How many steps do you take a day?
The study says while 10,000 steps is still a good goal for those who are more active, 7000 may be "more realistic and achievable for some"."We have this perception we should be doing 10,000 steps a day," says lead author Dr Melody Ding, "but it's not evidence based".What do you think? How many steps do you take a day? And where do you stomp around if you want to get your step count up? Let us know in the comments below.
A step too far
The 10,000 steps goal was created as part of a marketing campaign in Japan in the 1960s.In the lead up to the 1965 Tokyo Olympics, a brand of pedometer was launched called the manpo-kei, which translates as "10,000-step meter".Health organisations around the world then started using this as an unofficial guideline, and it stuck.
However, the new study looked at previous research data between 2014 and 2025, and found that those who walked 7000 steps instead of 2000 step reduced their chances of having bad mental health and life-threatening diseases.The difference between 2000 and 7000 is stark, but after 7000, any health benefits increase only marginally.
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The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
The voice of our own inner critic can be strong. How can we break free from the mental prison?
The Buddha was bold in his approach to human psychology. He described psychological suffering as pervasive and inherent to the human experience. Suffering is present not only in moments of loss and pain, but in how the mind contracts, shaped by past actions and entrenched habits. In this sense, we live in a mental prison of our own making with walls continually constructed and reconstructed largely out of conscious view. Thoughts, perceptions and feelings appear solid and true, and a relentless internal voice tells us who we are, what we ought to be and do and what the world must deliver. At its worst, our psyche can feel like 'a bad neighbourhood' that we might avoid walking through alone, to quote writer Anne Lamott. During such times, support, friendship and self-nurturing are crucial. But even outside more troubling mental states, the walls of our minds can limit the view. Sound familiar? It's no coincidence that in contemporary life, the pursuit of mental freedom has become mainstream – even commercial. Modern seekers are microdosing psilocybin, participating in ayahuasca ceremonies, experimenting with cognitive-enhancing supplements like nootropics, and trying biohacking techniques – cold plunges, saunas, sensory deprivation tanks to name a few. And then, of course, there are silent meditation retreats: two days, 10 days, 30 days, even three months. On these retreats, participants report glimpsing a reality beyond the known self, a shift so impactful it can redirect the entire course of their lives. In fact, many committed to Buddhist meditation speak of such moments as pivotal. While sudden breakthroughs can be transformative (particularly when integrated well), once the intensity fades, familiar anxieties return. The architecture of our inner world, temporarily dismantled, rebuilds itself. The Buddha might have recognised the yearning behind this search, but cautioned that while insight can arise spontaneously, the path is ultimately gradual and gentle, requiring ethics, restraint, mindfulness and mental persistence. We chase instant fixes, hoping the next practice or product will deliver, only to feel let down. Caught in this need for immediate release, we often avoid examining the quieter mechanisms that keep us trapped. One such mechanism is what modern Buddhists refer to as the judgmental or comparing mind – not to be confused with wise discernment. As our awareness deepens, we begin to see the extent to which we internalise rules, expectations, and criticism. The comparing mind isn't kind or reasonable. When triggered, it can be oppressive, self-flagellating and cruel. It can appear in the body as constriction and discomfort – a tightening of the jaw and chest, a sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach. Sometimes it's so constant we only notice it when we pause and tune in. Western thinkers like Sigmund Freud and Michel Foucault explored how we internalise authority, self-police, and punish ourselves. Foucault described how we internalise the gaze of those in power, monitoring our behaviours, actions and even our thoughts. Freud referred to the 'superego,' which tames instinctual desires, but also devolves into shame and guilt; essential to social cohesion, he said, but when overactive, the cause of neuroses and mental distress. Buddhism recognises similar dynamics, albeit through a different lens. As a way to work with the inner critic, we are first invited to actively extend a spirit of non-harm toward all beings – this includes ourselves. This elicits an ever-deepening awareness of how we move through the world and treat others, as well as our own hearts, in the pursuit of mental liberation. Then, through meditative inquiry, we begin to see our punishing thoughts with greater clarity – their shape, origin and propensity. Shame and blame aren't repressed, but understood and, where possible, gently disarmed and pacified. What does this look like, practically? First, notice how it lives in the body and stays with it. Offer yourself some mercy. This is part of being human – a mind that grasps, compares, and cajoles. As calm returns, a small sense of freedom may emerge. Don't miss that. From here, trace what gave rise to the pattern: fatigue, an interaction, a memory or something else. Notice the belief or storyline the mind clings to. In other words, what is the sticky thought at play? In seeing this clearly, the mind may loosen its grip. Over time, and with continued observation, these habits may naturally dissipate. During a retreat, I once became struck by the cruelty of my thoughts. I hadn't noticed it in the rush of daily life, but in stillness, it hit me in a visceral way. Every time I meditated, my mind scorned me: I wasn't doing it well enough, this wasn't the practice for me, I was too sleepy, hungry, or ill-suited. I had a bad temperament, the voice said, and I might as well give up. Exhausted, I went to the teacher to report on my experience, and she said very directly, as if she already knew, 'it's remarkable how violent we can be to ourselves'. It's hard, this being human thing. But the Buddha's path, like many spiritual paths, is a hopeful one. It teaches us how to alleviate suffering through humility, curiosity and patience, rather than fighting fire with fire. To paraphrase the Buddha, 'hatred is never appeased by hatred … but by love alone'. With practice, the grip of the inner critic is released, and space for something else emerges. It may happen suddenly, but it's more likely to happen over time. As the punishing narrator recedes into the background, we access greater moments of mental release and ethical clarity. Then, one very fine day, we might walk straight out of the prison's doors, and as we do, we might realise the doors have been wide open this whole time. Dr Nadine Levy is a senior lecturer at the Nan Tien Institute. She coordinates its health and social wellbeing program and the graduate certificate in applied mindfulness
BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Eight ogbonge health benefits of watermelon
Watermelon na one fruit wey many pipo like well-well, especially for places wey dey hot. Pipo like am becos e get plenty water and e sweet for mouth. Watermelon na centuries old fruit wey dey juicy and sweet, and many pipo see am as perfect treat to quench thirst during serious heat. Wit bright red flesh and little seeds wey full di body, watermelon get plenty nutrients and antioxidants wey include vitamins A and C. For interview wit BBC News Pidgin, one dietitian, Sa'adutu Sulaiman for Kano state, northern Nigeria tok say "apart from say watermelon sweet, e get plenty beta health benefits." She add say all dis beta tins wey watermelon dey do na sake of di water wey full am and some special tins wey dey inside like lycopene (wey dey make am red) and citrulline. Watermelon na natural source of citrulline. Citrulline na amino acid wey fit support beta erections. Dietitian Sulaiman say watermelon na natural Viagra wey dey help men wey get low sexual performance, e dey increase blood flow to di penis, wey dey allow men to easily get erection wit arousal. "Research don show say citrulline wey dey watermelon fit help men wey get small wahala wit performance as e dey help blood flow well to di penis" she add. Health benefits of watermelon Dis na some of di health benefits wey dey inside watermelon according to Dietitian Sulaiman. Nutritional profile (per 100g of raw watermelon) Watermelon seeds dey good for eating? Health experts say watermelon seeds get less sugar and more fiber pass dia flesh. Di seed also contain citrulline. Watermelon seeds — dried or raw — dey rich in magnesium and folate, wey dey help your body work well and avoid disease. Seeds also get di types of fatty acids wey dey lower bad cholesterol for your blood and help you avoid heart attack and stroke. Research show say melons, in general, dey good for you, but we need more studies to understand how watermelon specifically affects your body.
Times
2 days ago
- Times
How to stop being a pessimist — by the happiness expert who knows
D o you wish you were a sunnier sort, but find yourself regularly fearing disaster in graphic, convincing detail? A new study from scientists at Kobe University in Japan has found that most optimists think alike, whereas pessimists are far more unique in their gloomy predictions. In scans, when optimists were asked to imagine future scenarios, the same areas of their brains lit up. Pessimists displayed a far more diverse range of brain activity, suggesting that they could more vividly imagine a wider sweep of worst-case scenarios. There's a strong case for wanting to work on one's optimism. 'People who are more optimistic tend to have better physical and mental health,' says Kate Oliver, a chartered psychologist and the co-author of Rise and Shine: How to Transform Your Life, Morning by Morning. Even though there's a degree of mutual causation (good health will likely make you more optimistic, for example), she says: 'Optimists tend to live longer than pessimists, have lower rates of depression and better cardiovascular health because their stress levels are lower.'
