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.
A pioneering treatment just restored the eyesight of an acid attack victim
20 years ago, James O’Brien endured something horrible: a corrosive acid substance was thrown in his face, leaving him permanently blind in one eye. Or at least, so he thought. For the past 18 months, O’Brien has been undergoing pioneering treatment at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital. Read More...
These elderly Japanese men are still playing the game they love: rugby
Rugby isn't a sport you would typically suggest as a way for the elderly to keep fit. But at Fuwaku Rugby Club in Tokyo, men in their 80s are still getting their boots dirty and their bodies bruised in anticipation for first-ever Rugby World Cup to be held on Japanese soil. From mauls to scrums and Read More...
Revolutionary medical device worms its way into the field of stroke treatment
Strokes affect 795,000 Americans each year and treating them during the “golden hour” before death or permanent disability occurs can be a challenge. Fortunately, scientists are developing a magnet-lead device to treat stroke patients less invasively. The device would “worm” its way through Read More...
Meet the new (green) power couple: Solar Panels + Arid Farms
Renewable energy and sustainable food production are both in high demand as we move into a future of changing climate and growing population. But how do we allocate space for solar energy production and farmland when they both demand similar geographic conditions? Agrivoltaics, the process of Read More...
Is aging reversible? A new study says maybe it is.
Aging can be measured by more than just the candles on our birthday cake. It can also be measured through chemical changes in our DNA - what scientists call “biomarkers”. But what happens if we alter this process at a cellular level? Can we stop aging in its tracks? In a Benjamin Read More...
KitKat’s new wrapper quits single use plastic… and challenges your origami skills
Getting corporations to join the fight against single-use plastics often takes more than a desire to help the environment. It also takes economic and marketing incentives. Food and drink giant Nestlé seems to have found a strategy for reducing plastic use and increase sales: paper packaging that Read More...
Bees could play a big role in eliminating the need for spraying pesticides
Bees are great at retrieving tiny cargo: their main job is to visit flowering plants in order to gather pollen and nectar for their hive. Now one pesticide company has gained federal permission to ensure they’re bringing something special along on each trip. The Canadian-based company Bee Read More...
Dutch care home helps seniors combat loneliness by housing them with students
It’s worse for you than obesity and is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness is becoming an increasing problem in the West, especially among the elderly. In the Netherlands, though, an innovative scheme is experimenting with a solution. The Humanitas care home in Read More...
Study finds self-administered acupressure can help ease your back pain
You’d be surprised how much relief you can bring to your aching back without having to seek professional help. In a new study from the University of Michigan, researchers found out that self-administered acupressure can alleviate chronic pain in the back. Acupressure is similar to acupuncture, Read More...
Denmark takes the lead in the fight against chemicals in food packaging
It’s no surprise that food packaging carries a lot of toxins that shouldn’t be so close to our food. PFAs chemicals (perfluoroalkyl substances), also known as “forever chemicals”, are used to repel moisture in packaging for typically oily and fatty foods. Unfortunately, they are also linked Read More...