Life style

Keep moving In the past, it was thought the best cure for back pain was to rest. We now know that rest can be harmful as it allows your muscles to weaken, therefore delaying recovery. Staying mobile and keeping active is important for your recovery. ...

Keep moving In the past, it was thought the best c...

Neck pain Neck pain refers to any pain experienced in the area from the base of the skull to the shoulders and can spread to your upper back or arms. This can include feelings of stiffness or tightness, as well as sharp pain and, in severe cases, can...

Neck pain Neck pain refers to any pain experienced...

The physical effects of smoking See below for information about the effect smoking can have on the body. Negative Effect Positive effect Skin Reduces oxygen to the skin ageing it more quickly. Stopping smoking has been found to reduce the appe...

The physical effects of smoking See below for info...

Backward running, also known as reverse or retro running, is not as celebrated as barefoot running and will never be mistaken for the natural way to run. But a small body of science suggests that backward running enables people to avoid or recover fr...

Backward running, also known as reverse or retro r...

Does exercise influence the body’s internal clock? Few of us may be conscious of it, but our bodies, and in turn our health, are ruled by rhythms. “The heart, the liver, the brain — all are controlled by an endogenous circadian rhythm,” says Christop...

Does exercise influence the body’s internal clock?...

Remaining physically active as you age, a new study shows, may help protect parts of your brain from shrinking, a process that has been linked to declines in thinking and memory skills. Physical exercise not only protected against such age-related br...

Remaining physically active as you age, a new stud...

It’s widely accepted among scientists that regular exercise transforms the brain, improving the ability to remember and think. And a growing and very appealing body of science has established that exercise spurs the creation of new brain cells, a pro...

It’s widely accepted among scientists that regular...

It’s well established that exercise substantially changes the human brain, affecting both thinking and emotions. But a sophisticated, multifaceted new study suggests that the effects may be more nuanced than many scientists previously believed. Wheth...

It’s well established that exercise substantially ...

In recent years, some research has suggested that a high-fat diet may be bad for the brain, at least in lab animals. Can exercise protect against such damage? That question may have particular relevance now, with the butter-and cream-laden holidays f...

In recent years, some research has suggested that ...

Olympic athletes are not like the rest of us. Most of them live longer, for one thing, as two revealing new studies found. But not all Olympians enjoy that bonus. Certain sports, the studies suggest, may be better than others when it comes to extendi...

Olympic athletes are not like the rest of us. Most...

Anyone whose resolve to exercise in 2013 is a bit shaky might want to consider an emerging scientific view of human evolution. It suggests that we are clever today in part because a million years ago, we could outrun and outwalk most other mammals ov...

Anyone whose resolve to exercise in 2013 is a bit ...

It is well established that exercise bolsters the structure and function of the brain. Multiple animal and human studies have shown that a few months of moderate exercise can create new neurons, lift mood and hone memory and thinking. But few studies...

It is well established that exercise bolsters the ...

As this year’s influenza season continues to take its toll, those procrastinators now hurrying to get a flu shot might wish to know that exercise may amplify the flu vaccine’s effect. For maximal potency, the exercise should be undertaken at the righ...

As this year’s influenza season continues to take ...

Every January, many people start working out, hoping to lose weight. But as studies attest, exercise often produces little or no weight loss — and even weight gain — and resolutions are soon abandoned. But new science suggests that if you stick with ...

Every January, many people start working out, hopi...

While the pull-up has been used by everyone from middle-school gym teachers to Marine drill instructors to measure fitness, the fact is that many fit people, particularly women, can’t do even one. To perform a pull-up, you place your hands on a raise...

While the pull-up has been used by everyone from m...

This isn’t meant as an insult, but you are physiologically lazy. So am I. So are we all. Using treadmill testing, scientists have definitively established that, like other animals, humans naturally aim to use as little energy as possible during most ...

This isn’t meant as an insult, but you are physiol...

When Dr. Douglas Brown, a radiologist in Orem, Utah, noticed an uptick recently in the number of barefoot runners he was seeing with heel and foot problems, he wondered if there might be a connection between their unshod training and their sore feet....

When Dr. Douglas Brown, a radiologist in Orem, Uta...

Physically active children generally report happier moods and fewer symptoms of depression than children who are less active. Now researchers may have found a reason: by one measure, exercise seems to help children cope with stress. Finnish researche...

Physically active children generally report happie...

The Facts Health experts advise Americans to exercise moderately for at least two and a half hours a week. But for those who are overweight, overheating can be a major hurdle to staying active. For some, the extra fat prevents the body from dissipati...

The Facts Health experts advise Americans to exerc...

In recent years, many barefoot running enthusiasts have been saying that to reduce impact forces and injury risk, runners should land near the balls of their feet, not on their heels, a running style that has been thought to mimic that of our barefoo...

In recent years, many barefoot running enthusiasts...

Marathon, half-marathon, 10k and 5K training plans to get you race ready. A common concern about exercise is that if you don’t do it almost every day, you won’t achieve much health benefit. But a commendable new study suggests otherwise, showing that...

Marathon, half-marathon, 10k and 5K training plans...