Browse the evidence

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet significantly improves metabolic syndrome components (including body weight, blood pressure, glucose, and lipid profiles) and reduces the incidence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in adults.

Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet is one of the most effective dietary strategies for improving metabolic health. It consistently lowers cardiovascular disease risk, reduces stroke incidence, and improves key markers like blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. While it includes healthy fats like olive oil and nuts, it does not promote weight gain and often aids in weight management. For best results, focus on high intake of plant foods and olive oil, moderate dairy/fish, and low red meat, while ensuring any physical activity advice is consistent with your current routine.

Combined aerobic and resistance exercise is the most effective intervention for combating age-related sarcopenia, as it addresses both mitochondrial dysfunction and muscle mass loss simultaneously.

To fight age-related muscle loss, do not rely on just one type of exercise. Combine aerobic activity (like walking or cycling) with resistance training (lifting weights). This dual approach targets both the energy systems and the muscle fibers, offering the best protection against sarcopenia.

Resistance exercise yields clinically meaningful cognitive improvements in older adults at significantly lower doses (78–679 METs-min/week) compared to aerobic or mixed modalities.

If you are over 50 and want to protect your memory, prioritize resistance training (bands or weights). You do not need to do high volumes of exercise; even low doses (e.g., 15-20 minutes of resistance work a few times a week) can yield significant cognitive benefits, potentially more so than equivalent amounts of aerobic exercise.

Resistance training (RT) and mixed training (MT) significantly improve knee extension strength (KES) and gait speed (GS) in older adults with sarcopenia, whereas whole body vibration training (WBVT) does not.

For older adults with sarcopenia, engaging in resistance training (using weights, bands, or body weight) or mixed training (combining resistance with balance/aerobic exercises) is the most effective non-pharmacological strategy to improve leg strength and walking speed. Whole body vibration is not recommended for these specific goals. Aim for 1-5 sessions per week, lasting 20-90 minutes, over at least 6 weeks.

Adherence to a healthy dietary pattern (rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish, and olive oil) is associated with a reduced likelihood of developing depression.

Focus on building a diet rich in plant-based foods, whole grains, and quality proteins like fish. This pattern is consistently linked to lower depression risk across different cultures. You don't need to be perfect; just increasing these foods while reducing processed items can help.

Management of sarcopenia in cirrhosis requires a multi-pronged approach including specific nutritional targets (35 kcal/kg, 1.2-1.5 g/kg protein) and exercise (150-200 mins/week), with late-evening snacks recommended.

To fight muscle loss, you need to eat enough calories (at least 35 per kg of body weight) and protein (1.2-1.5 grams per kg) every day. Don't restrict protein even if you have liver confusion. Also, eat a snack before bed to stop your body from breaking down muscle overnight. Combine this with moderate exercise for 150-200 minutes a week.

Participation in running is associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality compared to non-running, regardless of the specific dose or volume of running.

Start running, even if it's just once a week for less than 50 minutes. You do not need to run fast, long, or frequently to gain significant protection against all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. The key is participation, not perfection or high volume.

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption causes significant health harms, specifically weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, through mechanisms involving liquid calorie non-satiety, high glycemic load, and insulin resistance.

Limit sugar-sweetened beverages to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Liquid sugar is processed differently than solid sugar, leading to less fullness and higher blood sugar spikes. Even modest reductions in consumption can lower your long-term health risks.

Adhering to the Dutch 'Wheel of Five' dietary guidelines, which prioritize vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, dairy, and fats while limiting high-impact animal products, provides approximately 85% of daily energy requirements and meets all essential nutrient Dietary Reference Values for most adults.

Fill 85% of your daily calories with the 'Wheel of Five' foods: vegetables, fruit, wholegrain bread/cereals/potatoes, dairy, and fats. Eat these daily in the specified serving sizes (e.g., 250g veggies, 200g fruit). Limit 'outside the wheel' foods like processed meat, sugary drinks, and high-sugar snacks to occasional use. This pattern meets your nutrient needs without requiring expensive supplements or exotic foods.

For a fixed total volume of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), increasing the proportion of vigorous physical activity (VPA) to total MVPA is associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality.

If you currently do 150 minutes of moderate exercise (like brisk walking) per week, try replacing half of that time with vigorous exercise (like running or fast cycling) while keeping the total time at 150 minutes. This shift is associated with a 17% lower risk of death compared to doing only moderate exercise, according to this large study.

A modular multimodal exercise program (aerobic, resistance, flexibility) tailored to bone metastasis location preserves self-reported physical function and lower body muscle strength in prostate cancer patients with bone metastases without increasing skeletal complications or bone pain.

If you have prostate cancer that has spread to your bones, you can still exercise safely. The key is to work with a professional who can tailor your routine to avoid putting direct stress on your weak bones. Focus on moderate resistance training (lifting weights you can handle 10-12 times) and low-impact cardio like cycling or walking. This approach helps maintain your strength and daily function without increasing your risk of fractures or pain.

Adhering to the Portfolio Dietary Pattern (combining nuts, plant protein, viscous fiber, and plant sterols) significantly reduces LDL cholesterol by approximately 17% compared to a standard National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Step II diet.

To lower your LDL cholesterol significantly, adopt the Portfolio Dietary Pattern. This involves eating specific amounts of four plant-based food groups daily: nuts (42g), plant protein like soy or beans (50g), viscous fiber from oats or barley (20g), and plant sterols (2g). This combination, when used alongside a standard low-saturated-fat diet, has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol by approximately 17% in clinical trials involving individuals with high cholesterol.

Combining high levels of physical activity with other positive lifestyle choices (such as healthy diet, non-smoking, and moderate alcohol use) is associated with significantly lower risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality compared to being physically inactive with unhealthy lifestyle profiles.

To maximize your longevity and minimize disease risk, do not rely on exercise alone. Aim to meet physical activity guidelines while simultaneously addressing other key lifestyle factors: avoid smoking, maintain a healthy diet, and limit alcohol consumption. The combined effect of these healthy behaviors offers the strongest protection against heart disease, cancer, and early death.

Practicing Baduanjin Qigong significantly improves quality of life, sleep quality, physical balance, handgrip strength, trunk flexibility, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and resting heart rate in adults.

Incorporate Baduanjin Qigong into your routine 2-7 times a week for 30-90 minutes. It is a low-impact, easy-to-learn set of 8 movements that combines physical postures with breathing and mental focus. You can expect improvements in sleep quality, stress levels (quality of life), balance, grip strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular markers like blood pressure and resting heart rate. It is particularly suitable for older adults or those with chronic conditions who may find high-intensity exercise difficult.

An 8-week supervised concurrent training program (resistance and aerobic) significantly improves cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, fatigue, and quality of life in post-COVID-19 patients compared to self-managed WHO guidelines.

If you have lingering symptoms from COVID-19 for more than 12 weeks, a supervised exercise program combining light cardio and resistance training, done 3 times a week for 8 weeks, can significantly improve your energy, strength, and quality of life compared to just following general advice. Start with low intensity and gradually increase under supervision.

A low-FODMAP diet significantly improves general symptoms and quality of life in adults with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) compared to a standard high-FODMAP diet.

If you have IBS, a low-FODMAP diet is more effective than standard dietary advice for reducing symptoms like pain and bloating. Because this diet restricts many healthy foods, you should work with a dietitian to ensure you stay healthy and get enough nutrients. This approach is recommended as a first-line treatment option.

Adopting a Mediterranean diet, characterized by high fiber, polyphenols, and unsaturated fats, promotes beneficial gut microbiota growth and reduces the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome.

To lower your risk of heart disease and obesity, shift your diet toward the Mediterranean pattern. Prioritize whole foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Use olive oil as your primary fat source and include oily fish like salmon or sardines regularly. Limit red meat, sweets, and highly processed foods. This dietary pattern supports beneficial gut bacteria and reduces inflammation.

In a health context, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a viable and effective method to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and reduce morbidity/mortality risk, often superior to Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT) when volume is matched.

If you are sedentary or have health conditions, HIIT is a highly effective way to boost heart health and longevity in less time than traditional cardio. Aim for intervals above moderate intensity (vigorous) at least 3 times a week, keeping total session time under 15 minutes. Start with medical clearance if you have conditions, but do not let fear of intensity prevent you from trying this time-efficient strategy.

Strength training (heavy resistance, explosive resistance, or plyometric) performed 2-3 times per week improves running economy, time trial performance, and maximal sprint speed in middle- and long-distance runners.

Add 2-3 strength sessions per week to your running program. Use heavy weights, explosive movements, or plyometrics. This will improve your running economy and race times without making you heavier or slower. Ensure your running volume and intensity remain consistent with your previous training.

Supplementing with 40g/day of Resistant Starch (Type 2) for 8 weeks facilitates significant weight loss and improves insulin sensitivity in individuals with overweight or obesity by reshaping gut microbiota to increase Bifidobacterium adolescentis and alter bile acid profiles.

To lose weight using resistant starch, take 40 grams daily (split into two 20g doses) mixed with water, drinking it 10-15 minutes before your main meals. This must replace other calories in your diet to maintain energy balance, not be added on top. Stick to this for at least 8 weeks to see significant results, as the mechanism relies on gut bacteria adaptation.

Replacing sedentary time with vigorous physical activity (VPA) reduces the risk of more types of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) than replacing it with light (LPA) or moderate (MPA) physical activity.

If you sit for more than 6 hours a day, try to replace that time with vigorous activity rather than just light movement. Swapping 1 hour of sitting for 1 hour of vigorous activity (like running or fast cycling) is associated with a significantly lower risk of multiple chronic diseases compared to swapping it for light or moderate activity. While achieving 1 hour of VPA daily is challenging, even partial substitutions offer substantial health protection.

Physical activity interventions probably prevent frailty in adults aged 65 years and older, based on moderate certainty evidence from randomized controlled trials.

Engage in regular physical activity, including resistance, balance, and functional exercises, to help prevent frailty. While the specific dose varies, consistent movement is key for maintaining physiological reserves in older adults.

Dietary nitrate supplementation (typically via beetroot juice) improves exercise efficiency by reducing the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise and enhances muscle power/sprint performance, primarily through the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway.

If you are a recreational runner or cyclist, try 5-8 mmol of nitrate (approx. 500mg) from beetroot juice 2.5 hours before exercise. You may see a small but meaningful boost in endurance. If you are an elite pro cyclist, it likely won't help you, but if you do kayaking or rowing, it might.

Malnutrition management must prioritize the maintenance and restoration of muscle mass rather than generalized weight gain, as low muscle mass is a critical determinant of adverse health outcomes including mortality, readmission, and functional decline.

Stop focusing only on the scale. If you are sick, older, or recovering, your body loses muscle, which is dangerous. Ask your doctor or dietitian to check your muscle mass (using tools like BIA or DXA) and not just your weight. Eat enough protein (1.0-1.5g/kg/day) and consider high-protein supplements, especially those with HMB, combined with resistance exercise to rebuild muscle and reduce hospital readmission risk.