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 machine milks the venom out of scorpions to fight malaria and cancer
Scorpion venom is used in immunosuppressants, anti-malarial medications, and cancer research. The only problem is gathering is difficult and dangerous. That’s why a team of researchers in Morocco have created a device that gently holds scorpions in place and uses small electrical shocks that Read More...
Danish meat company sees strong demand for probiotics to replace antibiotics
Food ingredients maker Chr. Hansen is seeing strong demand for probiotics for animals as farmers and restaurant chains come under growing pressure to use fewer antibiotics in the food chain, its chief executive said. Scientists warn the routine use of antibiotics in animals is contributing to the Read More...
‘Meditation, yoga, and tai chi can reverse damaging effects of stress’
Mind-body interventions such as meditation, yoga*, and tai chi can reverse the molecular reactions in our DNA that cause ill-health and depression, according to a study by scientists at the universities of Coventry and Radboud. When a person is exposed to a stressful event, their sympathetic Read More...
Study: Ritalin use in childhood could cause long-lasting alterations in brain
Scientists in the Netherlands have found evidence that stimulants used in the treatment of ADHD have different effects when acting on the developing or the mature brain. The study, published in the journal NeuroImage: Clinical, was the first to investigate the effects of childhood methylphenidate Read More...
Eating lots of good fats from plants reverses gut problems and diseases
More and more research shows that inflammation in the gut is the beginning of many diseases including neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. According to a new study plant-based fats like coconut oil and cocoa butter lower the inflammation in the gut. The study focused on Read More...
Better business: For every $1 spent on reducing food waste, companies save $14
Businesses that curb food waste do more than just help the planet. They also save money. According to a new report, for every $1 a company invest in food loss and waste reduction—whether through training programs, providing equipment like scales to quantify food, and improving storage and Read More...
Biologist looks at butterflies to help solve human infertility
When insects skip the light fandango their romantic foreplay often involves some pretty crazy things like hypnotic dance moves and flashy colors. In some species it ends with a complex ejaculate package that does more than fertilize offspring. In the case of butterflies, the cabbage white Pieris Read More...
Bad breath and depression could be signs your gut isn't healthy
Sorting out your gut health is the latest topic keeping the wellness community up at night. A properly functioning gut and digestive system helps with weight loss, clear skin and keeping our moods in check. Australian nutritionist Anna Paredes shared the most common signs of an unhealthy gut with Read More...
Why being forgetful from time to time can be a good thing
The next time you forget something, don’t curse yourself. In a new report, researchers of the university of Toronto found that the goal of memory is not to transmit the most accurate information over time, but rather, to optimize intelligent decision-making by holding onto what’s important and Read More...
Sonic’s new burger blends beef with mushrooms so you eat less meat
Recently, we wrote about The Reducetarian Solution, the idea that curbing the population’s carnivorous tendencies will reduce climate change more effectively than trying to make everyone a vegetarian. One way to do this could be by offering burger-lovers a “blended burger,” a patty made Read More...