Becoming a couch potato as you get older goes against evolution and puts your health at risk, a new study suggests. Humans have evolved to be active in their later years, and staying active can protect against heart disease and a number of other serious health problems, according to researchers at Harvard. “It’s a widespread… read on > read on >
All Do It Herself:
Pandemic Curbed Kids’ Efforts to Lose Excess Weight
A new study is highlighting yet another consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic: It has likely made it even harder for kids with obesity to manage their weight. The findings, researchers said, are no surprise. Many adults, faced with normal life being upended during the pandemic, have seen changes on the bathroom scale. It’s also clear… read on > read on >
Protecting Your Skin From Sun Won’t Weaken Your Bones: Study
Most people know that sun-sourced vitamin D is good for their bones. So could avoiding the sun to reduce skin cancer risk weaken your bones? A new study brings a reassuring answer: “Sun-protective” behavior — wearing long sleeves, seeking shade or using sunscreen — “was not associated with decreased bone mineral density or increased risk… read on > read on >
Knowing Your A-Fib Triggers Could Help You Avoid It: Study
People suffering from dangerous abnormal heart rhythms can take matters into their own hands and figure out what is triggering their episodes, researchers report. Folks with atrial fibrillation (a-fib) were able to reduce their episodes of the irregular heartbeat by 40% by identifying and then avoiding the substances or activities that caused their heart to… read on > read on >
Your Morning Cup of Coffee Can Affect Your Heart’s Rhythms
Your daily cup of joe might be a quick pick-me-up, but it comes with a mixed bag of good and not-so-good effects on your health, a new study reports. Drinking coffee helps people stay more active, but it also significantly robs some of sleep, researchers say. And while java doesn’t seem to cause irregular rhythms… read on > read on >
11/15 — Long COVID Rare in College Athletes
Long COVID is rare in college athletes, but those who have had COVID-19 should see a doctor if they have chest pain during activity, the authors of new study advise. The extent and effects of persistent symptoms in athletes after COVID-19 infection have been unclear, so researchers went searching for answers. “For the vast majority… read on > read on >
Exercise, Not Bed Rest, Can Speed Concussion Recovery
Contrary to long-held wisdom, teen athletes recover from concussions sooner if they do light aerobic exercise rather than resting in a dark room, new research suggests. Instead of so-called “cocoon therapy,” new research-supported therapy has young concussion patients getting out of bed and doing protected exercise earlier. “What the research found was that adolescents were… read on > read on >
Exercise Helps Ease Arm, Shoulder Pain After Breast Cancer Surgery
Arm and shoulder pain are common for women after breast cancer surgery, and beginning a supervised exercise program soon afterwards can go a long way to easing the discomfort, new research suggests. As the team of British investigators explained, restricted shoulder movement and chronic pain or swelling in the armpit area can really impact a… read on > read on >
Too Much Sitting May Be Bad for Your Mental Health
Call it the great pandemic sit-down. As COVID-19 turned daily commutes into shuffles between rooms at home, and Netflix replaced time spent at the gym or playing sports, Americans have been sitting a lot more. Now a new study suggests it may be putting their mental health at risk. “We knew COVID was going to… read on > read on >
Jog on: Exercise Won’t Raise Your Odds for Arthritic Knees
Dr. Kim Huffman, an avid runner, gets a fair amount of guff from friends about the impact that her favorite exercise has on her body. “People all the time tell me, ‘Oh, you wait until you’re 60. Your knees are going to hate you for it’,” Huffman said. “And I’m like, ‘That’s ridiculous’.” Next time… read on > read on >