The vagus nerve is having a wellness moment, with claims that everything from humming to cold plunges can “stimulate” it and melt away stress. The reality is a little less magical — but still pretty interesting. Slow, deliberate breathing may help engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps your body shift out of fight-or-flight mode. Here’s what the science says about vagus nerve breathing and how to try it.
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Cognitive Health
Nearly Half of Dementia Risk May Be Modifiable
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Forget Me Not: Dementia can feel like a predetermined thing: you get it, or you don’t. But that’s not really the case. Researchers estimate that roughly 45% of dementia cases may be linked to potentially modifiable risk factors. And a recent study from Lund University offers another reminder that some of the things we do for our overall health may matter for our brains, too.
The Study: Researchers followed 494 cognitively unimpaired adults, average age 65, for about four years. They used MRI and PET scans to track white-matter hyperintensities — a marker of cerebrovascular damage — along with amyloid-beta and tau, two proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Smoking, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and ischemic heart disease were associated with faster accumulation of white-matter hyperintensities. Researchers also found associations between diabetes and faster amyloid accumulation, while higher depression scores were linked to greater amyloid buildup.
The Takeaway: Taking care of our brains means taking care of our bodies, too. The broader evidence on dementia prevention points in a familiar direction: Don’t smoke, stay physically active, eat a balanced diet, and work with your doctor to manage blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
Keep in Mind: This was an observational study, so it can’t prove that changing any one factor will prevent dementia. It also tracked brain changes associated with dementia rather than dementia diagnoses themselves. And dementia has multiple causes; aside from modifiable risk factors, age and genetics still play an important role.
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Personal Growth
Starting a Hobby Is Good for Brain and Body
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Healthy Hobby: A hobby is something to fill your free time, sure, but it can be much more. Research increasingly connects activities involving movement, nature, and the arts with better mental and physical wellbeing. In TheGuardian, author Julia Hotz explores how “social prescribing” — using nonmedical activities to support health — can help people find hobbies that address what they’re actuallyfeeling.
How to Do It: Start by matching the hobby to the problem you want to solve. For instance, if you’re feeling down or sluggish, try a movement-based activity, which is linked to boosted mental health. Feeling distracted? Spending time in nature may help. If you’re lonely or anxious, consider a creative activity like drawing, which may help you find flow and connection.
Try to find an activity that you truly want to do; not one you feel like you should do for one reason or another. Research suggests intrinsic motivation — doing something because you genuinely enjoy or value it — makes us more likely to stick with an activity.
The Benefits: If you choose your hobby right, you’ll want to show up, day after day. When that happens, you’ve found a sustainable tool for your wellbeing.
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Nutrition
What Happens When You Start “Eating Biblically”?
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The Trend: On social media, raw milk and sourdough have recently become staples of “biblical eating,” a diet inspired by foods mentioned in Scripture and centered on whole or minimally processed ingredients. The idea isn’t exactly brand new, but it’s found a second life alongside the Make America Healthy Again movement and other wellness trends (think avoiding seed oils and beef tallow for skin health). And now creators are selling coaching sessions and guides that frame their food choices as a way to fight back against processed eating.
What People Are Saying: One creator with half a million followers has followed the pattern for eight years and credits it with clearing her skin and lifting her mood. However, experts say that while foods mentioned in the Bible, such as fish and olive oil, can support a healthy diet, “biblical eating” isn’t an official or research-backed pattern, and cutting out entire food groups can lead to nutrient deficiencies.
What to Know: So-called biblical eating overlaps significantly with the Mediterranean diet, which has a ton of research supporting its health benefits. But treating certain foods as forbidden can lead to restrictive habits that aren’t good for everyone.
Words To Live By — Here are 9 life lessons from the world’s happiest man.
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What We're Cooking
Grilled Tofu Cabbage Cups With Garlicky Yogurt
Courtesy: Food52
Serves: 4 | Cook Time: 40minutes
These grilled tofu cabbage cups are light, flavorful, and more exciting than the usual veggie option at the cookout. You’ll tuck grilled tofu into crisp lettuce leaves and top with a garlicky yogurt and a tomato-cucumber salad for a crunchy and smoky bite that’s filling without the heft.
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This, Not That
Bedtime Alarm
THIS
NOT THAT
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This: Choose a bedtime alarm Not That: Only setting a wake-up alarm
A wake-up alarm tells you when the damage is done. A bedtime alarm gives you a fighting chance. Set a reminder 30 to 60 minutes before you want to sleep so you can start winding down before the night disappears into the scroll.
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HEALTHY HABIT
Put One Social Plan on Autopilot
Connection gets harder when every hangout requires a fresh negotiation. Put one simple plan on repeat: a weekly walk, monthly dinner, Sunday phone call, or standing coffee. A recurring plan makes staying connected feel less like another item you have to manage.
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Final Thought
“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.”
