A systematic review of 11 controlled studies that included 833 study subjects concluded that exercising outdoors offers significant benefits for the body and the mind. Relative to indoor exercise, being physically active in a natural environment was associated with numerous advantages including a greater lift in mood, stronger feelings of revitalization, better clarity of thought, and less tension and anger. […]
If you want to improve your sleep – get moving! In a new poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation – the results were compelling – exercise is fantastic for sleep. Highlights from this evaluation included the following… (National Sleep Foundation, news release, March 4, 2013) People who engaged in any level of exercise were much more […]
Regardless of your health status or body weight, sitting for prolonged periods of time dramatically boosts your risk of premature chronic disease and death – in some studies on par with smoking and obesity. To learn more, listen to my podcast “The Dangers of Sitting”.
High-intensity interval training, known as HIIT, has been scoring one scientific victory after another, and I am excited to share two new study findings that I hope will excite you as much as they did me. HIIT involves brief (generally 30 seconds) yet very intense aerobic activity alternating with 3-4 minutes of very light activity […]
Exercise is helpful for weight control on many different fronts and helping you eat less should be added to the list. New research conducted in a group of 18 normal weight and 17 overweight women found that 45 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise blunted the brain’s appetite-stimulating responses to pictures of foods. It is well-documented […]
Thanks to a new scientific analysis, it appears that coconut water can rightly claim its reputation as Mother Nature’s sports drink. Coconut water is the clear liquid harvested from young green coconuts and is now available at many grocery outlets and health food stores. Researchers analyzed the components in coconut water relative to those in […]
In a stunning affirmation of the profound health-boosting effects of regular physical activity, European Cardiovascular researchers concluded that regular jogging can dramatically increase life expectancy. As part of the Copenhagen City Heart Study, investigators followed 19,329 adult study subjects over a period of up to 35 years. Study subjects who reported regular jogging at a […]
There were so many sensational new reports extolling the benefits of physical activity I just could not decide on just one so here are the highlights from all of them! Using an “objective measure” of physical activity – researchers reported that older adults who were the most physically active were 90 percent less likely to […]
The flood of new science from the past decade extolling the benefits of exercise for brain health are simply mind-blowing. Thanks to Columbia University researchers, we have yet another study to add to our “exercise for brain health” archive. After following the exercise habits of 1,238 elderly subjects over a six-year period of time, investigators […]
There is now a mountain of scientific evidence that belly (visceral) fat is particularly dangerous so I am excited to share results from a new report that identified two simple strategies for fighting this menace. For this evaluation, Wake Forest researchers followed 1,114 people over a 5-year period to determine what dietary and lifestyle factors […]
In yet another study, echoing what past studies have thankfully shown – good ole’ healthy living can shut off unhealthy genes. In an evaluation of over 20,000 adults that focused on genetic variants linked to a higher risk of obesity, study subjects who adhered to a physically active lifestyle were 40 percent less likely to […]
For adults, especially those over the age of forty, resistance physical activity is essential to maintain health. Resistance physical activities include lifting weights, yoga, and using bands. Benefits are numerous and include maintaining metabolism (preventing weight gain), reducing cardiovascular risk, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, maintaining strength and functionality, increasing bone density and […]
