The twin epidemics of autoimmune disease and mental illness are linked to local biodiversity loss. — You are a person. You are also an ecosystem. Your skin, gut, orifices, and organs are collectively home to trillions of microorganisms. These microorganisms are not freeloaders. They contribute to your health in crucial ways, many of which science is only beginning to understand. For example, we now know that…

A Yale psychiatrist explains the remedies for “frontal fatigue.” — Your brain doesn’t much resemble an onion, but it does have layers. The innermost layers and structures (sometimes called the “lizard brain”) are thought to have evolved first. These parts play a strong role in appetite, fear, fight-or-flight responses, and the other brain functions we share with all vertebrates. ‘If…

A confidential interview with one of America’s leading cardiologists. — Not long ago , I wrote a piece about the “lab leak theory” and the origins of SARS-CoV-2. I knew I was handling delicate and controversial subject matter, and so I offered my sources anonymity in exchange for their candid opinions. I’d never written a story like that before —…

Think of it as mindfulness training — with a soundtrack. — In the movie Amadeus, there’s a famous scene where Antonio Salieri, Mozart’s jealous rival, describes the brilliance of one of Mozart’s compositions. “The beginning simple, almost comic,” Salieri says. “Just a pulse. Bassoon, basset horn . . . and then suddenly, high above it, an oboe — a single note…

The answer depends on how much you’re having. — When I was fresh out of college and working in software sales, I took a trip to my company’s branch office in St. Louis. The company’s CFO — a triathlete and fitness nut — was also on the trip, and I still remember his alarm when he saw the 64-ounce…

Not all forms of physical activity are equal, and more isn’t always better. — They say you can’t run from your problems. But if your problems are psychological, perhaps you can. A lot of research has shown that exercise is protective against a variety of mental health conditions. “In general, exercise interventions — regardless of type, frequency, or duration — help relieve psychiatric symptoms,”…

Downplaying sex-based differences in biology or the risks of obesity are examples of how health journalism is being coopted by ideology. — Late last month, research appearing in JAMA Internal Medicine explored the leading risk factors for long Covid (also known as post−COVID-19 condition, or PCC). According to that study, the standout risk factors for long Covid are sex, age, bodyweight, smoking status, and pre-existing health conditions. “In particular, female sex, older…

Low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression promote impulse purchases, which power many of the internet’s profit machines. — During the early days of the pandemic, a lot of people were stuck at home feeling freaked out, isolated, and vulnerable. Those turned out to be boom times for online retailers. Compared to the year before the pandemic, E-commerce sales surged by 43% in 2020, according to figures from the…

Just a few seconds of activity once or twice an hour may be enough, research finds. — Last weekend I watched the movie Wall-E with my kids. I hadn’t seen it in years, and I’d forgotten how it depicts humans of the future as hovercraft-bound blobs who spend their days staring at screens, relying on AI-powered robots do all the work. The movie is set in 2805…