The following are excerpts from reviews from Amazon's listing of this book followed by the reviews.
humans are genetically built to move
incorporating an intense athletic regimen.
more movement actually increases the brain's ability to learn.
highly favorable impact of regular exercise on mental health.
health benefits of exercise
incentive to get off the couch.
exercise is the best thing you can do for your brain
Exercise reduces your risk for Alzheimer's by 50%.
Exercise can mitigate the symptoms of depression better than drugs
help to explain and motivate individuals who suffer from any number of today's health-related problems.
inter-relationship of the mind and body
we have the capacity to improve and make the changes we seek. Exercise is the 'ruby slipper' It cranks up the brain and gets us where we want to go.
this book contradicts my outdated education on the brain, how it develops
aerobically exercises regularly.
regular aerobic exercise stimulates better and more effective mental activity.
optimal brain functioning requires plenty of blood, the right nutrients, a balance of body chemicals designed to help the brain operate, and an ability to grow new cells and connections in the brain. Each of these elements is helped by regular aerobic exercise.
The results are often measurable within a few weeks.
about thinking well and being able to learn. There are longevity and other quality of life benefits as well . . . including reduced incidence of disease and less chance of dementia.
fascinating chapter about anxiety. Dr. Ratey says that a peptide secreted by the heart muscle when we exercise regulates stress and anxiety (atrial natriuretic peptide, p. 102). Who knew a heart valve needs to get pumping for us to feel calm, cool, and collected?
chapter on addiction
exercise produces chemicals which help us experience pleasure in life's simple things, reducing urges to seek pleasure in self-destructive ways.
kids - especially the chapters on learning and ADHD. It is so interesting to learn how our bodies can improve our brain :-)
exercise improves mind, body and soul. I've experienced it in my own life.
depression and fatigue are a result of poor dietary habits and failure to launch out of their chairs.
Since reading this book, I've upped my exercise 50%.
This is a book that every educator, every teacher, every parent, every school board member and administrator AND every student should read.
cognizant of how learning takes place neurologically and build teaching around the science.
I work with children with learning challenges
I realized that it applies to everyone. The book pulls together much research about learning, anxiety, depression, ADHD, aging, etc. and the effects of exercise on each.
This book has really gotten me and my family off the couch. It's so inspiring. I hadn't realized that exercise can promote brain-cell growth--the implications of this are huge. Filled with easy-to-understand and fascinating science as well as ideas on how to exercise, this one is a must-read.
it focuses on keeping things simple, just getting up and moving. And it explains the science behind it all:
writing is extremely coherent and understandable to a non-physics-major like me. The tone is accessible and encouraging, while being substantial and authoritative.
will inspire you to get moving.
I experienced severe depression.
running
impact it had on my emotional well being almost instantly
inspirational book,
provocative case studies, scientific evidence and practical information, not only provides another great reason to incorporate physical activity into your life.
provides an individualized formula to make your exercise routine have an impact on your brain, improving function and alleviating the negative effects of depression, anxiety, stress and hormonal fluctuation among others.
sharpen mental capacity.
scientific research being done worldwide
patient accounts which make this book not just informative but touching, funny and relatable as well.
appreciate my body and what I can do on a daily basis
inspire people to move.
exercise as a way to good health
be active, and need to, literally, "move" our minds.
a solution to the culture-wide epidemic of stress and learning problems that is 100% healthy, involves no medication and is completely free and accessible to everyone.
a sound explanation of how unhealthy diet and
lack of movement impairs memory and learning.
exercise improves attention, motivation, mood, and memory while decreasing anxiety, impulsivity and distractibility
a future with less dependence on medicating our children
more emphasis on supporting today's youth with the "food" they need to grow into healthier, more balanced young adults.
After reading Spark my entire viewpoint has changed. Exercise is a master key to brain functioning. Cholesterol and other system problems caused by lack of exercise are a bit ambiguous since we often can't directly feel them until we manifest some disease. Brain functioning is something else entirely. We can feel an almost immediate change after aerobic exercise. After reading Spark I definitely have become a six day a week exerciser. I need my brain functioning as well as possible, and the data in this book has made a believer out out of me.
in our highest thought processes.
the value exercise has for the learning process in high school students: improved academic performance, alertness, attention and motivation.
we can alter our mental states by physically moving.
a chapter where depression is relieved in case studies by exercise.
SPARK puts it in perspective from a scientific
point of view.
chapters on Stress and depression
If its as simple as getting on a treadmill or a bike and working out for 30-45
minutes without any side effects, then it seems only logical to do it.
"you goto workout "
"why you goto workout"
exercise will also make your
brain fit along with your body. The brain-body connection is important and
one cannot be ignored over the other.
+++
Customer Reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars Spark - the best book I read in years, May 9, 2008
By P. Creaven "celticmna" (Seattle, WA, USA)
(REAL NAME)
If I had plenty of money I would buy up every copy of "Spark" on the shelves and give a copy to every Politician, Teacher and child in our nation and make them read it.
5.0 out of 5 stars Who needs to read this book? Everyone!, April 25, 2008
By armchairinterviews.com (Minnesota)
Modern America is in love with fitness. It seems that the quest for the body beautiful has reached epidemic proportions. However, most people only think about the physical benefits of exercise. It should come as no surprise that exercise is a good idea - for the body and the mind. Although marketing gurus would have us believe that everyone in America owns a Bowflex or an Ab-Roller, it seems that the result of our overly sedentary lifestyle has largely caught up with us.
Mind you, this is not a novel idea. Even Plato conceded, "Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical exercise save it and preserve it." This tome came to us from one of the very people who helped lay the philosophical foundation of Western culture.
Building upon this platonic idea that humans are genetically built to move, Dr. John Ratey provides an excellent development of the "why" behind exercise's importance. His book, Spark: the Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain provides enough scientific evidence to spark an interest in all readers.
Dr. Ratey includes a landmark case where a school in Illinois actually reversed a negative educational trend by incorporating an intense athletic regimen. His delving into the realities there demonstrates the connection between exercise and increased intellectual acumen. Many school districts, who are currently opining for the next "magical bullet" to fix their systems, might find their money better spent on heart rate monitors that prove their students are exercising in the right zone. This methodology worked wonders in Naperville, Illinois.
It seems that Dr. Ratey wants to destroy stereotypes of unintelligent athletes. Nothing could be further from the truth: more movement actually increases the brain's ability to learn. This book provides sufficient scientific detail to prove it - to a physician, teacher, or layman. Dr. Ratey, himself a clinical associate professor of psychiatry, has no intention to aim this work exclusively at the scientifically minded, however. Even the intermittent athlete can benefit from decreased tendencies toward stress, depression, or anxiety.
Armchair Interviews says: Who needs this book? Anyone who wants to be smarter - and understand "why" exercise can provide a kick start for the brain.
5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Spark, April 15, 2008
By Kenneth W. Harris (Bethesda, MD) -
(REAL NAME)
The book documents very well the highly favorable impact of regular exercise on mental health. The fact that the author is a practicing psychiatrist lends credibility to the overall conclusion that exercise is good for you mentally as well as figuratively.
Anyone interest in the health benefits of exercise and the health risks of not exercising ought to read this book.
If you are already regularly active, the book will motivate you to be more so. If not, it should give you incentive to get off the couch.
5.0 out of 5 stars 100 reasons to exercise, April 7, 2008
By Mark R. Pearson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
In this groundbreaking book, Harvard psychiatrist, John J. Ratey, MD, takes us on a fascinating exploration of the impact of exercise on the brain. Most people just think exercise is good for overall health. But what's extraordinary is that exercise is the best thing you can do for your brain, not just your body. Exercise reduces your risk for Alzheimer's by 50%. It produces the protein BDNF, which is like Miracle-Gro for your brain. Exercise can mitigate the symptoms of depression better than drugs like Zoloft. Exercise can help your productivity at work. I could go on and on. After reading the book, you will have 100 reasons why you need to do aerobic exercise (for your brain) every single day.
SPARK is a terrific compliment to John Medina's new book, BRAIN RULES (full disclosure: I'm the publisher of the book). One of the 12 Brain Rules is "exercise boosts brain power." It's impossible to read these books without wanting to get up and move. Unforunately, our workplaces and schools keep us in cubicles or desks for 8 hours a day. I hope these books can do something about this problem. Sitting goes against everything we are built to do.
5.0 out of 5 stars SPARK: Confirmed what I believed with scientific evidence. A MUST READ, April 6, 2008
By Charles R. Krasner "-C. Krasner" (Grosse Pointe Farms, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Highly recommended. It will help to explain and motivate individuals who suffer from any number of today's health-related problems.
This book explains so much about the inter-relationship of the mind and body, though a bit technical at times. A few simple diagrams / graphics would have been a nice addition - next printing perhaps.
I happened to read it after successfully weening myself from years of anti-depresents. I understand how I was able to be so successful even though my doctor lacked a firm sense of these beliefs. It helps to know the key to so much personal recovery/growth is within AND backed-up by science.
Like Dorothy in The Wizard of OZ, we have the capacity to improve and make the changes we seek. Exercise is the 'ruby slipper' It cranks up the brain and gets us where we want to go.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS BOOK! It is an important read and keeper but pass it on: Improving one's mind/body experience is the best gift we can share!
5.0 out of 5 stars A Concise Act of Appreciation, March 24, 2008
By Sean E. Flanigan "Professional Consumer" (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
I like this book because it presents the research in a more objective manner than other popular press science books that I have read over the years. This book is concise and carefully refrains from sensationalism of the link between exercise and the brain. It describes groups of studies within a certain context and it presents the findings in a way that readers will be able to discern between "evidence" and "law".
This book was fun to read because much of the content of this book contradicts my outdated education on the brain, how it develops, and how it freezes from further significant development around hormonal changes as teens. Additionally, while Piaget may describe behavior well, the inferences made about physical brain development from his ideas are also rendered obselete.
As a matter of serendipity, I also read this book at a time when I was around 15 weeks of regular exercising after being dormant for 7 years. It really helped my confidence with the decision to make investments of time and money to exercise as many days out of the week as I could.
The underlying research that is in this book should be given credit and I have to take away points for not presenting the hypothesis of all the experiments presented in the book in greater detail, because a casual reader will likely infer that all the studies were conducted on behalf of the thesis of the book.
Still, 5 Stars.
5.0 out of 5 stars Regular Aerobic Exercise Helps School Performance and Improves Mental Performance During Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Aging, March 11, 2008
By Donald Mitchell "a Practical Optimist" (Boston)
(TOP 10 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
I've read a lot about the brain in the last decade, and I thought this book was the most helpful summary I've seen of what to do differently. The thinking person is the person who aerobically exercises regularly.
Spark is an excellent summary of the brain research during the last decade or so that has added to our knowledge of how regular aerobic exercise stimulates better and more effective mental activity. Dr. Ratey considers the impact of such exercise on school-age children . . . and adults with stress, anxiety, depression, attention deficits, hormonal changes, and aging bodies. He also recommends a general exercise regime that seems to optimize what we know today from these studies.
The essence of the book can be found in the observation that optimal brain functioning requires plenty of blood, the right nutrients, a balance of body chemicals designed to help the brain operate, and an ability to grow new cells and connections in the brain. Each of these elements is helped by regular aerobic exercise. The results are often measurable within a few weeks.
So if you thought that aerobic exercise was simply about looking and feeling good, you're wrong. It's also about thinking well and being able to learn. There are longevity and other quality of life benefits as well . . . including reduced incidence of disease and less chance of dementia.
The book also explores that you don't have to do a tremendous amount of exercise to get most of the benefits.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Executive Spark, March 7, 2008
By David C. Goodrich - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
While this review is as enthusiastically positive as the previous ones, it comes from a different perspective. My view is based on years of consulting with top leaders of major organizations about their own performance and that of their company. Too bad that SPARK wasn't available sooner. Now we realize that a physical fitness program, especially with the kinds of experiences that Dr. Ratey describes, is an essential part of the career development plan of any would be top manager. Further, Dr.Ratey's suggestions for dealing with high pressure situations are especially helpful for those who already are in positions of heavy responsibility. And the scientific and clinical content are fascinating to any one.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Ratey Hits it Out-of-the-Park with SPARK!!!, March 2, 2008
By C. Bergland - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Spark is a luminous and visionary book. John Ratey and Eric Hagerman have done a terrific job of bringing the neuroscience of exercise and the brain to the mainstream in an intelligent, inspiring and practical book.
Once I started reading Spark, I couldn't put it down. The writing is smart, effortless and heartfelt. John Ratey is on a crusade to spread the message that exercise can transform people's lives from the inside out--and he presents this case convincingly. His enthusiasm is contagious. Spark will definitely persuade and motivate readers from all walks of life to make exercise something that they seek most days of the week.
Spark is packed with tons of really valuable scientific information and case studies, but it is never a heavy read. Ratey mixes in personal anecdotes, other people's experiences and practical advice to bring the pages to life. He also manages to maintain a friendly and down-to-earth voice even when discussing potentially mind-numbingly dry neuro-science. His conversational, upbeat tone keeps the eyes from glazing over and the pages turning...The science in this book is thorough and cutting-edge without ever being stodgy or overly complicated.
Huge thanks to John Ratey and Eric Hagerman for this timely, accessible and inspiring contribution to the field of Exercise and the Brain. Reading Spark will improve your life. I highly recommend this book.
Christopher Bergland
5.0 out of 5 stars Thank Goodness for SPARK!, March 2, 2008
By Timothy McCord (Titusville, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
As a physical educator I have been looking for 30 years for a book like this to validate my profession. Dr. Ratey's book justifies everything done in a quality PE class. Best of all he explains the effects of exercise on the brain in an easy to understand manner. This book should become the bible for all physical educators. All PE teachers should purchase this book and give it to their administrators and school board members.
5.0 out of 5 stars Moods from the heart?, March 2, 2008
By FFC "FFC" (California, USA) - See all my reviews
This book has a fascinating chapter about anxiety. Dr. Ratey says that a peptide secreted by the heart muscle when we exercise regulates stress and anxiety (atrial natriuretic peptide, p. 102). Who knew a heart valve needs to get pumping for us to feel calm, cool, and collected?
Dr. Ratey's chapter on addiction has tons of fascinating research on how exercise produces chemicals which help us experience pleasure in life's simple things, reducing urges to seek pleasure in self-destructive ways.
I recommend this book for anyone who has kids - especially the chapters on learning and ADHD. It is so interesting to learn how our bodies can improve our brain :-)
5.0 out of 5 stars Clear and Convincing Evidence, February 25, 2008
By Blessedbybooks "Blessedbybooks" (Portland, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews
I didn't need to read the book to be convinced exercise improves mind, body and soul. I've experienced it in my own life. Thus I have tried hard to convince others that their depression and fatigue are a result of poor dietary habits and failure to launch out of their chairs.
This book provides clear and convincing support for the author's conclusions. While the scientific jargon is scattered throughout, it is very readable, inspiring and just plain entertaining. I literally could not put it down. I took it into my office where my sedentary and overweight co workers are trying hard to incorporate exercise into their lives. Both were very impressed with the book and are more motivated than ever to 'move on' This book will save lives, read it!
5.0 out of 5 stars Makes a difference for therapists and clients, February 24, 2008
By Allen Ivey "Allen Ivey" (Disinguished Univ. Prof. U Mass Amherst) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Since reading this book, I've upped my exercise 50%. I certainly wish I had read it before. But, I already feel better and know that I am on the right track.
And, Mary and I write textbooks for the counseling field. We will give a big emphasis to this book in our next revision.
Ratey is a scholar who writes for people. The knowledge he shares and his ability to communicate is incredible.
Read this book, share it with your clients, spread it around. Our country needs this book!
5.0 out of 5 stars SPARK, February 19, 2008
By Joseph E. Herzog "bigfish344" (Fresno, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This is a book that every educator, every teacher, every parent, every school board member and administrator AND every student should read.
It's about time that we became cognizant of how learning takes place neurologically and build teaching around the science. 5,000 years ago, the Greeks knew that mind and body were one and that exercise was wholly integrated with "learning."
Finally we have the research to put the science into education and get the politics out. Kudos to Dr. John Ratey for writing the most meaningful and important book in American education.
5.0 out of 5 stars Spark, February 19, 2008
By Joan M. Walker - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Great book for all ages. I bought it because I work with children with learning challenges, however as I read it I realized that it applies to everyone. The book pulls together much research about learning, anxiety, depression, ADHD, aging, etc. and the effects of exercise on each.
5.0 out of 5 stars ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!!, February 15, 2008
By Jackie Keyser "Jackie" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
This book has really gotten me and my family off the couch. It's so inspiring. I hadn't realized that exercise can promote brain-cell growth--the implications of this are huge. Filled with easy-to-understand and fascinating science as well as ideas on how to exercise, this one is a must-read.
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and intelligent, February 13, 2008
By Stephen F. Milioti "Stephen F. Milioti" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
As someone who works from home, I got this book shortly after my 30th birthday came and went, and I was still moving slowly on my resolution to exercise more. To that end, this book was the kick in the backside - literally - that I needed to get up and moving more.
I'm glad I bought this instead of buying a typical how-to exercise book with a shirtless guy on the cover - rather than filling your head with inane tricep curls and painful ab crunchers, it focuses on keeping things simple, just getting up and moving. And it explains the science behind it all: As a pretty analytical person I need to know HOW things happen - how does a plane get up off the ground, how does the stock market work, and now, how my brain and body are interconnected. This book makes me interested because it explains the how and why, rather than just preaching and shouting.
But, though there's hard science at every turn here, the writing is extremely coherent and understandable to a non-physics-major like me. The tone is accessible and encouraging, while being substantial and authoritative.
Before you go out and get an armful of fitness or exercise books, this one is required reading, because it lays down the set of fundamentals and facts that will inspire you to get moving. Highly recommended!
4.0 out of 5 stars Two books that changed my life!, February 10, 2008
By Cathy Cain "Cathy C." (Boston)
I am the mother of two young children. After having my second child I experienced severe depression. A friend asked me to be her running partner and I noticed the impact it had on my emotional well being almost instantly. Since then I have become very interested in brain science & exercise. Last year I read The Athlete's Way by C. Bergland (also great, maybe more practical for newcomers--a great precursor to Dr. Ratey because it's written by an athlete rather than scientist) and now I graduated up to Ratey's book. Who knew my C+ in science would lead to this!! Thank you to Dr. Ratey
5.0 out of 5 stars as if...., February 10, 2008
By Patricia O'Brien (Palo Alto, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
we need yet another reason to exercise... As the Director of Lifelong Fitness Alliance, an organization that has been advocating physical activity for 29 years, I'm well aware of the benefits of exercise. Yet this inspirational book, written in a lively style and loaded with entertaining and provocative case studies, scientific evidence and practical information, not only provides another great reason to incorporate physical activity into your life. It also provides an individualized formula to make your exercise routine have an impact on your brain, improving function and alleviating the negative effects of depression, anxiety, stress and hormonal fluctuation among others. I will be purchasing this book for both my college-aged children, and I would recommend it to anyone who has a reason to sharpen their mental capacity.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!!! Run (or walk) and Get This Book!, February 6, 2008
By Alison Levy "Ali L." (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Dr. John Ratey has created an invaluable and timely work that helps shed light on what exercise can do to enhance the quality and longevity of our lives. Spark is a tremendous resource for clinicians and non clinicians alike. Whether you are an olympic athlete or life long couch potato this book is definitely for you!
Dr. Ratey provides us with the latest clinical information and scientific research being done worldwide to better understand the impact of exercise on our bodies and minds. He shares personal experiences and patient accounts which make this book not just informative but touching, funny and relatable as well.
As a youngster who spent most of the time in the nurses office during gym class, I want to thank Dr. Ratey for writing this book and helping me learn about and appreciate my body and what I can do on a daily basis to try and reach my full potential.
Thanks so much, its a must read!!!
Ali L.
Boston, MA
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational!, February 6, 2008
By Claudine N. Grange "claudine grange, APRN" (Arundel, ME) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
I had the good fortune to hear Dr. John Ratey lecture on his new book Spark. I got a copy right away. I am a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and know the benefits of exercize; now we have some solid proof. Us health providers have to inspire people to move. As far as I'm concerned activity is the best way to mental health. Anyway John Ratey has inspired me and I thank him for this valid research and commitment to exercise as a way to good health. Any t-shirts available yet?...I dig that running stick figure. This book belongs in our hands; it inspires us to shake that thing!
Claudine Grange, APRN
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Arundel, Maine
5.0 out of 5 stars just what the doctor ordered !, February 3, 2008
By A. B. Lopez (newbury, ma United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Excellent ! Dr.J.Ratey's book lays out the "state of the science" regarding exercise and brain function, in a clear, lucid, and engaging way.We have evolved to be active, and need to, literally, "move" our minds.
I'm a clinical psychiatrist,and I'm recommending this book to all my patients !(and friends,family,and colleagues).
A.B.Lopez,M.D.
5.0 out of 5 stars SPARK: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, January 24, 2008
By Barbara Freethy
Finally, a solution to the culture-wide epidemic of stress and learning problems that is 100% healthy, involves no medication and is completely free and accessible to everyone.
So many of us, whether parent or professional, look with alarm at the current state of our nation's youth in regard to rising obesity, decreased emphasis on outdoor play, and over-use of "screen time" on computers, video games and television. As a clinician who has worked with children for 35 years, I am concerned about the marked increased in the frequency of learning problems, attention deficits, anxiety, depression, lagging social thinking skills, and explosive behaviors.
Dr. Ratey provides a sound explanation of how unhealthy diet and
lack of movement impairs memory and learning. He goes on to
show how exercise improves attention, motivation, mood, and memory while decreasing anxiety, impulsivity and distractibility. Dr. Ratey gives us hope for a future with less dependence on medicating our children and more emphasis on supporting today's youth with the "food" they need to grow into healthier, more balanced young adults. SPARK is a must read for all!
Barbara Baum Freethy, M.Ed.
Touchstone Psychotherapy Assc.
Portland, Maine
5.0 out of 5 stars Eye Opening, January 21, 2008
By Brunello (Honolulu)
Our doctors always say to get more exercise. We always yawn and say of course; we've heard it all before. And then we are mediocre in our follow up. After reading Spark my entire viewpoint has changed. Exercise is a master key to brain functioning. Cholesterol and other system problems caused by lack of exercise are a bit ambiguous since we often can't directly feel them until we manifest some disease. Brain functioning is something else entirely. We can feel an almost immediate change after aerobic exercise. After reading Spark I definitely have become a six day a week exerciser. I need my brain functioning as well as possible, and the data in this book has made a believer out out of me.
70 of 70 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Brain on Exercise, January 9, 2008
By steven langston "searcher" (Kentucky United States) - See all my reviews
This book explains in clear terms the role exercise plays in our mental processes. Moving our muscles produces proteins that play roles in our highest thought processes. Ratey says, "thinking is the internalization of movement." He illustrates this with the story of the sea squirt that hatches with a rudimentary spinal cord and 300 brain cells. It has only hours to find a spot of coral on which to put down roots or die. When it does put down roots, it eats its brain. According to Ratey only a moving animal needs a brain.
He begins with the value exercise has for the learning process in high school students: improved academic performance, alertness, attention and motivation.
He cites studies that say we can alter our mental states by physically moving. He said depression is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. He then presents a chapter where depression is relieved in case studies by exercise.
Among the areas Ratey covers are: stress, depression, ADD, and aging. This book is a great motivator for exercise.
However, Ratey's work was preceded by Glenn Doman's. Doman advocated exercise for brain injured children in the 1950s when the only 'treatment' was to institutionalize them. He later started a `super babies' program. Both the educational and medical establishments attacked and marginalized Doman's work.
5.0 out of 5 stars The brain-exercise connection finally explained !!, January 9, 2008
By M. Bankal (NJ, USA)
(REAL NAME)
Having ready 2 previous books by John : The users guide to brain and Driven
by distraction i was looking forward to reading SPARK. I was especially
interested in learning how John was going to tie exercise with the brain
functioning since i am a strong supporter of exercise and have experienced
its benefits. I knew before reading SPARK that exercise in some way does
make you feel better. But SPARK puts it in perspective from a scientific
point of view. The chapters on Stress and depression particularly caught my
attention since most of us struggle with these 2 issues at some point in
life and again most of us turn to popping a pill to deal with it. If its as
simple as getting on a treadmill or a bike and working out for 30-45
minutes without any side effects, then it seems only logical to do it. The
BDNF (Miracle-gro as John calls it) was a very interesting read for me. I
did had to go back and re-read certain topics as was it too much medical
terms to comprehend in one read. But once i got it, it became permanent and
that's the beauty of this book.
Its simple yet powerful in its message. The simplicity comes from the fact
that "you goto workout ". The power comes from the facts / data that proves
"why you goto workout". Once the reader ties the two together, the message
is very clear and hopefully will remain for a lifetime with the reader.
Today if you look around there is a lot of awareness among people about the
ill-effects of obesity. There are TV programs, advertisements, books about
why exercising is good for you and how it will help you be more fit. But
this is the only books that tells you that exercise will also make your
brain fit along with your body. The brain-body connection is important and
one cannot be ignored over the other.
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