Hot sauna, cold plunge. Here’s where to try contrast bathing – National Geographic

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From Finnish saunas to Korean ice tubs, these spas specialize in the practice of alternating between intense heat and intense cold.

Many travelers have experienced the warming pleasures of a steamy soak at a Japanese onsen (hot spring) or a heated Turkish hammam. But they may not have jumped into the world of contrast bathing—the practice of alternating between intense heat (hot tubs, saunas) and intense cold (polar bear-style plunges or ice baths).

Want a six-pack? Here’s how to get abs – USA Today

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While many people may want to increase their muscle mass primarily to improve physical fitness, some are also after a more attractive physique.

Glutes, triceps, obliques and chest muscles are all desired. Biceps are, too. But often the most buzzed about muscle region that people are after is abdominal muscles. Men in particular frequently chase the chiseled six-pack, only to find that getting it is easier said than done.

Office Hours Air: Bruce Feldstein on death and chaplaincy – Stanford Daily

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After working as an emergency medicine physician for 19 years, including at Stanford, Bruce Feldstein suffered an injury that made it impossible for him to continue. With the encouragement of other medical professionals, he began to consider, and then pursue, chaplaincy. Two decades later, Feldstein has served as a hospital chaplain longer than he worked as a physician.

Debunking These 3 Popular Kid Sayings About Health – DISCOVER

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If you swallow a piece of gum, it will stay in your stomach for seven years. Dropping food on the floor is okay to eat if it’s been less than five seconds. Cracking your knuckles is bad and can lead to arthritis and other joint problems. Do these sayings ring a bell? Maybe you’ve heard them growing up, or continue to hear them from kids, or adults, today. So, are these old-time sayings true? Here’s what experts and recent studies reveal.

Level up your next walk by focusing on this one thing – CNN Health

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If your everyday walks have become routine, consider incorporating breath work the next time you’re getting your steps in — and reap added benefits along the way.

In the same way elite athletes sometimes take a concentrated breath before shooting a foul shot or nailing a finale on the balance beam, the rest of us can benefit from focusing on our breath — even when doing something as simple as walking, said Michael Fredericson, professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Stanford University and codirector of the Stanford Center on Longevity.

Four questions for Jamie Zeitzer on daylight saving time – Stanford News

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The co-director of the Stanford Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences dishes on the science (or lack therof) behind “falling back.”

Last spring, the Senate voted in favor of a bill called the Sunshine Protection Act. It would have made daylight saving time permanent in the United States, but it’s stalled out in the House of Representatives. We asked Stanford sleep medicine scientist Jamie Zeitzer about the pros and cons of changing our clocks.

“We can’t create more sunlight. There is a finite number of hours,” said Zeitzer. “The question is, do you want them to start earlier or extend slightly later in the day?”

What We Get Wrong About Gratitude – Thrive Global

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Barbara Waxman speaks on how to grow old and grateful

How female runners can improve speed and safety | 90 Seconds w/ Lisa Kim – Stanford Medicine

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The idea that a leaner body makes for a faster stride is common among distance runners. But it’s inaccurate and sets a dangerous ideal. Runners who are excessively lean are prone to injuries, infectious diseases, mental health problems and loss in bone density, said Michael Fredericson, MD, a professor of orthopaedic surgery who has served for decades as the Stanford University track team head physician. Female runners are more likely to suffer these effects, he noted.

During his career as the head team physician, Fredericson has seen so many athletes with problems related to low body weight — including bone stress injuries, menstrual irregularity and osteoporosis, or loss of bone density — he decided to study ways to prevent it.

How long does it take to run a marathon? – TODAY

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Michael Fredericson, a practicing physician and director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation division of Stanford University, tells TODAY.com that long-distance running is unique from other forms of cardio as it strengthens muscle fibers, “which makes your muscles increasingly fatigue-resistant,” he says. He adds that research also shows that first-time marathoners “experience beneficial reductions in blood pressure and aortic stiffness equivalent to approximately a four-year decrease in vascular age.”

Body Hacking: Using Exercise Physiology to Slow Aging with Anne Friedlander – Stanford Alumni

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Physical activity is a powerful medicine that can promote health and change the trajectory of aging. However, in the modern world, we have drifted away from incorporating physical activity into our lives. As the barriers to daily movement have gotten stronger, the burden to exercise has gotten greater. As scientists learn more about the pathways of disease, the causes of aging and the mechanisms by which exercise exerts its benefits, we can develop targeted exercise strategies that can slow (i.e. “hack”) the aging process. In this session, we will discuss how physical activity can slow aging and how different types and amounts of activity can optimize desired health and fitness outcomes.