meIf you want to protect your brain, put on the sneakers. That’s the message from three recent studies investigating the benefits of physical activity in protecting against cognitive decline.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society (AS) there are 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK. While some risk factors, including genetics, are beyond our control, Dr. Richard Oakley, associate director of research for AS, says there are habits we can adopt that will improve our chances of prevention.
And of all the lifestyle changes that have been studied, exercise seems to be one of the best. “Regular exercise not only helps reduce the risk of dementia and other medical conditions, it improves mood and can be adapted to everyone,” he says.
