Physical exercise has been shown to reduce your risk of
developing Alzheimer’s disease by up to 50 percent, according to the Alzheimer’s
Research and Prevention Foundation (1). As
discussed in my last post about caffeine and exercise, regular exercise also
helps reduce stress, improve mood and energy and can even improve memory! How
awesome is that?! If you’re pretty sedentary, you don’t have to go crazy about
exercise and start jogging, because you will probably injure yourself. Start slow by adding daily activities that make
you move more, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking
farther away from the store and walking, or even taking daily walks outside
around your neighborhood. Even shopping
can be seen as exercise….yup, you got it; you’re walking and burning
calories. Nothing like a little retail
therapy ladies, right?? It’s easier when you have a partner in crime too, so
grab a friend or significant other and take a walk together every night to help
ensure you stick to your routine.
You’re probably wondering why exercise helps improve your
brain’s functioning. Here are some
reasons:
1.
Aerobic exercise increases the amount of oxygen
in the bloodstream that goes to the brain.
This increased flow of blood (and oxygen) helps to create new blood
vessels in the brain where its responsibility is to create/store memories.
2.
Exercise increases the amount of chemicals in
the body (dopamine and norepinephrine) that are responsible for helping the
brain with attention, memory, and learning.
3.
Exercise increases brain derived neurotrophic
factor (BDNF), which is a protein involved in creation of new cells in the
brain. It also helps the brain in
resisting damage and degeneration that occurs with aging.
So there you have it folks, exercise is not only good for
your body, but it’s good for your brain! You only get one, so you better
preserve it while you can. Another way
of doing so is by taking a vitamin D3 supplement. Vitamin D3 is the form of vitamin D that your
skin synthesizes from sunlight and is useful in disease prevention. Many people will argue that they are in the
sun enough and get the daily amount that way (if you don’t live in Wisconsin in
the winter! Ha!), however, research shows that 41 percent of men and 53 percent
of women in the United States have low vitamin D levels. Those that have increased pigment in their
skin are at higher risk of low levels, as it can take up to 5 times more
sunshine for African Americans to get the same vitamin D response as someone
with lighter skin pigment. Not only is
vitamin D important in maintaining brain health, it also has been shown to help
prevent the following:
·
Cancer
·
Heart disease
·
Stroke
·
Colds
·
Muscle conditions & Osteoporosis
·
Depression
·
Autoimmune diseases
As with any supplement, it is important to talk to your
doctor before you start taking one. This
is due to possible interactions with other medications and your body’s ability
to metabolize the supplement.
Supplements are not required to be approved by the Food & Drug
Administration (FDA), so it is important you ask a health professional about
them before use. The recommended dosage
of vitamin D3 has been raised to about 1000-2000 IU/day to ensure prevention of
the above diseases; however, research varies and continues to be done and it
depends on the person’s body and how they metabolize the nutrient.
In conclusion, lifestyle factors can help reduce the risk of
Alzheimer’s and dementia by up to 50 percent; however, some people may still be
at higher risk for the disease secondary to genetic factors. Regular exercise is beneficial to your
cognition by helping improve function of the brain, attention, and memory. Vitamin D3 has also been shown to reduce the
risk of dementia and several conditions/diseases when taken daily at a higher
dosage. So it’s time to start exercising
and taking some vitamin D3 to help ensure a longer-lasting healthy brain.
Resources:
3.
Exercise & Cognition: Can Exercise Make You
Smarter Tri-fold by Katie Kowalski, DPT
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