Exercise and Fitness

Researchers from France have found that higher heart rate before exercise is a strong predictor of the risk of sudden death from heart attack later in life. Professor Xavier Jouven, of the Hopital Européen Georges Pompidou (Paris, France), and colleagues found that merely taking a pulse before an exercise stress test is an inexpensive way to predict risk of sudden cardiac death. Men whose pre-exercise heart rate increased in response to mental stress had double the risk of sudden death.

Did you know that you don’t need to sweat in a gym or run a marathon to reap the health benefits of daily physical activity?

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a widespread recall of unsafe fitness balls. The balls, manufactured and sold between from May 2000 to February 2009, are unsafe, and can cause injuries if overinflated. There have been about three million unsafe rubber fitness balls sold nationwide.

We all recognize the importance of exercise, or just moving for that matter. The under-the-desk pedal exerciser is a handy little device that can increase alertness, keep you moving, and burn some calories when you are working long hours at a desk. It can also keep your legs healthy, preventing swelling and broken blood vessels from sitting too much.