Bridging the gap between research and real life
The evidence clearly shows that having a sense of purpose—no matter what that is—is good for us. Research shows that having a sense of purpose leads to better health outcomes for older adults, improves our daily mood and physical well-being, and is even associated with increased financial earnings.
Now researchers are delving more into how having a sense of purpose plays out in the lives of individual people. [Read more…]
Chances are that someone you love has experienced depression. Approximately 8 percent of U.S. adults – some 21 million people – have a major depressive disorder each year. For people under age 18, depression is the most common cause of hospitalization. [Read more…]
If you pay attention to diet trends, you’ve likely heard of—or maybe even tried—the keto diet.
The ketogenic diet involves eating a high percentage of fat and few carbohydrates. This forces the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, which involves burning fat for energy instead of glucose. The diet also leads to lower blood sugar and insulin levels. [Read more…]
The term trigger warning was coined in the late 1990s on feminist Internet message boards, where it cautioned readers about graphic depictions of crimes, typically rape. The idea was to help emotionally prepare readers for difficult content and allow them to opt out and avoid the content altogether. [Read more…]
More than four years after the first humans became infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, scientists understand more than ever before about how COVID-19 affects people. Beyond respiratory symptoms, COVID can lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, and even eye infections. We’ve also learned that people can experience long COVID, which involves continued symptoms for months or even years after they initially get sick. [Read more…]
Experiencing depression during pregnancy or the first year after a child is born significantly increases a woman’s risk of attempting suicide or dying by suicide, according to two new large studies. [Read more…]
An estimated one in 11 U.S. adults will experience post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, in their lifetimes.
PTSD occurs when people have intense and disturbing thoughts and feelings related to a previous traumatic experience. These can arrive in the form of nightmares or flashbacks and often make them feel like they are reliving a terrifying event. PTSD affects a person’s ability to function in everyday life, and it can persist for years. [Read more…]
When out and about, you may have heard parents shouting at their children. In fact, few people make it all the way through parenthood without ever yelling. But a new systematic review finds that regular verbal abuse—including shouting, threatening, belittling, humiliating, and name-calling—has negative consequences for children that can last a lifetime. [Read more…]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 2.6 million Americans identify as transgender, meaning their gender identity is different from the sex assigned to them at birth.
When transgender people seek medical therapy, they most commonly receive gender-affirming hormone therapy, which involves taking hormones to develop physical characteristics that better match their gender identity. Feminizing hormone therapy can trigger the development of breasts, help redistribute body fat to the hips and thighs, and lead to thinning of facial and body hair. Masculinizing hormone therapy can lead to a deeper voice, the redistribution of body fat away from hips and thighs, increased body and facial hair, increased muscle mass, and changes to the menstrual cycle.
For many people, hearing familiar Christmas jingles and seeing decorations galore in stores inspires happiness and excitement. But for others, the arrival of the holiday season can trigger feelings of apprehension, anxiety, and sometimes dread. [Read more…]
If you aren’t already convinced that exercise is the best way to improve health outcomes as you age, there is now even more evidence to bolster that case. [Read more…]
Advice on how to cultivate happiness is hard to avoid. Magazines, online news outlets, and television news tout the best ways to improve your mood and boost contentment. Often making the list: exercise, smiling (even when you don’t feel happy), and meditation. [Read more…]
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