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A Strong Body, A Strong Mind in the Orlando, Florida Area

Do you have elderly parents or loved ones? Are you elderly? Are you the caregiver for an elderly relative or friend? Do you know the advantages of pumping iron? There was an interesting article on fitness by Cindy Kuzma in Preserving Your Memory/Summer 2020 titled “Strong Body, Strong Mind.” Stronger muscles can help you maintain balance, avoid injuries and retain your independence as you age. Everyone from children to older adults can benefit from strength training. Research has shown that exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your body but also for your mind. Simply moving your body has immediate, long term protective benefits for your brain. 

When they reviewed the research last year, German experts found evidence that strength training changes the very shape of the brain. People who lifted weights regularly lost less white matter, the superhighway of the brain that allows neurons to communicate with each other, and saw improvements in their cognitive performance, the researchers noted. 

Exercise boosts blood flow to your brain, nourishing the tissues. Moving your muscles also prompts your body to produce more of a chemical called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. That is the growth factor stimulating the birth of brand-new brain cells in your brain, says Dr Suzuki. These new neurons mostly appear in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that is key to learning and memory. The one structure that is affected first, and one could argue most severely, in Alzheimer’s disease is the hippocampus.

You cannot reverse or completely prevent dementia through exercise alone, but you can offer your brain more resources with which to work. That means you have something that you can do today, in your living room, that will stave off the hippocampus damaging effects of Alzheimer’s disease, Dr Suzuki says. 

There are short- and long-term benefits of exercise. Dr Suzuki says every single time you work out, you are literally giving your brain a wonderful bubble bath of nourishing neurochemicals. As a result, your focus, concentration, and mood improve. 

There is also some evidence that strength training reduces hormones linked to stress and depression. Plus, it makes you feel more powerful, successful, and prepared to handle the challenges ahead. These perks come on the top of a lengthy list of physical rewards. Strength training can do the following: reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease, offset the loss of muscle mass that occurs with age, decrease your chance of falls and other injuries, lower your blood pressure, help you sleep better, ease arthritis and back pain, and help you breathe easier. The better your overall health, the more you are able to support others, including those to whom you provide care. 

If you have more questions regarding a Guardianship Law matter, you may call Ann Marie Giordano Gilden at Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, P.A. at 407-732-7620 and set an initial consultation. You may also visit my website at: AnnMarieGildenLaw.com; and check me out on these other sites: Ann Marie Giordano Gilden on Facebook; Ann Marie (Giordano) Gilden on LinkedIn; and Ann Marie Giordano Gilden on AVVO and Lawyers.com. 

This article is for informational purposes only, and it does not form an attorney client privilege.