Quite a shift... "majorities of Gen Z adults and millennials identified as political independents" ... and slightly more of them lean Democratic vs. leaning Republican. https://news.gallup.com/poll/700499/new-high-identify-political-independents.aspx
RRB
Robert Roy Britt
@robertroybritt
Independent #health and #science journalist, editor, author and writing coach.
I write about health and wellness on Wise & Well, and my weekly Writer's Guide newsletter offers guides and coaching for other non-fiction writers.
I'm also a past editor-in-chief of Live Science and Space.com, a former newspaper editor, and a recovering media executive.
Is it too late to get the #flu vaccine? What about masks—did we ever decide if they work?
Our favorite octogenarian physician/writer has plenty experience with all this, plus insight into how the vaccine and one particular flu treatment medication are helpful even if you do catch the bug, as he recently did.
You're stressed out. Or are you? Often, what we think of as #stress is actually #anxiety. And while they both manifest similarly, each has distinct causes and mechanisms. Importantly, if you're dealing with anxiety, trying to battle stress isn't the right remedy. So I talked to experts to sort this all out for myself, and for you. Fascinating insights into the psychology, and how to feel better lickety-split.
https://medium.com/wise-well/stress-vs-anxiety-how-to-know-which-is-bugging-you-ddc0958f3d40 #mentalhealth
Give a rat some saccharine, with a side order of nausea booster, and it'll never want saccharine again. That's classical condition, similar to Pavlov's dog experiments. Similar things happen in humans, whereby the nervous system and immune system talk to and influence each other. That realization launched the field of psychoneuroimmunology, which is finally starting to explain the outsized mental buzzkill of physical illness.
https://medium.com/wise-well/a-surprising-buzzkill-how-inflammation-cancels-joy-0cf24149dcdf?sk=b22fdf332dd3b7987592cd9bf9d9c49b #health #science
As a teen in the '70s, I remember wearing ankle weights and wrist weights to, supposedly, make me stronger (in the era of bubble-gum mail-order, we'd try anything). Mostly just made my joints hurt. So I was surprised to learn weighted vests are suddenly popular, as people try to maximize exercise (without putting in extra effort) to build muscle or lose weight. Science suggests there are actual advantages amid risk.
https://medium.com/wise-well/weighted-vests-are-suddenly-popular-do-they-work-e100ae982f76
"Under President Trump, the E.P.A. plans to stop tallying gains from the health benefits caused by curbing two of the most widespread deadly air pollutants, fine particulate matter and ozone, when regulating industry..."
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/climate/trump-epa-air-pollution.html
Courage conjures images of big, bold, dangerous acts. Fighting off a bully, attempting the seemingly impossible, going into battle, stuff like that. But we all need courage, just to face everyday life challenges. Yet do we spend much time learning about it or practicing actually how to be courageous? This writer, a psychologist, thinks we should should, and she explains exactly how. I dare you to read it!
In this week's Wise & Well newsletter:
https://medium.com/wise-well/trump-takes-gobs-of-aspirin-should-you-de8967ef1347
>Why Smart People Often Struggle to Build Trust
>Technology Use Linked to Better Brain Health in Older Adults
>Does the ‘Gravity Aging Hypothesis’ Explain Why We Get Old?
>Laughter is Even Better Medicine Than We Realized
>Are Tyrosine Supplements Helpful, Hurtful or Just Cheesy?
>New Federal Dietary Guidelines Offer Both Great and Lousy Advice
>US Child Vaccine Schedule is Gutted. Here’s Why That’s a Big Mistake.
Plus:
Gravity definitely brings us down, in the literal sense, but a somewhat "out there" hypothesis floating around social media these days suggests it brings us down in all physical ways and is the reason we age. The core idea: Your head is way up above your heart, so it doesn't get enough blood. But there are some obvious holes in the idea, one having to do with giraffes.
Untrustworthy people can be outright liars or just plain lazy. But I was surprised to learn from this writer how hard it can be for genuinely smart people to earn trust of friends or colleagues, even if they're genuinely good people. It has to do with underdeveloped empathy and poor #communication skills. Fortunately there's a fix, for anyone who seeks the trust of others.
https://medium.com/wise-well/why-smart-people-often-struggle-to-build-trust-41566ee62940?sk=ce2f2ee5dd66af7947642a6f7e3991bf #relationships
New federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released today, offer both good and bad advice, some of it based on RFK's beliefs rather than science.
Great advice: Avoid highly processed food.
Lousy advice: Eat more red meat and full-fat dairy products.
See what else (good and bad) is in the guidelines, and what actual health and nutrition experts say.
https://medium.com/wise-well/rfks-new-dietary-guidelines-offer-both-great-and-lousy-advice-dc1389533e8b #health #nutrition #diet #food
There are so many dietary supplements and "natural" medicines on the market today it's difficult to know which ones do any good and what the side effects might be. Enter tyrosine, an essential amino acid that the body makes naturally. #Tyrosine supplements seem to help brain function, studies suggest. But that doesn't men you should take them. This neuroscientist sorts it all out.
https://medium.com/wise-well/are-tyrosine-supplements-helpful-hurtful-or-just-cheesy-2ec1e3ab1aef?sk=b4960ccffb69ddb9476a51f862657a9b #health
Many of us complain about the ever-growing complexities of #communication #technology. The internet, smartphones, social media, and now AI. And we hear it's rotting our brains. But #science is revealing advantages, too, like how the challenges of tech can boost cognition in the very people you might expect to complain about it the most.
You've heard it before, but new research makes it worth repeating: Laughter really is good medicine. It boosts the immune system and brain function and overall promotes healthy aging and better relationships. But did you now you can get better at laughing? That's the best part about this story: tips on how to laugh more. It starts with simply being silly.
https://medium.com/wise-well/laughter-is-even-better-medicine-than-we-realized-e3491395c5da?sk=00c492816fa12d3aa4877b2de7431c05 #mentalhealth #humor
Whatever your opinion on the risks of the weedkiller Roundup, it's clear we don't have any reliable evidence that it's safe. Meanwhile, it's everywhere these days. Question is: Will the EPA take an honest look at it? https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/climate/glyphosate-roundup-retracted-study.html
Before attention deficit hyperactivity disorder became the standard term, #ADHD had the demeaning label “minimal brain dysfunction” (MBD). Kids with MBD were said to grow out of it and become adult “alcoholics, sociopaths, and histrionics.” Only recently has it become widely recognized that adults can have ADHD, yet those with it continue to be widely misunderstood. This psychiatrist aims to change that.
https://medium.com/wise-well/why-we-should-celebrate-50-years-of-recognizing-adult-adhd-a62ce52eec1f?sk=d7b8388c5c05b30dc93bf35d490c223d #mentalhealth
How well do you sleep? How do you even know if you sleep well? And how much of it do you really need? And while we're at it: Does everyone snore? And is it normal to have to pee during the night? As a journalist who's covered #sleep #science for years and written a book about it, I tackle concisely some of the most common questions, so you can rest easy in 2026.
https://medium.com/wise-well/26-common-sleep-questions-answered-2bb95ec0025c
My sister died of #melanoma in her mid-40s. As kids in the 60s and 70s, she and the rest of us spent way too much time in the sun without protection - nobody told us the risks. Now we are all more careful. So the idea of using a tanning bed, to purposely damage skin, seems ludicrous to me. Yet millions of people still do, despite the known risks, which this dermatologist explains.
Does the American #healthcare system work for you? Pleased with your insurance coverage (if you have any) and the actual care you get? Confident the system will be there for you when it matters most? If you answer "no" to any these questions, you'll appreciate this insider's take, from a former executive with Blue Cross Blue Shield, on how we got here and why it's about to get worse, as millions of Americans lose coverage.
We humans are, on average, much more resilient than we know, research on London Blitzkrieg survivors and other studies have found. While America is not living through a wholesale horror on that scale now, the suffering for many is real during this year of political upheaval. This writer, a psychologist who is herself weary, cites "creative pursuits" as one of 8 ways she tells clients to build their resilience.
https://medium.com/wise-well/what-i-learned-about-resilience-during-the-trumpocalypse-of-2025-5e32592b3220?sk=0a6cf393a5448f4169996da0cb5c6bf4 #psychology #mentalhealth