to remedy with exercise, stretching or mobilization alone. Often the best way to reduce, restore and rehabilitate a degenerated joint-segment, due to chronic stiffness, inflammation and scar tissue is through a series of Chiropractic Adjustments, mobility exercises, stability exercises, and preventative education. Each time a Chiropractor adjusts a subluxation, he too releases the same cascade of endorphins we documented above. (Link Here) At the same time, he restores neurological communication with the brain and a better synovial exchange within the joint for regenerative nutrients.
This doesn’t mean one should wait until the damage is done. We should aim to prevent these issues with the Innate Essentials.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
– Ben Franklin
To summarize... move daily and supplement with Chiropractic
Movement is essential to the well-being of a person. Specifically as discussed in this post, it is important for the central nervous system. Most in our society today suffer from sedentary lifestyles but moreover, we suffer from excessive convenience. According to the Mayo Clinic and Dr. Levine’s work, “Sitting is the new smoking” and exercise alone isn’t enough to negate its effects. Nearly constant varied motion with good form is key. In this day and age, Chiropractors are needed for most human beings to mechanically, physiologically and neurologically stimulate the joints and maintain maximal mobility.
I’ve listed some research tying the 7 effects that movement has on the brain with Chiropractic and the same effects.
One Adjustment Action Step
1. Don’t sit longer than 20 minutes. Try for consistent varied movement throughout the day. Using proper form. (Posture)
2. Focused exercise daily for 30 minutes minimum
3. Eat Real Food, Hydrate and keep your stressors in balance.
4. Chiropractic specific adjustment at a monthly minimum. (If you are going to live in today’s sedentary society, then you ought to have a Chiropractor in your corner.)
5. Try many different exercises. Stretch, strengthen and increase that heart rate. Experiment, but consistently move.
This post hurt my brain. There is a lot here to analyze. The big picture for me is that we haven’t strayed far genetically, but we have culturally. Our current culture of convenience is killing us. Natural movement is essential to life. I need to sign off and go for a bike ride.
If you’ve made it this far, I would love to hear from you.
–Nick the DC
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