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Billy Connolly has shared updates on how Parkinson’s disease has had a greater effect on his physical abilities over time. The actor and comedian, 80, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013 and retired from his stand-up career in 2018 due to the illness. Parkinson’s is a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination. Often, the disease gets more severe over time. In an interview conducted by Connolly’s wife, the writer and psychologist Pamela Stephenson Connolly, the comedy figure gave insight into how his Parkinson’s disease has had a greater effect on his physical abilities. “It’s very difficult to see the progression exactly, because a lot of things come and go,” he began in the Guardian profile, published on Saturday (30 September). “Recently I’ve noticed a deterioration in my balance. That was never such a problem before, but in the last year that has come and it has stayed. For some reason, I thought it would go away, because a lot of symptoms have come and gone away… just to defy the symptom spotters.” He added that the shaking had reappeared, as well as “the inability to get out of certain types of chairs”. Stephenson added that balance had been the most significant factor to affect the star’s health, and had resulted in “a couple of serious falls”. “It’s funny, that fall I had when I landed on my jaw reminded me of a thing I used to do on stage,” Connolly replied. “I used to say: “I fell out of bed, but luckily my face broke my fall…” “It wasn’t so funny when you broke your hip,” Stephenson said in response. The What We Did on Our Holiday star noted that his declining ability to control his body movements is one factor “added to the list of things that hold me back”. “I feel like I want to go for a walk, but I go for 50 yards and I want to go home, because I’m tired. I’m being encroached upon by this disease. It’s creeping up behind me and stopping me doing things. It’s a cruel disease.” Elsewhere in the interview, the couple discussed the changes to their relationship as a result of his changing health. Connolly praised Stephenson for her ability to care for him. “It’s lovely. I found a new you. I found a new Pamela. And it’s worked out great. I never thought that you’d be able to look after me the way you do. “I thought it would annoy you terribly,” he continued. “You were such an independent “look after yourself” kind of person. But you’ve rallied round to looking after me. And it suits you great. And it sure suits me lovely.” Read More Lorraine Kelly shares the career advice she got from Billy Connolly Fred Sirieix shares details of medical procedures to ‘investigate’ recent blood tests David Beckham explains why he never sought therapy after 1998 World Cup match left him ‘depressed’ Fred Sirieix shares details of medical procedures to ‘investigate’ recent blood tests David Beckham explains why he never sought therapy after 1998 England match Climbing 5 flights of stairs a day could cut risk of heart disease, study suggests

David Beckham has explained why he never sought out therapy despite suffering from depression after his expulsion from an England game in 1998. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid footballer is one of the sport’s biggest-ever stars and is considered a national treasure to many. In 1998, however, Beckham was subject to widespread criticism after he received a red card during England’s World Cup match against Argentina. Beckham’s exit from the pitch was considered a major reason for the team losing the game and getting eliminated from the tournament. The footballer was met with a huge amount of public disdain, which included an effigy of him being hung outside a pub. The incident is covered in the athlete’s forthcoming Netflix documentary, Beckham, and includes his wife Victoria Beckham stating her belief that David was suffering from depression as a result of the public reaction. In a new interview with The Telegraph, Beckham agreed that he was depressed at the time, explaining that he did not feel as though he could acknowledge his mental health struggles openly. “It’s something I would never admit, because I was brought up by a dad who, if I said, ‘Dad, I’m feeling a bit low today,’ he’d have said, ‘Boy, get on with it,’” he said. “But I was [depressed]. I wasn’t eating, I wasn’t sleeping. I was living day to day thinking about what was coming next. People were saying I should leave the country. It was tough.” Beckham went on to say that he didn’t seek therapy at the time – and hasn’t sought it out in the years that followed – mostly due to his East End upbringing. “People have mentioned it, and I think therapy is a good idea – in this day and age you hear more about sports stars going to have therapy, and how much it helps. “But I was brought up in the East End of London. If I’d said to my dad, ‘I need therapy’, he’d have said, ‘What for?!’ So I put my head down and worked harder.” Beckham has been an advocate for mental health for many years. He first spoke out about his struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a condition that causes a person to have obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive behaviours, in 2006. He speaks candidly about the condition in his documentary. In one scene, Beckham explains that he will spend hours tidying after his family go to bed. “I clean it so well, I’m not sure it’s actually appreciated so much by my wife, in all honesty,” he says. “The fact that when everyone’s in bed I then go around, clean the candles, turn the lights on to the right setting, make sure everywhere is tidy. I hate coming down in the morning and there’s cups and plates and, you know, bowls.” Beckham will be available on Netflix from Wednesday 4 October. Read More David Beckham shares secret to successful 24-year marriage to Victoria Beckham David Beckham kisses daughter Harper on the lips after previously defending displays of affection Victoria Beckham refutes claims she ‘stalked’ David Beckham before they met David Beckham shares secret to successful 24-year marriage to Victoria Beckham David Beckham kisses daughter on the lips after defending displays of affection Why are there no good celebrity couples anymore?

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Cardio isn’t so bad if you take it in small steps. Climbing at least 50 stairs each day could significantly slash your risk of heart disease, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Atherosclerosis, found that ascending more than five flights of stairs daily could reduce the risk of cardiovascular ailments by about 20 per cent. Cardiovascular diseases such as Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) along with coronary artery disease and strokes are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. “Short bursts of high-intensity stair climbing are a time-efficient way to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and lipid profile, especially among those unable to achieve the current physical activity recommendations,” said co-author Dr Lu Qi, HCA Regents Chair and professor at Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans. “These findings highlight the potential advantages of stair climbing as a primary preventive measure for ASCVD in the general population.” For the study, researchers used data from a UK Biobank of 450,000 adults and participants were analysed based on their family history of cardiovascular disease as well as their genetic risk factors and established risk factors. Participants were also asked about their lifestyle habits and their frequency of climbing stairs, with the median follow-up time being 12.5 years. The results revealed that climbing more stairs daily reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease in those who were less susceptible, with Dr Qi saying the increased risk of heart disease in more susceptible people could be “effectively offset”. “This study provides novel evidence for the protective effects of stair climbing on the risk of ASCVD, particularly for individuals with multiple ASCVD risk factors,” Dr Qi added. ‘A significant training effect’ Dr Nicolas Berger, a senior lecturer in sport and exercise at England’s Teesside University, who was not a part of the study, says walking up staircases has more benefits than walking on a flat surface because it “requires the use of more muscles as well as some balance and gross motor skills.” He says even though these may be in “short bursts”, it still “requires a lot of activity from your cardiovascular system and that is why people often find themselves out of breath whilst climbing stairs. “These short, intermittent bursts of activity have large benefits in terms of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. They can significantly increase your heart rate and oxygen uptake and cause positive adaptations in the body,” Dr Berger adds. Although 50 steps a day might not seem like much “it can have a significant training effect.” This type of movement activates muscles such as the glutes, quads, hamstring and calves, as well as muscles in the core, Dr Berger says. If you are not much of a runner, Dr Berger suggests taking stairs may be a useful option. “It’s an attractive alternative to just walking or running for many, due to the easy access for most people in their houses or when out. “If there are no stairs available, walking up and down steep gradients also has similar benefits and demands. Getting up off the floor or low ground has benefits in terms of strength and balance, but not so much for the cardiovascular system. “Overall, incorporating this activity into daily habits for sedentary people, people at risk or anyone trying to stay healthy is a good suggestion,” he adds. Read More How many steps a day can cut risk of early death (and it’s not 10,000) Tread carefully: Do we really need to walk 10,000 steps a day? What I gained (and lost) by walking 10,000 steps each day for 5 months Is a four-day week a good idea? | You Ask The Questions 9 science-backed ways to lose weight without going on a diet A Japanese doctor who studied longevity — and lived to 105 — said if you must retire, do it well after 65