I put my 11-year-old daughter on weight-loss jabs. Six weeks after her first dose, I had to rush her to hospital. This is why I have no regrets - and why I'll put her back on them: ASHLEY HAMILTON
'I've just thrown up and it hurts Mum,' she said. 'I feel like I'm going to die.'
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Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Experts recommend a 'micro' exercise to lose weight... and it only takes 30 seconds
The thought of getting in 10,000 steps while working a 9-5 or waking up before sunrise to workout may sound daunting to most people, despite knowing the importance of physical activity. But now, experts suggest you may be able to get the benefits of walking without going on miles-long strolls. In fact, it could only take 30-second bursts, dubbed 'micro-walks,' to stay healthy, with research suggesting this activity could be more beneficial than long walks. Micro-walks are defined as walking for 10 to 30 seconds at a time with breaks between your next stint. They can be as simple as going up a flight of stairs or doing a lap around your office. A study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B looked to test the efficiency of walking over different time intervals. In their research, the team used volunteers who walked on a treadmill or climbed a short flight of stairs for different time periods ranging from 10 seconds to four minutes. They found that people who walked in short bursts used up to 60 percent more energy than those who took longer, slower walks, despite the walks covering the same distance. And the more energy you expend, the more you boost metabolism and the more calories you burn. Micro-walks are defined as walking for 10 to 30 seconds at a time with breaks between your next walk Your browser does not support iframes. Researchers concluded that doing brief bursts of walking might boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories than taking longer, steady strolls. Globally, one in four adults does not get adequate physical activity. In the US, nearly half of Americans are overweight or obese and around 300,000 deaths are the result of physical inactivity and poor eating habits, according to estimates by the CDC. 'Micro-walks are particularly effective for sedentary individuals or those in recovery, offering an accessible way to reintroduce movement,' Dr Zulia Frost, co-founder and clinical director of Recharge Health, told USA Today. Starting to exercise can seem overwhelming and even scary to some, but micro-walks can start to set you on a path of renewed health and fitness without needing to commit to long workouts that take up a huge chunk of your day. 'It's really about doing what you can,' dietitian Albert Matheny, a co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab, told Women's Health. 'If you're not a big walker and you think, "I don't want to walk five miles," then just do 30-second bursts. It's more attainable.' And there are numerous benefits to the short walks. Even a few minutes of walking after meals can aid digestion and help regulate blood sugar levels. Research shows that short bursts of movement throughout the day contribute to calorie burn and improved metabolism. Sitting for long periods can cause stiffness, back pain, and decreased energy levels. Taking a five-minute walking break every hour can improve circulation, boost concentration, and reduce fatigue. Additionally, a quick stroll can be a mood-lifter. Micro-walks have the ability to reduce stress hormones and enhance creativity, effectively boosting productivity. And a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. Walking - even in short intervals - also helps regulate blood pressure, manage weight, and improve cardiovascular health. Additionally, in a recent analysis of nearly 60 studies, researchers found just 7,000 steps, not the always-touted 10,000, in a day was enough to lower the risk of dementia, heart disease and some forms of cancer. Scientists compared the effects of 7,000 daily steps to 2,000. Based on health data from 160,000 people, those who walked 7,000 steps a day had a 25 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, America's number one killer. Additionally, 7,000 daily steps led to a 38 percent drop in dementia risk. People who adhered to the measure were also less likely to suffer from depression than those who got just 2,000 steps in a day.
BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
10,000 steps myth - should you be a stickler for recommended daily doses?
It felt like there was a collective sigh of relief when a study, published this week, suggested 10,000 steps a day isn't the health utopia we had all been led to news that we only had to reach 7,000 steps was enough to quite literally stop us in our fervent step-counting what about some of the other health targets that many of us swear by? Can we fall short of the mark but still live long, healthy and happy lives?We've taken a handful of commonly cited healthy lifestyle benchmarks, examined them with various experts to get an idea of why they exist, explored the health claims, and, most importantly asked if there is any wriggle sleep so important that we have to spend so much of our lives doing it? How much exercise is enough? What about drinking water? How much do we really need?Disclosure - the below is not medical advice, it's more of an inspection of many of the health ideals we have on our radar. Water (6-8 glasses a day) According to the NHS, the average grown-up should be drinking between six and eight glasses (1.5-2 litres) of water a day. However, maybe we don't need to cart our fancy flagons around with us as much as we thought. Prof Neil Turner, kidney specialist at the University of Edinburgh, says as humans we existed for thousands of years without knowing what a pint or a litre was."I mean, mice don't need flashing water bottles telling them how much to drink - why do we?" he says."Our bodies are set up to do things just right - we eat when we are hungry, we breathe when we need to breathe, and we drink when we are thirsty." it really that simple? According to Prof Turner, who has seen a lot of kidneys in his time, that rule applies to the vast majority of us. Those with specific conditions, like a kidney disorder, may have to drink says if our urine is dark, in the general healthy population, we shouldn't panic that we haven't drank enough - that is the kidney doing its job. It is reserving water in our body, he explains, and our body should tell us that we feel thirsty and then we will get a Linia Patel, a performance nutritionist, disagrees. We might drink different amounts, she says, due to factors like our size, how warm we are, whether we've been drinking alcohol, but she feels having a target of 1.5 to 2 litres is a good thing - especially for women."I would definitely say from a women's health point of view, where I work, what I see is a lot of the symptoms [associated] with being dehydrated. It might be fatigue, constipation, brain fog, feeling hungry [or] cravings."She says that if the problem is related to hydration then it's "an easy one to get right, if you're consistent with it". Sleep (7-9 hours a night) Moving on to sleep - the NHS recommends seven to nine hours a night for the average adult, and there's not much wriggle room to be had there. Prof Ama Johal, a specialist in sleep disorders, says sleep is vital; without it we are beginning to shave years off our lives."The evidence is there, there are huge bodies of research which show that the health benefits are multiple."A good night's sleep - that's at least seven hours of quality sleep - reduces the risk of obesity, diabetes, depression and finally, it lowers mortality rates."He points to a study which used 10,000 British civil servants - those that slept for fewer than five hours a night had an increased risk of early could we shave an hour off the minimum recommended - and settle for six hours a night?"No," Prof Johal says. "As soon as we lower the limit then there's a risk people will think it's ok to sleep for less time."Cat napping?"Unfortunately not," he says, "Our bodies have very different reactions to naps through the day, and eventually if we tried to make up the hours we were missing overnight by sleeping through the day, we would struggle to fall asleep at night."But all is not lost, nappers among us - there are studies that suggest a short snooze in the day can keep the brain youthful, and even compensate for poor or broken sleep the night Johal suggests that for those who struggle to get the recommended amount, try to target a few nights of good sleep a week, and just being "more aware that sleep is so important". Emily and Lucy are two avid walkers from Manchester. But alongside their love of walking, the two women share a less healthy trait: they struggle to nod off because of their they say the target of seven hours sleep a night is something they "are working towards". Exercise (150 mins a week) Emily and Lucy are, however, "definitely nailing it" when it comes to exercise. Through their group, Soft Girls who Hike, they have found a love of walking which has not only improved their mental health, they say, but connected them with many other don't try to meet all the healthy benchmarks on their radar, they explain, because "life just gets in the way". But they are doing 7,000 steps a day and taking long, low impact walks at the Chief Medical Officer recommends doing 150 minutes of exercise a week and two strength training sessions. Is that achievable for most?Dr Sinead Roberts, a sports nutritionist who trains elite athletes, is pragmatic in her approach. While moderate strength training and physical activity is vital for maintaining muscle mass, she says, as well as resistance to injuries and supporting our immune systems, you have to adapt the recommendations to fit with your life."Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise people," she says. "This phrase really does apply here."I have friends who do nothing - and that really does show, I say, 'You're walking like an 80-year-old!'"But if you are doing one strength session a week and some moderate exercise then that is definitely a good thing, just try and do more if you can."She uses an analogy of a highway - the more things we can do to stay healthy the wider the road, which, in turn means we can go off course sometimes without careering up a grassy verge."All those benchmarks are interlinked - you can't just do one healthy thing and ignore the rest. Equally you don't need to put so much pressure on yourself to achieve them all."This attitude chimes with Emily and Lucy, who say they happily "chip away" at some of the health benchmarks."For example, we might do five minutes of meditation [which is] better than nothing, but we wouldn't stress about not hitting the recommended goal." Mindfulness (10 mins a day) Through its Every Mind Matters campaign, the NHS recommends 10 minutes of mindfulness a day. Basically, instead of pondering the future or thinking about the past, you pay attention to the moment, noticing what is going on inside and outside of ourselves, letting our thoughts pass by without studies suggest activities like mindfulness can have a positive effect and also help change the structure of the Natasha Tiwari, founder of The Veda Group, says 10 minutes is a good start to "give the mind time to settle, and the brain enough time to truly benefit" from the process of many of us lead busy lives, and to carve out 10 minutes in the day can be a luxury. In some respects, could having these targets make life more stressful?Ms Tiwari disagrees - it's less about the time spent and more about the awareness of mindfulness and bringing it to our everyday lives."Even brief pauses," she explains, "can still have a positive impact". Most experts I've spoken to agree that while benchmarks are useful, and simplicity is key, it's better not to fixate on a number. Rather, find a way to incorporate a healthy outlook to diet, exercise and mental health into everyday sitting for some time writing this, I am going to sign off - there is another health benchmark I've just come across: limiting sitting down to less than eight hours a day. So, I had better get moving.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Aussie TV favourite opens up about heartbreaking menopause battle - and reveals why it almost 'broke' her
Shelly Horton has opened up about her experience with menopause as she prepares to release a tell-all book about her ordeal. The Today Extra presenter, 51, has long been open about her struggle with perimenopause and admitted to Stellar this week that the condition 'broke' her. 'I'm living proof that you can go through dark times and come out. It broke me... but I rebuilt,' she said. Perimenopause typically affects women between 40 - 50 years old, and is the transitional phase before menopause where their hormone levels start to fluctuate, causing symptoms like irregular periods and mood changes. Shelly added she hadn't even heard of perimenopause until she found herself in hospital in 2020 to undergo an ablation – a procedure to stop persistent bleeding. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Doctors at the time told her that she might have cancer, sending her for an ultrasound. When the test proved negative, doctors told her that she must be 'stressed' and to 'take up a hobby'. 'I drove home in tears, blaming myself, and didn't go and see another doctor for nine months,' she admitted. Shelly added that it was a consultation with friend and TV medico Dr Ginny Mansberg that helped her understand her experience and dispel her preconceived notions about menopause. 'I had that stereotype in my brain of grey-haired old ladies clutching their pearls and fanning themselves,' she said. 'I didn't understand that perimenopause can last 10 years... so, in fact, I was right in the average age group.' Shelly has since become an ardent spokesperson on the matter, sharing her experiences at the first parliamentary round table on menopause. It was a historic moment, as it was the first time menopause had been mentioned in the Australian Parliament. She is also set to release a book this week, I'm Your Peri Godmother, detailing her experiences, as part of a continued effort to de-stigmatise the issue that millions of women deal with. It comes after Shelly shared the shock and heartbreak she felt when her doctor told her she would need to have a hysterectomy due to severe bleeding and perimenopause symptoms. 'I'm shocked at how overwhelmed and teary I feel about it' she wrote in her column for Nine Honey in 2024. Shelly, who has been married to husband Darren Robinson for over a decade, added that while she has never wanted children, she has still felt some 'grief' over losing the reproductive organ. 'I'm proudly childfree by choice, so I am furious this organ that I haven't ever needed gives me so much misery,' she wrote. 'I've joked to friends I want to sell my uterus on eBay – "One uterus. Never used. Still in box!" 'Yet, just as I laugh, I also feel a mix of anger, sadness and a sense of betrayal by my own body.' Shelly stressed that 'a uterus does not define a woman' and added her story is a 'call to action for all of us to redefine womanhood beyond biological functions.' She has been open in the past about why she doesn't want to have children with her husband, and they are perfectly content to be raising a family that includes two dogs instead. But Shelly admitted she was rattled by an email from a troll which labelled Horton as an 'obese feminist' he would like to see 'get off TV'. The full email read: 'I'm so happy you don't have kids, now just to get you off TV would be the best Christmas gift any man could ask for. Obese feminist is nothing to be proud of.' 'Trolls don't normally worry me. I get messages like that a lot as do most women in the media,' she said the following day. 'But I've been working very long hours on some big new projects, so I was tired, he got under my skin. Thank you all for being my cheer squad... felt like a warm hug. Suck on that,' she added, referring to the email's author.
