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Aerobic exercise reduces the risk of many health conditions, ranging from heart disease to dementia. Although all forms of physical activity provide some benefits, aerobic exercise is particularly effective because it causes the heart and lungs to work harder than usual.
Getting enough exercise is an essential part of keeping healthy and active, particularly as you get older, but many people struggle to fit exercise into their daily routines. Now, researchers have found that ‘exercise snacks’ — short bursts of physical activity — may be an effective way for less active people to enhance their cardiorespiratory fitness. Because exercise is taken in short bursts of around 5 minutes at least twice a day, people are more likely to stick to this exercise regime than other more time-consuming exercise plans.
Walking and running are both suitable forms of exercise for weight loss and heart health. The benefits and risks depend on a person’s goals and current level of health and fitness. While both activities allow a person to burn calories, lose weight, and lower their risk of heart disease, there is much debate over which is better. Read on to learn more about the benefits and risks.
Diet versions of beverages are often hailed as healthier than the sugar-sweetened original versions. Research is ongoing regarding the potential dangers of sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened drinks. Recent study results identified a link between drinking higher amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages and low or non-sugar-sweetened beverages and an increased risk for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
In a recent study, mangoes more effectively improved prediabetes risk factors in a new study than low-sugar granola bars. The key to mangoes’ better results likely lies in their being a whole food with natural fiber, vitamins, and nutrients. However, experts agree that the best way to avoid type 2 diabetes is to eat a balanced, healthy diet and be physically active, rather than to depend on a single ‘superfood’ to prevent the condition.
A new study concludes that the speed at which the human brain evolved may help explain why our species experiences autism. According to the authors, certain genes associated with autism are downregulated in humans compared with other species. They argue that autism in humans may be a byproduct of the rapid evolution of human cognitive traits.
Researchers studied a group of adults to learn more about the connection between sleep quality and brain aging. The scientists used MRI scans to determine each person’s ‘brain age’ and compared that to sleep patterns. They learned that participants with poor sleep had brain ages that were an average of 1 year older than their chronological age. This finding was more pronounced in men than in women.
Staying hydrated is essential for overall health, so people are advised to drink plenty of water each day. However, a new study suggests that incorporating coffee and tea into your daily drink intake may give additional health benefits. The study found that, provided overall liquid intake was adequate, a balanced intake of coffee and tea was associated with a lower risk of death from all causes.
A new study suggests that moderate consumption of coffee and caffeine on a regular basis could be beneficial to prevent diseases like type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Compared with people who did not consume caffeine at all or very little per day, people who drank 3 coffee drinks per day or 200 to 300 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day had a 48.1% or 40.7% reduced risk for new-onset cardiometabolic multimorbidity. Experts tout many of the other beneficial properties in tea and coffee but warn that other caffeinated beverages may not have the same benefits — and that there is no causal relationship between prevention of cardiometabolic multimorbidity and caffeine.
Staying up-to-date with yearly flu shots is an important step in maintaining day-to-day health. However, some people may be worried about some of the more common side effects, like mild fever, or about feeling faint while getting the vaccine. Medical News Today spoke to experts about what foods and drinks might help mitigate or prevent any short-term side effects from getting a flu shot.
Overweight and obesity are known risk factors for several types of cancer, including those affecting the breast, bowel and liver. But new research suggests that, for some obesity-related cancers, where fat is carried on the body may be as important as how much of it there is. The researchers propose that a better understanding of how fat distribution across the body affects cancer risk could help identify those most at risk of developing many cancers.
Cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure, heart attack, and stroke, are the leading causes of death around the world. Previous research shows there are a number of modifiable lifestyle factors that can help a person lower their risk for heart disease. A new study reports that more than 99% of people who experienced a heart attack, heart failure, or stroke had at least one of four major cardiovascular risk factors above healthy levels beforehand. Scientists also found that of the four major cardiovascular disease risk factors studied, high blood pressure was the most common issue.