Make moves directly against Alzheimer’s
Exercise benefits the brain by improving vascular health—but newly published research suggests it also combats the chronic neuroinflammation observed in Alzheimer’s, depression, and other brain diseases. In such neurological conditions, the inflammation that normally clears tissue damage doesn’t shut off and starts to interfere with communication between neurons. Exercise has proven anti-inflammatory effects against diseases like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, so that could be why exercise protects brain health as well, says assistant professor Jonathan Little, PhD, in a review article in Brain Research Bulletin. “Any type of moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, cycling, and swimming, can have anti-inflammatory effects,” says Little. Aim for about 30 minutes a day.
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