What Does Exercise Do for My Brain?

Hey JJ Here. Every year around this time, I get the urge to make my home feel a little extra special. A space that feels just like the holidays. And Wayfair is my go to for that. Think cozy textures, twinkly decor, warm lighting, and all those little touches that make you want to curl up with a good book and a blanket. You'll usually find my books stacked on a great little end table I got from Wayfair, proof that function and style can coexist. Now, whether you're adding last minute hosting essentials, picking out gifts for loved ones, or refreshing your decor for the season, Wayfair makes it easy with beautiful finds, great prices and fast delivery. And when the holidays wind down, Wayfair has everything you need to tuck it all neatly away. Smart storage solutions for every room from the kitchen to the closet. Plus, with free shipping for any order over $35, that's fast delivery and a total peace of mind. It's the perfect mix of joy and order, bringing the holiday spirit in, then storing it all with ease. If you're ready to make your home feel as good as it looks, get organized, refreshed and ready for the holidays. For way less head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Wayfair Every style, every home. That's W-A-Y-F-A-I-R.com hey, it's JJ here.

You know, I've been talking about environmental toxins forever, and laundry detergent is a sneaky one. A lot of them contain harsh chemicals like dyes, preservatives, and even UV brighteners. Those brighteners don't actually clean anything. They just coat fabric so your eyes think things look whiter or brighter. That's more chemicals I don't want on my family's sheets or skin. And if you've got sensitive skin or allergies around the house, this can be a big problem. That's what got my attention about Earth Breeze. It looks like a dryer sheet, but it's actually laundry detergent. You toss one in the washer and that's it. No pouring, no mess, and no heavy plastic jug. Their packaging is lightweight cardboard, which helps reduce plastic waste. And if you choose the fragrance free option, it's gentle, hypoallergenic, non irritating and non sensitizing. I really like how simple it is and how fresh and clean everything comes out without those unnecessary chemicals. Right now you can try Earth Breeze for up to 40% off with free gifts@earthbreeze.com virgin that's earthbreeze.com virgin for up to 40% off plus free gifts on your first order.

Ray Ban Meta Glasses come with open ear audio so you can listen to your favorite music without blocking out the world around you.

Hey Meta, play Gorgeous.

Here's Gorgeous by Doja Cat.

You can also ask Meta AI questions.

Hey Meta, when's Doja Cat's next concert?

Doja Cat is playing at the Los Angeles Theater next Tuesday.

Sweet Ray Ban Meta Glasses available at Ray Ban stores and other authorized retailers.

What Does Exercise do for My Brain? This is JJ Virgin, four time New York Times best selling author, celebrity nutrition expert, and Fitness Fitness hall of Famer. I've been on a lifelong quest for answers to the toughest health questions and now I'm sharing what I found with you. Welcome to Ask the Health Expert. Sarah from Twitter asks, what does exercise do for my brain? Hey, it's jj and today I have Max Lugaver, the author of the New York Times best selling book Genius Foods here with me to answer this question. Now, besides being an author, he's also a filmmaker and a health and science journalist. He was pre med in college, then he took an introductory course in filmmaking and literally fell in love with storytelling. And lucky for him, found a way to merge all those interests. And on the side, he also sings and plays the guitar. He even released an album in 2012 called One Year later and went on tour. We'll be right back. Stay with us.

Hey, it's J.J. here.

Now, let's be honest.

The holidays are basically a financial ambush. Travel, hosting gifts, surprise holiday school things. Suddenly you're wondering how December turned into a spending spree. If you want to keep your finances under control this holiday season, you need to be using Monarch. It's rated the Wall Street Journal's best budgeting app of 2025. Monarch is the all in one personal finance tool that brings your entire financial life together in one clean interface on your laptop or your phone. What really grabbed my attention is how fast those little holiday expenses pile up with Monarch. Seeing everything in one place makes it a lot harder to accidentally overspend. And honestly, I appreciate anything that keeps me from starting January with a money hangover. You'll love exploring the holiday spending category. Imagine how good it will feel to actually see what's happening before your credit card statement does that whole dramatic reveal thing. Monarch basically shows you exactly where the money is going in real time, and that level of clarity could change everything, right? Don't let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use the code virgin@monarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off your first year@monarch.com with code Virgin.

Welcome to Walgreens. What can I help you with today?

Hi, I need a last minute gift for a secret Santa. Something thoughtful, impressive, not a fruitcake.

We've got Ferrero chocolates, artisan coffees, even a spa kit. Any vibe you're going for, whatever says.

Wow, this guy's great at giving gifts.

How about this premium skincare gift set? Just needs a bow. Will look like you planned it weeks ago.

Well, happy holidays, gifts, holiday decor and more. The holiday road is long.

We're with you all the way, Walgreens.

Exercise is medicine for the brain. It's one of the best ways to boost neuroplasticity, which is the ability of your brain to change over time. And it is also one of the very few treatments that can actually protect your brain and even minimize your risk for a condition called mild cognitive impairment, which is often thought of as a sort of pre dementia. And there is no FDA approved drug that can do the same. So exercise is a potent way to really boost the health of your brain. Also, of course, to boost mental health. Whatever exercise modality you most enjoy, just do it. Just make sure that you're exercising regularly without overtraining and going overboard, of course. But when you exercise, you boost all kinds of great neuroprotective chemicals like bdnf, or brain derived neurotrophic factor, which literally is like a miracle grow protein for the brain. It promotes the survival of your existing neurons while also encouraging the growth of new neurons, I. E. Brain cells, particularly in the vulnerable memory center of the brain, also known as the hippocampus. It can boost levels of serotonin by allowing serotonin's precursor amino acid tryptophan, easier access into the brain. So by exercising, you allow greater tryptophan to enter the brain where it can be converted to serotonin. And then in the evening hours, melatonin, it boosts endorphins and it really is just sort of the one stop shop. And unlike supplements or pharmaceutical treatments that work on singular chemical pathways, exercise boosts the integrity, fortifies the integrity of the entire system. And so this is one of the reasons why we know that greater activity is linked with having better brain health. Bigger, stronger muscles has been linked with having more robust brain health. So whichever way you most enjoy exercising, just make sure that you do it and you do it at a sufficient level of intensity. Because a lot of people what they do is they go to the gym and they throw around a few dumbbells. They do bicep curls and tricep push downs and things like that. But you really want to challenge your body. That is the key to boosting your brain health with exercise. You really want to challenge your body, whether it's with high intensity interval training or or vigorous resistance training. Yeah, there's no one size fits all approach, but we definitely know that exercise is one of the best things that you can do for the brain, almost trumping even eating a healthy diet. So just make sure that whatever it is that you're doing, you're giving yourself a good 150 minutes of exercise every week.

This is JJ with Ask the Health Expert.

I do this five times a week, so make sure you never miss a show by going to subscribetojay.com.

Hello listeners, this is Anne Bogle, author, blogger and creator of the podcast what Should I Read next? Since 2016, I've been helping readers bring more joy and delight into their reading lives. Every week I take all things books and reading with a guest and guide them in discovering their next read. They share three books they love, one book they don't, and what they've been reading lately, and I recommend three titles they may enjoy reading next. Guests have said our conversations are like therapy, troubleshooting issues that have plagued their reading lives for years, and possibly the rest of their lives as well. And of course, recommending books that meet the moment. Whether they are looking for deep introspection to spur or encourage a life change, or a frothy page turner to help them escape the stresses of work, school, everything, you'll learn something about yourself as a reader and you'll definitely walk away confident to choose your next read. With a whole list of new books and authors to try. So join us each Tuesday for what Should I Read Next? Subscribe now wherever you're listening to this podcast and Visit our website whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com to find out more.