Anti-aging creams sell in jars worth several thousand dinars, but according to neurologist Miguel Láinez, head of neurology at a university hospital in Valencia, the most powerful anti-aging method is free and as old as humankind. "Exercise is probably the best anti-aging method there is," he says - and not as a slogan, but with concrete science behind it.

The key lies in one small part of the brain - the hippocampus, which is responsible for forming new memories, learning and spatial orientation. Research shows that physically active people have a larger hippocampal volume, which is linked to better memory and slower cognitive decline with age. In other words: when the body moves, the brain remembers better.

How does it work? During exercise, increased blood flow carries more oxygen and nutrients to the neurons. The activity stimulates the release of BDNF - a substance Láinez vividly calls "fertilizer for the brain" - which protects the neurons and encourages new connections between them. The brain, like a muscle, responds to training.

The recommendation isn't dramatic: at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week - thirty minutes a day, five days. On top of that, strength exercises two to three times a week and a goal of 7,000 to 10,000 steps a day. And most important - consistency matters more than intensity. Better a little every day than once a week to exhaustion.

The numbers are convincing: regular exercise increases lifespan by around 5 percent and reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, certain types of cancer and neurodegenerative conditions. No jar of cream offers a list like that. The question isn't whether we have time for a walk - it's why the beauty industry so rarely tells us this.