Wellness Live

Most definitions of “wellness” refer to an ongoing process, the balance between how you are and how you feel, between what brings you happiness and what causes you stress and anxiety. Today, wellness also includes what you do online. Where the extremes of happiness or anxiety are concerned, it can be both cause and effect, wellness and its opposite. So what does wellness mean when you can run your whole...

Most of us grew up with the idea that all germs are bad—but now, researchers are learning that the microscopic organisms making their home on and in your body are mostly very, very good for you. Centuries ago, Hippocrates (the father of Western medicine) said that “all disease begins in the gut.” Today, it’s “all health begins in the gut.” The bacteria themselves are called the gut microbiota and their...

Since “sitting is the new smoking” made headlines in 2013, sitting has been linked to serious health risks, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Yet, while there’s no doubt that sedentary behavior is unhealthy, new research has found that the answer isn’t as simple as just standing up. Prolonged Sitting Is Risky Behavior The health risks of a sedentary lifestyle are well known: Type 2 diabetes Heart attack and...

You may know about umami, the delicious flavor quality described as "savory." It’s created by glutamate, a compound that occurs naturally in many foods. When food manufacturers add the concentrated crystalline form (monosodium glutamate, or MSG) to their products, the taste is so compelling that you’ll want more—so much, in fact, that the additive could be a potential health threat. MSG: Too Much of a Good Thing Savory flavor is...

We’ve all felt the warmth and strength that flow from having a close relationship with someone. Love and belonging are so important, in fact, that eminent psychologist Abraham Maslow placed them on his Hierarchy of Needs for the journey toward self-actualization. From infancy through old age, we have a biological need to connect with others, not just to live but to live well. Science is now quantifying how the bonds...

That pretty can of cold, sweet soda on TV looks so friendly. So refreshing. So promising. But it’s all an illusion. The truth is that sodas (and sugary drinks in general) are just a sneaky way for sugar and other chemicals to invade your body. The addictive sugar-and-acid solution wreaks the same kind of havoc as junk food and hard drugs—and it sets you up for serious diseases that could...

Our increasingly urbanized, indoor, screen-driven, stress-filled lives are taking a huge toll on both our physical and mental health. Luckily, science has found a sure remedy, and it’s been with us all along: Nature. Nature’s Benefits, Quantified Traditionally, the natural world has inspired and enriched humanity. Now, modern researchers are directly measuring the physical effects of Nature experiences on us humans: Researchers from the University of East Anglia, UK, analyzed...