I'm sure your doctor has told you all about this.
http://www.memorylossonline.com/winter2010/pumping_neurons.html
Do you get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical exercise
most days of the week? If you did, your brain would appreciate
it. Evidence is mounting that physical activity -- specifically
aerobic exercise -- improves memory and various other brain
functions and may lower the risk of dementia.
Most of the evidence comes from a mountain of studies on rats
and mice, but data collected on people is growing. It shows
convincingly that you can preserve your mental skills as you
age, regain some of the horsepower you’ve already lost,
and even help to stave off Alzheimer’s
disease and other forms of dementia.
“There’s quite a bit of evidence now suggesting
the beneficial effects of moderate intensity exercise on the
brain,” says Kirk Erickson, a neuroscientist at the
University of Pittsburgh. He is at the forefront of research
on exercise and the brain. “This includes maintaining
the structure of the brain and preventing deterioration, but
also improving the actual functioning of the brain as well.”
Even better, you don’t need to run a marathon. You simply
need to engage in some sort of aerobic exercise -- any rhythmic
activity that engages the large muscle groups of the body
-- long enough to raise your heart rate. Think a brisk 45-minute
walk, three or more times per week. Or enough laps in the
pool so that you can feel your pulse thumping. “You
don’t have to be a member of a gym,” Erickson
says. “Primarily we’re measuring people who just
walk.”
Rest at the link.
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