Oh no, not another exercise episode! Yep, but this one’s for your brain. Rally talks about a big new Italian study, what the participants actually did, and why keeping your brain sharp at our age is worth a little sweat. The hardest part is just getting started. But you’re a Silver Beast – you can do this!
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
RALLY:
Hey there, Beautiful People…Rally Preston here, 71 years old, and I still have a valid driver’s license, so I’m doing okay, I guess.
Anyway, welcome back to the Silver Beast Podcast. I’m so glad you’re here.
So, today I want to talk about your brain and what your legs have to do with it. Oh no, not another exercise episode!
Yeah, there’s physical activity involved in this one – but it’s for a great cause: keeping your brain as healthy as possible. Yeah, you need to keep your neurons up there in tip-top shape. You and I are not spring chickens now, so this has got to be a priority.
Ok, here’s the good news. Got a big new study here that might surprise you.
But first, let me give you a number to ponder here. And it’s a biggie.
The World Health Organization says about 57 million people worldwide are living with dementia. Fifty-seven million folks. And almost 10 million new cases of dementia show up every year. And some are saying that could triple by 2050.
So what’s up with that? Well, it’s mostly because we’re living longer. And that’s good. Okay.
But here’s even more good news for you: Researchers say up to 45% of dementia cases – almost half – might be delayed or even prevented by things we can control. Things like staying active. So yeah, that one’s on us.
So let’s talk about this new study, for a second, and why it’s important.
This one was done in Italy. And they followed people for four years. So 48 months. That’s a lot of Italian pasta dishes, not that I’m jealous or anything. But the point is, that’s a long time for one of these studies.
And they got nearly 900 people to sign up, and the average age was mid-sixties. Some were perfectly healthy. Others had a little memory trouble. But overall, nothing too serious going on.
So they split everybody into two groups.
One group exercised. Three times a week. About an hour each time. The other group was pretty sedentary, kept on living like they always had.
And after four years? Well, those who exercised regularly: their cognitive skills held steady. Their scores on a standard memory-and-thinking test stayed basically the same – so no noticeable declines overall. That right there is a huge win.
Now the other group? The mostly sedentary ones? Their cognitive scores dropped over those four years. Very noticeably, in fact. So what does that tell you?
So the exercisers also did better on memory tests. Remembering a short story. Remembering a list of words. Their reasoning skills. Paying attention. Things like that. The day-to-day stuff we really care about right now.
So that’s pretty cool. Four years of showing up and exercising just three times a week, these Italian brains held their own. But you know, the no-exercise group, their cognitive scores went down, like overcooked spaghetti – a soggy, slimy, starchy, stuck-together mess – now you don’t want that for your brain. Alright, that’s a little dramatic, maybe, but just making a point here.
So what did the exercise group actually do? Well, nothing crazy. Every workout session had a few important parts.
First, a warm-up. Like easy walking or a stationary bike. About 10 minutes of that.
Then some cardio. Walking, biking. Getting the heart pumping a little. Fifteen or twenty minutes of cardio.
Then some strength work. Bodyweight exercises, you know, like pushups, air squats, and maybe some light dumbbells. And I do mean light. About four or five pounds. Arnold Schwarzenegger would snicker at that, yeah, but it worked.
And they finished their routines with some light stretching. That’s it. That was their whole one-hour session.
And here’s something else that made this a little different than most studies. They worked in small groups. Ten, maybe fifteen people together. With personal trainers keeping an eye on them. So that means the workouts were more social. And I bet that’s a big reason people kept showing up to these.
And they also built up their routines slowly. Nobody jumped in there at full tilt. They started light and added more over time.
So you can do this at a gym or at home. If you’ve got a free pass to a gym through a Medicare Advantage program like I do, that’s one way to go.
But you can easily do this at home. Let me give you a few ideas here.
Number one. Pick three days a week. Just three. And stick to them. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, maybe.
Number two. Do some walking or biking. Some light lifting. Some stretching. That’s the basic recipe. Mix it up, but for 15 or 20 minutes sometime in there, get your heart pumping. That’s important.
Number three. Draft a buddy to do this with you. Maybe your spouse. Try a class at a local gym, the Y, or the senior center. It’s more fun together. And it’s a lot harder to skip when you know somebody’s waiting on you to show up, right?
Number four. Start easy, just like this study. If it’s been a while, start with 10 minutes, say. Then go to 15. Nobody’s handing out medals here. Get going at your own pace. This is so simple.
And the whole point of this, of exercising, is to save your brain. That’s so important.
Now, of course, no exercise plan can guarantee you won’t have memory problems. But this study, it really looks like if you don’t make an effort starting now, staying pretty much sedentary is not going to be a pretty picture.
And remember, these folks in the study, their average age was mid-sixties. So especially you late 50s, early 60-year-olds – you might have been kids I babysat way back when – well, listen, start now. Not after the holidays. Do not put it off.
And look, if you need more motivation than keeping your brain sharp as a tack…well, let me give it to you: With just a simple exercise routine, your heart gets stronger. Your blood pressure may come down. Your blood sugar gets easier to manage. Your muscles hold on – we lose muscle every year if we don’t use them. Your bones get sturdier, too. Your balance gets better, and that means hopefully zero falls. Plus, you’ll probably sleep better, and your mood gets a little lift. That’s a lot of pluses here.
So c’mon, give that brain a boost. Pick three days this week. Maybe just start with 20 minutes of exercise for the week; 20, 30 minutes. A walk. A few lifts. A stretch. That’ll get you in the groove. Then work up to that one hour, three days a week, of stretching, cardio, and some light lifting.
Oh, and I should say, of course, check with your doctor first. Especially if you haven’t been active in a while. Just be smart. Get the official go-ahead.
But the toughest part of this whole thing – I guarantee you this – is lacing up your sneakers and starting this.
Come on, you can do this. Do it for your brain first, and all the other benefits you’ll get with regular exercise is just a nice bonus.
Alright, go be a beast, Silver Beasties. Get up. Get moving. And I’ll see you next time right here on the Silver Beast Podcast. Take care!