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.
This free online program helped 15,000 Black women embrace veganism
Black women in the United States experience the highest rate of preventable chronic diseases. This includes heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. These days, there is a lot of literature out there about the benefits of a plant-based diet, however, within the Black community, there aren’t Read More...
Why our libraries should double as food banks
When the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity, many community centers like libraries, museums, and sports fields began doubling as food pantry distribution sites. University of North Carolina researcher Noah Lenstra studies the relationship between libraries and food security and pinpoints Read More...
Fish scales and frog skin could help regrow bone fragments
People in Singapore consume a lot of fish and frog meat and now, researchers have uncovered a way to put the waste from those ingredients to good use. Their research shows potential for using fish scales and frog skin to create bone repair material. Usually, when someone is born without a Read More...
Robotic prosthetics with tactical feedback can help amputees feel again
We have previously written about prosthetic legs that can adjust to different terrains and prosthetic hands that can be mind-controlled—but now, new developments have reached a novel level of efficiency for prosthetics and neural implants. A study published in the journal Science writes about Read More...
Scientists have trained Dutch bees to detect Covid-19
Bees are miraculous critters that play an essential role in feeding the world through pollination. However, Dutch scientists have tapped into another one of their valuable attributes to help identify cases of Covid-19: their acute sense of smell. When someone is infected with Covid-19, the Read More...
Under-the-tongue wafers could be the vaccines of the future
As we’re witnessing with the vaccination rollout for Covid-19, one of the main challenges facing vaccine delivery is creating a “cold chain” that ensures that vaccines are kept at the right temperatures along their entire supply chain. To address this, scientists from the University of Read More...
Food banks apply behavioral economics to promote choice and healthy eating
This year, food banks and pantries around the world were stretched thin by the pandemic. They were and still are an essential resource for families in need, especially for households that were gravely impacted by Covid-19. Estimates indicate that the demand for these nonprofit services in the Read More...
Redesigning houses in sub-Saharan Africa can reduce malaria infections
While some scientists are working to develop malaria vaccines with higher efficacy, others are keeping busy with more low-tech solutions to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. One of the latest of such solutions comes from scientists at Durham University who discovered that building Read More...
Healthy gut bacteria can ward off chemotherapy side effects
Maintaining your gut health, also known as a healthy microbiome, is critical for promoting healthy digestion and building a strong immune system. Now, research from Northwestern University indicates that healthy gut bacteria can even ward off the damaging side effects of chemotherapy. To come Read More...
Try these two simple, science-backed tricks to stop procrastinating
While many may think otherwise, procrastination is not a behavior rooted in laziness. Rather, people engage in procrastination in a bid to avoid the “negative feelings associated” with that task, explains Timothy A. Pychyl, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Canada’s Carleton University and a Read More...