MY NAME is Myrna Haag and I've created this Website as part of my work helping people in all walks of life obtain healthy lifestyles. I've worked with busy mothers who lack energy and can't seem to lose weight no matter what they do, and I've helped recovering cancer patients who want to armor their bodies against disease. I've even consulted to competitive athletes who are trying to reach peak performance. I consider myself an enabler, not an expert. I want to share with you what I've learned and motivate you to reach your personal goals.

THE DAILY BUZZPOINT*

Exercise and the Brain

Take a Walk and Grow Some Neurons

WE DON'T ORDINARILY associate athletic ability with high I.Q., but studies have shown that exercise has many beneficial effects on the brain--from helping us recover to depression to stimulating the growth of new cells in the hippocampus, an area of the brain associated with learning and memory.

It's hard to know just how many people are suffering from depression at any given moment, but the current best guess is that in any six-month period roughly 3% to 4% of the population will have symptoms consistent with depression. 5- 12% of all men will experience depression in their lifetime; for women the incidence is 12-20%. Depression is associated with low levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine. Exercise increases the concentration of these chemicals. Also, exercise stimulates a stress response that leads to the production of endorphins, which interfere with the transmission of pain signals to the brain and can even produce a feeling of euphoria. Physicians have known for some time now that exercise enhances the effects of antidepressive medications.

But perhaps the most amazing effect of exercise on the brain is neurogenesis, the generation of new brain cells. Humans start losing nerve tissue after the age of 30. Exercise helps maintain the network of connections among neurons; the greater the density the greater our ability to process and store information. This may have both a preventative and therapeutic effect on diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

So if you're depressed or just frustrated at not being able to solve the Sunday crossword puzzle, then try moving your body.

The Buzzpoint* archive can be browsed (it will grow!)...

*Buzzpoint: Something between a practical tip and a motivating story.

NEWS

Myrna Bars can be reserved online.

The recipe for Myrna Bars is now available online.

Myrna Bars featured in a St. Petersburg Times article.

In the Food Section... Fiesta Chicken