How does exercise affect Alzheimer’s? In 1999, Arthur Kramer who was then at the University of Illinois, reported that healthy sedentary people aged 60 – 75 years old, did better on cognitive test requiring executive function if they were assigned to six months of daily walking than if they were assigned to 6 months of stretching. Further studies verified that cognitive functions are preserved in those who participate in aerobic activities. In 2010, 33 people aged 55-85 with mild cognitive impairment, early dementia, were assigned to either high-intensity exercising or stretching. After six months the women in the high-intensity exercise group did better on multiple tests of executive function than those in the stretching group. (Executive function is the ability to plan or make decisions, correct errors, or react to new situations).

In the men, there was improvement in only one of the test. Other studies have shown a reduced risk of dementia over time for people who exercise versus non-exercisers. Exercise appears to protect the brain by preserving the blood flow in the small vessels of the brain that are responsible for executive functions that usually decrease with aging. Exercise may also expand brain volume and protect the lining of blood vessels throughout the body. (Source: Nutrition Action Health Letter – Jan/Feb 2014) So for better health, GET MOVING and participate in the Adventists InStep for Life Initiative at www.adventistsinstepforlife.org.