Author: Nikki
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11 Tips to Stay Active with a Busy Schedule
In today’s fast-paced world, where downtime feels like a luxury, exercise often seems like just another thing to add to the already overwhelming to-do list. I totally understand. I often find it incredibly tough too! It’s not always easy to fit exercise into my routine, and truth be told, there are days when I don’t… Read more
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Exercise and Heart Health: The Science Behind Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
When I began this blog, the importance of exercise for reducing risks associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) was the first idea that came to mind. Since then, however, I’ve been hesitant to write about it. The topic is so widely accepted and understood that it might come across as redundant or, worse, boring. I thought… Read more
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Blood Flow Restriction Training for Hypertrophy: How To Gain More By Doing Less
During my undergraduate studies in sports science, and even now as part of my postgraduate research in the medical field, I continue to encounter blood flow restriction (BFR) as a tool. “Tool for what?”, you might be wondering. I intentionally keep that sentence vague because BFR seems to serve multiple purposes, depending on how it’s… Read more
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Can Exercise Help Us Live Longer, and Is That Even the Right Question to Ask?
In the first semester of my final year studying sport and exercise science at the undergraduate level, I took a course module that would ultimately inspire me to begin writing about the importance of exercise for health. It was a life-changing series of lectures – not because I learned anything particularly unexpected, but because it… Read more
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The Importance of Adiposity: How Body Fat Distribution Shapes Your Health
The general consensus is that gaining an excessive amount of body fat is bad for our health. But have you ever stopped to think why? What is it about adipose tissue, or body fat, that makes it so harmful to our health? Let’s take a closer look. What adipose tissue really is What comes to… Read more
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How Physical Activity Affects Our Immunity: Strengthening Your Body’s Defenses with Every Step
You’ve probably heard that physical activity is good for your health, but did you know that it’s great for your immunity too? We often believe that vitamin supplements are the best way to boost our immunity. After all, the saying goes that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But physical activity can also… Read more
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Physical Activity and Cancer
When we think about the benefits of physical activity, cancer prevention and improved treatment outcomes are often not the first things that come to mind. You might even be surprised to learn that exercise can help reduce cancer risk and improve the effects of other, more traditional, treatments like chemotherapy. Let’s first take a look… Read more
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Cross-Education in Rehabilitation
Picture this: You’ve finally established your workout routine, and it’s going great. You’re getting your 10,000 steps in a day, you’re at the gym three times a week, and you even go on a park run at the weekend. Then disaster strikes. It’s a cold January evening, and the pavements are icy. You’re rushing to… Read more
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Sarcopenia and Ageing: The Role of Exercise in Preserving Muscle Health
Sarcopenia is probably not a word you hear thrown around often. I certainly hadn’t heard of it until I began studying exercise science. However, it’s a concept many of us understand intuitively, even if we don’t know it. The problem within the health services and sciences community is that there isn’t one accepted definition of… Read more