How Inherited Fitness May Affect Breast Cancer Risk

Repeated studies have shown that physical inactivity, and the occurrence of obesity to which it is linked, increases the risk for many chronic diseases, including breast and other cancers.

Veganism is a life choice that more people seem to be making. Still, despite its increase in popularity, when most think of a vegan, they tend to think of an animal rights activist, or someone who is a bit of a hippie at heart. And most likely, that a vegan is slightly underfed owing to a strict diet of tofu, lentils and salad.

Physical exercise may help people exert more control over impulsivity, a new, small study suggests. “There’s a lot of neuroscientific evidence that suggests mood-altering effects of physical activity could change how you make decisions...”

There’s been a lot of interest in the harmful effects of prolonged sitting at work, from academics and the public alike.

Many of us know that our children’s posture is a problem. We struggle to know what to do about it, having already learned the futility of simply telling a child to “sit up straight.” Truth be told, we often are at a loss to know how to inhabit our own bodies in ways that are comfortable and relaxed, yet strong and energetic. 

Walking leads to a remarkable reduction in the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, arthritis, depression, anxiety and insomnia, and premature death from all causes.

There is copious research into the manifold ways that high heels affect their wearers’ well-being

If you have been struggling with self-confidence or simply want to increase you sense of inner power, there is a simple, yet extremely effective martial arts technique that can help you reconnect with your inner brilliance.

Yoga carries with it a higher than expected risk of a painful wrist, elbow and shoulder, possibly due to poses like downward dog, new research suggests.

Your body has a maximum operating temperature, according to a physician who knows an overheated person when she sees one.

The link between exercise and the brain may be a product of our evolutionary history and past as hunter-gatherers, researchers say.

Can we really unlock our personal power by adopting “powerful” body postures? Unfortunately, the findings that link these so-called “power poses” beloved of certain politicians with a real sense of power and control are difficult to replicate.

Social situations can have a positive influence on your personal health choices. Studies show that the more socially active a person is, the better their memory.

Celebrity trainers and buff social media stars use terms such as “shred”, “burn” and “melt” to describe bodies responding to resistance training and cardiovascular exercise with rapid physical transformation.

Research has consistently shown that people who are less physically active are both more likely to develop health problems like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and to die younger.

Getting children off the sofa, away from the TV and outside can be a challenging task for any parent, particularly in the age of increasingly sedentary and screen-focused lives.

Vibration machines have popped up in gyms alongside traditional equipment, and manufacturers claim ten minutes of vibration a day can be equivalent to an hour spent working out.

Some neighborhood designs more conducive to exercise and general well-being than others, new research shows.

Exercise is good for you, this we know. It helps build muscle, burn fat and make us all into happier, healthier people.

If you started 2017 with a resolution to lose weight or get fit then you may have found that you need some extra help and motivation by now.

Fluid is a previously unacknowledged source of the tension we feel when we stretch our muscles, research suggests.

In my practice as a GP, I have been impressed by a few energetic and active 80 year olds who remain in good health while many their age have succumbed to various chronic diseases.

Sitting has been branded the “new smoking” for its supposed public health risks, especially for people with sit-down office jobs.

When we feel criticized (by others or by ourselves), it is often the psoas that reacts by contracting or hardening and becoming rigid. Taoists refer to the psoas as the muscle of the soul because of its connection to our deepest essence and core identity.

Self-proclaimed “weight loss hypnosis master” Steve Miller has announced a campaign to see all overweight NHS staff wearing badges that read “I’m fat, but I’m losing it”.

It’s normal to feel hot, sweaty and uncomfortable in warm weather, but what’s the best way to cool down?

When it comes to exercise, if there was a way to get more health benefits by doing less, then it’s likely a lot of people would be interested. This is probably the reason that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) gets a lot of attention.

Everybody knows that to lose weight you need to eat less or exercise more – or ideally do both. But it remains unclear whether there are extra benefits to be gained from increasing the intensity of workouts.

When Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, arguably the “father of gymnastics” and the inventor of the horizontal and parallel bars, opened his first gym (or Turnplatz) in 1811, he decided to locate it outdoors in Berlin.

There is no doubt that physical activity is good for you, but the optimal amount remains a topic of debate. The universally accepted recommendation is that we do at least...

One of my students became very disciplined in journaling with her Divine, and one day she said to me, “I’m so surprised. Continually the guidance I am getting is to drink water, take a nap, go for a walk, eat my vegetables, and give myself a big hug! I feel like my Divine is my grandmother!”

If the statistics are correct, many millions of new runners have laced up for the first time in the last few days.

Over the festive season, many of us will eat and drink much more than we usually would – it has been estimated that the average person in the UK consumes around 6,000 calories on Christmas day alone.

Three things happen to the brain when we exercise, says Wendy Suzuki, professor of neural science and psychology at New York University. She offers a quick explanation in just 90 seconds.

How is it that we are able to remember some events in great detail whereas other memories seem to fade away over time?

Most modern fitness trackers are electronic devices you wear on your wrist to track steps, overall physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep.

Yes, of course we all know we should exercise every day during the holiday season to help counter the onslaught of excess calories that started on Thanksgiving and will mercifully end with a New Year’s toast. But an equally important reason to exercise every day is...

Even though most Australians know we need to exercise more, many of us don’t. Our recent study suggests this is often due to diminishing availability of time.

Regular physical activity is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, protecting us from a host of modern ills such as heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression and some cancers.

For most of us, heading into a gym can lead to confusion about what exercises to do. If you want to change the shape of your body, can selecting certain exercises really work?

You’ve probably heard people say they enjoy running because it lets them switch off. Perhaps you feel that way yourself. Brain activity really does decrease when you’re performing a simple, repetitive action...

Here we review the best science about how to start an exercise habit, and how to keep it going by addressing basic questions and issues.

In a remote area of Tanzania, Hadza men leave their huts on foot, armed with bows and poison-tipped arrows, to hunt for their next meal. Meanwhile, Hadza women gather tubers, berries, and other fruits.

When people suffer musculoskeletal pain – that is, pain arising from muscles, ligaments, bones or joints – they change the way they move. Sometimes these changes include completely avoiding certain movements, and sometimes they are more subtle.

Everyone knows that exercise helps keep weight off and is good for your heart. Now, scientists say it also appears to prevent age-related hearing loss in mice.

Minimal exercise may be all it takes for postmenopausal women to better regulate insulin, maintain metabolic function, and help prevent significant weight gain, a new study suggests.

Exercise releases irisin, a hormone that helps the body shed fat and keeps it from forming, new research shows.

Most of us have a relationship to the outside world based on conflict, the power struggle. It is quite tiring. One must always be on the alert. Could there be another way of doing things?

Thanks to social media, it’s hard to escape from hearing about people’s fitness levels. Sites like Facebook and Instagram provide a constant stream of information about user’s gym visits, nutrition plans and race results.

The key to sticking with an exercise program is actually enjoying it, new research shows.

British breasts are getting bigger, with an annual survey indicating the average woman’s bra size has increased from a 36C to a 36DD

They have identified the neural networks that connect the cerebral cortex to the adrenal medulla, which is responsible for the body’s rapid response in stressful situations.

The sight of the determined, lycra-clad jogger has become a familiar feature of urban parks around the world. Jogging – defined as “the activity of running at a steady, gentle pace”

Sometimes, older men seem to possess incredible strength for their age. People call it “old man strength”. But is it an actual phenomenon? Do older guys really retain their strength? Or even get stronger?

As women enter menopause, their levels of physical activity decrease, but it hasn’t been understood why.

Beginning exerciser to triathlete, we know that exercise does us good. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends a fitness program combining cardio and strength training. But what you eat is just as important...

Yoga has offered the Indian state unprecedented opportunities for global, media-savvy political performance. In recent years, the nation has made international headlines by creating a national ministry for yoga.

People take up running, and other types of exercise, mainly to get fit and lose weight. But there’s often a social aspect, too. After a gruelling run, some people like to retire to the pub or club house for an ice cold beer.

Regular exercise in middle age is the best lifestyle change a person can make to prevent cognitive decline in their later years, a 20-year study finds.

Despite massive government, medical and individual efforts to win the war on obesity, 71 percent of Americans are overweight. The average adult is 24 pounds heavier today than in 1960. Our growing girth adds some US$200 billion per year to our health care expenditure, amounting to a severe health crisis.

"It's a little bit like some kind of Halloween stuff happening," says Omer Inan. "You're listening to your bones rubbing on each other, or maybe cartilage."

Regular participation in muscle strengthening activity such as weight or resistance training has many health benefits. However, this mode of exercise has been largely overlooked in health promotion.

Current guidelines suggest adults should accrue at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. However, 60% of us fail to meet this recommendation, and around one in six aren’t doing any regular exercise at all.

Older adults who strength trained at least twice a week had 46 percent lower odds of death for any reason, 41 percent lower odds of cardiac death, and 19 percent lower odds of dying from cancer.

"If an overweight person is able to maintain an initial weight loss—in this case for a year—the body will eventually 'accept' this new weight and thus not fight against it, as is otherwise normally the case when you are in a calorie-deficit state," says Signe Sørensen Torekov.

Cyclists are facing tougher penalties in New South Wales as part of new rules introduced in March 2016. While there are many changes, some of the more vague are increased fines for riding a bicycle “furiously, recklessly,

A 2011 British survey found 12% of women would give up two to ten years of their lives just to be their ideal weight, while 29% of men think about their appearance at least five times a day. So what makes an ideal body, and why do we want one so badly?

We all know exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, and most will agree kids should be doing more of it. However, a recent study found while parents are positive about their children engaging in aerobic activities (running, playing sports), they have much more negative views when it comes to strength exercises.

Over time, excessive drinking can lead to several chronic conditions, such as fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. But there’s new evidence that aerobic exercise may protect the liver.

No one says it better than Dick Van Dyke in his new book Keep Moving. The secret to maintaining lasting agility lies in joyful movement. Van Dyke turns a very vibrant 90 years old this year, and he continues to not only hit the gym every day, but to dance every chance he gets -- not for the exercise, but simply because he enjoys it!

It’s that time of year when many are trying, and some are failing, to live up to their New Years' resolution of losing weight. Many of these probably include resolutions to be more physically active in striving for this goal. But first, there are some common misconceptions about exercise and weight loss that need to be addressed.

Most people are aware of the importance of being active and exercising daily. Unfortunately, due to busy schedules, most people are forced to exercise around other numerous commitments. However, the timing of exercise can have profound effects on performance.

It may come as little surprise that taking exercise is a way to lose weight. However, a debate about the best type of exercise for weight loss is likely to divide opinion.

Emerging evidence suggests physical activity is a good means of preventing a stroke. In the event that someone who regularly exercises does have a stroke, they are likely to have a less severe stroke and better outcomes in the early and later stages of rehabilitation.

Looking for a great workout partner who can get you through bouts of low energy, help you recover faster, and keep you healthy? Elderberry's got you covered. Concentrated elderberry extract has long been known for its immune-boosting, cold and flu-fighting abilities — an athlete's best ally for keeping healthy all season.

It’s normal to experience muscle pain after exercising if it’s been a while since you were active or performed a certain movement. This type of pain – called delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS – generally develops several hours later and exacerbates over the next few days.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy recently released a call to action detailing the benefits of walking for at least 20 minutes a day. Of course, all exercise is good for you, but Murthy says walking tends to be the easiest for people to stick with .

Many workplaces are sedentary environments, and researchers say it's important that people understand the effects of sitting on their vascular health. By breaking up desk time with a short walk, workers can offset the harm caused to vascular blood vessels.

"Everybody believes that heat is dangerous but not for them," says Gregory Wellenius. "One of the messages is that this is really across the age spectrum. Heat remains one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths."

Scientists in the US have found that a feel-good exercise hormone called irisin does indeed exists in humans, putting to bed long-disputed claims that it is a myth.

We’ve known for some time that too much sitting increases your risk of diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease and early death. But until now it’s been unclear how much standing during the work day may counter this increased risk.

A growing body of advice suggests doing small amounts of moderate exercise can make a significant difference to your health. Academic research is being turned into headlines such as: “Spending two minutes an hour walking instead of sitting can help you live longer” and “Can’t be bothered to exercise? Just WALK”.

If you use your area’s air pollution as a reason not to exercise, you might need to find a better excuse. Even in heavily polluted areas, the benefits of exercise outweigh the harmful effects of air pollution in relation to the risk of premature mortality, a new study reports.

In 1954, the first director-general of the World Health Organisation, Dr Brock Chisholm, famously stated: “Without mental health there can be no true physical health.” More than half a century later, we have large numbers of studies backing up his belief.

The link between exercise, diet and ill health has been recognised for a considerable length of time. The ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates (460-370BC), wrote: Eating alone will not keep a man well; he must also take exercise. For food and exercise … work together to produce health.

Is walking the next big thing? It's been called "America's untrendiest trend." The evidence that millions of people are finally walking again is as solid as the ground beneath our feet.

Getting the recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week may be challenging for some older adults, but researchers say that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t work at it.

WBV (whole body vibration) is famous for promoting bone growth. Extensive research over the last forty years has shown that WBV safely promotes and increases bone density, more so than conventional exercise, which has long been understood to be important for healthy bone development.

Carbohydrate-rich diets are often recommended as part of exercise regimes to promote recovery and maximise performance. But recent research suggesting such foods may not help exercise recovery and their potential link with metabolic diseases are raising questions about whether this advice is still appropriate.

Like many high school students I completely misunderstood the philosopher Herbert Spencer’s phrase “survival of the fittest.” I interpreted it to mean that those animals of a species that were the most physically fit were most likely to survive and reproduce.

Throughout history, peoples in many parts of the world have sought ways to develop their energetic potentials for improved health, martial power, and to bring themselves closer to the divine. In China these practices are called QiGong. It is believed that the correct regulation of body, breath, and mind will harmonize yin and yang, balance Qi and blood...

Most people -- men especially -- tend to skimp on the stretching facet of their workouts. By committing to a flexibility routine, however, you can actually prevent injuries that can sideline you in later years and instead continue to use your body more fully, because you'll maintain greater range of motion in your muscles and joints.

When I first laid on a Pilates mat after twenty years of not dancing or doing any sort of physical activity with the exception of walking, surprising and volatile emotions surged up. The first emotion was denial -- I don't need this, I have managed for years without structured exercise. Then there was a deep releasing of regret and grief

For most people, walking is an activity that requires no thought or intention -- it is rarely even a conscious action. What's more, since walking is such a natural act, we are able to involve ourselves in a host of other activities while doing it. Watching other people walk can...

Yoga! Suddenly, everyone wants to know about this gentle approach to whole-self fitness. A Roper poll reveals that over six million Americans (more than 3% of the population) already practice yoga. You don't have to be lean to do yoga.

All too often we approach exercise as just another task -- maybe even a burden. We do it because we know we should. "Stress walking", some folks have labeled it as they dash off to battle calories and advancing years with frantic lunch-hour sprints...

Qigong, as an art of healing and health preservation, is thought to have originated as early as four thousand years ago in the Tang Yao times as a form of dancing. Qigong, through mind, breathing, and posture regulation, aids in the prevention and treatment of diseases and preserves and lengthens life. Qigong cultivates intrinsic energy (genuine Qi) which is found naturally within all people.

Karate, for my husband, is not just an exercise nor a way to stay physically fit. It is a passion like few people experience at all. Some of us spend our entire lives searching and never finding, striving but never accomplishing, yearning yet never satisfied.

Belly dance (by whatever name it is called) is excellent for any age. It is a celebration of womanhood, a dance by women for women's purposes. It can be practiced in preparation for childbirth and after childbirth. This dance has also helped many women who have suffered from PMS and menstrual discomfort...

It’s no secret that yoga can aid mental well-being. What is more, it can help soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, according to new research.