Spark

I just finished up reading Spark. It's an impressive and compelling book that is a worthwhile read for anyone. I had no idea exercise had such a powerful effect on the brain, although his findings didn't surprise me given my beliefs about living a "primal" lifestyle. Here's my thoughts in an unorganized list:

- clear thesis: exercise is good for the brain as well as mental and physical well-being
- along with lots of scientific mumbo-jumbo, Ratey uses the logic that we have evolved to be active and that we perform optimally when we are active
- fascinating studies that I'd never heard of - one that showed exercise was as effective as Zoloft for treatment of depression - a high school using rigorous and accommodating phys ed classes also has 3% obesity rates and scores remarkably well on standardized tests
- Uses evolution to support exercise, but misses the boat with nutrition. He recommends a typical SAD diet and hardly mentions nutrition. When he came to my school, I was going to ask him about diet and its effect on the brain, but I never got the chance. Well, I got my answer and I was disappointed. He does recommend supplementing with omega 3's and vitamin d, though.
- My favorite parts: the Naperville high school story because it relates to my demographic and the chapter on aging because Parkinson's and Alzheimer's are becoming more prevalent and I have parents
- Sometimes too much scientific mumbo-jumbo for me, but the takeaway messages make it worth the read

Who's it for: anyone from the student to the elderly can benefit from reading Spark.

My recommendations: walk a lot, sprint every now and then, and play. While he did support moderate cardio, he also likes walking and sprinting--beliefs congruous with Mark Sisson's.

My score: 4.5/5