And we’re not talking about hours of walking around town either – just 20 to 40 minutes of brisk walking can reduce the risk of death in elderly men by as much as half according to a new study released in America this month.

Amazingly, for every two minutes of exercise between sedentary and more active older men found that the mortality rate dropped by 10% for every two minutes of exercise. The study compared the death rates in men aged between 70 and 92 with levels of fitness varying for none at all to heavy and regular exercise.

For every 100 men who died in the group with the lowest levels of fitness only 74 died in the next group up. 54 died in the moderately fit group while only 46 died in the high fitness category.

Obviously exercise becomes more of a challenge when you become older, so head of the study Fr. Peter Kokkinos warned that moderation is important and that trying to over exercise could prove to do more harm than good:

“The overall message is that although ageing and death are inevitable, the rate for both can be modulated by simply maintaining a physically active lifestyle at any age,”

“Although I cannot guarantee that regular exercise will add years to your life, I am quite certain that it will add life to your years. It is important nevertheless to emphasise moderation,”

What do you think? Do you think you’ll still be doing daily exercise when you’re in your 70s, 80s or 90s, or do you think you will have given up long before then? If these figures are anything to go by, we’re still going to be taking those walks!

A new study has found that you don’t have to actually get physically fit in order to feel good about yourself when it comes to exercise, and then people that don’t achieve their fitness or weight loss goals still feel good about themselves due to simply doing a little exercise rather that dedicating serious time to fitness.

The study at the University of Florida by a UF exercise psychologist, Heather Hausenblas, has been published in the Journal of Health Psychology, and is the first to analyse the wider range of effects that exercise can have on things like body image and self confidence.

The study was conducted by examining evidence from 57 different intervention studies, and concluded that exercise changed how people feel about their bodies despite the fact the results weren’t always what they were expecting. The duration, intensity or type of exercise made no difference, and only the frequency at which the exercise was performed seemed to matter.

The study found that that was was no difference in improvement of body image between people who exercised 30 minutes a day, every day of the week and those did not. Apparently this applies to both men and women, although the body image is slightly more improved for women than men.

“Body dissatisfaction is a huge problem in our society and is related to all sorts of negative behaviour including yo-yo dieting, smoking, taking steroids and undergoing cosmetic surgery” Said Hausenblas.

“It affects men and women and all ages, starting with kids who are as young as five years old saying they don’t like how their bodies look.”

Lucy Murphy from Exeter, Devon is a nine year old girl like any other. She enjoys going to Brownies and is learning to play the keyboard. Unfortunately, Lucky suffers from a rare form of epilepsy called Dravet?s Syndrome, which resulted in her having uncontrollable seizures which could last for many hours. The condition controlled her entire life and stopped her from leading a normal childhood. That is until she started a new diet.

The diet is similar in content to the Atkins Diet, a fad diet that was popular several years ago but was mired by much controversy by medical professionals due to its high fat intake. It?s called the ?ketogenic diet? and like Atkins, it?s very high in fat and low in carbohydrate content. In fact, the diet is around 80% fats. This fact produces ketones which in turn block seizures from the brain. In contrast, the most carbohydrates Lucy can consume in a day are the equivalent of a single slice of brown bread.

Lucy now drinks pints of whole cream instead of milk, and eats a high amount of butters and oils. One of her other staple foods is aubergines as they soak up large amounts of fat when cooked.

Lucy?s Mother, Denise Murphy commented on how they diet has changed her daughters life: ?”We started the diet about 12 months ago. We lived on a knife edge for years and used to have an ambulance outside of the house all of the time but she has not been to hospital for the last year. She still needs medication but we have not needed the emergency drugs.”

Dravet?s Syndrome develops during the first year of life and can lead to frequent seizures and poor development of motor skills and language.

There are plenty of reasons out there why children and adults shouldn?t be eating fast food regularly, including an increased risk of heart disease and a high level of obesity. Now recent research has shown we have another one to add to that list ? intelligence.

Studies have shown that children who eat junk food on a regular basis are less clever than those on a healthy diet. It is the first time a link has been discovered between junk food ? which typically contains a high level of fat and sugar and little nutritional value ? and a child?s academic ability. The finding may well cause many parents to rethink what they feed their children. Parents will need to think how snacks like hamburgers and hot dogs might affect a Childs test scores as well as their weight.

More than 5,500 children between the age of 10 and 11 were tested as part of the study. The children are at an age when many in the UK would be taking tests to determine their future academic life. The results found that there was a significant drop in test scores amongst those who ate fast food regularly, even after taking into account social and economic factors.

The average score in literary tests is 141.52, but children who had been eating junk food three times a day saw their scores drop by nearly 20 points. Those who ate junk food a more casual 4 times a week still found that their scores dropped by nearly 10 points. The study found similar results when looking at average maths scores.
Researchers said that it?s possible that rather than the food affecting scores, unseen factors such as parents attitude to school and involvement in a child?s education could also have been contributing factors.

Kerri Tobin, leader of the research conducted at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee stated: ?Continued investment in school nutrition plans, and curricula designed to make pupils and parents aware of the academic consequences of their food choices, would be one positive step that schools could take.?

Anyone remember when they were told that chewing gum will stay in your stomach for seven years after it was swallowed? That might be widely known as a myth, but there?s general consensus amongst people that gum generally isn?t much good for your body and is usually something that isn?t consider part of a healthy diet.

However, while chewing gum may not be the next new miracle food in terms of making you thin or preventing heart disease, a new study has found that chewing gum that can lead to better academic performance in schools ? an interesting discovery considering the vast majority of schools across the country ban chewing gum from classrooms.

A test performed in Texas, United States took over 100 students and separated them into those allowed to chew gum during homework and tests, and those who were not. The gum chewers did better academically seeing an average 3% rise in math test scores and better final grades. Teachers also believed that students? chewing gum paid more attention in class and were less disruptive.

?Chewing gum is an easy tool students can use for a potential academic edge.? Claimed lead researcher on the study, Craig Johnston PhD.

Don?t be too quick to hand loads of gum over to your children yet though ? the research was funded by Wrigley Science Institute. Wrigley is one the biggest producers of chewing gum in the world. Marion Nestle PhD, Nutritionist at New York University, was quick to find fault in the studies: ?Sponsored studies almost invariably produce results favourable to the economic interests of the sponsor. [They] are always designed in ways that fail to control for alternative explanations for the results?

There is however plenty of non-industry funded research that proves that chewing gum after meals can seriously reduce the threat of tooth decay and that chewing sugar free gum may help you control your weight by providing an alternative to snacking. Even if it doesn?t, you can still lose an impressive 11 calories just chewing gum for an hour.

On a diet? Every week it seems like there?s a new miracle power food will that will make you thin in a matter of minutes, or provide massive health benefits and save you from any number of illnesses. But actually, some of the healthiest foods in the world really are the ones that you are just common, everyday items you can pick up for a good price in your local supermarket. We take a look at the best, explain exactly what makes them healthy and suggest the best ways to prepare them in meals.

Figs
Why they are healthy: Figs have quite a variety of uses; as well as tasting delicious they are a good source of fibre. They are also a source of Vitamin B6 which produces the feel good chemical serotonin. They also contain a lot amount of Calcium ? more than whole milk!

How to eat them: Fresh figs can quickly go off and are delicate to handle, so choose ones which are tender but not mushy, and look for the ones with the darkest colours. You can eat the dried variety alone as a healthy snack or add them to a variety of backed goods, salads and rice dishes.

Spinach

Why it is healthy: Although it may not quite give you the same effect as Popeye, spinach is incredibly nutritious. Calcium content can strengthen bones while Vitamin A and C can help control cancer. It can even protect your arteries? for damage. Even more powerful Lutien and Zeaxanthin can prove to fight off blindness in old age. It?s also been famed for its anti aging properties.

How to eat it: Cooking spinach lightly is your best option if you want to get the most benefits from the vegetable. Spinach goes well in a variety of salads and soup as well as stir fries and curries. You can even have it as a healthy topping on a pizza.

Tomato

Why they are healthy: Tomatoes contain Lycopene which is an antioxidant that has powerful qualities and gives the fruit their red colour. Results show that regular consumption of Tomatoes can reduce stomach and colon cancer by as much as half. They can also help prevent infection and heart disease.

How to eat them: Because lycopene is absorbed easier when consumed with fat, try drizzinling olive oil over your tomatoes before eating them. As one of the most commonly used fruits there are hundreds of ways you can enjoy tomatoes although some are far healthier than others. As well as adding them to salads, you can try grilling them or even making omelettes with them.

Artichokes

Why they are healthy: The antioxidant silymarin can prevent skin cancer and the overall high fibre content of these strange vegetables can help control your cholesterol. Because they also contain insulin, artichokes are also very beneficial to people who suffer from diabetes. They are also a good source of Vitamins A and C, folic acid and potassium.

How to eat them: Artichokes are most healthy when cooked by steaming. Artichoke hearts go well with a variety of different foods including seafood and can also make an excellent soup, garnish or dip for any occasion.

Peanuts

Why are they healthy: Peanuts are higher in calories and fat than the other items in this list, but the fat they contain is unsaturated fat (commonly referred to as ?good? fat or ?essential fatty oils?), and they can significantly lower your risk of heart disease. They also provide a quick source of Vitamin D and calcium for bone strength.

How to eat the: Enjoy peanuts as a healthy snack. Unsalted peanuts are the healthiest choice available but also try to find a brand with no other added ingredients – organic brands are usually good for this. You can also enjoy peanuts by adding them to salad. You can use peanut butter in a variety of ways, including adding small amount to smoothies or spreading it over crackers.

It sounds simple. You put on your shoes and your running gear, step out the front door and go for it, returning hours later satisfied you?ve made the best of your day. Unfortunately, it?s not quite as simple as that ? at least not if you want to make sure you?ll be able to run in a few weeks time without having sustained any injuries.

As well as risk of injury there?s also the chance that your running isn?t quite as efficient as it could be so you won?t be earning the maximum potential benefit from your workout. Luckily there are some easy ways to improve your technique and maximise your workout.

The number one thing to be careful of is how you are moving your body. Make sure that you land with your heel first, not the ball of your foot. Doing anything else can result in your foot rolling when you hit the ground which can cause serious injury over time. Also, make sure you are moving your arms enough; our bodies are made to synchronise so the more you move your arms, the more you knees will move. Move your arms fast, and you?ll run fast.

There are a number of things to avoid when running that are common mistakes by amateur runners and can be avoided easily once you?ve identified them. See if you are guilty of any of the following:
? Twisting your entire body to the side as you run
? Bending your body or head forward
? Jogging slower than you could walk at a fast pace
? Landing too heavily on your feet or striding too far

Maintaining a proper posture can be crucial to avoiding injury, so if you are guilty of any of these things see if you can stamp them out by reminding yourself of them when you run. If you feel you can?t stop, talking to a professional might help.

As well as physical methods, it?s also important to make sure you are looking after yourself internally as well. Eat well and try to aim to eat as many carbohydrates as well possible, which can be found in things such as rice and pasta. When running you?ll use glycogen which comes from carbs and you require a healthy amount of protein in order to add muscle. Try to eat something small an hour or so before you run and then something shortly after you finish. This will aid quick recovery. If you want to shower after a run, try a cold shower rather than a hot one, which helps flush out lactic acid.

Running more sensibly is one thing, but many of us also need motivation to continue running on a regular basis. One of the key ways to increase motivation is to keep a log of your fitness. There are several computer programs that will allow you to do some pretty accurate tracking, but you could do similar things for free using a spreadsheet program. This will give you encouragement because you?ll see yourself making quantifiable gains over a period of time.

If stats aren?t your thing, than perhaps people are. Find a friend who is interested in running and go out with them on regular sessions. This may well keep you more interested in the exercise, but make sure the person you pick actually enjoys running ? trying to drag along a friend who has no interest won?t benefit either of you. If you can?t find anyone, consider joining a running club. Most local communities have a running or athletic club available and the extra encouragement of your peers could be a massive help.

Above all, the most important thing to remember is to have fun. Once you?ve got the basic science of running and eating well sorted and the motivation of friends to keep you going, you?ll find everything quickly becomes second nature.

Coffee might not exactly be known as a common health drink and it doesn?t share the status of being great for diets like Green Tea, but it could be just the thing you need if you?re planning on a doing some exercise, as a study shows that a cup of coffee before your workout really can help your progress.

Robert Motl is a professor of Kinesiology and Community Health the University of Illinois in the United States. He?s also a former cyclist and used to drink coffee every morning before his regular training sessions, believing that it helped in push harder, but never quite understanding why. Motl began a series of tests in order to discover why this happens.

Early results found that caffeine works to block the adenosine system in the brain. Adenosine is directly involved with pain processing. This led to Motl speculating that coffee could reduce pain during exercise, which further studies have confirmed. Motl wants to do more tests to see how far this pain reduction can go in improving performance in sport.

Interestingly, further studies by the professor have shown that your level of caffeine intake has little effect on the ability of the drug to reduce pain. People who regularly drink caffeine in quantities as high as four cups per day saw the same amount of effects from the drug as people with low or zero normal caffeine intake. As of yet, nobody knows exactly why.

Despite further questions being asked, Motl was excited about the progress of his research: ?One of the things that may be a practical application, is if you go to the gym and you exercise and it hurts, you may be prone to stop doing that because pain is an aversive stimulus that tells you to withdraw. So if we could give people a little caffeine and reduce the amount of pain they’re experiencing, maybe that would help them stick with that exercise.?

Athletes have already been taking caffeine before exercise along with other substances because they believe that it helps metabolise fat quicker, but now there might be an all new reason to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning.

According to recent research, a bowl of whole grain cereal can help your body recover after exercise just as well as any leading brand of sports drink. Cereal is both readily available and cheap, so it could well be a serious alternative if you want to keep the costs of your exercise to a minimum, although it obviously isn?t as portable as a bottle of sports drink.

The research was conducted at The University of Texas and led by exercise physiologist Lynne Kammer. Kammer?s team studied a twelve trained cyclists; four women and eight men, in order to complete the studies. The studies tested the athletes under normal exercise conditions, requiring them to cycle for two hours at a comfortable rate, rather than standard tests which are often completed until exhaustion.

Kammer explains the experiment: ?We wanted to understand their relative effects on glycogen repletion and muscle protein synthesis for the average individual. We found that glycogen repletion, or the replenishment of immediate muscle fuel, was just as good after whole grain cereal consumption and that some aspects of protein synthesis were actually better.?

The study has concluded that cereal may be a better option than a sports drink due to price, although both will have similar effect, post exercise. Of course, the cereal needs to be whole-grain and consumed with skimmed milk. Eating a sugar coated cereal with full fat milk won?t have the same effect and is likely to negate any exercise that has been completed.

“Cereal and non-fat milk are a less expensive option than sports drinks,? said Kammer. ?The milk provides a source of easily digestible and high quality protein, which can promote protein synthesis and training adaptations, making this an attractive recovery option for those who refuel at home.?