Choosing Healthy Foods

Staying active is a key way to stay healthy and energized. But what if going to the gym isn’t your thing? Sitting too long is said to be as bad for you as smoking. What if your job requires you to sit? The good news is you can be active your way and still be healthy. Move a little, more often Do you have some flexibility in what you do during the day? A good approach to moving more could be to add a little activity throughout your day. Take short walks a few times each day. Get up and do some quick exercises every hour. The key is to avoid sitting for long periods of time. If you need a reminder, consider setting an alarm or a pop up on your computer. Move a lot, less often Sitting is bad, but your job doesn’t allow enough flexibility to avoid it – what do you do? A recent review suggests that you can reverse the down side of all that sitting with an hour or more of moderate exercise each day. Moderate means it will be an actual workout with sweat. Think of a jog instead of a leisurely...

College life can be extremely busy between classes, work, co-op, friends, and family. Although you may be very busy, you should still find time to include exercise into your daily routine. While you are in college you tend to spend a great deal of time sitting - during class, studying, and researching and typing papers. Whenever possible, you should get up and move! Take a study break and take a 10-15 minute brisk walk. This is also a better idea than reaching for a high calorie snack. During the winter months, it can be especially difficult to stay motivated to continue to exercise. If you are looking for ways to stay active on-campus, be sure to check out the Northeastern University Campus Recreation website. This website includes information on group fitness classes, intramural leagues, and club sports. There are many barriers as to why people are not physically active. Below are some suggestions from the Mayo Clinic as to how to avoid continuing to let these barriers get in your...

With assistance from Northeastern graduate student Melissa Pryputniewicz Winter is probably one of the least popular times of year. The days are shorter, the weather is gloomy and can be brutal – sometimes it feels as though winter will never end! For many reasons, people are less active during the winter months. Some people develop mild depression during the winter while others don't want to travel in the snow or cold to go to work let alone go to the gym. Even though it would be nice to curl up and hibernate, it is important to be physically active during these chilly winter months. Benefits of Being Active Decreased Depression – According to a clinical study, exercise was an effective antidepressant over both the short and long term. This could be especially helpful during the winter months when many people develop a form of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder. Immunity Boost – According to the Cleveland Clinic, studies have shown that regular exercise can boost part...

With assistance from Northeastern graduate student Melissa Pryputniewicz The heart's main function is to pump blood throughout your body. Blood brings oxygen and nutrients to your organs and carries waste products like carbon dioxide to be excreted from the body. When you think about it, the heart is a pretty important organ - and it is one that many young people take for granted. It is very easy to think that you don’t have to start worrying about your heart health until your 40s, but the truth is that many behaviors you are engaging in now have an impact on your heart health later in life. So, what puts you at risk for developing heart disease? According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, risk factors include: High blood pressure High cholesterol Smoking Diabetes Being overweight or obese Being physically inactive Having a poor diet Excessive alcohol use As you can see from the list, there are many risk factors that can be controlled through your lifestyle choices....