brain derived neurotrophic factor

If you’re struggling to get good sleep, exercise might be your saviour.

Sleep helps to restore the building blocks of the human body and is essential for longterm health.

Several studies show that insufficient sleep increases the risk of developing insulin resistance, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and ultimately affects life expectancy.

Unfortunately, 30 to 48% of the general population experience symptoms of insomnia. This can mean difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, waking earlier than intended, or having non-restorative sleep.

The good news is, moderate aerobic exercise increases the amount of time you spend in deep sleep.

On this episode, Gab and Sarah look at the relationship between exercise and sleep and whether it’s ok to exercise before bed.

Contact us: womenlikeyoupodcast@gmail.com

Timing light, food, & exercise for better sleep, energy and mood - Huberman Lab https://hubermanlab.com/dr-samer-hattar-timing-light-food-exercise-for-better-sleep-energy-mood/  

The ‘BDNF’ episode: Why exercise can improve your brain https://womenlikeyoupodcast.com/why-exercise-can-improve-your-brain/ 

Yoga With Adriene Bedtime Yoga (20mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7SN-d4qXx0 

Yoga With Adriene Wind Down Yoga (12mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJOCGSwB8v4 

Yoga With Adriene 7 Minute Bedtime Yoga https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI9upn4t9n8 

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The Women Like You podcast is recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and exercise.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nutrition Nugget! Bite-size, bonus episodes offering tips, tricks and approachable science. This week, Jenn's talking about BDNF. Ever heard of it? Kinda reminds us of drugs but it's not. It's Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor which turns out has a direct connection to our mental health. Really! Those with mental health challenges have lower levels of BDNF. So what lowers it? What can we do to increase it? In just a few minutes, Jenn answers all these questions and more! Like what you're hearing? Be sure to check out the full length episodes; new releases every Wednesday.  Have an idea for a nutrition nugget?   Submit it here:  https://asaladwithasideoffries.com/index.php/contact/         

Jenn's Recommendations for BDNF Support: https://bit.ly/bdnfsupport
Become A Member: https://glow.fm/saladwithasideoffries/
Want a Free Menu Plan from Jenn? https://www.tlsslim.com/bettermylifenow/weight-loss-profile/?

Do you prefer weights or cardio?

A few months ago we surveyed some of our listeners about their exercise habits.

One of the questions we asked was what type of exercise do you do?

42% of our survey respondents said they do mostly cardio and half of that said they do mostly weight training.

Another 21% said they do a combination of both.

On this episode, Gab and Sarah discuss weight training and cardio exercise and look at the many health benefits of both.

Contact us: womenlikeyoupodcast@gmail.com

WLY resources and recommendations:

Sarah’s Burpees for Boobs Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation fundraiser

WLY newsletter subscription 

Are you at risk of type 2 diabetes?

WLY Spotify playlist

The Women Like You podcast is recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and exercise.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Walking is a brilliant form of exercise but it’s often overlooked in favour of running or yoga or HIIT workouts.

Because we are exercise sloths and busy women, we’re always looking for quick and easy ways to get moving.

If you’re trying to get fit and healthy, walking is one of the most accessible types of exercise you can do.

Gab and Sarah look at some good quality research which shows why walking is really, really good for you.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Women Like You newsletter.

To be added to the mailing list, email womenlikeyoupodcast@gmail.com 

WLY resources and recommendations:

Sarah’s Burpees for Boobs Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation fundraiser

Walking for hypertension

Association of Step Volume and Intensity With All-Cause Mortality in Older Women

Kathy Smith power walking audio workout

Waking Up with Sam Harris

Heavyweight podcast

WLY Spotify playlist

The Women Like You podcast is recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and exercise.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever tried Pilates? It’s a popular form of exercise that was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century. 

It’s now a worldwide fitness trend and it’s often used as a form of rehabilitation for lower back pain or injury, and recovery after childbirth. 

Gab and Sarah look at what Pilates actually involves and if it lives up to the hype.

Plus, another batshit crazy fitness trend, this time involving Kate Hudson and a bag full of water. 

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Women Like You newsletter.

To be added to the mailing list, email womenlikeyoupodcast@gmail.com 

WLY resources and recommendations:

Cochrane Library Pilates for low back pain

Jessica Valant - Gentle Pilates 15 Minute Pilates for Beginners Workout

WLY Spotify playlist

The Women Like You podcast is recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and exercise.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How many times have you set yourself a big fitness goal? Did you achieve it?

Research shows that having really specific and fixed goals can actually be a deterrent rather than a motivator. 

In recent years there’s been a shift away from the traditional method of goal-setting known as SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timebound); towards a more flexible approach.

Gab and Sarah explain the idea behind ‘open goals’, and how this is proving to be a more effective way of achieving a fitness target.

You’ll also hear about the world record for planking, and a review of Maddie Lymburner’s Low Impact Full Body HIIT workout.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Women Like You newsletter.

To be added to the mailing list, email womenlikeyoupodcast@gmail.com 

WLY resources and recommendations:

ABC Try setting an open goal for your New Year’s resolution if you want to exercise more 

MadFit Low Impact FULL BODY HIIT Workout (No Equipment + No Jumping)

Yoga With Adriene Wind Down Yoga (12 minute bedtime yoga)

WLY Spotify playlist

The Women Like You podcast is recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and exercise.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No matter how hard you try, it can often feel like your fitness isn’t improving.

It’s so disappointing when you’ve been doing the same workouts over and over and you don’t see any progress in your strength, or number of reps, or cardiovascular fitness.

Even when you’ve been consistent with your exercise, sometimes it feels like you’ve hit a wall and you can’t get past it.

So what do you do when your progress has stalled?

Gab and Sarah explain how to reframe the way you measure progress, and look for the many ways you are making headway (even when it doesn’t feel like it).

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Women Like You newsletter.

To be added to the mailing list, email womenlikeyoupodcast@gmail.com 

WLY resources and recommendations:

Sports Bras Direct

Yoga With Adriene Morning Yoga Flow (22mins)

Nike Run Club ‘Don’t Wanna Run Run’

WLY Spotify playlist

Over Ear Earbuds (example only - we have not tried this particular brand)

MadFit low Impact FULL BODY HIIT Workout (No Equipment + No Jumping)

The Women Like You podcast is recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and exercise.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode we’re talking endocannabinoids and sports bras (the two are not related!).

For years it was thought that the “runner's high” was due to the release of endorphins. 

Endorphins are chemicals that are produced by the body to relieve stress and pain, and they work on the opioid receptors in the brain (the same receptors that opiate drugs like morphine act upon).

An increasing body of evidence suggests that this so-called “runner's high” is not due to the release of endorphins but is instead due to the release of another type of neurochemical called endocannabinoids.

And yes, the word endocannabinoid sounds a lot like the word cannabis, and in the same way that endorphins act upon the opiate receptors in the brain, endocannabinoids act upon the same cannabinoid pathways as cannabis.  

Sarah explains why it’s theoretically possible to get a little “high” on exercise, and Gab has some sports bra recommendations for you to check out.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Women Like You newsletter.

To be added to the mailing list, email womenlikeyoupodcast@gmail.com 

WLY resources and recommendations:

Neuromodulation of Aerobic Exercise—A ReviewSerum Endocannabinoid and Mood Changes after Exercise in Major Depressive Disorder

Sports Bras Direct

Bra fitting guide

Yoga With Adriene Morning Yoga Flow (22mins)

Nike Run Club ‘Don’t Wanna Run Run’

WLY Spotify playlist

The Women Like You podcast is recorded on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land where we live, work, and exercise.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

De mono amine deficiëntie hypothese kan niet verklaren waarom het 4-6 weken duurt voor antidepressiva gaan werken. Men is daarom op zoek naar een andere verklaring. Deze wordt gevonden in de dysregulatie van de HPA-as (Hypothalamus-Hypofyse-Bijnier-as). Door dysregulatie komt er meer cortisol vrij en cortisol is onvoldoende instaat om zijn eigen afgifte te remmen, hierdoor komt er meer cortisol in het limbisch systeem. Het limbisch systeem is bevat veel receptoren voor glucocorticoiden en men vindt in personen met depressie dat er minder volume van de hippocampus is. Er is een andere speler, namelijk Serum Glucocoticoid regulated Kinase 1 (SGK1) die een belangrijke rol speelt. SGK1 is meer actief in depressieve personen en zorgt dat de glucocorticoid receptor samen met het FKBP5 eiwit sterker geforsforyleerd (=geactiveerd) wordt en zich daardoor sterker naar de celkern verplaatst waar het samen met een onbekende co-repressor de aanmaak van Brain Derived Neurotrofic Factor (BDNF) remt. BDNF is een neurotrofine en "verzorgt"  de zenuwen. Een tekort aan BDNF zorgt voor verminderde groei, differentiatie en neuroplasticiteit. Daarnaast verzorgt BDNF ook de gliacellen en kan het de uitstoot van pro-inflammatoire cytokinen remmen. Dus door een gebrek aan BDNF in de hippcampus kan er neuroinflammatie en atrofie ontstaan, waardoor men denkt dat er depressie ontstaat. Het herstel van deze staat door een verhoging van BDNF in de hippocampus kost tijd en daardoor verklaart men waarom het 4-6 weken duurt voordat antidepressiva gaan werken. Enkele interessante artikelen die ik hiervoor heb geraadpleegt vind u hieronder:

Literatuur:
1.  Carniel BP, Rocha NS da. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and inflammatory markers: Perspectives for the management of depression. Prog Neuro-psychopharmacology Biological Psychiatry. 2020;108:110151.
2.  Belmaker RH, Agam G. Major Depressive Disorder. New Engl J Medicine. 2008;358(1):55–68.
3.  Notaras M, Buuse M van den. Neurobiology of BDNF in fear memory, sensitivity to stress, and stress-related disorders. Mol Psychiatr. 2020;25(10):2251–74.
4.  Ren F, Guo R. Synaptic Microenvironment in Depressive Disorder: Insights from Synaptic Plasticity. Neuropsych Dis Treat. 2021;Volume 17:157–65.
5.  Petralia MC, Mazzon E, Fagone P, Basile MS, Lenzo V, Quattropani MC, et al. The cytokine network in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder. Close to translation? Autoimmun Rev. 2020;19(5):102504.
6.  Dattilo V, Amato R, Perrotti N, Gennarelli M. The Emerging Role of SGK1 (Serum- and Glucocorticoid-Regulated Kinase 1) in Major Depressive Disorder: Hypothesis and Mechanisms. Frontiers Genetics. 2020;11:826.
7.  Rana T, Behl T, Sehgal A, Srivastava P, Bungau S. Unfolding the Role of BDNF as a Biomarker for Treatment of Depression. J Mol Neurosci. 2020;1–14.