| If dire warnings of diabetes and childhood obesity | | | | smarter kids. |
| aren't motivators, then maybe learning that | | | | Even the most miniscule amounts of movement |
| exercise will boost your children's IQs will inspire | | | | release BDNF that is beneficial to your child's |
| you to get them moving. | | | | development. We're not talking marathons here. |
| That's right. Exercise will boost your child's IQ. The | | | | Fidgeting, twitching, stretching-the normal |
| prevailing wisdom of the past that divided the | | | | responses to prolonged sitting-release BDNF. Of |
| schoolyard between dumb jocks and smart kids | | | | course, this is a case where the more they do, |
| no longer holds true, according Harvard University | | | | the better your results will be. |
| psychiatrist Dr. John Ratey and author of a new | | | | Can't break your kid away from the video |
| book called "Spark." | | | | games? Put the machine to work for your child's |
| As crazy as it sounds, the more your children | | | | development. The Wii Fitness may be the way to |
| exercise, the smarter they will be. That's because | | | | go. They'll be so busy trying to "win," they won't |
| exercise causes the release of Brain Derived | | | | realize they're winning the game of fitness and |
| Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is, in effect, a | | | | boosting their IQs. |
| metabolic "clean-up crew," scrubbing the mind of | | | | Remember, the activity doesn't have to be |
| brain-clogging waste. | | | | straight-up exercise. Playing tag and running |
| Inspired by a school in Chicago with a robust | | | | around produce BDNF. Family walks are also |
| physical education program, Dr. Ratey scoured the | | | | excellent exercise, with the added benefits of |
| world for ten years compiling data from similar | | | | being able to talk with your children, increasing |
| schools from around the world. What he found is | | | | your fitness and BDNF as well as demonstrating |
| that fit kids have longer attention spans, are | | | | to your children that you are also committed to |
| better at problem-solving and use more brain cells | | | | fitness. |
| when carrying out those activities. | | | | Try making it fun and before long you will realize |
| Not only that, while their bodies are growing | | | | the benefits of exercise in spurring child |
| thinner, the brain cells of these smart kids are | | | | development, boosting your child's IQ-the kind of |
| growing fatter because BDNF increases the health | | | | boost that will make them stand out as smart |
| of the brain's neurons that will multiply the positive | | | | kids. |
| aspects of your child's development that leads to | | | | |