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.
Breakthrough in high-temperature cancer treatment
As reported in the April issue of What Doctors Don’t Tell You, high fevers and medically induced hyperthermia have been linked with cancer remission for decades. Now a new study by researchers at Dartmouth provides even more evidence for how heat therapy works, while also proposing a new therapy Read More...
One in five taking a drug that worsens other symptoms
Over three-quarters of older Americans are being treated for more than one chronic condition. A new study has highlighted the possible risks of this practice, finding that more than 20% of senior citizens are receiving a medication that may cause another pre-existing condition to get worse, and Read More...
No link between saturated fat and heart disease
Saturated, unsaturated, trans, omega-6, omega-3… Like the Eskimo languages famed for having dozens of words for ‘snow’, the modern Western vocabulary is rich in ways to describe fat—as well as advice on which ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fats to seek out or avoid for a healthy diet. But Read More...
Lonely hearts are bad for your health
Your spouse might be a pain in the neck, but they’re good for your heart. Researchers have confirmed in women what has already been established in men: married people and those with long-term partners are less likely to die of heart disease. The latest numbers, by researchers at Oxford Read More...
Protein-rich diet makes brain age better
The optimal level of protein in our diet has been a subject of great controversy in recent medical literature, and two studies out this month exemplify the controversy and the complexity of the situation. But in spite of their differences, both add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that a Read More...
Omega-3s linked to improved sleep
Researchers at Oxford University are proposing that the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) may be important for healthy sleep patterns, after children in their recent study who took DHA supplements for 16 weeks began waking up fewer times and sleeping for almost an hour longer each Read More...
Five-second rule confirmed
New findings out this week give messy eaters cause to celebrate. Researchers have confirmed the common lore that food dropped on the floor is less likely to pick up bacteria if it’s picked up quickly, giving credence to the “5-second rule.” In a survey conducted alongside the experiments, Read More...
Ancient virus unearthed
At about the size of small bacteria, the Pithovirus is the largest virus ever discovered, and represents a new family of “giant” viruses. Pithovirus poses no direct threat to humans; it only infects amoebas. But this big virus still has big implications for public health. Writing in the Read More...
Painkillers prescribed to pregnant women despite risks
Around one in seven pregnant women in the United States is prescribed a narcotic painkiller with documented risks of causing birth defects. According to the CDC, opioid painkillers including codeine, hydrocodone and oxycodone are linked to birth defects including incomplete development of the Read More...
4 reasons you should eat more uncooked vegetables
Living raw is more than what you eat— it’s an entire lifestyle. “You have to be a little crazy to go on a 100% raw food diet, because you will have to say goodbye to your life as you were used to living it,” says Matt Monarch, a raw food expert and someone who’s been living the raw Read More...