Unstick Your Brain
You’ll never imagine what your brain evolved for!
Last time we talked about Zombies and how they’re made up - just like retirement.
Today we’re going to discuss sea squirts, which are real.
Meet a sea squirt (pictured above). This tiny animal is easily overlooked. At only about 4 inches in size (10 cm), it’s life is fascinating.
A sea squirt starts out as a small, swimming, one-eyed tadpole.
After a few days floating in the ocean, it finds a place to call home. It settles down on a rock, an old pier, or a sunken ship to live the rest of its life. It then morphs into an adult by …
It’s a very clever adaptation. After all, if you’re not going to move, do you even need a brain?
Brains evolved to orchestrate movement. To me that’s astounding. And this relationship between mind and muscle is often ignored.
Yet it makes a lot of sense. Think about young kids. They feel great. They joy in being alive. And they constantly move.
As we get older, however, we slow down.
So we must consciously incorporate moving into our days. We all know this. We know we should move more. Our doctors tell us to walk, jog, or bike. And these cardio activities are great for heart-health.
But they don’t unstick your brain.
Resistance training is moving, as well. It greases the neurons of your brain so you think better.
Resistance training unsticks your brain.
Resistance training builds muscles. It includes weightlifting, calisthenics, resistance bands, and workout machines.
People who engage in resistance training tend to have better brain health. The reasons have to do with lower CVD (cardio-vascular disease), better insulin resistance, more Myokines, etc, etc. In short - more muscle mass means less brain fog.
Instead of going through all the scientific data, here’s a personal example:
Shortly after the pandemic restrictions were lifted, I noticed the filing cabinet of my brain needed oiling. The drawers were sticking. They wouldn’t open when I tried to remember a word or someone’s name. It was frustrating.
My doctor recommended I sign up for Elevate, a brain training app. It has scientific evidence for improving your memory. I used this app every day for about 90 days.
It didn’t help.
I was headed to Europe in a few months. I thought learning a language would improve my memory. I signed up for Duolingo. I enjoyed learning French, but it didn’t improve that stuck-drawer feeling in my memory.
In the fall of 2023, I started a weightlifting program. I didn’t start because of my memory. I started because I noticed I was having difficulty getting up off the floor without putting my hand on a bench or chair. Lifting weights changed that.
It also cleared up my brain fog!
Within a few weeks of lifting weights, that “stuck-drawer” feeling was gone. I couldn’t figure out why, so I did what any curious person does; I googled it.
Up came several studies touting more muscle mass = less brain fog.
Why didn’t my doctor tell me that?
My doctor didn’t know! He hadn’t read studies showing more muscle mass improves memory.
Your doctor doesn’t know everything either. It’s up to you, the patient, to learn about your health. Then — consulting with your doctor — make the best decisions you can.
My doctor recently retired. When I met my new doctor, one of the first questions he asked was, “Do you exercise regularly?”
I told him I lift weights 3x a week at the gym. He high-fived me, and said, “That’s the best thing you can do to age well.” My new doctor is aware of the benefits of weightlifting and recommends it to all his patients.
What if you don‘t like resistance training?
Before I discovered this particular type of strength-training, I thought I hated resistance exercise. Yoga, Pilates, regular gym workouts were all “meh.” Cross-fit was a hard “no thank you.”
Now I love lifting weights.
What made the difference was going to a private gym. One owned by a fitness coach.
She and her husband offer semi-private fitness sessions. Each person has their own program, tailored to their needs. There are others in the gym achieving their own goals as well. It’s a community of fitness-seekers. It was a game-changer for me.
Your solution might not look like mine. But if you haven’t found a type of resistance training you like -- keep experimenting.
And recognize you may already be doing some weight-bearing exercises.
For instance, a friend told me how much she hates the gym. Yet her habit of carrying 50 lbs. of dog food counts as strength training. (This friend is very competitive. Because I can squat holding a 55 lb. dumbbell, she now squats holding a bag of dog food!)
Another friend insisted he hated the weight room. But he does calisthenics every morning. That’s resistance training!
Just know that to gain muscle all over, you may have to do a few exercises you dislike.
Think 20% Broccoli & 80% Honey Chicken
Find the delicious honey chicken exercises you like and do those for most of your exercises. Then add in the yucky broccoli things — because they‘re good for you.
You might end up liking that broccoli! (I hated Bulgarian split squats for 2 years. Now they’re challenging, but enjoyable!)
Having more muscle mass as you get older does more than unstick your brain. It reduces the risk of osteoporosis, gives you more energy, and improves your overall healthspan. (Healthspan is how long you are healthy.)
Another great benefit is that muscles are the main factor in basal metabolic rate. Which means the more muscles you have, the more food you get to eat.
Keep moving,
~Julie
Closing Question:
Have you discovered a type of exercise you love? Or one that you detest? There are so many programs out there, and I enjoy delving into stuff.
I’m curious about your thoughts and experiences - so let me know with a comment below :)