Regular Exercisers Cut Dementia, Cancer Risk

Exercising regularly may just be the much sought-after key to a long life.

A new review of findings of 40 studies published in the last four years concluded that exercising regularly can cut the risk of about two dozen physical and mental health conditions, from cancer to dementia.

"What is clear from the research is that men and women of all ages should be encouraged to be more physically active for the sake of their long-term health," lead author Leslie Alford, a physiotherapist and lecturer at the University of East Anglia in the U.K., said in a statement.

Alford studied 40 papers published between 2006 and 2010 and looked at the impact of exercise on cancer, heart disease, dementia, stroke, depression, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure, among other ailments.

He found that other than abstaining from smoking, physical activity is the best medicine a person can take to improve health and longevity.

"Physical inactivity results in widespread pathophysiological changes to our bodies," said Alford. "It appears that our bodies have evolved to function optimally on a certain level of physically activity that many of us simply do not achieve in our modern, sedentary lifestyles."

Exercising does only make us healthier and stronger, giving us protection against a variety of problems, but it also delays the body's age-related decline, the findings showed.

"It's the universal repair," longevity and wellness guru Dr. Walter M. Bortz, author of "Living Longer for Dummies," told AOL Health. "When you're fit, your immune system is better. Everything is better."

For more on how exercise can protect your health, visit AOL Health.