But research also finds that too much high-intensity running may harm heart.

But there is likely a tipping point, concluded the authors of another new study that looked at the cardiovascular health of endurance athletes, when the heart no longer benefits and may even suffer damage. The first study, by researchers from the University of South Carolina and the Ochsner Health System, in New Orleans, was presented Saturday at the American College of Sports Medicine meeting, in San Francisco. It analyzed the link between running and cardiovascular-related deaths in nearly 53,000 adults. Research presented at medical meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. The participants were between the ages of 20 and 100 and had undergone a medical exam between 1971 and 2003. All were free of heart disease, cancer and...

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How to Exercise With Health Conditions

There are many benefits to be gained from regular exercise. It can lower blood pressure, improve heart function and blood sugar control, alleviate depression, ensure good sleep, decrease risk of cancer, and help manage weight, says Susan Joy, MD, director of the Women's Sports Health Program at the Cleveland Clinic. Exercise Benefits for Every Body Those benefits aren't limited to people who are able to exercise strenuously. Even a little bit of daily walking and physical activity has health benefits. As Dr. Joy says, "Physical activity is something everybody should build in, pretty much no matter what your health." People of all ages and levels of fitness can benefit from regular physical activity done at a moderate level of intensity. If you have a disability,...

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10 Tips to Quit Smoking

Giving up smoking can be hard but you can do it. Many smokers try more than once before they are successful.Here are some tips to help you quit smoking. Pick a 'quit date' and stick to it. Increase your chances of success by choosing a day on which you are not likely to be subject to lots of stress. List your reasons for quitting. Knowing why you want to stop smoking will motivate you to keep going. You can refer to this list whenever you feel tempted to light up a cigarette. Decide on your quitting strategy. Do you intend to go cold turkey, use nicotine replacement therapy or attend group courses? Analyse what went wrong if previous attempts to quit didn't work. Plan how to avoid the same pitfalls this time. Ask for professional help. Support is available from...

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5 Tips to Stay Healthy If You Sit at a Computer All Day 2015

It might be due to the darkness that accompanies shorter days, or the invasion of warmer, comfier clothes into the winter workplace, but now is the time when long hours, slouching, slumping, and straining dominate the office. Clean up your act around the computer, before bad habits lead to poor health. Here are five ways to make sure your computer desk doesn’t become the death of you. 1. Give your monitor a second look. If your screen is planted directly on your desktop, it’s time to ask management for a raise — for your computer’s display. According to Dr. Jim Sheedy, director of the Vision Performance Institute at Pacific University, the top of your the screen should be level with your eyes. The ideas is to get the eyes looking down about 10 degrees. If it’s any lower or higher, computer...

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10 TOP TIPS FOR HEALTHY BACK

Follow these simple guidelines to keep your back in good shape: Standing… keeping one foot forward of the other, with knees slightly bent, takes the pressure off your low back. Sitting… sitting with your knees slightly higher than your hips provides good low back support. Reaching… stand on a stool to reach things that are above your shoulder level. Moving Heavy Items…  pushing is easier on your back than pulling. Use your arms and legs to start the push. If you must lift a heavy item, get someone to help you. Lifting… kneel down on one knee with the other foot flat on the floor as near as possible to the item you are lifting. Lift with your legs, not your back, keeping the object close to your body at all times. Carrying… two small objects (one in either hand)...

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