Want to lose 3 pounds right now? Stop using your brain. I'll bet someone you know probably comes to mind. Your mind weighs approximately 3 pounds and if you don't use it, you lose it. Well maybe not the weight, but its amazing ability to help you move, to think and remember. Most of us have it backwards. We age and therefore stop moving. It's more like, stop moving and you age. If you could hear your body-mind talk, the conversation would go something like this, "Get a move on and stimulate my brain cells to grow, connect and keep me young."



Contrary to age old beliefs, aging does not have to come with loss of memory, mental decline and decreased brain functioning. Scientists now believe that decreased mental capacity comes from diminished stimulation to the brain.

A healthy neuron is linked to literally tens of thousands of other neurons, creating a hundred trillion connections - each with the ability to perform 200 calculations per second! But neurons don't only connect with other neurons, they connect with muscles at a little meeting place called the neuromuscular junction and this is vital to your ability to move. The great news is you can stimulate fresh neurons in old age because brains have what is called 'plasticity:' the ability to change, to grow and to adapt to the challenges you feed it. Mental decline due to age usually is often a result of physical inactivity and a lack of mental stimulation.

The word exercise means to ward off. How appropriate: because when you exercise, your blood circulation increases: sending more oxygen and brain feeding blood sugar (glucose) to your brain. This results in a domino effect of increasing blood vessels in your brain. Your choice of exercise doesn't have to be strenuous. Although one that is specifically designed for the brain will give you better results. Studies have shown that people who are reasonably active have a significant advantage regarding memory over people who are sedentary. Occupational therapists (therapists who specialize in improving people's cognitive (brain) and physical function) have also studied specific exercises to find that certain type of exercises increased both brain functioning and decreased brain attack by 57%.

Specific exercises have even shown to be successful as a preventative measure to Alzheimer's. Even more interesting is that couch potatoes are twice as likely to develop dementia. In order to reap the benefits of increased brain power, mental alertness, and neuron growth, you need to unlock the door to exercise - period. Open your mind and give yourself the opportunity. You are what you believe to yourself to be. No matter what your age or your fitness level. Whether you are 40 or 70: prevention is the doorway to a healthy mind. I just gave you the key. Take Charge and be healthwise; exercise.