Gretchen Reynolds, veteran New York Times health columnist who now writes for the Washington Post, calls them “snacks.” They are, in her words, “brief spurts of exertion spread throughout the day, (that) can improve metabolic health, raise endurance and stave off some of the undesirable changes in our muscles that […]

In the chilly gloom of the post holiday season, a little awe can do wonders. In fact, according to Dacher Keltner, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley and the author of “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life,” a little awe […]

How great are the benefits of quitting alcohol for one month? Surprisingly great. One study published in 2018 in BMJ Open found that people who gave up alcohol for one month lost an average of four and a half pounds, lowered their blood pressure, and reduced cancer-related growth factors. The […]

Geezer learned long ago that every one of us has to be someplace at all times. Yes, it’s a burden, and some of us don’t have much choice in the matter, although many of us do. Some of us have unique criteria for preferable places, and some of us look […]

First the numbers: 20 minutes of vigorous exercise, even if it is done in very short bouts, like one minute bouts, can lower mortality rates 16 percent to 40 percent. That, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal and written up in the Wall Street Journal. The […]

It’s a tough one, but here’s the data: one hour of vigorous aerobic activity a week will lower your mortality risk 15 percent, and three hours a week can drop it 27 percent. That, according to a new study published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, and reported in the New […]

Yes, training is essential, but some elite athletes, and more than a few psychologists, are convinced that non-sports related activities, like a job, can actually improve athletic performance. The Washington Post reports that many elite runners, particularly those who aren’t sponsored, work regular jobs, and that those jobs provide an […]

Ok, the main source here is Pickleball University, whose academic rating is undetermined, and where pickleball is always capitalized, so caveat emptor. Not that anyone doubts that pickleball is good for your health– just keeping track of the score is a challenging mental exercise for some of Geezer’s teammates. And […]

Sure. Pushups are convenient way to build upper body strength fast. And the necessary equipment (floor, gravity) is nicely priced. You can do them anytime, anywhere. Well, almost anywhere. Pushups work mainly the triceps, pectorals and shoulders, but they can also help you lower back and abs. And one of […]