With a new year around the corner, many of us think about strategies to meet our short- and long-term goals. Here, we chat about the basics of setting the foundation for health and happiness. (4 min read)

We tested an elite runner who finished a marathon in 2:54:23 last year, unofficially the fastest time on record for a male over the age of 70. [Photo credit: Ashley Barnas] (2 min read, 3 min video)

Sunscreen is thought to impair exercise performance by worsening body heat strain, but new research suggests sunscreen is not bad for body heat regulation. This post was originally featured on "I Spy Physiology" on May 22nd, 2024. (3 min read)

Beetroot juice prevents blood pressure from increasing with a high salt diet in rats. Learn about why beets may also do so in humans. This post was originally featured on "I Spy Physiology" on March 15th, 2023. (3 min read)

Scientists are edging closer to finding solutions for muscle and bone loss. (Written and published by Medical News Today on 9/20/2022) (5 min read)

Some cities in the U.S. are starting to post sodium warnings in restaurants. You might wonder how our bodies know how much salt is too much. This post was originally featured on "I Spy Physiology" on May 18th, 2022. (3 min read)

Study finds that a new breathing exercise lowers blood pressure and improves cardiovascular function. This post was originally featured on "I Spy Physiology" on July 14th, 2021. (3 min read)

Study finds that regular exercise prevents the negative effects of sugar-sweetened beverages on blood vessel function. This post was originally featured on "I Spy Physiology" on December 17th, 2020. (2 min read)

A new NIH study suggests ultra-processed foods contribute to overeating and weight gain. Read more to learn about how food quality might affect weight status. This post was originally featured on "I Spy Physiology" on April 1st, 2020. (2 min read)

Heat waves are growing increasingly intense and frequent. Read more to learn about how our body deals with the heat. This post was originally featured on "I Spy Physiology" on August 8th, 2019. (2 min read)

From 93 million miles away, the sun gives off energy in the form of light and heat to keep us going. As part of the beginning of blog series about sunlight and our health, first we break down what sunlight is exactly.  (3 min read)

Enjoy the outdoors and the (literal) fruits of your labor this spring, but do so with a water bottle in hand. This post was originally featured on "I Spy Physiology" on April 11th, 2018. (2 min read)

Earlier this month we moved our clocks forward an hour for daylight savings. Every year after “spring forward” there are more heart attacks and car accidents. Could this be attributed to losing an hour of sleep? (4 min read)

Did you know physical activity can change which parts of our genetic instructions are followed or ignored? While we cannot change our genetic code, how we interact with our environment (i.e. diet, exercise) can activate some genes and deactivate others. (5 min read)

Fit people can last longer during an exercise test, often attaining a higher blood pressure than their unfit counterparts. High fitness is good, but high blood pressure during exercise is bad. How do we make sense of this? (5 min read)

Thinking about adding “cardio” to your weekly routine in 2018? How exactly does it benefit the heart and blood vessels? Also, a quick word on exercise prescription. (3 min read)