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By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Besides being great for building muscle and getting buff arms and ripped abs, did you know that exercise actually strengthens and builds our brains too? Two recent studies show that getting regular exercise is crucial to both preserving brain health and boosting brain function.

The first study found that there was a causation between exercise and better thinking and brain performance. Researchers compared people who had more of a tendency to be physically active and those who weren’t and their scores on thinking tests. Those who were more active scored significantly better on those tests.

The second study found that during exercise, our brains make much more BDNF. This is a compound that is used by our brains to both strengthen and grow the brain. By keeping the brain strong and growing, they are less likely to experience cognitive decline as time goes on. While researchers note that even a simple walk can cause your brain to produce BDNF, just six minutes of vigorous exercise more than triples the amount of this compound that your brain makes.

Now you have even more of a reason to go out and get some exercise in! There are lots more articles about exercise from Fill Your Plate! Check them out here!