View All Editions

Daily Edition • Thursday, April 2

Why Women Are Using Dopamine Patches To Treat ADHD

Two yellow patches are placed on a light-skinned person's arm, with visible text reading "Dopamine patches."

Kristina Shvedenko/Unsplash

The Trend: Stick-on “dopamine patches” have entered the scene — and now they’re being used to help with ADHD. The connection makes sense: ADHD is associated with lower dopamine activity in the brain, which affects focus, motivation, and impulse control. These patches are considered a natural ADHD alternative, using ingredients like lion’s mane mushroom and mucuna pruriens (a bean extract with a natural dopamine precursor) — but no actual dopamine or FDA-approved compound. Women, who are disproportionately underdiagnosed for ADHD, are some of the biggest adopters of the patches.

What People Are Saying: Some say the patches help them feel more focused, while others say they felt no change — or even experienced skin irritation. Getting an official ADHD diagnosis can involve long wait times and dismissive providers, so the over-the-counter accessibility here is tempting. But experts are skeptical. “That they call them dopamine patches is complete false advertising,” says Ellen Walker, PhD, chair of pharmaceutical sciences at Temple University.

What to Know: These patches are basically a supplement rather than medical-grade dopamine replacement. Without clinical data, there’s no way to confirm whether the ingredients actually absorb through the skin. If you think you may have ADHD, experts recommend a formal evaluation from a medical provider.

✲

A More Thoughtful Kind of Easter Basket

Colorful speckled Easter eggs arranged in a nest on green grass.

Annie Spratt/Unsplash

Forget the candy. This Easter, celebrate with something that lasts longer than a chocolate bunny and treat the loved ones in your life to a self-care basket that puts their wellbeing first. It's a thoughtful, feel-good alternative that can be enjoyed beyond the holiday weekend.

CVS makes it easy and affordable to curate the perfect beauty and self-care baskets. From beauty favorites like lip balms and manicure kits to self-care essentials like face masks and body lotions, you might just end up filling a basket for yourself too. Ready to build your Easter baskets? CVS already has a curated list of favorites to choose from.

Build Your Basket

Thank you for supporting our sponsors! They help us keep All Healthy free.

✥

Fitness

This Tool For Healing Childhood Trauma Is Surprisingly Simple

Three women jog along a scenic waterfront path with mountains and cloudy skies in the background.

Fellipe Ditadi/Unsplash

Movement as Medicine: Exercise isn’t just good for our bodies — it’s also a great way to burn off stress and improve mental health. Now, new research suggests that physical activity can do more for some people than just make them feel better in the moment. It may actually rewire parts of the brain affected by childhood trauma and improve brain connectivity.

The Study: Research published in the journal Biological Psychiatry examined 75 adults who experienced at least one “adverse childhood experience” (ACE) before age 18, such as abuse or parental mental illness. Researchers used fMRI brain scans to analyze how exercise influenced communication and connectivity among three brain regions responsible for emotional regulation: amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate cortex. On analyzing the data, researchers found that those who exercised more had increased activity and connection in key brain regions compared to those who did not.

The Takeaway: The research suggests activity can manage some effects of childhood trauma and support neuroplasticity. Less physically active participants had reduced connectivity in these emotion-regulation regions.

Keep in Mind: The amount of exercise was self-reported, so recall bias or inaccuracies in the data are possible. But it aligns with an existing body of evidence linking exercise to strengthening the brain’s “stress buffers.”

✿

Beauty & Skincare

The Seasonal Skin Reset You Didn't Know You Needed

A hand gently touches yellow flowers amidst green foliage.

Polina/Unsplash

You Should Know: It might surprise you to learn that spring is genuinely one of the trickier seasons for your skin. Most people assume winter is the hard part, but the transition into warmer, more humid weather creates a unique set of issues. All that pollen can set off a histamine release that leads to itchy skin. And as if that's not enough, your skin also starts producing more oil than it did all winter once temperatures begin to rise. So the products you use need to change when your skin starts recalibrating.

Going Deeper: The main adjustments dermatologists recommend are fairly intuitive once you understand what's happening. That thick winter moisturizer is probably too heavy for the warmer months, so switch to a lighter water-based formula with hyaluronic acid or glycerin. Now is also the time to break out the more active products like retinol or chemical exfoliants, since skin tends to tolerate them better in milder weather. Adding a vitamin C serum can help protect against extra sun exposure now that the days are longer.

The Takeaway: Sunscreen remains non-negotiable year-round, and actually gets more important as you spend more time outside. Reapply every two hours when you're out there.

➺

Quick Picks

Feeling Bubbly — The internet is hyped on this new soda brand. And honestly? We get it.

Neurologist-Backed — 7 experts agree this habit matters most for brain health.

Hop This Way — The best place to get Easter Basket supplies is right under your nose.*

Herbal Remedy — Does this type of tea actually help with stress?

Sneaky Sneezes — Here’s what to do if your allergy meds stop working.

^*Indicates a brand partnership

✥

The Super Age Games

Something New Is Coming

Courtesy: Super Age

Most fitness events measure speed or strength. The Super Age Games measures something harder to fake: how long you'll actually live well. Eight trials — physical, cognitive, social — built on the longevity markers researchers use to predict healthspan, not just performance. This is the first competition designed for people who want to train for a longer life.

They're opening the waitlist now. Spots are limited and waitlist members will get access to tickets first. We expect them to go fast. If you've ever wanted a fitness challenge that means something beyond the podium, this is it.

Join the Waitlist

✾

What We're Cooking

Shrimp Scampi With Pasta

A bowl of spaghetti with shrimp and herbs, next to a skillet of the same dish and a yellow polka dot napkin.

Courtesy: Serious Eats

Serves: 4 | Cook Time: 45 minutes

This pasta is bright, bold, and irresistibly rich, featuring a silky sauce made from olive oil, butter, and garlic. Instead of white wine, it calls for dry vermouth for a deeper, more complex flavor. And the secret to perfectly plump, snappy shrimp? Brine them with baking soda and salt before searing — and then cut into small pieces to better absorb and carry the sauce in every bite. Finish with lemon juice, zest, and chopped parsley for a fresh and simple, yet decadent dish.

Get The Full Recipe

By clicking, you are agreeing to receive a daily recipe from All Healthy.

✲

Everything You Need for the Perfect Easter Basket

The secret to the perfect Easter basket is filling it with things loved ones can actually use after Sunday. Instead of chocolate and candy, go for beauty and self-care essentials like hair masks, lip oils, and body wash. CVS has everything you need to make it happen, offering thoughtful picks that deliver everyday affordable luxury. Mix and match to curate a unique basket for everyone on your list.

Find Basket Essentials

Thank you for supporting our sponsors! They help us keep All Healthy free.

❦

HEALTHY HABIT

The Bean Boost Habit

Once a day, work beans or lentils into something you’re already eating: soup, salad, eggs, tacos, grain bowls, whatever. Legumes are one of the most consistently linked foods to better long-term health, thanks to their mix of fiber, protein, and minerals. You do not need a “bean-based lifestyle” — just a spoonful counts.

★

Final Thought

Distant mountains rise above a dense forest, with the sun illuminating their peaks against a pale sky.

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”

– Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt on Bravery

Ashford Marx/Unsplash