Today’s Solutions: November 28, 2024

Health

Finding good health news amidst a pandemic can be quite daunting. That’s not the case with The Optimist Daily, where positive news is in high supply. Our Health section covers the latest good news from the health sector, featuring solutions ranging from mental and physical health to immunity, nutrition, and cutting edge medical research.

Pregnant woman and partner looking at a phone

Spain expands IVF access to single women and LGBTQ individuals

Spain has expanded their public health system to be more equitable with the announcement that single women, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people can have access to medically assisted reproduction, including IVF, making it available free of charge. Fertility treatment in Spain is already Read More...

Norwegian island of Hamnoy, Reine in winter

What Norwegians can teach us about beating the winter blues

Today the sun will set in the Norwegian capital of Oslo at 4:06 pm. That sounds awful, especially for those of us living in the US, and makes us beg the question: how do nordic countries beat the winter blues when sunlight is so fleeting? One Stanford researcher, Kari Leibowitz, spent a winter in Read More...

an ethnic man and woman stand over a pan on the stove top while a group of friends chat in the background

7 Reasons cooking at home gives your mental health a boost

Cooking isn’t just a means to an end when you’re feeling hungry—it can actually be considered a kind of therapy. Professionals refer to the act of cooking at home to boost your mental health as 'therapeutic cooking,' 'culinary therapy,' or 'culinary mindfulness.' According to Culinary Art Read More...

Book Excerpt: ‘Aspire Hi

Book Excerpt: 'Aspire Higher' - Becoming a solutionary and upholding your truest values

“Being a solutionary will make you feel even better than being an astute constructive decision-maker, because you’re taking others’ feelings, concerns, and ideas into account when crafting your solutions and actions.” - Ken Lindner As we head into the holiday season, the themes of love, Read More...

man in blue button up sings into a microphone while three friends dance behind him

How singing improves your mental health (regardless of whether you're in key)

Singing can be an intimidating experience, especially for those who don’t consider themselves very good singers, however, many won’t deny that when they do let loose and belt out a catchy song in the privacy of their car or shower, they feel a delicious release. While feeling shy or Read More...

woman sits in front of chalkboard with imaginative drawings

Why the lost art of daydreaming is good for your mental health

When was the last time you indulged in a good daydreaming session? These days, whenever there are idle moments in the day when humans would have previously had nothing but their imaginations to occupy them, such as waiting in line at the grocery store or standing in an elevator, our devices keep us Read More...

Cells of the body under a microscope. Viruses in the body.

Scientists discover natural antibiotics already inside the human body

One of the potential threats that the human species must soon face is antibiotic-resistant bacteria. As bacteria continue evolving to become resistant to the medicines that we use to treat them, previously-curable infections become “superbugs” and come back stronger and more dangerous. Some Read More...

cold girl wrapped in a blanket sits on the floor next to heater

Expert-approved ways to combat seasonal depression

Autumn is a beautiful time of year—the leaves change color, and there’s a crisp feeling in the air, however, the sun slips away earlier, and the nights feel long and dark. It’s not uncommon for people to start feeling a bit of the “winter blues,” clinically known as seasonal affective Read More...

New UK study confirms success

New UK study confirms success of HPV immunization program

The NHS launched human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization program to prevent cervical cancer in England 13 years ago. Now, thanks to a study funded by Cancer Research UK, there is solid proof that this vaccination program has stopped thousands of women from experiencing pre-cancerous changes to Read More...

Waterfall in the Samoan rainforest

Study: Traditional Samoan plant works as a natural form of ibuprofen

A team of scientists has found that the leaves of the Samoan tree, matalafi, are as effective at relieving inflammation as over-the-counter ibuprofen. The small rainforest shrub, Psychotria insularum, is native to South Pacific regions. For generations, Samoan communities have used matalafi leaves Read More...