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Aging men and women from around the globe are looking to maintain a sharp and healthy brain. And, although there are a wide variety of brain healthy foods, one can take advantage of the stairs. One research suggests that as simple as taking the stairs instead of elevators is a good brain booster.
CBCNews reports one Canadian study at Concordia University finds that fitness seemed the secret to sharper minds as people got older.
Jason Steffener, a university professor and led author of the study finds two things in common among older people.
Common Denominators of Youthful Brains
The led author of the study says that the common denominators among older people with youthful brains are;
- Education, and;
- The number of stairs climbed
In the study, researchers used MRI(magnetic resonance imaging) in measuring the grey matters of 331 participants. The subjects in the study include a wide range of ages from 19 to 79 years old.
The grey matter in the brain, which processes information decreases with age naturally. Researchers call it brain age, which is the amount of grey matter left along the aging process.
Moreover, Jason Steffener’s team of researchers caught the attention of the two subjects climbing a flight of stairs every day. It appears that grey matter in their brain is decreasing less rapidly maintaining a younger brain age.
The researchers say that a daily flight of stairs gives the brain 6 months younger as the MRI scan finds. Furthermore, for every year of education, the subject underwent, it gives their brain one full year younger.
The findings of Steffener’s team are hopeful that it could help many people understand that better brain health can result from simple changes to our daily routines.
Good Brain Booster Combo – Learning + Exercise
This study is not the first to discover the brain health benefits of exercise and learning combination. Earlier, John Ratey, M.D., an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain advocates the same process.
Here’s what John Ratey says about learning and exercises to achieve a younger brain.
What Are Other Good Brain Boosters?
When it comes to brain-boosting activities, don’t limit yourself climbing stairs. Here are some of the things you can do to get the most of your effort in achieving a younger brain.
These are just a few things you can do regularly. Of course, regular exercise makes the brain active as it causes an increase of blood flow.
Regular exercise also improves and helps seniors maintain good motor skills. Of course, exercise is a good memory booster.
Lastly, never stop learning. Always discover new things that interest you as learning is one of the keys to achieving a younger brain. And, if you’re fun on solving crossword puzzles, do so. One study1 says it’s good for the brain.