It is a no brainer that dropping weight is better for your joins and heart, surprisingly is helps to preserve cognitive memory. The 6-year study reported in Neurology found 3 major results:

1. Being oversight can speed brain aging. The 6-year study showed those who do not maintain a good body weight had smaller brain volume and thinner cortexes. These two factors are associated with development of Alzheimer’s disease. Being obese over 50 may accelerate aging your brain by 10 years.
2. Research showed that abdominal fat seems to trigger changes in the immune system response in the brain which affects cognition, making doing puzzles or finding the best way to sink a putt more difficult.
3. Excess weight often increases the risk of depression. All it takes is an extra 20 pounds to increase that risk according to the report in Transitional Psychiatry. Struggling with weight can have psychological consequences, that should not be taken lightly.

What You Can DO!

• Maintain a good BMI* (body mass index) with well balanced, lo-fat diet, plenty of vegetables, whole grains, fish and fruits.
• Stop Smoking
• Keep moving. Find any activity you enjoy that keeps you moving. Can you keep your “moving hours” more than your sedentary (including sleep) hours each day?
• Find a buddy to walk with, go to the gym with, dance with, play golf with, play tennis with to make each active be more enjoyable.
• Limit processed and fast foods.
• Bring exercise into your life. Start gradually. Break it up int 15-minute segments to get started. Then try to gain a minute on either end. Don’t drive around to find closest parking spot. Walk the whole store once and then go back and get what is on your list. Walk in the pool. Just keep moving some part of every hour you are awake.

So, do whatever you can on a daily basis to keep the smarts ya got!

*Calculate your BMI https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm