Celebrate International Joke Day: July 1st The good news is that it’s true: laughter brings about all sorts of positive things. It relieves stress, depression, and anxiety. It strengthens the immune system, boosts mood, and reduces pain. Laughing elicits a cocktail of hormones, releasing endorphins, which are chemicals that block the perception of pain and […]
Many herbs used in cooking and teas have medicinal properties. Oregano, for example, is an excellent cough suppressant. Rosemary has been used to relieve muscle aches, and thyme is effective against upset stomach and diarrhea. Mint is known as a remedy for digestive problems. It’s important to note, though, that despite the fact that herbs […]
Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki gave a 13-minute TED Talk on the “brain-changing benefits of exercise” in March 2018 that millions of people have since seen. What she had to say – the result of her research and personal experience – bears repeating for the good of all. In sum, exercise is the most transformative thing that […]
As the world’s population grows, so does the need for proteins to ensure healthy diets. But current practices to produce protein, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products, are unsustainable and harmful for the environment. Whether red or white, meats require prodigious amounts of water to produce them, both to raise the animals […]
Kenyan humanitarian Umra Omar has put her entrepreneurial spirit and energy into a social enterprise that provides healthcare to marginalized and indigenous communities within the Lamu Archipelago in Kenya. The archipelago is a group of 65 islands over 6,474 square kilometers (around 2,500 square miles) near the northern coast of Kenya. Omar’s organization, Safari Doctors, […]
Have you ever heard of forest therapy or forest bathing? Do you know anything about phytoncides? These are all about making you healthier in an incredibly simple way. Forest therapy is “healing and wellness through immersion in forests and other natural environments.” It’s about allowing your body and psyche to be at peace in the […]
According to the WWF’s Living Blue Planet Report, more than half of the world’s coral reefs have died in the past 30 years due to climate change, overfishing and pollution. “Over 25 per cent of all marine species live in coral reefs, yet they cover an area about half the size of France.” Increasing pressure […]
There is good news surrounding the COVID-19 crisis. It has brought out the best in societies: solidarity among neighbors, colleagues and health professionals, and emergency relief and treatments. And its lessons are clear, despite taking hundreds of thousands of lives and creating the worst economic recession since the 1930s, resulting in lost employment, income, health, […]
Normally, protectors and defenders of the homeless in New York provide them with food and shelter or other necessities. But a few weeks ago, the international, independent medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders began giving them cell phones. The organization handed out 1,000 donated phones with two months’ unlimited texts and calls. Each phone displays […]
Studies show that animals have evolved mechanisms for protecting themselves from infection and illness. Did you know, for example, that chimpanzees eat plants not just for their nutritional value, but to ward off disease? This is important for humans because we share about 99% of our DNA with these animals, making them our closest living relatives. So instead […]
