Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain | John J. Ratey

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain | John J. Ratey | Moods from the heart?

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Spark: The Revolut...

	Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain John J. Ratey Little, Brown and Company, 2008 - 304 pages average customer review:based on 35 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Ratey Hits it Out-of-the-Park with SPARK!!!

Spark is a luminous and visionary book. John Ratey and Eric Hagerman have done a terrific job of bringing the neuroscience of exercise and the brain to the mainstream in an intelligent, inspiring and practical book.

Once I started reading Spark, I couldn't put it down. The writing is smart, effortless and heartfelt. John Ratey is on a crusade to spread the message that exercise can transform people's lives from the inside out--and he presents this case convincingly. His enthusiasm is contagious. Spark will definitely persuade and motivate readers from all walks of life to make exercise something that they seek most days of the week.

Spark is packed with tons of really valuable scientific information and case studies, but it is never a heavy read. Ratey mixes in personal anecdotes, other people's experiences and practical advice to bring the pages to life. He also manages to maintain a friendly and down-to-earth voice even when discussing potentially mind-numbingly dry neuro-science. His conversational, upbeat tone keeps the eyes from glazing over and the pages turning...The science in this book is thorough and cutting-edge without ever being stodgy or overly complicated.

Huge thanks to John Ratey and Eric Hagerman for this timely, accessible and inspiring contribution to the field of Exercise and the Brain. Reading Spark will improve your life. I highly recommend this book.

Christopher Bergland

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Moods from the heart?

This book has a fascinating chapter about anxiety. Dr. Ratey says that a peptide secreted by the heart muscle when we exercise regulates stress and anxiety (atrial natriuretic peptide, p. 102). Who knew a heart valve needs to get pumping for us to feel calm, cool, and collected?

Dr. Ratey's chapter on addiction has tons of fascinating research on how exercise produces chemicals which help us experience pleasure in life's simple things, reducing urges to seek pleasure in self-destructive ways.

I recommend this book for anyone who has kids - especially the chapters on learning and ADHD. It is so interesting to learn how our bodies can improve our brain :-)

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Thank Goodness for SPARK!

As a physical educator I have been looking for 30 years for a book like this to validate my profession. Dr. Ratey's book justifies everything done in a quality PE class. Best of all he explains the effects of exercise on the brain in an easy to understand manner. This book should become the bible for all physical educators. All PE teachers should purchase this book and give it to their administrators and school board members.

WOW

A very impressive informative resource. Had the pleasure to finish the book today and be able to advise a client that exercise for my patient (her dog), will improve not only his body but his mind.

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Executive Spark

While this review is as enthusiastically positive as the previous ones, it comes from a different perspective. My view is based on years of consulting with top leaders of major organizations about their own performance and that of their company. Too bad that SPARK wasn't available sooner. Now we realize that a physical fitness program, especially with the kinds of experiences that Dr. Ratey describes, is an essential part of the career development plan of any would be top manager. Further, Dr.Ratey's suggestions for dealing with high pressure situations are especially helpful for those who already are in positions of heavy responsibility. And the scientific and clinical content are fascinating to any one.

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, page 4, 5, 6, 7

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