Exercise & Fitness Archive

Not a big fan of running? Good news: You don't need to run fast or far to reap its many rewards.

Running is perhaps the oldest form of exercise and one that offers some of the greatest health benefits.

Running has shown to improve heart health, assist with weight loss, and improve mood. Worried about your joints? Some studies have found that running may actually improve the health of aging knees and ease symptoms of osteoarthritis like joint pain and stiffness.

In the journals

People with heart disease also have a higher risk of developing cancer, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions in November 2019.

Researchers evaluated data from 12,712 people from the Framingham Heart Study who did not have heart disease or cancer at the study's launch. They used a risk estimator that predicts a person's chance for getting heart disease within 10 years.

An increasing body of research shows that dog ownership may boost heart health.

Looking to improve your heart health? You might want to think about getting a dog.

A growing body of scientific research suggests that having a canine companion is associated with number of health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health. "Numerous studies from Scandinavia, England and the United States suggest that dog owners have better health than individuals who don't own dogs. But what we really want to know is whether owning dogs produces better health or if it just means that healthier individuals are more likely to own dogs," says Dr. Dhruv Satish Kazi, a cardiologist and associate director of the Smith Center of Outcomes Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a member of the faculty of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Ask the doctors

Q. I've heard a lot recently about inflammation being a health risk, but I'm not sure I really understand what it is. Can you explain?

A. When people talk about inflammation, they're actually talking about your immune system's response to a perceived injury or infection. When you're injured, this inflammation is actually a good thing. The area you injured will become red and swell as an army of beneficial white blood cells flow in to fight infection and help you heal. The same response occurs in other parts of your body when you encounter a virus or infection. But sometimes this immune response occurs when it shouldn't. It can be triggered, for example, when you are exposed to toxins, and by other causes such as chronic stress, obesity, and autoimmune disorders. In these cases, instead of moving in, healing the problem, and then returning to normal, the inflammation persists over time. It's thought that this chronic state of inflammation can lead to numerous health problems, including heart disease, arthritis, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and even cancer.

To help stave off cardiovascular disease, you may not need to run very far, very fast—or even very frequently.

Jogging and running rank among the most popular forms of exercise in this country. But how fast and how long do you need to run to reap the cardiovascular rewards of this activity? A recent study suggests that for both questions, the answer may be less than you think (see "The latest research on jogging and running").

"The main takeaway message is that running even just once a week seems to offer some cardiovascular benefits," says Dr. Adam Tenforde, director of the Running Medicine Program at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. It's heartening news for people who enjoy running but can't do it more frequently, either for logistical reasons or health issues such as knee arthritis, he adds. These findings might also inspire people who do brisk walking to add a few minutes of running to their exercise regimen.

Following five healthy lifestyle habits has been shown to extend life expectancy. Better still, a recent study suggests the added years are more likely to be free of illness or disease.

There is a lot you can do to lower your chances of having a stroke. Even if you've already had a stroke or TIA ("mini-stroke"), you can take steps to prevent another.

Controlling your weight is an important way to lower stroke risk. Excess pounds strain the entire circulatory system and can lead to other health conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obstructive sleep apnea. But losing as little as 5% to 10% of your starting weight can lower your blood pressure and other stroke risk factors.

The Physical Activity Guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity—think of it as 30 minutes, five days a week—for all adults, even the elderly and disabled. However, you don't have to do all 30 minutes in a single daily session. In fact, the newest guidelines allow you to count all moderate intensity physical exertion throughout the day, even if it's just a few minutes at a time.

You can also reach your goal by performing chunks of exercise in 10- or 15-minute blocks throughout the day. For example, do 10 minutes before breakfast, 10 minutes during your lunch break, and another 10 minutes after dinner. Or do 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon. If you're just starting out, gradually build up to 150 minutes a week.

Lifestyle changes have been shown to reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event, but can they also help those with diabetes? A recent study found a positive association between healthy lifestyle choices and reduced cardiovascular risk for those with type 2 diabetes.

Exercises that promote strength and flexibility can help you improve your stance over time.

Chances are you do a lot to sabotage your posture during the course of an average day: reading a good book with your head down, sitting at a computer, or scrolling on your phone.

Activities like these can get your body in the habit of hunching or slouching. Over time this may lead to physical changes that make it harder to stand up straight and cause a curvature in your upper back, which doctors refer to as kyphosis.