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On July 24, 2025, the American pro wrestling celebrity Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, died at the age of 71. Hogan had chronic lymphocytic leukemia and a history of atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, a condition in which the upper chambers of the heart, or atria, beat irregularly and often rapidly. His cause of death has been confirmed as acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack.

Hogan became a household name in the 1980s and has long been known for maintaining fitness and a highly active lifestyle, despite having had 25 surgeries in 10 years, including a neck surgery in May.

Hogan’s death has brought renewed attention to the importance of maintaining heart health through exercise. Many people think that bodybuilders are the “picture” of health. However, the truth is that too much muscle can increase strain on the heart and may actually be harmful. It may seem ironic, then, that people who exercise to extreme levels and appear healthy on the outside can, in fact, be quite unhealthy on the inside.

As the director of sports cardiology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, I see patients of all age groups and at varying levels of fitness who are interested in promoting health by incorporating exercise into their lifestyle, or by optimizing their current exercise program.

Exercise is the foundation for good health

When people think of vital signs, they usually think about things such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, breathing rate and blood oxygen levels. However, the American Heart Association also includes “fitness” as an additional vital sign that should be considered when determining a patient’s overall health and risk of heart disease, cancer and death.

While fitness may be determined in various ways, the best way is by checking what is known as peak oxygen uptake, or VO2 max, through a specialized evaluation called a cardiopulmonary exercise test. These can be performed at many doctors’ offices and clinics, and they provide a wealth of information related to overall health, as well as heart, lung and skeletal muscle function.

Exercise is one of the most effective interventions to prolong life and reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases throughout life – in effect, prolonging lifespan and improving health span, meaning the number of years that people spend in good health.

In fact, a large study done by the Cleveland Clinic found that a low level of fitness poses a greater risk of death over time than other traditional risk factors that people commonly think of, such as smoking, diabetes, coronary artery disease and severe kidney disease.

When it comes to brain health, the American Stroke Association emphasizes the importance of routine exercise and avoiding sedentary behavior in their 2024 guidelines on primary prevention of stroke. The risk of stroke increases with the amount of sedentary time spent throughout the day and also with the amount of time spent watching television, particularly four hours or more per day.

Regarding cognitive decline, the Alzheimer’s Society states that regular exercise reduces the risk of dementia by almost 20%. Furthermore, the risk of Alzheimer’s disease is twice as high among individuals who exercise the least, when compared to individuals who exercise the most.

There is also strong evidence that regular exercise reduces the risk of certain types of cancer, especially, colon, breast and endometrial cancer. This reduction in cancer risk is achieved through several mechanisms.

For one, obesity is a risk factor for up to 13 forms of cancer, and excess body weight is responsible for about 7% of all cancer deaths. Regular exercise helps to maintain a healthy weight.

Second, exercise helps to keep certain hormones – such as insulin and sex hormones – within a normal range. When these hormone levels get too high, they may increase cancer cell growth. Exercise also helps to boost the immune system by improving the body’s ability to fight off pathogens and cancer cells. This in turn helps prevent cancer cell growth and also reduces chronic inflammation, which left unchecked damages tissue and increases cancer risk.

Finally, exercise improves the quality of life for all people, regardless of their health or their age. In 2023, Hulk Hogan famously quipped, “I’m 69 years old, but I feel like I’m 39.”

The optimal dose of exercise

Major health organizations, such as the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and Department of Health and Human Services, all share similar recommendations when it comes to the amount of exercise people should aim for.

These organizations all recommend doing at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, or at least 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity exercise. Moderate exercises include activities such as walking briskly (2.5 to 4 miles per hour), playing doubles tennis or raking the yard. Vigorous exercise includes activities such as jogging, running or shoveling snow.

A good rule of thumb for figuring out how hard a specific exercise is is to apply the “talk test”: During moderate-intensity exercise, you can talk, but not sing, during the activity. During vigorous intensity exercise, you can say only a few words before having to stop and take a breath.

There is a lot of solid data to support these recommendations. For example, in a very large analysis of about 48,000 people followed for 30 years, the risk of death from any cause was about 20% lower among those who followed the physical activity guidelines for Americans.

Life can be busy, and some people may find it challenging to squeeze in at least 150 minutes of exercise throughout the course of the week. However, “weekend warriors” – people who cram all their exercise into one to two days over the weekend – still receive the benefits of exercise. So, a busy lifestyle during the week should not prevent people from doing their best to meet the guidelines.

What about the number of steps per day? In a new analysis in The Lancet, when compared with walking only 2,000 steps per day, people who walked 7,000 steps per day had a 47% lower risk of death from any cause, a 25% lower risk of developing heart disease, about a 50% lower risk of death from heart disease, a 38% lower risk of developing dementia, a 37% lower risk of dying from cancer, a 22% lower risk of depression and a 28% lower risk of falls.

Historically, people have aimed for 10,000 steps per day, but this new data indicates that there are tremendous benefits gained simply from walking 7,000 steps daily.

It’s never too late to start

One question that many patients ask me – and other doctors – is: “Is it ever too late to start exercising?” There is great data to suggest that people can reap the benefits even if they don’t begin an exercise program into their 50s.

Being sedentary while aging will cause the heart and blood vessels to stiffen. When that happens, blood pressure can go up and people may be at risk of other things such as heart attacks, strokes or heart failure.

However, in a study of previously sedentary adults with an average age of 53, two years of regular exercise reversed the age-related stiffening of the heart that otherwise occurs in the absence of routine exercise.

And it is important to remember that you do not have to look like a body builder or fitness guru in order to reap the benefits of exercise.

Almost three-quarters of the total benefit to heart, brain and metabolic health that can be gained from exercise will be achieved just by following the guidelines.

When it comes to glamorous fans, Emilio Pucci was the envy of other fashion designers. During the 1950s and 60s, the “prince of prints” – as the designer became known – dressed Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy and Sophia Loren. Marilyn Monroe was even buried in the brand. And now, more than 30 years after his death, Pucci’s trademark vibrant swirly prints are enjoying another fashion moment.

The return of Pucci has been bubbling up through content creators on TikTok, and the brand has the endorsement of Gen Z favourite Hailey Bieber. But it was confirmed this week when Lyst, the fashion data experts, revealed that searches for the brand had increased 96% in the second quarter of the year. Two of the classic prints – the pink Marmo from 1968 and the Orchidee from 1966 – were particularly popular, on minidresses and handkerchief tops.

While not everyone can afford the prices of new Pucci – a Orchidee minidress is £645 – Depop also report a rise in secondhand: searches are up 381% since January on the resale app. And there are Pucci-like prints on fast fashion sites such as Shein and Asos for as little as £14.51.

Pucci’s popularity is about more than irresistible bright prints. It signposts a change in mood. Katy Lubin, the vice-president of brand and communications at Lyst, says: “It’s been years of this quite serious, quite luxury, minimal, intellectual fashion, or just quite plain and neutral-y fashion. It’s exciting to see something that feels colourful and fun and fresh – especially during summertime.”

The season is another factor. On social media, videos showing Pucci often feature the hashtag #puccigirl or #puccisummer – one Vogue writer reported in April: “The Pucci woman is taking over my summer moodboard”. The trend is an offshoot of a wider aesthetic called “Euro summer”, which highlights the props that represent a starter pack of summer on the continent – from tomatoes and pasta, to white walls and blue sea. It seems Italian brands with print and colour are part of this, too. Lubin says there is also renewed interest in Missoni, Versace and Roberto Cavalli, but describes Pucci as “the hero brand”.

This status is down to Pucci’s history – and its association with jet-set holidays. The label was founded by Pucci, a marchese who grew up in a palace in Florence. He launched his brand in the 1940s and opened a boutique in Capri in 1950. In the 50s and 60s, Taylor and others began wearing the designs on holiday. Now, says a Depop spokesperson, “the brand’s psychedelic prints [are] synonymous with Italian glamour and vintage style”.

Camille Miceli has been the creative director of Pucci since 2021, and she has doubled down on this heritage. Speaking not long after her appointment, she said: “Pucci isn’t a conceptual brand, it’s a lifestyle brand, so its message has to be direct.” This message has been clearly signposted by the staging of the brand’s shows – the most recent took place in Portofino, another upscale Italian holiday destination. It’s a move that helps the brand appeal both to the wealthy women that go to such locations, and those who aspire to do so.

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Pucci’s prints might not be a monogram but the fact they are so recognisable means they still work to show the wearer’s wealth. Depop’s spokesperson argues this points to the return of “a more maximalist style of dressing – [it’s] less brash than the logomania of the 2010s but still gives instant ‘if you know, you know’ cues to other fashion insiders”. Lubin, meanwhile, describes the prints as “the equivalent to the logo to be seen in this summer”.

As a brand so associated with the summer season, what are the chances that these prints will still be seen as autumn arrives? If minidresses and handkerchief tops might make an exit, Lubin says silk scarves will remain: “That could be one way we will see Pucci beyond the beach.”

Katie Holmes’s street style is hard to match. When spotted out on the streets of New York, you’ll often find her with a buzzy handbag (Manu Atelier being a go-to, and any others she’ll have a hand in selling out fast), covetable outerwear, a classic and statement shoe, or some playful accessory. (Beanies, for winter into spring). On the red carpet, she loves a freaky shoe and a chic dress from a favored brand like Khaite.

The actor has spent the last few weeks directing Happy Hours, her latest project, a new feature film trilogy she’s written and in which she also stars alongside former Dawson’s Creek co-star Joshua Jackson. Photos from set have shown Holmes both in costume and in some stellar director fits. One character look in particular, where she wore a pair of blue denim overalls and brown boots, even recalled the vibe of her Dawson’s Creek character Joey. Another, much more in keeping with Holmes’s own personal style, saw her don a relaxed pink blazer and wide leg denim jeans.

This week, Holmes was spotted arriving back to the set in a quintessentially ‘summer in the city for Katie Holmes’ look. The writer-actor-director wore an open, cropped pale blue shirt that sat off of one shoulder, a scoopneck white tank top, a graphic brown, cream and beige slip skirt with a breezy front slit by Isabel Marant, and a pop of red pair of velvet Mary Jane flats. It was a simple, summery look, with a dash of color to make it look considered and put together a la Holmes.

In recent times, she’s been photographed in looks that keep to her effortlessly cool, downtown style; toting the iconic Chloé Paddington bag to and from set, doing the director’s strut in western-coded ankle boots.

Is Katie Holmes in pride of place among the best dressed directors of all time? Her Happy Hours stint will confirm.

Just days after sending fans on a quest to find her new solo material via a passcode-required website, Paramore singer Hayley Williams has finally released her 17-song collection to streamers. But, as with the previous incarnation, there is a catch.

After asking fans to access the site via a purchase code from the singer’s Good Dye Young hair dye company over the weekend — and then just as mysteriously removing the songs two days later — Williams dropped the full, seemingly untitled project fans are referring to as Ego (or Ego Death) on Friday morning (Aug. 1). In keeping with the mystery around the project, though, each song has seemingly been uploaded as a stand-alone single and not bundled as a traditional album.

Each also has its own bespoke artwork consisting of moody black and white pictures of Williams with her face and body overlaid with gold squiggles, halos, highlights and planets tied to the song’s titles. Williams has not commented on the manner she’s released the songs, confirmed the title or given any indication of when or where they were recorded. Following Paramore wrapping up its contract with Atlantic Records, though, it is notable that the name of Williams’ new label is listed as “Post Atlantic.”

In an Instagram Story, Williams reposted a tweet from a fan’s theory about the manner and method of distribution in which they speculate, “okay wait what if the order of the album just like doesn’t matter bc on the desktop version of the website they were scattered and you could move them wherever and by releasing them as singles she is making it impossible to put in order which is presumably the goal.” The Story then zooms in on a comment on that comment that reads: “your brain is so big.”

On her Insta feed, Williams also uploaded all the artwork from the singles, along with the credits, which reveal that she worked on the songs with touring Paramore band members guitarist Brian Robert Jones and bassist Joey Howard, with production on all the songs by Daniel James, who also co-wrote all the tracks; Lorde collaborator Jim-E Stack is listed as a co-writer and co-producer on the haunting protest song “True Believer.”

Other tracks include “Discovery Channel,” which features an interpolation of the Bloodhound Gang’s signature 1999 comedy pop hit “The Bad Touch,” as well as the Liz Phair-like rocker “Mirtazapine,” an ode to the antidepressant Remeron. Williams recently debuted the latter on Nashville Public Radio’s WNXP a week after the Republican-led Congress voted to claw back more than $1 billion in funds for NPR and PBS.

The collection also includes the dreamy “Kill Me,” acoustic ballads “Blood Bros,” “I Won’t Quit On You” and “Negative Self Talk” and the poppy tunes “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party” and “Brotherly Hate.” With a spare, confessional feel the songs range from home studio-sounding confections with pitched up vocals (“Glum”), to the hip-hop-adjacent screamer “Ice In My OJ,” which features a drum machine beat and the whisper-to-scream chorus “I’m in a band!”

At press time Williams had not officially commented on the album’s release or whether she considers it the proper follow-up to either her 2020 debut solo album, Petals for Armor, or its more folky 2021 sequel, Flowers for Vases/ Descansos.

You can listen to the 17 new songs on the Spotify playlist below and check out all the single artwork and credits on Williams’ Instagram page.