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Daily Edition • Wednesday, July 22

Can’t Get Outside? Try This Stress Reset

A serene forest scene with tall trees, a calm river, and autumn foliage reflecting in the water under a clear sky.

Joseph Greve/Unsplash

Screening Out Stress: Spending even 20 minutes in nature has been linked to lower stress. But when getting outside isn’t an option, a recent study suggests that watching nature videos may offer some of the same emotional benefits.

The Study: In an effort to replicate a landmark 1991 study, researchers recruited 959 Gen Z students and showed them a video of workplace accidents designed to raise stress levels. Participants then watched one of six videos depicting a forest, a stream, a quiet or busy pedestrian area, or a quiet or busy traffic scene. Researchers measured changes in mood through questionnaires and tracked physical stress responses such as heart activity and sweating.

The Takeaway: Participants began calming down once the stressful video ended, regardless of what they watched next. But those who viewed nature scenes reported more positive emotions and less anger than those who watched urban environments. Nature videos did not consistently speed up physical stress recovery, as they had in the 1991 study. The forest video did show some evidence of faster initial relaxation, while the stream video did not — possibly because the sound of rushing water was loud and distracting.

Keep in Mind: The benefits were small, so nature videos are unlikely to replace time outdoors. Still, they may offer a simple way to briefly reset when stepping outside isn’t possible.

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The At-Home Hair Tool Going High-Tech

A man sits on a couch, using a tablet while wearing a cap with a lit red light inside.

Courtesy: Hairmax

Red light has already made its way into plenty of skincare routines. Now, similar technology is being designed for the scalp.

The FDA-cleared HairMax RegrowMD Laser Hair Growth Cap uses laser light to stimulate hair follicles and support increased hair density. Its Bio-Light Comfort design helps deliver unobstructed light to the scalp, while the cap format makes treatments easy to work into an existing routine.

For anyone exploring drug-free options for thinning hair, this doctor-recommended device is worth a closer look.

See How It Works

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Nutrition

You Should Never Skip Washing Your Greens, So Here’s How to Do It

Fresh basil leaves being rinsed under running water in a kitchen sink.

Curated Lifestyle/Unsplash

Lettuce Remind Ourselves: Last week’s Cyclospora outbreak, eventually linked to bad lettuce at Taco Bell, sent more than 1,600 people across the country into GI distress before officials found the source. But that unsettling stretch of not knowing left an obvious question for anyone eating salad in the meantime. Luckily, there are specific ways to wash your fresh produce to lower your risk of illness no matter what’s happening upstream.

How to Do It: Wait until you’re about to eat your produce to wash your greens, since doing so too early can lead to spoilage. Separate the lettuce leaves and other greens, then briefly soak them in a bowl to loosen the dirt. Using a salad spinner afterward can help dry things more quickly. Rub firmer produce like cucumbers or apples under running water. Root vegetables, however, do better with a firm scrub or a peel. And whatever you do, skip the soap or bleach since they can affect taste.

The Benefits: No washing method will kill everything, but plain running water really helps reduce dirt and bacteria. And a quick rinse is worth the trouble, given how often fruits and vegetables get linked to outbreaks each summer.

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SPOTLIGHT

An ‘Ode to Joy’

Smiling man with glasses resting his chin on his hand, wearing a suit and a dotted tie, in black and white.

GARY SHTEYNGART
Author, Essayist

Courtesy: Gary Shteyngart

In a society obsessed with maximizing (er, “maxxing”) and optimizing everything, essayist Gary Shteyngart reminds us that by chasing perfection in every facet of life, we are perhaps minimizing the single most important part: joy.

In his latest book, a collection of essays titled The Sensualist: Adventures in Pure Pleasure, Shteyngart argues that by attempting to optimize everything — sleep, diet, exercise, productivity, finances, relationships — is a direct path to missing out on the fun details of life. Across the essays, Shteyngart recalls tales of chasing capybaras, seeking out the best martini in New York City, and simply sitting on the porch without a smartphone in hand. (Wild, we know). Novelist Simon Rich calls the collection “a reminder to wring as much joy out of life as you can.”

Importantly, a sensualist is not a glutton nor an aesthete, Shteyngart says, but someone who can look around and find happiness; someone who embraces the details of their life and chases joy. If you feel like you need permission to enjoy your life — to have a glass of wine or (gasp) go for a run without tracking it on your smartwatch — pick up The Sensualist on preorder and, in the meantime, remember that not everything needs optimizing.

READ | FOLLOW | WATCH

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Quick Picks

Drift Off — This is how cannabis actually affects your sleep.

Bone Boost — Find out why people are swapping their afternoon coffee for this.*

A Bitter Pill — Why do multivitamins make some people nauseous?

Sweet Relief — Here’s how honey could help protect your skin from UV damage.

Early Bird Special — Could this TikTok trend actually improve your sleep?

^*Indicates a brand partnership

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What We're Cooking

Summer Farro Salad

A vibrant salad with farro, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and herbs served in a white bowl on a wooden table.

Courtesy: Food52

Serves: 8-12 | Cook Time: 25 minutes

Farro offers the same nutritional boost as brown rice — but it’s ready in just half the cook time. In this recipe, nutty farro is simmered with garlic, onion, and parsley to build layers of savory flavor. Mix in chunks of fresh mozzarella, briny olives, and juicy grape tomatoes, then coat everything in a versatile homemade vinaigrette for an easy, hearty summer salad.

Get The Full Recipe

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This, Not That

Walk it Out

A woman walks away on a sidewalk wearing a black coat and jeans, carrying a handbag.

THIS

A person with curly hair sits at a desk, holding their head in frustration, with a computer and a plant nearby.

NOT THAT

Harry Dona/Unsplash, Curated Lifestyle/Unsplash

This: Go for a walk when you’re stuck
Not That: Staring harder at the screen

When your brain hits a wall, more screen time isn’t always the answer. A short walk — even just around the block — can help shake loose a thought, reset your mood, and give your eyes a break. Consider it a meeting with your nervous system.

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A More Hands-Off Approach to Hair Growth

Most hair-growth routines involve messy topicals or another daily supplement. HairMax takes a different approach: Its FDA-cleared laser cap is designed to deliver light energy directly to the scalp, helping stimulate hair follicles and support greater density.

It’s a high-tech option built to fit into your routine without taking it over.

Take A Closer Look

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HEALTHY HABIT

Make the First Bite a Slow One

Before you tear through a meal, take the first bite slowly. Put the fork down, actually taste it, and let your brain catch up to your body. You don’t need to turn dinner into a mindfulness retreat — just give yourself a better on-ramp than inhaling food over the sink.

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Final Thought

Lush grass and wildflowers in the foreground with distant snow-capped mountains under a clear blue sky.

Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company.”

– George Washington, Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour

Annie Spratt/Unsplash