Ancient Movements Improve Memory
Type 2 diabetes is a relentless bully.
It beats down your energy levels, attacks your vision, and assaults your heart health.
It can even batter your brain.
Nearly HALF of all people with diabetes experience mild cognitive impairment.
So, if you feel like you’re experiencing more memory problems than other people your age—but you don’t have dementia—you could be experiencing MCI.
In many cases, MCI eventually progresses to dementia and Alzheimer’s.
But you can do something about it.
Researchers identified an ancient series of movements that can improve cognitive function in type 2 diabetics with mild cognitive impairment.
Unregulated blood sugar wreaks havoc on your body—and your brain is no exception.
If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, step one should be getting control of your blood sugar.
While it’s easy to focus on the dos and don’ts of your diet, there’s another factor that’s critical for managing this condition… and that’s exercise.
A recent study looked into which type of manageable exercise is BEST for the brain health of diabetics by evaluating two popular forms: walking and tai chi.
Tai chi is a traditional Chinese martial arts form that involves slow, gentle movements and physical postures. Key elements include controlled breathing and a meditative approach.
Some call it “meditation in motion,” but because of its extensive health benefits, I prefer to call it “medication in motion.”
And once again, as we’ve seen in past studies on its benefits, tai chi was the CLEAR winner. The ancient exercise beat out walking for brain support.
This study included 328 adult volunteers with type 2 diabetes and mild cognitive impairment. They did either tai chi, walking (60 minutes, three times a week, for 24 weeks), or no exercise.
At 36 weeks, the participants completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to measure their cognitive function. And the tai chi group’s MoCA score improved significantly more than the walking group’s.
Meaning tai chi can improve cognitive function in diabetics with mild cognitive impairment.
But don’t toss out the baby with the bathwater here. The benefits of walking are well-proven.
If you can join a tai chi group or follow videos online, that’s great. But if not, walking is still the next best thing.
Never take your brain health for granted. Memory loss is devastating. That’s why I’m working on a comprehensive, nuts-to-bolts protocol for Alzheimer’s.
I’ll be taking a deep dive into everything from prevention to out-of-the-box management and treatment of this terrible disease. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for that in the coming days.
P.S. Diabetes doesn’t even have to be permanent. In fact, if you have type 2 diabetes, take a look at your calendar and then flip forward three months. You could be in complete remission—and off ALL your diabetes drugs— by that date. A recent study reveals HOW.
SOURCE:
“Effects of Tai Chi Chuan on Cognitive Function in Adults 60 Years or Older With Type 2 Diabetes and Mild Cognitive Impairment in China: A Randomized Clinical Trial.” JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(4):e237004. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.7004.
