PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

  Night Owls Face Higher Heart Risks If you’re the kind of person who gets a second wind at midnight, you might want to pay extra attention to your heart. A massive new study suggests that burning the midnight oil could be quietly putting your heart at risk—especially as you get older. The research, which tracked over 300,000 adults, found that people who naturally stay up late (a.k.a. night owls) had worse heart health and a higher chance of heart attack or stroke than those who thrive in the morning. The difference was especially stark for women. What’s behind this risk? A lot comes down to habits. Night owls were more likely to smoke, get less sleep, and eat poorly—three things that are well-known enemies of a healthy heart. The study used the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Essential 8” checklist (think: diet, exercise, sleep, blood pressure, and so on) to measure overall heart health. The results were precise: late-night types had a tougher time checking those boxes. A Cl...

EXERCISE RECOVERY AS YOU AGE   Exercise Recovery in Your Forties, Fifties, and Sixties: What Really Happens, and How to Help Your Body Bounce Back Staying active as you hit your forties, fifties, and sixties is one of the best gifts you can give yourself, but let’s be honest: recovering from a brutal workout doesn’t feel the same as it did in your twenties. The basics—rest, good food, and sleep—still matter, but the science says your body changes up the recovery playbook as you get older. Muscle repair slows down, inflammation can linger longer, and you might find yourself craving an extra day or two before your next session. The good news? With a few clever tweaks, you can keep moving, keep making progress, and actually feel better doing it. Why Recovery Changes with Age Here’s what’s going on under the hood: As we age, our muscles don’t bounce back as quickly. The cellular machinery that repairs muscle fibers after a workout isn’t as snappy, thanks in part to changes in hormone l...

DEPRESSION IMPROVED WITH EXERCISE If you’re struggling with depression, you might not need a prescription to start feeling better—just a good pair of sneakers. A sweeping review of clinical trials suggests that regular Exercise can ease depression almost as well as traditional therapy, and maybe even antidepressants, with fewer side effects. Researchers from the University of Lancashire dug into 73 randomized controlled trials, covering nearly 5,000 adults with depression. What they found was simple but powerful: people who got moving—whether it was walking, cycling, or lifting weights—experienced real, meaningful improvements in their mood. In fact, the benefits of Exercise matched closely what’s typically seen in psychological therapy. And when compared to antidepressant medication, Exercise held its own, though the evidence there isn’t as ironclad. Here’s why this matters: depression affects more than 280 million people worldwide, and it’s one of the leading causes of disability. Th...

  CANCER FIGHTER: EXERCISE FOR JUST TEN MINUTES Ever wish you could do something for your health that actually makes a difference—without spending hours at the gym? New research out of Newcastle University says you can. Scientists have found that just ten minutes of intense exercise might help your body fight off cancer at the genetic level. Here’s the kicker: That quick burst of activity doesn’t just get your heart pumping. It actually triggers a flood of powerful molecules in your blood—molecules that start flipping switches inside your DNA, ramping up repair mechanisms and shutting down signals that help cancer cells grow. In the lab, when researchers exposed bowel cancer cells to blood from people who’d just worked out, those cells showed changes in hundreds of genes, including many involved in cancer growth and DNA repair. Why does this matter for you? Because it’s more proof that moving your body isn’t just about burning calories or building muscle. Every time you get your he...

  FLU: STRATEGIES FOR PROTECTING YOUR HEALTH The flu isn’t just a seasonal nuisance—it’s a virus that knocks millions of people flat every year. For some, it’s a rough week. For others—kids, seniors, anyone with a chronic condition—it can be far more serious, even deadly. The silver lining? You don’t need a medical degree to keep yourself and your loved ones safer. You need to put a few proven strategies into play. Make the Flu Shot Your Priority If you do nothing else, make time for your annual flu shot. The science is clear: vaccination is your best defense. It isn’t just about you—it’s about everyone you interact with, especially those who can’t get vaccinated or are at greater risk of complications. The flu shot is even recommended for pregnant people, offering protection that lasts for months after the baby is born. And because the virus changes every year, last year’s shot won’t give you the protection you need now. Getting that updated vaccine every year is key. Why Bother w...

Stiffness: How to Maintain Flexibility  Getting older doesn’t have to mean giving up your morning run or groaning every time you stand up. Sure, stiffness in your muscles and joints can sneak up on you—sometimes it’s just a few awkward steps out of bed, other times it’s a stubborn ache that won’t quit. For some, it’s a minor annoyance. For others, it can feel like a wall between you and the life you want to live. So what’s really behind this creeping stiffness, and what can you actually do about it? Why Do Muscles and Joints Get Stiff As We Age? As the years pass, our muscles and joints change in ways we don’t always notice—until one day, we do. Muscles lose some of their natural stretch, and the connective tissues (think tendons and ligaments) get thicker and less elastic. The result? Muscles get stiffer, and joints don’t move like they used to. Scientists point to a few culprits: changes in the structure of muscle fibers, more cross-linking in the collagen that makes up our conne...