Credit: iStock/Fokusiert If getting more exercise is on your New Year’s resolution list, you’re not alone. While becoming more active is one of the most common resolutions, only about 25% of adults meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity. How can you beat the odds and make sure your resolution becomes more than just a … Continue reading How to Turn Your Fitness Resolution into a Lasting Habit
Disease Risk
How Constipation May Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease
Credit: iStock Straining to use the bathroom, having a bowel movement less than three times a week, abdominal cramps. Most people know these symptoms as signs of constipation and have experienced it at one time or another. However, according to health care data in the U.K., only about 20% of people discuss constipation with their … Continue reading How Constipation May Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease
The Top 10 Most-read I Spy Physiology Posts of 2024
Credit: iStock/gustavofrazao It’s been another “ph-un” filled year of physiology on the I Spy Physiology blog! We’ve featured posts ranging from marijuana research and bone cancer in children to how many steps do we really need to take per day and if alkaline water lives up to the hype. To complement our Women’s Health Research … Continue reading The Top 10 Most-read I Spy Physiology Posts of 2024
How Exercise Protects You from Dementia
Credit: iStock More than 7 million people in the U.S. live with neurodegenerative disorders. These are chronic diseases of the nervous system that worsen over time. Degenerative disorders are difficult to slow or reverse when nerve cells (neurons) stop working the way they should or die. Examples include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and … Continue reading How Exercise Protects You from Dementia
Spotlight On: Breast Cancer
Credit: iStock/tunpungato Breast cancer is the most diagnosed invasive tumor type in women. One in 8 women living in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. Men can also get breast cancer, but the number of cases is much smaller. How does breast cancer begin? Breast cancer begins when breast cells … Continue reading Spotlight On: Breast Cancer
Oh ‘NO’! How Too Much Salt Affects the Kidneys
Eating too much salt is a huge problem. Globally, high salt can be linked to 1.65 million annual deaths from cardiovascular disease. High salt is often linked to high blood pressure, also called hypertension. However, some people who eat a lot of salt and have cardiovascular issues, have no hypertension. So, salt must be doing … Continue reading Oh ‘NO’! How Too Much Salt Affects the Kidneys
Mississippi’s Heart Beats for the Jackson Heart Study
Credit: iStock/ibusca Mississippi has had its moments in the spotlight: the 2022 water crisis, political scandals and its continued thread of racism. Despite the grim persona the state often reflects at the national level, Mississippi has several opportunities that could help it overcome this negative identity. As a biased Alabamian-turned-Mississippian, I tend to see Mississippi … Continue reading Mississippi’s Heart Beats for the Jackson Heart Study
The Gut Check: The Hidden Impact of Preservatives on Your Microbiome
Credit: iStock/anyaberkut Preservatives are used extensively in food products worldwide. They play a vital role in preventing foods from spoiling or discoloring, extending their shelf life and making sure they arrive safely to supermarkets and other destinations. Despite the widespread use of preservatives in canned foods, processed meats, snacks and beverages, little is known about … Continue reading The Gut Check: The Hidden Impact of Preservatives on Your Microbiome
Ripples in Childhood, Waves in Adulthood: Early Childhood Stress and Your Health
Credit: iStock/FangXiaNuo Playgrounds, red balloons, lollipops, sandcastles on the beach and jump ropes are just some of the images that come to mind when you think of a happy childhood. Many people grow up with curiosity, play and the building of foundational memories that shape who they become. From learning to ride a bike to … Continue reading Ripples in Childhood, Waves in Adulthood: Early Childhood Stress and Your Health
Spotlight On: Coronary Artery Disease
Credit: iStock/Michail_Petrov-96 Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common form of heart disease. CAD affects 1 in 20 adults. When the vessels that supply the heart with oxygen-rich blood and vital nutrients (called coronary arteries) become narrowed or obstructed over time, this is referred to as coronary artery disease. The narrowing of vessels is … Continue reading Spotlight On: Coronary Artery Disease