Consider how many objects you touch each day, including doorknobs, money, and even your phone. Even when we don't bite our nails, our fingertips are a breeding ground for germs. However, this behaviour makes you particularly susceptible to the filth and grime that can amass in nailbed's, as nibbling leaves cuticles and skin ragged and generates microscopic skin cracks that bacteria can enter. You can spread germs that cause everything from salmonella infections to the common cold by sticking your nails in your mouth. Additionally, the skin under your nails or around them can become infected.
If you need one more motivation to always move, think about this: According to a study by the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, if everyone started exercising more, the United States could be able to prevent tens of thousands of cancer cases each year. Between 2013 and 2016, researchers examined adult cancer diagnoses and the self-reported physical activity of more than 500,000 U.S. adults in each state and the District of Columbia. Scientists calculated that fewer than 300 minutes of exercise each week, or around 46,000 cancer cases annually, could be linked to inactivity.
Now that climate change has blurred seasonal boundaries, here's a new fact about spring, summer, autumn, and sometimes even winter: sweltering heat may be on its way to your area, or it may already be there.
Every year in the United States, high temperatures cause thousands of heat-related illnesses and fatalities. Developing a personal heat plan can assist you in remaining safe when the heat index rises.
Who is particularly vulnerable during the heat of the summer?
Extreme heat can affect anyone. Children, outdoor labourers, those who are pregnant or have health issues or disabilities, as well as the elderly, are more likely to be harmed by rising temperatures. For instance:
Young children, particularly infants, have a diminished capacity to withstand extremely high temperatures.
People who work outdoors may not have access to shelter and may engage in physically demanding work. OSHA regulations stipulate that they require adequate hydration, adequate pauses, and access to a cool area during break time.
People with chronic medical conditions, such as kidney or heart disease, may have difficulty physiologically adapting to hot weather or be more susceptible to its adverse health effects.
Some individuals with disabilities or neurological conditions may have trouble with thermoregulation — that is, controlling their body temperature — or may be unable to take precautionary measures, such as removing layers or moving to a cooler area.
Which weather patterns result in dangerous heat levels?
High temperatures and high humidity both contribute to dangerous heat because they prevent us from perspiring, which is how we cool off. Extremely high temperatures can be hazardous in arid regions.
Danger zones in the United States and internationally diverge. However, hospitalisations and fatalities increase when temperatures surpass a certain threshold. The threshold varies based on how well bodies, cultures, and architecture are acclimated to heat in various locations.
In New England, for instance, where some people (especially those with limited means) may not have access to air conditioning, we observe increases in healthcare utilisation and mortality at lower temperatures than in the American South, where people and organisations may be more accustomed to dealing with hot weather.
Every year in the United States, high temperatures cause thousands of heat-related illnesses and fatalities. Developing a personal heat plan can assist you in remaining safe when the heat index rises.
Who is particularly vulnerable during the heat of the summer?
Extreme heat can affect anyone. Children, outdoor labourers, those who are pregnant or have health issues or disabilities, as well as the elderly, are more likely to be harmed by rising temperatures. For instance:
Young children, particularly infants, have a diminished capacity to withstand extremely high temperatures.
People who work outdoors may not have access to shelter and may engage in physically demanding work. OSHA regulations stipulate that they require adequate hydration, adequate pauses, and access to a cool area during break time.
People with chronic medical conditions, such as kidney or heart disease, may have difficulty physiologically adapting to hot weather or be more susceptible to its adverse health effects.
Some individuals with disabilities or neurological conditions may have trouble with thermoregulation — that is, controlling their body temperature — or may be unable to take precautionary measures, such as removing layers or moving to a cooler area.
Which weather patterns result in dangerous heat levels?
High temperatures and high humidity both contribute to dangerous heat because they prevent us from perspiring, which is how we cool off. Extremely high temperatures can be hazardous in arid regions.
Danger zones in the United States and internationally diverge. However, hospitalisations and fatalities increase when temperatures surpass a certain threshold. The threshold varies based on how well bodies, cultures, and architecture are acclimated to heat in various locations.
In New England, for instance, where some people (especially those with limited means) may not have access to air conditioning, we observe increases in healthcare utilisation and mortality at lower temperatures than in the American South, where people and organisations may be more accustomed to dealing with hot weather.
It may be difficult for busy individuals to adopt heart-healthy activities. These straightforward substitutions can help.
It can be difficult to prioritise heart health with a hectic schedule. It appears that there is no time for heart-healthy behaviours such as regular exercise, getting enough sleep and healthy nutrition. Therefore, you may take the stairs whenever possible or park further away from stores in order to increase your daily step count. But what else are your options? Here are three potential additions to your agenda:
Replace electronic communication with face-to-face meetings.
Texting, emailing, social media, and Zoom calls are acceptable as your primary means of communication. According to a scientific statement published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, it's not acceptable if these methods leave you feeling lonely or isolated, two conditions linked to increased risks for heart disease, heart attack, or stroke.
Try to replace some of your technological back-and-forth with people with in-person meetings in order to battle loneliness and isolation. Perhaps you can find time in your schedule for a brief walk, a cup of coffee, or lunch with a colleague or friend.
Matthew Lee, a sociologist and research associate at Harvard University's Human Flourishing Programme, explains, "Spending time face-to-face helps connect you to others and may make you feel less alone." "Being physically present can help you feel more engaged with others, more valued, and more likely to experience a sense of shared identity — all of which can help alleviate feelings of loneliness." This is why some physicians are beginning to engage in "social prescribing,' which includes recommending that patients participate in volunteer work and other activities that foster interpersonal social relationships."
Lee and a team of Harvard researchers recently published a study in the International Journal of Public Health indicating that social connectedness may reduce the likelihood of being diagnosed with depression or anxiety. Both are linked to heart disease and aggravate existing cardiac conditions.
Replace electronic communication with face-to-face meetings.
Texting, emailing, social media, and Zoom calls are acceptable as your primary means of communication. According to a scientific statement published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, it's not acceptable if these methods leave you feeling lonely or isolated, two conditions linked to increased risks for heart disease, heart attack, or stroke.
Try to replace some of your technological back-and-forth with people with in-person meetings in order to battle loneliness and isolation. Perhaps you can find time in your schedule for a brief walk, a cup of coffee, or lunch with a colleague or friend.
Matthew Lee, a sociologist and research associate at Harvard University's Human Flourishing Programme, explains, "Spending time face-to-face helps connect you to others and may make you feel less alone." "Being physically present can help you feel more engaged with others, more valued, and more likely to experience a sense of shared identity — all of which can help alleviate feelings of loneliness." This is why some physicians are beginning to engage in "social prescribing,' which includes recommending that patients participate in volunteer work and other activities that foster interpersonal social relationships."
Lee and a team of Harvard researchers recently published a study in the International Journal of Public Health indicating that social connectedness may reduce the likelihood of being diagnosed with depression or anxiety. Both are linked to heart disease and aggravate existing cardiac conditions.
It's unlikely that our physical health is the only aspect that affects how long we live. According to a recent study, social aspects of older individuals' lives may have an impact on their longevity.
Researchers questioned 8,250 people 65 and older for the Harvard-led study, which was published online by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on February 7, 2023. 22% passed away in the subsequent four years. Eight out of 183 potential characteristics were shown to be stronger predictors of participant fatalities during those four years, according to the researchers. These included living in an unclean neighbourhood, feeling little control over their financial situation, not working for pay, not volunteering, and receiving less courtesy or respect from others. They also included feeling isolated, seeing their kids less than once a year, and not being involved in their lives.
Researchers questioned 8,250 people 65 and older for the Harvard-led study, which was published online by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on February 7, 2023. 22% passed away in the subsequent four years. Eight out of 183 potential characteristics were shown to be stronger predictors of participant fatalities during those four years, according to the researchers. These included living in an unclean neighbourhood, feeling little control over their financial situation, not working for pay, not volunteering, and receiving less courtesy or respect from others. They also included feeling isolated, seeing their kids less than once a year, and not being involved in their lives.
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Do you want to increase your fibre consumption, reduce your tension, and become more physically active?
A randomised study published in the January 2023 issue of The Lancet Planetary Health found that participants who grew their own produce enjoyed all of these advantages. About 300 participants (average age: 41) wore activity monitors and participated in periodic diet and health surveys. Nobody had maintained a garden for at least two years. One-year community garden plots and an introductory gardening course were provided to half of the participants. The other participants were instructed to refrain from horticulture for an entire year. Compared to non-gardeners, gardeners consumed approximately two more grammes of fibre per day (a 7% increase), reported greater reductions in tension and anxiety, and engaged in approximately six additional minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day (about 40 minutes per week). All of these modifications are associated with improved health, including lower risks of cancer and other chronic diseases.
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