OLD AND ACTIVE

That's the only way to go. Even if you get to be 60 or 70 years old, it pays to have an active life.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who stay just as active after age 70 as they did before are less likely to experience age-related declines in mental functioning, new study findings suggest.

Previous studies have stressed the importance of keeping the body active in old age in order to keep the mind active, as well. The current research suggests that it's not just being active, but staying active, that can make a difference, the authors note.

"The results of this study suggest that stimulating elderly to be physically active with at least a medium-low intensity or becoming even more physically active (in duration or intensity) could be important for keeping their brains fit," write the researchers, led by Dr. B.M. van Gelder of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands.

In the journal Neurology, van Gelder and colleagues write that physical activity protects the brain by keeping the heart and blood vessels healthy, which boosts blood flow to the brain and reduces the risk of stroke.

In addition, some studies suggest that exercise may even help the mind by stimulating the creation of new brain cells.

[Reuters Health]

My opinion is that you should start early. You don't have to be old and wrinkly before you startdeveloping an active lifestyle.

You should begin now. Develop it as a habit now.

As the chief researcher of the study said, this isn't just about being active, but "staying active."

It's a bit difficult knowing that the current mindset of retirees is to sit back, relax, enjoy life while sipping wine while watching the sun go down. The remaining life you have isn't about lying down and smelling the flowers. It is about walking and running around while smelling flowers.

Keep those legs and arms moving. Better blood flow means a better brain even if you are old.