Move For Minds 2017 Recap
EventsThe Rivet Revolution team had the honor to sponsor and participate in the 2017 Move for Minds event today in San Francisco. It was an amazing event presented by Maria Shriver and Equinox Sports Clubs and benefitting the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement. Thousands of people came together today in eight cities across the U.S. for a specially designed brain-body workout led by amazing Equinox trainers (they kicked our butts!), a healthy marketplace (food and drinks were amazing!!) and panel conversations featuring superstars of brain research, fitness, and nutrition.
Some take away Brain Health Tips from the Move for Minds team.
EXERCISE
Break a sweat. Exercise vigorously at least three times a week. Even a brisk walk will do. – Michael Gervais, Senior Manager, Equinox Sports Clubs
Get your feet on the ground. New research shows the foot’s impact when walking or running can create forces that increase blood supply to the brain. If you currently take all your exercise seated or on a machine that holds your feet in place, mix it up by adding activities that have pounding the pavement. – Katy Bowman, Biochemist, Nutritious Movement
On your feet! Stand as much as possible throughout the day to stimulate the growth of new brain cells. – Pamela Peeke, M.D., Peeke Performance Center for Healthy Living
Exercise to increase blood flow to your brain. Low blood flow is the number-one brain imaging predictor of Alzheimer’s. – Daniel Amen, M.D., Amen Clinics
NUTRITION
Paint your plate green. Focus on dark, nutrient-dense leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. Science shows that kale will improve your cognition, memory and mood. – Rebecca Katz, M.S., Author: The Health Mind Cookbook
Spice up your brain! New research suggests cinnamon boosts neuroplasticity and improves the structural integrity of brain cells in the hippocampus, a key memory area of the brain. Try sprinkling some cinnamon on your morning coffee. – Marie Paskinski, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital
Drink tea. Tea is full of polyphenols called catechins which have been shown to help keep the brain plaque-free. Recent research found that daily tea drinkers (unsweetened, of course) lower their risk for Alzheimer’s. Max Lugavere, Health Vlogger
Keep your gut happy to keep your brain happy. They are connected and both need healthy bacteria. Easting probiotics like kefir and fermented foods help promote healthy guts and brains. – David Perlmutter, M.D., Perlmutter Health Center
WELL-BEING
Use humor. Laugh a little, or better yet make someone else laugh. Numerous studies have shown that humor can relive stress, help stimulate your immune system and even reduce pain. – Ann Romney, Ann Romney Center for Neurological Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Go for silent walks. You can observe all that is around you, giving your brain space to breathe fresh air. – Mallika Chopra, Intent.com
An effective exercise in mindfulness is to perform a relatively habitual activity – like washing the dishes or eating a meal – with unbroken focus, using your breath to keep you present. Notice that is changes your relationship to the task and your overall energy. Rebecca Pacheco, Yoga & Meditation Teacher
SLEEP
Get a solid seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Sleep issues, like chronic insomnia and sleep apnea, kill brain cells. – Daniel Amen, M.D., Amen Clinics
Honor your sleep sanctuary; make your bed. It’s a task completed and a great way to start the day. It will feel lovely when you get back into it at night. Keep your smartphone and tech devices out of the bedroom. This will minimize exposure to the blue light from these devices that inhibits the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone. – Nancy Rothstein, MBA, The Sleep Ambassador
Exercise is essential, as is sleep. Physical activity helps loosen amyloid while sleep encourages their disposal, protecting against cognitive decline. Exercise and sleep go hand in hand. – Richard Isaacson, M.D., Director, Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic, Weil Cornell Medicine
SOCIAL CONNECTION
Nurture your friendships, Studies show that that those with rich social networks perform better cognitively, live longer and are happier. – Marie Paskinski, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital
Make a new friend from a world or country that you know nothing about. – Ellen Goodman, Writer, The Conversation Project
Love. – Wendy Suzuki, Ph.D., Center for Neural Science at New York University
Life is about stories. Little memories. Write them down. Memories are the connective tissue that make you you. – Jay Newton-Small, Founder, MemoryWell
MOVE YOUR MIND
Stop multi-tasking. Perform tasks sequentially for optimal brain performance, productivity and accuracy. – Sandra Chapman, Ph.D., Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas.
Develop your ability to engage in sustained “single-tasking”. Today’s distracted minds desperately need the reset! – Adam Gazzaley, M.D., Ph.D., UC San Francisco Memory and Aging Center.
Do things differently. Try opening doors with your non-dominant hand or standing on one foot while brushing your teeth. This shifting of habits creates new pathways in the brain. – Michael Gervais, Senior Manager, Equinox Sports Clubs
Stay mentally curious. – Reisa Sperling, M.D., Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Amazing day for an incredible cause and we cannot wait for Move for Minds 2018!! Move for mind, train your brain, train your body, make them last a lifetime!
