Harvard Health Content API

A well-functioning immune system turns on when it needs to fight invaders and turns off once the invasion is no longer a threat. The best ways to keep your child’s immune system working like it should are the same strategies that maintain overall health and for your child to get all of the recommended vaccinations. Healthy children are more resistant to infections, and less likely to have severe symptoms. Good health habits helps their immune system operate at its peak. Those habits include regular exercise, good nutrition, consistent, high-quality sleep and managing their stress level. 

Exercise is a powerful tool to help protect the brain against the detrimental effects of aging. It
•    rushes oxygenated blood to nourish brain cells and fosters the growth of new blood vessels in the brain 
•    increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a molecule that encourages the growth of new neurons and maintains the health of existing ones
•    preserves and even increases volume in regions of the brain that tend to shrink with age, such as the prefrontal areas and hippocampus
•    maintains the integrity of white matter, which is fundamental for the transmission of information within the brain
•    enhances cognitive control and reduces impulsivity, promoting better decision making
•    improves function of the brain networks that promote sleep

All beta blockers slow down your heart rate. The slower rate happens at rest and also when you exercise. A competitive athlete’s performance likely could be diminished by taking a beta blocker. However, for most of us who exercise to stay healthy, the evidence tilts toward no decrease in benefit, even though you may not hit the standard heart rate goals. So, your beta blocker won’t prevent you from getting the positive effects of exercise. 

Three ways to boost energy levels: Exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and stay well hydrated. Exercise increases energy levels in several ways. It adds muscle mass and spurs your body to produce more ATP, the energy-carrying molecules found in all living cells. Exercise also boosts energy-promoting neurotransmitters in the brain, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which provide that mental lift you feel during and after a workout. 

Exercise increases energy levels in several ways. It adds muscle, spurs your body to produce more energy producing chemicals in your cells, and boosts energy-promoting neurotransmitters in the brain, which provide that mental lift you feel after a workout. It can be a challenge to exercise when energy levels are already low, so start small. Some research suggests that just 20 minutes of low-to-moderate aerobic activity, three days a week, can help energize you. It doesn’t really matter what kind of exercise you do. Studies have found that non-aerobic exercises like strength training can have the same energy- boosting effect as aerobic activities.

There are several ways to approach a high-fat weight loss diet. You could simply cut out all simple carbs and eat more healthy fats, while setting a goal of total daily calories at less than what you take in. Another option is to go for a true ketogenic (keto) diet that calls for up to 90% of your daily calories to come from fat. People often find they can achieve faster weight loss with a keto diet compared with a calorie-reduction diet. But staying a keto diet long term is challenging, and it can be heavy on red meat and other fatty, processed, and salty foods that are notoriously unhealthy. Its long-term effects are unknown, probably because it’s so hard to stick with that people can’t eat this way for a long time.