1 . For people suffering from depression, there’s an all-natural treatment they should use—getting more exercise. It could help fight depression, even if people have a genetic (遗传的) risk, new research shows.

For the study, researchers collected information from nearly 8,000 people and found those with related genes were more likely to have depression over the next two years after examining them. But that was less likely for people who were more active at the study’s start, even if they had a family history of depression. Higher levels of physical activity helped protect even those with the highest genetic risk of depression.

Both high-intensity (高强度) exercise and low-intensity activities were associated with a reduced risk of depression. Adding four hours of exercise a week could lower the risk of a new episode (一段经历) of depression by 17%, according to the study. “Our findings strongly suggest that, when it comes to depression, being physically active has the potential to remove the added risk of future episodes in individuals who are genetically risky,” said lead author Karmel Choi. “On average, about 35 additional minutes of physical activity each day may help people to reduce their risk and protect against future depression episodes.”

Depression is a common mental illness globally, with more than 264 million people affected. “Depression is so ubiquitous, and that underlines the need for effective approaches that can impact as many people as possible,” Choi said. And mental health and primary care providers can use the findings to advise patients that there’s something meaningful they can do to lower their risk of depression.

2 . Most people in their eighties would consider themselves lucky not to have health problems, but this is not the case with Toshisuke Kanazawa. The 82-year-old Japanese bodybuilder is not only in perfect physical condition, but also looks better than a lot of men a quarter his age.

Kanazawa is a living example that you’re never too old to hit the gym and achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of. A champion bodybuilder in his youth, Kanazawa stopped exercising completely after he retired(退休) at age 34, drinking, smoking and eating whatever he liked. It wasn’t until he turned 50 that he wanted to regain the perfect body of his younger years.

Kanazawa’s wife felt sick frequently, and the former bodybuilder remembered that she had never been happier than when he won the national championship. So, to please her, he decided to return to the gym and completely change his diet.

His workout schedule had to change according to his age. In his youth, he would spend up to six hours training in the gym every day, and his body would recover within two days after a particularly intensive workout, but that was not the case anymore. He cut the daily gym time to three hours and started giving his body one week to recover after exercising every muscle group.

Kanazawa’s efforts paid off. In 2016, at the age of 80, Kanazawa defeated many opponents and placed sixth in the world in a match for bodybuilders over 65, and won the admiration of the crowd.

Sport keeps this elderly man healthy, as he has not suffered so much as a cold since he started bodybuilding again at age 50.

“I want to be a super old man in the bodybuilder community,” Kanazawa said, “If I have a goal, I can continue moving forward. I have to work much harder.”

3 . Walking has been considered as one of the best possible exercises. For many people, daily walking offers many and long-term physical and mental benefits.     1     A Stanford University study found that participants were more creative when walking as opposed to sitting.    2    You’ve probably heard the phrase “exercise your innovation (创新)”. Our creative mindset is caused by physical movement, which is exactly why walking with your dog, a friend, or alone feeds creative thinking.

But the scenery is almost as important as the sweat. Just by going outside, you are stepping out of your habitual surroundings and your comfort zone, which is necessary if you want to open your mind to new possibilities. You can walk through a tree-filled neighborhood.     3    

Walking outside develops our ability to collect new ideas and take in new sights, sounds, smells, and flavors. Shinrin-yoku, a common form of relaxation in Japan, suggests that being in the forest and walking among the trees there can lower your stress levels    4     Research has shown that immersion (沉浸) in nature around your neighborhood or the disconnection from multimedia increased performance on a creative problem-solving task.

So instead of setting a fitness goal, why not set a creativity goal that starts with walking outdoors?     5     For example, you can turn off your phone and give yourself the chance to be present in the world, to hear conversations and natural sounds, and to notice the way people move and the way the sun reflects in a lake.

Walk not just for exercise. Walk for wonder.

4 . In many parts of the world, there are four seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter. In the U. S., there are only three: football, basketball and baseball. If you want to know what season it is, just have a look at what people are playing.

For many people in the U. S., sports are not just for fun. They’re almost a religion. Thousands of sports fans buy expensive tickets to watch their favourite teams and athletes play in person. Other fans watch the games at home. The most devoted sports buffs never miss a game. Many a wife becomes a “sports widow (寡妇)” during her husband’s favorite season.

America’s devotion to athletics has created a new class of wealthy people: professional athletes. Sports stars often receive million-dollar salaries. Some even make big money appearing in advertisements for soft drinks, shoes and even toiletries (化妆品).

Sports are an important part of Americans’ culture. Throughout their school life, Americans learn to play many sports. All students take physical education classes in school. Some try out for the school teams, while others join school sports leagues. Athletic events at universities attract scores of fans and benefit the whole community.

7 . The village super league, or “Cun Chao” in Chinese, is a soccer game among different villages in Rongjiang county, Guizhou Province, and it is so down-to-earth but popular that it has attracted not only the attention of football legend Michael Owen but also millions of Chinese netizens (网民), who are paying attention to this non-professional football league.

The players come from a variety of backgrounds. They are vendors, drivers, students, carpenters, tilers, former butchers, and brick factory workers. Their ages range from 15 to over 40 years old. At the game site, representatives wearing various traditional national costumes play national musical instruments and enter the field with the players, and perform songs and dances.

“This kind of football game is natural and with ‘pureness’ and it is driven by the love of the ordinary people not the economic benefits. The game is providing not only values of sports, but also a way of socializing with low costs,” an expert noted. This kind of atmosphere is very rarely seen and is treasured, especially for people in urban areas who are getting increasingly busy and under great work pressure, and when they look at the fun, relaxing and down-to-earth way of life in the countryside, they will naturally be interested, experts said. There is at least one good effect brought by the “Cun Chao” to Chinese soccer—to make more people see the pureness of joy and encourage them to play soccer.

Today, more and more grassroots sports events are held in the mountains and are using sports as a medium to showcase the unique charm of the local area, reflecting an energetic lifestyle filled with agricultural activities and rural fun.

8 . If a traditional sport bores you, it’s time to try something new! Cycling, but outdoors on city roads; surfing, but on the land; playing frisbee (飞盘), but with a group of people... New sports have been refreshing our minds, bringing more joy to physical exercise.

National fitness has been part of the national strategy for many years, aiming to improve people’s overall physical health. With great attention paid in support of national fitness, new sports begin to develop. According to a study by Houlang Research Institute which attracted more than 1,200 young people to participate, more than 93 percent of people born after 2000are interested in urban (城市的) sports.

Why do young people favor new sports? Houlang’s report claims that apart from keeping fit as a type of exercise, many young people pick them up to socialize—allowing them to build up their social circles. “Players tend to have online group chats announcing their usual activities and simply sharing their lives. The new sports are also suitable for taking photos and are less limited by venues (场地),” the CEO of a tourism website in China told China News Service. Gathered together through social media, people can enjoy new sports at many places in the city, from parks to spacious sidewalks.

Qianjiang Evening News also comments that the new sport are easier for new players to start, unlike other traditional sports, such as soccer and basketball, which usually require strict and complex rules. Thus, the new sports are less competitive but could bring more fun. According to a website, people may opt for sports that are less challenging and can take place at local venues.

Urban sports have unlocked new lifestyles in China and prove that more people arc exposed to and willing to enjoy sports, according to China News Service.