Apparently exercise really is one thing we can do every day to improve our physical AND mental capacity. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh performed brain scans on more than 600 people in their early 70s and found that those who exercised didn’t suffer nearly as much age-related brain shrinkage and other mental decay as those who did little to no physical activity. According to this same study completing a puzzle, learning a new language and meeting new friends did nothing to prevent shrinkage (though I have to imaging those things are still really good for us). Researchers also found that exercisers had more gray matter—the area of the brain primarily responsible for muscle control, memory and emotions. Seems exercise might be the very thing we need to do every day in order to improve our physical AND mental capacity! Needless to say, I am a big buy in BUT I think of how much my mom exercised and wonder why she developed Alzheimer’s so, though I love the results of this study, I am personally cautiously optimistic. It remains to be seen, but I’ll keep at it forever!