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.
Study shows how genetically engineered bacteria can find and destroy tumors
Cancer tumors are very effective at avoiding the immune system, making intervention difficult. A common gut bacterium has been genetically altered to seek out and destroy cancer tumors from within, as shown in a new study. Why are tumors so hard to treat? Tumors can thrive by escaping the body's Read More...
Scientists create the first-ever comprehensive map of an insect brain
According to a new study published in the journal Science, scientists have generated the first complete map of an insect's brain and, critically, all of the synaptic wire that ties it together. The resulting map is known as a connectome, and it is a fundamental piece of neuroscience. "Now we Read More...
Millions to benefit from drugmaker Eli Lilly's $35 cap on monthly insulin
Last Wednesday, drug producer Eli Lilly announced that the out-of-pocket cost of its insulin will be capped at $35 per month. According to experts, the action could lead other U.S. insulin manufacturers to follow. The adjustment, which Eli Lilly says is effective immediately, brings the Read More...
Suffer from chronic lower back pain? New single shot treatment could be for you
Degenerative disk disease affects around 40 percent of the population over the age of 40, and those who live with the agony of the chronic ailment understand how persistent and difficult it is to treat. However, positive results from a three-year trial point to a new, long-term approach to treating Read More...
More reasons to become a RAKtivist? Being kind to others also benefits the self
"Random Acts of Kindness" Day may be on a Friday this year, but the organization behind it hopes to remind you that being nice is an everyday endeavor. Of course, being kind to people regularly is simply a great thing to do. However, research shows that those who help others reap a lot of Read More...
Scientists find two new potential therapeutic options for ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurological illness with a poor prognosis, but two new trials suggest a brighter future. A team of scientists led by the University of Southern California (USC) discovered a gene and a protein in human cells and live mice that appear to be good Read More...
Happiness and well-being expert shares what actually makes a happier life
Happiness and well-being researcher and author of A Journey for Happiness: The Man Who Cycled to Bhutan Christopher Boyce spent years studying what makes people happy. However, he was still unsure of how to live a happy life himself, until he quit his decade-long career as a happiness academic to Read More...
Australia is the first nation to acknowledge psychedelics as medicine
Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration surprised researchers by approving the psychedelic chemicals found in magic mushrooms and MDMA for use by patients with specific mental health issues, making Australia the first country to recognize psychedelics as medicines. MDMA and psilocybin MDMA Read More...
“Biological clothing”— the future of 3D lab-grown skin grafting
The science of bioengineered skin grafting is making remarkable progress thanks to a team at Columbia University, led by Asst. Prof. Hasan Erbil Abaci. Currently, bioengineered skin is only available in flat sheets, which work well for grafting onto generally smooth, featureless body regions, but Read More...
What is NEAT and why is it more effective for weight loss than exercise?
"Non-exercise activity thermogenesis," also known as NEAT, is a fancy term for the energy you expend during the day whenever you’re not sleeping, eating, or doing purposeful exercise (like sports or gym workouts). You engage in NEAT by just walking about the house or office, hurrying to catch a Read More...