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Just 5 minutes of running a day could add years to your life, study says
Running
A new study found that running just five minutes a day decreased their mortality rate by a whopping 30 percent. - photo by istockphoto.com/pixdeluxe

Good news for those that find it almost impossible to fit in exercise: a new study found that running just five minutes a day decreased their mortality rate by a whopping 30 percent.

The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, followed 55,137 adults for 15 years. About 24 percent of the participants were running. Compared with the nonrunners, they had a 30 percent lower mortality risk and 45 percent lower cardiovascular mortality risk.

Researchers also studied the intensity and duration of the runners.

“Our study showed that only fairly small doses of running were needed to produce these profound benefits," study co-author Dr. Carl Lavie, medical director of preventive cardiology at the John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute in New Orleans, told NBC News. “Even running less than six miles per week, running less than an hour per week at paces less than 10-minute miles were still producing very substantial reductions in cardiovascular mortality.”

People who run 30 to 60 minutes a week, or 5 to 10 minutes a day, can significantly lower their risk of death, the study said. For adults that struggle to fit in the suggested 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, this could be a life-changing news.

“This study encourages inactive people to participate in more physical activity including running,” Dr. D.C. Lee, lead researcher and assistant professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University, told Yahoo.

The study only followed runners, but the exercise could also be translated to other activities like walking or riding a bike, Carl Lavie, a cardiologist and co-author of the study, told USA Today. But he says to keep in mind the lower intensity of those exercises requires you to walk or bike for twice as long as running.

"(The study gives) comforting information for people whose frequent excuse for not running is they don't have enough time," Lavie added.

Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.