‘My daughter started to run a fever’: Britain’s swimmers on how sewage changed their summer

With pollution at high levels and growing worse, some keen swimmers have stopped going in the sea. Many have felt the impact on their mental health – not to mention the pain and discomfort of E coli

The key to a longer life? Why I tried to walk exactly 3,967 steps in a day

A study says this is the number needed to cut risk of dying from any cause – so I took on the task

3,967 steps a day: the new magic number for a healthy, happy life?

The very thought of exercise can be tiring. But don’t despair. Small changes can make a big difference

The isometric secret: 15 ways to get much fitter – without moving a muscle

What are the best exercises to reduce your blood pressure? The plank and the wall sit. Here is how to do them – and some other great poses – whatever your current fitness level

Beat stress, get to sleep and find your focus: seven ways better breathing can improve your life

We do it 20,000 times a day but the way we breathe in different scenarios can have a big impact. From tongue position to finding your D-spot, experts share breathwork techniques

How to do the perfect plank

With research showing doing a plank regularly can combat heart disease, here is how to go about it

The slow running revolution: how to move at a ‘sexy’ pace – and really enjoy the race

Forget personal bests, stopwatches and numbers on the scales. More and more people are taking up running to enjoy time in nature, chatting with friends and stress reduction

A new start after 60: ‘I became a powerlifter at 71 – and I’ve never felt so good about myself’

Peeps Nicol was newly widowed, ‘really unfit’, and struggling with MS when she first visited her local gym last year. Now she can deadlift 55kg and has begun competing

Should I worry about my belly fat?

Excess fat around your middle can mean a higher risk of disease later in life. The good news is, there are several ways to combat it – and only one is giving up beer

Weekend warriors: save your workouts till Saturday? No need to worry!

A five-year study has revealed that regular and weekend-only exercise give similar cardiovascular health benefits

Should I worry about running damaging my knees?

Is it true that pounding the pavement causes arthritis? Does it matter what kind of shoes you wear or what surface you run on?

Eat at regular times, take three minute breaks and hum – how to fight feeling exhausted

In the age of hyper-fatigue, a good night’s sleep is often hard to come by. Here are eight ways to get through the day when you’re knackered

Let the bog snorkelling commence! 10 of the weirdest sporting events in the UK

From ferret racing to shinkicking, we round up some of the country’s most eccentric sporting events. Oddly, cricket isn’t among them …

The truth about inflammation: all you need to know about 2023’s hottest health topic, from causes to cures

Inflammation is the scourge of modern life, judging by all the supplements, workouts and diets that promise to fight it. But what precisely gets inflamed, and why – and is it always a bad thing?