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.
Mentally challenging activities key to a healthy aging mind
One of the greatest challenges associated with the growing numbers of aged adults is how to maintain a healthy aging mind. Taking up a new mental challenge such as digital photography or quilting may help maintain cognitive vitality, say researchers reporting in Restorative Neurology and Read More...
Everyone should be eating more bacteria. We’re not kidding
It all comes down to one word. And that word is not “kale”. The year is already two weeks old, and we’re still trying to nail down exactly what we meant when we half-heartedly (and full-drunkenly) decided that 2016 would be the year we “eat better,” or whatever.To help Read More...
Just because you can get a medical test doesn't mean you should
When should women get screened for breast cancer? It’s a fraught question. Mammograms can yield false positives or detect lesions that pose no health threat, making patients anxious and exposing them to risks of follow-up tests. But not getting screened may risk missing the chance, however Read More...
Baltimore psychologist pioneers team using psychedelics as ‘sacred’ medicine
Baltimore is known to many as the heroin capital of the US. If William Richards has anything to do with it, it may also become the nation’s most psychedelic city. For the past 15 years, a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine program co-founded by Richards has dosed hundreds if not Read More...
A vegan butcher’s is opening in Minnesota
Don’t take this news with a pinch of salt. While the name may sound contradictory, there is nothing fishy about it. A new shop in Minnesota, called Herbivorous Butcher, will sell a variety of all-natural, locally sourced meat alternatives. It’s the newest venture of siblings Aubry and Kale (no Read More...
IBM Watson and Medtronic can predict a diabetic's low blood sugar hours before it occurs
About 415 million adults worldwide have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes according to the International Diabetes Association. IBM and medical device maker Medtronic are working on an app that could really help them.By analyzing data from Medtronic diabetes monitoring devices (insulin pumps and glucose Read More...
Venezuela bans GMO crops, a bold and unique step to protect agriculture
Just before the end of 2015, Venezuela passed the Seed Law, one of the world's most progressive laws in agriculture. The new law bans the production, distribution and import of genetically modified organism seeds. The law will also create a central body to regulate the production of hybrid seeds. Read More...
How meditation affects the gray matter of the brain
I like to meditate. It makes me feel at ease and I am convinced that the sense of calm it produces helps me to handle the daily challenges of my life. There are, of course, times when I don't keep up my daily practice of sitting quietly for 10 or 15 minutes, but these are the times in my life when Read More...
Vitamin D supplements may help lower symptoms in MS patients
Health officials still aren't certain what causes multiple sclerosis (MS)--a disease in which the immune system eats away at the body's protective covering of nerves. However, they do know that a combination of genetic and environmental factors seem to influence the health issue; one genetic factor Read More...
Research shows how fish oil can improve fat metabolism in mice
Researchers have found that fish oil transforms fat-storage cells into fat-burning cells, which may reduce weight gain in middle age. The team explains in Scientific Reports that fish oil activates receptors in the digestive tract, fires the sympathetic nervous system, and induces storage cells to Read More...