The Mayo Clinic says evidence suggests that physical activity may have benefits beyond a healthy heart and body weight.  Over the past several years, studies have suggested that exercise, that raises your heart rate for at least 30 minutes several times a week, can lower your risk of Alzheimer's.  In one observational study, over an 8-year period the relationship between physical activity and mental function was observed in about 6,000 women age 65 and older.  They found that the women who were more physically active were less likely to experience a decline in their mental function than inactive women.

Dr. Ronald Petersen, director of the Alzheimer's Research Center at the Mayo Clinic said, "Regular physical exercise is probably the best means we have of preventing Alzheimer's disease today, better than medications, better than intellectual activity, better than supplements and diets."

Exercise strengthens the pumping force of your heart, increases blood flow to your brain, increases exercise tolerance, reduces body weight, lowers blood pressure, reduces bad cholesterol, increases good cholesterol, and increases insulin sensitivity, all of which enhance health and reduce the risk for diseases than can affect brain functioning.

A University of Illinois study looked at 59 sedentary adults, ages 60-80, who were put on either a walking or stretching and toning plan.  After 6 months, MRI scans revealed that the walker's brains looked 2 to 3 years younger than other's their age. The study concluded that 3 hours of brisk walking a week might stop, and even reverse memory loss.  

The good news is that physical activity doesn't have to be strenuous or involve a huge time commitment to make a difference.  The most important thing is that it's done on a regular basis.  Try walking 3 to 5 times a week for ten to fifteen minutes.  Each week try to add an additional 5 minutes to your walk, working up to at least 30 minutes of continuous walking.

Summer is a prime season to enjoy fresh-from-the-garden produce. One of the smallest summer fruits, blueberries, are packed with nutrients and flavor for relatively low calories and sugar. The antioxidant-rich fruit offers many health benefits such as protection from oxidative stress, which can reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Blueberries promote urinary tract and digestive tract health, can improve immune function, and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

Healthy Blueberry Muffins: Makes 12 Muffins
1 cup white whole-wheat flour            ¾ cup oat bran                  
½ cup all-purpose flour                       2 tsp. baking soda
¾ cup ground flax seed meal             ½ tsp. salt                                       
1 tsp. baking powder                           1 tsp. lemon zest
¾ cup brown sugar, packed               ½ cup egg substitute
¾ cup nonfat buttermilk                      1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. canola oil                               
¾ cup chopped walnuts
2 cups blueberries, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray 2 muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. 

In a large mixing bowl, stir together flours, oat bran, flax seed meal, salt, baking soda, baking powder and lemon zest.   In another large mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, egg substitute, buttermilk, vanilla and canola oil. 

Pour all but 1 tablespoon of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the batter, but do not over mix. Toss blueberries with the reserved tablespoon of dry ingredients. Fold walnuts and 1-1/2 cups of the blueberries into muffin batter.

Use an ice cream scoop to fill muffin tins with batter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries on top of muffins, pressing down lightly.

Bake 20-25 minutes until muffins are lightly browned.

Per muffin: 272 calories, 13 g fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 37 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 8g protein

Stacey Whittle, RD, CPT and Dorothy Bernet, MS, RD, CPT are Co-Founders of Healthy By Design Nutrition Specialists in Santa Monica, CA. For more information visit their website at:  www.healthybydesignnutrition.com

Ardmore Herophiles, 300 B.C., Father of Anatomy and physician to Alexander the Great, said, "When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot be exerted, wealth is useless and reason is powerless."

I encourage you this month to take a good look at your health and well-being. Are you taking care of yourself and doing everything you can to live a long and healthy life?  Sometimes we get complacent in life and don't realize how much we have let ourselves go.  We eat more than we should and are more sedentary than we once were.   It can show in our weight, how our clothes fit, how much energy we have, our attitude in life, and in our health.

If you don't make a commitment to take care of yourself, who will?  Making a commitment to living a healthy, balanced life through exercise, healthy eating, and taking better overall care of yourself, is putting you at the top of your to do list.  By doing this, you will feel better, have more energy, and live a longer and healthier life.

Making this commitment to yourself may not be easy.  As a matter of fact, if you haven't been taking care of yourself it might be a challenge to find the motivation to get started.  Finding a healthy balance is something that you must do every day.  Each day you will have to make choices.  You have to do your best to make a conscious effort to do what is best for you.  Doing your best takes inner strength, will power, motivation, and discipline.  It is important to remember that you have it inside of you.  We all do!

In order to life a long and healthy life you have to take care of your health.  No one else can do it but you.  Don't wait until your doctor tells you have to make changes.  Look at what you can do today to live your best life.  It is important to remember you are not alone.  If you need help to get started, just ask for it.  Give Healthy Balance Fitness a call.

"Over the years, I have found your newsletters and emails to be informative and professional.  They've helped to keep the spark going for me to get back to being a "better me"."  - Susan B.

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If you keep promising yourself that some day you will get in shape but you just don't know how to get started, this may be just what you have been waiting for. 

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