Incorporating a low-calorie diet and daily exercise into ones lifestyle may slow the mental physical aging processes, according to findings published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
These health benefits have been found to improve synapses function, which transmits signals between cerebral cells masses. Damage to these neurological channels could be triggered by a poor diet and lack of physical activity, resulting in nerve degeneration and aging signs.
In order to better understand this health concern, researchers fed a group of mice a healthy diet throughout their lifespan, while another group exercised and consumed the low-caloric regimen for one month. The mice were also injected with fluorescent coloring in areas responsible for nerve cell growth, which improve the teams ability to examine synapses.
The results of the study showed that the diet animal group were less likely to suffer muscle degeneration. Also, the exercise group showed signs of reversal of muscle damage.
Joshua Sanes, co-author of the study, said that “this research gives us a hint that the way these extremely powerful lifestyle factors act is by attenuating or reversing the decline in our synapses.”
These findings may also benefit people who also are looking to maintain a proper weight, as a study conducted at the Oregon Health and Science University found that individuals need to do more than just eating a healthy diet to lose weight.