Try 'Physical Activity' Instead of 'Exercise'
Plus: Several other features to make your tomorrow a little better than today
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, where you’ll find informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. Compiled by Robert Roy Britt. This week, we start with some low-key health and fitness advice based on new research:
Exercise can seem daunting, whether due to the hard work involved, the time commitment, or for any number of other challenges. From an evolutionary standpoint, it’s not natural. No surprise, then, that some people just don’t wanna hear about it. That’s why here at Wise & Well, we like to lean into the notion of physical activity, which can include formal exercise but also walking, hiking, dancing, gardening, or any other sort of movement you might find enjoyable.
Because that’s what most modern humans need more of to stave off the proliferation of chronic diseases: movement. And studies show that it all adds up—every additional minute of movement is a move toward better well-being.
We also promote the idea of small steps and incremental improvement, rather than trying to remake your entire life all at once. We are, after all, only human.
So in our ongoing effort to get you off your ass, Wise & Well has a pair of features this week that promise outsized gains from modest intention and effort. We’re not saying it’ll be super easy to boost your mood and improve your health, but we’re emphasizing that it doesn’t have to be super hard. Here you go:
Short ‘Exercise Snacks’ Boost Fitness in Inactive Adults
If lack of time is your excuse for not getting enough physical activity, then you might try exercise snacks. Research has been building for years now on the health benefits of short bursts of activity, and a new study indicates that less than five minutes, twice a day, done thrice weekly, “can improve both cardiorespiratory health and muscle fitness in otherwise inactive adults.” Pretty modest investment for important health returns! By Annie Foley
The Next Step in the Science of Walking
Scientists have made great strides in recent decades revealing the power of simply walking. It lifts moods, gives you energy, helps improve sleep, and protects against numerous types of physical and mental ills, from anxiety and diabetes to cancer and dementia. The more you walk, the better, and walking faster is better than slower. A new study adds a fresh twist: One longer walk is better than three shorter ones that add up to the same duration. Don’t read this story though. Just go for a walk! By Robert Roy Britt
This week’s other insightful features:
This Vaccine Serendipitously Reduces Dementia
“We don’t want to scare anyone,” was a reason given for not mentioning Alzheimer’s or dementia in this writer’s retirement community. But, as he saw with a friend, it happens, and the downward spiral can be quick. Since the writer is a doctor, he dug into the things that might’ve helped prevent his friend’s fate, surprised to find the shingles vaccine is among them. By
Stephen Schimpff MD, MACP
Triggers of Gun Violence are Not What You Think
Many of us have strong opinions about the roots of gun violence. Most of us are wrong. Citing the latest research and a new way of thinking about what motivates one person to kill another, this writer makes a strong case for momentary rage— spontaneous, impulsive behaviors—being the main factor—80% of the time—not any sort of planned assault. That begs for wildly different preventive measures to curb the problem. By John Kruse MD, PhD
Foods That Food Safety Experts Refuse to Eat
Raw cookie dough, raw shellfish, raw milk, undercooked beef or eggs. Those are just a few of items on a long list of foods that food safety experts and health professionals would not eat, period, based on this writer’s interview with several of them. Less obvious foods they eschew, unless they prep is themselves: sprouts and pre-cut fruit. Also: nuts or chips at a bar, or anything from a dented can. By Dr. Hatem El-Nagar
Politics These Days… Like One Big Dysfunctional Family
The Trump administration’s way of lording over the great big family we call America looks a lot like the tactics that stoke family dysfunction, which this psychologists knows all about. It’s a playbook for sowing fear and chaos through misinformation, maltreatment, and scapegoating. The point for you, dear reader: We can all learn from this article how to better treat our family members, and our fellow Americans. By Gail Post, Ph.D.
Why You Should Focus on Sleep Quality, Not Just Duration
We all need eight hours of sleep, right? Nope. That might be the ideal duration for some people, but as a rule, it’s bogus. What’s at least as important, almost surely more so, is to focuse on how well you sleep, new research reveals. Oddly, though, some people seem not to know if they sleep well or not. This story explains the research, offers a simple way to gauge your sleep quality, then explains the most likely changes you can make to improve the efficiency of your sleep — and thus boost not just overall health but how you feel every day. By Robert Roy Britt
Why Are Women’s Shoes So Pointy?
Several enduring fashion trends for women were first established as stylish status symbols for men, this fashion expert explains. So if your toes feel crimped (which, btw, can cause bunions) you can thank our male European ancestors for wearing those pointy poulaines, as they are called, which marked them as wealthy, “having no need to perform physical work that required mobility.” By Michael Watson
I hope we’re helping make your tomorrow a little better than today. Feel free to forward this newsletter to friends — most of the links are “friend links” on Medium that work for members and non-members alike.
Cheers,
Rob