Denver Post: Staying in Shape to Make...

Denver Post: Staying in Shape to Make the Grade
Exercise tones college kids' bodies and sharpens their minds

As thousands of Colorado college students head to classrooms this fall, they will boost their chances of making better grades if they stop by the gym on the way.

Exercise improves brain function, helping you process information faster, remember more and possibly improve symptoms of mild depression and anxiety.

"Research now conclusively demonstrates that human brains continuously form as many as 30,000 new cells every day, and the brain rewires itself by continuously forming new connections between neurons," says. Dr. Larry McCleary, former director of neuroscience at Children's Hospital in Denver and author of "The Brain Trust Program."

And exercising helps this process. Kerry Hildreth, a physician in geriatric medicine at the University of Colorado Hospital, says studies have shown both aerobic and strength training improve cognition, reduce the incidence of dementia and lower rates of cognitive decline.

Exercise delivers plenty more benefits, too, including more energy, less stress, better sleep, more focus and of course, a steadier waistline.

Read on to see what DU's own Tiffany Ulatowski has to say on the subject