Imagine if there was a medication that makes you smart, healthy, and happy. Would you try it? Your feet are your anti-aging medication - free, always available, and free of side effects. "Walking makes you smart, healthy, and happy," writes Dr. Katharina Turecek, a medical doctor, cognitive scientist, and Austrian bestselling author, in her new book "Brainwalk - Step by Step Mentally Fit."
Use it or lose it: inactivity-related decay
In our brain, there is a fascinating dense network of about 90 billion nerve cells. This network shapes our personality, our ideas, our thoughts, and memories. Unfortunately, we lose nerve cells throughout our lives, not only due to injuries and toxins but also due to inactivity. According to the principle of "use it or lose it," unused nerve cells and their connections are broken down. This causes the hippocampus, our memory center, to shrink by up to 2% annually as we age.
Neurogenesis: activity-dependent regeneration
The good news is that new nerve cells are formed even in the adult brain. However, nerve cells do not grow like hair or nails on their own; they need stimuli for that. In the search for the trigger for neurogenesis, scientists have come across an unexpected factor: physical exercise.
Mentally Fit Step by Step
This promotion of neurogenesis through movement is measurable! Studies show that subjects who walk a lot have a hippocampus up to 2% larger after a year - this strengthens our memory and protects against the dreaded disease of forgetting. Another study with over 65-year-olds found that regular walks can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 34%.
The health of our brain is a holistic matter
"In order for our brain to stay fit and healthy, it needs both physical and mental activity," says Dr. Katharina Turecek. As a holistic training program for the brain, the memory expert has developed the Brainwalk, a walk accompanied by brain training exercises. Turecek demonstrates how this works in her book, as well as in live lectures or guided Brainwalks.
