Recent studies offer encouraging news for those of us afraid of losing our mental edge with age.

Research shows that exercise – any exercise – has a profound effect on overall cognitive function. Beyond merely stemming memory loss, exercise targets different aspects of cognition to improve recall.

One study recruited women ages 70 to 80 who had mild cognitive impairment, making memory and thinking more muddled than would be expected at a given age. Seniors with this condition develop Alzheimer's disease at higher rates than normal. The women were divided into groups assigned to walking, weight lifting and stretching. After six months, the women who stretched scored worse on memory tests; but the women who exercised in both of the other two groups scored better. While the different types of exercise may have different effects in the brain, they both cause improvement in memory.

Another study examined the effect of exercise on patients with heart failure, because those patients are at high risk of memory loss and other thinking skills. Since the heart is not pumping enough blood to the body, the brain is not getting enough either. A cardiac rehab program that incorporated exercise reversed memory loss.

Finally, for those of us whose brains are simply fried by environmental stresses there's more good news from a study that looked at the cognitive impact of green spaces. A simple walk in the park refreshes the brain by providing relief from constant noise and hectic nerve-wracking demands of city living. The human brain's ability to stay calm and focused is limited and can be overwhelmed with external stimulation, causing it to become distracted, forgetful and mentally flighty. Natural environments engage the brain with effortless attention, allowing for reflection.

To stay mentally sharp, schedule time out for a walk in the park! It's productive therapy for your best thinking.

My husband James and I just returned from month-long travels, including two weeks in Croatia.

We chose to be as active as possible - hiking in magnificent national parks, climbing up hundreds of steps in ancient walled cities, swimming in clear green waters, and hiking mountain trails.   At 66 years young, I was delighted to be fit enough to embrace all of these challenges without hesitation.

I was thrilled to be able to manage the rigors of travel – hiking the length of airports with luggage, sleeping in cramped berths on boats, sitting for hours in airplanes, trains and cars.  My low back and neck never complained, no matter how many different positions I subjected them to.  I was able to manage my luggage without creating any distress in my upper back and shoulders.  My stamina prevailed over jet-lag (with an occasional afternoon nap, of course!)

Only my calves protested this ambitious itinerary by cramping at night.  My legs were stiff in the morning, so I started every day by stretching in bed. My routine:  Point and flex feet; stretch hamstrings, glutes and inner thighs; do a spinal twist; finish with child's pose. And ready to go!

Several times during the trip, James and I asked each other how many more years we have to make a trip like this.  I say we have more than a few and I'm determined to maintain my present level of conditioning so that we can.  I came back with a renewed dedication to my personal fitness training program as "travel insurance" for the future.

On March 11 in this blog I introduced you to Elizabeth, who had begun to incorporate more movement into each day by making small changes, such as tip toeing around (to strengthen her calf muscles), stretching at the sink and walking up the steps at the office.  As she progressed, Elizabeth decided to engage her boss, Connie, in a health kick.

March 17, Walking Update from Elizabeth:
I've been walking regularly for 7 weeks along with my other activities, housecleaning, gardening etc. No weight loss to speak of… Haven't eaten any junk for weeks, light lunches (salad) and last week started making a concerted effort to slowly cut back alcohol use. Clothes are looser and I'm very strong and doctors' reports are good so I'll just have to be satisfied with that for a while longer.

March 25, Buddy System:
Connie and I are walking downtown at lunch for about a mile and a half.  I'm trying to walk 6 days now, with a goal of 8000 plus steps. Some days I don't make the 8000 but make up for it by taking a longer faster walk. Hard to believe I could barely make it up three long flights at the office a year ago!  And I did lose about 4 ½ lbs when I last weighed in.

May 5, Logging:
Connie and I are doing even better now since we have been using the free iphone app "Lose it" to log both food and exercise. Our "weigh in" day is Monday and I know I'll have weight loss to report. (I've lost 15 lbs since January, Connie about 10 lbs.) Connie is having a harder time with food than I am. I have been using your approach with her, that is, trying to focus more on her strength, stamina and fewer aches and pains rather than her weight loss. This seems to help her not get discouraged. She has a much longer way to go than I do, and changes show on my frame more quickly than on hers.

May 31, Long Term Goals:
I continue to keep Connie on track and focused on long term goals. She used to be able to drop weight easily in her 30's. Well that day is long gone... So I focus on the long term. A year ago I could never have said "let's go walk 2 miles fast".... She is more "food obsessed" than I am (mine is alcohol as you know). She is on track for 1 1/2 lbs a week-losing 10 lbs this month - with a goal of 50 lbs next April. I started much earlier so my weight loss is at least 23 lbs since Jan. (about 3 lbs a week), plus I can work in the yard or inside for hours and hours.

Take away tips:  Small, consistent changes deliver big benefits in terms of health and weight loss.  Use the Buddy System to reinforce positive lifestyle changes.  Be accountable:  keep track of your efforts in a log to make sure that you meet your goals.  Stay focused on the Big Picture – your health, strength and stamina – and long term goals.  Ask yourself:  What do you need to do now to be your best in 10 years?

We Baby Boomers are at a delicate age that can be a significant turning point for the rest of our lives.  We're still young enough to have the opportunity to be healthy as we grow old, but we're old enough to be at risk of aging poorly.  Someone once told me, "We spend the first half of our lives trying to kill ourselves and the second half trying to live forever!"

Benign neglect, poor lifestyle choices or an unfortunate act of fate can all cause physical limitations that restrict our quality of life and make us old before our time.  Chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and other kinds of heart disease begin to manifest at our age.  Orthopedic problems like rotator cuff tears, knee injuries and low back pain become more widespread.

In my youth, I never thought very far into the future.  But with time, I've developed a new attitude.  Now I think about what we need to do at age 50 to be great at 70; what to do at 60 to be fully functional at 80; what a 70 year-old can do to be vibrant at 90.

As my friend Christine shared with me recently:
"I spent the day with my mother on Sunday and I saw first hand the effect that walking has had on her mobility.  A year ago my son-in-law had to carry her up the exterior steps of their brownstone.  Sunday she was able to go up on her own, one step at a time and carefully, but fully independent!  Really miraculous.  I had hesitated to bring her to NYC because of those steps and now feel comfortable to bring her any time."

It's never too late to take a pro-active approach to aging!

Have you gotten a jump on your New Year's resolutions to shape up and get fit?  From my experience, it takes people about three weeks into January to realize they haven't actually taken any action despite their best intentions.  Now is the time to get started, and here is some free stuff to help you get on your way.

Running with Mascara Giveaway (ends 2/3/11) Enter here: Win a signed copy of Strength Training for Women

One of  Fit&Fab Living's sister sites is giving away a free copy of my book Strength Training for Women, which ties into the article I wrote for them--Strength Training: The Anti-Aging Workout! To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment about your experience with strength training on the site (click on the link in the subheading above) by February 3.  The winner will be randomly chosen and announced on February 4.

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Interview with Dr. Alicia Stanton, host of "Aging without Limits" web talk radio show, 1/18/11

In my interview (listen here) with Dr. Stanton we focused on practical advice you can put to use today to get your new year off to the right start.  Listen in to discover 4 functional exercises you can start doing at home that can make all the difference in how your body ages.  The best thing is that you already have all the equipment you need – your own body!!

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Interview with Kim Pagano (listen here), AM 1400 KKZZ radio, 1/18/11

No, we're not related despite sharing the same last name, but definitely do relate to the mission to help people get fit.  In my interview with Kim, we explored the difference in the way men and women do strength training, and then I shared 5 strength training "Don'ts", including "Don't start off too fast or increase too soon because you'll risk muscle soreness and strain."  Next week I'll elaborate on all 5 "Don'ts" in this column.

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“A Session With JJ” – Episode 84, (listen here) – 01/14/11 | Voices On The Net
On January 14, I  joined host JJ for episode #84 of “A Session With JJ” in which we discussed how to keep in shape for a minimal investment of time and money.  We touched on what types of equipment you need to get started on a strength workout program at home, the importance of warming up before every workout, and the differences between weight machines and free-weights.

On Monday, January 10^th, I will be a guest on Joshua Margolis' radio show, "Mind Over Matter" on TalkingAternatives.com  We'll be chatting about – what else – Strength Training!  I'll share a bit of my history, like how Jackie Kennedy hired me for personal training and how my British-based publisher reached out to me to write the book, Strength Training for Women.  To listen to the interview live, tune in to www.talkingalternative.com from 12:20 – 12:40 pm ET.  And please feel free to call in with your questions to 877-480-4120.

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I'm excited to announce my new bi-monthly column onFitandFabLiving.com, a fun, upbeat website dedicated to women's fitness and weight loss. My first column, "Strength Training:  The Anti-Aging Workout" is live now.  Click below to read up on how strength training promotes good health and defends against the aging process every decade of your life. www.fitandfabliving.com

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On Monday, January 3, I participated in Bonnie Graham's Happy New Year Special on Read My Lips radio, where she invited a variety of guests to call in with their "2011 Predictions and Opinions, Resolutions and Anti-Resolutions".  It turned into a lively round-table discussion of will power, motivation, mental muscle and inertia.  To hear the whole show tune into www.blogtalkradio.com

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At the end of last year, I started writing a blog, "Get Fit, Stay Strong with Joan Pagano" for SHARE Cancer Support.com.  Every month I contribute a fitness tip that is geared to help survivors of breast and/or ovarian cancer.  Read the most recent post on stretching.

More radio interviews are scheduled in the near future.  Stay tuned!