In part one and two I introduced and expanded on the concept of brain health, the importance of stress reduction and weapons we all can use to prevent brain decay - exercise and its biology. Today I will keep explaining additional brain benefits of exercise. I will also tackle a few ideas how stress hormones can contribute to brain damage and what to do to prevent that.

This spring and summer something fantastic happened. Despite the dark days of pandemic and national terror induced by the tiny living organism with a pretty name Covid19 folks wanted to get out of isolations, physical distance locations, garages and basements, tiny houses in backyards and newly built tree houses. Enough is enough and live has to go on, but when you get out for some fresh air what do you do? This is the thing, we took to biking. We bike in dozens, trails are squeaking from amount of wheels hitting them, they are so overloaded. I have never seen that many bikers on famous Cape Cod Rail Trail. The bike shops have seen revival and sustainability of their business as they offered something that gyms could not do: promise of physical activity in fresh air, relative safety and safe distance from others at the same time.

It seems more vital than ever to stay active. Pandemic changed work habits of many from unhealthy long commutes to unhealthy sit at your desk habit. We replaced one terrible sedentary activity (longer commute has been associated with weight gain with actual minutes spent behind wheel making a difference) with even less appealing routine of sitting still for 8 hours a day in front of laptops and computers. Unfortunately the same applies to school children who continue remote learning with hours behind the screens.