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Today’s Health Upgrade
How much cardio does your heart need?
This is your brain on cannabis
You need a diet break
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Fitness
How Much Cardio Does Your Heart Need?
If you want to protect your heart against age-related disease, being a weekend warrior likely isn’t enough.
Research suggests that performing aerobic exercise at least four times per week significantly reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Scientists wanted to see how lifelong exercise habits affect arterial stiffness, which is key to cardiovascular health. The study divided participants into groups based on how often they exercised: sedentary, casual (less than two sessions per week), regular (2–4 sessions per week), and committed (4 or more sessions per week).
Those who exercised at least four times per week had arteries resembling those of much younger individuals. On the other hand, participants who exercised fewer than twice per week had more arterial stiffness, which is a risk factor for high blood pressure, heart disease, and cognitive decline.
While any exercise is better than none, this study suggests that frequency matters. If you want to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system as you age, aim for at least 4 exercise sessions per week. But don’t overthink it — cardio can be as simple as a walk or anything that gets you moving and slightly elevates your heart rate.
Just like your muscles, your arteries need consistent movement to stay strong and resilient. So, if you needed another reason to stay active, your heart just gave you one.
Health
This Is Your Brain On Cannabis
Cannabis is more popular than ever, with many using it for relaxation, pain relief, or even improved sleep. But does long-term use affect your brain as you age?
A new study suggests that cannabis use does not speed up cognitive decline — as long as you don’t start consistently using at too young of an age.
This new study was unlike many others on cannabis. Scientists followed more than 5,000 men for more than four decades and assessed their use over time. The participants completed intelligence tests at four different times before beginning cannabis use, so there was a more accurate baseline IQ.
IQ scores did not significantly differ between cannabis users and nonusers, including those who were heavy users. According to the data, there was no difference between people who used cannabis just once per week compared to those who used it several times per week for more than 10 years.
But there was one exception: those who started using earlier in life didn’t show the same outcomes.
Cognitive decline was more significant in those who started using heavily before the age of 18, meaning there might be less downside if you start using later in life.
Nutrition
We Were On A Break!
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you know the drill: cut calories, stay disciplined, and power through. But what if not dieting until the wheels fall off could help you get better results?
A new meta-analysis suggests that taking planned breaks from dieting may keep you sane, help you lose fat, and keep the weight off.
The study analyzed multiple trials comparing “continuous dieting” (sticking to a calorie deficit non-stop) to “intermittent dieting” (periodic breaks from calorie restriction).
One of the biggest challenges of dieting is staying consistent through the grind of cutting calories. And, there’s the inevitable frustration of metabolic adaptation, which is the natural process that happens when you lose weight and your metabolism downshifts, meaning you burn fewer calories and fat loss slows.
It might surprise you, but the weight loss was similar between both groups, despite one group going “off plan” for 1 to 2 weeks at a time. In some studies, metabolic rate— which is often slowed by cutting calories for too long — was better maintained when diet breaks were a part of the plan.
If you take diet breaks, the results will take longer to achieve but could be more sustainable because the process requires less perfection and restriction.
If you’re trying to lose fat but want to avoid burnout or metabolic slowdowns, try incorporating a one-week break every 3 to 4 weeks. This does not mean you eat whatever you want in unlimited amounts, but it does allow for more freedom and flexibility, so you’re not counting or stressing calories daily.
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
