An F may mean failure in school, but the letter earns high marks in your diet. The two biggest dietary Fs — fiber and fermented foods — are top priorities to help maintain healthy digestion, and they potentially offer much more. How can you fit these nutrients into meals? Can this help your overall health […]
Weighing in on weight gain from antidepressants
If you’re struggling with depression, the most important question about taking an antidepressant is whether it will work. But another question on your mind may be whether it will fuel weight gain. A new study provides some context by suggesting how much weight, on average, people taking one of eight commonly used antidepressants might expect […]
Gratitude enhances health, brings happiness — and may even lengthen lives
Several evenings a week, as Tyler VanderWeele gathers around the dinner table with his wife and two young kids, the family deliberately pauses during the meal to do something simple but profound. Each member shares several things for which they’re grateful — an act that VanderWeele, co-director of the Initiative on Health, Spirituality, and Religion […]
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
Trees enhance life in a multitude of ways. They combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. They muffle sound pollution and reduce air pollution, drawing in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. When rain pours from the skies, trees decrease stormwater runoff, preventing flooding and soil erosion. They also provide valuable habitats to […]
How well do you score on brain health?
Need another jolt of motivation to shore up a resolution to shed weight, sleep more soundly, boost nutrition or exercise levels, or cut back on alcohol? Then you'll be pleased to learn that any (and all) of these efforts can also add up to better brain health. An international study led by researchers at the […]
Want to cool down? 14 ideas to try
You’re huffing and puffing and starting to sweat — and that’s just from walking across the parking lot in blistering heat and humidity. This summer has left us all struggling to stay cool. “The last 13 months have been the hottest on record. We’re seeing increased levels of heat-related illness, and it started earlier in […]
Dengue fever: What to know and do
Mosquitoes are not just a buzzing summertime nuisance; they can carry serious diseases like West Nile virus, malaria, and Zika. In recent months, the US has seen an unusual spike in the mosquito-borne illness dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever. What is dengue, and where is it occurring in the US? How does it […]
Helping children make friends: What parents can do
We all want our child to have friends. We want them to be happy, and to build the social skills and connections that will help them now and in the future. Sometimes, and for some children, making friends isn’t easy. This is particularly true after the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of isolation and remote school, many […]