The Pretty, Smart People

Why is our group smarter and prettier than other exercise groups? 

We believe that our style of exercise produces the very attractive and popular Middle Distance Runner/ Runway Model physique. But, there is more to it.

PRETTIER

Dr Emma Wedgeworth, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, tells us that it's scientific fact that as well as being good for general health, running can also help our skin.

"When we exercise," she explains, "we boost circulation to our skin, increasing oxygen and nutrient delivery, which gives us that immediate post-exercise glow. Enhanced skin blood flow can also help skin cells regenerate and remove toxins more efficiently. All of these changes can help regulate comedogenesis, the pore blockage which is the first stage in acne."

In addition, running - as with all exercise in general - is known to reduce our natural stress hormone cortisol, "which can be pro-inflammatory and make a number of skin conditions worse, including chronic skin conditions such as eczema," Dr Wedgeworth says. Stress is also one of the major triggers for scratching, which is known to make eczema worse. "So managing stress by regular exercise may prevent skin damage from that."

SMARTER:

About three decades of research in neuroscience have identified a robust link between aerobic exercise and subsequent cognitive clarity, and to many in this field the most exciting recent finding in this area is that of neurogenesis. Not so many years ago, the brightest minds in neuroscience thought that our brains got a set amount of neurons, and that by adulthood, no new neurons would be birthed. But this turned out not to be true. Studies in animal models have shown that new neurons are produced in the brain throughout the lifespan, and, so far, only one activity is known to trigger the birth of those new neurons: vigorous aerobic exercise, said Karen Postal, president of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology. “That’s it,” she said. “That’s the only trigger that we know about.”

The other fascinating thing here is where these new cells pop up: in the hippocampus, a region of the brain associated with learning and memory. So this could help explain, at least partially, why so many studies have identified a link between aerobic exercise and improvement in memory. “If you are exercising so that you sweat — about 30 to 40 minutes — new brain cells are being born,” added Postal, who herself is a runner. “And it just happens to be in that memory area.”

Other post-run changes have been recorded in the brain’s frontal lobe, with increased activity seen in this region after people adopt a long-term habit of physical activity. This area of the brain — sometimes called the frontal executive network system — is located, obviously enough, at the very front: It’s right behind your forehead. After about 30 to 40 minutes of a vigorous aerobic workout – enough to make you sweat – studies have recorded increased blood flow to this region, which, incidentally, is associated with many of the attributes we associate with “clear thinking”: planning ahead, focus and concentration, goal-setting, time management.