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.
Kavala Graha: Ayurvedic remedy for a healthy smile
If you haven’t heard about the new “in” ayurvedic cleansing technique called oil pulling, let me fill you in. Oil pulling, known as “Kavala” or “Gandusha” is one of the techniques that is highly regarded in Ayurveda. Though there have been only a few small Read More...
Top 10 foods for a better mood
The food we eat can be an excellent source of vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants. Growing research supports that the quality of our food is not only important to our physical health but also for our mood and can influence depression and anxiety. Our Westernized so-called "cafeteria" diet Read More...
U.S. organic food sales up 72% since 2008, new report finds
A new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report shows that organic food sales have seen a sharp increase, topping $5.5 billion. AgWeb reports that sales are up 72 percent since 2008. The growth comes primarily from several pockets in the U.S., including the West Coast, Texas and Colorado, the Read More...
This restaurant will fight child obesity with, er, fried chicken
Tottenham is an area in the north of London with one of the highest child obesity rates in the country. Almost 40% of 11-year-olds are classified as obese. The area also has a lot of fried chicken restaurants, which is why it is rather odd that a new community project will open another one of Read More...
Meet the mind-controlling algae protein that could cure blindness
It sounds completely crazy: as early as next year, using gene therapy scientists hope to restore sight in the blind by giving their eyes additional “light sensors.” We’re not talking about bionic eyes: instead of implantable electronics, scientists are turning to a protein called Read More...
Diet is still the key to brain power
Can you build a better brain with blueberries – or with fish, walnuts or kale? The idea that certain super foods can keep us sharper as we age has huge appeal – especially as study after study suggests that brain power will not be found in a supplement pill. The latest, published in Read More...
Sound waves used to activate brain cells in a worm
For the first time, scientists have directly controlled brain cells using sound waves, in a tiny laboratory worm. They used ultrasound to trigger activity in specific neurons, causing the worms to change direction. As well as requiring a particular gene to be expressed in the brain cells, the Read More...
Mediterranean diet linked to reduced breast cancer risk
The Mediterranean diet — rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and olive oil, and low in dairy products and red meat — is linked to a reduced risk for breast cancer, according to a randomized trial. Researchers randomly assigned 4,152 women with an average age of 68 to one of three Read More...
How vitamin D affects Alzheimer’s risk
Vitamin D is a controversial topic among doctors, mainly because studies about its health effects have been so conflicting. While vitamin D is critical for many body systems, including bones and the brain, recent studies that have tested these assumptions haven’t been reassuring. In March, Read More...
The amazing significance of what a mother-to-be eats
New research reveals the extraordinary impact that your mother's diet at the time of your conception has on the rest of your life, writes Michael Mosley. A couple of months ago, I found myself in a small village in Keneba, in The Gambia, chatting to a perky 90-year-old, Karamo Touray, surrounded by Read More...