Ryan James Campbell

01/18/2026

A new Cochrane review of 73 studies involving nearly 5,000 people found that exercise may be as effective as antidepressants and psychological therapy for reducing symptoms of depression.

This is a reminder that our bodies have innate healing mechanisms that we can activate through lifestyle.

Exercise is one of the most powerful interventions we have for mental health. It reduces inflammation, improves mitochondrial function, balances neurotransmitters, and supports brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) production.

And for many people struggling with depression, it may be the first line of defense—not the last resort.

If you're dealing with depression, talk to your doctor about incorporating movement into your treatment plan. Start small. Even 20-30 minutes of walking can make a difference.

What's your experience with exercise and mental health? 👇

01/13/2026

Supplements can be powerful tools. I use them myself and recommend them when they are evidence-based and thoughtfully chosen.

At the same time, they work best when they support healthy daily habits rather than replace them. Sleep, movement, nutrition, light exposure, and stress regulation set the biological terrain. Supplements help optimize that terrain, but they cannot fully compensate for patterns that consistently work against brain health.

This is not an argument against supplementation, but a reminder of context. When lifestyle foundations are in place, supplements can meaningfully amplify the benefits and that’s a process I am all for.

01/13/2026

12/31/2025

Sitting for hours at a time doesn’t just affect your energy, it can seriously disrupt blood sugar control.

A recent study reveals that interrupting prolonged sitting with short bursts of movement can significantly improve glycemic control.

In the study, participants who performed 3 minutes of walking or 10 bodyweight squats every 45 minutes had better blood sugar regulation compared to those who stayed seated or even those who took a single 30-minute walk.

These frequent, targeted bursts of activity were shown to activate key muscle groups like the quadriceps and glutes, leading to better glucose management throughout the day.

This is proof that you don’t need to spend hours in the gym to support your metabolic health.

DOI/10.1111/sms.14628

12/24/2025

A 10-minute walk after meals helps muscles use glucose more efficiently, which means fewer spikes and better metabolic control.

Stable blood sugar supports lower inflammation over time, and research continues to connect metabolic health with reduced Alzheimer’s risk.

Consider taking a 10-minute walk after your holiday meals this year.

12/17/2025

The brain is always changing. It forms new connections, rewires old patterns, and adapts based on experience, nutrition, sleep, movement and environment.

This is why lifestyle matters so much for long-term brain health.

Here are ways you can support neuroplasticity:

🧠 learn new skills

🧠 strength train and move your body often

🧠 nourish with whole foods

🧠 protect sleep quality

🧠 manage blood sugar

🧠 reduce chronic inflammation

12/10/2025

Gift buying is in FULL effect right now. Tabs open, carts loaded, “shipping cutoff” panic creeping in, and somehow you’re supposed to do it all with a smile.

Here’s my gentle reminder, the best gift doesn’t come in a box or sit under the tree. It’s your health.

Because the most meaningful thing you can give the people you love is you, present, energized, clear-headed, patient, joyful. The best version of yourself. And that starts with a healthy body and a sound mind.

So yes, buy the gifts. Wrap the things. Do the festive stuff. But don’t disappear in the process.

Keep it simple this season:
Eat whole, real food, the kind your great-grandmother would recognize. Build your plate around protein and plants. Swap the “holiday sugar spiral” for something that actually loves you back. Go for a walk after meals. Lift something heavy a couple times a week. Get outside. Protect your sleep like it’s a non-negotiable meeting. And prioritize the kind of connection that fills your nervous system back up.

Your health is the foundation for everything else you want to give.

And that is the one gift that lasts long after the boxes are recycled. 🎁

11/19/2025

11/12/2025

Deep, quality sleep is one of the most powerful tools we have to protect brain health.

During REM sleep, the brain processes emotions, consolidates memories, and clears metabolic waste.

Support it by winding down earlier, limiting stimulating content before bed, and keeping your room cool and dark.

11/04/2025

Exercise outperforms medication in fighting depression, says massive new study

A groundbreaking study of 128,119 people has revealed something remarkable, exercise is more effective at reducing symptoms of depression than medication alone. Researchers found that physical activity, even in small amounts, significantly boosts mood, lowers anxiety, and improves overall mental well-being.

The study compared people who exercised regularly with those treated using antidepressant drugs. The results were clear: movement triggers powerful changes in the brain that medication can’t fully replicate. Exercise increases blood flow, enhances neuroplasticity, and releases endorphins and dopamine, chemicals that naturally lift mood and strengthen emotional resilience.

What’s most encouraging is that the type or intensity of exercise didn’t matter much. Walking, running, cycling, dancing, or strength training all helped. The key was consistency, moving your body regularly, even for 20 minutes a day, created lasting benefits.

While antidepressants can still be life-changing for many, this study shows that combining or even replacing medication with physical activity could transform how we treat depression.

Your body isn’t just made to move, it’s wired to heal through movement. Every step, stretch, or sprint is your brain’s natural antidepressant.

11/01/2025

Chronic stress doesn’t just affect the brain, it activates the immune system throughout the body.

A recent Molecular Psychiatry study found that stress sparks inflammation in organs like the gut, liver, fat, heart, and muscles.

Those inflammatory signals travel back to the brain, influencing mood, motivation, and emotional regulation.

Over time, this body-to-brain feedback loop can disrupt the stress-response system and alter regions like the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex—areas central to memory and mood.

What’s especially interesting is how connected these systems are. The gut, immune cells, and nervous system communicate through the vagus nerve and inflammatory cytokines—so when one is out of balance, the entire network feels it.

It’s the same concept I shared years ago in The UltraMind Solution: what happens in the body profoundly shapes the brain.

When we treat the body, we’re often healing the mind too. Mental health isn’t separate from physical health, it’s one continuous conversation between the two. 🧠

doi.org/10.1038/s41380-025-03085-y