Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

Maximum heart rate refers to the upper limit of what a person’s cardiovascular system can handle during exercise. It can be estimated by subtracting the person’s age from 220. Target heart rates (which range from 64% to 93% of the maximum) can help people know if they are doing moderate or vigorous exercise. Physical activity guidelines recommend that people get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, or a combination of both, per week.

The Watchman, a tiny, basket-like device placed in the heart’s left atrial appendage, is designed to prevent blood clots traveling from the heart to the brain and causing stroke. People with atrial fibrillation who face a high risk of bleeding from anti-clotting drugs may be good candidates for the device.

People can adapt the basic guidelines of the Mediterranean diet to any cuisine they like by choosing mostly plant-based foods and healthy fats. Latin America includes Mexico and more than 30 other countries in the Caribbean and Central and South America. Healthy choices include beans, corn tortillas, plantains, avocados and tropical fruits, as well as small amounts of fish, seafood, and queso blanco (a mild, white cheese).

A 2023 study found that playing an 18-hole round of golf on foot (pulling golf clubs) had greater immediate effects on blood sugar and cholesterol than walking briskly for one hour or doing Nordic walking for one hour.

A 2023 study involving more than 29,000 older adults without dementia, followed for 10 years, suggested that people who stuck to at least four healthy lifestyle habits had significantly slower memory decline than people who didn’t practice any healthy habits.

A 2023 study involving 300 people suggested that people who kept a garden for one year ate about two more grams of fiber per day, had less stress and anxiety, and did more moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day than people who didn’t do any gardening.

Caregivers may benefit from substitute caregivers who can give them a break. This “respite care” might come from a family member or friend who volunteers to help out. Or it can come from outside services such as adult or child day care centers, short-term stays (seven to 30 days) in a skilled nursing or memory care facility, professional child care or nanny services, or private duty care (which can send someone to be with a loved one up to 24 hours per day).

Summertime activities often trigger foot pain from overuse or the lack of support in shoes. To prepare feet for summer, it helps to get shoes or sandals with good support and seek physical therapy to strengthen foot muscles. People who expect to be walking on a beach barefoot can give their feet a little practice and time to adapt by wearing slightly less supportive shoes at home, and then shoes with even less support. It’s also a good idea to learn about ways to relieve foot pain if it strikes, such as foot baths, topical medications, and foot massage.

The options for places to have blood drawn are increasing. Options include hospital outpatient labs, freestanding labs, drugstore clinics, and urgent care centers. Mobile blood collection services will go to someone’s home or office to do the blood draw. Before choosing a place to have blood drawn, it’s important to ask where the results will be sent, whether the person collecting the sample will be a trained and certified phlebotomist, and how much the service will cost. Insurance companies usually require a doctor’s order to cover costs.

Daily brisk walking is great for health, and adding a few simple moves or tools can make it even better. To boost balance, it helps to occasionally walk heel-to-toe during the walk or turn sideways and take 10 side steps. To promote healthy bones and muscles, it helps to wear a weighted vest on a walk. To boost heart health, it helps to add arm raises during the walk or periodically jog for 30 seconds to a minute.