>>> Announcer: PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR "QED WITH DR.

B."

IS PROVIDED BY -- AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER FOUNDATION.

BOUNDLESS ENERGY FOR BRIGHTER FUTURES.

AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> I'M DR. FREDERIC BERTLEY, IMMUNOLOGIST AND EDUCATOR.

SCIENCE IS EVERYWHERE AND FOR EVERYONE.

AND IT'S ALL AROUND US, SHAPING OUR LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

IN THIS SERIES, WE'LL LOOK AT CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH, TALK TO THE SCIENTISTS WHO ARE CHARTING NEW FRONTIERS AND SOLVING TODAY'S PROBLEMS TO MAKE ALL OUR LIVES BETTER.

WHEN A SCIENTIST OR MATHEMATICIAN DEMONSTRATES PROOF OF CONCEPT IN THEIR WORK, THEY OFTEN USE A TERM "Q.E.D."

QUAD ERAT DEMONSTRANDUM.

THAT ROUGHLY TRANSLATES TO QUITE EASILY DEMONSTRATED.

WELCOME TO "QED WITH DR.

B."

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[ MOTORCYCLE ENGINE REVVING ] >>> ALL RIGHT DANA.

YOU READY TO PLAY SOME BALL?

>> ARE YOU READY?

>> I WAS BORN READY.

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>> YA!

WOO!

>> THE WEATHER'S PERFECT FOR BASKETBALL, MY CROSSOVER'S BACK, AND I'VE BEEN RAINING Js ALL DAY.

WHAT ARE WE GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY?

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF EXERCISE.

BUT, THERE'S LOTS OF STUDIES OUT NOW THAT SHOW THAT EXERCISE IS MORE BENEFICIAL THAN JUST WATCHING YOUR WAISTLINE.

SO, TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE NEW FINDINGS.

>> IT'S SO INTERESTING.

I MEAN, OF COURSE THERE'S THE WAISTLINE BIT, BUT ALSO YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM GETS BOOSTED, IT ACTUALLY LOWERS CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT STIMULATES YOUR BRAIN TO HELP YOU THINK BETTER.

>> SO, WHO ARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE STUDYING EXERCISE THESE DAYS?

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S SO INTERESTING BECAUSE AS A CLASSIC, YOU KNOW, PHYSIOLOGIST AND EXERCISE SCIENTISTS.

BUT, NOW YOU HAVE IMMUNOLOGISTS, YOU HAVE CARDIOLOGISTS, YOU HAVE NEUROSCIENTISTS.

YOU EVEN HAVE PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL SCIENTISTS WORKING ON THIS.

AS WELL AS ENGINEERS AND COMPUTER SCIENTISTS ALL STUDYING ALL THE MECHANICS AND DETAILS OF EXERCISE AND THE IMPACT ON OUR BODY.

PRETTY INCREDIBLE STUFF.

>> MOST PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ACTIVE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, BUT EXERCISE IS ALL OF A SUDDEN BECOME THIS THING TO DO.

WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?

>> WELL, LET'S START WITH BASKETBALL BECAUSE I HAVE TO SAY ONE OF MY FELLOW CANADIANS J.A.

NEISMITH INVENTED BASKETBALL IN 1891.

BUT, YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU CAN GO BACK TO LIKE THE ROMANS WITH OF COURSE THE GLADIATORS, THE SPARTANS, SAMURAI, THE MOORS FROM SPAIN.

INCREDIBLE POPULATIONS WHO WERE VERY FIXED ON EXERCISE, AND STRENGTH, AND PHYSIOLOGY.

THAT WAS 2,000 TO A FEW HUNDRED YEARS AGO B.C.E.

BUT, RANKED TODAY, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

IT'S BECOME A KIND OF REINVENTION THAT WE DO FOR LEISURE.

AND I HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH DR. DANIEL LIEBERMAN, HARVARD PROFESSOR WHO'S GONNA SHARE WHAT WE THINK AND KNOW ABOUT EXERCISE TODAY.

>>> IT'S ABSOLUTELY A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU DR. LIEBERMAN.

THANKS FOR JOINING ON "QED WITH DR.

B."

>> IT'S MY PLEASURE.

THANKS FOR ASKING ME.

>> YOU STATED THAT GETTING A WORKOUT OR MOVEMENT JUST FOR MOVEMENT'S SAKE IS ACTUALLY A RELATIVELY NEW PHENOMENON IN OUR HUMAN HISTORY.

CAN YOU UNPACK THAT A LITTLE?

>> SURE.

LOOK, HUMANS LIKE EVERY OTHER CREATURE EVOLVED TO MOVE, RIGHT?

WE HAVE TO MOVE TO GET DINNER, WE HAVE TO MOVE NOT BE SOMEBODY ELSE'S DINNER, WE MOVE FOR FUN, YOU KNOW FOR DANCING, ETC.

SO, WE'VE MOVING FOREVER, RIGHT?

BUT, UNTIL RECENTLY PEOPLE AVOIDED UNNECESSARY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OR UNREWARDING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BECAUSE CALORIES WERE LIMITED.

ANY TIME YOU HAVE A LIMITED RESOURCE, YOU HAVE TRADEOFFS, RIGHT?

EVERY MINUTE YOU SPEND LISTENING TO ME IN THIS SHOW, RIGHT, YOU'RE NOT SPENDING DOING SOMETHING ELSE, RIGHT?

WHEN YOU'RE STRUGGLING TO GET ENOUGH CALORIES, YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEND EXTRA ENERGY ON UNNECESSARY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BECAUSE IT PREVENTS YOU FROM SPENDING CALORIES ON TAKING CARE OF YOUR BODY, OR REPRODUCING, AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT NATURAL SELECTION CARES ABOUT.

SO, WE ONLY INVENTED EXERCISE WHICH WE DEFINE AS DISCRETIONARY VOLUNTARY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR THE SAKE OF HEALTH AND FITNESS IN THE MODERN ERA AFTER WE STOPPED HAVING TO WORK.

NOW, WE'VE GOT ALL THESE MACHINES THAT DO OUR WORK FOR US.

NOW WE HAVE TO THIS REALLY WEIRD THING WHICH IS GET UP IN THE MORNING.

I JUST WENT FOR A RUN FOR EXAMPLE.

I JUST DID A FIVE MILE RUN.

I MEAN, NOBODY IN THE PALEOLITHIC WENT FOR A FIVE MILE RUN FOR NO REASON AT ALL.

I MEAN, IT NEVER HAPPENED, RIGHT?

NOBODY WENT AND LIFTED WEIGHTS WHICH SOLE PURPOSE WAS TO BE LIFTED.

THIS IS A MODERN BEHAVIOR THAT WE DO TO REPLACE THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT WE NORMALLY USED TO HAVE TO DO.

>> WE DON'T NEED TO MOVE TODAY TO SURVIVE, SO WHY ARE WE DOING IT?

>> WELL, BECAUSE WE STILL NEED TO BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE FOR HEALTH AND FITNESS.

YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH ALL ARE UNQUESTIONABLY IMPROVED BY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

BUT, WHEN YOU LONGER HAVE TO DO IT, YOU HAVE TO KNOW CHOOSE TO DO IT, RIGHT?

AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON.

WE NOW HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY KIND OF WEIRD.

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>> WELL, AND SO TO THAT POINT, IN GENERAL, IN SOCIETY, ARE WE SITTING AROUND TOO MUCH?

SHOULD WE BE GETTING EVEN MORE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON IS?

>> WELL, YES.

IN THE UNITED STATES FOR SURE.

SO, EVERY MAJOR HEALTH ORGANIZATION ON THE PLANET, I'M SURE YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, RECOMMENDS THAT EVERYBODY GET AT LEAST 150 MINUTES A WEEK OF MODERATE TO VIGOROUS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, RIGHT?

THAT'S 21 MINUTES A DAY.

AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT ONLY ABOUT 20% OF AMERICANS GET THAT MUCH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT CARS THAT TAKE US TO WORK.

WE'VE GOT BUSSES, WE'VE GOT ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS, AND SHOPPING CARTS, AND YOU NAME IT, RIGHT?

ALL THESE THINGS MEAN THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE TO DO VERY MUCH.

SO, THE VAST MAJORITY OF US, GUESS WHAT?

HAVE THAT NATURAL INSTINCT NOT TO DO UNNECESSARY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND IT'S HARD TO OVERCOME THAT INSTINCT.

LOOK AT MOST SOCIETIES.

PEOPLE SPEND MOST OF THE DAY RESTING.

YOU KNOW, HUNTER-GATHERERS, THEY WORK A FEW HOURS A DAY.

AND THEN THEY SPEND ABOUT TEN HOURS A DAY SITTING AROUND JUST LIKE US.

AND THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU DON'T NEED A LOT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

JUST A FEW MINUTES A DAY HAS BIG BENEFITS.

SO, WE DON'T NEED TO RUN A MARATHON.

YOU DON'T NEED TO DO CRAZY AMOUNTS OF STUFF.

I THINK MOST PEOPLE CAN FIND THE TIME IN THE DAY TO, YOU KNOW, CLIMB A FEW FLIGHTS OF STAIRS, GO FOR A NICE WALK, ETC.

YOU DON'T NEED TO DO SOMETHING INSANE TO GET ENORMOUS BENEFITS.

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>> THIS IS A REALLY CHEAP WAY IF NOT ALMOST FREE WAY OF BEING HEALTHY AND IMPACTING DOWNSTREAM KIND OF EXPENSES OF HEALTHCARE, RIGHT?

>> IT'S A NO-BRAINER.

LOOK, WE SPEND 20% OF OUR GDP ON HEALTHCARE FOR DISEASES 75% OF WHICH ARE PREVENTABLE.

AND MOST OF THOSE DISEASES CAN BE PREVENTED BY BEING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE.

I MEAN, AND FURTHERMORE, MEDICAL CARE ACCOUNTS FOR JUST ABOUT 10% OF THE VARIANTS IN PEOPLE'S HEALTH OUTCOMES.

BECAUSE MOST OF YOUR HEALTH COMES FROM YOUR SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT.

YOUR STRESS AND THE PEOPLE YOU'RE AROUND, AND THE FOODS YOU'RE EATING, AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

YOU KNOW, IF WE JUST SPENT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION ON PREVENTION, THE WORLD WOULD BE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PLACE.

AND BY THE WAY, I'D MAKE A BET.

IF WE'D HAD MEMBERS OF CONGRESS EXERCISING, IT WOULD ALSO PROBABLY BE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PLACE TOO.

SO, JUST THINK ABOUT HOW WE COULD TRANSFORM HOW WE FUNCTION ON EVERY LEVEL OF SOCIETY IF WE COULD.

JUST A MINIMUM LEVEL OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BY EVERYBODY.

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>>> THERE YOU GO.

THERE YOU GO.

KEEP THEM COMING.

KEEP THEM COMING.

>> YEAH!

I REALLY LIKE THE POINT DR. LIEBERMAN MADE ABOUT HOW EXERCISE REALLY IMPACTS ALL AREAS OF HEALTH.

NOW, DR. B., YOU'RE AN IMMUNOLOGIST.

AND YOU KNOW FIRST HAND HOW EXERCISE IMPACTS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO, AS YOU KNOW THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS OUR INNATE DEFENSE SYSTEM THAT PROTECTS US FROM THE MYRIAD OF BAD BUGS.

BUT, IT ALSO HELPS US ON WOUND REPAIR AND DAMAGE TO TISSUES.

SO, THE COOL THING ABOUT EXERCISING IS ONE, IT INCREASES YOUR HEART RATE.

TWO YOU GET VESSEL DILATION.

YOUR BLOOD VESSELS ACTUALLY EXPAND A BIT.

SO, NOW YOU'RE PUMPING LOTS OF BLOOD THROUGH YOUR BODY.

AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT ALSO BRINGS ALL THE IMMUNE CELLS AND ALL THE OTHER IMMUNE PROTEINS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN HELP GET TO DIRECT AREAS THAT CAN IMPACT TISSUE REPAIR AND MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER FROM A DEFENSE PROTECTION.

THE OTHER REALLY NEAT THING IS IMPACT THAT ENDOCRINE HORMONAL KIND OF PATHWAY.

SO, NOT ONLY ARE YOU GETTING PROTEINS AND DIFFERENT CHEMICALS THAT CAN ACTUALLY HELP WITH WOUND REPAIR, YOU'RE ALSO GETTING OTHER THINGS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD.

YOU TALK ABOUT BEING ELATED AND THAT GOOD FEELING THAT COMES WITH EXERCISING.

THAT'S PART OF THE ENDOCRINE HORMONAL LINK.

BUT, THE LAST ONE WHICH IS REALLY CUTTING EDGE, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.

WE NOW KNOW THAT THE MUSCLE CELLS THEMSELVES WHEN THEY'RE CONTRACTING JUST BY BASIC MOVEMENT, THEY'RE ACTUALLY THEMSELVES PRODUCING THESE CYTOKINES.

AND THESE ARE PROTEINS THAT REALLY HELP FURTHER PROTECT YOU AND PUT IN AN HYPER ANT-INFECTIOUS STATE.

SO, THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY BODILY SYSTEMS THAT IS REALLY ENHANCED BY SIMPLE EXERCISE.

>> THAT'S AMAZING.

SO, HOW DOES EXERCISE IMPACT OTHER SYSTEMS OF THE BODY?

>> WELL, YOU'VE GOT THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THROUGH EXERCISE.

YOU ALSO HAVE THE MUSCULAR-SKELETAL BONE STRUCTURE THAT'S IMPACTED.

YOU ALSO HAVE THE NERVOUS SYSTEM THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED FROM JUST BASIC EXERCISE.

AND WHAT'S REALLY COOL IS THE IMPACT ON THE BRAIN, IT'S FANTASTIC WHAT HAPPENS THROUGH EXERCISE.

AND I HAD THE CHANGE TO CATCH UP WITH DR. WENDY SUZUKI, A NEW YORK UNIVERSITY NEUROSCIENTIST WHO'S NOT JUST STUDYING THE BRAIN AND EXERCISE, BUT SPECIFICALLY HOW THAT HELPS YOUR MEMORY AND LONG TERM RETENTION.

>>> YOU'RE A NEUROSCIENTIST AND YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME RESEARCHING EXERCISE.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU STUDY AND HOW YOU GOT INTO THIS RESEARCH.

>> SO, I WAS VISUALLY STUDYING A REALLY, REALLY COOL AND IMPORTANT PART OF THE BRAIN CALLED THE HIPPOCAMPUS.

CRITICAL FOR FORMING NEW MEMORY.

AND THEN SUDDENLY, OUT OF NOWHERE, I GAINED 25 POUNDS.

BUT, I'M ONLY 5'4.

I GAINED 25 FULL POUNDS.

I WAS STRUGGLING AND I ENDED UP GOING TO THE GYM AND SAYING OKAY, I'M GONNA TRY AND DO THIS.

AND I LOST THE 25 POUNDS AND I STARTED TO NOTICE NOT ONLY WAS MY MOOD ELEVATED, BUT WHAT REALLY MADE ME SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE IS THAT MY WRITING ABILITY SEEMED TO BE BETTER.

MY FOCUS WAS DEEPER AND LONGER.

AND MY HIPPOCAMPUL DEPENDENT LONG TERM MEMORY WAS ALSO BETTER IN ME.

AND THAT LED TO MY SWITCH OF RESEARCH DIRECTION FROM FOCUSING ONLY ON THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE HIPPOCAMPUS AND HOW IT WORKS TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND HOW MOVEMENT IMPROVED OUR BRAINS.

>> THIS IS FASCINATING.

SO, WHAT ARE THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTS THEN OF EXERCISE ON THE BRAIN AND HOW LONG DO THOSE LAST?

>> THIS IS THE VISUAL THAT I GIVE EVERYBODY.

EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU MOVE YOUR BODY, INCLUDING JUST A TEN MINUTE WALK OUTSIDE, YOU ARE GIVING YOUR BRAIN A WONDERFUL BUBBLE BATH OF NEURO CHEMICALS.

WHAT ARE THOSE WONDERFUL NEURO CHEMICALS?

YOU HAVE HEARD OF THEM.

DOPAMINE, SEROTONIN, NEUROADRENALINE.

THAT IS THAT MOOD BOOST AND MOTIVATION BOOST THAT YOU GET WHEN YOU MOVE YOUR BODY.

BUT, THAT'S NOT ALL.

YOU'RE ALSO GETTING OTHER GROWTH FACTORS.

ONE IN PARTICULAR IS CALLED BDNF.

AND THAT STIMULATES THE BIRTH OF BRAND NEW BRAIN CELLS IN MY FAVORITE BRAIN AREA, BACK IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS.

AND WHILE NEW BRAIN CELLS DON'T POP UP EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU GO FOR A WALK, YOU ARE BASICALLY GIVING THE HIPPOCAMPUS THAT ENVIRONMENT WITH THAT WONDERFUL BUBBLE BATH OF NEURO CHEMICALS AND GROWTH FACTORS TO HELP BRAND NEW BRAIN CELLS GROW AND HELP MAKE YOUR HIPPOCAMPUS STRONGER AND BETTER.

>> HOW LONG DOES THAT BUBBLE BATH OF NEURO CHEMICALS LAST AFTER YOU EXERCISE FOR A BIT OF TIME?

>> SO, STUDIES THAT I'VE DONE IN MY LAB SUGGEST THAT A SINGLE WORKOUT CAN LAST FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS.

BUT, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW HARD YOU WORK OUT.

YOU CAN START TO SEE SOME EFFECTS.

THAT IS SOME OF THE MOOD EFFECTS, YOUR ANXIETY, YOUR DEPRESSION WILL GO DOWN AFTER A SHORTER WORKOUT OR A SHORTER WALK.

SO, I MEAN THAT'S A HUGE BENEFIT FROM A RELATIVELY LITTLE OUTPUT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY CAN DO, GETTING OUT AND WALKING FOR TEN MINUTES.

CAN YOU DO THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO, WHAT I GOT TO ASK.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL MOVEMENT THAT TRIGGERS STUFF FROM THE BRAIN EVEN THOUGH YOUR ARMS AND LEGS ARE FAR FROM THE BRAIN?

>> WE'RE STARTING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE ANSWERS.

SO, LET ME OUTLINE THREE OF THE PATHWAYS THAT WE KNOW ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THOSE BRAIN BENEFITS.

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NUMBER ONE, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE FACTORS CALLED MYOKINES THAT ARE RELEASED FROM OUR MUSCLES WHEN WE WORK OUT THAT GO INTO THE BLOODSTREAM.

THEY PASS INTO THE BRAIN THROUGH WHAT'S CALLED THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER, WHICH IS A VERY, VERY TIGHT, VERY STRICT BARRIER.

WE DON'T LET ANYTHING GO INTO THE BRAIN, BUT THAT'S ONE THING THAT HELPS TRANSLATE FROM MOVING MUSCLES TO BRAIN CHANGE.

NUMBER TWO, FACTORS RELEASED FROM THE LIVER.

KETONE BODIES FROM THE LIVER.

RECENTLY WE'VE APPRECIATED THAT THOSE ALSO PASS THROUGH THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER AND CAN EFFECT BRAIN FUNCTION.

NUMBER THREE, FACTORS RELEASED FROM OUR FAT TISSUE.

SO, SOMETHING GOOD THAT OUR FAT TISSUE DOES.

RELEASE FACTORS THAT CAN ALSO GO THROUGH THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER AND ARE STIMULATING SOME OF THIS NEUROCHEMICAL BATH THAT IS BENEFITING THE BRAIN.

>> SO, THAT'S FANTASTIC.

BUT, WHAT'S THE LONG TERM IMPACT ON THE BRAIN BUT CONSISTENT EXERCISING?

>> NUMBER ONE IS THAT LONG TERM EXERCISE STIMULATES THE BIRTH OF BRAND NEW BRAIN CELLS IN YOUR HIPPOCAMPUS.

AND EVERYBODY SHOULD WANT NEW BRAIN CELLS IN YOUR HIPPOCAMPUS BECAUSE IT HELPS YOU REMEMBER ALL THE FACTS AND EVENTS THAT MAKE UP YOUR OWN PERSONAL HISTORY.

IT'S YOUR OWN PERSONALITY THAT THE HIPPOCAMPUS IS HELPING YOU CREATE.

AND THE OTHER FUNCTION THAT PEOPLE DON'T TALK ABOUT AS MUCH, BECAUSE THIS IS A MUCH MORE RECENTLY DISCOVERED FUNCTION OF THE HIPPOCAMPUS, IS IMPORTANCE FOR IMAGINATION.

PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER IN YOUR MIND THAT YOU KNOW ABOUT, BUT HAD NEVER BEEN PUT TOGETHER BEFORE.

SO, DO YOU WANT BRAND NEW SHINY CELLS IN THAT STRUCTURE?

YES, I DO.

BECAUSE I NEED MY MEMORY TO WORK REALLY WELL, AND THE HIPPOCAMPUS IS SO VULNERABLE TO AGING AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE STAES.

WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THESE REGULAR WORKOUTS, IS YOUR MAKING YOUR HIPPOCAMPUS BIG, AND STRONG, AND FAT, AND FLUFFY.

SO THAT YOU CAN WITH STAND THINGS THAT COME AT YOU WITH AGING, AND IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE ALZHEIMERS IN YOUR DNA, AS I DO.

>> WELL LOOK, THIS IS FASCINATING.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

AND WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMENDED TO EVERYDAY FOLKS, LIKE MYSELF AND OUR VIEWERS?

>> SO MY SPECIFIC ANALOGY IS THAT REGULAR EXERCISE IN YOUR LIFE IS LIKE A SUPER CHARGED 401k FOR THE HEALTH OF YOUR BRAIN.

WHY DO I CALL IT SUPER CHARGED?

I CALL IT SUPER CHARGED FOR THE REASONS WE'VE ALL READY TALKED ABOUT.

YOU GET IMMEDIATE BENEFIT EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU'RE WORKING OUT.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE WAIT ALL THAT LONG TIME JUST TO BENEFIT AT THE VERY END.

AND THE OTHER REALLY IMPORTANT POINT IS NO MATTER WHEN, OR HOW LONG YOU ARE DEPOSITING, YOU ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE BRAIN PROTECTION.

WE KNOW THAT LONG TERM REGULAR EXERCISE CAN LEAD TO YEARS OF STAVING OFF DEMENTIA.

EVEN WALKING MORE CAN STAVE OFF DEMENTIA, AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT.

WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE IN THE 70s, WHO HAVE ALL READY BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ALZHEIMERS DEMENTIA, HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BENEFIT FROM REGULAR WALKING.

IN THE SENSE THAT THEIR DEMENTIA SCORES GO DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY AFTER THREE MONTH WALKING PROGRAM.

SO IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO START.

AND I LIKE TO SAY THAT IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A GREAT WORKOUT REGIMATE STARTED IN YOUR LIFE, THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DO THE LITTLEST AMOUNT OF WORK TO GET THE BIGGEST BENEFITS.

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> SO WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HOW EXERCISE IS SO BENEFICIAL.

AND IF IT'S SO BENEFICIAL, WHY IS IT SO HARD TO MAKE TIME FOR IT?

>> YOU KNOW, I REALLY THINK IT'S ABOUT OPTICS AND EXPECTATIONS.

A LOT OF TIMES WE PUT ALL THIS PRESSURE ON US.

"I HAVE TO LOSE X AMOUNT OF WEIGHT, IN Y AMOUNT OF DAYS."

OR, "I HAVE TO BECOME SUPER STRONG, SUPER BUFF."

AND IT'S EASY TO SAY, "NAH, I'LL PICK THAT UP ANOTHER TIME."

>> SO MAYBE IF WE MAKE MORE REALISTIC GOALS WE CAN MAYBE STICK WITH IT A LITTLE LONGER?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE PRESSURE OF TRYING TO BE LIKE ARNOLD, OR GET PHYSICALLY FIT LIKE SERENA WILLIAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST REALLY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT.

IT'S ABOUT JUST BEING ACTIVE.

HAVING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND THAT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER.

YOUR BRAIN WILL WORK BETTER.

YOUR SKIN TONE WILL LOOK MARVELOUS, YOU'LL BE ALL RIGHT.

BUT REALLY JUST BEING TRUE TO OURSELVES AND NOT PUTTING ALL THIS PRESSURE ON HAVING THESE UNREALISTIC GOALS THAT WE CAN'T ACHIEVE, AND JUST KEEP IT MOVING.

>> AND OUR NEXT GUESS ACTUALLY TAKES THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF WORK TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL.

SHE ACTUALLY SAYS THAT EXERCISE HELPS TO BECOME MORE SOCIAL.

>> YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, DIANA.

"NEW YORK TIMES" BEST SELLING AUTHOR, DR. KELLY McGONIGAL, IS REALLY DOING INCREDIBLE RESEARCH AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY.

SHE'S GOT SOME REALLY GREAT DATA THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW IT CAN MAKE YOU, AS AN INDIVIDUAL, MORE JOYFUL.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT ACTUALLY MAKES THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU BETTER, JUST BY YOU SIMPLY EXERCISING.

>> MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU KIND OF FEEL GOOD WHEN YOU EXERCISE, BUT YOU HAVE SHARED THAT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE GOING ON IN THE BODY, IN THE BRAIN, PHYSIOLOGICALLY, CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?

>> YEAH, SO IT'S REALLY ONLY BEEN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT RESEARCHERS HAVE LOOKED AT WHAT'S BEHIND THAT CLASSIC EXERCISE PIE, AND DISCOVERED THAT IT'S NOT ONLY ENDORPHINS.

WHEN YOU EXERCISE, YOU'RE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE, THE BRAIN NATURALLY RELEASE THSE ENDOCANABINOIDS IN A WAY THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM A CANABIS HIGH.

THAT THE PRIMARY EFFECT PEOPLE NOTICE, FIRST OF ALL, THIS REALEASE OF WHAT I WOULD CALL, LIKE, THE INNER-SUFFERING OF YOUR MIND.

THE PHYSICAL PAIN, THE WORRIES, THE RUMINATION, THE SELF-DOUBT, AND THIS AMPLIFICATION OF EVERYTHING THAT FEELS GOOD.

WHAT IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTING TO ABOUT ENDOCANABINOIDS, IS THEY ARE A PART OF THE BIOLOGICAL MECHANISM FOR BONDING WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

SO WHEN ENDOCANABINOID LEVELS ARE HIGH IN YOUR BRAIN, IT MAKES IT EASIER TO CONNECT WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

IT DRAWS OUT THE JOY OF THINGS LIKE COOPERATING, OF PLAY, OF PHYSICAL TOUCH, HELPING OTHER PEOPLE.

AND SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE REASONS WHY, YOU KNOW, AFTER PEOPLE ARE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE.

IF YOU GO FOR A RUN, OR YOU WORKOUT AT THE GYM, PEOPLE OFTEN REPORT FINDING IT EASIER TO CONNECT WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS, OR EVEN STRANGERS.

AND WE KNOW THAT ACTUALLY FOR 24 HOURS AFTER PEOPLE ARE ACTIVE, THAT THEY HAVE MORE POSITIVE INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

I THINK THAT IT'S PART OF THE UNDERSTANDING WHY BEING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE IS JUST A PART OF HOW WE ARE HUMAN.

BEING ACTIVE CAN ACTUALLY DRAW OUT SOME OF THESE CLASSIC HUMAN STRENGTHS, LIKE OUR ABILITY TO COOPERATE AND TO TAKE IN THAT.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT, MORE OFTEN, ABOUT MOVING THAN EXERCISING.

I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT PEOPLE THINK THAT EXERCISE MEANS, "I HAVE TO TRAIN TO RUN A MARATHON," OR "HAVE TO DO TWO A DAYS IN THE GYM."

REALLY UNPACK THAT FOR THE LISTENERS.

>> SO I TALK ABOUT MOVEMENT IN PART BECAUSE A LOT OF THE BENEFITS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THEY'RE ABOUT ENGAGING WITH LIFE THROUGH YOUR BODY.

SO IT CAN BE GARDENING, IT CAN BE WALKING TO RUN ERRANDS, IT CAN BE PLAYING WITH YOUR PETS OR YOUR CHILDREN, IT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, DANCING AT A WEDDING, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE MOVEMENT PURELY FOR THE SAKE OF IMPROVING YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH.

WHICH IS WHAT WE OFTEN THINK OF AS EXERCISE.

UM, I ALSO TELL PEOPLE, "YOU DON'T HAVE TO RUN A MARATHON, BUT YOU CAN IF YOU WANT TO."

SO A LOT OF THIS ABOUT FINDING MOVEMENT THAT IS ENJOYABLE AND MEANINGFUL.

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>> THE HOPE MOLECULE.

WHAT IS THAT?

>> I THINK THIS IS POSSIBLY THE MOST FASCINATING SCIENTIFIC INSIGHT OF THE LAST DECADE.

AND THIS IS THE UNDERSTANDING THAT YOUR MUSCLES ARE ENDOCRIN ORGANS.

YOU KNOW, WE THINK ABOUT MUSCLES, THESE THINGS ATTACHED TO OUR BONES AS HELPING US MOVE THROUGH THE WORLD.

BUT BIOLOGISTS NOW KNOW THAT MUSCLES ARE ALSO ENDOCRIN ORGANS THAT MANUFACTURE AND SECRETE ALL SORTS OF CHEMICALS INTO YOUR BLOOD STREAM THAT EFFECT EVERY SYSTEM OF YOUR BODY.

AND WHAT'S SO FASCINATING, IS THAT YOUR MUSCLES ARE MANUFACTURING, BASICALLY MOLECULES THAT ARE MEDICINE, BUT THEY ONLY RELEASE IT WHEN YOU CONTRACT YOUR MUSCLES THROUGH MOVEMENT AND THROUGH EXERCISE.

AND THEY INCLUDE MOLECULES THAT SUPPORT HEART HEALTH, THAT INCLUDE BONE HEALTH, THAT REGULATE BLOOD SUGAR, EVEN SOME MOLECULES THAT KILL CANCER CELLS.

FIRST OF ALL, WE'VE GOT THIS AMAZING SCIENTIFIC FINDING THAT YOUR MUSCLES ARE LIKE A PHARMACY FOR EVERY ASPECT OF GOOD HEALTH, AND THE ONLY WAY TO ACCESS THAT PHARMACY IS TO MOVE YOUR BODY.

SO THAT ON ITS OWN IS AMAZING.

BUT THE HOPE MOLECULES, THAT'S THE INSIGHT THAT A LOT OF THESE CHEMICALS ACTUALLY EFFECT YOUR BRAIN.

THAT WHEN YOU MOVE YOUR BODY, AND YOUR MUSCLES ARE RELEASING THESE CHEMICALS INTO YOUR BLOOD STREAM, MANY OF THESE MOLECLUES MAKE THEIR WAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHERE THEY ACT LIKE AN ANTIDEPRESSANT.

WHERE THEY REDUCE ANXIETY.

AND WHERE THEY START TO CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR BRAIN OVER TIME IN WAYS THAT MAKE YOU MORE RESILIENT.

AND SO SOME OF THESE BIOLOGISTS SAID, "HAVE WE DISCOVERED THE HOPE MOLECULES?"

AND THE REASON I LOVE THAT PHRASE IS BECAUSE IT MEANS WHEN I EXERCISE, WHEN I GO FOR A WALK, I CAN SAY TO MYSELF, "I'M GIVING MYSELF AN INTRAVENUS DOSE OF HOPE."

AND IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING WAY TO THINK ABOUT OUR BODIES, NOT AS THESE SORT OF BARRIERS TO HAPPINESS, OR THESE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO CONTROL AND FIX, BUT TO THINK ABOUT YOUR BODY AS THIS FRIEND THAT IS ABLE SUPPORT YOU THROUGH SOMETHING AS ALMOST MIRACULOUS AS HOPE MOLECULES.

>> TALK ABOUT WHO CAN DO THIS STUFF.

WHO CAN GENERATE THE HOPE MOLECULE?

>> THIS IS FOR EVERYONE.

I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, "YOU START WHERE YOU ARE, WITH THE BODY THAT YOU HAVE, AND YOU MOVE WHATEVER PARTS OF YOUR BODY STILL MOVE."

WERE NOT TALKING, NECESSARILY, ABOUT THE MOST FIT ATHLETES OR JUST YOUNG PEOPLE.

FOR EXAMPLE, I VISITED ADAPTIVE FITNESS GYM WHERE PEOPLE WHO ARE PARTIALLY PARALYZED OR RECOVERING FROM STROKE, ARE BOXING AND DOING OBSTACLE COURSE TRAINING, AND AMAZING FEATS OF STRENGTH.

AND EXPERIENCING NOT ONLY THINGS LIKE THE PERSISTANCE HIGH, BUT THE DEEP MEANING THAT COMES FROM TACKLING PHYSICAL CHALLENGES AND DISCOVERING HOW TOUGH YOU ARE.

I WENT TO A DANCE CLASS FOR PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

WHERE PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THAT COLLECTIVE JOY OF MOVING TO MUSIC, OF SELF-EXPRESSION, AND OF MOVING IN A COMMUNITY OF DANCING WITH OTHERS.

THIS REALLY IS -- IT'S FOR ALL BODIES.

IT DOES NOT REQUIRE LOSING WEIGHT.

IT DOES NOT REQUIRE BEING IN PERFECT HEALTH.

WE KNOW THAT.

IN FACT, MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOME BARRIERS TO MOVEMENT ARE ALSO THE ONES WHO EXPERIENCE THE MOST BENEFIT FROM IT.

SO I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LOOK FOR A COMMUNITY WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU BELONG.

WHERE YOUR BODY MAKES SENSE, AND TO DO THE MOVEMENT THAT FEELS GOOD OR MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF.

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>> SO LET'S RECAP.

MY TAKE AWAY FROM TODAY IS THAT IF I LIVED IN THE PALEOLITHIC ERA I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE RUNNING FIVE MILES FOR FUN.

>> YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

CLEARLY, EXERCISE TODAY IS MODERN ACTIVITY.

BUT IT YIELDS SO MANY GIFTS, INCLUDING MOLECULAR TRANSFORMATIONS THAT ACTUALLY HELP MAKE US BETTER HUMAN BEINGS.

AND WE ALL KNEW IN THE PAST THAT EXERCISE WAS HELPFUL, NOW WE KNOW SCIENITIFICALLY THAT DATA SUPPORTS ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE BODY THAT IMPACTS.

FROM NUERONAL TISSUE TO MIOSITES TO YOUR HEART TO OF COURSE OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY TO OUR BRAIN AND OUR HUMAN SPIRIT.

WE BECOME BETTER PEOPLE BY EXERCISING, AND WE MAKE OTHER PEOPLE BETTER JUST BY DOING IT.

AND THAT'S REALLY COOL.

>> AND WHAT I LOVE IS THAT I MAY OR MAY NOT RUN A MARATHON IN MY LIFETIME, BUT WHAT ALL THREE GUEST EMPHASIZED WAS THAT ANYONE AT ANY PHYSICAL ABILITY CAN REALLY REAP THE BENEFITS OF MOVEMENT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

LIKE I LIKE TO SAY, "JUST KEEP IT MOVING."

AND THAT'S QUITE EASILY DEMONSTRATED.

"QED WITH DR. B" -- FIND US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.

AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

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BOUNDLESS ENERGY FOR BRIGHTER FUTURES.

AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU, THANK YOU.

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