Hello!
Today, I am very excited. My old blog used to focus on a lot of different things relating to health, like diets, the healthcare industry, representation, Black history, health disparities across race and gender lines, etc. I loved what I wrote, but I very stupidly never backed it up anywhere. I’m really hoping I can get the motivation to recreate more of those posts on this incarnation of IGH, especially as I take a turn more into the mental health aspect of community health.
So. We all know that physical activity is good for our bodies. We’ve heard the ’30 minutes, 3 times a week’ mantra since we could comprehend words, probably. I’m sure most people know about how good it is for blood circulation, heart health, lung health, all that good stuff. And, of course, the false promise of weight loss; bodies are too complex for that to always work and body ideals are unrealistic and pushed by marketing and… sorry, that’s a body-positive rant that I’ll get into in a different post.
Again, I don’t think that it takes research to conclude that the mind *is* the brain, which is literally in control of the body, but. Did you know that exercise, and specifically dancing, has a huge impact on the brain too?
Just like in part 2 about dog therapy, exercising does cause the brain to release happy chemicals, like serotonin, dopamine, and endocannabinoids. In fact, in a study on people with methamphetamine substance use disorder, in which dopamine-receptors in the brain have lost some function, they found an exercise regimen to potentially be helpful in the treatment of that addiction.
Apparently, since last time, there has been a lot more interest in the role of physical activity on specific conditions, like Down’s syndrome, attention deficit disorder, and even Parkinson’s.
The findings that fascinated me the most years ago had to do with the fact that elderly patients with cognition impairments such as dementia were observed to have thicker gray matter in the brain after being in a structured dance class, and possibly because of that, suffered less symptoms from that impairment, including working memory and task-switching ability, according to John Hopkins Medicine.
I read that experienced dancers actually had a bit of the opposite, which is interesting. Researchers hypothesize that maybe the difference (*thinned* gray matter) comes from being exposed to that creative environment at such a young age means their brain structure was already developed that way.
Harvard Medicine mentions that many of these positive effects are likely due to just how much mental coordination these activities require. Coordinated movement like Tai chi or dance help the mind be more aware of the body. Specifically in aging populations and those with movement disorders (hi!) like Parkinson’s, this skillset can help prevent falls and help compensate for the motor function lost. Researchers have also observed that having a rhythmic cue to attune their body to also helps with upper extremity function and wide gait.
At one point, the concept of neuroplasticity was a pretty popular thing. I feel ancient, because now there’s a thing called neurogenesis, which is a bit different? But basically, it’s the ability of the brain to form new neuron pathways. I have a whole book on it in my Nook catalogue somewhere, but it suggests that an injured brain doesn’t necessarily stay injured. These studies show that, in the same way, a brain/mind that has been traumatized has hope of healing structurally. Therapy is the biggest way, of course, but I very much think that adding therapeutic practices like movement and cuddling on top of that is a great way to go about supporting your mental health, and I’m kind of thrilled that a practice that offers both exists in our community.
Now, to insert myself. I hope it’s pretty obvious why this particular area is such an area of interest for me. Disability is varied, and the whole point is we all function differently from what’s “standard,” even amongst ourselves. I’m not in any way saying it’s the only option, but I do think of exercise and dance fitness as self-imposed, quality-of-life-improving physical therapy. It has been shown time after time to benefit people with similar conditions to mine, and if you are in the same boat, I encourage you to give it a try. I just started working out again, and I’m really hoping my fasciitis allows me to condition myself enough to partake in some of these services.
Pawsitively Transformational offers group therapies, wellness programs like th.e ones I’ve covered, psychotherapy, workshops, and others that you can find on their website.
These therapies and services cover a lot, but Nathaniel Redekopp says that what’s at the heart of this practice is respect. As long as everyone can respect differences in experiences, they are welcome there.
Until Tuesday,
Salud!
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