How Plastic is Your Brain?

When you hear the word "plastic," you might think of Tupperware, Barbie dolls, and smooth-skinned celebrities.

But plastic isn't a bad word, neurologically speaking. Brain plasticity is how scientists describe your brain's ability to reorganize neural pathways as a result of new experiences. In plainer terms, a plastic brain will learn -- and retain and use -- information better. So what's the price of plastic? About the cost of a pair of walking shoes. People who are fit have more plastic brains.

Get in step and you'll boost circulation in all parts of your body, including your brain. That's probably why the folks who walked regularly in a recent study were able to focus better on a task, compared to the people who performed only stretching and toning exercises. Walking is so good for your brain that it may lower your risk of dementia as you get older. In fact, walking may be just about the best thing you can do for your overall well-being. Walking can:

• Decrease osteoarthritis pain and improve stability, endurance, and agility
• Reduce the risk of colon cancer and possibly breast cancer
• Protect against diabetes in high-risk people and lower blood glucose and improve insulin action in people who already have the disease
• Lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack

Grab 30 minutes a day (broken into three 10-minute segments, if need be) and you'll also help keep your weight in check, boost your energy and stamina levels, and probably handle stress better, too. We'll talk more about walking in our next post.