Remember to Walk!
It Just Might Preserve Your Memory & Protect Your Brain

As the baby-boomer generation ages, experts predict a large number will experience one devastating effect of old age – dementia. But a new study featured in JAMA, The Journal of American Medical Association, says that regular walking, just a few hours a week, can have a significant effect on protecting the brain from early signs of dementia.

A new study of older women says regular walking is not just good for the body, it's good for the brain. Dr. Jennifer Weuve and her colleagues at Harvard School of Public Health and three other institutions tracked the exercise habits of more than 18-thousand older women over a period of 8 to 15 years. Then, when the women reached age 70 and older, researchers tested the women's cognitive abilities—their memory, learning and attention—over a two-year period.

Dr. Weuve says that women who performed a moderate amount of activity, on the order of walking two to three hours at an easy pace every week, performed significantly better on these tests of cognition than women who walked less than one hour per week. And women who walked six or more hours per week saw even less decline in their cognitive function. Dr. Weuve says this is good news because walking is a relatively easy way for people to preserve their learning, memory and attention.

We're bombarded with health warnings every day. It's hard to weed through them, pay attention to all of them and implement the new and improved recommended dietary and fitness changes. But this one, my friends, is a no brainer. No pun intended. Walking is something almost all of us can do on our own time, on our own terms, at our own pace and with or without children.

Motivation: If you're a walker wannabee lacking the motivation to get started, log on to the forums and ask others how they got started.

Accountability: Every night before you go to bed, log back on and post your walking goal for the following day. Post your results. There are no Judy Judgmentals on the boards. If you miss a day or fall short of your goal, utilize it as an opportunity to regroup and set new goals. Sharing your day to day triumphs and setbacks on the forums will motivate, teach and inspire others. You will benefit too.

Support: If you're feeling down and droopy, access support. You don't have to do this alone. Call a friend to join you on your walk. Cry the forum a river, we never tire of cheering each other on. Send me an email. I'm always around. You can achieve absolutely everything you set your mind to. Now, go grab your sneakers and have a great walk!