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 ways to save rainforests and the world every day
“At first, I thought I was fighting to save rubber trees, then I thought I was fighting to save the Amazon rainforest. Now I realize I am fighting for humanity.” - Chico Mendes, Brazilian environmentalist July 28 is World Nature Conservation Day. In honor of this, we're happy to offer Read More...
New study: music helps reconnect dementia patients with their memories
Music is woven into the very fabric of human evolution — some experts even surmise that it's likely humans sang before we spoke. Music plays an essential communicative role even today. It connects us with others, with our own emotions, and ultimately it lays the groundwork for our highly Read More...
Scientists find bear serum could supercharge our muscles, no exercise required
As many faithful gym-goers, as well as those of us who insist on always using the stairs, would say: if you don’t use it, you lose it. Right? Well, new studies led by scientists from Hiroshima University and Hokkaido University in Japan may point to a way to ensure our muscles retain their Read More...
“Count Down” ー Protecting our bodies and our fertility in the modern age
“Hormones get no respect. We think of them as the elusive chemicals that make us a bit moody, but these magical little molecules do so much more.” - Susannah Cahalan, Author, Brain on Fire Most of us know to wash our produce before eating it and not to microwave plastic, but what about Read More...
Earthworms: a natural solution to farms’ wastewater
Royal Dairy in Royal City, Washington has a problem that's common to dairy farms. The hundreds of millions of gallons of water used by their dairy and beef cows eventually become wastewater carrying animal waste, nitrates, and other harmful chemicals into the groundwater which people could one day Read More...
Playing video games benefit key regions of the brain
A recent study from Georgia State University found that sensorimotor decision-making skills were superior in regular video game players to those that didn’t play video games. Gaming in the name of health “Video games are played by the overwhelming majority of our youth for more than three Read More...
Sierra Leone backs bill to legalize abortion—a “monumental step forward”
The current laws surrounding maternal health, abortion, and contraceptive services in the West African country of Sierra Leone were adopted in 1861—a century before it won its independence from Britain. In the past, there were attempts at reforming the colonial-era legislation, including in 2015 Read More...
Study lays out ways to enhance Indigenous health
In Australia, Indigenous communities experience poorer health than other Australians and often die at much younger ages. This is due to Indigenous Australians being more likely to have mental health problems, chronic diseases - such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic kidney disease - Read More...
These four small habits reduce the risk of stroke
Our small daily actions all contribute to our long-term health, especially when it comes to strokes. 80 percent of strokes are preventable, so lifestyle choices that reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels can go a long way in reducing your risk. With that in mind, here are four small things Read More...
This herb helps postmenopausal women age better
Aging gracefully is an art that involves maintaining good health—but, as we age, our bodies become more vulnerable and will need extra attention. In the case of postmenopausal women, reduced estrogen makes it more likely that they will experience oxidative stress, which is an indication of the Read More...