Cutting back on ultra-processed food in your child's diet doesn't have to be a huge lift. Learn shortcuts and smart swaps, like giving them nuts for a snack instead of chips. Even if they're salted, the higher protein and healthy fats in nuts are an added benefit. Meredith Rizzo for NPR hide caption
A clinician prepares cells for in vitro fertilization, or IVF, the treatment for infertility. In the future, it could be joined by IVG, in vitro gametogenesis, a new process that could turn any cell first into a stem cell and then into a sperm or egg cell. Lluis Gene/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
The brain requires a large number of nutrients for optimal health and efficiency, but micronutrients are typically absorbed better through foods than through supplements. Grace Cary/Getty Images hide caption
Foods classified as ultra-processed are those that have many added ingredients such as artificial coloring, added sugars, emulsifiers and preservatives. An apple may undergo minimal processing when it gets made into applesauce. But when it gets made into a shelf-stable apple pie or candy gummies with added sugars, colorings and flavorings, these foods are considered ultra-processed. Meredith Rizzo for NPR hide caption
"When you're younger, your mind is more open, and you're more creative," says 13-year-old Leo De Leon. Adolescence is a time of rapid brain development that scientists call "breathtaking." Jon Hamilton/NPR hide caption
Experimental therapies for cancer can be tempting when you're sick, but many fail to offer any benefit. Cavan Images/Getty Images/Cavan Images RF hide caption
Genetics, gut microbes and other lifestyle and environmental factors can impact how people's bodies react to food. An NIH study aims to find out how. Stephen Chernin/Getty Images hide caption
The first vaccine to protect infants from respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, moved a step toward approval by the Food and Drug Administration with positive votes Thursday from a panel of experts. Kateryna Kon/Getty Images/Science Photo Library hide caption
Many teens and young adults struggle with overuse of screens. They also have good advice for how to have a healthy relationship with social media. Rose Wong for NPR hide caption
Norditropin, a growth hormone from Novo Nordisk, remains in short supply, frustrating parents. Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption
As part of studying Long COVID, graduate researcher Bradley Wade Hamilton separates out microclots from blood platelets in a solution. Anil Oza/NPR hide caption
Facing public pressure, federal regulators have decided to let patients receive prescriptions for controlled substances via telehealth for at least another six months. d3sign/Getty Images hide caption
New recommendations from the USPSTF advise that women get biannual mammograms starting at age 40 to detect breast cancers. andresr/Getty Images hide caption
Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will make a recommendation about whether the agency should approve the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the U.S. Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images hide caption
Delores Lowery was diagnosed with diabetes in 2016. Her home in Marlboro County, S.C., is at the heart of what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls the Diabetes Belt. Nick McMillan/NPR hide caption
There's growing evidence that social media use can contribute to mental health issues among teens. A new health advisory suggests ways to protect them. martin-dm/Getty Images hide caption
Older people can enjoy great sex but it starts with believing it's possible — and communicating when you need to adapt your approach. LWA-Dann Tardif/Getty Images hide caption
Michelle Obama promoted healthy eating habits when she was first lady. Now, as co-founder of PLEZi Nutrition she aims to give parents healthier food options for their kids. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption
Susan and Chris Finazzo have enrolled their sons Dylan and Chase in a study of gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The experimental treatment is still being studied but researchers hope it may help prevent the devastating effects of the disease. Natalia de la Rosa Reyes/Susan Finazzo hide caption
