Science, Health and Well-being

Obesity and overweight are major health issues in the United States. The groundbreaking discovery of new weight-loss drugs is transforming the perception of obesity and its treatment. Stigma is gradually giving way to the concept of obesity as a treatable chronic disease.

The craving for junk food is driven by ingredients that activate the brain's pleasure centers.

The Taliban's hard line on gender discrimination has grown even tougher since their ouster from power in 2001. Women rights and educational prospects hit an all-time new low.

Today's society encourages people to devote their 20s on journeys of personal and professional self-discovery and self-fulfillment. Children are seen as a bonus, a milestone to be reached after a long list of achievements: getting a degree, forging a satisfying and well-established career, buying a house, cultivating the ideal romantic partnership.

A recent study investigated the relationship between diet and the gut microbiome in patients with early-onset colorectal cancer, average-onset colorectal cancer and cancer-free or control patients, using machine learning (ML) classifier model software. 

The power of rituals is as profound as it is underappreciated. Mainly because we live in a time-starved culture where rituals are seen as a waste of time. And yet, they improve our well-being by providing an element of predictability in the face of an uncertain future.

Researchers found clues as to why certain types of cancer are on the rise in young adults: ‘accelerated aging’ – when biological age surpasses chronological age – a major risk factor for early-onset cancer.

Repetitive microstresses of everyday life build up in our minds, adding to each other, day after day. Their damaging effects are the result of their inability to trigger the brain's normal stress response that helps us cope. Their long-term effects can prove debilitating to our mental and physical well-being.

Setting and enforcing boundaries in all our relationships is essential. It's a form of self-care: to clearly articulate guidelines/rules/limits on how we want others to behave towards us – it’s fundamental to our well-being and burnout prevention.

Access to education leads to greater opportunities, higher earning potential and upward mobility, especially at a time when the economy relies increasingly on highly skilled workers. Education is key to mental and physical well-being, happiness and longevity

Maintaining a healthy brain all your life is an absolute priority: it's the key to mental and physical health, well-being, happiness and longevity.

Our basic worldviews are fundamental in shaping our self-image, ambitions, behaviors and ultimately our success in life. They have their roots in early childhood are passed on by family, the school system and society. They are often unconsciously reflected in our actions.

More women are following alternative paths to motherhood. Only she knows when she is physically and emotionally ready to give birth and care for a child. That final choice is deeply personal; it’s hers and no one else's.

Midlife is a time of significant change and readjustment of our priorities. Themes of change include our body, our role as family provider, our career, or our ambitions, all of which are deeply relevant to our sense of meaning and purpose in life. These basic building blocks of meaning are at risk of collapsing in midlife.

The significant rise in the number of adolescents and young adults battling mental health challenges may be explained by an increased awareness of mental health issues, a greater openness to seeking help, and an exceptionally stressful life context that exacerbates mental health disorders.

The tradition of patriarchy with its beliefs and values about gender division of labor has its roots in early childhood, through family, society and the school system.

Many of the personal, social, and environmental ills we face are rooted in our obsession with "greatness" as a value. This mindset is based on the premise that only outperformance and excellence are acceptable, when in reality they can sometimes prove irrelevant or counterproductive.

Rapidly aging populations and demographic shifts underscore the reality that aging will affect all of us personally and require care and support for those close to us.

It's time to set more ambitious goals for our health. It's not just about adding years to life but also adding life to years. 

Why? We are more likely to develop emotional resilience by being gentle with ourselves than by boosting our ego with harsh self-criticism.

Positive behaviors (words, attitudes, interactions) make a difference, but it is crucial to avoid negativity that irrevocably damages the health and sustainability of a relationship.

The concept of outgrowing old versions of ourselves isn’t new: we grow out of old beliefs as our worldview expands; we grow out of habits or routines that no longer make sense for our lives.

Mastering life’s challenges starts with revisiting our perception of time. We mistakenly think that our life is linear, but it is in fact cyclical and mirrors the cycle of nature.

Preserving cognitive function, especially executive cognitive function, is key to continued independent living for seniors, as it improves mental flexibility, working memory and inhibitory control. These functions rely on neurobiological mechanisms that support the relationship between positive health behaviors and cognitive abilities.

Our imagination is not reliable in helping us to figure out what will make us happy in the future or even what has made us happy in the past. Because of logic-processing errors our brains tend to make, we misestimate our future satisfactions. However, we find ways to adapt to circumstances and create our own happiness.

Have you ever wondered where your emotions come from? We have much more power over our feelings than we imagine. This awareness alone is a powerful tool to reclaim control over what is getting us down or holding us back.

The awareness that the brain is malleable and can evolve empowers anyone who makes deliberate and repeated learning efforts to rewire their brain for maximum benefit.

The structures and functional capabilities of our brain are not fixed; the brain can reorganize, develop, and change in response to new experiences. A healthy lifestyle, combining diet and exercise, promotes neuroplasticity and improves our memory and cognitive performance.

Mind-body interactions are a two-way street. Our mental health or distress affects our physical well-being, while our physical health or discomfort may influence our mental health.

We often believe that passion is an essential component of success and well-being. However, researchers differentiate between two qualitatively distinct types of passion; harmonious passion and obsessive passion, both intended to improve performance, but with opposite results.

Early adversity, manifested by insensitive, unpredictable, and unresponsive caregivers, leads to numerous neurobiological abnormalities in the developing brain and an inappropriate response of our body to stress, which is believed to be implicated in the development of substance abuse.

In "What Happened to You?", Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry explore the crucial role of early childhood experiences in shaping the people we become: our strengths, weaknesses and unique responses to daily events reflect what happened to us. They conclude that the power of meaningful connections with others is essential to offset the impact of early trauma.

In "What Happened to You?", Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry explore the impact of early childhood experiences on the biology of our brains and the people we become. Their scientific and emotional insights help us understand how our personal journey influences the development, organization, and functioning of our brain – determining how we deal with stress, make decisions, and relate to others. To defeat the effects of trauma and adversity, they advocate shifting the focus from "What's wrong with you?" to "What happened to you?” This is a subtle but fundamental shift in our perspective on trauma that opens the door to resilience and healing.

Life is an individual adventure: discover how freedom of choice, a sense of control and autonomy can significantly increase your happiness.

Working with emotions, not against them, is essential to creating the willpower needed to overcome obstacles and setbacks.

In the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, millions of people maxed out their disaster quota and are eager to move on from the pandemic. But emotional wounds still run deep and will take time to heal.

Learning how to discern and experience the full range of our emotional landscape comes with huge rewards. Do you embrace all your emotions – positive and negative?

Research shows that casual interactions with strangers or acquaintances are equally important in restoring our sense of well-being and belonging as connecting with family and friends.

Research confirms that loneliness is multidimensional and that its resolution requires a multifaceted therapeutic approach.

Aging affects all of us. Understanding the dynamics of aging, its impact on our daily lives and a few tips to stay in control is the topic of this post.

Having “meaningful interpersonal relationships”, more than money or fame, is what keeps people healthy and happy throughout their lives. Discover the evidence gathered over eight decades that supports this affirmation.

To thrive we need a direction and goals to look forward to; a clear sense of purpose allows us to find meaning in our lives. Finding and Reinventing Life’s Purpose Indefinitely is critical.

Focus on the activities that are most critical to your happiness!