Walk Away from Alzheimers

The number of older adults who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s is currently a little less than 27 million. This number is expected to quadruple over the next 40 years or so. Research results published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggest ways for all of us to avoid becoming one of those statistics.

Take a brisk walk every day

Medications to improve memory and other medical functions do not seem to be as effective as physical activity. And the effects of walking have been seen over follow-up periods as long as 6 years. Studies have demonstrated that 2 miles per day of walking improves cognitive testing scores after only 6 months.

Or just move

Don’t like walking? Here's good news: Other physical activities such as ballroom dancing, swimming or cycling produced similar results in a randomized study of over 300 mildly impaired individuals over 50 years.

Figure out how much exercise is enough

1. Wearing a pedometer, measure steps per day if you are a walker. Over time, increase your count to 6,000 to 9,000 steps per week.
2. Otherwise, perform at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week.
3. You can also do three sessions per week in an exercise class that meets these criteria; it may be easier for people who choose other forms of exercise than walking.
4. If you are already accustomed to gym sessions, light strength training also meets the activity criteria.

Coach yourself or get some help

Create a diary to record your activity. If you have a hard time keeping up with the recommendations, grab a friend to walk with you; join a class; keep up with LiveStrong; and generally dare yourself to succeed. If you like technology, check my blog entry on TripleBeat about a cell-phone-based self-coaching (9/15/08).

Enjoy the ancillary benefits

Physical activity has many more benefits that are not confined to memory improvement. Beneficial effects include staving off depression, minimizing falls and improving cardiovascular function, all of which can improve quality of life. The way physical activity works to improve impaired memory is not fully explained in the literature. However, research has demonstrated that physical activity is associated with improved circulation to the areas of the brain that affect attention. If you wish to read a full study about the theory of exercise and memory improvement, check out the JAMA website and go to: Vol 300., No. 9, September 3, 2008.