Staying Healthy Archive

Walking is one of the most accessible and versatile types of exercise. It can help people get the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, and workouts can be adjusted to fit any fitness level. But sometimes walking becomes too routine. To make outings more exciting and challenging, people can do interval training, add hills or stairs, use walking poles, carry weights, incorporate body-weight exercises, or try to beat their best time on a route.

A 2024 study suggests that having one or more tattoos may raise a person's risk of developing lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.

Body roundness index, which is calculated based on a person's height, waist, and hip size, might be a more accurate measurement than body mass index for predicting weight-related health risks, according to a 2024 study.

Online hearing tests help detect if someone has hearing loss. The tests involve answering questions or listening to a series of tones or spoken words. The tests are not as comprehensive as tests conducted by an audiologist, but they are convenient and might help identify mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss; problems hearing particular pitch ranges; or differences in hearing ability in one ear compared to the other (asymmetry). A test might need to be followed up with a visit to an audiologist.

A 2024 analysis found that many people without heart problems are taking daily low-dose aspirin therapy, even though it might have more health risks than benefits. Some of them have not consulted with a doctor about whether daily aspirin is safe for them.

The 1,000 Hours Outside challenge can motivate people to spend more time outdoors by trying to accumulate 1,000 hours of outdoor time over a year.

The combination of drinking alcohol and sleeping while on a plane puts a big strain on the body, especially the cardiovascular system. This is because blood oxygen normally drops slightly when flying high above sea level, sleeping, or consuming alcohol. The more contributors to low blood oxygen there are, the harder the body has to work to compensate by breathing faster and increasing heart rate. There's even more strain if someone has heart or lung disease, which places the person at a higher risk for a heart attack or stroke.

Small animals like turtles, iguanas, and frogs are often chosen as first-time pets for children, but it may be best to avoid them because they can carry bacteria that can make people sick. Here's what to know about this illness.