Walk for your Brain

Many of us live in fear of mental decline in our older years, but now there may be something you can do to help! What happens to our minds as we age isn't just a matter of genetics or bad luck. Exercise — or the lack thereof — also plays a key role, according to two studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In one study, researchers followed more than 2,200 people aged 71 to 93 for seven years. They found that those who walked less than one-quarter mile a day had twice the risk of dementia than did those who walked at least two miles a day.

In the second study, researchers tracked more than 19,000 women for nine years and found that those who exercised the most cut their risk of memory problems by 20 percent. Those who walked at least an hour and a half a week also scored significantly higher on memory, attention, and other mental acuity tests than women who walked less than 40 minutes a week. So get walking! Every step will not only be good for your body, it'll also be sharpening your mind!

With that said ... I just finished a 3 mile walk this morning. The last mile of it I grabbed my 3 pound weights & worked a few muscle groups. I noticed that my abs are sore from the workout I did yesterday ... I could really tell that I hadn't been working out for 3 weeks. I'm feeling much better today so I'm hoping my sinus problems won't come back. Who knows with all the pollen in the air though. Thankfully it's raining today so it doesn't feel so bad.