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Daily Edition • Wednesday, Sept 2

Researchers Found a Way to “Wake Up” Aging Immune Cells

Researchers in lab coats and masks work with lab equipment, surrounded by stylized representations of viruses.

All Healthy Design Studio

Immunity Boost: It might still be the dog days of summer right now, but it’s never too early to start thinking about immunity as fall and winter sick seasons approach — especially if you have littles or elders at home. For the latter group, scientists may have discovered a way to “wake up” tired immune cells that allows them to behave like younger immune cells, potentially boosting their protective factor.

The Study: Scientists developed tiny silicon nanowires coated with polyethyleneimine (a synthetic polymer) to deliver microRNAs (miRNAs) directly into aging T cells. These molecules help regulate the genetic programs that control how T cells activate, multiply, metabolize energy, and develop into immune-fighting cells. The researchers found that delivering multiple miRNAs produced broader benefits than using a single molecule, boosting T-cell activation, multiplication, and activity. In experiments involving mice and human cells from older donors, the treatment improved the cells’ ability to respond to immune challenges and showed potential for boosting their ability to fight cancer.

Takeaway: Delivering miRNA into aging immune cells may help reinvigorate them, pointing toward a future in which they could be functionally reprogrammed.

Keep in Mind: This research is still highly experimental, and the effects of the treatment only lasted about two weeks, but it’s a promising finding.

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Why the Tween Years Can Change the Way Kids Think About Hygiene

A young person with long hair in a pink beanie sits in a bathroom, holding a blue container, surrounded by colorful toiletries.

Courtesy: Frida

Somewhere between toddlerhood and the teen years, kids start taking more ownership of their routines—but the products they use don’t always keep up. At this age, making hygiene feel engaging can be just as important as making it practical.

Frida for Kids was created for ages 6–11, with 32 products across oral care, body care, hair care, and grooming. Its approach combines kid-friendly textures, scents, and interactive designs with thoughtful solutions like a braces-friendly flosser and light-up electric toothbrush.

Learn More

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Nutrition

“Gut Jet Lag” Can Throw You Off — Here’s How to Fix It

A person in brown pants descends an escalator while pulling a bright yellow suitcase.

Natalia Blauth/Unsplash

Out of Sync: Traveling comes with ups and downs. Not being able to poop is a really big down. “Gut jet lag” is common among travelers, particularly after long-haul flights crossing different time zones. Tummy trouble during travel is connected to our circadian rhythm, the body’s natural internal “clock.” In addition to our sleep cycle, the circadian rhythm also helps regulate digestion. When our gut and our circadian rhythm are synced, they promote healthy digestion, hormone secretion, and body temperature. Disruptions to this clock can make digestion slow to a crawl, resulting in constipation.

How to Do It: Try to keep your body clock close to its normal schedule. Take melatonin to tell the body it’s time to sleep, and get morning sunlight on your face ASAP when you land. Drink lots and lots of water, eat fiber-rich and fermented probiotic-rich foods, and move as much as possible after the flight. If nothing else works, try magnesium citrate or OTC constipation remedies to get things moving. It’s easier said than done, but try to stay calm. Travel stress can induce fight-or-flight mode, which also slows digestion.

The Benefits: Gut jet lag is temporary, but it can be seriously uncomfortable. Getting ahead of it and taking a few steps to keep your digestion on track can help you feel better and enjoy your vacation even more.

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SPOTLIGHT

The Health Advice Trap We’re All Falling Into

A smiling woman in a black sweater leans against a wall, surrounded by a cozy, well-decorated room.

LUCY McBRIDE, MD
Physician, Author

Courtesy: Lucy McBride

By now, most of us have typed our symptoms into ChatGPT and gotten back a health assessment. The advice is usually confident and well-worded, but it often feels a little off.

Dr. Lucy McBride, a primary care physician in Washington, D.C., who built a following during the pandemic for her data-driven, patient-centered approach, says the problem might not be the bot. It might be that the question misses crucial context — like a stress-eating pattern or limited access to healthy food when someone asks about weight gain or a GLP-1 medication.

According to Dr. McBride, this is just one example of how two disjointed systems each fall short in a different way. Traditional medicine treats you like a set of labs, while online wellness culture validates how you feel, then sells you solutions (with great confidence) it can’t actually back up with science.

Her new book, Beyond the Prescription, aims to help patients with this conundrum. Her solution starts before you ever see a doctor. She wants readers to figure out what health means to them first, on their own terms, by taking stock of their relationship with food, exercise, and mental health, and then bring that fuller picture with them to their next appointment.

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Quick Picks

Gripped — These 8 exercises will strengthen your hands, fingers, and forearms.

Hotel Feeling — This diffuser brings that unforgettable 5-star hotel scent home without the candle.*

Sigh of Relief — Some grocery prices are finally going down; here’s what to buy.

It’s the Little Things — These tiny accomplishments can give you a profound sense of achievement.

Game On — Team sports like basketball and soccer are flourishing as Americans try to deal with loneliness.

^*Indicates a brand partnership

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What We're Cooking

Spicy Vodka Mussels

A bowl of mussels in a creamy sauce garnished with basil, accompanied by slices of toasted bread and a gold spoon.

Courtesy: Better Plates

Serves: 4 | Cook Time: 50 mins

These spicy vodka mussels take everything you love about a creamy vodka sauce and turn it into a surprisingly easy seafood dinner. Mussels steam right in a tangy tomato sauce with garlic, shallot, red pepper flakes, cream, Parmesan, and plenty of fresh basil, soaking up all that rich, spicy flavor along the way. Serve with toasted bread for scooping up every last bit of sauce.

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This, Not That

Pause Before Seconds

A woman with long, light pink nails sips from a glass of water with a lemon slice.

THIS

Two hands reach for slices of pizza topped with arugula, olives, and other ingredients on a wooden table.

NOT THAT

Sweet Life/Unsplash, Daiga Ellaby/Unsplash

This: Take a Beat
Not That: Going straight back for more

Before going back for more, give yourself a few minutes. Drink some water, talk, clean up a little, or simply sit there. You may still want seconds, and that’s fine. The pause just gives your body time to tell you whether it’s hungry or just enjoying the momentum.

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The Hygiene Tools Made for Growing Kids

The jump from toddler products to adult routines can leave a gap. Frida for Kids fills it with 32 hair, body, oral, and grooming products designed specifically for ages 6–11. Smart details like a pea-sized toothpaste dispenser and nail clippers with a viewing hole make everyday self-care feel a little more intuitive.

See The Collection

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HEALTHY HABIT

Make a “Sick Day” Meal Before You Need It

Future you will not want to cook when you’re tired, stressed, or under the weather. Keep one easy comfort meal ready: soup in the freezer, rice and eggs, broth and noodles, frozen dumplings, or canned beans and toast. A little backup can keep a rough day from becoming a nutrition free-for-all.

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Final Thought

Two brown hiking boots resting on rocky ground with patches of grass visible.

The problem for us is less to discover the way it really is than to see the meaning of the way.”

– Daniel J. Boorstin, The Americans

Hanna Lazar/Unsplash