Today’s Solutions: November 26, 2024

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.

broken up kidney stones

New treatment non-surgically shatters kidney stones

If you’ve ever had to painfully pass kidney stones, or if you’ve heard the horrors of others’ experiences and are terrified of having to go through it yourself, then this advancement published in the Journal of Urology about a new non-invasive method to treat patients with kidney stones is Read More...

Pile of green okra on a light green background.

What are the health benefits of okra?

In one of our previous articles, we wrote about how okra may be people's new hope in battling microplastic contaminated drinking water. Looking into the fruit (yes, it is a fruit) made us realize that there is so much more to share about the benefits of this versatile seed pod. While relatively Read More...

woman looks dissatisfied with spring cleaning products

3 eco-friendly swaps to “green up” this year’s spring cleaning

A common response to the increase in sunshine and fresh spring air is an undeniable desire to purge the heaviness of winter from our homes and make everything feel as clean and new as the budding light-green baby leaves on the trees outside. Even though spring cleaning can be hard work, Read More...

Person's hand squeezing a yellow stress ball with a smiley face on.

What is meta-stress and how can you avoid it?

When you know a high-stress event is coming up, it’s natural to work yourself up before it even happens. That anticipation can cause you to spiral down a rabbit hole of “what ifs,” and those thoughts can feel both mentally and emotionally taxing. Researchers say this common pattern is called Read More...

Wastewater energy

Oregon wastewater facility makes its own power with human waste

Two weeks ago, we wrote a piece on upcycling your “business,” going into the green uses some companies found for human waste. Innovation and recycling mean looking everywhere possible for solutions, and The Optimist Daily loves writing about the ones that are found… even if they come out of Read More...

Hand draws planet Earth with multicolored felt-tip pens on on a blue background.

World Happiness Report shines a light in dark times

The past few years have been incredibly challenging for the world, though it turns out we’re doing better than you might think!  According to an international research project, levels of social support and benevolence actually increased in this difficult time. This year is the 10th Read More...

Space Lettuce

Space lettuce could save astronauts’ bones

Many of us wanted to be astronauts when we were kids. Some of us may even still daydream about it. While we lionize pioneers like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, we now know that prolonged time in space comes with some serious health consequences. We are, after all, creatures whose anatomy evolved Read More...

Nematodes

Tiny roundworms could diagnose lung cancer

Early detection is an essential tool for treating cancer. Any time that doctors and technicians can shave off from testing or lab work saves lives. Even better are noninvasive and inexpensive tests, which benefit both the patient and the hospital.  The noble nematode You might remember nematodes Read More...

Mushrooms

Always growing: a dive back into the marvelous world of mushrooms

“Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom.” - Thomas Carlyle, Scottish philosopher, and essayist Science is ever-changing. Scientists and physicians used to be sure that contagions and diseases were spread from person to person by smell. This was called the Miasma Theory, and Read More...

man sleeps with eye mask

Cut the lights! The case for sleeping in total darkness

New research from scientists at Northwestern Medicine presents a persuasive argument for people to get rid of nightlights and break the common habit of being lulled to sleep by a television program. Why should we sleep in the dark? According to a press release about the study, even a small amount Read More...