Living Better Science for a healthy life
Special Series
Living Better
Science for a healthy lifeWednesday
Tuesday
Good health depends on more than daily exercise and a healthy diet. Access to safe housing, good schools and a decent job are important too. Si-Gal/Getty Images hide caption
Sunday
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
Friday
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
Can multivitamins improve memory? A new study shows 'intriguing' results
Thursday
Foods classified as ultraprocessed 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 ultraprocessed. Meredith Rizzo for NPR hide caption
What we know about the health risks of ultraprocessed foods
Tuesday
"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
Want to understand your adolescent? Get to know their brain
Wednesday
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
Teens say social media is stressing them out. Here's how to help them
Tuesday
Lifesaving or stigmatizing? Parents wrestle with obesity treatment options for kids
Tuesday
For years, the research picture on how social media affects teen mental health has been murky. That is changing as scientists find new tools to answer the question. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
The truth about teens, social media and the mental health crisis
Monday
Clare Kelley practices "forest bathing" along the edge of an urban forest on Roosevelt Island, in the middle of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. In contrast to hiking, forest bathing is less directed, melding mindfulness and nature immersion to improve health. Allison Aubrey/NPR hide caption