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In an eye-opening demonstration of nature’s ingenuity, researchers at Princeton University recently discovered that exercise creates vibrant new brain cells — and then shuts them down when they shouldn’t be in action.  In the New York Times, Gretchen Reynolds writes...

"For some time, scientists studying exercise have been puzzled by physical activity’s two seemingly incompatible effects on the brain.  On the one hand, exercise is known to prompt the creation of new and very excitable brain cells.  At the same time, exercise can induce an overall pattern of calm in certain parts of the brain...

"The researchers studied runners’ brains and found they were 'teemed with many new, excitable neurons....'  The runners’ brains, however, also had a notable number of new neurons specifically designed to release the neurotransmitter GABA, which inhibits brain activity, keeping other neurons from firing easily.  In effect, these are nanny neurons, designed to shush and quiet activity in the brain."

Contributed by Zvia Dover

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Healthy Children, Healthy Lives: The Wellness Guide for Early Childhood Programs by Sharon Bergen and Rachel Robertson Healthy Children, Healthy Lives provides a comprehensive collection of checklists and research-based in- formation to help you evaluate and improve wellness in your program, making it a safe, happy place for each child and adult who passes through the doors. The checklists cover six areas of wellness: Nutrition and healthy eating habits Physical activity and fitness Emotional health and resilience Physical health Safety and risk management Leadership Learn More and Purchase

 

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