Health and Fitness

Did you know that participating in regular, low impact activities such as walking has been shown to help improve balance, cognition, and overall mood?    Exercise is also a great way to reduce stress and combat depression.  Regular physical activity can also help you manage your pain.

As you probably know surviving a brain injury can leave you with significant side effects.   Some people experience decreased mobility, impaired balance, lack of energy; no desire to get out of bed or off the couch; increased pain; tight or spastic muscles and even paralysis.  Some may have troubles communicating or difficulty following an exercise regimen. Others may experience difficulties with memory and concentration.  All these factors and many, many more can make it hard to get moving again after an injury.  Immobility combined with poor health choices can lead to further complications later in life.

The purpose of this section will be to provide suggestions, tips and ideas for survivors of brain injuries; their families and caregivers to develop tools and strategies to help increase physical activity levels and make positive health choices.
As always, you should check first with your doctor to make sure it  is ok for you to begin an exercise program.  Your doctor would also be able to let you know of any specific risks you need to be aware of with regards to your personal health, your medications, your balance and so on.
Look for this section to educate you on ways to get active and guidance towards making choices that impact your heath in a positive way.

Click on the article on the Brain Injury Association of Minnesota's website on aerobic exercise: http://www.braininjurymn.org/library/aerobic.pdf

This section is still under construction but please check back here often for links to articles and topics that will help you maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.  

And as always, thank you for taking the time to visit us. Keep moving and set your own personal exercise or fitness goals. Write to us at bianc@bianc.net to let us know what has worked for you or what tips you used to help lose weight, find more energy, or to make exercise more fun or productive.