A Column By Kewaskum Librarian Lori Kreis

A Column By Kewaskum Librarian Lori Kreis Aging is an ongoing process and no matter how much effort was put into seeking the fountain of youth, it has not been found. Physically active older adults help keep the body from progressing quicker through the aging process. Incorporating exercise into your daily routine has been proven to slow bone loss, lower your heart disease risk and increase blood flow to your brain, which betters your brain function and reduces stress and depression. In addition to physical activity, keeping cognitively active can keep the body young. A study from the Rush Memory and Aging Project in Chicago showed that cognitively active seniors, whose average age was 80, were 2.6 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and dementia than seniors with less cognitive activity. Although research has revealed that those with more education and intellectually stimulating careers have a lower risk of dementia, it has also been proven that starting to engage in exercising your brain at any age will help slow the process of aging. Yep, the librarian is referring to lifelong learning again.