Sep 14

How lifting weights could improve your body and your mind

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“Pumping iron” may conjure up images of muscly gym-goers sweating though a workout accompanied by over-the-top music, but developing a weight-lifting routine can be done easily at home. And the benefits can be huge. The pros of weight training (also known in various forms as resistance training and strength training) go beyond simply toning the body and stronger muscles and bones – it helps maintain a healthy heart and immune system and can even improve brainpower and help you live longer. Michael Mosley shows how dumbbells are actually a very smart move for both your physical and mental capacities.   Lifting weights lowers blood sugar Maintaining muscle mass is not just about how good it looks on the outside, it’s working for you inside too. As well as benefiting your waistline, weight training improves your metabolism and increases your insulin sensitivity, meaning it’s easier to lower blood sugar levels after a meal.   Your immune system is boosted by resistance training A study comparing women who did no exercise with those who regularly did resistance training showed that the latter group had cells that were more active in helping the body fight infection.   Muscle mass is a key indicator […]
Sep 11

10 benefits of running for both your body and your mind

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Occasions like Global Running Day and the London Marathon put a brilliant spotlight on the activity of running – but running isn’t just about single days. Instead, running is a sport, a hobby and a mental and physical release that everyone can enjoy and improve at. In other words, running can become a welcome, important and extremely beneficial part of your life. If you’ve never run a step, here are 10 benefits of running that will inspire you to lace up those running shoes and get going today…   1. It strengthens your body When you run, your whole physiology reaps the rewards of your movement. Here are just some parts of the body that feel the positive effects of those accumulated running steps. The heart Among other things, regular running helps to improve your respiratory function, lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of diabetes and improve your heart health. In fact, according to leading cardiologist Dr Dan Augustine, ‘if you could put exercise into a pill, it would be better than most drugs that a doctor could give you’. That, in itself, is one mighty selling point for running. The heart is like an engine. As you run, or […]
Sep 08

The one fitness mantra you can’t compromise on if weight loss is on your mind!

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Discipline can take you places motivation can’t, and that is truly one fitness tip that you must follow to achieve weight-loss goals! The virtues of fitness in our overall well-being have been more pronounced than ever in the post-pandemic world. If you commit to living a fit life, you should know that discipline holds the key to staying committed. Exercising daily not just keeps our physical health in check, but also keeps our mental well-being balanced. Chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin are released when we exercise, and that elevates our mood. Exercise is also a terrific way to improve our self-esteem and reduce feelings such as sadness, stress and anxiety which are rampant in today’s world. Fitness expert Robin Behl, one of the three forces behind The Tribe, shares one important tip to ensure you’re on the path to fitness. “Discipline will take you places that motivation can’t. Both go hand-in-hand. You need to be motivated as well as disciplined in order to go a long way. With just motivation and no discipline, there is no sustainability.”   Importance of discipline in fitness Discipline for your workout regime not only brings you closer to your weight loss or muscle […]
Sep 05

9 Yoga Poses for Better Sleep Tonight

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Try these yoga poses shortly before bed for your best sleep.   There are plenty of tips and tricks out there that can help you fall asleep. However, if you have already tried reading, drinking a hot cup of herbal tea or journaling and those tips haven’t worked for you — that’s OK. One thing you might not have tried is yoga for sleep. There’s a very good reason why yoga helps you sleep. Practicing yoga and breathing techniques calms your nervous system, which helps your body relax enough for sleep. However, not all poses will help you achieve this goal. You’ll want to aim for relaxing movements that don’t get your heart rate up. We’ve rounded up the top yoga poses you should try if you have trouble sleeping at night.   How yoga can help you sleep Yoga, much like any form of exercise, can be a beneficial way to unwind and alleviate stress. Research suggests that engaging in yoga may lead to reduced levels of cortisol, the hormone associated with stress. The extent of cortisol reduction may vary depending on factors such as the frequency and intensity of yoga practice. Additionally, some studies have shown promising results […]
Sep 02

Memory begins to decline in your 30s: How to keep your brain sharp

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Taking care of our mind and body is crucial for living a happy and fulfilling life. So, on this International Mind-Body Wellness Day, let’s commit to prioritising our health and making self-care a daily habit. It happens to adults of all ages at one point or another: You leave work after a busy day and forget where you parked your car. Or you get up to grab an item from another room and can’t remember what it was once you get there. Is it the start of memory troubles? Could Alzheimer’s disease be looming in the future? Memory does naturally start to decline earlier than we think — when people are in their 30s — but such incidents are common and illustrate perfectly normal forgetting, said Dr. Richard Restak, a clinical professor of neurology and rehabilitation medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “These are things that people needlessly worry about,” Restak, author of the book “The Complete Guide to Memory: The Science of Strengthening Your Mind,” told. In the case of the person unable to remember why they came into a room, “it sounds like a serious matter, but most of the time the person is […]
Aug 30

Should you stretch before exercise? Or after? These tips on stretching could be beneficial

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Stretching can help make you more flexible, improve range of motion in your joints — and feel good. Resistance training can be an effective form of stretching too   For many people of a certain age, high school gym class began with reaching for their toes. Then, over the years, we were told it was better to stretch after exercise. It turns out, both those things can be true, but the differing advice has created some confusion. Stretching can help make you more flexible, improve range of motion in your joints — and feel good. David Behm, who researches human kinetics at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John’s, Canada, offers this advice on when to stretch and how to do it safely:   Warm up first It’s almost always good to stretch, but it’s better if you warm up first, said Behm, author of “The Science and Physiology of Flexibility and Stretching.” He recommends a light aerobic activity such as jogging, walking or cycling for five or 10 minutes. Follow that with some static stretching, the traditional way of reaching and holding a position (think back to that gym class). You can then do activity-specific dynamic stretching, in which […]
Aug 27

5 Exercises That Can Keep Your Brain Sharp

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Physical activity can boost memory, improve thinking, even lower dementia risks — and it’s not too late to start   We’ve known for some time that what’s good for your heart is good for your brain. This is especially true when it comes to exercise. Studies show that regular physical activity can help lower the risk of dementia, and recent research offers some clues about why. A 2022 study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia found that older adults who remain active have higher levels of brain proteins that enhance connections between neurons, which in turn improves their memory and boosts cognition. This protective impact was found in everyone, even in people showing signs of dementia. One reason may be that physical activity promotes healthy synapses, the small pockets of space between neurons that allow them to communicate. “They are really where the magic happens when it comes to cognition,” explains study coauthor Kaitlin Casaletto, an assistant professor of neuropsychology at the University of California, San Francisco Memory and Aging Center. The good news, she stresses, is that the brains of participants — who on average were in their 70s — were able to reap the benefits of exercise even into […]
Aug 24

8 fitness tips to keep in mind in 2024

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The month of January is when we make health and fitness resolutions that tend to fizzle out after a few weeks or months. Staying motivated and making lasting changes requires more than just a fleeting resolution. For this reason, we reached out to leading health experts and nutritionists to learn more about the most simple ways to stay on track this year. Here’s what they had to say:   Start small and sustainable Don’t overwhelm yourself with big fitness goals. Start with achievable goals and gradually increase difficulty as you get fitter. “In 2024, set realistic fitness goals. Set achievable and measurable goals that align with your abilities, lifestyle, and commitment level. For instance, if your goal is to lose weight, start with 1-2 pounds a week. If you have never strength trained, begin strength training two times a week. If 10,000 steps daily are impossible to achieve, start at 6,000 and level up gradually. Establish achievable, short-term goals, celebrate your progress, and be flexible in adapting your goals as needed. Avoid the all-in or all-out approach with regard to your fitness and enjoy the journey,” says fitness trainer Nyela Kapadia.   Make it fun Exercise shouldn’t feel like a […]
Aug 21

Maintain Your Brain With These 6 Mental Fitness Tips

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We often only focus on exercising our bodies, but we can’t forget our brains. Try integrating these strategies into your lifestyle to keep up your cognition as you age. From eating for heart health to deciding which exercises to focus on or improving vision, most people know that maintaining many aspects of physical health is crucial for longevity. But keeping your mind fit may be the most important component to graceful aging. Cognition declines over time due to several factors, such as age-related structure changes, brain injuries or excess stress hormones. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in nine American adults over 65 reports cognitive decline. “The parts of our brain that help with learning information and remembering can become smaller, and the brain can weigh less as we age,” said Colleen Marshall, chief clinical officer for Two Chairs. While we will all experience health changes as we age, cognitive decline doesn’t happen at the same rate for everyone. By prioritizing brain fitness now, you can help slow the change and keep your mind sharp as you age.   How to start nourishing your brain for healthy aging   1) Solve puzzles We’ll start with the […]
Aug 18

How To Fall Asleep Fast

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Here’s how to start snoozing more quickly at night   When you’re busy and on the go, you’ll naturally start getting tired as the day wears on. That’s perfectly normal — in fact, that’s how our bodies work. “We have a sleep drive that builds up the longer we’re awake,” says sleep medicine expert Michelle Drerup, PsyD, DBSM. “By the end of the day, that sleep drive — or pressure for sleep — is high.” However, each of us has what’s called an “internal sleep rhythm,” or circadian rhythm. This rhythm varies from person to person, and represents the time when our body and mind start relaxing and winding down for the day. “This internal rhythm influences when we start to feel sleepy,” says Dr. Drerup. “Some people might identify more as night owls, meaning they don’t get sleepy until much later. Other people are more early birds.”   How long should it take you to fall asleep? You won’t typically fall asleep right away, even a couple of minutes after your head hits the pillow. And if you do conk out quickly, that’s a sign you’re probably sleep-deprived and not snoozing enough at night. “If they don’t have any […]
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