We’ve curated the best fitness, nutrition and health news backed by data and science over the last week. We’ll share brief highlights every Monday. Signup to get news delivered straight to your inbox:

80-Year-Old Running Couple Going Strong #FitCouples 

Margaret and J.R. Vaughn, who are both 80, met on the dance floor in 2012 at a local dance place in Columbia, Tennessee. This was shortly after Margaret had just completed a half-marathon. Married in 2013, the two have how completed at least 30 races together which range from 5ks to half-marathons. What’s even more inspiring, they run the races hand-in-hand the entire time making sure they cross the finish line together.

Read More: http://bit.ly/2ov1lz4

 

Running Extends Longevity

A running study co-authored by Dr. Duck-chul Lee, a professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University, showed that running reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Dr. Lee’s new follow-up study published last month in Progress in Cardiovascular Disease is titled “Running as a Key Lifestyle Medicine for Longevity” which showed that an hour of running can extend a runner’s life expectancy by seven hours. We think that’s cause for celebration!

Read More: http://nyti.ms/2pcAiKS

 

Cycling to Work May Reduce Risk of Premature Death

Time to dust off those bicycle seats and ride to work! According to new research by the University of Glasglow, cycling to work has been associated with a 45 percent lower risk of developing cancer and a 46 percent lower risk of heart disease when compared to a non-active commute.

Read More: http://bit.ly/2oqm47P

 

Can Endurance Exercise and Gut Bacteria Help Each Other?

A study on the microbiome and exercise published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science and funded by the Shanghai University of Sport analyzed how gut microbiota positively affect and also respond to exercise. Gut bacteria play a role in the body’s ability to extract energy from one’s diet as well as the body’s ability to control and recover from inflammation and maintain proper hydration, important factors in maintaining a well-balanced endurance exercise program.

For another article on the gut microbiome and endurance athletes, read this.

Boston Marathon: Runners Helping Runners

With the direct sun bearing down on the Boston Marathon’s course, many runners felt the heat of the race make running uncomfortable and for some, unbearable. Julianne Bowe, 29, felt her legs cramp and give out in the last leg of the race, but not before several fellow racers helped her across the finish line. Another runner was swept up in the arms of runners and soldiers to be guided across the finish safely. Colette Longstaffe of Great Britain was assisted by two US soldiers in the last 100 yards of the marathon. Perhaps the most inspiring was Earl Granville, a wounded vet, who picked his guide up and carried her over his shoulders until the end of the race.

See More Inspiring Stories: http://bit.ly/2pjxHBY

 

Running Safety Tips

Planning a run today? Here’s a couple of tips to keep you safe!

  1. Ditch the headphones so you can hear what’s going on around you.
  2. Always obey traffic signals
  3. Wear reflective material when running in the evening, so you’re more visible.
  4. Run against the flow of traffic to better see oncoming vehicles.
  5. Run with a friend or pet – safety in numbers!

More running safety tips:http://bit.ly/2pWI62B

 

Yoga To The Rescue!

New research suggests that yoga may help men deal with the side of effects of prostate cancer therapy. Patients in the study who attended yoga classes had less fatigue and better sexual and urinary function than those who did not.

Read More: http://bit.ly/2p08E5D

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