Everybody says they want to be free. Take the train off the tracks and it'sfree-but it can't go anywhere.

"I love America. We've got the only system that works - it keeps everyone hustling."

"Young people tell what they are doing, old people what they have done and foolswhat they wish to do."

"The only worthwhile achievements of man are those which are socially useful."

"Encouraged people achieve the best; dominated people achieve second best; neglected people achieve the least."

"God put me on Earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I'm so far behind I will never die! "

"If you don?t climb the mountain, you can?t view the plain."

"Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk."

Money will buy you a bed, but not a good night's sleep, a house but not a home,a companion but not a friend.

"The harder you fall, the higher you bounce."

"The man who wakes up and finds himself famous hasn't been asleep."

"To go beyond is as bad as to fall short."

"To reach a great height a person needs to have great depth."

"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances."

"No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings."

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

"Everyone is trying to accomplish something big, not realizing that life is made up of little things."

"This became a credo of mine . . . attempt the impossible in order to improve your work."

"We achieve everything by our efforts alone. Our fate is not decided by an almighty God. We decide our own fate by our actions. You have to gain mastery over yourself. . . . It is not a matter of sitting back and accepting."

"Unless a man undertakes more than he possibly can do, he will never do all that he can."

"Hell, there are no rules here ? we're trying to accomplish something."

"We succeed only as we identify in life, or in war, or in anything else, a single overriding objective, and make all other considerations bend to that one objective."

"What is the recipe for successful achievement? To my mind there are just four essential ingredients: Choose a career you love . . . Give it the best there is in you . . . Seize your opportunities And be a member of the team. In no country but America, I believe, is it possible to fulfill all four of these requirements."

"To understand the heart and mind of a person, look not at what he has already achieved, but at what he aspires to."

You can finish school, and even make it easy -but you never finishyour education,and it's seldom easy.

"If we are striving, if we are working, if we are trying, to the best of our ability, to improve day by day, then we are in the line of our duty."

"Never measure the height of a mountain, until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was."

"My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others. That is nice but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success."

"The best job goes to the person who can get it done without passing the buck or coming back with excuses."

Most x-rated films are advertised as "adult entertaintment,"for "mature adults,"when in reality they are juvenile entertainment for immature and insecure people.

"We are more ready to try the untried when what we do is inconsequential. Hence the remarkable fact that many inventions had their birth as toys."

"Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work."

"Most of us can learn to live in perfect comfort on higher levels of power. Everyone knows that on any given day there are energies slumbering in him which the incitements of that day do not call forth. Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake.It is evident that our organism has stored-up reserves of energy that are ordinarily not called upon ? deeper and deeper strata of explosible material, ready for use by anyone who probes so deep. The human individual usually lives far within his limits."

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."

"It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever ? the one who recognizes the challenge and does something about it. "

Many marriages would be better if the husband and wife clearly understood that they'reon the same side.

There's not a lot you can do about the national economy but there is a lot you can do aboutyour personal economy.

"The heights by great men reached and kept,Were not obtained by sudden flightBut they, while their companions slept,Were toiling upward in the night.

You don't drown by falling in water; you only drown if you stay there.

Standing on what too long we boreWith shoulders bent and downcast eyes,We may discern ? unseen before,A path to higher destinies."

"Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great."

The more you express gratitude for what you have the more you will have to expressgratitude for.

"Hell begins on the day when God grants us a clear vision of all that we might have achieved, of all the gifts which we might have wasted, of all that we might have done which we did not do."

"Someone has defined genius as intensity of purpose: the ability to do, the patience to wait. . . . Put these together and you have genius, and you have achievement."

"Only if you reach the boundary will the boundary recede before you. And if you don't, if you confine your efforts, the boundary will shrink to accommodate itself to your efforts. And you can only expand your capacities by working to the very limit."

"Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising one's levels of aspiration . . and expectation."

"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."

"Five minutes, just before going to sleep, given to a bit of directed imagination regarding achievement possibilities of the morrow, will steadily and increasingly bear fruit, particularly if all ideas of difficulty, worry or fear are resolutely ruled out and replaced by those of accomplishment and smiling courage."

"Competition is a by-product of productive work, not its goal. A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others."

"She looked at the crowd and she felt, simultaneously, astonishment that they should stare at her, when this event was so personally her own that no communication about it was possible, and a sense of fitness that they should be here, that they should want to see it, because the sight of an achievement was the greatest gift a human being could offer to others."

"There are only two roads that lead to something like human happiness. They are marked by the words . . . love and achievement. . . . In order to be happy oneself it is necessary to make at least one other person happy. . . . The secret of human happiness is not in self-seeking but in self-forgetting."

"A handful of pine-seed will cover mountains with the green majesty of forest. I too will set my face to the wind and throw my handful of seed on high."

Kids go where there is excitement. They stay where there is love.

"The things we accept as normal and enjoy today were considered impossible twenty-fiveyears ago and beyond the power of man to achieve. The early "Buck Rogers" and "Flash Gordon"comic strips were fantastic and considered outside the realm of man's attainment. They wereconsidered figments of man's imagination, but now many of these miraculous, imaginative thingshave become realities and man is pushing onward toward new and higher goals of achievement. Weare now mentally prepared for every new invention and advancement in technology and the sciences, but, nevertheless, stand amazed at man's powers to create and achieve. These outstandingaccomplishments, which approach the miraculous, to me are unquestioned evidence of man's divinenature.Man has sent up satellites which circle the globe. He has taken the breathtaking, miraculousride about the earth. He expects to circle the moon and even land man on the outer planets;also he considers feasible floating platforms in outer space as intermediate stations forinterplanetary travel."

When you give a man a dole you deny him his dignity, and when you deny him his dignityyou rob him his destiny.

The more you express gratitude for what you have the more you will have to expressgratitude for.

Winner's Blueprint for AchievementBELIEVE while others are doubting.PLAN while others are playing.STUDY while others are sleeping.DECIDE while others are delaying.PREPARE while others are daydreaming.BEGIN while others are procrastinating.WORK while others are wishing.SAVE while others are wasting.LISTEN while others are talking.SMILE while others are frowning.Kids go where there is excitement. They stay where there is love.

COMMEND while others are criticizing.PERSIST while others are quitting."

"Periods of tranquility are seldom prolific of creative achievement. Mankind has to be stirred up."

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."

"You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand."

"You can do anything you wish to do, have anything you wish to have, be anything you wish to be."

"Man is not the sum of what he has but the totality of what he does not yet have, of what he might have."

"Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit."

"Personal development is your springboard to personal excellence. Ongoing, continuous, non-stop personal development literally assures you that there is no limit to what you can accomplish."

"The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still favorable. Favorable conditions never come."

"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible."

It's not the situation, but wheather we react (negative) or respond (positive) tothe situation that's important.

Link:
ACHIEVEMENT - Motivating Quotes

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Have you heard about the amazing Himalayan crystal salt that comes directly from the Himalayan Mountains? It is packed with some pretty amazing benefits and is an amazing new staple to add to your pantry. It is an absolutely wonderful alternative to table salt, and soon Ill explain why.

First of all, what makes Himalayan crystal salt so amazing? About 200 million years ago, there were crystallized sea salt beds that were covered with lava. Being kept in this untouched, pristine environment that has been surrounded with snow and ice for so many years means that the salt has been protected from modern day pollution. Many people believe that this pink salt from the Himalayas is the purest salt that can be found on the planet.

Himalayan Salt contains the same 84 trace minerals and elements that are found in the human body, that alone is quite impressive! A few of these minerals include: sodium chloride, sulphate, calcium, potassium and magnesium. When using this salt, you are actually getting less sodium intake per serving than regular table salt because it is less refined and the pieces are larger. Therefore Himalayan salt has less sodium per serving because the crystals or flakes take up less room than the highly processed table salt variety. Another cool thing about this salt is that because of its cellular structure it stores vibrational energy. The minerals in this salt exist in colloidal form, which means that they are small enough for our cells to easily absorb.

Some of the benefits that you can expect by consuming this salt in place of regular table salt include:

Sea Salt

While still a better choice than table salt, sea salt is becoming increasingly over processed and lets face it, our oceans are becoming more and more polluted each year, just think about the massive oils spills that have occurred. Because of the pristine conditions that the pink salt is kept in, it is said to be the purest salt available today.

Table Salt

Regular, commercial table salt is completely stripped of the majority of its minerals with the exception of sodium and chloride. It is then bleached, cleaned with chemicals and then heated at extremely high temperatures. The iodine that is added to table salt is almost always synthetic which is difficult for our bodies to properly take in. It is treated with anti-caking agents, which prevents the salt from dissolving in water and in the salt container. These agents then prevent the salt from absorbing in our own bodies, which leads to a build up and deposit within the organs. This can cause severe health problems. Studies have shown that for each gram of table salt that is consumed that the body cannot process, your body will use 20 TIMES the amount of cellular water to neutralize the amount of sodium chloride that is present in this chemically treated salt.

This is large in part of how salt has gotten such a bad name. It is not necessarily salt that is unhealthy for us, it is refined table salt that is inferior for our health. Aside from that, many of us are consuming way too much processed food. These foods contain astronomical amounts of salt, and it isnt the good kind. Its not about limiting our amount of salt; its about consuming more natural, homemade whole foods. This way we can add salt while cooking or sprinkle some on our meals without having to worry about high blood pressure and so on.

You should be able to find this amazing Himalayan Crystal Salt at your local health food store, or easily online!

Much Love

Sources:

http://fitlife.tv/10-amazing-benefits-of-pink-himalayan-salt/

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/himalayan-crystal-salt-benefits/

http://www.himalayanlivingsalt.com/salt_facts.htm

http://authoritynutrition.com/how-much-sodium-per-day/

The Sacred Science follows eight people from around the world, with varying physical and psychological illnesses, as they embark on a one-month healing journey into the heart of the Amazon jungle.

This incredible true story details how ancient shamanic healing methods can work to shift our bodies and minds. here.

Read the incredible true story here.

Go here to read the rest:
The Amazing Benefits of Himalayan Pink Salt Collective ...

In Search of the Miraculous: Fragments of an Unknown Teaching is a 1949 book by Russian philosopher P. D. Ouspensky which recounts his meeting and subsequent association with George Gurdjieff. It is widely regarded as the most comprehensive account of Gurdjieff's system of thought ever published.[citation needed] It is regarded as "fundamental textbook" by many modern followers of Gurdjieff's teachings, who often use it as a means of introducing new students to Gurdjieff's system of self-development.[citation needed]

The book is basically the author's recollection of his first meeting and subsequent association with George Gurdjieff and the teaching that Gurdjieff imparted to him; a teaching which still exists today in various forms and which Ouspensky would himself teach to various groups from 19211947. Throughout the book, Ouspensky never refers to Gurdjieff directly, only using the single initial "G.", but it is common knowledge that this "G." was Gurdjieff, who taught Ouspensky an ancient esoteric system of self-development commonly known as the Fourth Way.

The book begins with Ouspensky returning home to St. Petersburg from his recent excursion to the East, where he journeyed "in search of the miraculous", as he put it. He soon meets a mysterious man, a certain "G.", who has all the answers for which Ouspensky has been arduously searching all his life. He immediately joins Gurdjieff's esoteric school, and begins learning a certain system of self-development which originated in the East, allegedly during the most remote antiquity, possibly millennia before recorded history.

Ouspensky recounts his trials learning this new system, which he later refers to as the Fourth Way, often recollecting entire lectures, or parts of lectures, which Gurdjieff gave to his disciples in St. Petersburg and Moscow from 19151917. He describes many of his experiences, particularly concerning the "art of self-remembering", and he recounts some of the methods and various exercises which comprised Gurdjieff's system.

The book concludes with his experiences during the Bolshevik Revolution and his and Gurdjieff's eventual escape to the West, where they continued to teach Gurdjieff's system to many followers until their respective deaths in 1947 and 1949. The latter part of the book also describes the author's feelings and motives behind his eventual decision to teach the system independently, not under the direct supervision of his teacher, Gurdjieff, which he formally announced to his students in London in early 1924.

The book was published posthumously in 1949 by Ouspensky's students, two years after his death. Ouspensky originally titled the book simply Fragments of an Unknown Teaching, reflecting his view that Gurdjieff's system had to be "assembled" by the student himself, as well as his view that much of the original system was probably lost. It was also an oblique reference to a book by the well-known Theosophist and friend of Ouspensky, G.R.S. Mead called Fragments of a Faith Forgotten. Mead's book was a collection of fragments of an almost forgotten religion: Hermetism. Ouspensky recognized this as one of Gurdjieff's sources and used the title as an oblique reference. However, the publisher insisted on adding the prefix In Search of The Miraculous, which became the more commonly known shortened name for the book.

Originally published at the time of Gurdjieff's death and authorized by Gurdjieff himself, it is considered one of the best expositions of the structure of Gurdjieff's ideas and is often used as a means of teaching Gurdjieff's system, although Ouspensky himself never endorsed its use in such a broad manner. Nevertheless, this book is by far the most quoted by current disciples of Gurdjieff as they attempt to teach his system to new students, and Gurdjieff himself even had some of his students read parts of the book as part of their studies.

The 2001 edition has a foreword by writer Marianne Williamson, in which she notes the book's reputation as being a classic, or even a primer, in the teaching of esoteric principles and ideas. The 2004 facsimile edition of the first edition is identical in every way apart from a few modifications.

"In Search of the Miraculoous - ISBN-13: 978-1874250760 August 2010 - identical copy of first hardback edition. Paul H. Crompton Ltd.

Read this article:
In Search of the Miraculous - Wikipedia

Bill Murray was bitten by the groundhog twice during shooting. Murray had to have anti rabies injections, because the bites were so severe. According to Director Harold Ramis, most of the time, when he tried to explain a scene to Bill Murray, Murray would interrupt and ask, "Just tell me - good Phil or bad Phil?" Bill Murray was offered a spit bucket for the diner scene where he gorges himself on pastries, but he refused. The angel food cake, in particular, caused him to feel sick soon afterward. On the DVD, Harold Ramis states that the original idea was for him to live February 2nd for about ten thousand years. Later, he says that Phil probably lived the same day for about ten years. A breakdown of this day count and Ramis' thoughts can be found here: youtu.be/swJ-kNdtrdQ Harold Ramis directed the kids in the snowball fights to hit Bill Murray as hard as they could. Murray responded by throwing snowballs back as hard as he could. Harold Ramis originally wanted Tom Hanks for the lead role, but decided against it, saying that Hanks was "too nice".

All the clocks in the diner are stopped, mirroring Phil's predicament.

The scene where Phil picks up the alarm clock and slams it onto the floor didn't go as planned. Bill slammed down the clock, but it barely broke, so the crew bashed it with a hammer to give it the really smashed look. The clock actually continued playing the song like in the movie.

There are exactly 38 days depicted in this film, either partially, or in full.

When Phil takes the elderly man to the hospital, and talks to the nurse, a boy with a broken leg can be seen in the background. This is the same boy who falls out of a tree later on in the film, only this time, Phil catches him.

Chosen to be preserved by the National Film Registry in 2007.

Since the film's release, the town of Punxsutawney has now become a major tourist attraction.

A family of groundhogs was raised for the production.

The groundhog ceremony is depicted as occurring in the center of town. Gobbler's Knob, where the ceremony takes place in real-life, is a rural, wooded area, about two miles outside of Punxsutawney.

Unlike the scenes for the bed and breakfast, the scenes at the piano teacher's house were filmed inside the actual house, in the front room as it appears in the film.

The Swedish title of this movie translates as "Monday the entire week". The movie, however, does not specify what day of the week it is supposed to be, and Groundhog Day in 1993 was actually on a Tuesday.

In the 1880s, some friends in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania went into the woods on Candlemas Day to look for groundhogs. This outing became a tradition, and a local newspaper editor nicknamed the seekers "the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club." Starting in 1887, the search became an official event centered on a groundhog called Punxsutawney Phil. A ceremony still takes place every year.

Ranked #8 on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 greatest films in the genre "Fantasy" in June 2008.

Premiere voted this movie as one of "The 50 Greatest Comedies Of All Time" in 2006.

In one scene, Connors throws himself from the bell tower of a high building. This building is actually an opera house in Woodstock, Illinois. Local legend has it that a ghost of a young girl haunts the building since a girl once fell off of the balcony section inside the opera house and died.

The "clocks" restaurant in Woodstock, Illinois, is now a Starbucks.

The store "Lloyd's", always seen in the background in the scenes where Phil encounters Ned Ryerson, tried to sue the production for several thousand dollars for lost business. They were unsuccessful.

The German title of the movie is "Und tglich grt das Murmeltier", which can be translated as "The groundhog greets every day". The title has been adapted in Germany as a humorous proverb, which is often used when something is frequently repeated, especially annoying or awkward things.

The house that was used for the piano teacher's house, is less than a block away from the house used for the bed and breakfast. Though not visible in the film, it is actually located on the street that Phil sees directly proceeding from his room window, just a few houses down on the left-hand side.

The ice sculptures featured in the movie (called Winged Victory) were carved by Randy Rupert, a.k.a. The Chainsaw Wizard. Randy is actually a Punxsutawney resident, and has a shop downtown. He can be found in the city park every Groundhog Day carving and selling his wooden sculptures.

The interior scenes of the Cherry Street bed and breakfast were not filmed inside the actual house. The only times the crew entered the house at all, were to turn on lamps for the proper lighting effects needed for the exterior shots.

Among Phil's books in the coffee shop are "Treasury of the Theatre: From Agamemnon to A Month in the Country" by John Gassner (Simon & Schuster, 1964), and "Johann Strauss: Father and Son, a Century of Light Music" by H.E. Jacob (Greystone Press, 1939). The classical piano piece that draws his attention in the same scene is Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K. 545.

Came in at number 4 in the BBC Culture 100 best comedies of all time.

The second time Phil counts down to go on the air (after the groundhog sees his shadow), when he gets to "1" he holds up his middle finger, rather than his pointer.

Included among the American Film Institute's 2000 list of the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.

During a diner scene, a bumper sticker for "The Spirit" can be seen over Phil's shoulder. This is the name of the newspaper in Punxsutawney.

The end credits read "Filmed in Panavision", which is the requirement for films using anamorphic lenses, rather than "Filmed with Panavision Cameras and Lenses", for films that use spherical lenses.

The red Cadillac in the "no tomorrow" driving scene is a 1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertible with a non-stock grille. It is a front-wheel drive car, as can clearly be seen in the burnout at the start of the train track sequence. The Eldorado was equipped with rear-wheel drive from 1953 to 1966, then front-wheel drive from 1967 through the end of production in 2003.

Debbie and Fred's last names are given briefly as "Kleiser".

The Tip Top Cafe, where many indoor scenes took place, was a set created for the film, but it became an actual restaurant, the Tip Top Bistro, following the movie's success. Later, it became a coffee and Italian ice cream shop, and after that a fried chicken outlet.

In the German restaurant scene, when the waitress behind Phil is walking away from a customer she just served, she touches the customer on the shoulder and leaves some beer suds there. The second time there, she does the same thing, but no suds are visible.

Before the "Ned's corner" scene you can see a sign for Woodstock Jewelers, giving away the name of the town substituting for Punxsutawney.

Groundhog Day is February 2, which written in numeric form is a repeated number (2/2), while the number 2 is also used to refer to doing something again (e.g. "Take 2").

At the end of the alley scene in which Phil has given up trying to save the old homeless man, he looks upward and is clearly about to say something. The line was apparently cut for reasons unknown.

The trivia items below may give away important plot points.

In the final shot, Phil carries Rita over the gate and then climbs over it. This is because the gate was actually frozen shut.

Rita slaps Phil ten times during the course of the film.

The end party scene where everyone thanks Phil, was originally supposed to take place at Fred and Debbie's wedding, but it was changed for time constraints.

The old man is the only one to die and stay dead. Phil, the groundhog, and the old man are the only ones in the loop known to have died. The fate of the cops chasing Phil on the railroad tracks is not shown, but since there was no crash as the train went by, it's likely they got off in time.

In the narrative behind why Phil changes, and why he helps the people in Punxsutawney. Phil begins to understand why he is stuck in the twenty-four hour loop of February the Second, and he realizes that he must change and become a better person, and he uses his knowledge of the day's events to better himself, and the lives of the townspeople.

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Groundhog Day (1993) - Trivia - IMDb

This residential experiential learning event will present both the contextual underpinning of the Wisdom practice movement as well as a thorough presentation and practice of specific leadership skills for leading Wisdom practice groups. While we will begin with a suggestion of what human Wisdom development might be in this current age and how the Wisdom movement directly addresses this present human challenge, this training will then move directly into the practical demands and realities of contemplative practice and Wisdom group leadership. Not only will we catalogue some of the current expressions of Wisdom groups (e.g., chanting groups, Gospel Thomas groups, book study groups, and, of course, Wisdom Schools), but we will also present, demonstrate, and practice some of the specific group leadership skills that will be demanded in each of these groups. Besides setting forth a unique perspective of the Wisdom post-holder as group leader and delving into some of energetic realities subtly present in this work, this training will also suggest a marriage between energetic group leadership and more traditional group dynamics theory.

Because there is sequential unfolding to this training and to the acquisition of deeper understandings and skills, participants will be expected to attend the whole workshop. A follow-up component in which participants can receive support and supervision will also be made available.

This training will be led by Bill Redfield, Lois Barton, and Deborah Welsh.

The Rev. William C. Redfield is an ordained Episcopal priest and a licensed clinical social worker. Although he was ordained in 1976, he spent the first half of his professional career as a group, family, and individual therapist in Maine. Later Bill served Trinity Episcopal Church in Fayetteville for nearly twenty years. During this time he brought his passion for new forms of Wisdom spirituality and established Wisdom House as an outreach spiritual ministry in the greater community. Having retired from parish work over four years ago, Bill is now engaged in full time Wisdom work mainly in the Northeast.

Sister Lois Barton, a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, holds basic and advanced certificates from the Spiritual Direction Mentoring Program of the Spiritual Renewal Center in Syracuse, NY, and a Masters Certificate in Pastoral Ministry from the Loyola Institute for Ministry Extension Program of Loyola University, New Orleans. Sister Lois is an experienced teacher, spiritual director, and group leader. Along with Bill, Lois has a long-established practice of Centering Prayer and also has been an active student of Cynthia Bourgeault for the past eleven years. She is the program director of The Sophia Center in Binghamton, NY.

Deborah Welsh, Ed.D., a Wisdom Leader and creator of Wisdom of the Body, has worked with Bill Redfield and Lois Barton co-leading Wisdom Schools since 2010. She is a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, Mental Health Counselor, and Board Certified Dance Movement Therapist, specializing in dance and movement as sacred. Her underpinnings are in modern and improvisational dance, the psychology of C.G. Jung, yoga, and exercise physiology.

Cost: All are welcome at Hallelujah Farm. We are grateful for your support in the amount you can afford. As a guideline, the suggested contribution for this retreat is $550, which includes a $50 deposit.

Venue: Guests receive hospitality from Sandy & Roger Daly of beautiful Hallelujah Farm. Accommodations are in shared double rooms. Single rooms may be available upon request.

Information & Registration: Contact Laura Ruth at laurampruth@gmail.com. In order to hold your place, the following deposit is requested: $50 due by April 1, 2018.

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Events Northeast Wisdom

When most adults think about exercise, they imagine working out in the gym, runningon a treadmill, or lifting weights.

But for kids, exercise means playing and being physically active. Kids exercise when they have gym class at school, during recess, at dance class orsoccer practice, while riding bikes, or when playing tag.

Everyone can benefit from regular exercise. Kids who are active will:

Besides enjoying the health benefits of regular exercise, kids who are physically fit sleep better. They're also better able to handle physical and emotional challenges from running to catch a bus to studying for a test.

If you've ever watched kids on a playground, you've seen the three elements of fitness in action when they:

Parents should encourage their kids to do a variety of activities so that they can work on all three elements.

Endurance develops when kids regularly get aerobic activity. During aerobic exercise, the heart beats faster and a person breathes harder. When done regularly and for extended periods of time, aerobic activity strengthens the heart and improves the body's ability to deliver oxygen to all its cells.

Aerobic exercise can be fun for both adults and kids. Aerobic activities include:

Improving strength doesn't have to mean lifting weights. Instead, kids can do push-ups, stomach crunches, pull-ups, and other exercises to help tone and strengthen muscles. They also improve their strength when they climb, do a handstand, or wrestle.

Stretching exercises help improve flexibility, allowing muscles and joints to bend and move easily through their full range of motion. Kids get chances every day to stretch when they reach fora toy, practice a split, or do acartwheel.

Being overweight or obese in childhoodhas become a serious problem. Many things add tothisepidemic, but a big part of it is that kids are becoming more sedentary. In other words, they're sitting around a lot more than they used to.

Kids and teens now spend hours every day in front of a screen (TVs, smartphones, tablets, and other devices)looking at a variety of media (TV shows, videos, movies, games). Too much screen time and not enough physical activity add to the problem of childhood obesity.

One of the best ways to get kids to be more active is to limit the amount of time spent in sedentary activities, especially watching TV or other screens. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends parents:

Parents should make sure that their kids get enough exercise. So, how much is enough? Kids and teens should get 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily.

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) offers these activity guidelines for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers:

Age

Minimum Daily Activity

Comments

Infant

No specific requirements

Physical activity should encourage motor development

Toddler

1 hours

30 minutes planned physical activity AND 60 minutes unstructured physical activity (free play)

Preschooler

2 hours

60 minutes planned physical activity AND 60 minutes unstructured physical activity (free play)

School age

1 hour or more

Break up into bouts of 15 minutes or more

Infants and young children should not be inactive for long periods of time no more than 1 hour unless they're sleeping. And school-age children should not be inactive for periods longer than 2 hours.

Combining regular physical activity with a healthy diet is the key to a healthy lifestyle.

Here are some tips for raising fit kids:

Date reviewed: December 2016

Read the original:
Kids and Exercise

By: Chris Thomson

It is not too much of a simplification to say that COTF is mainly about preparing individuals and communities for a very different kind of future indeed for any future. One thing is clear we live in times of unprecedented change.

To be able to survive and thrive in a very different/any future, people will need to have the necessary skills, qualities, knowledge and attitudes (mindsets). That much seems clear. The question, of course, is: what skills, qualities, knowledge and attitudes? Some spring to mind for instance, adaptability, openness, tolerance, ethics and courage. Others are, perhaps, less clear and more open to debate.

The point I want to make in this note is that unprecedented change is happening at a moment when human evolution itself seems to be accelerating. The qualities I have just mentioned are part of this. I also believe that we have more control over our own evolution than ever before. Therefore, and this may seem an odd thing to say in todays chaotic, runaway world, we have more control over our future (i.e. the future) than ever before. This is why I have been focusing of late on conscious evolution. What follows is what I mean by this, and why I think it is important.

Human evolution has not stopped. There is no a priori reason for believing that it has. In any event, if it did stop, when did it stop, and how would we know?

Although we are still evolving physically, we also seem to be evolving in four other important respects

First, we are evolving in consciousness. This is not the same as improving our consciousness, which is what usually happens during a lifetime, as we naturally become more aware of ourselves and the world around us. What I mean by evolving is that the nature and spectrum of our consciousness are changing. We seem to be able to penetrate deeper and higher than before. Of course, there have been people able to do this down the ages initiates and mystics but it does seem that forms of consciousness previously available to the few are now becoming available to the many. The esoteric is becoming exoteric!

Second, we are evolving as knowers. Both the quantity and quality of our knowing and understanding are changing. We know vastly more. A minute spent browsing the internet will quickly confirm this. But the quality and nature of our knowing and understanding is also changing. We are becoming better knowers! It is as if, as we grow inside, the world outside reveals more of itself. It may be helpful to think of knowing as a process of resonance between ourselves and the world. This aspect of our evolution is closely related to the evolution of our consciousness.

Third, we are evolving in character and maturity. This means many things. For example, it means that, in general, we are becoming more intelligent, more ethical, and stronger in some ways. Yes, I accept that the state of the world today seems to contradict this, but I believe that this is the direction we are taking. Of course, there are many exceptions, but it is the exceptions that prove the rule! It is very important that we evolve in character because, as Martin Luther King pointed out: Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles, but misguided men.

Fourth, and not least, we are evolving in capacity/ability. Just to be clear, I am speaking here about things we can do without the aid of technology. This aspect of human evolution means two things. It means we can do current things better (e.g. run faster, climb impossible mountains, and so on), but it also means that we can do completely new things. The part of this that most interests me is paranormal abilities, such as telepathy, precognition, distant healing, and supernatural manifestation. In fact, there are quite a few of these abilities. Contrary to widespread belief, these are not gifts, limited by chance to a few people. They are natural human abilities, potentially available to all of us. The fact that they are considered to be paranormal, or even impossible, is simply a reflection of the very materialistic times in which we live, dominated as they are by the very outdated worldview of classical science. There is an abundance of evidence (Dean Radin is a good source) that these abilities are all on the rise. Significantly, they can be learned and developed, when we work on them, just like learning to read or write or ski or play the piano.

I said at the beginning that I think we can control our own evolution. We can decide in what ways we want to evolve, and we can decide how quickly we want to evolve. Millions of people are already doing this, by engaging in the myriad forms of personal development, therapy, or spiritual practice. Although they may not think of this as human evolution, if it helps them to evolve their consciousness, or their knowing, or their character, or their abilities, then it surely counts as conscious evolution.

The relevance of all this to COTF? I believe that it is highly relevant. Although we tend to think of the future as something out there coming towards us, whether we like it or not, the fact is that it is our future. We are the species that is largely responsible for what the future on the planet will be. While it is evidently true that, as individuals, we seem to have little influence on the collective future, it is equally true that there is a lot we can do to shape our own personal future, as well as the future of those with whom we relate. This is very significant, because it confers on each of us the serious responsibility to make ourselves competent enablers of the future. This, I believe, is where conscious evolution comes into its own, so far as COTF is concerned. Let me be clear about this. The more we work on all aspects of our own evolution, the more competent we are to help others create the future they wish to have.

Chris is the author of Full Spectrum Intelligence: Changemakers Books: 2014

Continued here:
COTF and Conscious Evolution : Communities of the Future

Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness.[1] It is performed for various reasons, including increasing growth and development, preventing aging, strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, and also enjoyment. Frequent and regular physical exercise boosts the immune system and helps prevent certain "diseases of affluence" such as coronary heart disease,[2] type 2 diabetes,[3] and obesity. It may also help prevent stress and depression, increase quality of sleep and act as a non-pharmaceutical sleep aid to treat diseases such as insomnia, help promote or maintain positive self-esteem, improve mental health, maintain steady digestion and treat constipation and gas, regulate fertility health, and augment an individual's sex appeal or body image.[4][5] Childhood obesity is a growing global concern,[6] and physical exercise may help decrease some of the effects of childhood and adult obesity. Some care-providers call exercise the "miracle" or "wonder" drugalluding to the wide variety of benefits that it can provide for many individuals.[7][8] Aside from the health advantages, these benefits may include different social rewards for staying active while enjoying the environment of one's culture. Many individuals choose to exercise publicly outdoors where they can congregate in groups, socialize, and appreciate life.[9]

In the United Kingdom two to four hours of light activity are recommended during working hours.[10] This includes walking and standing.[10] In the United States, a 1995 CDC/ACSM consensus statement and a Surgeon General's 1996 report state that every adult should participate in moderate exercise, such as walking, swimming, and household tasks, for a minimum of 30 minutes daily.[11]

Physical exercises are generally grouped into three types, depending on the overall effect they have on the human body:[12]

Physical exercise can also include training that focuses on accuracy, agility, power, and speed.[16]

Sometimes the terms 'dynamic' and 'static' are used.[citation needed] 'Dynamic' exercises such as steady running, tend to produce a lowering of the diastolic blood pressure during exercise, due to the improved blood flow. Conversely, static exercise (such as weight-lifting) can cause the systolic pressure to rise significantly (during the exercise).[17]

Physical exercise is important for maintaining physical fitness and can contribute to maintaining a healthy weight, regulating digestive health, building and maintaining healthy bone density, muscle strength, and joint mobility, promoting physiological well-being, reducing surgical risks, and strengthening the immune system. Some studies indicate that exercise may increase life expectancy and the overall quality of life.[19] People who participate in moderate to high levels of physical exercise have a lower mortality rate compared to individuals who by comparison are not physically active.[20] Moderate levels of exercise have been correlated with preventing aging by reducing inflammatory potential.[21] The majority of the benefits from exercise are achieved with around 3500 metabolic equivalent (MET) minutes per week.[22] For example, climbing stairs 10 minutes, vacuuming 15 minutes, gardening 20 minutes, running 20 minutes, and walking or bicycling for transportation 25 minutes on a daily basis would together achieve about 3000 MET minutes a week.[22] A lack of physical activity causes approximately 6% of the burden of disease from coronary heart disease, 7% of type 2 diabetes, 10% of breast cancer and 10% of colon cancer worldwide.[23] Overall, physical inactivity causes 9% of premature mortality worldwide.[23]

Individuals can increase fitness following increases in physical activity levels.[24] Increases in muscle size from resistance training is primarily determined by diet and testosterone.[25] This genetic variation in improvement from training is one of the key physiological differences between elite athletes and the larger population.[26][27] Studies have shown that exercising in middle age leads to better physical ability later in life.[28]

Early motor skills and development have also shown to be related to physical activity and performance later in life. Children that have more proficient motor skills early on are more inclined to being physically active, and thus tend to perform well in sports and have better fitness levels. Early motor proficiency has a positive correlation to childhood physical activity and fitness levels, while less proficiency in motor skills results in a tendency to partake in a more sedentary lifestyle. [29]

The beneficial effect of exercise on the cardiovascular system is well documented. There is a direct correlation between physical inactivity and cardiovascular mortality, and physical inactivity is an independent risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease. Low levels of physical exercise increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases mortality.[30]

Children who participate in physical exercise experience greater loss of body fat and increased cardiovascular fitness.[31] Studies have shown that academic stress in youth increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in later years; however, these risks can be greatly decreased with regular physical exercise.[32] There is a dose-response relation between the amount of exercise performed from approximately 7002000kcal of energy expenditure per week and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality in middle-aged and elderly populations. The greatest potential for reduced mortality is in the sedentary who become moderately active. Studies have shown that since heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, regular exercise in aging women leads to healthier cardiovascular profiles. Most beneficial effects of physical activity on cardiovascular disease mortality can be attained through moderate-intensity activity (4060% of maximal oxygen uptake, depending on age). Persons who modify their behavior after myocardial infarction to include regular exercise have improved rates of survival. Persons who remain sedentary have the highest risk for all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality.[33] According to the American Heart Association, exercise reduces blood pressure, LDL and total cholesterol, and body weight. It increases HDL cholesterol, insulin sensitivity, and exercise tolerance.[11]

Although there have been hundreds of studies on physical exercise and the immune system, there is little direct evidence on its connection to illness. Epidemiological evidence suggests that moderate exercise has a beneficial effect on the human immune system; an effect which is modeled in a J curve. Moderate exercise has been associated with a 29% decreased incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), but studies of marathon runners found that their prolonged high-intensity exercise was associated with an increased risk of infection occurrence. However, another study did not find the effect. Immune cell functions are impaired following acute sessions of prolonged, high-intensity exercise, and some studies have found that athletes are at a higher risk for infections. Studies have shown that strenuous stress for long durations, such as training for a marathon, can suppress the immune system by decreasing the concentration of lymphocytes.[34] The immune systems of athletes and nonathletes are generally similar. Athletes may have slightly elevated natural killer cell count and cytolytic action, but these are unlikely to be clinically significant.[35]

Vitamin C supplementation has been associated with lower incidence of URTIs in marathon runners.[35]

Biomarkers of inflammation such as C-reactive protein, which are associated with chronic diseases, are reduced in active individuals relative to sedentary individuals, and the positive effects of exercise may be due to its anti-inflammatory effects. In individuals with heart disease, exercise interventions lower blood levels of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein, an important cardiovascular risk marker.[36] The depression in the immune system following acute bouts of exercise may be one of the mechanisms for this anti-inflammatory effect.[35]

A systematic review evaluated 45 studies that examined the relationship between physical activity and cancer survivorship. According to the study results "There was consistent evidence from 27 observational studies that physical activity is associated with reduced all-cause, breast cancerspecific, and colon cancerspecific mortality".[37]

Physical exercise was correlated with a lower methylation frequency of two tumor suppressor genes, CACNA2D3 and L3MBTL.[38][39] Hypermethylation of CACNA2D3 is associated with gastric cancer, while hypermethylation of L3MBTL is associated with breast cancer, brain tumors and hematological malignancies.[38][39][40][41] A recent study indicates that exercise results in reduced DNA methylation at CpG sites on genes associated with breast cancer.[42]

Physical exercise is becoming a widely accepted non-pharmacological intervention for the prevention and attenuation of cancer cachexia.[43] "Cachexia is a multiorganic syndrome associated with cancer, characterized by inflammation, body weight loss (at least 5%) and muscle and adipose tissue wasting".[44] Exercise triggers the activation of the transcriptional coactivator peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1), which suppresses FoxO- and NF-B-dependent gene transcription during muscle atrophy that is induced by fasting or denervation; thus, PGC-1 may be a key intermediate responsible for the beneficial antiatrophic effects of physical exercise on cancer cachexia.[45][46] The exercise-induced isoform PGC-14, which can repress myostatin and induce IGF1 and hypertrophy, is a potential drug target for treatment of cancer cachexia.[47] Other factors, such as JUNB and SIRT1, that maintain skeletal muscle mass and promote hypertrophy are also induced with regular physical exercise.[48][49]

The neurobiological effects of physical exercise are numerous and involve a wide range of interrelated effects on brain structure, brain function, and cognition.[50][51][52][53] A large body of research in humans has demonstrated that consistent aerobic exercise (e.g., 30minutes every day) induces persistent improvements in certain cognitive functions, healthy alterations in gene expression in the brain, and beneficial forms of neuroplasticity and behavioral plasticity; some of these long-term effects include: increased neuron growth, increased neurological activity (e.g., c-Fos and BDNF signaling), improved stress coping, enhanced cognitive control of behavior, improved declarative, spatial, and working memory, and structural and functional improvements in brain structures and pathways associated with cognitive control and memory.[50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59] The effects of exercise on cognition have important implications for improving academic performance in children and college students, improving adult productivity, preserving cognitive function in old age, preventing or treating certain neurological disorders, and improving overall quality of life.[50][60][61]

In healthy adults, aerobic exercise has been shown to induce transient effects on cognition after a single exercise session and persistent effects on cognition following regular exercise over the course of several months.[50][59][62] People who regularly perform aerobic exercise (e.g., running, jogging, brisk walking, swimming, and cycling) have greater scores on neuropsychological function and performance tests that measure certain cognitive functions, such as attentional control, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, working memory updating and capacity, declarative memory, spatial memory, and information processing speed.[50][54][56][58][59][62] The transient effects of exercise on cognition include improvements in most executive functions (e.g., attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, problem solving, and decision making) and information processing speed for a period of up to 2hours after exercising.[62]

Aerobic exercise induces short- and long-term effects on mood and emotional states by promoting positive affect, inhibiting negative affect, and decreasing the biological response to acute psychological stress.[62] Over the short-term, aerobic exercise functions as both an antidepressant and euphoriant,[63][64][65][66] whereas consistent exercise produces general improvements in mood and self-esteem.[67][68]

Regular aerobic exercise improves symptoms associated with a variety of central nervous system disorders and may be used as an adjunct therapy for these disorders. There is clear evidence of exercise treatment efficacy for major depressive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.[60][65][69][70][71][72] The American Academy of Neurology's clinical practice guideline for mild cognitive impairment indicates that clinicians should recommend regular exercise (two times per week) to individuals who have been diagnosed with this condition.[73] Reviews of clinical evidence also support the use of exercise as an adjunct therapy for certain neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimers disease and Parkinson's disease.[74][75][76][77][78][79] Regular exercise is also associated with a lower risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders.[77][80] A large body of preclinical evidence and emerging clinical evidence supports the use of exercise therapy for treating and preventing the development of drug addictions.[81][82][83][84][85] Regular exercise has also been proposed as an adjunct therapy for brain cancers.[86]

A number of medical reviews have indicated that exercise has a marked and persistent antidepressant effect in humans,[54][65][66][69][87][88] an effect believed to be mediated through enhanced BDNF signaling in the brain.[57][69] Several systematic reviews have analyzed the potential for physical exercise in the treatment of depressive disorders. The 2013 Cochrane Collaboration review on physical exercise for depression noted that, based upon limited evidence, it is more effective than a control intervention and comparable to psychological or antidepressant drug therapies.[87] Three subsequent 2014 systematic reviews that included the Cochrane review in their analysis concluded with similar findings: one indicated that physical exercise is effective as an adjunct treatment (i.e., treatments that are used together) with antidepressant medication;[69] the other two indicated that physical exercise has marked antidepressant effects and recommended the inclusion of physical activity as an adjunct treatment for mildmoderate depression and mental illness in general.[65][66] One systematic review noted that yoga may be effective in alleviating symptoms of prenatal depression.[89] Another review asserted that evidence from clinical trials supports the efficacy of physical exercise as a treatment for depression over a 24month period.[54]

A 2015 review of clinical evidence which included a medical guideline for the treatment of depression with exercise noted that the available evidence on the effectiveness of exercise therapy for depression suffers from some limitations;[70] nonetheless, it stated that there is clear evidence of efficacy for reducing symptoms of depression.[70] The review also noted that patient characteristics, the type of depressive disorder, and the nature of the exercise program all affect the antidepressant properties of exercise therapy.[70] A meta-analysis from July 2016 concluded that physical exercise improves overall quality of life in individuals with depression relative to controls.[60]

Continuous aerobic exercise can induce a transient state of euphoria, colloquially known as a "runner's high" in distance running or a "rower's high" in crew, through the increased biosynthesis of at least three euphoriant neurochemicals: anandamide (an endocannabinoid),[90] -endorphin (an endogenous opioid),[91] and phenethylamine (a trace amine and amphetamine analog).[92][93][94]

A 2010 review of published scientific research suggested that exercise generally improves sleep for most people, and helps sleep disorders such as insomnia. The optimum time to exercise may be 4 to 8 hours before bedtime, though exercise at any time of day is beneficial, with the possible exception of heavy exercise taken shortly before bedtime, which may disturb sleep. There is, in any case, insufficient evidence to draw detailed conclusions about the relationship between exercise and sleep.[95]

According to a 2005 study, exercise is the most recommended alternative to sleeping pills for resolving insomnia. Sleeping pills are more costly than to make time for a daily routine of staying fit, and may have dangerous side effects in the long run. Exercise can be a healthy, safe and inexpensive way to achieve more and better sleep.[96]

Too much exercise can be harmful. Without proper rest, the chance of stroke or other circulation problems increases,[97] and muscle tissue may develop slowly. Extremely intense, long-term cardiovascular exercise, as can be seen in athletes who train for multiple marathons, has been associated with scarring of the heart and heart rhythm abnormalities.[98][99][100] Specifically, high cardiac output has been shown to cause enlargement of the left and right ventricle volumes, increased ventricle wall thickness, and greater cardiac mass. These changes further result in myocardial cell damage in the lining of the heart, leading to scar tissue and thickened walls. During these processes, the protein troponin increases in the bloodstream, indicating cardiac muscle cell death and increased stress on the heart itself.[101]

Inappropriate exercise can do more harm than good, with the definition of inappropriate varying according to the individual. For many activities, especially running and cycling, there are significant injuries that occur with poorly regimented exercise schedules. Injuries from accidents also remain a major concern,[102] whereas the effects of increased exposure to air pollution seem only a minor concern.[103][104]

In extreme instances, over-exercising induces serious performance loss. Unaccustomed overexertion of muscles leads to rhabdomyolysis (damage to muscle) most often seen in new army recruits.[105] Another danger is overtraining, in which the intensity or volume of training exceeds the body's capacity to recover between bouts. One sign of Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) is suppressed immune function, with an increased incidence of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). An increased incidence of URTIs is also associated with high volume/intensity training, as well as with excessive exercise (EE), such as in a marathon.[106] Marathon training requires the runner to build their intensity week to week which makes them more susceptible to injury the more they increase their mileage. A study shows that in the last 1015 years up to 90% of marathon runners have suffered a physical injury from their training.[107]

Stopping excessive exercise suddenly may create a change in mood. Exercise should be controlled by each body's inherent limitations. While one set of joints and muscles may have the tolerance to withstand multiple marathons, another body may be damaged by 20 minutes of light jogging. This must be determined for each individual.

Too much exercise may cause a woman to miss her periods, a symptom known as amenorrhea.[108] This is a very serious condition which indicates a woman is pushing her body beyond its natural boundaries.[109]

Not only can excessive exercise cause physical damage, it can also cause psychological damage. Every athlete strives for perfection in their sport. This is what may begin their excessive exercising regime. If an athlete fails in this quest for perfection, this could result in anxiety, depression and low-self esteem. A study of 179 athletes, all of whom were Olympians or potential Olympians, was carried out in 2002 to find a relationship between perfectionism and sport-related competitive anxiety. It was found that athletes with lower selfesteem had higher personal standards and in comparison, those with high self-esteem had little concern in making mistakes or doubting themselves.[110]

Resistance training and subsequent consumption of a protein-rich meal promotes muscle hypertrophy and gains in muscle strength by stimulating myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and inhibiting muscle protein breakdown (MPB).[111][112] The stimulation of muscle protein synthesis by resistance training occurs via phosphorylation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and subsequent activation of mTORC1, which leads to protein biosynthesis in the ribosome via phosphorylation of mTORC1's immediate targets (the p70S6 kinase and the translation repressor protein 4EBP1).[111][113] The suppression of muscle protein breakdown following food consumption occurs primarily via increases in plasma insulin;[111][114] however, a suppression of MPB of comparable magnitude has also been shown to occur in humans from a sufficient elevation of plasma -hydroxy -methylbutyric acid.[111][114][115]

Aerobic exercise induces mitochondrial biogenesis and an increased capacity for oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria of skeletal muscle, which is one mechanism by which aerobic exercise enhances submaximal endurance performance.[111][116] These effects occur via an exercise-induced increase in the intracellular AMP:ATP ratio, thereby triggering the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) which subsequently phosphorylates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1), the master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis.[111][116][117]

Developing research has demonstrated that many of the benefits of exercise are mediated through the role of skeletal muscle as an endocrine organ. That is, contracting muscles release multiple substances known as myokines which promote the growth of new tissue, tissue repair, and multiple anti-inflammatory functions, which in turn reduce the risk of developing various inflammatory diseases.[131] Exercise reduces levels of cortisol, which causes many health problems, both physical and mental.[132] Endurance exercise before meals lowers blood glucose more than the same exercise after meals.[133] There is evidence that vigorous exercise (9095% of VO2 max) induces a greater degree of physiological cardiac hypertrophy than moderate exercise (40 to 70% of VO2 max), but it is unknown whether this has any effects on overall morbidity and/or mortality.[134] Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise work to increase the mechanical efficiency of the heart by increasing cardiac volume (aerobic exercise), or myocardial thickness (strength training). Ventricular hypertrophy, the thickening of the ventricular walls, is generally beneficial and healthy if it occurs in response to exercise.

The persistent long-term neurobiological effects of regular physical exercise[note 1] are believed to be mediated by transient exercise-induced increases in the concentration of neurotrophic factors (e.g., BDNF, IGF-1, VEGF, and GDNF) and other biomolecules in peripheral blood plasma, which subsequently cross the bloodbrain barrier and bloodcerebrospinal fluid barrier and bind to their associated receptors in the brain.[51][67][135][136] Upon binding to their receptors in cerebral vasculature and brain cells (i.e., neurons and glial cells), these biomolecules trigger intracellular signaling cascades that lead to neuroplastic biological responses such as neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, oligodendrogenesis, and angiogenesis, among others which ultimately mediate the exercise-induced improvements in cognitive function.[51][54][135][137][138]

Multiple component community-wide campaigns are frequently used in an attempt to increase a population's level of physical activity. A 2015 Cochrane review, however, did not find evidence supporting a benefit.[139] The quality of the underlying evidence was also poor.[139] However, there is some evidence that school-based interventions can increase activity levels and fitness in children.[24] Another Cochrane review found some evidence that certain types of exercise programmes, such as those involving gait, balance, co-ordination and functional tasks, can improve balance in older adults.[140] Following progressive resistance training, older adults also respond with improved physical function.[141] Survey of brief interventions promoting physical activity found that they are cost-effective, although there are variations between studies.[142]

Environmental approaches appear promising: signs that encourage the use of stairs, as well as community campaigns, may increase exercise levels.[143] The city of Bogot, Colombia, for example, blocks off 113 kilometers (70mi) of roads on Sundays and holidays to make it easier for its citizens to get exercise. These pedestrian zones are part of an effort to combat chronic diseases.[144]

To identify which public health strategies are effective, a Cochrane overview of reviews is in preparation.[145]

Physical exercise was said to decrease healthcare costs, increase the rate of job attendance, as well as increase the amount of effort women put into their jobs.[146]

Children will mimic the behavior of their parents in relation to physical exercise. Parents can thus promote physical activity and limit the amount of time children spend in front of screens.[147]

Overweight children who participate in physical exercise experience greater loss of body fat and increased cardiovascular fitness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, both children and adults should do 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day.[148] Implementing physical exercise in the school system and ensuring an environment in which children can reduce barriers to maintain a healthy lifestyle is essential.

The European Commission - DG EAC - Directorate General for Education and Culture - has dedicated programs and funds for HEPA - Health Enhancing Physical Activity projects[149] within its Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ program, as research showed that too many Europeans are not physically active enough. Financing is available for increased collaboration between players active in this field across the EU and around the world, the promotion of HEPA in the EU and its partner countries and the European Sports Week. The DG EAC regularly publishes a Eurobarometer on sport and physical activity.

Worldwide there has been a large shift towards less physically demanding work.[150] This has been accompanied by increasing use of mechanized transportation, a greater prevalence of labor saving technology in the home, and fewer active recreational pursuits.[150] Personal lifestyle changes however can correct the lack of physical exercise.

Research in 2015 indicates integrating mindfulness to physical exercise interventions increases exercise adherence, self-efficacy and also has positive effects both psychologically and physiologically.[151]

Exercising looks different in every country, as do the motivations behind exercising.[9] In some countries, people exercise primarily indoors, and in others, people exercise primarily outdoors. People may exercise for personal enjoyment, health and well-being, social interactions, competition or training, etc. These differences could potentially be attributed to geographic location, social tendencies, or otherwise.

In Colombia, citizens value and celebrate the outdoor environments of their country. In many instances, they utilize outdoor activities as social gatherings to enjoy nature and their communities. In Bogot, Colombia, a 70-mile stretch of road known as the Ciclova is shut down each Sunday for bicyclists, runners, rollerbladers, skateboarders and other exercisers to work out and enjoy their surroundings.[152]

Similarly to Colombia, citizens of Cambodia tend to exercise socially outside. In this country, public gyms have become quite popular. People will congregate at these outdoor gyms not only to utilize the public facilities, but also to organize aerobics and dance sessions, which are open to the public.[153]

Sweden has also begun developing outdoor gyms, called utegym. These gyms are free to the public and are often placed in beautiful, picturesque environments. People will swim in rivers, use boats, and run through forests to stay healthy and enjoy the natural world around them. This is especially possible in Sweden due to its geographical location.[154]

Chinese exercise, particularly in the retired community, seems to be socially grounded. In the mornings, dances are held in public parks; these gatherings may include Latin dancing, ballroom dancing, tango, or even the jitterbug. Dancing in public allows people to interact with those with whom they would not normally interact, allowing for both health benefits and social benefits.[155]

These sociocultural variations in physical exercise show how people in different geographic locations and social climates have varying motivations and methods of exercising. Physical exercise can improve health and well-being, as well as enhance community ties and appreciation of natural beauty.[9]

Proper nutrition is as important to health as exercise. When exercising, it becomes even more important to have a good diet to ensure that the body has the correct ratio of macronutrients while providing ample micronutrients, in order to aid the body with the recovery process following strenuous exercise.[156]

Active recovery is recommended after participating in physical exercise because it removes lactate from the blood more quickly than inactive recovery. Removing lactate from circulation allows for an easy decline in body temperature, which can also benefit the immune system, as an individual may be vulnerable to minor illnesses if the body temperature drops too abruptly after physical exercise.[157]

The benefits of exercise have been known since antiquity. Dating back to 65 BCE, it was Marcus Cicero, Roman politician and lawyer, who stated: "It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor."[158] Exercise was also seen to be valued later in history during the Dark Ages as a means of survival by the barbaric tribes of Northern Europe.[159]

More recently, exercise was regarded as a beneficial force in the 19th century. After 1860, Archibald MacLaren opened a gymnasium at the University of Oxford and instituted a training regimen for 12 military officials at the university. This regimen was later assimilated into the training of the British Army.[160] Several mass exercise movements were started in the early twentieth century as well. The first and most significant of these in the UK was the Women's League of Health and Beauty, founded in 1930 by Mary Bagot Stack, that had 166,000 members in 1937.[161]

However, the link between physical health and exercise (or lack of it) was only discovered in 1949 and reported in 1953 by a team led by Jerry Morris.[162][163] Dr. Morris noted that men of similar social class and occupation (bus conductors versus bus drivers) had markedly different rates of heart attacks, depending on the level of exercise they got: bus drivers had a sedentary occupation and a higher incidence of heart disease, while bus conductors were forced to move continually and had a lower incidence of heart disease.[163] This link had not previously been noted and was later confirmed by other researchers.

Physical exercise has been shown to benefit a wide range of other mammals, as well as salmon, juvenile crocodiles, and at least one species of bird.[164]

However, several studies have shown that lizards display no benefit from exercise, leading them to be termed "metabolically inflexible".[165] Indeed, damage from overtraining may occur following weeks of forced treadmill exercise in lizards.[165]

A number of studies of both rodents and humans have demonstrated that individual differences in both ability and propensity for exercise (i.e., voluntary exercise) have some genetic basis.[166][167]

Several studies of rodents have demonstrated that maternal[168] or juvenile access to wheels that allow voluntary exercise can increase the propensity to run as adults.[169] These studies further suggest that physical activity may be more "programmable" (for discussion, see Thrifty phenotype) than food intake.[170]

Read the original here:
Physical exercise - Wikipedia

The neocortex, also called the neopallium and isocortex, is the part of the mammalian brain involved in higher-order brain functions such as sensory perception, cognition, generation of motor commands,[1] spatial reasoning and language.[2]

The neocortex is further subdivided into the true isocortex and the proisocortex.[3]

In the human brain, the neocortex is the largest part of the cerebral cortex which is the outer layer of the cerebrum, with the allocortex making up the rest. The neocortex is made up of six layers, labelled from the outermost inwards, I to VI. Of all the mammals studied to date (including humans), a species of oceanic dolphin known as the long-finned pilot whale has been found to have the most neocortical neurons.[4]

Neocortex is Latin for "new bark" or "new rind". Neopallium means "new mantle" and isocortex means "equal rind".

The neocortex is the most developed in its organisation and number of layers, of the cerebral tissues.[5] The neocortex consists of the grey matter, or neuronal cell bodies and unmyelinated fibers, surrounding the deeper white matter (myelinated axons) in the cerebrum. This is a very thin layer though, about 24mm thick.[6] There are two types of cortex in the neocortex, the proisocortex and the true isocortex. The pro-isocortex is a transitional area between the true isocortex, and the periallocortex (part of the allocortex). It is found in the cingulate cortex (part of the limbic system), in Brodmann's areas 24, 25, 30 and 32, the insula and the parahippocampal gyrus.

The neocortex is smooth in rodents and other small mammals, whereas in primates and other larger mammals it has deep grooves (sulci) and ridges (gyri). These folds allow the surface area of the neocortex to be greatly increased. All human brains have the same overall pattern of main gyri and sulci, although they differ in detail from one person to another.[clarification needed] The mechanism by which the gyri form during embryogenesis is not entirely clear, and there are several competing hypotheses that explain gyrification, such as axonal tension,[7] cortical buckling,[8] or differences in cellular proliferation rates in different areas of the cortex.[9]

The neocortex contains both excitatory (~80%) and inhibitory (~20%) neurons, named for their effect on other neurons.[10] The structure of the neocortex is relatively uniform (hence the alternative names "iso-" and "homotypic" cortex), consisting of six horizontal layers segregated principally by cell type and neuronal connections.[11] However, there are many exceptions to this uniformity; for example, layer IV is small or missing in primary motor cortex. There is some canonical circuitry within the cortex; for example, pyramidal neurons in the upper layers II and III project their axons to other areas of neocortex, while those in the deeper layers V and VI often project out of the cortex, e.g. to the thalamus, brainstem, and spinal cord. Neurons in layer IV receive the majority of the synaptic connections from outside the cortex (mostly from thalamus), and themselves make short-range, local connections to other cortical layers.[10] Thus, layer IV is the main recipient of incoming sensory information and distributes it to the other layers for further processing.

The neocortex is often described as being arranged in vertical structures called cortical columns, patches of neocortex with a diameter of roughly 0.5mm (and a depth of 2mm, i.e., spanning all six layers). These columns are often thought of as the basic repeating functional units of the neocortex, but their many definitions, in terms of anatomy, size, or function, are generally not consistent with each other, leading to a lack of consensus regarding their structure or function or even whether it makes sense to try to understand neocortex in terms of columns.[12]

The neocortex is derived embryonically from the dorsal telencephalon, which is the rostral part of the forebrain. The neocortex is divided, into regions demarcated by the cranial sutures in the skull above, into frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes, which perform different functions. For example, the occipital lobe contains the primary visual cortex, and the temporal lobe contains the primary auditory cortex. Further subdivisions or areas of neocortex are responsible for more specific cognitive processes. In humans, the frontal lobe contains areas devoted to abilities that are enhanced in or unique to our species, such as complex language processing localized to the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (Broca's area).[10] In humans and other primates, social and emotional processing is localized to the orbitofrontal cortex. (See Cerebral cortex and Cerebrum.)

The neocortex has also been shown to play an influential role in sleep, memory and learning processes. Semantic memories appear to be stored in the neocortex, specifically the anterolateral temporal lobe of the neocortex.[13] It is also involved in instrumental conditioning; responsible for transmitting sensory information and information about plans for movement to the basal ganglia.[13] The firing rate of neurons in the neocortex also has an effect on slow-wave sleep. When the neurons are at rest and are hyperpolarizing, a period of inhibition occurs during a slow oscillation, called the down state. When the neurons of the neocortex are in the excitatory depolarizing phase and are firing briefly at a high rate, a period of excitation occurs during a slow oscillation, called the up state.[13]

There is still much to learn about the roles the neocortex has in the neurological processes exemplified in human behavior. To further understand the vital role the neocortex plays in human cognition, IBMs computational model of the human brain was created that simulated the electrochemistry of the neocortex. The super computer, the Blue Brain Project, was created to improve understanding of the processes of perception, learning and memory and gain further knowledge about mental health disorders.[14]

Lesions that develop in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, interrupt the transfer of information from the sensory neocortex to the prefrontal neocortex. This disruption of sensory information contributes to the progressive symptoms seen in neurodegenerative disorders such as changes in personality, decline in cognitive abilities, and dementia.[15] Damage to the neocortex of the anterolateral temporal lobe results in semantic dementia, which is the loss of memory of factual information (semantic memories). These symptoms can also be replicated by transcranial magnetic stimulation of this area. If damage is sustained to this area, patients do not develop anterograde amnesia and are able to recall episodic information.[16]

The neocortex is the newest part of the cerebral cortex to evolve (prefix neo meaning new); the other part of the cerebral cortex is the allocortex. The cellular organization of the allocortex is different from the six-layered neocortex. In humans, 90% of the cerebral cortex and 76% of the entire brain is neocortex.[10][17]

For a species to develop a larger neocortex, the brain must too evolve in size so that it is large enough to support the region. Body size, basal metabolic rate and life history are factors affecting brain evolution and the coevolution of neocortex size and group size.[18] The neocortex increased in size in response to pressures for greater cooperation and competition in early ancestors. With the size increase, there was greater voluntary inhibitory control of social behaviors resulting in increased social harmony.[19]

The six-layer cortex appears to be a distinguishing feature of mammals; it has been found in the brains of all mammals, but not in any other animals.[2] There is some debate,[20][21] however, as to the cross-species nomenclature for neocortex. In avians, for instance, there are clear examples of cognitive processes that are thought to be neocortical in nature, despite the lack of the distinctive six-layer neocortical structure.[22] In a similar manner, reptiles, such as turtles, have primary sensory cortices. A consistent, alternative name has yet to be agreed upon.

The neocortex ratio of a species is the ratio of the size of the neocortex to the rest of the brain. A high neocortex ratio is thought to correlate with a number of social variables such as group size and the complexity of social mating behaviors.[23] (See Dunbar's number) Humans have a large neocortex as a percentage of total brain matter when compared with other mammals. For example, there is only a 30:1 ratio of neocortical gray matter to the size of the medulla in the brainstem of chimpanzees, while the ratio is 60:1 in humans.[24]

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Jerry Fodor died last week at the age of 82 here are obituaries from theNYT and Daily Nous. I think he had three qualities that make a good philosopher. He really wanted the truth (not everyone is that bothered about it); he was up for a fight about it (in argumentative terms); and he had the gift of expressing his ideas clearly. Georges Rey, in the Daily Nous piece, professes surprise over Fodors unaccountable habit of choosing simple everyday examples rather than prestigious but obscure academic ones: but even Rey shows his appreciation of a vivid comparison by quoting Dennetts lively simile of Fodor as trampoline.

Good writing in philosophy is not just a presentational matter, I think; to express yourself clearly and memorably you have to have ideas that are clear and cogent in the first place; a confused or laborious exposition raises the suspicion that youre not really that sure what youre talking about yourself.

Not that well-expressed ideas are always true ones, and in fact I dont think Fodorism, stimulating as it is, is ever likely to be accepted as correct. The bold hypothesis of a language of thought, sometimes called mentalese, in which all our thinking is done, never really looked attractive to most. Personally it strikes me as an unnecessary deferral; something in the brain has to explain language, and saying its another language just puts the job off. In fairness, empirical evidence might show that things are like that, though I dont see it happening at present. Fodor himself linked the idea with a belief in a comprehensive inborn conceptual apparatus; we never learn new concepts, just activate ones that were already there. The idea of inborn understanding has a respectable pedigree, but if Plato couldnt sell it, Fodor was probably never going to pull it off either.

As I say, these are largely empirical matters and someone fresh to the discussion might wonder why discussion was ever thought to be an adequate method; arent these issues for science? Or at least, shouldnt the armchair guys shut up for a bit until the neurologists can give them a few more pointers? You might well think the same about Fodors other celebrated book, The Modularity of Mind. Isnt a day with a scanner going to tell you more about that than a month of psychological argumentation?

But the truth is that research cant proceed in a vacuum; without hypotheses to invalidate or a framework of concepts to test and apply, it becomes mere data collection. The concepts and perspectives that Fodor supplied are as stimulating as ever and re-reading his books will still challenge and sharpen anyones thinking.

Perhaps my favourite was his riposte to Stephen Pinker,The Mind Doesnt Work That Way. So Ive been down into the cobwebbed cellars of Conscious Entities and retrieved one of the lost posts, one I wrote in 2005, which describes it. (I used to put red lines in things in those days for reasons that now elude me).

Here it is

(30 January 2005)

Jerry Fodors 2001 book The Mind Doesnt Work That Way makes a cogent and witty deflationary case. In some ways, its the best summary of the current state of affairs Ive read; which means, alas, that it is almost entirely negative. Fodors constant position is that the Computational Theory of Mind (CTM) is the only remotely plausible theory we have and remotely plausible theories are better than no theories at all. But although he continues to emphasise that this is a reason for investigating the representational system which CTM implies, he now feels the times, and the bouncy optimism of Steven Pinker and Henry Plotkin in particular, call for a little Eeyoreish accentuation of the negative. Sure, CTM is the best theory we have, but that doesnt mean its actually much good. Surely no-one ought to think its the complete explanation of all cognitive processes least of all the mysteries of consciousness! It isnt just computation that has been over-estimated, either there are also limits to how far you can go with modularism too though again, its a view with which Fodor himself is particularly associated.

The starting point for both Fodor and those he parts company with, is the idea that logical deduction probably gets done by the brain in essentially the same way as it is done on paper by a logician or in electronic digits by a computer, namely by the formal manipulation of syntactically structured representations, or to put it slightly less polysyllabically, by moving symbols around according to rules. Its fairly plausible that this is true at least for some cognitive processes, but there is a wide scope for argument about whether this ability is the latest and most superficial abstract achievement of the brain, or something that plays an essential role in the engine room of thought.

Dont you think, to digress for a moment, that formal logic is consistently over-rated in these discussions? It enjoys tremendous intellectual prestige: associated for centuries with the near-holy name of Aristotle, its reputation as the ultimate crystallisation of rationality has been renewed in modern times by its close association with computers yet its powers are actually feeble. Arithmetic is invoked regularly in everyday life, but no-one ever resorted to syllogisms or predicate calculus to help them make practical decisions. I think the truth is that logic is only one example of a much wider reasoning capacity which stems from our ability to recognise a variety of continuities and identities in the world, including causal ones.

Up to a point, Fodor might go along with this. The problem with formal logical operations, he says, is that they are concerned exclusively with local properties: if youve got the logical formula, you dont need to look elsewhere to determine its validity (in fact, you mustnt). But thats not the way much of cognition works: frequently the context is indispensable to judgements about beliefs. He quotes the example of judgements about simplicity: the same thought which complicates one theory simplifies another and you therefore cant decide whether hypothesis A is a complicating factor without considering facts external to the hypothesis: in fact, the wider global context. We need the faculty of global or abductive reasoning to get us out of the problem, but thats exactly what formal logic doesnt supply. Were back, in another form, with the problem of relevance, or in practical terms, the old demon of the frame problem; how can a computer (or how do human beings) consider just the relevant facts without considering all the irrelevant ones first if only to determine their relevance?

One strategy for dealing with this problem (other than ignoring it) is to hope that we can leave logic to do what logic does best, and supplement it with appropriate heuristic approaches: instead of deducing the answer well use efficient methods of searching around for it. The snag, says Fodor, is that you need to apply the appropriate heuristic approach, and deciding which it is requires the same grasp of relevance, the same abduction, which we were lacking in the first place.

Another promising-looking strategy would be a connectionist, neural network approach. After all, our problem comes from the need to reason globally, holistically if you like, and that is is often said to be a characteristic virtue of neural networks. But Fodors contempt for connectionism knows few bounds; networks, he says, cant even deliver the classical logic that we had to begin with. In a network the properties of a node are determined entirely by its position within the network: it follows that nodes cannot retain symbolic identity and be recombined in different patterns, a basic requirement of the symbols in formal logic. Classical logic may not be able to answer the global question, but connectionism, in Fodors eyes, doesnt get as far as being able to ask it.

It looks to me as if one avenue of escape is left open here: it seems to be Fodors assumption that only single nodes of a network are available to do symbolic duty, but might it not be the case that particular patterns of connection and activation could play that role? You cant, by definition, have the same node in two different places: but you could have the same pattern realised in two different parts of a network. However, I think there might be other reasons to doubt whether connectionism is the answer. Perhaps, specifically, networks are just too holistic: we need to be able to bring in contextual factors to solve our problems, but only the right ones. Treating everything as relevant is just as bad as not recognising contextual factors at all.

Be that as it may, Fodor still has one further strategy to consider, of course modularity. Instead of trying to develop an all-purpose cognitive machine which can deal with anything the world might throw at it, we might set up restricted modules which only deal with restricted domains. The module only gets fed certain kinds of thing to reason about: contextual issues become manageable because the context is restricted to the small domain, which can be exhaustively searched if necessary. Fodor, as he says, is an advocate of modules for certain cognitive purposes, but not massive modularity, the idea that all, or nearly all, mental functions can be constructed out of modules. For one thing, what mechanism can you use to decide what a given module should be fed with? For some sensory functions, it may be relatively easy: you can just hard-wire various inputs from the eyes to your initial visual processing module; but for higher-level cognition something has to decide whether a given input representation is one of the right kind of inputs for module M1 or M2. Such a function cannot itself operate within a restricted domain (unless it too has an earlier function deciding what to feed to it, in which case an infinite regress looms); it has to deal with the global array of possible inputs: but in that case, as before, classical logic will not avail and once again we need the abductive reasoning which we havent got.

In short, By all the signs, the cognitive mind is up to its ghostly ears in abduction. And we do not know how abduction works.

Im afraid that seems to be true.

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