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.
Cancer deaths have fallen drastically over the last 25 years
Cancer is the second-leading cause of death among Americans, behind only heart disease. But there’s good news: the cancer death rate has drastically declined over the past 25 years, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society Read More...
Study: THC to prevent development of Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists tested the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of the active compounds in marijuana, and discovered that it can promote the removal of a protein responsible for the progression of Alzheimer’s. The finding supports the results of previous studies that found evidence of the Read More...
The best time to take your medicine is when your genes are most active
A new study shows that you should take notice of your body’s circadian rhythm when taking your medicine as many genes that direct the production of proteins targeted by drugs have a daily cycle of activity. For example, medication to manage a hyperactive thyroid could be most effective if Read More...
Researchers develop ivy plant that can remove harmful air pollutants from homes
Scientists managed to modify pothos ivy plants so that they can remove harmful air pollutants like chloroform and benzene from homes. The researchers added the noxious gases (benzene and chloroform) to modified and non-modified plants in glass tubes. After 11 days they noticed that, compared to the Read More...
Inhalable RNA could breathe new life into lung cancer treatments
In the body, messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules are in charge of instructing cells to produce specific proteins, and hijacking this natural system is emerging as a promising new way to treat a wide variety of illnesses. Now, researchers at MIT have developed an inhalable mRNA aerosol that can take the Read More...
Ancient Irish healing cure turns out to be a modern lifesaver
One of today’s most deadly challenges to public health is the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In the United States alone, 2 million people are infected with an antibiotic-resistant infection annually; the World Health Organization has warned of the “post-antibiotic era.” An urgent Read More...
The native American healer reviving the medicine of her ancestors
When an elderly Lakota woman limped into the medical tent, one foot sporting a painful burn, Linda Black Elk knew just the herb that would help. She began boiling yarrow, a plant that blossoms golden yellow and has been prized for its healing properties for centuries. Though she had applied the Read More...
Breakthrough study explains how the immune system puts cancer cells to sleep
An exciting new study, led by a team of Australian researchers, has uncovered how the immune system can keep cancer cells in a dormant state. It's hoped the breakthrough insight will offer new pathways for research into immunotherapy techniques that can essentially stop a tumor's growth for an Read More...
Virtual reality to be used as therapeutic treatment for nightmare disorder
Virtual reality could soon be used as a therapeutic treatment for patients suffering from often-occurring nightmares. Researchers conducted a study in which they presented participants with nightmare-like imagery that could then manipulate to be less threatening. The therapy was associated with a Read More...
These foods will help you reset your gut in just 3 days
By now you've probably heard how influential the microbes in your gut are for your overall health. What you might not have known is that the life span of a microbe is about 20 minutes, meaning that it’s possible to make lasting changes to your gut health in just a matter of days. To reset your Read More...