Dementia is something we all worry about as we age. It is said to be quite common among adults over the age of 65. We have heard horror stories about how people with dementia are unable to enjoy life and need constant supervision etc. So, I was reading up on this problem, recently, and came upon some interesting information about how your risk of dementia can be prevented by keeping fit. You may ask “how does keeping fit to have anything to do with the mind?” Yeah, I thought so too.
Benefits of Regular Exercise
So, you and I both know the health benefits of exercise. You don’t? Well, firstly, exercise helps you maintain your weight and prevent excess weight gain. It helps you combat various heart diseases, related mainly to high blood pressure and cholesterol. Exercise prevents and manages other health problems that include Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, stroke, depression, arthritis, etc. It improves your mood and boosts energy so that you can be happy and active the whole day. Exercise is also beneficial in slowing the aging process and, therefore, you will look younger for longer.
The Study
So, now we know how good exercise is for our hearts, for maintaining proper levels of sugar, for bone health, and all that. Now, staying fit can also reduce our risk of developing dementia, an added incentive to hit the gym or start the day with a good, brisk walk. A study was conducted at the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas, where 20,000 people, around 50 years of age, received a standard fitness test and were monitored for approximately 25 years. Although according to the test, 1,659 people did develop dementia, 36% of people with a high fitness level had a reduced risk of developing the disease than those with low fitness levels. The bottom line is, evidence suggests changes to the brain begin occurring 20 years or so before dementia makes its presence known, and being physically fit earlier in life reduces the chances of developing dementia.
This should not dissuade you from being physically active if you have not been so earlier. The health benefits of exercise are numerous. As many would say, it is never too late to start exercising and living well, to add to this if you have muscle soreness as an excuse, add curcumin to your diet. Curcumin also has a potential role in the prevention and treatment of AD. So, put aside at least 150 minutes of your week for moderate exercise or 75 minutes of the week for vigorous exercise. You will be surprised at the health benefits you will experience with regular exercise.
Many active adult communities know the importance of exercise for their 50+ residents. This is the reason most communities are equipped with state-of-the-art, well-equipped fitness centers, tennis courts, swimming pools, and walking and biking trails. No active adult community goes without at least one or two of these facilities included in their community. For example, communities, such as Ridgeview at Mt Arlington in Mount Arlington, NJ and Trilogy® Bickford by Shea Homes in Lincoln, CA are just some communities that provide access to physical activity. You will be able to find many more communities such as this if you visit ActiveAdultLiving.com® a website of more than 8,500 communities.
