Health & Fitness – Page 8

Health & Fitness, Healthcare, Medical Breakthrough, Medicine

The 10 most incredible medical breakthroughs of 2018

December 16, 2018

From medical drones to the first FDA-approved cannabis drug, innovative research continues to transform the future of health care.

In a tech-obsessed world, it’s only natural to ponder all the ways technology might actually be damaging your health. Is social media a trigger for depression? Could your cell phone start a fire while you sleep? Can reading a computer screen all day ruin your vision? It’s easy to get caught up in that downward spiral of thinking.

However, nestled in between all the negatives is an incredible world of positives. Technology only continues to advance in ways that can completely transform the future of health care. Just last year, scientists made progress in learning how to regenerate body parts, detect pancreatic cancer earlier, and relieve pain via virtual reality, Prevention reported.

This past year has proven to be an equally exciting time for innovative research. Here, some of the most striking medical breakthroughs of 2018 that have the potential to change your life.

Continue reading… “The 10 most incredible medical breakthroughs of 2018”

Entertainment, Great New Product, Health & Fitness, Home Technology

This $1,500 mirror streams live fitness classes to compete with Peloton and ClassPass

December 7, 2018

Another at-home fitness company is making its debut today. Mirror is coming out of stealth mode with the introduction of its eponymous device. It’s a mirror atop a 40-inch, 1080p vertical display that plays live or prerecorded fitness classes. The idea is that you can stand in front of the mirror, follow a trainer’s instructions that are displayed behind your reflection, and still see yourself working out. It’s in stark contrast to people having to prop their phones up to watch a class or working out in their living rooms because it’s where their TV is. The device costs $1,495. Yes, that’s right. It’s very expensive. With it, you get a heart rate monitor that straps across your chest and resistance bands. A monthly content subscription costs $39.

The device includes built-in speakers, so there’s no need to hook up external audio, although you can over Bluetooth. You can play your own music through Spotify Premium or rely on Mirror’s own music. The class will automatically load a playlist, but users can swap those out as they want. It also features a 5-megapixel built-in camera at the top with a privacy cover. This is only used if users pay for personal training sessions.

Continue reading… “This $1,500 mirror streams live fitness classes to compete with Peloton and ClassPass”

Analysis, Big Problems, Health & Fitness

Air pollution cuts two years off global average lifespan, says study

November 29, 2018

A woman wearing a mask walks along a street in smog-hit Beijing. Photograph: Andy Wong/AP

Air pollution cuts the average lifespan of people around the globe by almost two years, analysis shows, making it the single greatest threat to human health.

The research looked at the particulate pollution produced by the burning of fossil fuels by vehicles and industry. It found that in many parts of the worst-affected nations – India and China – lifespans were being shortened by six years.

The work combined research on the reduced lifespans caused by long-term exposure to particulates with very detailed pollution maps. The impact of toxic air is greater than that of cigarette smoking or HIV/Aids.

Continue reading… “Air pollution cuts two years off global average lifespan, says study”

App, Health & Fitness, Wearables

L’Oréal’s wearable sensor will track your UV exposure throughout the day

November 29, 2018

L’Oréal has announced a wearable device that measures your exposure to ultraviolet radiation that can seriously damage your skin and eyes and potentially cause skin cancer. The La Roche-Posay My Skin Track UV sensor is designed to clip onto your clothes or bag, and it relies on NFC rather than Bluetooth to transmit its data, meaning it doesn’t require a battery to function. L’Oreal previously introduced a similar sensor that attached to your fingernail.

Despite the dangers of UV radiation, it can be very difficult to know exactly how much you’re being exposed to. UVA rays can penetrate clouds and glass, which means you’re probably exposed to them more than you think. L’Oréal’s sensor has the potential to educate people about how often they’re being exposed, although it won’t solve the problem of people not using enough sunscreen in response.

Continue reading… “L’Oréal’s wearable sensor will track your UV exposure throughout the day”

Analysis, Health & Fitness, Home Technology

Naked 3d body scanner is like a wellness center at home

November 24, 2018

The full-body scanner helps you keep tabs on your body’s fat composition without visiting a wellness coach.

In recent years, health and wellness has become increasingly connected to technology, with a bevy of health-forward products entering the market. These devices include everything from smart watches that do double duty as fitness and heart rate monitors to a smart mirror that transforms your wall into a home gym instructor to entire smart home automation systems. So it may come as no surprise that the home is increasingly the beneficiary of technology that formerly was only available at doctor’s offices, high-end spas, and wellness retreats.

Now, the next step in the convergence of technology and wellness is the Naked 3D Fitness Tracker, the world’s first 3D body scanner designed for the home. Gone are the days when health-conscious individuals had to settle for counting calories, pounds, and steps. The Wi-Fi/Bluetooth-enabled mirror, designed by Naked Labs, allows users to receive up-to-the-minute information about their bodies—including body fat and fat mass—that enable them to make better choices about their health. Moreover, the data isn’t a single number; because it’s scanning your entire body, the system lets you see exactly how your body’s mass is distributed.

Continue reading… “Naked 3d body scanner is like a wellness center at home”

Health & Fitness, New Inventions, new technology, Wearables

L’Oréal’s wearable sensor will track your UV exposure throughout the day

November 23, 2018

It even integrates with Apple’s HealthKit.

L’Oréal has announced a wearable device that measures your exposure to ultraviolet radiation that can seriously damage your skin and eyes and potentially cause skin cancer. The La Roche-Posay My Skin Track UV sensor is designed to clip onto your clothes or bag, and it relies on NFC rather than Bluetooth to transmit its data, meaning it doesn’t require a battery to function. L’Oreal previously introduced a similar sensor that attached to your fingernail.

Continue reading… “L’Oréal’s wearable sensor will track your UV exposure throughout the day”

Health & Fitness, Human Behavior, Latest Trend

The growth of yoga and meditation in the US since 2012 is remarkable

November 19, 2018

The number of Americans who meditate has tripled. Yoga is up 55 percent.

In 2017, about 14.3 percent of US adults surveyed said they had done yoga in the past 12 months. That’s up from 9 percent in 2012. Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images

Yoga and meditation, two ancient practices, are now officially the most popular alternative health approaches in the United States, each used by around 35 million adults.

That’s the word from two reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention out Thursday, which looked at the changes in the use of yoga, meditation, and chiropractors between 2012 and 2017.

Continue reading… “The growth of yoga and meditation in the US since 2012 is remarkable”

Alzheimer's Disease, Health & Fitness, Human Behavior, New Viewpoints, Transportation

The healthiest people in the world don’t go to the gym

November 15, 2018

If you want to be as healthy as possible, there are no treadmills or weight machines required. Don’t just take my word for it—look to the longest-lived people in the world for proof.

People in the world’s Blue Zones—the places around the world with the highest life expectancy—don’t pump iron, run marathons or join gyms.

Instead, they live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without even thinking about it. This means that they grow gardens, walk throughout the day, and minimize mechanical conveniences for house and yard work.

In fact, Blue Zones researchers determined that routine natural movement is one of the most impactful ways to increase your life span, and a common habit among the world’s longest-lived populations.

Continue reading… “The healthiest people in the world don’t go to the gym”

Analysis, Big Problems, Health & Fitness, Human Behavior

50 U.S. States ranked by how fat their people are, according to scientific data (There are some big surprises)

November 14, 2018

Sorry, Mississippi.

A new study ranks all 50 states plus the District of Columbia by how fat their residents are. And there are some real surprises.

Across the United States, a staggering 70 percent of people are either overweight or obese. It’s part of what drives the $66 billion weight loss industry, which is always a good target for entrepreneurs.

But it also adds $200 billion a year to our nation’s health costs.

Continue reading… “50 U.S. States ranked by how fat their people are, according to scientific data (There are some big surprises)”

Great New Product, Health & Fitness, Inventions

This smart toothbrush will clean all your teeth in just 6 seconds

November 14, 2018

There are plenty of things in life that are a part of our routine. We’ve gotten used to them. They’re comfortable and familiar. And brushing your teeth is a perfect example. You expect to block out three to four minutes every morning and every night to brush every tooth one at a time until they’re squeaky clean.

But not anymore.

The creators of Unobrush have reinvented the way we brush our teeth. And, turns out, they’re absolutely crushing it on KickStarter., where the project is being crowdfunded.

Continue reading… “This smart toothbrush will clean all your teeth in just 6 seconds”

Analysis, Genetics, Health & Fitness, Science & Technology News

What researchers with the world’s longest running study of human aging know for sure

November 7, 2018

What is aging? That’s the question the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sought to answer in 1958 when it launched the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA)—now the world’s longest-running study of human aging.

Some 3,200 men and women have played a critical role in advancing our understanding of what it means to get older. And these particular volunteers made a lifelong commitment to participate in the research. In over six decades of work, BLSA researchers say they are certain of just two things: Aging is not synonymous with disease. And we all age differently.

Continue reading… “What researchers with the world’s longest running study of human aging know for sure”

Biotech, Health & Fitness, Healthcare, Medicine

CRISPR gene editing creates cocaine-proof mice, aims to crack addiction puzzle

October 6, 2018

Gene editing has already given us malaria-resistant mosquitoes and heat-resistant cows. Now, researchers from the University of Chicago may have topped both of those feats with their latest creation: Cocaine-resistant mice. Using the CRISPR-based gene-editing platform to modify the DNA of skin cells, researchers Xiaoyang Wu and Ming Xu have been able not only to create mice that are less likely to seek out cocaine than their counterparts, but are also immune to cocaine overdoses that killed mice without the same CRISPR-edited cells.

The process builds on previous work involving a modified enzyme called butyrylcholinesterase (BCHE), which is capable of naturally breaking down cocaine very rapidly. Unfortunately, its short half-life makes it ineffective in a clinical scenario, since it disappears before it has any long-term impact on the body’s response to cocaine. BCHE cannot be administered orally, which makes it ill-suited for use as a potential treatment.

Continue reading… “CRISPR gene editing creates cocaine-proof mice, aims to crack addiction puzzle”