Do you need a little extra push to increase your daily steps? According to a study published online on April 7, 2024, by Circulation, reminders or rewards might help. In the study, researchers asked over a thousand people (average age 67) to wear activity trackers, walk daily, and set step goals. They were then randomly placed into one of four groups, each receiving different encouragement to exercise: the chance to win game points, earn money, get both money and game points, or receive a daily text message with their previous day's step count. After one year, all groups increased their daily steps by at least 1,500.
In contrast to the message-only group, participants in the money or game points groups walked over 500 more steps daily, while those in the combined incentives group walked nearly 900 more steps daily. Would you like to give this a try at home? Use a walking app that gives game points and incentives, and set a phone reminder to work out.
Photo by Boys in Bristol Photography
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Q. It's happening again: every summer, I get bitten by mosquitoes far more than my family and friends. Why does this happen?
A. You're not imagining it. Some people are naturally more attractive to mosquitoes than others. Scientists are still trying to understand why, but they believe it has to do with each person's unique scent, which is created by a variety of molecules throughout the body. This scent, unlike underarm odor, is not something you can change, so there's no need to worry.
Other factors, such as blood type and breathing patterns, also seem to influence mosquito attraction. For example, people with Type O blood tend to attract more mosquitoes. Additionally, breathing heavily, like after exercising, releases more carbon dioxide, which mosquitoes find appealing.
To reduce the chances of getting bitten, try a few simple strategies. When spending time outdoors, use fragrance-free personal care products and wear long, light-colored sleeves and pants. Apply insect repellent to exposed skin. Additionally, using a fan, especially around your feet and ankles where mosquitoes tend to gather, can help keep them away.
Photo by Jimmy Chan
Why do mosquitoes bite me so much? People with Type O blood tend to attract more mosquitoes.
A. You're not imagining it. Some people are naturally more attractive to mosquitoes than others. Scientists are still trying to understand why, but they believe it has to do with each person's unique scent, which is created by a variety of molecules throughout the body. This scent, unlike underarm odor, is not something you can change, so there's no need to worry.
Other factors, such as blood type and breathing patterns, also seem to influence mosquito attraction. For example, people with Type O blood tend to attract more mosquitoes. Additionally, breathing heavily, like after exercising, releases more carbon dioxide, which mosquitoes find appealing.
To reduce the chances of getting bitten, try a few simple strategies. When spending time outdoors, use fragrance-free personal care products and wear long, light-colored sleeves and pants. Apply insect repellent to exposed skin. Additionally, using a fan, especially around your feet and ankles where mosquitoes tend to gather, can help keep them away.
Photo by Jimmy Chan
Concerns about the health effects of microplastics continue to rise. A new study reveals that individuals with microplastics in the plaque blocking their neck arteries are significantly more likely to experience a heart attack or stroke compared to those with plastic-free plaque.
Researchers analyzed plaque from the neck arteries of 257 individuals and discovered tiny plastic particles, mainly polyethylene and some polyvinyl chloride, in 58% of the samples. After nearly three years, those with microplastics in their plaque had a 4.5 times higher rate of heart attack, stroke, and death compared to those without.
While these findings are observational and cannot definitively link microplastics to these health issues, other unmeasured factors may also contribute. This study was published in the March 7, 2024, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
Polyethylene, used in making plastic bags and bottles, slowly breaks down and can be found in food and water, potentially explaining how microplastics enter the body.
When it's hot, hazy, and humid outside, be cautious with outdoor activities to safeguard your heart.
During the summer of 2023, record-breaking high temperatures scorched many regions of the United States. Unsurprisingly, emergency department visits for heat-related illnesses also increased during that period, according to the CDC. This concerning trend is expected to continue as climate change leads to longer, hotter, and more frequent episodes of extreme heat.
Individuals with underlying health issues, particularly cardiovascular disease, are more susceptible to the dangers of high temperatures. Air pollution, another risk to heart health, can also be problematic during the summer months.
Why Heat is Hard on the Heart
People with or at risk for cardiovascular disease should be more cautious when exercising outside in hot weather. When temperatures rise, exercise becomes more demanding because the heart has to pump extra blood to both the muscles and the skin to help dissipate excess heat. However, when the air temperature nears body temperature (around 98°F), this cooling process becomes ineffective. Sweating helps cool the body by turning liquid sweat into water vapor, but high humidity levels above 75% make evaporation more difficult.
Hot-Weather Tips
It's still important to exercise during warm weather, but you may need to lower your intensity. Here are some additional tips for exercising safely during heat waves:
Avoid outdoor activity during the hottest part of the day: Temperatures usually peak between noon and 3 p.m., so consider exercising in the early morning or early evening, away from traffic-heavy areas.
Choose the right attire: Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing made from sweat-wicking material to stay cooler.
Stay hydrated: Drink water throughout the day, especially when active outdoors. For exercise lasting more than an hour, sports drinks are better as they contain electrolytes like potassium, sodium, and magnesium, which replenish what you lose from sweating. People on blood pressure medications, particularly diuretics, should be extra careful to drink plenty of water. Exercise in water or air-conditioned spaces:
On extremely hot days, consider swimming, doing water aerobics, or working out in an air-conditioned fitness center.
I finally get to style pink and orange in a way that I really like. Look at me, I look so lovely! I must say, I wanted that skirt to be longer as I would have felt even more comfortable while sitting, but overall I look so lovely.
If you remember when Beyoncé wore pink and orange on several occasions, it became a trend. Ever since then, I have always wanted to match those two colors together. While I wanted to style this outfit, I also wanted to look different and make my style my own. I prefer to take inspiration and make the look my own. Take Beyoncé, for example. When she stepped out in fuchsia shorts and a tangerine sweater in 2015, I thought, "Wow, that is a brilliant color combination." This was the era of color blocking, and it was the highlight of the fashion world.
She was wearing a Cushnie et Ochs Tangerine Cut Out Long Sleeve Knit Jersey and DSquared2 Fuchsia Pink Leather Shorts, styled with hot-pink pumps and an emerald handbag.
If you remember when Beyoncé wore pink and orange on several occasions, it became a trend. Ever since then, I have always wanted to match those two colors together. While I wanted to style this outfit, I also wanted to look different and make my style my own. I prefer to take inspiration and make the look my own. Take Beyoncé, for example. When she stepped out in fuchsia shorts and a tangerine sweater in 2015, I thought, "Wow, that is a brilliant color combination." This was the era of color blocking, and it was the highlight of the fashion world.
She was wearing a Cushnie et Ochs Tangerine Cut Out Long Sleeve Knit Jersey and DSquared2 Fuchsia Pink Leather Shorts, styled with hot-pink pumps and an emerald handbag.
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