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.
This is why some parents are raising their children as vegan
"You’re vegan? How aren’t you dead?” It’s a question that Elizabeth Tighe’s 12-year-old son is asked more often than she’d like. But as a vegan raising her children to follow a plant-based lifestyle, it’s not one that particularly suprises her. In the past Read More...
Bloomberg tackles air pollution and obesity with $5m grants to 40 cities
Michael Bloomberg has long fought for public health. As a mayor of New York, he banned smoking in bars and restaurants and even launched a campaign against the sale of large-sized sugary drinks. Now as the World Health Organization’s global ambassador for non-communicable diseases—meaning Read More...
Implanting insulin-producing pancreatic cells could cure type 1 diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a disease where your body stops producing insulin, which can lead to a lifetime of dependence on injected or pumped insulin as well as a host of health complications. New clinical trials, however, show some promising results in “curing” the disease by implanting Read More...
New research suggests gut microbiome plays a role in bipolar disorder
Scientists are taking a closer look at how microorganisms living in the gastrointestinal system impact mental health. A new study suggests that bacteria in the gut microbiome is linked to bipolar disorder. The research, published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, suggests that the microbial Read More...
Heal: The science-backed documentary that reveals how the body can heal itself
The latest science reveals that we are not victims of unchangeable genes, nor should we buy into a scary prognosis. The fact is we have more control over our health and life than we have been taught to believe, and there’s a new documentary coming out to prove it. The documentary, Heal, is an Read More...
Scientists want you to give them money to study psychedelics
No three strung-together letters in the English language are more loaded than L-S-D. Say them out loud to elicit images of strung out hippies waving their hands around and making things out of flowers, or of an innocent youth’s mind snapping under the weight of acid. Or just really bad art. Read More...
Harvard neuroscientist: Meditation reduces stress and changes your brain
Meditation, in its most basic sense, is clearing your mind of all thought—or at least, trying to. The practice is used in cultures around the globe for both religious and secular purposes. While it may be best known for its spiritual uses, it is this latter purpose that has recently ignited a Read More...
A neuroscientist found the fountain of youth in the brain of 93-year-old athlete
The typical human brain shrinks over time, losing its ability to remember as well as other cognitive functions. But the brain doesn’t have to age this way. In fact, it's completely possible for a person to maintain a youthful mind well into their 90s. If you want proof, look at the story of Olga Read More...
Study with mice shows that cannabis may reverse dementia
A new study with mice shows that THC, one of the active ingredients in marijuana, was able to improve the brains of elderly mice to the level that their brains resembled those of rodents who were only two months old. THC is the substance that causes people to get “high”. However, the amount Read More...
Vitamin D supports probiotics repopulating the gut with friendly bacteria
A high fat diet alone cannot trigger a metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions associated with an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. Researchers of a new study published in Physiology said that vitamin D deficiency is needed for this syndrome to progress. Authors reached this Read More...