Just 10-15 minutes of daily chatter appears to improve mental function and preserve memory. Engaging in a casual conversation with others may help keep you as sharp as doing a word puzzle.

A 154-pound person burns 10 calories per minute when ascending, and 7 calories per minute when descending a flight of stairs.

The FTO gene raises the risk of weight struggles by 70 percent, but physical activity blunts its effect, say scientists at McMaster University in Canada. Their study of 17,400 people revealed that moving for 45 minutes a day (all at once or spread out) made the gene up 75 percent less active. Study author David Meyre, Ph.D., notes, “This offers hope for people with a family history of obesity since staying active impacts the genetic predisposition to gain weight.”

Created by the National Weather Service, the heat index (HI) tells you how hot it really feels when humidity is added to air temperature. When the HI is between 105° F and 130° F, heatstroke is possible with continued exposure or physical activity, if the HI is 130° F or higher, the heatstroke is highly likely with continued exposure.
Reduce your risk of heat-related illness by exercising outdoors during cooler times of the day when possible. If you must exercise in hot and humid weather, start with short, 10-15 minute bouts of low to moderate-intensity physical activity and gradually increase your time and intensity over to 10 to 14 days. This gives your body time to adapt to exercising in a hot and humid environment. Get plenty of rest, food and fluids before you exercise, stay hydrated during and after your workout, and take frequent breaks.

-Mayo Clinic-