Hitting the gym, going for a run, or any type of aerobic exercise provides the cardiovascular and muscular benefits we all know about, but exercise can also improve your mental health as well. Regardless of age or fitness level, the effects of exercise on your brain can help lead to happier results. The most immediate effect exercise has on brain function  is instantly enhancing one’s mood. Aerobic exercise such as dancing, swimming, jogging, or going for a long walk, will increase blood circulation to the brain – particularly to the limbic system, which controls motivation and mood; the amygdala, which generates fear in response to stress; and the hippocampus, which is important to memory formation as well as mood. If you’ve ever gone for a run or exercised after a stressful day, chances are you felt a little better afterwards. This small effect is caused by a trigger in your brain to increase endorphins – chemicals that act like a home-brewed version of morphine – causing what’s known as a “runner’s high.” In 2008, German researchers used brain scans on runners and found that during two-hour-long runs, the runners’ pre-frontal and limbic systems spewed out endorphins. Because these systems respond to emotions like love, the greater the endorphin surge in these brain areas, the more euphoric the runners reported feeling. Though you’ll

With little time to heal aches and pains from exercise, kinesiology tape is often an alternative pain management method athletes use to help speed up the healing process. Kinesiology tape was developed in the early 1970s to prolong the effects of physical therapy. Kinesiotape may be used to help change muscle tone, move lymphatic fluids, correct movement patters, and correct posture. When there’s little time to heal aches and pains from exercise, kinesiology tape is often an alternative pain management method that professional athletes use to help speed up the healing process. Professional golfer Michelle Wie has been wearing kinesio tape on her thigh and knee throughout the LPGA tour this summer. NBA player James Harden has been wearing kinesio tape on his right shoulder purely as a preventative measure on and off for the past eight years. And with the US Open beginning next week, Serbian tennis pro Novak Djokovic was recently spotted wearing black kinesio tape from his shoulder to his elbow to manage his forearm pain. Whether athletes are using kinesio tape for pain management or prevention, the question still remains if it really works. The tape is made of a thin, lightweight, elastic fabric that when used for pain management is meant to either reduce the risk of injury or speed the healing process. The tape

The “Freshman 15” may get the most ink when it comes to college students and their health, but one very common issue when the kids go back to school is back pain. Between move-in, sitting for long classes, and lugging textbooks to and from class after a backpack-free summer, back pain and discomfort can be easily caused in just the first few weeks of getting back to school. One back-to-school activity that can affect parents just as much as their kids is moving back into the dorms or off-campus housing. Carrying heavy objects such as luggage, futons, building dressers, and bed lofts are all heavy weight-lifting activities that can affect your back. Survive college move-in day pain-free by paying attention to your mechanics. For instance, carry clothing in smaller bags as opposed to larger, heavier trunks or boxes. When lifting furniture, lift with your legs – squat using your legs to pick up the load rather than bending at the waist, which could strain your back. Once students are moved in, the next obvious culprit of back pain is the backpack. When backpacks are more than 15 percent of the carrier’s body weight, postural deviations (forward-head, rounded shoulders, gait imbalance)

Choosing the right sunscreen can be as difficult as deciding on your next vacation destination. With so many unique formulas and SPF levels ranging from 15 to 100+, you may be wondering what all of it really means in the grand scheme of UV defense. Let’s break down the topic of sun protection so that you can make a quicker, smarter decision and spend more time outside than in the sunscreen aisle. First, how does sunscreen work? Sunscreen is a combination of physical and chemical materials that filter sunlight as it reaches your skin. These physical ingredients, such as zinc oxide and titanium oxide, reflect and scatter harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, while the chemical ingredients like octyl methoxycinnamate and oxybenzone dissipate the UV radiation as heat. As some of the sun’s rays are being dispersed, there is still a filtered portion of sunlight that penetrates the skin as UV radiation. The three types of UV radiation are UVA, UVB, and UVC; however, you are probably most familiar with UVB, which is involved with the burning and tanning of skin. All sunscreen has an SPF component which stands for sun protection factor, and specifically refers to the level of defense against

Nothing compares to a cool treat in warmer weather. Instead of opting for an ice cream cone or ice pop, both of which are packed with refined sugar, smoothies are healthier alternatives that boast many nutritional benefits. Preparing these smoothies throughout the season will ensure that the next time you are craving something sweet, you can opt for a nutritious alternative to cool down instead. I’ve found three recipes for super-charged smoothies packed with ingredients to help you feel your best. A fruit smoothie made with seasonal berries is a summer staple. It’s sweet and delicious, so it’s ideal if you’re having trouble fulfilling your daily serving of fruit. This simple raspberry fruit smoothie recipe from Prevention is perfect for beginners: Prevention’s Berry Good Workout Smoothie 1 ½ cups chopped strawberries 1 cup blueberries ½ cup raspberries 2 Tbsp honey 1 tsp fresh lemon juice ½ cup ice cubes Berries are loaded with polyphenols, which are antioxidants that eliminate damage-causing radicals in your body. Berries also help boost immunity with vitamin C, and can promote eye and heart health, and lower blood pressure. Honey, also found in this recipe, is not only an effective natural sweetener but is also an

Whether you’re getting more active in sports, headed on a weekend getaway, doing yard work, or simply going to a baseball game, your favorite summertime activities could be making you more susceptible to back pain. Even if you don’t experience chronic back pain typically, summer-specific pursuits may be putting you at a higher risk of discomfort or injury. During weekend getaways or summer vacations, we often find ourselves sitting for long periods of time during car trips or airplane rides on the way to our destination. After sitting for an extended duration, your spine will eventually feel the pressure, resulting in discomfort. The discs in the back expand and contract with movement. When sitting all day, these discs are compressed and cause aching. Allow the discs to expand by walking around while at a rest stop, or standing up from your seat and stretching for a few minutes during a flight. Warmer weather also calls for more tender loving care to your plants. Though gardening may seem like a low-risk activity, the constant pulling and twisting while hunched over for long periods can cause issues as well. About 80 to 90 percent of your movement during yardwork is in a

Have you ever felt sluggish, weak, or dizzy in the middle of the day despite getting adequate sleep and even drinking a few cups of coffee? Chances are you’re suffering from chronic dehydration—when you lose more fluid than is consumed. Many people believe that they are drinking the recommended 6-8 glasses of water a day, however according to DripDrop.com, an average of 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. With the heat of summertime approaching, the amount of water we consume is even more necessary to prevent dehydration. Our bodies are made of 60% water so it’s safe to say that water is an integral part of our system and is necessary to function adequately. The MayoClinic states there are eight main functions of water in our body, including carrying essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to cells; removing toxins and waste products; metabolizing food we consume; regulating body temperature; and acting as a lubricant for joints. When an inadequate amount of water is consumed, the body is unable to effectively carry out these functions. This can cause an array of symptoms including dizziness, weakness, mental fog, headache and fever, changes in mood, dry skin, and excessive thirst. Another common symptom is

You might have often been at the gym or in a fitness class wondering why you’re performing the same workout as the person next to you, but they seem to be “more fit.” Is it because they’ve been working out longer than you have? Is it because they have the help of a personal trainer? Or is it simply due to genetics? Scientists are weighing in with recent published research studies and are finding that your genes may have more impact on how your body responds to exercise than the way you’re exercising. One study, published in March, examined the weight loss and aerobic trends of 95 overweight and obese older men and women, aged 65-79, over the course of five months. Each individual participated in aerobic training four days a week and resistance training three days a week. The researchers found that while the increased exercise improved physical function for most of the adults, the magnitude of improvement varied widely, leaving the answer open-ended as to why. Another study, published in April in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, studied two strains of rodents that either would or would not respond well to exercise. The scientists bred

School’s out for summer, but it’s the right time to be preparing for the year ahead, especially when it comes to your health. From January to June 2015, seven cases of bacterial meningitis outbreaks were confirmed at The University of Oregon, causing concern from state health officials, school administrations and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreaks in Oregon are just part of a string of cases popping up around the country in the past year, including Princeton University, spurring the debate of making the vaccine mandatory for all students to receive. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met June 24 and voted to recommend that “decisions to vaccinate adolescents and young adults 16 through 23 years of age against serogroup B meningococcal disease should be made at the individual level with healthcare providers.” In summary, the decision to be vaccinated for the bacteria should be a case-by-case basis. While meningitis is rare, because of the way it is spread, students living in dormitories are especially susceptible. About 50 to 60 cases of meningitis B (bacterial meningitis, which affects the spinal cord) are reported each year. With fatality of the diseases