Want the latest health intel? We’ve combed the science journals so you don’t have to
22 The number of minutes of daily moderate to vigorous walking or running required to decrease mortality risk associated with being sedentary for over 12 hours, according to a recent study published in the British Journal Of Sports Medicine. Up it to 40 to 60 daily minutes and, per the study, this appears to eliminate sedentary-time risks.
VEG-GENE
Found Veganuary a breeze? You may have a genetic predisposition to vegetarianism. When researchers* analysed the genes of omnivores and vegetarians, they found that two of the three genes more common in vegetarians – NPC1 and RMC1 – are involved in fat metabolism. The team think that those who produce the fat molecules with these genes find vegetarianism easier than those who access them via meat.
TOO MANY FEELS
Empathy is vital for society. Broadly, it’s good for you, too – associated with strong relationships and reduced loneliness. But empathy that extends to feeling others’ emotions – ‘affective empathy’ – has been linked in one study* to higher levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of chronic inflammation in the body.
LOST CONNECTION
Brain activity controlling social interactions is suppressed during Zoom versus IRL conversations, according to a neuroimaging study by Yale University. The face-to-face interaction also produced more coordinated brain activity, suggesting a mutual exchange of social cues. Face to face > FaceTime.
Manicure
It’s official: getting your nails done counts as healthcare. In a recent study by Frontiers In Psychology, researchers measured the psychological effects of nail care on 500 women in their twenties and thirties. Participants showed improved relaxation and vitalisation post-mani. Those who visited a salon reported more signi
