Just 5 Minutes

Are you sitting? Good.

Me, too, probably. I confess it is my default position.

But I am not sitting all the time.

Now, don't click away just yet. This is good news!

Something you can do to reduce your risk of dementia by 60%!

And it only takes 5 minutes a day.

You have 5 minutes

My mission is to empower people to achieve real health through real food.

But, as my sister says, not everything is about food. Today, the topic is movement.

👟 Bouncing for Brain Health?

On New Year’s Day, I surprised my husband by setting up the Christmas gift he didn’t know he bought me: a little rebounder.

The first few days, I stayed on it for five minutes. That was plenty.

Now I’m up to ten. Sometimes a little more.

I’m not doing anything complicated. Mostly a gentle “health bounce,” just lifting my heels, getting the blood moving, and feeling my heart rate climb slightly. Every so often I step it up a bit, then settle back down.

It is not glamorous. It is not intense.

Best of all, it does not require leaving the house in the dead of winter.

Yes, exercise is good for the body.

It also good for the brain.

More than we realize.

👟 This Caught My Attention

A new report this week highlighted research from UC San Francisco exploring why exercise seems to help the brain.

As the article puts it:

➡️ “Physical activity strengthens the brain’s built-in defense system, helping protect it from age-related damage.”

In the study, older mice that exercised showed improved memory performance. Researchers observed measurable improvements in how the aging brain functioned after regular movement.

If you’d like to read the full summary for yourself, you can find it on ScienceDaily here: https://sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260219040752.htm

Now yes — this is animal research. We’re talking about mice, not people.

But this didn’t feel like brand-new information to me.

It felt like confirmation.

This reminded me of something I have known — and occasionally tried to ignore — for years: Exercise isn’t just good for the body.

Exercise is profoundly good for the brain.

We’ve known this.

And this new research helps explain why.

👟 Not Just Mice!

This isn’t the first time movement has shown up as brain protection.

Last year, researchers at Johns Hopkins reported what may be my favorite finding on the topic: even small amounts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were associated with significantly lower dementia risk.

We are not talking about training for the marathon.

Just a little movement.

In fact, people who averaged as little as 35 minutes per week — that’s five minutes a day — had about a 60% lower risk of developing dementia compared with those who did none. And the benefits increased with more activity.

As the researchers wrote,

➡️ even “small amounts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were associated with substantial reductions in dementia risk.”

More movement was associated with even greater benefit, but you don’t have to be perfect to be protected.

Five minutes still counts.

You can read the Johns Hopkins summary here: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2025/small-amounts-of-moderate-to-vigorous-physical-activity-are-associated-with-big-reductions-in-dementia-risk

This is observational research, not proof of cause and effect.

But the pattern is consistent — across studies, across populations, across time.

Movement matters.

And it doesn’t have to be dramatic to count.

👟 What Does This Mean for Us?

So, this winter, I bounce.

Have you tried it?

Rebounding is just bouncing on a mini trampoline.

It's a low-impact way to raise your heart rate. Rebounding is gentle on the joints, supports circulation and balance, and builds cardiovascular fitness — all things we know matter for brain health.

I’m not saying rebounders specifically prevent dementia.

It's just my easy way of getting a little movement in.

But if a rebounder isn’t your thing? That’s fine.

🗸 Turn on your music and dance through three songs.

🗸 Walk the hallway.

🗸 March in place while the kettle boils.

🗸 Even — gasp — do actual exercises!

However you move, research says a few consistent minutes a day can lift your mood, strengthen your body, and support your brain.

And we all want that.

Got five minutes? Sure you do.

☀️ Get up off of that thing!

Yes, James.

I admit exercise has never been my thing. And since I've retired, I've definitely become more sedentary, especially in the winter.

Food is foundational, but... Annie is right.

It is not all that matters.

So, I bounce.

What's your best brain movement break?

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Until next time, stay strong, wise, kind, and good.

Choose real food for real health.