The Front Desk

There is a wealth of research affirming exercise as a mood-boosting activity, and aerobic exercise typically gets all the credit. Not anymore! A new study looked at weight training as a method to reduce anxiety, and the results were significant. (Possibly even more significant than aerobic activity.)

A ketogenic diet, commonly referred to as “keto,” is a low-carb diet that has seen a surge in popularity this year. Keto works by swapping high-carb foods like bread, pasta, and fruit for foods high in protein and fat, like meat, eggs, and cheese. Like any diet that requires seriously restricting intake of one food group in favor of others, keto has faced its share of criticisms. However, just like other restrictive diets, many swear by keto as a means of quick weight loss, though the long-term results may prove unsustainable.

Can you cultivate awe? Can you teach someone to look at the world with childlike eyes and feel a profound sense of calm and relief? It seems especially difficult to achieve in the world today.We all know that going for a walk or run outside clears the mind, but what if we could amplify that relaxing effect by training ourselves to experience awe?

‍‍Cancer patients who exercise generally have a better prognosis than those who don’t. New breakthroughs in research are honing in on exactly how exercise fights cancer on a cellular level. 

It is common knowledge that exercise improves cognitive functioning, while sitting too much is said to be bad for the body and the brain. But what if we’re simply tapping into different aspects of our intelligence while we’re exercising versus when we’re sitting still? New research suggests this may be the case.

Listen to your gut. Research shows that abdominal fat is an indicator of heart health. A study published earlier this year in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that extra belly fat could increase the chances of repeat strokes and heart attacks. Researchers followed almost 23,000 people who recently had a cardiac malfunction. After four years of observation, people with more abdominal fat were significantly more likely to experience another stroke or heart attack.

It’s easy to forget that the food we eat directly affects how we think and feel, but it does. Our brain is only responsible for 2% of our body weight, but uses up to 20% of our energy. It needs fuel to keep us alert, productive, and feeling good. The reason you sluggish or unable to focus might be as simple as the food you ate for lunch. Here’s what you need to know.

Listening to music during exercise makes the whole experience more pleasant and improves performance. Studies show that music significantly increases the length of a workout, distracts from pain and boosts mood, and even changes how efficiently our bodies work. All the evidence exists, but many of us already know this to be true, we can feel the energy every time we put on a pair of headphones.

Let’s talk about the runner’s high. If all you’ve ever experienced while running is pain, you might think it’s a myth. Or, you might be intimately familiar with this delightful painkilling buzz. Running is one of those activities that almost anyone can do, but many either love it or hate it.

It’s no secret that many of us don’t get as much physical activity as we should. Global health statistics report that 31% of the overall adult population has insufficient physical activity levels, and that number is even higher in the Americas, with 43% of adults coming up short. These statistics pose an inevitable question—how do we change our behavior? Human motivation is a tricky subject, but many researchers point to wearable fitness trackers as one possible site of intervention.