No one knows the answer to this, but some very promising
research coming out of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies
in La Jolla, CA sounds exciting.
Now this research was performed on mice and mice are not humans.
However, there are many similarities on the cellular level that
all of us in the animal kingdom share.
There have been many studies on mice that have helped the
development of research on understanding how the human body
works.
This study took older mice (the equivalent of 70 years old in
human life) and trained them to do an underwater task. There was
also a group of younger mice (about 20 years old in human life)
that was trained on the task as well.
The researchers then divided the older mice into two groups.
One group did exercise on a running wheel every day for 30 days.
The other group did no exercise.
The younger mice group also exercised every day for 30 days.
At the end of the 30 days the underwater task was repeated. The
older mice group that did not exercise flunked miserably. None
of them remembered how to do the task. Not even one.
On the other hand all of the younger mice did very well.
The exciting part of the study was the fact that the older mice
that exercised performed the task just as well as the younger
mice.
On analysis the researchers found that the older mice that
exercised had significantly more new cells in the hypothalamus.
This is the part of the brain that helps with memory and the
ability to learn new tasks.
Now does this mean that exercise will help replace the cells in
the hypothalamus that Alzheimer's and other brain destroying
diseases destroy?
Again, no one knows yet. However, this is exciting news.
If simple exercise can make any kind of difference in keeping
our mind young and active and possibly keeping Alzheimer's at
bay, then exercise should be a part of your life.
So if you haven't gotten out there and started exercising yet,
do so now.
Does it have to be jogging or lifting weights or going to the
gym? No, just start moving and do it every day.
But, you don't have time, so many of you say. Well, yes this is
true, if you feel that you have to exercise 2 or 3 hours a day
like so many fitness gurus say.
That is pure nonsense. Your main goal is to raise your
metabolism so that you are burning fat and building muscle. You
can do this in a very short time.
You can learn how astronauts and Bulgarian weightlifters (some
of the strongest people pound for pound on the earth) train for
only minutes at a time.
If you would like to find out more and how a simple 7 minute
routine will keep you motivated and help keep those brain cells
active, just check out this web site:
http://www.getrealfitnessrevolution.com.
About the author:
Mike Pickering has been teaching health and fitness for over 35
years. He also writes a newsletter and articles such as: What
diet is best for you - celery and carrots or cake and ice cream?
Find out the shocking answer in your Free three part report "The
Confusion Over Diets". Just click here: getrealdiet@aweber.com
