Health Benefits from Dance

There is a bio-psycho-social model for different diseases. It measures how the individual functions at a biological, psychological and social level. We know that dancing benefits all these areas, and should benefit many disease processes. But, how do we measure the changes?

British philosopher John Locke observed that "A sound body is a short, but full description of a happy state in this world." Three hundred years later science is learning that physical activity affects brains chemistry and our moods. Science has known for some time that exercise produces and "endorphin high." More recently science is documenting that regular exercise improves the mood, decreases anxiety, improves sleep, increases immune response, improves resilience in the face of stress and raises self-esteem. These benefits don't just come from the inches lost around your waist. Rather, they come from chemical changes that go on in your brain. Strenuous exercise can double the blood volume in the brain and oxygen to the brain. Your brain needs blood to carry oxygen in order to operate and circulate the neurotransmitters.

We know that dance does more than build muscles and help prevent heart disease. But, there is new evidence that it also boosts brain power and offers hopes in the battle of Alzheimer's. The documentation that those who maintain the fittest bodies have the fittest brains and are more resistance to disease, especially autoimmune diseases. Dance helps increase the temporal and prefrontal activity to improve memory, multi-tasking , planning and attention skills. Dance helps the older brain to form new interconnections and work faster. The benefits go beyond the physical aspects because we fell better about ourselves. Since dance is often done in a group setting, it also promotes more social function. This helps to starve off symptoms of Alzheimer's, ADHD and other cognitive disorders and mood disorders like anxiety and depression. Type 2 diabetes occurs less frequently in those with cardio respiratory fitness.

Dance is a pretty good antidepressant, too. Some studies indicate it may be biologically equivalent to some medications When we are inactive the hippo-campus, the part of the brain that regulates mood, gets smaller. Dance spurs new nerve growing in this area and relieves and prevents depression. What makes dance different from other exercise? Music, listening to music while you move increase neural transmissions. Drumming has show to also build neuroreceptors for those with ADHD. The repetitive physical activity is soothing as the repeated mental pattern build new pathways. Ah, yes, music does sooth the wild beast in us all.

Just knowing what dance will do for you will not make you put down the remote and put on your capezo's, hips scarf and zils. You still need motivation, but where does that come from? Information that increased activity is good for you is not simply enough to improve motivation. But Dr. William Glassier, in his book Positive Addiction cites that you can develop motivation by doing activity at the same time every day...The only way to break old habits is to develop new ones and exercise becomes a habits more easily if it involves and activity you enjoy. There is a priming effect. After a while it gets easier and people continue they habit because they enjoy the activity.

Studies indicate this is of importance to women with breast cancer. Exercise lowers the risk of estrogen related tumors. Those who exercise 30 minutes ad day dramatically decrease the odds of another tumor.

Weight bearing exercise decreases the risks of osteoporosis. This is even more important for those who undergo chemotherapy because aromatase inhibitors decrease estrogen. Estrogen loss speeds up bone loss. Walk and dancing slow that loss. .New studies also indicate that exercise can reduce the symptoms of lymph-edema if it is approached gradually.. Arm extensions and zil work would seem a natural way to aid in lymph drainage. (An may reduce carpal tunnel.)

Science has not been able to document the most effective was to promoted activity and a healthy life style. But the old idea about cardio work is changing in favor of more muscle building activity. The more muscle you develop the more calories you burn. For every hour you are moving you can expect to add two hours to your life. Why not spend these hours doing what you love. Dance.