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balls throughout the day in their classrooms. The results were astounding. Those who participated nearly doubled their reading scores, and math scores increased 20-fold! Research has shown that after 30 minutes on the treadmill, students solve problems up to 10 percent more effectively. Although it's becoming more widely known that physical activity has a direct result on brain function, many schools in the U.S. are removing rather than improving their physical education programs. This means it's up to you to encourage your child to stay active after school and on weekends in order to reap the wonderful brain boosting benefits that exercise has to offer. Exercise Boosts Brain Function Exercise encourages your brain to work at optimum capacity by causing nerve cells to multiply, strengthening their interconnections and protecting them from damage. Animal tests have also illustrated that during exercise their nerve cells release proteins known as neurotrophic factors. One in particular, called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), triggers numerous other chemicals that promote neural health, and has a direct benefit on brain functions, including learning. Further, exercise provides protective effects to your brain through: • The production of nerve-protecting compounds • Greater blood flow to your brain • Improved development and survival of neurons • Decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases A 2010 study on primates published in Neuroscience also revealed that regular exercise not only improved blood flow to the brain, but also helped the monkeys learn new tasks twice as quickly as non-exercising monkeys; a benefit the researchers believe would hold true for people as well. Other Health Benefits of Regular Exercise There's absolutely no doubt that kids would need exercise, and that most kids aren't getting enough. Less than one-third of kids ages 6 to 17 get at least 20 minutes of daily exercise in one form or another. This is tragic, considering the multitude of short- and long- term health benefits your child can gain from a regular exercise regimen, including: • Reduced risk of diabetes and pre-diabetes • Improved sleep • Stronger bones • Reduced restlessness or hyperactivity; helps decrease symptoms of ADHD • Improve immune system function • Improved mood • Weight loss • Increased energy levels A Phenomenal Way to Keep Your Child Healthy No matter your age, exercise can provide enormous benefits for your health, including giving your immune system a major boost. Exercise improves the circulation of immune cells in your blood. The job of these cells is to neutralize pathogens throughout your body. The better these cells circulate, the more efficient your immune system is at locating and defending against viruses and diseases trying to attack the body. Your immune system is your first line of defense against everything from minor illnesses like a cold or the flu right up through devastating, life-threatening diseases like cancer. So just by getting regular physical activity, your child will be better able to fight off illnesses ranging from colds and the flu to cancer. Better still, by instilling the importance of physical activity in your child's life early on, it's a habit he or she will likely grow to enjoy and continue throughout adulthood. Why is Physical Activity So Important for Kids? Too much sedentary time is one of the forces driving the child obesity epidemic. About one-third of Abby's Magazine - May/June 2015 | Page 19