Have you ever wondered if there's a natural way to lower your high blood pressure,

guard against Alzheimer's, lose weight, feel better? Well, it turns out there is. Welcome to the

Nutrition Facts podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Michael Greger. The mind is a terrible thing to waste.

So today we look at ways to improve our cognitive function, and we start with a study that

measured the relationship between exercise and dementia prevention.

Based on a meta-analysis of 20 studies, mental performance may be improved with even moderate

weight loss among overweight individuals, though that may be due with even moderate weight loss among overweight individuals,

though that may be due not to the weight loss per se, but rather the prescribed exercise.

For example, one study randomized obese elders to win four groups for a year,

a weight loss diet alone, exercise without weight loss, both, or neither.

Compared to the control group that did neither, global cognition improved in all the three other

groups.

But while weight loss and exercise beat out weight loss alone, weight loss and exercise didn't

beat the exercise alone, suggesting that exercise is the most potent component.

The American College of Sports Medicine cites meta-analyses of dozens of prospective studies

following tens of thousands of people for years that suggest that those who are active

have a 38 percent lower risk of cognitive decline and a 39 percent lower risk of developing

Alzheimer's disease.

And apparently, the more, the better.

Every extra 500 calories expended a week appears to quarrelate with an additional 10% drop in

dementia risk.

However, even light physical activities such as low-intensity walking or how yoga and

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