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Does exercise help your brain stay healthier and prevent Alzheimer's?

More and more scientists and doctors are confirming that exercise may help your brain resist or prevent Alzheimer's disease. In a report from the Alzheimer's Research & Prevention Foundation, they state that exercise may cut your risk of Alzheimers in half. That's a huge percentage!

Have you noticed when you see your doctor, he nearly always recommends that you walk? No matter what the reason for the visit, walking seems to be part of the prescription. No doubt that is partly because it is something nearly everyone can do, wherever they are, no matter their age, and at no cost, unless you throw in a pair of good shoes. But also because it is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise.

As a matter of fact, sometimes it's the doctor's only recommendation: Get out and walk. Move. It's true for brain health as well.

A lot of this is basic knowledge that you may know. Still, the more reasons for exercise you hear, the more likely one will strike you as reason to get with the program! A much larger percentage of us are doing just that these days, or exercising in some way, but if you are like me, exercise often goes by the wayside when I am in the middle of something. Yet, when you think of it, it should be an easy thing to fit it into our day.

In most cases, in the paragraphs below, any aerobic exercise may have the same results, so whether it's bicycling, swimming, jogging, using machines at the gym, you will be working toward the same goal. Strength training is not considered aerobic exercise, though still very necessary. We'll get to that below.

Image courtesy of mikebaird at Flickr

Aerobic exercise "keeps cognitive abilities sharp and slashes your lifetime risk of Alzheimer's in half,"

Says John Medina, an affiliate professor of bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine (from article in AARP)

Interconnections

Body, food, exercise, brain

When something is good for one part of the body, it's usually good for the rest as well. It's so interconnected. For example, if you are overweight, you may also have high blood pressure. You may have high cholesterol which increases plaque which decreases blood flow, and so on.

You can see why it becomes harder for scientists to claim something 'prevents alzheirmer's' when it may be partly due to overall health. That partially accounts for the reason still see a "may" in many of their announcements. While they are seeing more and more proof that exercise does lower the risk for Alzheimer's, it's difficult to pin down whether it is directly affecting the disease or an effect on the whole body wellness. Nearly every study includes the word 'may.' It 'may' help slow dementia. It 'may' help prevent Alzheimer's. Even still the statistics provide ample evidence that exercise is essential to your brain as well as your body.

Living healthy is being found to be one of the best ways to reduce your risk.

So much goes in to what makes our bodies healthy. They are incredible machines that last for an amazing length of time, especially when you consider all we put them through. Proper maintenance will allow the to run optimally. Exercise is a large part of that process and may be just as important as proper food choices. It all goes together.

Recent study findings

All point to good reasons to get moving

Here are some study results that offer further confirmation that we should make it a habit and a priority.

According to the Alzheimer's Research Center, exercise seems to protect the region of the brain in charge of memory and space, the hippocampus. Since the hippocampus also seems to be what is first damaged with Alzheimer's, it is an excellent reason to start. It may help prevent or lessen the risk simply by taking a walk everyday. The hippocampus is also responsible for a sharper memory.

In one Dutch study, it was found that men who had a likelihood of getting Alzheimer's were four times more likely to, if inactive over active.

Doctor Alzheimer first discovered the protein that forms 'beta amyloid plaques' that are commonly present in brains. Tests has shown that exercise somehow jumpstarts the enzymes to that destroy that plaque.

Exercise sends more blood to the brain, releasing a chemical there that stimulates growth of new neurons, repairs cells and improves synapses.

Studies show that vigorous exercise actually slows shrinking in the white matter of the brain.

Other studies show that aerobic exercise can actually create new brain cells and improve function. through the protein called BDNF. This protein helps in making decisions and higher thinking.

The more complicated the task the more effective it is on the brain as well. Dancing is often used as an example. Your brain needs to consider coordination, movement, timing. Just like our body muscles, you have to stretch and use them to get them to grow.