Harvard University researchers say; walking barefoot indoors, even on a treadmill cuts joint strain by 67% compared with wearing sneakers. When you are barefoot, your hips, knees and arches take their share of the weight, but shoes can distort the body’s natural walking motion, forcing your heels to bear the brunt of the shock.

Enjoying turnips a few times a week could be the key to a slimmer you. British researchers say this root vegetable is reach in plant compounds (called isothio-cyanates) that activate fat-burning genes inside muscle and liver cells. This helps the body convert stored fatty acids into energizing fuel.

On days when you can’t go out for a walk, consider dancing. Your heart will thank you, say scientists at the University of Sydney in Australia. They studied more than 48,000 people over age 40 and found that those who danced at least once a month were 46 percent less likely to suffer heart-related deaths over a 10-year period than non-dancers. And dancing cut the risk of cardiovascular death by 21 percent more than brisk walking. The authors call dancing “exercise in disguise” and note that its social aspects may enhance heart health by countering stress.

Gently pivoting your upper body clockwise and counterclockwise while swinging your arms from side to side and taking deep breaths loosens tight muscles to significantly reduce lower back pain and stiffness in as little as two minutes. Cornell University researchers say deep breathing stimulates the release of painkilling endorphins while the gentle swiveling motion improves the flow of oxygen rich blood to muscles, reducing pain-triggering inflammation.