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.
GMO does not work and that’s good news
The graph says it all: About 20 years ago, the United States and Canada began introducing genetic modifications in agriculture with the promise on higher yields and decreases in the pesticide use. Europe did not embrace the new technology. Now, we see that the yields in Europe have not fallen Read More...
Facebook friendships linked to lower death risk
Accepting more friendship requests on Facebook is associated with lower mortality, according to a study released Monday. Researchers examined data from 12 million California Facebook profiles that was made anonymous, along with public California records, over a two-year period. They Read More...
Growth of city trees can cut air pollution, says report
Planting trees is a cost-effective way to tackle urban air pollution, which is a growing problem for many cities. A study by US-based The Nature Conservancy (TNC) reported than the average reduction of particulate matter near a tree was between 7% and 24%. Particulate matter (PM) is microscopic Read More...
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by eating less meat, report says
According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in the past 50 years, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture, forestry, and fisheries have nearly doubled. By 2050, they could rise by an additional 30 percent. Much of the existing research on agriculture and climate Read More...
What Silicon Valley can learn from Buddha’s diet
As we walk, Dan Zigmond pulls on a black baseball cap. The sun is high, and the trees give little shade. It’s a big park—stretching across a good nine acres of grass, mulch, shrubs, and gravel paths—but from where we are, it looks much bigger. Beyond the nine acres, all we can see are more Read More...
This simple diet linked to higher IQ
The reason people with a higher IQ also tend to be healthier could be down to their diet. People with a higher IQ are more likely to be vegetarian, psychological research finds. In fact, vegetarians could be up to 10% more intelligent than red meat eaters, according to some studies. A higher IQ is Read More...
New study shows vitamin D increases lifespan
More and more studies show the vital importance of vitamin D. It help to prevent arthritis, diabetes, and cancer; and it reduces inflammation. A new study links vitamin D to aging. Adequate levels of vitamin D are linked to an extended lifespan. Make sure you get enough sun and/or take vitamin D Read More...
Is it still a placebo when it works and you know it's a placebo?
Placebos can't cure diseases, but research suggests that they seem to bring some people relief from subjective symptoms, such as pain, nausea, anxiety and fatigue. But there's a reason your doctor isn't giving you a sugar pill and telling you it's a new wonder drug. The thinking has been that you Read More...
Study: U.K. can save $4 billion in health care cost every year by giving up coal
There are many hidden costs to human health and the natural environment related to the use of fossil fuels. That’s why renewable energy advocates have long argued that fossil fuels are not cheaper than clean energy. Now that solar and wind energy are beginning to beat oil, gas, and coal, more Read More...
Inspired by nature: the thrilling new science that could transform medicine
In the summer of 2005, Jeffrey Karp, a bioengineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was working late one night when he spotted a journal article on a colleague’s desk. What caught his eye was not the text itself, but the full-page colour illustration of Spider-Man that Read More...