Health monitors are heavily tested by the FDA after their manufacturers build them at their highest quality. Most devices will not fail but many will display signs of bias. This can happen in devices like Pulse oximeters which shine a light on the skin in order to sense the color of the blood. These are highly accurate but can show different readings with black patients. A similar incident occurs with newborn bilirubin measurement as well as heart rate monitors.

Key Takeaways:

• Medical devices do not always work with one hundred percent accuracy so smartphones are even more susceptible to failure.
• Pulse oximeters can sometimes give inaccurate readings with black people because these shine light on the skin to get blood readings.
• Sometimes when devices are not tested on a diverse group of people they can have certain biases across the board.

“In recent years, there’s been a veritable explosion in the number and type of health monitoring devices available in smartphones and fitness apps.”

Read more: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/does-your-health-monitor-have-device-bias-2021021921985

We’ve been conditioned to think that being fit have all the benefits and none of negative effects, but you may reach the level of fitness that leads to some undesirable side effects. This is especially true for taller people. New research finds that the combination of being very fit and tall can lead to a cardiovascular condition called atrial fibrillation. Over 1.5 million Brits are affected by this condition, which causes the heart to have irregular rhythm and increased heart rate.

Key Takeaways:

• Can you ever be too fit? It may sound unlikely, but actually you can have too much of a good thing when it comes to exercise, especially if you are tall.
• Risk factors include high blood pressure, heart valve problems, blocked arteries, excessive alcohol consumption and an overactive thyroid, all of which make the heart work harder.
• The fitter you are, the more likely you are to feel symptoms, as it brings performance levels down, says Professor Sharma.

“Left untreated, the condition can cause heart failure and stroke. It is triggered by irregular electrical impulses in the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) which disturb its rhythm.”

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9263265/When-fit-BAD-you.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

Drinking a lot of water isn’t the best way to stay hydrated believe it or not. Hydration is very important as dehydration can cause decreased immunity and increased joint pain. It also has been linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. The issue with drinking a lot of water to help aid hydration is that some of the water we get isn’t quality water. The key to hydration is drinking the right type of water, the water than is contained in plants for example.

Key Takeaways:

• People lose 2-3 litres of water per day through sweat, urine, bowel movements, and breathing.
• Drinking too much water can flush minerals and nutrients from the body.
• To maintain sufficient hydration, avoid alcohol, processed foods, and salty foods.

“You might spot the clues in the form of afternoon fatigue, a foggy head, chapped lips, dry eyes, bad breath, headaches, urinary tract infections or constipation.”

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9211641/Why-drinking-lots-water-not-best-way-stay-hydrated.html

Chlorella mainly comes from Chlorella vulgaris which is a freshwater algea. You can buy it in multiple forms and many label it as a superfood. It has Chlorophyll which helps protect your body against infections. It has Antioxidants which helps get rid of free radicals that cause cancer. Your immune system can be boosted. It can help people regulate their blood levels as well as cholesterol. Try not to take too much at first because you can have some mild side effects like Diarrhea.

Key Takeaways:

• Those suffering from hypertension may find that supplementation with chlorella is a useful adjunct to their other health measures.
• Data suggests that the freshwater organism may help regulate human blood pressure and combat oxidative stress in the body.
• Expert dietary advice suggests that those adding the algae to their regimes should do so slowly, as the human body takes time to adjust to it.

“Chlorella mainly comes from a single-celled freshwater algae called Chlorella vulgaris, and can be purchased as powder, supplement or liquid extract”

Read more: https://articles.mercola.com/vitamins-supplements/chlorella.aspx

Vitamin D has been a tested and proven way to support and improve the immune system. In the case of COVID, it has continued to prove its sustenance. People who have taken Vitamin D are less likely to die from COVID 19 than those who haven’t. Taking just 30ng/mL can reduce your chance of dying from COVID Covid by 51.5%, and make you less likely to suffere severe complications if the virus than those in Vitamin D deficiency.

Key Takeaways:

• Studies have shown that COVID patients with a Vitamin D level of 30 ng/Ml or higher have a lower risk of dying from COVID.
• Vitamin D can strengthen a person’s immune system very fast and it can also save lives by correcting the vitamin D deficiency many people have.
• Vitamin D is extremely easy to produce because it is very cheap and therefore should be handed out in hospitals to help lower risk of serious infection and effects.

“Of those receiving calcifediol, only 2% required ICU admission, compared to 50% of those who did not get calcifediol. In other words, the addition of vitamin D reduced a patient’s risk of needing intensive care 25-fold.”

Read more: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/10/05/dr-michael-f-holick-on-vitamin-d.aspx

Many house exercise equipment manufacturers went through a demand spike during the pandemic. We spent more time at home now and some of us started focusing on health and fitness more than we previously did. Peloton went through unprecedented growth and its customers are quite happy with the product. Their offering comes with instructors’ programs that are designed to suit different needs. Before you decide which one you are going to pick, analyze what is it that you want from the workout.

Key Takeaways:

• Becs Gentry is great at inspiring people during Peloton Tread workouts with stories from her running all around the world.
• Chase Tucker has a fun run with a hip hop theme while Jess Sims uses pop songs from the 90s.
• Jess King uses Elvis to motivate you or you could try Adrian Williams who places humor at the fore front.

“Having a cheer section in your workout is never a bad thing—and Amato effortlessly transitions between being a coach and being a one-woman pep squad. Expect a hard workout and good vibes whenever you choose to take a class, like the 45-minute pop run, with Amato.”

Read more: https://www.wellandgood.com/peloton-tread-plus-instructors/

The health benefits of green tea have been touted for quite some time now, but some still wonder whether this is more of the hype than anything else. Green tea has been used in China for more than eight centuries and it is one of the staples of traditional medicine in China. Unsurprisingly, China is the world’s largest producer of this tea. The benefits that green tea provides have been scrutinized enough to be believable. It is great for our heart and brain and it is shown to improve one’s mood.

Key Takeaways:

• Green tea is good for your heart as it has antioxidants that can help lower bad cholesterol.
• Green tea is good for your mood as it can help make you feel less anxious and can improve cognitive function as well.
• Green tea can protect against certain cancers as it consists of many different antioxidants that can lessen the risk of cancers and inhibit tumour growth.

“This, she says, is credited to its caffeine content as well as catechins, which are a type of polyphenol and antioxidant. “Catechins help protect the body from free radicals. This benefits the whole body and of course the brain as well,” Cochran says.”

Read more: https://www.wellandgood.com/health-benefits-green-tea/

Our ancestors ate more of the animal they slaughtered than we do nowadays. It’s not far from the truth to state that they ate it from head to tail, unlike us who pick meat that has no skin or bones. While they may not have been aware of the advantage of such diet, today we know that it provided plenty of collagen, which is found in all those parts like bones, tendons or cartilage. Collagen needs to be replenished in order for us to live healthy. It benefits our sleep pattern, makes our skin younger and stronger and improves our longevity. It also boost immune system and gut health.

Key Takeaways:

• The important amino acid glycine – which our bodies cannot produce enough of – is found in collagen.
• Collagen has been shown to reduce wrinkles and dryness of the skin.
• There is evidence that collagen can also benefit brain and gut health.

“As we age, we continually lose collagen, so it’s super important to replace the lost collagen.”

Read more: https://thenutritionwatchdog.com/7-things-you-never-knew-about-collagen/

There are many exercises often found in yoga that one can do to help their range of motion. To stretch the neck there is the rainbow and side neck stretches. To take care of the shoulders there is the four point shoulder exercise. To handle the hands try the wrist stretch. On can use the bottom up squats to bring range of motion to the lower body. The glute bridge and thread the needle exercises help move the core of the body. The tip toe and heel walk are great for working on the leg muscles.

Key Takeaways:

• There are many exercised one can do to improve their range of motion. A great one is the rainbow neck stretch. The neck is a common area of pain and stress.
• Shoulders often take a lot of stress even if a person does not have a physically demanding life. The Four Point Shoulder exercise will help stretch this critical area.
• To work on the abdomen and core muscles in the body one should do the thread the needle, glute bridge, and bottom up squat to hit these areas.

“Physical therapist Grayson Wickham, DPT, says regularly focusing on exercises for better range of motion allows “joints to move freely and smoothly through its full range of motion with control and without compensation.””

Read more: https://www.wellandgood.com/beginner-exercises-range-of-motion/