Here's part 3 of a Parade article that offers interesting facts on how fitness can help both your mind and your health -- both of which are more important than money (see How to Preserve and Protect Your Memory and Make It Grow and More Important than Money: Your Health for details). Today, we'll see how staying active may significantly lower your chance of developing Alzheimer’s:
Mice who exercised on running wheels developed less plaque deposits in the brain—the basis for a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s—than those who did nothing. “Exercise protects against the age-related loss of brain tissue and may affect the expression of genes involved in Alzheimer’s disease,” says Paul Adlard of the University of California at Irvine. Further studies are needed to determine how much and what kind of physical activity will generate the most benefits in humans. Still, the message is clear: Exercise at any age can enhance cognition.
My thoughts:
1. Double benefits of exercising -- helps both your mind and body.
2. In addition to physically exercising, mind-challenging tasks like doing crossword puzzles, playing chess, and learning a new language keep your mind healthy by mentally exercising it.
3. I have a few more posts on keeping your mind healthy that you may want to check out. They are How to Keep Your Brain Fit, Exercising Your Most Important Assets, and How to Make Your Brain Fitter in Six (Sort of) Easy Steps.
Comments