Brain Changes Initiative is challenging people to be active for at least 20 minutes each day — and to do it for their brains.
“People run for the heart, they run for cancer, and even mental health, but it seems no one runs for cognitive health,” says BCI founder Dr. Matthew Galati. “There’s not enough awareness around living a brain-healthy lifestyle.”
BCI is a non-profit organization that promotes healthy and active lifestyles, which are particularly important for people with brain injuries. It fundraises for traumatic brain injury research at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and collaborates with brain injury associations and other charities to provide education to the public and health-care professionals.
BCI was founded in 2019, six years after Galati was in a car accident and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury.
Early post-injury, Galati researched a lifestyle approach to heal his brain. He learned that aerobic exercise promotes positive change in the brain (neuroplasticity), creates new brain cells (neurogenesis) and improves mental processing.
Galati recovered and went on to complete his medical training at Western University. Now a practicing physician, Galati and his family are working to improve the standard of care for people with traumatic brain injuries and to support research into understanding the efficacy and impact of the lifestyle approach he used in his recovery.
Before his accident, Galati used to play soccer, but he knew the high-impact sport could put him at risk of re-injury, so he picked up running instead. He began logging at least five kilometres every day — and has never stopped. He is committed to staying physically active for the rest of his life.
This summer, BCI is inviting everyone to commit to 20 minutes of physical activity each day.
Registration for the organization’s inaugural Run for Neurogenesis is now open, with money raised supporting the non-profit’s work. Participants can sign up and upload their activities through Race Roster each week until Sept. 5. Everyone is encouraged to share photos of their activities on Instagram and tag @brainchanges. Participants will have access to webinars on brain health research and healthy living through the BCI website.
“It’s about moving, it’s about making sure you get out there for at least 20 minutes a day,” Galati says. “It’s not just about supporting BCI. It’s about what you should be doing to live a brain-healthy lifestyle that’s also good for the heart and other aspects of life.”
To learn more about BCI, visit their website. You can register for the Run for Neurogenesis on Race Roster.
