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.
Online mushroom hotline puts the power of crowdsourcing in poison control
Ninety nine percent of mushrooms are non-toxic, but the one percent which are can have fatal consequences if accidentally ingested. For people with pets or young children, a seemingly harmless patch of fungi in the front yard could be disastrous. Fortunately, a growing Facebook group is here to Read More...
New York City opens the country’s first safe injection site
Harm reduction strategies are gaining traction as a more effective way to quell the ever-growing opioid crisis. These strategies, like making clean needle exchanges available and decriminalizing drug possession, understand that criminalization alone will not reduce drug abuse, nor does it protect Read More...
Study: Covid-19 does not impact fetus brain development
A big source of anxiety during the pandemic came from the unknown impact of COVID-19 on pregnant people and their soon-to-be-born children. It has been observed that other viruses, such as HIV and rubella, can pass from mother to fetus through a process called vertical transmission. A research Read More...
This cutting edge camera is the size of a grain of salt
Micro-cameras are used in virtually all industries. In the medical field, these tiny cameras have helped facilitate less invasive medical imaging practices and improved robotic surgical tools. Structures of molecules and neural pathways have been uncovered using this technology, although achieving Read More...
Genetic editing in the microbiome could address a myriad of diseases
More and more research has emerged about the influence of the microbiome and gut health, not only on digestion but also on mental health and even chronic illness. In an effort to mobilize the microbiome to treat a wide array of diseases, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco Read More...
UK women at risk of miscarriage will be given access to progesterone treatment
Having a miscarriage is a heart-wrenching experience—however, the UK's National Health Services (NHS) has updated its guidelines to help women in certain circumstances access progesterone-based treatment proven to help prevent pregnancy loss. According to the reworked guidelines released by Read More...
What happens when you quit smoking?
Smoking rates are on the decline with more people becoming aware of its damaging health effects, but breaking the cycle of addiction can be difficult and daunting. We wanted to shed some light on the facts behind the humongous health benefits of quitting, hopefully giving you the motivation to curb Read More...
Sleep therapy linked to reduced risk of depression
Insomnia is a major contributor to depression, and unfortunately, 30 to 50 percent of older adults complain of insomnia. A new study from UC Los Angeles explored the connection between sleep and depression risk and found that sleep training therapy is highly effective at reducing depression and Read More...
New breakthroughs in nutrient-sensing cells
Did you know immune cells can sense nutrients? A new study from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has identified the biological mechanism behind the phenomenon. The type of immune cells with these special abilities are called T cells. These play a critical role in immunity and cancer, Read More...
Some expert tips on how find motivation to do strength training at home
Thanks to the pandemic, many former gym junkies and fitness aficionados have become accustomed to working out at home—and while lots of people (and wallets) are enjoying this shift away from visiting the gym, it’s not always easy to find the motivation to complete all types of workouts. This is Read More...