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Daily Edition • Tuesday, April 21

Can 7 Days of Meditation Really Change Your Brain?

Woman in black activewear meditating on a pink yoga mat in a grassy outdoor setting, hands in a mudra position.

Admed/Unsplash

Mind Reset: Most of us think of meditation as a slow burn, something that pays off over months or years of practice. But a new study from UC San Diego published in Communications Biology indicates the brain might start changing faster than we thought.

The Study: Researchers followed 20 healthy adults on a seven-day residential retreat featuring around 33 hours of guided meditation and mind-body practices. They observed better immune signaling, increased natural pain-relief chemicals, enhanced brain integration, and — in lab testing — signs that post-retreat blood actually promoted neuron growth. Brain imaging also showed connectivity patterns similar to those seen in psychedelic-like states, with no drugs involved.

The Takeaway: It doesn’t take as long as we thought to benefit from meditation. Even a concentrated stretch of dedicated practice — say, a mental training camp — could kickstart real shifts in how your brain works.

Keep in Mind: This was a small study with no control group, so researchers can’t be certain the meditation itself caused the changes. And the retreat’s five hours of daily practice is much more intensive than a casual pre-breakfast sit. But it’s compelling evidence that the brain responds to focused attention faster than most of us would expect.

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Here’s How to Win Back Your Peace of Mind

A woman sits on the floor using a laptop at a small table, with a mug and phone beside her, sunlight coming through a window.

Courtesy: Money

You know that uneasy feeling when your phone lights up with a spam call, or you get an email that somehow knows too much about you? That’s not paranoia — your personal data is often circulating online, collected and sold by data brokers.

Thankfully, there are identity theft protection services that are designed to help monitor, alert, and step in when your information is exposed, so you’re not left dealing with the fallout alone. It’s a simple way to stay ahead of scams, fraud, and unwanted outreach.

There are a lot of services out there that you can choose from that offer services like real-time alerts, credit monitoring, and even identity theft insurance — helping you catch issues early and protect what matters most before it turns into a bigger problem. Check out your options here.

See Your Options

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Beauty & Skincare

Why You Look Like a Different Person by the End of the Workday

Woman in a yellow sweater rests her head on her hands at a desk, looking stressed in a brightly colored office.

Midjourney

Airhead: TikTok now has a name for that phenomenon where your skin looks great when you leave the house, but by noon, you're somehow a different person. The “office air theory” is the idea that your office environment is damaging your appearance over the course of a workday. The viral videos that coined the term racked up millions of views, partly because the experience felt immediately recognizable to anyone who's caught their reflection in a bathroom mirror in the afternoon and wondered what happened.

What People Are Saying: The theory points to air conditioning and poor ventilation as the main culprits, with recirculated indoor air drying out skin and hair as the day goes on. Constant exposure to fluorescent lighting can also contribute to eye strain and fatigue. Experts acknowledge that those things can contribute to dryness and irritation, but they're clear that the “office air theory” isn't a real medical concept.

What to Know: A lot of what people are noticing can be attributed to biology. Skin naturally produces more oil as the day goes on, and fatigue makes puffiness and under-eye circles more pronounced by afternoon — and “office air” can make all of that more noticeable. To stay fresh in the office, be diligent about your skincare routine at home, avoid touching your face, and stay hydrated throughout the day.

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Health Tech

At-Home Intolerance Tests Are Everywhere — Experts Say Skip Them

A hand holds a white pen-like device close to a fingertip, possibly for a health-related task.

Oleg Ivanov/Unsplash

You Should Know: Many of us have experienced bloating or discomfort after eating certain foods, and have wondered whether it signals a food intolerance. That uncertainty has fueled the rise of at-home food intolerance tests that promise to identify problematic foods with a little bit of blood or saliva. The market is booming, with sales valued as $2.6 million in 2025, but there’s one big problem: Experts say they don’t work.

Going Deeper: Food allergies happen in the immune system, but intolerances happen in the digestive system. Intolerance tests often measure the amount of the antibody IgG in the blood — but the body makes IgG after every food we eat. IgG production means we’ve been exposed to a food, not that we’re intolerant of it — which is why these tests so often give false positives.

Takeaway: Food intolerance tests might be peddled by credentialed health experts (and wellness influencers), but there’s no evidence they’re accurate — there’s also no medical body that recommends or endorses them. Rebecca Seal at The Guardian even argues that they don’t “give us any useful information at all.”

Bottom Line: Save your money. If you want accurate answers about your body’s response to certain foods, visit an allergist or registered dietitian for legitimate testing and treatment.

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Quick Picks

Built To Last — Here are 5 workouts for stronger bones after 40.

On the Pulse — Can a smartwatch tell you if you have this condition?

Nothing To Hide — In fragrance, that’s rarer than you’d think.*

Boost Your Joyspan — These 7 feel-good habits could add years to your life.

In Moderation? — Can you eat any UPFs without harming your health?

^*Indicates a brand partnership

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This, Not That

Move Between Meetings

A woman and a man walk up a staircase in a modern, well-lit building with large windows.

THIS

A person sits at a desk using a smartphone, with a laptop, keyboard, mouse, and stationery nearby.

NOT THAT

Getty/Unsplash, Ergonofis/Unsplash

This: Short Walk Breaks
Not That: Scrolling Between Tasks

When you finish a task, it’s tempting to reach for your phone. A quick lap around the building or house is a far better reset. Light movement improves circulation, clears mental fog, and breaks up long sitting stretches — all without adding extra “workout time.”

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What We're Cooking

Chilaquiles

Courtesy: Food52

Serves: 4 | Cook Time: 45 minutes

Chilaquiles are a classic weekend brunch favorite, but they’re surprisingly easy to make at home. Crispy tortilla chips simmer in guajillo salsa, soaking up their rich chili flavor while still maintaining a crunch — and a runny fried egg on top adds protein and a silky texture that ties everything together.

What really makes this dish shine are the garnishes — fresh cilantro, crumbled queso blanco, pickled onions, sour cream — all combining to create a perfectly balanced and comforting breakfast that you’ll be craving for lunch and dinner, too.

Get The Full Recipe

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Stay Ahead of Identity Theft

Your personal information doesn’t stay in one place — it gets shared, resold, and scattered across hundreds of databases, which is what makes it so hard to manage on your own.

That’s where identity theft protection services come in, helping monitor your data across multiple sources and alert you to suspicious activity before it escalates. Many also offer tools like credit monitoring, fraud alerts, and recovery support to help you respond quickly if something goes wrong. Check out all of the ways you can stay ahead and protect your data here.

Learn More

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HEALTHY HABIT

Ask One Better Question

During a conversation, ask one thoughtful follow-up question — “How did that happen?” or “What surprised you about it?” Curiosity deepens conversations and builds stronger social connections.

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Final Thought

Delicate white flowers with feathery petals stand tall amidst a soft, blurry background of grasses and warm hues.

The task of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there.”

– John Buchan, Men and Deeds

Pana K/Unsplash