Walking is a versatile form of exercise that can be done most anywhere. The American Heart Association suggests that adults spend at least 30 minutes each day doing a moderate intensity activity. Fitting brisk walking into your daily schedule is one way to meet that goal. To fit walking into your schedule, the AHA suggests:… read on >
All Do It Herself:
Choose Your Running Shoes Carefully
If you’re a runner, the wrong running shoe could sideline you, a foot expert says. Choose carefully, or you risk discomfort, pain and injuries such as shin splints, plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, irritated nerves or the loss of a toenail, warned Dr. Christina Rowe-Bauer, a podiatrist with Penn State Health Sports Medicine. If you’re new… read on >
Could Exercise in Pregnancy Boost Baby’s Health, Too?
Women who keep moving during pregnancy may have infants with more advanced motor skills, a small study suggests. Researchers discovered the difference among 1-month-olds: Those whose moms got regular aerobic exercise during pregnancy tended to have stronger movement skills, versus babies whose mothers did not. The movement tests included things like head turning, said researcher… read on >
Is Your Daughter, the Athlete, Eating Enough?
Exercise is essential for girls, but problems can occur if they take in too few calories. Young females who eat too little risk menstrual irregularity, weak bones and eating disorders. Among high school girls, only 1% have all three issues, but between 16% and 54% have one of them, and that increases the risk for… read on >
Health Cautions for Young Male Athletes
Exercise has many health benefits for boys, ranging from a lower chance of obesity to improved self-esteem. It may also reduce risk-taking behaviors. However, some sports come with cautions, especially those with weight classes that could lead to excessive dieting or even anorexia. Sometimes boys may simply not eat enough calories to make up for… read on >
Stand Up Straight to Strengthen Abs
While there will always be a place for sit-ups for ab definition, many trainers now suggest standing exercises that not only train abs but back muscles, too. They’re more practical than getting down on the floor, and they may also be more effective because the moves strengthen the body’s core muscles, making everyday movements —… read on >
Ex-NFL Player Helps Researchers Probe Long-Term Effects of Head Injuries
Brian Duncan doesn’t know why his brain still works as well as it does. Duncan, 67, got his bell rung more than once during his life — as a professional football player, an amateur boxer and a bull rider at Texas rodeos. He remembers one time he got slammed into the ground by L.C. Greenwood,… read on >
Pec Moves That Go Beyond Pushups
If you’re looking for simple yet effective exercises to work chest muscles, put the pec press and pec fly on your list. Both also target the shoulder muscles, and the press works the triceps of the upper arm. For the pec press, lie on your back on a weight bench with a dumbbell in each… read on >
Strength-Training Exercises You Can Do Anywhere
You don’t have to go to the gym to get a great muscle-building workout. You don’t even need equipment. There are many bodyweight-only exercises for strength training that you can do anywhere — at home, when traveling, even at work if you’ve got a space you can exercise in. Here are two to try. The… read on >
At Risk for Alzheimer’s? Exercise Might Help Keep It at Bay
Even if you are at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease, a little more exercise may buy you time, new research suggests. Folks with elevated levels of a brain protein called beta amyloid tend to be more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and experience rapid brain decline later in life, previous research has found. But apparently… read on >