Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 169
Throughout the Yangtze River Delta, a region in southern China famed for its widespread rice production, farmers grow belts of slender green stalks. Before they reach several feet tall and turn golden brown, the grassy plants soak in muddy, waterlogged fields for months. Along the rows of submerged plants, levees store and distribute a steady supply of water that farmers source from nearby canals. This traditional practice of flooding paddies to raise the notoriously thirsty c...
About two millennia ago, the Greek physicians Hippocrates and Galen suggested that melancholia—depression brought on by an excess of "black bile" in the body—contributed to cancer. Since then, scores of researchers have investigated the association between cancer and the mind, with some going as far as to suggest that some people have a cancer-prone or "Type C" personality. Most researchers now reject the idea of a cancer-prone personality. But they still haven't settled wha...
Parenting makes the heart grow fonder, and the brain grow … smaller? Several studies have revealed that the brain loses volume across the transition to parenthood, Darby Saxbe, a psychology professor at the University of Southern California, writes for The Conversation. But researchers are still figuring out what these changes mean for parents. In a 2024 study that looked at brain change in first-time fathers, Saxbe and her colleagues found that brain volume loss was linked w...
We all know that spending too much time on screens is unhealthy, but do different screens have different impacts on our mental health? The answer, according to a 2025 Hers study, is yes. In fact, one simple question, "Do you prefer streaming TV or scrolling social media?" reveals key differences in our self-perceptions, emotional stability, mental wellness, and more. So which one is better? Well, it's complicated. When it comes to screen time, binge watching Netflix and...
A concussion is a brain injury that occurs when a violent blow or jolt hits the head and causes the brain to strike against the inside of the skull. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), concussions can damage brain cells and lead to dangerous chemical changes within the brain. But is there a difference between a concussion and a traumatic brain injury (TBI)? Learn how to distinguish between this terminology below. And remember, if you have been...
For decades, politicians and gun lobbying organizations have perpetuated the notion that mental health issues drive mass violence. A new study is challenging that narrative, though, showing that, rather than causing acts of violence, exposure to gun violence increased rates of depression among respondents and led to higher use of mental health services, The Trace reports. The study, led by researchers at the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center, surveyed 8,009 respondents...
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a treatable but potentially life-threatening condition. Yet millions of people still lack access to the most effective treatment options. According to recently released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medications for OUD, especially buprenorphine and methadone, can significantly reduce the risk of overdose and improve long-term health outcomes. Despite this, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) remains widely...
The fentanyl epidemic is most closely associated with drug users—often people who became addicted after being prescribed opioids for pain or injury. However, as abuse rates have increased, fentanyl has turned into a crisis for first responders, property managers, and maintenance workers who have to deal with the aftermath, Trauma Services reports. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioids such as fentanyl were involved in 55,529 unintentional o...
In 2021, Chicago launched a counterterrorism initiative to teach city employees to respond to life-threatening injuries caused by dangerous events, like mass shootings. To do that, the city installed more than 1,000 blood control kits in over 500 municipal buildings. Since then, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications has grown the program by partnering with other agencies and departments. The expanded effort, community leaders say, serves a critical purpose:...
Aspiration during surgery doesn't happen often, but when it does, it can cause serious health problems. In some cases, it's the result of a medical error, which could point to malpractice. Patients dealing with a potential malpractice claim often feel confused and unsure about what to do next. If you or someone you care about has experienced aspiration during a procedure, it's important to understand your rights, Fibich Leebron Copeland & Briggs notes. Speaking with a...
Stunning as it may sound, nearly half of Americans ages 20 years and up—or more than 122 million people—have high blood pressure, according to a 2023 report from the American Heart Association. And even if your numbers are normal right now, they are likely to increase as you age; more than three-quarters of Americans age 65 and older have high blood pressure. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Most Americans don...
In the treatment of mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often prescribed as first-line treatments. Among the most popular SSRIs are Zoloft (sertraline) and Lexapro (escitalopram)—each with its own strengths, side effect profiles, and clinical indications. While both drugs are designed to regulate serotonin levels in the brain, understanding their nuanced differences can help patients and clinicians make infor...
With its fizzy bubbles and refreshing taste, sparkling water can be a popular choice for those looking for a healthier alternative to soda and a more enticing option than plain water. So, is sparkling water good for weight loss, too? It can be—that is, however, when paired with a healthy diet and regular exercise. As a zero-calorie substitute for sugary drinks, unflavored (keyword) sparkling water can be a smart way to stay hydrated without adding extra calories. It may a...
Two white men in their 60s live hundreds of miles away from each other, one in Arizona and the other in Washington state. They are the same age and have identical socioeconomic backgrounds. They also have similar habits and are in roughly the same physical shape. But the man in Arizona is aging more quickly than the man in Washington — 14 months faster, to be exact. Neither man smokes or drinks. Both exercise regularly. So why is the subject living in the desert Southwest m...
Recently, social media has become home to many natural, over-the-counter alternatives to popular weight loss medications. One example is psyllium husk, a fibrous powder that's been dubbed "the poor man's Ozempic." Sure, it doesn't require an Rx and is budget-friendly. But is psyllium husk for weight loss actually legit? Here, Ro takes a closer look at what science says about psyllium husk for weight loss, then covers what you should keep in mind should you give the ingredient...
Many ominous ills are likely curable, especially if you have insurance. Without it, patients can find themselves facing life-threatening consequences, as physician Ricardo Nuila, an associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told Public Health Watch. Nuila had a stage 1 cancer patient who lost his insurance just as he was to receive treatment. "Without insurance, [my patient] was given the run-around for months by his doctors," Nuila said. By...
Life can get incredibly busy, and keeping up often hinges on having enough energy. But energy isn't always in high supply, leaving many wondering how to boost their energy. Recent data from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) revealed that 13.5 percent of U.S. adults feel exhausted most days—and among women, it's closer to 20 percent. While it might be comforting to know others are struggling, persistent feelings of fatigue can be frustrating. So, what g...
Insulin resistance is a growing health concern worldwide, linked to a variety of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Alzheimer's disease, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disorders. As medical professionals and researchers continue searching for effective treatments, a drug called Ozempic (semaglutide) has emerged as a potential therapy. Originally approved for type 2 diabetes management, Ozempic has shown promising results in improving...
Microplastics in single-use water bottles, phthalates in nail polish, and BPA in canned food containers—it's hard to avoid questionable chemicals in today's world. With so many potential dangers in everyday objects, consumers may feel rightfully overwhelmed. And it certainly doesn't help that some companies have chosen to tout their supposedly environmentally safe products and processes, even as other parts of their business harm the environment—a practice called "gr...
Rats are, in many ways, better adapted to cities than the humans that built them. While urbanites struggle with crowds, sparse parking spaces, and their upstairs neighbors stomping around at 4 a.m., rats are living their best lives. Huddled safely underground, they pop up at night to chew through heaps of food waste in dumpsters and hot dogs left on stoops. Now, scientists have found yet another gnawing advantage for rats, Grist reports. A study published in January in the...
Telemedicine has been viewed as a potential equalizer to health care access, but as the policies from the COVID-19 pandemic wind down, people who need it most continue to have the least access to the service. Pandemic-era policies rapidly expanded access to telehealth—also known as telemedicine—which allowed patients to consult remotely with health care providers using video or phone calls. This applied to those with or without private health insurance, according to an ana...
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a disorder that affects the large intestine and can cause a variety of uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms. While multiple things can trigger flare-ups, diet is a major component. Alcoholic beverages can worsen IBS symptoms, reports SaveHealth, a prescription discount website. The way in which alcohol might affect a person with IBS varies. If you decide to drink, pay attention to how it affects you and to the contents of the drink....
Everyone's guilty of procrastinating sometimes—even the ancient Greeks and Romans did it. That said, it's one thing to put off a task for a little while. It's another to chronically avoid doing things until the absolute last minute. Wysa researched the psychology behind procrastination, what makes people do it, and how they can work to overcome it. According to the Association for Psychological Science, procrastination comes in two forms: habitual and situational. The l...
"Aging is inevitable; growing old is a choice," wrote the author Joseph Rain, and many people tend to agree. Whether you envision your golden years filled with travel, gardening, tasting wine at Sunday fairs, or learning how to surf with your grandkids, the key to a happy, thriving "future you" lies in the daily choices "present you" makes every day. That doesn't mean your DNA doesn't matter; good genes help. But don't assume long-living relatives in your family tree are a...
Inflation has started to cool but prices remain high, and that's taking a toll on Americans' budgets. According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, food costs have been particularly impacted (up 2.2% from the year before in July), causing people to rethink their grocery lists and shopping habits. Companies say customers are searching for savings anywhere they can, which has spurred big names like Amazon, Best Buy, and Nordstrom to offer more generous...
