53: John Ratey
Have you heard that exercise is good for your brain? Or, perhaps you’re injured and you just can’t exercise. Dr. John Ratey, a psychiatrist and bestselling author is here today to explain just what exactly exercise does for your brain and how it helps you so many ways.
Dr. Ratey and I discuss:
How you know when you really have ADHD and just aren’t living in an ADHD world
How our brains have evolved to make us the best movers
Why we need to think of the brain as a muscle
What produces the most new brain cells
What BDNF is and why we should care
What the biotech industry is trying to recreate to replicate exercise
The role dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin play in regulating the brain
How we can increase our brain power by an amount of 7-10% by just doing this
New research that recently showed what activity could increase your activity by 20-25%
The different activities you can do to activate different parts of your brain
What happens when you increase your speed
The 7-minute app Dr. Ratey recommends and why
How to reframe how you look at exercise
Focus on today
Why connecting is important for well being
When reading Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind From the Afflictions of Civilization, focus on the chapter about tribes and meditation
Remember to live your life
Links to app, articles and books Dr. Ratey discussed:
Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind From the Afflictions of Civilization by Dr. John Ratey and Richard Manning
Driven to Distraction by Dr. John Ratey and Dr. Ned Hallowell
No Sweat by Michelle Segar, PhD.
Serena Marie, RD discusses canola oil and why it’s not a as healthy of a choice as we thought it was. Here are some points about canola oil:
One of the cash crops from Monsanto, usually GMO, and requires pesticides in the field
Canola oil requires hexane solvent to extract the oil! Which is very different than, say, pressing olives to extract oil. Even organic brands, which do not use a hexane solvent, usually use heat to press the rapeseeds, which causes oxidation of the PUFA.
After extraction, the oil needs to be de-gummed and deodorized, which both expose the oil to additional heat.
This YouTube video demonstrates just how processed canola is: http://youtu.be/omjWmLG0EAs
Speaking of PUFAs – let’s talk polyunsaturated fats! Polyunsaturated fats can be GREAT or DANGEROUS
Omega-3 fatty acids are fantastic for health, very anti-inflammatory
However, unstable PUFAs such as corn, canola, safflower, vegetable oils are easily oxidized because of the placement of their double bonds. Simple exposure to air, light and heat can cause the oils to change and incite free radical damage in the body. Free radicals are PRO-INFLAMMATORY and cause damage to cell membranes, DNA/RNA, blood vessels (hello atherosclerosis!), and contribute to premature aging of the human form.
Our Runner of the Week is Pamela Mirels, and she discusses:
Why she started running
Her first half-marathon and her experience driving home (this is pretty funny)
Pam’s favorite distance race, The Cherry Blossom 10 Miler
Where to find culture in NYC
Fun places to go for a drink with an NYC vibe, such as Acme and Dizzy’s
John Ratey:
Website: JohnRatey.com
Facebook: The Ratey Institute
Twitter: @jratey
Serena Marie, RD:
Website: www.SerenaMarieRD.com
Facebook: /SerenaMarieRD
Twitter: @SerenaMarieRD
Instagram: SerenaMarieRD
Pamela Mirels:
CultureHorde Website
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. I am not providing medical, psychological, or nutrition therapy advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. Always seek the advice of your own medical practitioner and/or mental health provider about your specific health situation. For my full Disclaimer, please go to www.karigormley.com/disclaimer.