My Dear Readers,
Greetings from Maverick!
One animal story highlighting the link between movement and brains arises from the sea squirt. The sea squirt swims about with a primitive brain, but once anchored safely on a rock, it has no need for a brain, which consumes valuable energy. So it digests its own brain. “It turns out only a mobile creature needs a brain,” says neuroscientist Rodolfo Llinas. A brain’s primary purpose is planning and guiding movement, therefore movement nourishes your brain. In other words, if you don’t move, your brain will deteriorate.
Recent research shows that even if you exercise regularly, a sedentary lifestyle lacking movement right through the day causes enormous damage to our health. This is because all the internal systems in our body – our circulation, lymphatic system, digestion synchronise with our ability to move. Life is after all a rhythm! So a one hour per day exercise followed by 18 hours of sitting on a chair, has far less health benefits than someone who can incorporate movement right through their day. It is very easy to understand how a stagnant pond with no movement will never match the dynamic health of a flowing river.
Movement is made possible for the human body thanks to our muscles and joints. When muscles are sparingly used, as in the case of people with a sedentary lifestyle or during space travel, it begins to lose its properties. Now movement becomes difficult. Only by lifting weights you can ensure the properties of your muscles are not lost over a period of time. When people don’t incorporate strength training, they deny their body the right to rebuild the muscles. Strength training is mandatory for all ! You don’t even need a full fledged gym! Use your home implements – water bottles and potted plants to lift and strengthen your muscles. But remember to do it right with the proper form!
Don’t repeat the same exercises two days running. Alternate your movements and exercises to allow your muscles time to recover from the work you have done. If you simply carry out the same routine day after day not only will your muscles get used to those exercises and you won’t progress physically but you will also find it too repetitive and boring. You may also put yourself at risk of injury through over-training only one set of muscles.
Take care of your muscles – they are the most active metabolic tissue in your body.
Every time our muscle contracts and relaxes it generates electric impulses that are the very basis of life.
Every time we move, our muscles act as body pumps allowing the toxic wastes and other fluids to flow without restriction.
Every time any muscle contracts and relaxes, it triggers energy by increasing mitochondria or the powerhouses that convert chemical energy into energy the cells can use.
To really appreciate movement, try playing the game ‘statue’. When all our muscles are locked in to a statuesque pose, long enough, we realise how very crucial movement is for our health, mood and basic survival. Do I need to go on about why you should keep moving?
Yours in wellbeing
Gita Krishna Raj
