A Healthy Body Means a Healthy Mind: Physical Activities for Cognitive Maintenance

Consider this: a lapse in cognitive efficiency affects about 20 percent of men and women over 70 years of age, and this condition often causes memory problems and slips in language, reasoning, judgment, and even reading and writing. Consider also that moderate physical activity performed in one's 50s and after is believed to contribute to a reduced risk of this same cognitive slow-down. In fact, according to a study conducted by the American College of Physicians, a well-planned, well-followed aerobic exercise program is thought to have a positive impact on cognitive function, not only in men and women who demonstrate symptoms of impairment, but in virtually anyone from in the middle-age and above age bracket.

That's good news because a consistent physical exercise program is not only good for overall well-being, but in terms of cognitive maintenance, a healthy body means a healthy mind as well! According to Agingresearch.org, against mild cognitive impairment, physical conditioning is a life-saver by means of the production of greater blood flow to the brain, improved development and survival of neurons and the decreased risk of heart and blood vessel diseases.

In this way, physical exercise encourages the brain to work at optimum capacity by causing nerve cells to multiply, strengthening their interconnections and protecting them from damage.

Want an even more tangible example of the positive benefits of physical exercise on your brain? Ever hear of the term "runner's high" or "athletic high?" In many athletic endeavors, the constant flow of oxygen and blood that results from high-intensity aerobics has been known to give athletics a feeling of being lighter-than-air. You don't need to run a marathon to jump-start your brain or cognitive functions. You just to keep active in a way that only exercise provides.

Staying healthy is not rocket science. So when you're planning a personal exercise program look to include the following variety of exercise:

1. Aerobics: Anything that keeps your heart pumping at an increased rate for at least 40 minutes. Power-walking, jogging, swimming, even jumping jacks and skipping rope are all examples of aerobic exercise. As you get your heart pumping, the amount of oxygen in your blood increases, and endorphins, which are the body's feel-good enzymes, increase as well. Aerobic exercise also activates your immune system, helps your heart pump blood more efficiently, and increases your stamina over time. Just another few of the benefits of physical fitness.

2. Anaerobics: Short bursts of high-intensity exercise with minimum periods of recovery. Professional athletes and trainers are known to refer to this as "interval training" or "burst training." Call it what you will. What's important to know is that anaerobic activity is proven to improve your cardiovascular fitness and ability to burn fat.

3. Strength Training: Good 'ol weight training. Forget about looking like Sylvester Stallone. That'll come in time. Strength training uses weights and enough repetitions to exhaust the muscles. Experts say the weights you lift should be heavy enough so that you can perform at least 3 sets of 12 repetitions with the last 3-4 reps the most challenging. And don't forget, you never want to exercise the same muscle groups every day. You can check out some basic strength-building workouts here.

According to a study reported in Science News, lab tests on animals have shown that when they exercise, their nerve cells release proteins known as neurotrophic factors. One NF in particular, called brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF, triggers numerous other chemicals that promote neural health. In fact, BDNF has been shown to have direct benefits on brain functions, including learning and slowing or repairing neural illnesses.

If it works for lab rats the principal is valid for humans as well: keep moving, keep exercising and keep the oxygen flowing to your brain. This is not to say that physical fitness is the magic bullet to prevent dementia or Alzheimer's disease, but at the very least it is a step in the right direction.