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Daily Edition • Friday, May 22

Could Art Help Slow Biological Aging?

Visitors observing paintings in an art gallery, with two individuals seated on a wooden bench.

Onur Kurt/Unsplash

Painting A Picture: Your friend who always has to stop and stare at every single piece when you're visiting an art museum may be onto something. A new study from University College London suggests that regularly engaging with arts and culture could actually slow down the pace of biological aging. Researchers even found effects comparable to what exercise does for the body.

The Study: Researchers analyzed blood test and survey data from 3,556 adults in the UK, comparing arts engagement with DNA changes that influence biological aging. People who did an arts activity at least weekly appeared to age about 4% more slowly than those who rarely participated. That's the same effect seen in people who exercised once a week compared to those who did no exercise at all.

The Takeaway: Protecting time for creative and cultural activities may do real things for the body, not just the soul. The researchers also found that variety matters, so mixing up the types of activities someone engages in seems to amplify the benefit. (We’ve actually been goofing around with these kits in addition to personal writing and crocheting.)

Keep in Mind: The researchers controlled for factors like income and education level, and the links still held up, though the study found an association rather than proven cause and effect.

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The Easiest Health Habit to Outsource

A smiling woman crouches by her front door, unpacking large blue water bottles and a case of water while sitting on a mat.

Courtesy: Primo Deliver

Drinking more water is one of those simple wellness goals that can get surprisingly challenging in practice: finding great-tasting quality water, the heavy case in the trunk, the “wait, are we out again?” moment.

Primo Brands Water Delivery is built to make hydration easier to keep on hand. You can choose from familiar premium, regional spring, and purified water brands, including The Mountain Valley®, Saratoga®, Poland Spring®, Arrowhead®, Deer Park®, Ozarka®, Zephyrhills®, Pure Life®, and Primo Water™, then have them delivered to your home or office.

It’s a practical upgrade for busy households, home offices, workout routines, hosting, or anyone trying to make the healthy choice a little more automatic.

See what water delivery options are available near you.

Learn More

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Fitness

The 800-Year-Old Practice That May Lower Blood Pressure

A person practices martial arts in a park, surrounded by tall trees and blooming purple flowers.

一只猫的橘/Unsplash

New Dog, Old Tricks: You’ve probably heard of tai chi, but what about Baduanjin? Both are Chinese mind-body practices using a series of movements with integrated breathing, and both have been shown to be beneficial for sleep and mental health. Tai chi has more of a martial-arts focus meant to improve coordination and balance, and requires memorizing a sequence of motions. Baduanjin is more beginner-friendly and centered on moving the flow of energy (qigong), improving circulation, and stretching tight muscles.

How to Do It: There are eight movements in Baduanjin, each one meant to stimulate the body’s 12 energy pathways (meridians). Two Hands Supporting the Sky reaches arms overhead. Drawing Bows Left and Right simulates shooting an arrow. Next are Single Hand Pushing Up (also called Reaching for a Lightbulb) and Turning Head to Look Left and Right. Next are two forward folds: Pointing Tailbone Left and Right and Both Hands Reaching the Ground. Last are Lifting Fists and Bouncing on the Toes.

The Benefits: Researchers have found the 800-year-old practice is as effective as a brisk walk for lowering blood pressure. The slow, calming practice is free and can be done virtually anywhere by anyone — without needing a gym membership or pricey equipment.

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Vitamins & Supplements

NAD+ IV Drips Promise to Reverse Aging — But Does the Science Hold Up?

A hand holding a yellow IV fluid bag on a stand near a swimming pool.

Jordan Gonzalez/Unsplash

The Trend: If your favorite celebrities are getting hooked up to IV drips between Pilates classes, there's a good chance NAD+ is involved. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is a molecule found in every cell in your body that helps convert food into energy and keeps your cells functioning properly. Your levels naturally decline as you age, which is what caught the attention of longevity researchers and then trickled down to every wellness influencer with a podcast.

What People Are Saying: Marketers are billing NAD+ as a fountain of youth, promising everything from better sleep to reversed aging to cleared brain fog. IV infusions at wellness clinics can run anywhere from $200 to over $1,000 a session, and oral supplements aren't cheap either. The problem is that most of the more impressive NAD+ findings come from animal studies, and researchers are pretty upfront that the human evidence is still thin.

What to Know: Precursor supplements like NMN and NR appear to be generally safe, but long-term risks remain unknown. So talking to your doctor before plunking down $500 for an IV drip is a smart move.

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Quick Picks

Bubbling Up — Here's why claims that sparkling water raises cancer risk fall flat.

Get the Gears Turning — Boost memory and learning with this 20-minute activity.

The Healthy Eating Shortcut — Find out how people are making better-for-you meals easier.*

Clear the Air — Try these 6 expert sleep tips for allergy sufferers.

Too Good To Waste — This is how to cook ingredients people often throw out.

^*Indicates a brand partnership

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What We're Cooking

Asparagus Tartine With Ricotta and Mint

Rye toast topped with ricotta, asparagus, green onion, and fresh mint on a wooden board.

Courtesy: Serious Eats

Serves: 2 | Cook Time: 15 minutes

This simple open-faced sandwich lets high-quality ingredients shine. The only cooking involved is quickly blanching the asparagus, while hearty bread is drizzled with olive oil and spread with a generous layer of creamy ricotta. Top with the asparagus and refreshing torn mint leaves, then finish with another drizzle of olive oil and a crack of black pepper. The result is a fresh combo of summer flavors that’s light and satisfying.

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This, Not That

Better Recovery

Two people walk along a path covered in autumn leaves, with trees overhead and a building in the background. A child plays nearby.

THIS

A person in striped pajamas is curled up in bed, holding a pillow with a hand resting on it and red-painted nails visible.

NOT THAT

Zhen Yao/Unsplash, Stephanie Berbec/Unsplash

This: Easy Movement on Rest Days
Not That: Doing Absolutely Nothing

Rest days don’t have to mean becoming furniture. Light walks, mobility work, or gentle stretching increase circulation and often help your body recover better than total inactivity.

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The Meal Plan for People Tired of Meal Planning

If healthy eating keeps falling apart somewhere between the grocery list and the cutting board, BistroMD is worth a look.

Their prepared meals are dietitian-designed, protein-forward, and built around metabolic science, so you can make a steadier routine out of eating well without doing all the prep yourself.

Get 60% off your first order with code YUMMY60.

See The Recipes

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HEALTHY HABIT

The One-Song Reset

When your energy dips, play one song and do nothing else. No multitasking — just listen. Music has a fast track to your nervous system, and a single song can shift your mood more than a scroll break ever will.

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Final Thought

A bison grazes in a vast meadow surrounded by dense green forests and rocky hills under a partly cloudy sky.

The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don’t.”

– Marie Kondo, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Samuel Quek/Unsplash