Healthy Living, Simplified

Could GLP-1s Be Changing Your Fingernails?

Add It to the List: By now, many of the potential side effects of GLP-1 use are well-documented, including digestive issues and hair loss. Recent research may have identified another one: changes to the fingernails, including discoloration and detachment. The Study: In a controlled study including participants from the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, and France, researchers compared 575 people taking GLP-1 medications with 1,329 people with type 2 diabetes and/or obesity who’d never used the drugs. Two-thirds of the GLP-1 users reported some problem with their nails. GLP-1 users were more than four times more likely to experience nail detachment (39%), compared with people who had never taken a GLP-1 (9%). Nail discoloration was also more common among the participants on a GLP-1. The Takeaway: Weight loss might seem like a logical cause, but the researchers found that it didn’t fully explain the nail problems. Even in participants who’d lost weight without taking a GLP-1, the nail issues were significantly more common among the GLP-1 users. As GLP-1 drugs reduce appetite, nutritional deficiencies also likely affect nail health, experts say. Keep in Mind: The study was correlational and did not conclude that GLP-1 use will cause your nails to fall off.

Here’s What Happens to Your Muscles When You Take a Break From the Gym

You Should Know: Life gets busy, and sometimes the gym habit falls apart for a while. Plenty of people come back convinced their muscles have morphed into fat. The good news? There’s no known process in the body that can make that happen; muscle and fat are entirely different types of cells, so one can’t become the other any more than an orange can become an apple. Going Deeper: Here’s what’s actually going on: Muscle cells shrink without regular training, and fat cells can grow if eating habits stay the same while your energy expenditure drops. A 2020 review found fat tissue may also get better at storing energy once exercise stops, though most of that evidence comes from rats. These changes take time, though, and a few weeks off generally won’t lead to noticeable changes in muscle size. Takeaway: The softer look after a break comes from losing some muscle and possibly gaining some fat at the same time. So if you’re taking a gym break, staying generally active helps, as does keeping protein high while cutting calories a bit. Bottom Line: Muscle can’t become fat, so a break won’t erase all your progress.

a woman eating a bowl of high volume low calorie foods like leafy greens and vegetables

13 High-Volume, Low-Calorie Foods That Fill You Up

Mixed dried beans and lentils spilling from a glass jar, examples of high protein high fiber foods

5 High-Protein, High-Fiber Foods That Keep You Full

Most people hit their protein goals but fall short on fiber. These five high-protein, high-fiber foods, from lentils to chia seeds, help you close that gap while keeping you fuller for longer.

a woman watching the clock during her eating window, symbolizing the daily routine behind why I stopped intermittent fasting

Why I Stopped Intermittent Fasting Consistently

Intermittent fasting helped me lose 35 pounds and keep it off, until trail training left me hungry, tired, and reconsidering the tradeoff. Here's why I stopped fasting daily, what I do instead, and what the research actually says about IF's benefits and limits.

Fitness

Nutrition

Sleep

A woman with a cold rests on the couch under a blanket, holding a tissue to her forehead, with a mug and a tissue box nearby. She’s taking a rest day instead of working out while sick.

Working Out While Sick: When to Push and When to Rest

Is working out while sick a good idea? It depends on your symptoms. A runny nose or mild sore throat may be fine for moderate exercise, but chest congestion, stomach bugs, and fevers mean rest. Here’s what the “above the neck” rule and the research say about training when you’re under the weather.

The Fitness Industry’s New Flex is Athletic Performance

The Trend: Washboard abs and bulging biceps once signaled peak fitness, but those traits are sharing the spotlight with a different kind of flex: what your body can actually do. Right now, the fitness industry is all about sprinting, jumping, carrying heavy loads, running long-distances, and powering through a HYROX race. The rise of the “hybrid athlete,” who trains for both strength and endurance, reflects a shift from prioritizing looks to prioritizing performance. What People Are Saying: Social media has turned athletic feats into status symbols, with influencers earning engagement from videos of obstacle-course races, gymnastics movements, calisthenics, and plyometrics. The GLP-1 boom may also be influencing the conversation: as weight loss becomes more accessible for many people, others might feel that a lean physique alone is less distinctive as a fitness marker. Strength, speed, stamina, and coordination offer another way to demonstrate hard-earned ability. What to Know: Training for athleticism is great, but it isn’t automatically healthier than training focused on aesthetics or something else. Plus, viral videos of incredible physical feats can influence people to chase performance before building a foundation. Without that foundation, attempting some of the movements you see on social media can lead to serious […]

What Exactly Is Cupping, and Does It Actually Work?

You Should Know: Cupping therapy uses glass or plastic cups placed on the skin to create suction, drawing tissues upward and leaving those telltale circular marks. Athletes and wellness enthusiasts turn to this therapy for muscle soreness, pain relief, improved circulation, and faster recovery. Some practitioners also claim it helps remove toxins. But does it work? Going Deeper: Cupping has roots in traditional medicine, but modern science hasn’t caught up with all of its claims. Potential benefits include reduced inflammation and increased blood flow. Some research suggests it may provide short-term relief for certain types of pain, including back and neck pain, but much of the research is limited by small sample sizes, inconsistent methods, and difficulty separating cupping’s effects from placebo responses or other treatments. There’s little strong evidence that it speeds athletic recovery, flushes toxins, or delivers lasting benefits, though healthcare providers generally agree it comes with little risk. Takeaway: Cupping offers temporary relief for some people, but it’s not a clinically proven shortcut to better performance or recovery. The marks aren’t toxins leaving the body; they’re caused by capillaries breaking open due to the suction. Cupping can also cause bruising, burns (with fire cupping), skin infections, or scarring. […]

The Simple Trick to Get Your Gut Moving

Back on Track: Okay, this one might be a hard subject to push through, but lots of people can relate, since constipation is one of the most common digestive problems. Beyond the bloating and straining, it can add stress to your day and drag down your productivity. However, relief might be as simple as lacing up your sneakers because a new study from Japan found a short walk can get your gut moving within minutes. How to Do It: Researchers had 21 healthy young adults walk on a treadmill for 20 minutes at whatever pace felt comfortable, so there’s no need to power walk. They saw an immediate increase in gut motility, so next time things feel a bit stalled, try a 20-minute stroll at an easy pace. Moving more in general can help too, since active people tend to have healthier bowel function. The Benefits: The team used an electronic stethoscope to listen to bowel sounds, the gurgles made as gas and fluid move through your gut. Within a minute or two of finishing, those sounds nearly doubled in strength and showed up more often. While the results didn’t last long, researchers suspect the natural bounce of walking may […]

A hand adds a teaspoon of pumpkin spice to a mixing bowl of pumpkin purée and milk, the start of o

Pumpkin Spice and Apple: Healthy Fall Desserts Worth Making

Pumpkin and apple add flavor, fiber, and a little real nutrition to dessert. Here are six healthy fall desserts worth making, from muffins to apple crisp.

a smiling woman at a table eating easy healthy breakfast ideas: a fried egg, toast with greens, and a yellow mug of coffee.

Easy Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Busy Mornings

Mornings don’t need to be complicated. Here are eight easy healthy breakfast ideas built on protein and fiber, most ready in five minutes or less.

Do Processed Foods Raise Cancer Risk?

Gut Check: We’ve heard a lot about the potential dangers of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their link to many serious health conditions, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. UPFs now account for about more than half of the calories consumed by the average American. But one recent study has found no connection to UPFs and colorectal cancer (CRC), complicating some previous research on the topic. The Study: Researchers from the National Cancer Institute reviewed self-reported dietary-intake data from 461,682 U.S. adults aged 50 to 71 who’d enrolled in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study in 1995 through 1996. The median UPF intake was 1,000 calories per day or 43% of daily caloric intake. All participants were cancer-free at the time of their enrollment and were followed through 2018 to determine which of them developed CRC. Researchers determined that UPF intake was not associated with CRC incidence. The Takeaway: Not all UPFs are equal. Whole grains, fiber, dairy, and calcium from UPF sources were inversely tied to CRC incidence, but processed meat was positively associated with CRC incidence, in keeping with current nutrition guidelines. Keep In Mind: The study was observational, so no causation can be drawn from the findings.

Wooden bowl of white crystals on a table, illustrating xylitol and heart attack risk

The Common Sweetener Linked to Heart Attack and Stroke Risk

A new observational study links higher blood levels of xylitol to more heart attacks and strokes. Here’s what the research found and what it can’t tell us yet.

How to Find the Ideal Amount of Sleep for You (It May Not Be 8 Hours)

Sleepy Head: At this point, eight hours is practically synonymous with a good night’s sleep, so constantly falling short can feel like a personal failure. But new research suggests that the standard recommendation isn’t right for everyone. A year-long study of 462 adults found that a personal sleep threshold more accurately predicted how people felt the next day. Finding your sweet spot starts with figuring out your own normal, and it might not be the typical 8 hours. How to Do It: For a couple of weeks, track when you fall asleep and wake up, either by wearing a wearable or a simple log using pen and paper. Also take note of your mood and how you feel. Then find the amount of sleep you get most often (not the number you “should” be getting), and notice how your mood and focus feel the next day. That feedback reveals more than the number on your sleep tracker, and logging your headspace allows you to see patterns develop over time. The Benefits: It’s no secret that good sleep — in both quantity and quality — makes a world of difference in how we feel. But it’s about more than that. Prolonged […]

A Few Drops of This Essential Oil Could Help You Sleep

Burning the Midnight Oil?: Lavender has long been a go-to aroma for relaxation and sleep, but a less-familiar essential oil may present another option. A small study recently found an association between Japanese Hinoki root oil and improved sleep. The Study: Japanese researchers developed a blind crossover study to examine the effects of essential oil distilled from the root of the Hinoki (Japanese cypress) tree. 12 Japanese women ages 35 to 60 spent two weeks smelling Hinoki oil before bed and two weeks sniffing an unscented control. They inhaled three drops of oil in a paper cup for 10 seconds, then placed it 30 centimeters away overnight. Participants wore headbands to record brain waves and wristbands to track sleep, and completed a questionnaire each morning to report how they slept and how they felt upon waking. The Takeaway: Repeated exposure to Hinoki root oil was linked to better morning alertness and less fatigue. The sleep trackers and headbands recorded fewer nighttime awakenings and brain-wave changes associated with smoother sleep progression. Keep in Mind: The findings came from a very small pilot study, so it’s too soon to say whether the oil will meaningfully improve sleep for a broader population. While […]

Can Blue Light Glasses Actually Help With Sleep and Eye Strain?

You Should Know: Blue light is often blamed for everything from tired eyes to headaches and sleepless nights. Blue light–blocking glasses seem like an easy fix, but research has found they may not live up to the hype. Going Deeper: Not all blue light is bad — and not all of it comes from screens. The biggest source of blue light is the sun, and it plays a role in normal vision and helps regulate the body’s internal clock. But when we stare at a screen, we blink less and focus for too long on close-up objects, which dry out the cornea. Experts say these factors, rather than blue light itself, are more likely to explain digital eye strain and screen-related headaches. Takeaway: When it comes to sleep, wearing the glasses before bed may help some people, but the evidence is still mixed. Evening light exposure is what disrupts melatonin production and affects sleep — and blue wavelengths are particularly effective at doing so. However, the brightness, timing, and amount of light exposure also matter. Bottom Line: Taking regular screen breaks, not sitting too close to screens, and dimming them and other lights at night are practical ways to reduce […]

The Military Sleep Method: Does It Actually Work?

The military sleep method is a five-step relaxation technique that promises to help you fall asleep in just two minutes. Learn how it works, what the research says about its building blocks, and whether it’s worth adding to your bedtime routine.

Mindfulness

Beauty

Personal Growth

Women Experience More Pain Than Men, Global Study Finds

Pain Gap: Pain is the biggest contributor to disability worldwide, but it’s very difficult to measure. There’s no objective biomarker for pain, so it’s entirely self-reported and subjective. But a new study of pain data from more than six million people worldwide found that women consistently experience pain more than men. The Study: Researchers “harmonized” self-reported pain data from 902 studies of more than six million people aged 5 to over 100 from 118 countries to determine how pain was distributed globally and across the lifespan. Women’s self-reported pain was higher than men’s at every bodily site that was studied. Women’s pain also rose steeply before age 55, during prime career and reproductive years. The Takeaway: The gender pain gap is real. Research has shown women experience more pain and that their pain is more likely to be dismissed, underdiagnosed, and undertreated — especially in Black women. Experts say being proactive about pain management can help women, but that the medical community also must address its own bias and gaps in education. Keep in Mind: Pain metrics varied across the included studies, but experts say these limitations don’t affect the overall pattern of pain that emerged.

Mindfulness

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

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.

a woman gently touching her cheek, showing how collagen supplements may support skin health.

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.

Why More Women Are Traveling to Turkey for Hair Transplants

Being Lonely and Isolated May Steal Years of Good Health

Better Together: Fair warning, this one is a bit of a bummer. Apparently, roughly half of American adults feel lonely, and almost as many are socially isolated. So Tulane researchers set out to determine what this trend is costing us in terms of healthy years of life, and their answer is pretty heartbreaking. The Study: The team followed more than 277,000 adults ages 40 to 69 who started out free of major chronic diseases. Using age 50 as a baseline, they estimated how many disease-free years people could expect. Unsurprisingly, the biggest hit was to mental health: Men who were both lonely and isolated could expect 5.8 fewer years without depression or anxiety than men who were neither, and for women it was 3.7 fewer. However, physical health took a hit, too (albeit a smaller one), with women having 2.4 fewer disease-free years and 1.7 for men. The Takeaway: Combatting the effects of this trend is challenging. Healthier habits like exercise and good sleep softened the toll of isolation (defined as having few social connections), but they didn’t significantly ease the risks tied to loneliness (feeling unsatisfied with the ones you have). Keep in Mind: This was an observational study, […]

Want to Make Better Decisions? Check Your Posture

Mom Was Right: A new study out of McGill University suggests we all should’ve done well to listen to our parents when they told us to sit up straight. Sitting with good posture may lead us to feel more positive and take more successful risks, per the research. The Study: Nearly 200 participants were unknowingly encouraged to sit either upright or hunched, via the ergonomics of their desk setup, while completing a virtual balloon risk-taking game. Those who sat upright reported stronger feelings of pride and generally took greater — but more successful — risks, earning larger rewards. Those in the upright group also reported greater feelings of positivity on a post-test questionnaire. Researchers used video measurements to verify participants’ posture and found most people didn’t realize their posture had been manipulated. Takeaway: The findings suggest that sitting with improved posture enhances mood and influences decision-making. Keep in Mind: The observed effects were small, and they occurred under controlled conditions, so they may not translate to real-life scenarios. Still, the results say a lot about how our physical lives can manifest in our emotional lives.

Living With Tinnitus? Here’s What Actually Helps