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Showing posts from May, 2022

Four Types of Exercise Can Improve Your Health and Physical Ability

  Four Types of Exercise Can Improve Your Health and Physical Ability Learn about the four types of exercises and how they can benefit you. For workout videos and examples of how to do some of the exercises listed below, visit NIA’s YouTube channel. Most people tend to focus on one type of exercise or activity and think they’re doing enough. Research has shown that it’s important to get all four types of exercise: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. Each one has different benefits. Doing one kind also can improve your ability to do the others, and variety helps reduce boredom and risk of injury. No matter your age, you can find activities that meet your fitness level and needs! On this page: Endurance Strength Balance Flexibility Endurance exercises for older adults Endurance activities, often referred to as aerobic, increase your breathing and heart rates. These activities help keep you healthy, improve your fitness, and help you perform the tasks you need to do every d...

Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health-related research.

  Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health-related research. "Physical activity," "exercise," and "physical fitness" are terms that describe different concepts. However, they are often confused with one another, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. This paper proposes definitions to distinguish them. Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure. The energy expenditure can be measured in kilocalories. Physical activity in daily life can be categorized into occupational, sports, conditioning, household, or other activities. Exercise is a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive and has as a final or an intermediate objective the improvement or maintenance of physical fitness. Physical fitness is a set of attributes that are either health- or skill-related. The degree to which people have these at...

Top 10 Home Remedies For Constipation That Work (And How To Use Them)

  Top 10 Home Remedies For Constipation That Work (And How To Use Them) Top 10 Home Remedies For Constipation That Work (And How To Use Them) No more sitting on the pot for long, try these remedies for constipation. Written by Pavitra Sampath | Updated : April 30, 2022 4:21 PM IST    Constipation is one of the most common gut issues that afflict people of any age group. It is characterised by hard, dry bowel movements and reduced frequency of poop. Low-fibre diet, dehydration, stress, lack of exercises and certain medications are the most common causes of constipation. While laxatives are the most used solutions to constipation, some home remedies can work wonders for this condition. 1. Triphala powderor churna This consists of three fruits - amla or Indian gooseberry, haritaki (Chebulic Myrobalan) and vibhitaki (Bellirica Myrobalan). It is a great laxative and helps to regulate digestion and bowel movements. How to use: Also Read Hypothyroidism To Colon Cancer: Chronic C...

Strong legs help power summer activities: Hiking, biking, swimming, and more

  Strong legs help power summer activities: Hiking, biking, swimming, and more By Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch Older woman wearing black cycling clothes and a blue helmet riding a bicycle on a roadway with flowering trees bushes and tress lining the roadside My favorite summer activities officially kick in when the calendar flips to May. It's prime time for open water swimming, running, cycling, hiking, and anything else that gets me outside and moving. Yet, my first step is to get my legs in shape. "Legs are the foundation for most activities," says Vijay Daryanani, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. "They're home to some of the body’s largest muscles, and building healthy legs can improve one’s performance, reduce injury, and increase endurance." Four leg muscle groups to build for summer activities Four muscles do the most leg work: quadriceps, gluteus maximus (glutes), hamstrin...

Stretching: 35 exercises to improve flexibility and reduce pain

  Stretching: 35 exercises to improve flexibility and reduce pain Stretching is an excellent thing you can do for your health. These simple, yet effective moves can help you limber up for sports, improve your balance and prevent falls, increase your flexibility, and even help relieve arthritis, back, and knee pain. Whether you're an armchair athlete or a sports enthusiast, this Special Health Report, Stretching: 35 exercises to improve flexibility and reduce pain, from the experts at Harvard Medical School will show you how to create effective stretching routines that meet your needs and ability. Other Product Information About this Report Table of Contents Excerpt Customer Reviews Stretching is an excellent thing you can do for your health. These simple, yet effective moves can help you limber up for sports, improve your balance and prevent falls, increase your flexibility, and even help relieve arthritis, back, and knee pain. Whether you’re an armchair athlete or a sports enthusi...

Walking for Health

  Walking for Health The simple activity of walking has so many powerful health benefits. Done correctly, it can be the key to losing weight, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and boosting your memory, as well as reducing your risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and more. Walking for Health, created by the experts at Harvard Medical School, takes you step-by-step from why walking may be the most perfect exercise, to how to get started on a walking program, to specific walking workouts. It even has a special section on walking for weight loss. Other Product Information About this Report Table of Contents Excerpt Customer Reviews The next time you have a medical check-up, don’t be surprised if your doctor hands you a prescription to walk. Yes, this simple activity that you’ve been doing since you were about a year old is now being touted (along with other forms of regular physical activity) as “the closest thing we have to a wonder drug,” in the words of Dr. Thomas Friede...

Better Balance: Simple exercises to improve stability and prevent falls

  Better Balance: Simple exercises to improve stability and prevent falls Discover how you can prevent falls by improving your balance and mobility. Better Balance: Simple exercises to improve stability and prevent falls gives you step-by-step instructions for easy, effective workouts that will improve posture, increase muscle strength and speed, sharpen reflexes, expand flexibility, and firm your core. You'll also get tips for fall-proofing your home. Other Product Information About this Report Table of Contents Excerpt Customer Reviews Poor balance, a persistent problem for millions of Americans, triggers many falls. In young, healthy adults, balance is largely an automatic reflex. However, gradual changes linked to growing older—such as weak or inflexible muscles, slower reflexes, and worsening eyesight—affect the sense of balance. Certain health problems—such as inner ear disorders, neuropathy, and heart rhythm disturbances—may upset balance, too. So can alcohol and many medica...

Why is exercise so important for seniors?

  Why is exercise so important for seniors? Whether you were once much more physically active or have never been one to exercise regularly, now is a great time to start an exercise and fitness regimen. Getting and staying in shape is just as important for seniors as it is for younger people. Why is exercise important for older people? Getting your heart rate up and challenging your muscles benefits virtually every system in your body and improves your physical and mental health in myriad ways. Physical activity helps maintain a healthy blood pressure, keeps harmful plaque from building up in your arteries, reduces inflammation, improves blood sugar levels, strengthens bones, and helps stave off depression. In addition, a regular exercise program can make your sex life better, lead to better quality sleep, reduce your risk of some cancers, and is linked to longer life. Many older adults hesitate to get moving because they’re unfamiliar with the types of exercise and fitness that are...

The 4-Minute Daily Thigh Workout

  The 4-Minute Daily Thigh Workout xOne of the biggest misconceptions about exercise is that you have to spend hours doing it daily to see results. We’re busy ladies, so if we can get more bang for our buck with quick workouts, sign us up! Here, we share a four-minute thigh routine you can do daily. But don’t be fooled — just because it’s short doesn’t mean it should be easy. Quality is better than quantity, so focus on form, add a dumbbell if bodyweight is a bit too easy, and get to work. 1. Side squats Squats are a girl’s best friend — they work your legs and your booty. Add in the side step and you’ll feel an extra burn in your thighs and hips. Equipment needed: a small dumbbell or weight if you need a challenge Stand up straight with your legs shoulder-width apart and arms at your side (or holding a weight to your chest). Step to the right, and as you do so, sit back into a squat, raising your arms to a comfortable position in front of you if just using your bodyweight. Rise an...

10 Exercises to Tone Every Inch of Your Body

  10 Exercises to Tone Every Inch of Your Body Benefits of working out We know daily exercise is good for optimizing health. But with so many options and limitless information available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with what works. But not to worry. We’ve got your back (and body)! Check out the 10 exercises you can do for ultimate fitness. Combine them into a routine for a workout that’s simple but powerful and sure to keep you in shape for the rest of your life. After 30 days — although you can also do them just twice a week — you should see improvements in your muscular strength, endurance, and balance. Plus, notice a difference in how your clothes fit — winning! Why these 10 exercises will rock your body One surefire way to attack your fitness regimen effectively? Keep the fuss to a minimum and stick with the basics. 1. Lunges Challenging your balance is an essential part of a well-rounded exercise routine. Lunges do just that, promoting functional movement while also increasin...