Five simple tips to maintain brain health

Add resistance exercises to your aerobic workouts: Incorporating resistance training into your aerobic exercises can have a positive impact on brain health. Physical activity increases blood flow, which is beneficial for the brain. Exercise, in general, promotes the production of new nerve cells in the brain and helps eliminate amyloid plaques, which are a factor in Alzheimer’s disease.

While aerobic exercises are the best choice for raising heart rate, growing evidence suggests that resistance exercises may be just as important for brain health. When muscles contract during exercise, a hormone called irisin is released. Irisin activates an enzyme called neprilysin, which helps break down amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.

Research indicates that resistance training, especially in older adults and when the exercises gradually become more challenging, can increase circulating irisin levels. Another benefit is that irisin boosts energy expenditure by accelerating the process of browning white fat.

February 28, 2025 | 4:51 am