Hot, Cold, Shake, Bounce & Roll
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Text by Jo Clark
People will try anything to improve their health. In fact, 2024 lifestyle trends are marked by an increased interest in everyday practicality and outdoor adventure.
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For many, practicality and the outdoors go hand-in-hand when you take a daily walk. It is fun, provides socialization, a glimpse of nature, fresh air, and no gym membership required. One of the most-searched questions on Google is, “What happens when I walk every day?” Dr. Dalia McCoy, Cleveland Clinic family medicine specialist, answers: “Walking every morning reduces the risk of heart disease, 10
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lowers blood pressure and LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), and strengthens the heart. Walking helps the heart be more efficient. As your fitness improves, your heart becomes more effective.” Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America and is blamed for nearly 860,000 deaths each year. To combat that danger, people attempt to improve their fitness in a number of ways. McCoy says walking not only supports heart health but also reduces stress, aids in weight loss and improves the immune system. That sounds good.
What’s Hot? Spending 15–25 minutes in a hot sauna, either wet or infrared,
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at least three times weekly may assist in numerous health issues. The heat from a sauna increases the heart rate. It expands your vessels, improving circulation and reducing the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Sweating flushes toxins and impurities from the skin. Heat can also help with pain in arthritis, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Daily time in a hot tub provides many of the same benefits. A bonus is that the buoyancy of the water can take weight off painful joints. Floating in a tub of hot water is said to help your mental state. Length of recommended time depends on the temperature of the water. Hot stone massage has similar benefits with the advantage
2024