The (extra) benefits of walking...

daryls

I thought this article was interesting because it looked at the cognitive abilities of people who walked 5 miles a week for a year. Those who walked briskly saw cognitive gains over those who did just toning and stretching. And remember this is cognitive processes!!!!!!!! So, get out there and walk!!!

http://daol.aol.com/articles/walking-boosts-the-brain?icid=maing|main5|9|link3|29188

"Those who walked briskly reaped the biggest benefits -- and not just physically, Kramer writes in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. As the older people became more fit, the aerobic exercise actually improved their memory, attention and several other cognitive processes. In fact, the coherence among different regions in the brain networks increased so much, it actually mimicked that of the 20-somethings.

Specifically, at the end of the year, DMN connectivity was significantly improved in the brains of the older walkers, but not in the stretching and toning group. The walkers also had increased connectivity in parts of another brain circuit called the fronto-executive network, which aids in the performance of complex tasks, and they did significantly better on cognitive tests than did their toning and stretching peers.

Kramer says even moderate aerobic exercise will enhance the function of specific brain structures and improve the coordination of important brain networks. But it must be aerobic to work. Toning and stretching aren't enough to reap the benefits."

LJCannon

Since I typically walk about 5 miles a day I wonder if that is even better for my Brain?:laugh:
Seriously though, I am glad to have this information. Thanks for sharing it.