Exercise might be as crucial for your brain as diet is. In fact, studies show a lack of exercise doesn't just affect the body. It also has significant affects on growing brain cells. Mice that ran 3 miles each night doubled their hippocampus size over time.

OnlineCollegCourses put together a nice graphic to show how exercise increases the performance of the brain, especially in youth. Some of the stats below include:

• In elementary kids, 40 minutes of daily exercise caused an average IQ increase of 3.8 points.
• The fittest students scored 30% higher on tests than average students (less-fit students scored 20% lower)
• Those who regularly play sports show a 20% improvement in math, science, english and social studies
• Fit 18 year olds were more likely to go onto higher education
• Students who worked out before class improved test scores 17% on average
• Employees who exercise regularly are 15% more efficient

By Michael Dean, CEO of Nature's Sunshine Products

I cannot count the number of personal testimonials I’ve heard from colleagues and distributors from around the world, attesting to the power of our people and our quality products.

After 40 years, I can only imagine how many millions of people Nature's Sunshine has helped in their lives and with their health. It is staggering to me, and it humbles me to think of the impact that we had as a company, as a family and as individuals.

I’d like to share my own testimonial. While my story is not amazing or overwhelming, it is personal and true.

Nature's Harvest green drink was a hit at Dallas Leaders Conference.

When I joined Nature's Sunshine, I was new to the business of helping people with their health, as I had come from industries that were not related to health and wellness. I also did not have a full appreciation of the value of dietary supplementation. I have very rarely taken pharmaceuticals, including virtually no use of pain killers or aspirin. I did not take vitamins or herbs either, nor did I see much reason to (mistakenly!).

How Nature's Sunshine Has Supported Health in Michael's Family

I have enjoyed excellent health my whole life, without a single serious illness, and I have never stayed a night in a hospital or even broken a bone. I am not a good customer for doctors, having provided them little to prescribe. The joke among my buddies is that I’m the healthiest man alive (they somehow meant it as an insult, but I still don’t get the joke).

However, I now have three kids that are 11 years and under. And for the last decade, I seem to have contracted almost every cold and flu that they had. I don’t get too sick and I recover quickly, but I contract the sickness nonetheless. As long as you don’t ask me at the time of sickness, I will tell you that it is a reasonable cost of being close to my children. This has happened several times every single year without fail.

When I became the CEO of Nature's Sunshine, it was important for me to begin using our products so that I could have firsthand familiarity and understanding of them. I have used a regimen of products (Super Trio®, SmartMeal, Nature’s Harvest, Nutri-Calm® and many more) almost every day now for nearly three years.

And I think I’ve had only one stuffy nose during this entire time. Nature’s Sunshine products clearly provides my immune system with the support it needs. My kids continued to get the typical seasonal colds and illnesses, so of course, I now have them taking our products, too. The only thing left is to get their entire schools on Nature's Sunshine products, and then we’ll have all of our bases covered! And maybe a few future distributors? Okay, I’ve gone too far.

So you see, my story is not miraculous, and perhaps many of you have similar ones. But then, we impact lives in ways both big and small. All that matters is that we help. I am clearly healthier now that I use Nature's Sunshine products daily.

This is my small story, but it is a part of why I have such belief in what we do and such optimism for our future.

About Michael Dean

Michael D. Dean is the President and CEO of Nature’s Sunshine and serves as a member of the Board of Nature’s Sunshine Products. Prior, Mr. Dean served as Chief Executive Officer of Mediaur Technologies Inc., responsible for all aspects of the privately-owned satellite technology company that provides proprietary antenna system solutions for both private industries and governments. Before joining Mediaur, Mr. Dean worked at The Walt Disney Company from 1997 to 2003. He was Executive Vice President of ABC Cable Networks, a multi-billion dollar global division of Disney, where he was responsible for the non-creative, day-to-day business, including Affiliate Sales and Marketing, Finance, Legal, Broadcasting Operations, IT, Human Resources, and Business Development. Earlier at Disney, he was Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategic Planning and Development, responsible for all corporate strategy, development and deal work in Disney’s broadcasting, cable, and film studio businesses. Before Disney, Mr. Dean was a strategy consultant with Bain & Company and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and now ... School Lunch.

That's the story in a new report, "Still Too Fat to Fight," from a group of about 300 retired military leaders. They say all the extra calories consumed by young people are making them "too fat to fight." And with too many fat kids, there won't be enough able bodies to protect the United States. 

"Three-quarters of those ages 17 to 24, or about 26 million young people, cannot serve in the military, a quarter of them because they are overweight or obese, says retired Air Force lieutenant general Norman Seip, a spokesman for Mission: Readiness, which advocates policies that would help young Americans get ready to serve."

"We look at childhood obesity not only as a health crisis but a national security issue," Seip said. "When 25% of young people can't join the military simply because they are overweight, that's an issue that needs to be dealt with."

In 1946, the military came out with something similar to change eating habits in schools. But back then, it wasn't that there were too many empty calories -- it was because there wasn't enough nurishment. They helped pass the original National School Lunch program to make sure kids got enough to eat. 

Main Points From "Still Too Fat to Fight"

While the debate may roll on about whether or not a fat kid can launch rockets as well as throwing down potato chips, the report does bring up some serious issues. Some of those include:

• 40% of students who buy high-calorie, low-nutrient junk food from school vending machines and cafeteria a la carte lines consume an average of 130 calories a day from those types of foods (candy, chips, cookies, pastries). That's roughly 5% to 10% of the calories kids and teens should eat in a day.


• Junk food adds up to 400 billion "empty" calories in a year or the calories in almost 2 billion candy bars, which would weigh almost 90,000 tons, more than the weight of the aircraft carrier Midway (70,000 tons).


• Three-quarters of those ages 17 to 24, or about 26 million young people, cannot serve in the military, a quarter of them because they are overweight or obese.


• About a third of children and teens are obese or overweight, putting kids at a greater risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other health problems.


• Obesity is still climbing among boys ages 12 to 19.


• Male rates of being overweight or obese (73%) in the U.S. are already higher than those of any other major country.


• Many accepted recruits are diverted to special training to address inadequate physical fitness before they can even begin basic training.


• About 40% of elementary, middle and high school students -- 16 million school kids -- bought and consumed junk food and sugar-sweetened drinks on any given day.

Kids can say goodbye to simple sugars, corndogs, trans fats, whitebreads, and other foods bulging with calories and sodium at school lunch rooms.

The Department of Agriculture has put its proverbial foot down. The young population of this country will now be eating whole grains, fruits and veggies.

At least, the USDA hopes they will.

But if you’ve ever had to PERSUADE kids to eat healthy food, you’ve probably also raised your white flag a time or two, and given in to pizza, chicken fingers and french fries.

That’s the concern many have over the USDA’s new guidelines (the biggest update to school-food guidelines in 15 years) that will be in effect this Fall.

“We don’t want healthy trash cans. We want kids who are eating this stuff,” said Kern Halls in a recent Washington Post article. She’s a former Disney World restaurant manager who now works in school nutrition at Orange County Public Schools in Florida. 

Here are some more of those guidelines. Schools must:

• Set calorie and sodium limits
• Dark green, orange or red veggies once/week
• Legumes once a week
• Students required to select one vegetable per meal
• Students required to select one fruit per meal
• Flavored milk must be nonfat
• Ban on artificial, artery-clogging trans fats

It’s one thing to require kids to select veggies. It’s another thing to make sure those same kids put that food into their mouths. School cafeterias are being trained on marketing healthy foods, positioning them on colorful plates in the service line, motivating kids to be healthy, and are recruiting parents to be “food coaches. They’re even giving away iPads to students who eat healthy.

Your Turn

Because food is arguably the most important influence on your brain cells, on your energy levels and your overall mood, this is a worthy goal. But will it work? How would you motivate kids to eat healthy? We're talking about this on Facebook and our new Google+ page if you want to chime in. 

As parents, we know that doing what’s best for our child includes more than giving them a house to live in and food to eat.  But still, it’s hard to know exactly what to do so a child stays smart, active and happy.  With all of life’s responsibilities sitting on our shoulders, it’s crucial that we make a conscious effort to help our children learn and grow.  Here are five parenting tips you can follow to encourage your child to reach his or her full potential:

Nutrition
Providing your child with a healthy diet is critical when it comes to developing a strong, able body.  Because vitamin deficiencies cause many health problems that could last a lifetime, it’s important to limit your child’s consumption of junk food.  The first 18 years of a person’s life are most crucial when it comes to developing healthy bodies—so help your child make those years count! Consider vitamin supplements to better ensure that your child stays nourished with the nutrients they need.

Activity
The importance of physical activity in a child’s life cannot be stressed enough.  This can be accomplished by going to the playground, riding a bike, dancing, or playing tag.  Activities such as these will help your child develop strong bones and muscles as well as avoid the ever-increasing problem of childhood obesity.

Creativity
While adults are bombarded with reality, children are blessed with boundless imaginations.  In a child’s mind, fairies exist, reindeer can fly and your living room floor is a pool of hot lava.  This magic only lasts for a short time, so don’t discourage them from playing pretend. Your child could even exercise creativity with supplies like empty paper towel rolls, string and glue.  Encourage them to use their imaginations and let their creative minds run!  Creativity is what makes people good innovative problem solvers.

Education
In the first few years of life, children most rapidly learn from observation. So the best way to teach the essentials of life is by example.  Since the majority of a child’s life is spent in the home, some of the most important steps in a child’s education happen there. Encourage them to ask questions.  And when these questions come, be patient and help them understand.

Safety
Childproof your house to the age of your child.  If you have a baby, frequently get on your hands and knees to check the floor and any other place they might find small, swallowable items.  And while you’re down there, cover all open electrical outlets. When it comes to preventing drowning, remember to never leave your baby near water, even if it’s only an inch deep.  One inch of water is all it takes for a baby to drown. 

Before you strap your child into a car seat, make sure you know the proper weight requirements.  And don’t install a car seat without thoroughly reading the instructions.  Even if it’s for a short time, avoid leaving your baby alone in hot places.  Your child’s body heat can increase five times more quickly than the average adult.  Extreme heat can injure your baby or even result in death.  As your child becomes more independent, make sure you teach him/her the safe way to cross the street.  And don’t forget to require helmets whenever they are on bikes and scooters.

Is your child a picky eater? The body develops most rapidly in the first 18 years of life, so it’s vital for children to receive all of the vitamins and minerals they need to grow into healthy adults.  And because children solely rely on their parents to nourish their bodies, the burden of supplying kids with essential nutrients falls on adults.

Some children are good eaters, but more likely than not, your child gets picky when meal time rolls around.  If your child consistently rejects nutritious foods (or even if he/she doesn’t), it never hurts to give them a vitamin supplement.  Doing so will only boost your confidence that your child has the nourishment required to grow up “big and strong.”

Without some of the most fundamental vitamins, the body cannot properly perform tasks that regulate normal development.  For example, insufficient amounts of calcium, vitamin C and vitamin D can greatly increase the potential risk of osteoporosis and bone brittleness.  More severe deficiencies of these vitamins may even result in stunted growth or skeletal deformities. Vitamins A and C make children far less susceptible to the common cold or winter flu.  And necessary amounts of vitamins and nutrients like omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D can even help prevent some of the deadliest types of cancer.  

Even if it seems inconvenient to make the extra effort, giving your children these essential nutrients, whether through a well-balanced diet, vitamin supplements or both, will benefit their health for the rest of their lives.  To learn more about essential vitamins for children, browse top vitamins at naturessunshine.com.