Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

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	• Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain John J. Ratey Little, Brown and Company, 2008 - 304 pages average customer review:based on 34 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Should be required reading

In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I am a doctoral candidate in health psychology who is studying cardiovascular exercise as a viable treatment for comorbid emotional and physical disorders...
that being said, I think that everyone should read this book.

For a long time, the general public has minimized the beneficial effects of exercise and has consistently cut physical activity from school curricula. As we become more and more inactive, and consume much more calorie-dense food, our bodies are demonstrating the effects of physiologic and psychological stress. Dr. Ratey's writing style is accessible to all, and breaks down current research into themes and results that are easily understood. It is my hope that writings such as these will revolutionize the American approach to health, which currently seems to rely on purely pharmaceutical interventions. The ideas suggested in this book really provide a strong basis for the effects of exercise that we had already suspected, and packages it in a manner that will be relevant to people in all walks of life.

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Gives new dimension to the phrase, "No pain, no gain."

Being in and around the military my entire life (I was born in a military hospital) I can safely say that exercise has always played, at least, a small role in my day to day existence. And I think those of us who exercise on a daily basis can attest to the light form of euphoria you seem to experience after a workout. Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, written by Dr. John J. Ratey, simply reinforces something most of us who exercise on a daily basis already recognize; which is, it's good for you. Dr. Ratey provides credible evidence that cognitive development can be enhanced simply by breaking a sweat. As I read the book, I often wondered whether there was a correlation between obesity and academic underachievement; resulting from, not only the lack of school supported and directed exercise programs, but similiarily, the lack of access to publicly run, affordable, 24-hour inner-city exercise facilities, and the increase of violent crime commonly associated with the economically depressed poverty pockets of America. I know, I know it's a stretch, but sometimes I wonder. Something else that struck me was the genetic intensity available to all human beings via genetic encoding during exercise. That information added an exhilarating dimension to my exercise program (specifically, my cardio routine) that I wasn't expecting. While Spark may not get you out of bed in the morning, it's a satisfying and invigorating read that enhanced my workouts. By the way, I read Spark in conjunction with a Dr. Larry McCleary's, The Brain Trust Program and each book has had a positive impact on my approach to fitness; as a result, I recommend reading it as well. Both books deliver effective information that will help enhance your future via exercise and sound decision making based on solid, well researched fact.

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Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

Excellent support of what we as physical educators have known for years. That exercise is exactly what the body deisires and needs.

Sometimes knowing the benefits helps with the first step....

Spark! An amazing book, hands down...why? Many books explain how exercise helps with wt. control, physical benefits of getting in shape, and other fountain of youth aspects . These are great reasons to exercise, but Spark hits on an entire different niche, the mental benefits and effects on the brain. Sometimes just knowing how and why exercise helps with bad moods, depression and anxiety is all the push people need to get moving. I have read a few negative responses, but hey, guess you can't please everyone...right. I 100 percent enjoyed and found the book to be fascinating and helpful with my own bouts of depression. Let's make a deal to all those who have something negative to say regarding Spark...before making a comment, go for a run and then write how you feel and we'll go frome there.....health in motion

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

A groundbreaking and fascinating investigation into the transformative effects of exercise on the brain, from the bestselling author and renowned psychiatrist John J. Ratey, MD.
Did you know you can beat stress, lift your mood, fight memory loss, sharpen your intellect, and function better than ever simply by elevating your heart rate and breaking a sweat? The evidence is incontrovertible: Aerobic exercise physically remodels our brains for peak performance. In SPARK, John J. Ratey, M.D., embarks upon a fascinating and entertaining journey through the mind-body connection, presenting startling research to prove that exercise is truly our best defense against everything from depression to ADD to addiction to aggression to menopause to Alzheimer's. Filled with amazing case studies (such as the revolutionary fitness program in Naperville, Illinois, which has put this school district of 19,000 kids first in the world of science test scores), SPARK is the first book to explore comprehensively the connection between exercise and the brain. It will change forever the way you think about your morning run---or, for that matter, simply the way you think

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