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.
The humble squid’s extraordinary service to neuroscience
I first saw them by night, or rather by flashlight aimed beside the dinghy as we fished a mile beyond Brighton’s pier. A whole shoal of them appeared beneath the boat, waving their arms, their button eyes glistening. We were not fishing for squid – too foreign a taste for England in Read More...
Largest U.S. organization of doctors urges hospitals to offer plant-based foods
The ancient Greeks already knew that food = medicine. That’s why it is so strange that the food that patients receive in hospitals—when they need the best—is often mediocre. But that may change. The largest organization of doctors in the U.S., the American Medical Association (AMA), is urging Read More...
New mindfulness approach can help athletes get ‘in the zone’
Sports psychologists have developed a multi-step program based on the practice of mindfulness to increase coaches’ and athletes’ mental readiness for the game. Mindfulness involves being aware of the present moment and accepting things as they are without judgment. When it comes to sports, Read More...
What you need to know about the hidden health cost of fossil fuel subsidies
Fossil fuel companies receive billions of dollars in government subsidies each year. A major argument for ending those subsidies these days, is the effect that carbon-based pollution has on the atmosphere – what scientists now say causes climate change. But new research suggests that there is Read More...
‘Because they are expected to be happy, many in the West feel depressed’
We live in a culture of happiness. And that’s a problem. Valuing feelings of happiness or wanting others to be happy is not a bad thing. However, not being happy becomes a failure when there are only smiling faces around you on billboards, television, magazines or the internet. We cannot always Read More...
A compound found in broccoli and cauliflower shows success in treating melanoma
New research shows that a drug based on a compound found in broccoli and cauliflower causes melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer—to die and hampers melanoma tumor growth by 69 percent. Simply eating the vegetables probably won’t be enough to actually fight melanoma, researchers said. Read More...
6 strange things acupuncture can treat
The ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture has gained a lot of popularity in the Western world in recent years. There are good reasons for this, as acupuncture has been linked to many diverse health benefits. Still, a lot of people may shudder or cringe when they think about acupuncture Read More...
Finnish scientists use only electricity to make protein from CO2
Researchers in Finland have developed a process to turn CO2 into food using electricity. The process can run on renewable energy, and requires only a small amount of water and nutrients. It could eventually be used in a home appliance to make protein at home, or a production facility in a desert Read More...
15 natural ways to lower your blood pressure
High blood pressure is a dangerous condition that can damage your heart. It affects one in three people in the US and 1 billion people worldwide. If left uncontrolled, it raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. But there's good news. There are a number of things you can do to lower your blood Read More...
Study: Green tea repairs the brain from inflammation caused by Western diet
The modern western high-sugar diet causes inflammation. And inflammation is the beginning of many degenerative diseases—from cancer to dementia. Research with mice shows that green tea repairs some of the brain damage caused by too much Read More...