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.
How mushrooms could help treat high blood pressure during pregnancy
High blood pressure isn’t healthy for anyone, but for pregnant women, it can be particularly dangerous. Hypertension during pregnancy is called preeclampsia and it can have negative effects for both the mother and the baby. Fortunately, new research has found an antioxidant compound in mushrooms Read More...
Condiment sachets are a huge source of waste. Could this be the solution?
In a bid to slash the massive amount of plastic waste that gets left behind after big sporting events like marathons, for the second year in a row, the organizers of the half-marathon in London are planning to ditch plastic water bottles and cups and offer runners edible water blobs instead. Read More...
Public vehicles in New York are doubling as air pollution monitors
New York City operates over 30,000 city-owned vehicles, the largest municipal fleet in the country. Police cars, fire engines, and public buses drive up and down the city streets performing their public services duties. But what if while completing their routine routes, doing their regular jobs, Read More...
Belgian waffles of the future will come with a side of insect butter
Belgians are waffle experts. In fact, they take their waffles so seriously that when it came to potentially replacing butter toppings with a product made from insect fat, researchers decide to tackle studying the transition. Researchers from Ghent University created three waffle varieties: one Read More...
“Smart bandage” to significantly improve the healing process of chronic wounds
Chronic skin wounds from diabetes, burns, and other medical conditions can overwhelm the regenerative capabilities of the skin and often lead to persistent infections, and even amputations. Treating these wounds properly can be extremely difficult and tend to be quite costly too, but a new type of Read More...
MRI imaging method could lead to new way to detect early-stage cancer
A new method of detecting early-stage cancer is getting the green light from the FDA, meaning human trials will commence in the coming two years. The new imaging method was intended for detecting metastatic cancer in the liver, but the researchers say it could be applied to a number of other types Read More...
New research shows dogs may be able to help us treat cancer
Dogs are known as man’s best friend. Now, they are taking on a role as man’s best medical insight and playing a critical role in helping cure cancerous tumors. Diffuse glioma is the most common malignant tumor that can grow in the brain and dogs and humans happen to develop them at very Read More...
Tips for designing an environment that helps you make healthy food choices
If you were sitting in a team meeting with donuts on the table, you’d likely reach for a donut. But if that same meeting offered fresh fruit or vegetables, you’d inevitably make a healthier choice. The point is the physical space around us can impact the way we make nutritious choices. With Read More...
Stretchy medical patch is designed to heal damaged hearts
After a heart attack has occurred, some of the beating cardiac tissue ends up being replaced with non-beating scar tissue – this permanently compromises the function of the heart. A new patch, however, is designed to help. Bioengineers from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, have developed a Read More...
How to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm as an irregular shift worker
Our bodies operate on circadian rhythms. This internal 24-hour clock helps us know when to sleep, eat, and feel energized to get through our days. Throwing off this delicate balance can disrupt hormone levels and induce metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases a person’s risk of stroke, Read More...