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Daily Intense Activity Prolongs Life

Daily Intense Activity Prolongs Life

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A new study in the journal Nature Medicine suggests that short bursts of intense movement are associated with a lower risk of premature death. The UK researchers analyzed data from about 25,000 non-exercisers with an average age of 62 that wore movement tracking devices on their wrists. 


Vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA) refers to short, sporadic bursts of exertion done as part of daily living, such as walking very fast while commuting to work or climbing stairs. The scientists found that compared to participants that engaged in no VILPA, those that did just one to two minutes of VILPA three to four times daily exhibited a 38 to 40 percent lower risk of death over the course of seven years. They also noted that just a few minutes of VILPA throughout the day reduced cardiovascular disease-related mortality by up to 49 percent. 


Similar results were obtained when they analyzed vigorous physical activity in roughly 62,000 participants that exercised regularly. VILPA in non-exercisers appears to elicit similar effects to vigorous physical activity in exercisers, suggesting that VILPA may be a suitable physical activity target, especially in people not able or willing to exercise on a regular basis.

In-Print National Content Global and Health Briefs Health Brief June 2023
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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