Latest news with #SomaMandal
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
3 Easy Walking Plans To Lose Weight, Lift Your Mood and Prevent Dementia
Vague guidelines to 'move more' don't cut it anymore. Health experts are now tailoring specific walking recommendations to get better-than-ever results. In this way, walking daily is being used as a precision medicine tool for people of all ages and fitness levels to achieve a variety of health goals. Read on for three customized plans and discover the benefits of walking every day! Patients are more likely to take recommendations seriously when they are prescribed. So weight-loss expert Melina Jampolis, MD, shares, 'I write prescriptions all the time for walking, as I really believe in the SMART goal system (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). I document the details right in their medical chart.' Soma Mandal, MD, an internist specializing in midlife women's health, also creates tailored walking plans for women. She tells patients, 'Walking is not just exercise; it's a path to self-discovery and resilience.' Here, three plans that improve your overall health—and don't miss the inspiring 83-pound weight-loss success story at the end. 'Nature walking changes your body and your brain in a way that you can't get at the gym.' —Jennifer Walsh, Harvard Advisor A daily walk outdoors at a steady pace does wonders for body and mind. People who pair diet and steady-pace walking lose 33 percent more body fat than those who rely on diet alone, finds research in The Journal of Nutrition. And in a 2020 study, outdoor Nordic walking (using walking poles) reduced body fat by 18 percent and improved emotional health by 22 percent in nine months for overweight participants. Nature walks are now commonly called 'wellness walks,' 'green exercise' and 'ecotherapy.' The trend is part of a growing field of study known as biophilia, which is our need to connect with nature—and be healed by it—that is hardwired into our DNA. Stacy Beller Stryer, MD, medical director at the Park Rx America program, shares this fact: 'The more time one spends outside, the more time they engage in moderate physical activity.' Jennifer Walsh, author of Walk Your Way Calm, and a biophilic advisor at the Harvard Brain Science Initiative, says, 'Nature walking changes your body and your brain in a way that you can't get at the gym.' In one study, people who began conducting office work in outdoor spaces felt their mood lift by 74 percent as their stress levels dropped by 71 percent. To lose body weight and feel a mental, energetic boost, aim to walk in nature for at least 30 minutes every day. Enjoy different paths for a soothing, multisensory experience that could include the sounds of birds, the smell of flowers and a stunning water view. Extend your walks as your energy and stamina grow. Why the buildup matters: 'The body is not like a car where it goes the same distance with a gallon of gas,' Dr. Jampolis says. 'As you lose weight, you will burn fewer calories doing the same workout as your body becomes more efficient. So it is critical to change things up to keep benefiting.' Training against gravity, like when hiking hills or climbing stairs, is a form of exercise that's great for supporting lean muscles. Those inclines and declines help with weight loss and inflammation, according to findings in The Journal of Sports Sciences. Dr. Jampolis says, 'I often tell patients to find hills or stairs to increase the intensity of their walks, work the major muscle groups in the lower body and burn more calories.' Changing elevation is also key for an aging brain. Just five minutes of vigorous exercise daily (like the type that happens when climbing a couple flights of stairs) is proven to reduce dementia risk by 41 percent, finds new research. Another study shows that women with stronger legs are 34 percent less likely to suffer from low cognitive function. Strive for three 30-minute sessions of stairs or hill climbing each week and build from there. Keep your back straight and core muscles engaged as you go. To make your walks even more effective, Dr. Mandal says, 'Incorporate intervals. Walk up a hill or stairs for a few minutes, then recover by walking on flat ground or descending slowly. Gradually increase the difficulty by choosing steeper hills or more flights of stairs. This progressive overload is key to building strength!' Research shows there are benefits to sprinkling several small walks into your daily routine. Proof it works: Postmenopausal overweight women who practiced microwalking lost five percent of their body fat in 10 weeks and lowered their glucose levels by seven percent, according to a 2024 study in Research in Sports Medicine. Experts agree that all those individual steps add up, thanks to NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), or getting exercise out of functional movements like walking to the bathroom or bending to empty the dishwasher. Researcher and global longevity expert Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones, confirms that people who live the longest get up and move every 20 minutes or so rather than cramming their day's exercise into one contained workout. Plus, there are significant heart-health benefits linked to combining walks, say researchers in the journal Circulation. Those who cobbled together more steps daily had a 50 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who only took 2,000 steps. Wear a pedometer or track steps with a smartphone to get a total of between 6,000 and 9,000 walking steps, distributed throughout each day. Dr. Mandal says, 'Maintain a brisk pace during these short stints. This level helps burn calories and improves your cardiovascular health.' Back pain, sweet cravings and weight gain were part of Amy Kukta Gleason's daily life. Then, when she was trying to heal from spinal surgery, her surgeon recommended she walk for 30 minutes, three times a day. Amy started small: She could walk five minutes, three times that first day. She slowly built stamina, adding distance and time each day. She woke up early to walk, made a point to walk during her lunch break and set aside time for an afternoon stroll. Within a few months, she'd lost 20 pounds. Amy kept taking multiple microwalks per day. She hiked hills and worked using a walking pad with a stand-up desk. She also got added steps from cleaning and gardening. In all, Amy lost 83 pounds walking. She saw improvements with her mood, skin and cholesterol. 'I have more energy. I don't get winded and my pain level is so much better now,' she says. Now she can walk six miles and her record is 35,000 steps in one day. Her advice: 'Just keep moving!' 10 Walking Trends Revolutionizing Exercise In 2025 5 Walking Myths and Facts Every Fitness Enthusiast Needs 6 Easy Walking Hacks to Boost Your Weight Loss Journey This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
6 Important Blood Tests for Comprehensive Health
If you haven't had your blood drawn in years, it's probably time to chat with your primary physician about getting it done. Your blood work can tell you a lot about your health, revealing the truth about everything from your kidney function to your cholesterol levels. How often you should get your blood work analyzed depends on your age, the type of blood test and your personal health. According to the Centers for Disease Control, most healthy adults only need to have their cholesterol tested every four to six years. Meanwhile, the organization says people should get their A1C tested at the age of 45 and then every year or two if they are pre-diabetic or if they have risk factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Some tests, like hepatitis B, are only recommended once per lifetime for adults age 18 and older unless you have symptoms or are pregnant. With all these different types of blood tests available, it can be confusing to know which you should get and when. To simplify things, we talked to two doctors who explained which blood tests the average person should consider getting and why. The complete blood count routine test provides a snapshot of your body's blood production and immunity. The test measures a variety of components in your blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Dr. Soma Mandal, a board-certified internist at Summit Health in New Providence, New Jersey, says that getting a CBC test is "recommended for individuals of all ages as part of a routine health examination, or when symptoms suggest a potential health issue." Dr. Maria Knöbel, medical director of Medical Cert UK, agrees that this foundational test is appropriate for many patients. She says the test is ideal for anyone undergoing a routine health check-up. Still, she advises that you may want to get it if you're "experiencing symptoms like persistent fatigue, unexplained bruising or frequent infections." A CBC blood test can indicate lots of things, including: Anemia Infection Allergies Leukemia Inflammation Heart disease Iron deficiency Certain cancers Vitamin deficiency Immune system disorders Risk of clotting and bleeding Low platelets (can affect blood clotting) Mandal explains that each lab may have slight variations for what they consider "normal" test results. The ranges typically accepted as normal for adults are: Red blood cells: 4.5-5.9 million cells per microliter (men), 4.1-5.1 million cells per microliter (women) White blood cells: 4,500-11,000 cells per microliter Hemoglobin: 13.8-17.2 grams per deciliter (men), 12.1-15.1 grams per deciliter (women) Hematocrit: 40.7%-50.3% (men), 36.1%-44.3% (women) Platelets: 150,000-450,000 platelets per microliter Lipids are fats and fatty substances in your blood. One type of lipid is cholesterol, which is used as a source of energy. Too much "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL) can damage your heart. You may need to get this test if you have cardiovascular disease or other risk factors. Mandal states this test is essential for anyone "at risk of cardiovascular diseases, including those with a family history of heart disease, smokers, people with hypertension or those who are overweight." Knöbel explains that a lipid panel measures total cholesterol and also breaks it down into HDL/LDL: Triglycerides LDL (bad cholesterol) HDL (good cholesterol) She says, "Elevated LDL levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, while high HDL levels are generally protective. Elevated triglycerides can also indicate a risk for heart disease and may be associated with other conditions like diabetes." The normal parameters for a lipid panel in adults are: Total cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL LDL cholesterol: Less than 100 mg/dL HDL cholesterol: 40 mg/dL or higher (men), 50 mg/dL or higher (women) Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL The basic metabolic panel measures what Knöbel calls "critical aspects of your body's chemistry." This includes glucose, calcium and electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and bicarbonate. The test also looks for kidney function indicators, like blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. Knöbel elaborates, "Glucose levels provide insight into blood sugar control. Electrolyte imbalances can reveal issues related to dehydration, kidney disease or metabolic imbalances. Abnormal calcium levels can indicate issues with bone health or parathyroid function." BMP is often part of a routine exam. It may also be recommended for patients with diabetes or kidney disease or those at risk for these conditions. The results of your BMP could indicate: Diabetes Dehydration Hypertension Kidney disease Deteriorating bone health For adults, Mandal says the normal ranges for results of this test are: Glucose: 70-99 mg/dL (fasting) Calcium: 8.5-10.2 mg/dL Sodium: 135-145 mEq/L Potassium: 3.5-5.0 mEq/L Bicarbonate: 23-30 mEq/L Chloride: 96-106 mEq/L Blood urea nitrogen (BUN): 7-20 mg/dL Creatinine: 0.6-1.3 mg/dL The Hemoglobin A1C test, also called the HbA1c, is a blood test that measures your average blood sugar level over the past 2-3 months. Mandel explains that it's primarily used to diagnose and monitor diabetes and pre-diabetes. If you're overweight, have symptoms of diabetes, have a family history of diabetes or are over the age of 45, the doctor says you may also want to get this test. A daily sugar test gives you a short-term view of your blood sugar level. On the other hand, this test is a long-term view of how well your body is managing glucose. Getting an HbA1c test could reveal a few things about your health: Diabetes Pre-diabetes Poor blood sugar control (higher risk of diabetes-related complications) Normal ranges for test results are: Normal: Less than 5.7% Pre-diabetes: 5.7% to 6.4% Diabetes: 6.5% or higher If you are experiencing fatigue, weight changes, irregular heartbeat, hair loss or mood swings, you may want to get a thyroid function test. Typically prescribed only if you display symptoms such as those previously mentioned, this test measures the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormone in your blood. Your doctors can use the results to see how well your thyroid (a small, hormone-releasing gland in the front of your throat) is functioning. Mandal tells us this test is commonly included in routine health screenings, especially in women over 60. Your blood test may indicate: High TSH levels/hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) Low TSH levels/hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) Abnormal levels of T3 and T4 (other thyroid disorders) Doctors typically consider the following normal ranges for test results in adults: TSH levels: 0.4-4.0 mIU/L Free T4 levels: 0.8-1.8 ng/dL Free T3 levels: 2.3-4.2 pg/mL According to Mount Sinai, a hospital system in New York, some older patients can benefit from getting a 25-hydroxy test to check their vitamin D levels. People who are over the age of 65, have osteoporosis, get limited sun exposure and/or have Crohn's disease, celiac disease or ulcerative colitis may benefit from the test. Most people get ample vitamin D from the sun. Both skin production and gut absorption of the vitamins decline as we age. It's important to find out if you don't have enough vitamin D because it helps with everything from bone health to immunity and energy levels. The 25-hydroxy vitamin D will reveal two things: 25 hydroxy vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) 25 hydroxy vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) There is some disagreement among doctors about what a healthy range is for vitamin D, but one generally accepted range is 20 and 40 ng/mL. It's always important to discuss your health and any related concerns with your doctor before requesting any type of test. Based on your personalized situation and health plan, your doctor may request blood work not on this list or say that you don't need some of the above tests. As a general rule, many people can benefit from CBC, lipid panel, BMP and hemoglobin A1C even without any symptoms. Also, thyroid function and vitamin D tests should be considered if you experience any symptoms. If you're older, you may also want to talk to your physician about your vitamin D absorption. If your labs are abnormal, you may need additional screening and more frequent repeat labs. If your labs are normal, these labs may only need to be repeated once a year while doing your annual exam with your primary doctor.
