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Daily Edition • Saturday, May 16

Your Workout May Help More Than You Think

Group workout session outdoors with participants performing exercises on mats in a vibrant setting.

Anna Stampfli/Unsplash

Behind the Boost: When we think about what causes us to feel better after a run or a bike ride, we’re quick to credit endorphins with that mood boost (or, at least, this lawyer is). But new research indicates there could be another mechanism at play: our HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels.

The Study: Researchers analyzed data from more than 16,500 adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Those who hit the recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week had a 57% lower risk of depression compared to people who were less active. They also found higher levels of HDL cholesterol were independently associated with a lower risk of depression.

The Takeaway: The research demonstrates the connection among all three: exercise, HDL levels, and depression. HDL cholesterol protects more than just our arteries: It has neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties, too. Aerobic exercise and strength training can boost HDL levels, providing benefits for mental, cardiovascular, and metabolic health. Similarly, exercise helps with depression via multiple pathways, including decreased inflammation, stress and neurotransmitter regulation, and better sleep.

Keep in Mind: Much of the data was self-reported, and the study found only an association, not causation.

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Help Bring the U.S. Prenatal Nutrition Standards into the 21st Century

A woman in a yellow dress stands outdoors, while a small girl in a white dress holds her pregnant belly.

Brooke Cagle/Unsplash

The U.S. has the worst maternal and infant health outcomes of any high-income nation. And while better nutrition in pregnancy is proven to positively impact birth outcomes and long-term health, prenatal nutrition standards haven’t been updated since 1941. Even then, guidelines were based on research done on non-pregnant populations — in fact, most of the data used to shape these standards came from men.

It’s clear that women deserve better. That’s why Needed is taking matters into their own hands — and you can help. The science-backed women’s nutrition company is calling on Congress and federal agencies to update these stagnant standards. With over 350 modern studies proving that pregnant and breastfeeding women need more, it’s time the standard for women’s nutrition finally caught up to science. Sign the petition and help demand better for mothers.

Sign The Petition

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Nutrition & Food

Should BMI Be Adjusted for Race?

A hand adjusting a weight scale with a visible sliding marker near the 20 kg line.

Clay Banks/Unsplash

You Should Know: BMI is a notoriously inaccurate health measure. It can't tell muscle from fat or figure out where exactly fat sits in the body. Plus, it was developed about 200 years ago using only bodies of white European men. Some researchers and clinicians are now pushing for race- or ethnicity-sensitive BMI cutoffs to uncover risk sooner in groups the standard number skips over.

Going Deeper: The WHO suggested lower BMI cutoffs for Asian populations over 20 years ago, after data showed people of South and East Asian descent often develop metabolic disease at lower BMIs than the global cutoff catches. A recent Atlantic piece is bringing the debate back, though. Critics note broad labels like “Black” or “Asian” minimize big differences across ancestry, diet, geography, and family history, and that race-based medicine has led to discrimination against patients before.

Takeaway: Both standard and race-adjusted BMI try to reduce a complicated human body down to just one number, and that's the root of the issue.

Bottom Line: Until waist-to-hip ratio or body fat percentage are standard measurements, BMI should be used as an approximate data point in a full health workup.

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Cognitive Health

Can TikTok’s “Pinky Time” Trend Keep Your Brain Healthy?

Two hands reaching toward each other against a clear blue sky. One hand has elegantly manicured nails.

Fellipe Ditadi/Unsplash

The Trend: You may have noticed people doing a very specific thing with their hands on TikTok. The move involves wrapping your pointer and middle fingers together, then having your ring finger touch your thumb, and wiggling your pinky up and down for about 10 seconds. Creators are calling it “Pinky Time” — a nightly ritual they claim helps keep the brain sharp and ward off Alzheimer's. It looks strange (to say the least), but is there any real science behind the trend’s supposed brain health benefits?

What People Are Saying: The big claim floating around is that struggling with the move signals cognitive decline. Experts say that part is a stretch because difficulty with a new motor task can come down to hand dominance or joint issues, not necessarily anything going on with your brain. What the trend does get right, though, is that attempting unfamiliar movements is a workout of sorts for multiple regions of the brain.

What to Know: Fine motor tasks become harder to do as the brain ages, which is why challenging yourself with new physical skills is good for you. Pinky time won't tell you anything definitive about your cognitive health, but the novelty of learning new movements does benefit your brain.

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Quick Picks

Bone-Dry — These 8 foods could be dehydrating you without realizing it.

For the Long Run — This quiz is designed to determine if your fitness routine is going to help you live longer.

Check Your Eligibility — Born before 1976? You might be overlooking these 13 monthly savings programs.*

Fight Tooth and Nail — How can you reverse a cavity?

Matcha Made in Heaven — Add this fruit to your matcha for extra antioxidants.

^*Indicates a brand partnership

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This, Not That

End the Meal Earlier

A partially eaten dessert on a decorative plate with a fork resting on it, placed on a wooden table.

THIS

Two plates of colorful food on decorative trays, set on a wooden table with green grass in the background.

NOT THAT

Olivie Strauss/Unsplash, Raquel Fereshetian/Unsplash

This: A Pause Before Seconds
Not That: Automatically Going Back for More

Give your body five minutes before deciding whether you’re still hungry. Fullness signals take time to catch up, and a short pause is often enough to realize you’re already satisfied.

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What We're Cooking

Barley Pilaf With Citrus, Dried Fruit, and Nuts

A vibrant dish of barley mixed with citrus slices, mint, and herbs on a blue tabletop, garnished with spirals of orange zest.

Courtesy: Serious Eats

Serves: 6-8 | Cook Time: 55 minutes

This pilaf builds layers of flavor, first by sauteéing aromatics — onions, garlic, cardamom — before toasting barely for a subtle nuttiness. The grains simmer in a mix of stock and apple juice, creating a savory-sweet base that’s brightened with navel orange and grapefruit slices, crunchy nuts, and dried fruit. Finished with fresh parsley, mint, and orange zest, this citrus-forward spring dish is vibrant, complex, and deeply satisfying.

Get The Full Recipe

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Prenatal Nutrition Standards Need to Catch Up With Modern Science

U.S. prenatal nutrition standards haven’t been updated since 1941. Of the nearly 1 million people whose data shaped these standards, fewer than 5% were pregnant or breastfeeding — in fact, most of them were men. It’s about time these guidelines actually reflected women’s bodies and the realities of motherhood today using modern, population-specific data. Needed is demanding better, and you can too. Sign the petition today.

Demand Modern Standards

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

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HEALTHY HABIT

The 10-Second Posture Reset

Anytime you catch yourself slouching, take 10 seconds to reset: stand tall, relax shoulders, breathe once. Short, frequent corrections beat one long “perfect posture” attempt.

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Final Thought

Mount with snow-capped peak reflected in calm water surrounded by green hills and a pink-hued sky at dawn.

If we keep well and cheerful we are always young, and at last die in youth, even when years would count us old.”

– Tryon Edwards, A Dictionary of Thoughts

Takashi Miyazaki/Unsplash