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.
5 Methods for coping with seasonal affective disorder
Despite the fact that most of us experience daylight savings every year, the impending early darkness seems to catch us off guard every time. Shorter days, combined with dreary weather, has been shown to lower mood and energy levels. It can also lead to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), major Read More...
Drying fruit is energy-intensive, but “ionic wind” could change that
Dried fruit is delicious and can serve as a great alternative to candy. The only problem is that producing it is quite energy-intensive. In order to dry fruit, commercial food producers typically utilize a “non-thermal drying” process. This involves fans blowing unheated air across the fruit Read More...
Researchers have developed a toxin-free antiperspirant
Natural deodorants do not contain aluminum and other harmful ingredients, but unfortunately, they do little to prevent sweating as these harsh ingredients are what contribute to traditional deodorant’s antiperspirant qualities. Fortunately, researchers from the Virginia Tech Nature-Inspired Read More...
New 500,000-cell map of the human heart is the most detailed ever created
In order to develop more effective treatments for cardiovascular disease, an international group of scientists has made the most detailed map of the human heart ever created. The map, which took four years to make, shows how a healthy heart looks and functions at the cellular level, with over Read More...
This hydrogel helps the skin heal without leaving behind scars
When you have an open wound, your body forms scar tissue as fast as possible to minimize the chance of infection while simultaneously reducing pain. This allows the wound to heal faster, but it can also leave a permanent scar on the body. On that note, scientists at Duke University have developed Read More...
This technology turns vaccines into powdered form to keep them effective
After production, most vaccines must be kept at specific temperatures in order to remain effective. This can be a problem in the developing world, where cold storage of vaccines on a large scale isn’t practical. In fact, as much as 50 percent of vaccines are wasted globally every year, largely Read More...
New research links gut health and Alzheimer’s
We recently shared a back to basics guide for gut health. It turns out these microbiome-boosting tips maybe even more important than previously thought. New research from the University Hospitals of Geneva has found a significant correlation between reduced microbiome diversity and Alzheimer’s Read More...
3 ways that exercise changes the very structure of the brain
You probably know that exercise boosts brain function, but did you know that exercise can literally change the structure of our brains? Although these structural changes may not be visible to us, they can help us protect and preserve brain health and function throughout our lives. Below, you’ll Read More...
The Optimist View: Empowerment, skills training, and the fight to eradicate hunger
“Hunger is not an issue of charity. It is an issue of justice.” - Jacques Diou By Amelia Buckley Right now, 80 percent of food banks in the US are serving more people than they were at the same time last year. The pandemic has exacerbated the need for immediate food relief, but it has Read More...
Architects are turning hospital parking lots into modular ICU units
Hospitals overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic could soon find a much-needed capacity lifeline in modular emergency care units built right in their parking lots. Called STAAT Mod (Strategic, Temporary, Acuity-Adaptable Treatment), the prefab system is built in a factory and delivered by truck Read More...