New research shows improving the lifestyle of women with obesity during pregnancy could mean long-term cardiovascular benefits for their children. The study, led by King’s College London and supported by the British Heart Foundation and Tommy’s charity, examined how an antenatal diet and physical activity…
By Lee Bell, Sheffield Hallam University There’s a thin line between working hard enough and working too hard. Pushing your body to reach new levels of fitness requires commitment, effort and a willingness to put yourself through intense, challenging workouts on a regular basis. But…
Exercise has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress, but it may not be enough for the levels caused by COVID-19. In a study of twins led by Washington State University researchers, people who reported increasing their physical activity after the start of COVID-19 stay-at-home…
By Derek Ball, University of Aberdeen In 2017, world famous distance runner, Ron Hill, ended his record of 52 years and 39 days of consecutive running by taking a day’s rest after feeling unwell during one of his runs. Hill writes in his autobiography that…
By Lindsay Bottoms, University of Hertfordshire While many of us may remember skipping as something we did as children, the pastime has regained popularity during the pandemic as a way of keeping fit. Not only is jumping rope a fun, affordable and portable form of…
By Ziggi Ivan Santini, University of Southern Denmark; Paul E. Jose, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, and Vibeke Jenny Koushede, University of Copenhagen No one is immune to developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer or arthritis as they get older….
By Anthony R Cox, University of Birmingham and Craig Rosenbloom, Queen Mary University of London Whether you’re an ultra-marathoner or have just started, injuries and muscle soreness from running are inevitable. But instead of taking a break, many runners reach for ibuprofen or other non-steroidal…
By Alanna Ketler The invention of the chair was really a total game changer in regards to how our bodies function and which parts of the body we are using on a regular basis. The chair took all of that pressure off of our rears…
By Rachael Rigby, Lancaster University and Karen Wright, Lancaster University The diverse, non-human life forms that live in our guts – known as our microbiome – are crucial to our health. A disrupted balance of these contribute to a range of disorders and diseases, including…
By Justin Roberts, Anglia Ruskin University; Ash Willmott, Anglia Ruskin University, and Dan Gordon, Anglia Ruskin University When it comes to losing weight, people often want know the best way to shed excess pounds – and there’s no shortage of fad diets or fitness crazes…
By Lewis Macgregor, University of Stirling Many people see stretching as an essential part of any exercise or workout regime. It helps us increase our flexibility and our range of movement. Many of us also stretch to loosen up before exercising, and to help recover…
By Joe Martino In our current age of excessive sitting and sedentary lifestyles, back pain is an incredibly common problem — one that I experience myself quite a bit when I don’t take the necessary steps to keep my body loose. About 10 years ago…
Regular exercise may reduce the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome, a major cause of death in patients with the COVID-19 virus, a top exercise researcher reports. He is urging people to exercise based on his findings, which also suggest a potential treatment approach. A…
By James Turner, University of Bath and John P Campbell, University of Bath People around the world are staying at home as part of social distancing measures to limit the transmission of the novel coronavirus. In some countries people are being encouraged to exercise once…
By Mayukh Saha When one door closes, several others open up. Joan MacDonald, a septuagenarian from Ontario knows all about it. She believes that age is no impediment to how you live your life. Just because you are old doesn’t mean that you have to…
Physically active older adults benefit from reduced risks of early death, breast and prostate cancer, fractures, recurrent falls, functional limitations, cognitive decline, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression. The findings come from a review of all published reviews of studies that assessed the relationship between physical…
Individuals at risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) because of family history or genetic predisposition who engaged in six months of aerobic exercise training improved their brain glucose metabolism and higher-order thinking abilities (e.g., planning and mental flexibility) called executive function; these improvements occurred in conjunction…
By Sara Tipton Some people are naturally flexible while others loathe the idea of stretching. But it’s actually beneficial for everyone regardless of where you are on the “flexibility scale.” Because at least some flexibility is important, stretching is also important. If you don’t have…
The new year means it’s time to set resolutions for 2020 and new research from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests running a marathon for the first time could have several health benefits. The study found that for first-time marathon runners, training…
By Laura Healy, Nottingham Trent University Exercise is not only good for your physical health, it’s good for your mental health, too. Indeed, many people even take up exercise as a way of boosting their mental well-being. But is all exercise equally beneficial – and…
