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Salmon Taco Bowls with Homemade Spanish Rice
Recipes 
The Healthiest Types of Apples, Ranked by What’s Inside
Not all apples are exactly alike. Here's how six grocery-store favorites compare on fiber, sugar, polyphenols, and what's in the peel.
Nutrition 
Could Beet Juice Give Your Workout a Boost?
You Should Know: The latest performance drink is blood-red and might taste a little like dirt. A growing body of evidence indicates beet juice is more than just a trendy beverage: Drinking it before exercising could improve your workout and support recovery. Going Deeper: Beets are packed with a potent combination of antioxidants and nitrate — a naturally occurring chemical in some foods that converts to nitric oxide when eaten. Nitric oxide helps widen blood vessels and improve blood flow and oxygen delivery to working muscles, and it may also help with lung function. It also strengthens contractions to power explosive movements like sprinting or jumping in fast-twitch muscles. Takeaway: Research suggests nitrate can help you sustain effort for longer by improving endurance and power, although results vary by type of exercise — recent research suggests small improvements in VO2 max, while benefits for muscular strength have been less consistent. Studies have been conducted with concentrated 70-ml shots to 500 mL of beet juice. The most benefit comes from drinking it about two to three hours before a workout. Bottom Line: Beet juice is not a magic potion that will turn you into an Olympic-caliber athlete on its own, but […]
Fitness 
8 Things Dentists Wish You’d Stop Doing to Your Teeth
Personal Growth 
8 Fermented Foods for Gut Health That Actually Do Something
Fermented foods like kimchi, kefir, and sauerkraut deliver live bacteria that can boost gut microbiome diversity. Here are 8 of the best options and how to start adding them to your diet.
Nutrition 
The Best Water Filters for Microplastics
Most water filters won't stop microplastics, no matter what the marketing claims. Here's which filter types actually catch them, from reverse osmosis systems to carbon blocks, and how to store your filtered water so it stays that way.
Personal Growth
Fitness
Nutrition
Sleep
For Brain Health, These Two Types of Exercise May Matter Most
Brain Game: We know that exercise is good for both the brain and body. When it comes to brain health over the lifespan, the latest research gets a bit more granular, suggesting that different types of training may trigger different biological pathways involved in brain health. The Study: A new review in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living examined research on how exercise affects the brain across the lifespan, with particular attention to two molecules: BDNF, which supports neuronal health, learning, and memory, and IGF-1, which is involved in brain maintenance and repair. The review found that aerobic exercise had the strongest connection with BDNF, with research pointing to challenging cardio — roughly 65% or more of maximum effort, two to three times weekly, for at least 40 minutes — as a particularly strong stimulus. Resistance training, meanwhile, appeared to influence IGF-1, with frequency seeming to matter more than workout intensity or duration. Takeaway: To support brain health over the course of your life, don’t succumb to “cardio versus weights.” Instead, try to make room for both. Keep in Mind: This was a narrative review combining studies of different designs, including animal research. The molecular pathways are promising, but they […]
Fitness 
Getting Fit Before Surgery Could Mean Fewer Complications After
Exercise Is Medicine: Exercise offers countless perks, and most of us exercise to feel good and, of course, to look good. But new research points to yet another benefit beyond general health and fitness: how well your body handles surgery. This finding is important, since about two in three will need a major operation someday. Getting fit before surgery even has a name now: prehabilitation, or prehab. The Study: Researchers pooled 42 studies of 4,825 adults who did aerobic exercise before major surgery. Patients in 30 studies trained under supervision at a hospital or exercise facility, and those in the other 12 mostly worked out at home without medical supervision. Supervised exercise was linked to about 40% lower odds of complications after surgery. When supervised exercise included high-intensity workouts, the association strengthened. The Takeaway: Exercising before surgery may help your body cope, especially when a pro is guiding your workouts, perhaps even more so if you do intense supervised exercise. Keep in Mind: No study compared supervised and home workouts directly, and supervised programs were usually more intense, so supervision itself may not be the secret ingredient. Either way, it appears that a fitter body handles surgery better.
Fitness 
Core Exercises That Help Protect Your Back
Crunches aren't enough to protect your spine. Learn the difference between your core and your abs, and discover six core stabilization exercises, including the curl-up, side plank, bird dog, dead bug, glute bridge, and prone plank, that build endurance, control, and stability to lower your risk of back injury.
Fitness 
Why Runners Are Drinking — and Spitting Out — Their Carbs
The Trend: Fall marathon season has begun, with a few of the biggest in the country happening in October and November. Rather than sucking down a gel, you might see marathoners and other athletes skipping actual food and drinking — and spitting out — a liquid carb solution instead. What People Are Saying: Usually toward the end of a game or long race, athletes take a swig, swish it around like mouthwash, then spit it out. This is called carb rinsing, and by activating the brain through nerves in the mouth, it “tricks” the body into feeling like it has more energy. Carb rinsing can be done with an energy drink or a solution containing carbohydrates like maltodextrin, an easily digestible carb made from starch. Some rinses also contain caffeine or menthol. What to Know: Studies have found that carb rinsing can provide a small, quick performance boost, particularly during longer or more intense exercise. A carb rinse is probably not necessary if you’re on a short morning jog, but it’s generally safe to try during a race if you feel like you need an energy boost — just make sure you don’t accidentally spit on your competition when you’re doing […]
Fitness 
12 Healthy Snacks for Work That Actually Keep You Full
Skip the vending machine at 3 p.m. These 12 healthy snacks for work pair protein and fiber to keep you full, and most are easy to portion and keep at your desk.
Nutrition 
The Overlooked Berry That Could Be Good for Your Gut
Berry Berry Good: When it comes to berries, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries get the most attention. But new research points to the health benefits of mulberries—specifically, how the compounds in them can help the gut microbiome to support intestinal health and metabolism. The Study: Researchers from Wroclaw Medical University in Poland conducted a narrative review of past animal and in vitro studies examining the active plant compounds in mulberry fruit and leaves. Most research has been done on white mulberries, but black ones also had notable, though different, results. The compound DNJ in mulberry leaves supports carbohydrate metabolism. Black mulberry fruit is rich in anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Beneficial bacteria increased from the fermentation of mulberries in the guts of mice. The Takeaway: The effect on the gut microbiome and metabolism was largely dependent on the variety of mulberry and how it was prepared. Fruit from the same plant behaved differently depending on how it was extracted and dried. Dual compounds produced stronger benefits, such as in mice when polyphenols and polysaccharides from white mulberries were combined. Keep In Mind: The review included data from in vitro and animal studies, but the findings haven’t been confirmed in […]
Nutrition 
“Functional” Drinks Promise More Than Just Hydration
The Trend: Years ago, a wellness drink meant a shot of wheatgrass in a funky juice bar. Now, “functional” shots are one of the biggest beverage trends around — and it’s a market that’s expected to grow from $6.6 billion in 2026 to $19 billion by 2033. Functional beverages promise benefits beyond basic nutrition, from helping you focus to boosting your mood. And these shot versions are marketed as convenient, single-dose alternatives pills or powders. What People Are Saying: Functional drinks have become more popular as more people look for alternatives to alcohol, soda, and energy drinks. Many contain adaptogenic and nootropic ingredients including L-theanine, ashwagandha, and lion’s mane, which are marketed for benefits including focus and relaxation. Others contain vitamins, minerals, CBD, probiotics, and more to improve sleep, energy, immunity — you name it. What to Know: Even though they’re marketed as being healthy, functional drinks might not be right for everyone. Like supplements, some functional drinks contain ingredients that aren’t closely regulated. Herbal ingredients can interfere with medications, and excessive amounts of certain vitamins and minerals can cause side effects.
Nutrition 
Fermented Foods Keep Working Even After the Bacteria Stops
Gut Feeling: Kimchi and yogurt are known as gut-friendly foods because they contain probiotics. But a new review from Saudi Arabia suggests those live cultures may be getting too much credit, and that the compounds the bacteria leave behind are what’s really beneficial. The Study: In this narrative review published in Frontiers in Nutrition, a researcher examined more than two decades of studies on fermented foods and metabolic health. As microbes ferment food, they break it down into new substances called postbiotics (short-chain fatty acids that help strengthen the gut lining). These compounds stay biologically active even after the microbes that made them have died. The Takeaway: This means foods like pasteurized sauerkraut can still do you some good. And eating a variety of fermented foods across categories (think everything from kefir to miso) gives you a wider range of these compounds. Pairing them with fiber-rich plants will get you bonus points, since your gut bacteria feed off the roughage. Keep in Mind: Some of the most dramatic results come from animal studies, which don’t always hold up in people. How much you benefit may also depend on the bacteria already in your gut.
Nutrition 
Too Little Sleep, and Too Much, Increases Disease Risk
The Goldilocks Zone: When it comes to sleep, getting by on as little as possible isn’t ideal — but apparently, neither is getting too much. New research suggests there may be a middle ground where sleep and healthy aging intersect. The Study: Researchers analyzed sleep data from nearly 500,000 UK Biobank participants ages 37 to 84, comparing self-reported sleep duration with 23 biological aging “clocks” based on brain imaging, blood proteins, and metabolites. Across nine brain and body systems, they found a U-shaped relationship: biological age gaps were smallest among people sleeping roughly 6.4 to 7.8 hours, with men’s optimal range being about one-tenth of an hour shorter than women’s. For both sexes, sleeping less than 6 hours or more than 8 hours was associated with larger biological age gaps and higher risks of several diseases and mortality. Takeaway: This is a lesson in “more isn’t always better.” For most adults, consistently getting around seven to eight hours remains a sensible target. Keep in Mind: This was an observational study, and sleep duration was self-reported. The findings show associations, not proof that sleeping a particular number of hours will slow aging. Individual sleep needs also vary.
Sleep 
Grounding Sheets Promise Better Sleep. But Does the Science Hold Up?
The Trend: Walking barefoot through the grass has a whole wellness theory behind it — and now it’s coming to your bed. Grounding, a trend first popularized by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, is the idea that your body soaks up negatively charged electrons from the Earth, which some say calms inflammation and improves sleep. Now, grounding sheets — woven with materials like silver or carbon thread and connected to an outlet — are bringing that belief indoors. What People Are Saying: Fans swear by grounding sheets for helping them experience deeper rest and fewer aches and pains. But research remains thin, and the few studies completed are small and funded by companies that sell grounding products. Plus, the human body already holds about 10 octillion electrons, so the few you’d pick up from a sheet are unlikely to make much of a difference. What to Know: Science doesn’t back the electron theory, and the original version of grounding still costs nothing. So instead of buying fancy sheets, perhaps kick off your shoes and touch grass for real.
Sleep 
ADHD and Sleep: Why Your Body Clock Might Be the Real Problem
Poor sleep is often written off as an ADHD side effect, but new research points to a circadian rhythm mismatch. Here's what the evidence says about ADHD and sleep, screen timing, and how light exposure may help reset your body clock.
Sleep 
Can’t Turn Off Your Brain? Try This Sleep Trick
Wind Down: You finally crawl into bed at the end of the night, but of course your brain decides it’s the perfect moment to replay every awkward thing you said over the past week. Fortunately, yoga nidra is gaining traction as a sleep aid for insomnia. In a new study from India, people who practiced this specific type of guided body scan fell asleep faster and slept longer. How to Do It: Also called “yogic sleep,” yoga nidra is a guided meditation you do lying on your back while a voice slowly turns your attention to different parts of your body as you follow your breath. All you have to do is search for something like “yoga nidra for sleep” on YouTube and follow along. Selecting a 10-minute recording is a good place to start, and falling asleep partway through is totally fine. The Benefits: Compared with a group that got standard sleep hygiene advice, the yoga nidra group in the study slept roughly an hour longer each night and spent less time lying awake after dozing off. Everyone in the study had heart disease, but an earlier study of people with chronic insomnia found that yoga nidra helped them […]
Sleep
Mindfulness
Beauty
Personal Growth
This Simple Mindfulness Trick May Soften Self-Criticism
Your Own Worst Critic: That little voice inside your head that replays every awkward interaction and keeps score of your mistakes can be exhausting. Eventually, those harsh judgments can start to feel like who you really are. However, there’s hope for those of us who are harsh self-critics. A new study tracking the mindfulness of 194 university students for six to eight months suggests a simple mindfulness trick might loosen the grip of what researchers call self-stigma (internalizing negative thoughts about yourself). How To Do It: Next time you start criticizing yourself, stop and instead turn your attention to your breath. There’s no need to change how you’re breathing; the point is just to notice it. Then try naming the harsh thought, so “I messed up” becomes “I’m having the thought that I messed up.” Once you see it as just a thought — not a fact — it’s a lot easier to question whether it’s even true. The Benefits: Students who scored higher on mindfulness had less self-stigma and fewer depressive symptoms months later. They also reported greater well-being, and lower self-stigma helped explain why. Small habits, like paying attention to your breath and naming your thoughts, may help quiet […]
Mindfulness 
Want a Mood Boost? Feed the Birds
Gives You Wings: One of the simplest mood boosters might be sitting outside with a handful of birdseed. It’s always pleasant to watch a little winged creature land on a feeder or flit between branches, and new research suggests that those small encounters with nature may do more than simply brighten your morning. The Study: Researchers at Virginia Tech surveyed 3,658 people in the U.S. and Canada participating in Project FeederWatch, a citizen-science program where people observe and report birds visiting their feeders. Participants completed wellbeing surveys before and after the 2024-25 season. At the end of the season, 95% said feeding and watching birds had positively affected their wellbeing. Researchers identified three potential mechanisms: positive emotions, such as happiness and calm; engagement, or becoming absorbed in the activity; and meaning, including feeling connected to nature or contributing to something beyond yourself. The Takeaway: Bird feeding is a remarkably simple way to build small moments of pleasure and connection into your day. Watching birds can give you something to focus on, pull your attention away from stress, and create a sense of connection with the natural world. Keep in Mind: The study was observational and relied on self-reported experiences, so […]
Mindfulness 
Your Coffee May Boost Your Mood Before You Even Drink It
Mindfulness 
The Double-Cleansing Shower Trend, Explained
The Trend: Taking a shower may seem pretty straightforward, but if you’re washing only once, proponents of “double cleansing” would like a word. The practice is blowing up on #ShowerTok, with fans claiming they smell better and feel more clean and hygienic. Retailers are also getting in on the game, offering double-cleansing product bundles. But some dermatologists think double cleansing may do more harm than good. What People Are Saying: The term “double cleansing” isn’t new, but it was previously reserved for the face and the hair. It makes some sense when it comes to those. The face, in particular, is often laden with makeup, sunscreens, and serums, which can block pores. In that regimen, you start with an oil cleanser to dissolve the products, followed by a water-based cleanser. What to Know: The rest of the skin needs its natural protective layer of oil and lipids to stay healthy. Stripping it away by overcleaning can make skin dry, irritated, and itchy — especially in the colder months when the air is more dry. Dermatologists say a single round of washing, plus once-weekly exfoliation, is sufficient, except when you’re extra-grimy or sweaty.
Beauty 
What Does Collagen Do? The Science Behind the Buzzy Protein
Collagen is the body's most abundant protein, and supplements are everywhere. Here's what collagen does, what the research says about skin and joint benefits, and how to support your natural collagen production.
Beauty 
Why More Women Are Traveling to Turkey for Hair Transplants
Beauty 
Living With Tinnitus? Here’s What Actually Helps
Cut Through the Noise: At least a quarter of people report experiencing tinnitus (the official term for the ringing in your ears you sometimes hear when there’s nothing around making that noise) at some point. For a small number, it becomes chronic, which can be seriously distressing, especially because there’s no cure. But there are solutions to help manage the symptoms, including tips and tricks to drown out the noise or even teach your brain to treat the sound as background noise. How to Do It: It all starts with sound enrichment. An audiologist can create a soundscape like a waterfall or rustling leaves to match your tinnitus pitch, and then you play it through an app or headphones around the clock, sleep included. Using a fan or white noise machine at night in your bedroom can also make it easier to fall asleep. A therapist who practices cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also help change how you react to the ringing and break the stress loop that makes your brain focus on it. The Benefits: Most people see significant improvement after about three months of 24/7 sound enrichment. CBT also has solid evidence behind it and the backing of […]
Personal Growth 
Is Meditation the Key to Happiness? Researchers Say It Might Be
Studies of Buddhist monks suggest years of meditation leave measurable marks on the brain. Here's what the research says about meditation and happiness, and four small habits you can try yourself.
Personal Growth 
How to Boost Your Energy This Autumn
Personal Growth