Jan 21

Dance Like Your Doctor Is Watching: It’s Great for Your Mind and Body

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Two new studies say that dancing may keep you healthy well into old age, potentially by reducing the risk of disability and dementia. One paper, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, looked at how various forms of physical activity affected about 1,000 elderly Japanese women and their risk of becoming physically disabled, as measured by their ability to complete tasks like walking, bathing and dressing. The women were asked about their general health and the types of physical activity they regularly did, and were monitored for signs of disability over eight years. During that time, 130 women met the criteria for disability. The researchers found that physical activity generally helped women remain independent as they aged, but certain types of exercise seemed to have larger effects than others — and dancing led the pack. The researchers found that women who frequently danced had a 73% lower chance of becoming disabled during the study period, compared to women who did not. None of the other exercises, including calisthenics, walking and yoga, had such a strong association after adjusting for demographic and health factors. The secret may be that dancing requires a variety of different skills, both […]
Jan 18

Tips to keep your mind sharp

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Treat your brain right if you want it to be in great working condition even when you are 80, says a new study. Here are simple steps to stay bright and active. Treat your brain right if you want it to be in great working condition even when you are 80, says a new study. Here are simple steps to stay bright and active. Here are simple lifestyle changes that will help you stay sharp as the years go by.   In the 30s Floss every day:What do loving licorice and hating the idea of flossing have in common? Both can contribute to plaque on your teeth, which is surprisingly bad for your brain. “The plaque between teeth can cause an immune reaction that attacks arteries, which then can’t deliver vital nutrients to brain cells,” says Michael Roizen, MD, co-author of YOU—The Owner’s Manual: An Insider’s Guide to the Body that Will Make You Healthier and Younger. Solution? Floss every day. Can’t remember? Keep the floss where you store your morning makeup. Go fish: Look to the sea for healthy ways to feed your brain. DHA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in salmon, trout, and some fortified foods […]
Jan 15

Daily exercises, healthy diet and other expert tips to keep your mind sharp as you age

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Tips to keep mind sharp with age: By focusing on regular exercise, a balanced diet, mental stimulation, and strong social connections, you can maintain and even improve cognitive function well into your later years. Incorporate these practices into your daily routine to age without health complications. It’s normal to experience occasional memory lapses, like forgetting where you placed your keys or misremembering details. This forgetfulness is often linked to natural changes in the brain, such as a decrease in neuron density and a shrinking hippocampus, the region responsible for memory formation. Age-related conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, along with certain medications, can further impact cognitive health. Dr Nisha Kumar, a neurologist at LifeCare Clinic, explains that while these changes are a natural part of ageing, lifestyle factors such as poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress can speed up cognitive decline. Thankfully, there are proactive steps you can take to slow this process and keep your mind sharp. By focusing on regular exercise, a balanced diet, mental stimulation, and strong social connections, you can maintain and even improve cognitive function well into your later years.   Here are some strategies to help maintain your mental acuity:   Regular […]
Jan 12

7 tips to deal with an anxious mind

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Dealing with an anxious mind doesn’t mean you have to rely on complicated or time-consuming methods. These small, simple actions can make a big difference when practiced regularly. Anxiety is a natural reaction, but learning how to manage it empowers you to handle life’s pressures with greater ease. Give these tips a try and see which ones work best for you! An anxious mind can feel like a never-ending hurricane of thoughts, particularly during stressful circumstances. It’s typical to feel stressed when facing tight deadlines, crucial meetings, or unexpected challenges. Yet, you do not have to let anxiousness take control. Trying these lesser-known, practical tips can actually calm your mind and regain the control that you had.   Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique When anxiety strikes, your breathing becomes shallow, which worsens stress. A simple method is the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale slowly for 8 seconds. A recent study published in the year 2023 showed that fast breathing can effectively reduce stress when paired with slower paces or holds. This slows your heart rate and signals your brain to relax, helping you feel more in control […]
Jan 09

10 Ways to Keep Your Mind Healthy in 2025

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Adopting even just one of these easy strategies can make a meaningful difference in how you feel and function.   Are you feeling mentally ready for 2025? Whatever your answer, there are some tried-and-true habits to help you feel sharp, alive and well in the coming year — and they’re easy to practice. As journalists who cover the mind and brain, we are continually asking experts about the behaviors, conditions and outlooks that influence mental and cognitive health. The tips listed here — some of our favorites from the past year — aren’t meant to ensure you’ll be upbeat and performing at your best 24/7 (frankly, that just isn’t realistic), but they can help you build resilience, find balance and prioritize the things that you hold most dear.   1. Move your body. If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it 1,000 times: Physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your brain. Immediately after a workout, people tend to report feeling better emotionally, and their performance on tests of working memory and other cognitive functions improves. But the real benefits come from exercising consistently over time: People who do have a lower risk of developing […]
Jan 05

How to Get More Fit in 15 Minutes a Day

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You don’t need a lot of spare time to get started on your fitness journey.   For many people, fitting in a daily workout can feel really daunting. After a long day of work or school, sometimes the couch is the only appealing thing on the agenda. But did you know that exercising for just 15 minutes a day can have a pretty big impact on your overall health? Fifteen minutes may not seem like a lot of time to you, but fitness experts and scientific studies agree that it’s enough to make a difference. Any amount of exercise is better than zero. If you’re new to fitness or haven’t been active in a long time, a short, 15-minute workout may be best to start with anyway. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends starting light when it comes to fitness with just 10-15 minutes a day of activity. Whether it’s walking or something more involved, these short workouts can still be hugely beneficial to your body. Plus, starting small will help you establish a workout routine in your day-to-day. Keep in mind that exercise recommendations are not one-size-fits-all, so it may take some time to figure out what you […]
Jan 01

Real-Life Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity

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Why is physical activity important? Exercise and physical activity are good for just about everyone, including older adults. No matter your health and physical abilities, you can gain a lot by staying active. In fact, studies show that “taking it easy” is risky. Often, inactivity is more to blame than age when older people lose the ability to do things on their own. Lack of physical activity also can lead to more visits to the doctor, more hospitalizations, and more use of medicines for a variety of illnesses. Including all 4 types of exercise can benefit a wide range of areas of your life. Staying active can help you: Keep and improve your strength so you can stay independent Have more energy to do the things you want to do and reduce fatigue Improve your balance and lower risk of falls and injuries from falls Manage and prevent some diseases like arthritis, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and 8 types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer Sleep better at home Reduce levels of stress and anxiety Reach or maintain a healthy weight and reduce risk of excessive weight gain Control your blood pressure Possibly improve or maintain […]
Dec 29

10 Tips to Tone Your Body From Every Angle

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Achieve a trim and toned physique with these expert insights.   Let’s be real: Most of us want a toned and sculpted body. But while many people strive to achieve this common fitness goal, it can be challenging to know where to start. That’s why we connected with Kyrie Furr, CPT, a certified personal trainer and performance coach with Barbend, who shares her top 10 expert tips to tone your body from every angle. Building a toned physique involves more than doing countless sit-ups or endless hours of cardio. It requires a comprehensive, full-body approach that targets various muscle groups and improves all aspects of your health and fitness. Besides adopting a regular exercise routine, eating healthy and getting enough sleep are crucial. These fundamental components of good health will build the foundation for you to feel incredible and sculpt a lean and toned body. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to achieving a toned body. It’s a highly individual process that requires trial and error to determine what works best for you. The good news is that incorporating the following expert tips will help you work your body from all angles and engage muscles you never knew existed, leading to […]
Dec 26

Winter wellness: Self-care tips for mind and body

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Winter’s chill brings unique challenges for our well-being. Prioritizing self-care is key to thriving during colder months. Nourishing your body with seasonal foods, staying active indoors and out, and adapting your skincare routine are essential. Supporting mental health through light therapy, social connections, and mindfulness As temperatures drop, our bodies and minds often face unique challenges. Winter is a time when self-care becomes essential to stay healthy, energized, and resilient. Here are some effective tips to nurture both your body and mind during the colder months:   1. Nourish your body Stay hydrated: Though we sweat less in winter, staying hydrated is crucial. opt for warm herbal teas, soups, and broths. Eat seasonal foods: Incorporate winter fruits and vegetables like citrus, sweet potatoes, carrots, and leafy greens, which are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Boost immunity: Include immune-boosting foods such as ginger, garlic, turmeric, and honey in your diet.   2. Keep moving Indoor workouts: Try yoga, Pilates, or home workouts to maintain flexibility and strength. Outdoor activities: If weather permits, enjoy brisk walks or winter sports like skating or skiing to get fresh air and sunlight. Stretch often: Combat stiffness and improve circulation by stretching regularly, especially if you’re […]
Dec 21

11 proven ways to build mental strength for better running

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Training your mind in tandem with your body is the key to easier running and better performances The language and advice around training for endurance sports tends to be dominated by physical factors – increasing your strength, improving your lactate threshold or your VO2 max. But seeing the mind and the body as one system provides a better strategy for improving, and working on improving your mental strength alongside your physical fitness will definitely reap the benefits when it comes to your running performance.   The research on mental strength and running In a 2010 paper, Professor Samuele Marcora, from the University of Bologna, Italy, and Walter Staiano, from the University of Valencia, Spain, challenged the assumption that physical exhaustion was the key limiter in exercise performance and introduced the concept of training by ‘psychobiological’ principles. In their study, a group of cyclists were still able to produce short periods of higher intensity effort even after reaching a point of physical exhaustion. Their research showed that our exercise tolerance is a balance between how hard we find an activity (our rate of perceived exertion or RPE) versus how motivated we are for that activity. Other studies by Marcora have explored […]
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