By Lynn Arditi, The Public’s Radio First, her favorite doctor in Providence, Rhode Island, retired. Then her other doctor at a health center a few miles away left the practice. Now, Piedad Fred has developed a new chronic condition: distrust in the American medical system. “I don’t know,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “To go to a doctor that doesn’t know who you are? That doesn’t know what allergies you have, the medicines that make you feel bad? It’s difficult.” At 71, Fred has never been vaccinated against covid-19. She no longer gets an annual flu shot. And she hasn’t consi ..read more

— There are plenty of modern products and treatments that promise strong, beautiful and healthy hair. However, people in China have understood hair care’s importance for centuries and have developed techniques and treatments that have stood the test of time. Keep reading to learn more about the beginnings of Chinese hair care, the traditional techniques and methods and how traditional Chinese medicine has played a role in hair care. What is Chinese Hair Care? Chinese hair care is focused on several aspects. First, Chinese hair care products are made from the local ingredients of the region. O ..read more

  By LEONARD A. JASON Case definitions are crucial in science, as they allow scientists to be sure they’re studying people with an illness versus those without the illness. Without an accurate case definition — or if there are multiple contrasting ones — it’s difficult to estimate prevalence rates, identify biomarkers, and discover effective treatments for a condition. Unfortunately, conceptual confusion has led to many different case definitions for long Covid, the post-viral illness experienced by some people after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. The failure to reach consensus on a single set ..read more

  By Nikki Rojas | Harvard Staff Writer | Harvard Gazette First in a four-part series on non-apparent disabilities. Daily naps are a necessity for Harvard Medical School student Kelsey Biddle. As someone who has Type 1 narcolepsy with cataplexy, she experiences spells of profound sleepiness throughout the day that affect her attention and ability to process information, and can even result in “vivid, dream-like hallucinations.” Biddle is among the many Americans with a non-apparent disability — a physical or mental condition that is not immediately obvious to others. An estimat ..read more

— The holiday season is a time for celebration, joy, and of course, spending quality time with loved ones. But let’s face it: along with all the merriment comes a hefty dose of financial stress. From buying gifts to hosting gatherings, the expenses can quickly add up, leaving many people feeling overwhelmed and strapped for cash. However, there’s a solution that can help alleviate some of that holiday budget strain: Park Christmas Savings. This ingenious savings scheme has been around for decades, offering a simple yet effective way to spread the cost of Christmas throughout the year. In this ..read more

  By Peter Dizikes | MIT News Are schools that feature strong test scores highly effective, or do they mostly enroll students who are already well-prepared for success? A study co-authored by MIT scholars concludes that widely disseminated school quality ratings reflect the preparation and family background of their students as much or more than a school’s contribution to learning gains. Indeed, the study finds that many schools that receive relatively low ratings perform better than these ratings would imply. Conventional ratings, the research makes clear, are highly correlated with rac ..read more

  “How can I find myself?” — you might be wondering. Congratulations, you’re halfway to living your best life. Most people live their Iives on an auto-pilot, ticking society’s boxes, not their own. Since you’re wondering how to discover yourself, you’re way ahead. Once you understand who you truly are, you can intentionally create the most amazing life for yourself. Let’s do it, trailblazer! Why don’t we know ourselves We are social creatures and heavily rely on others for our sense of identity. Where we come from, our occupation, relationship status, hobbies — all that inadvertently for ..read more

  By David Swanson It’s been two years since I wrote on this topic. At that time, at least 36% of U.S. mass shooters had been trained by the U.S. military. Since then, a grand total of nobody at all has written on the topic. I’m picking it up again, because people have started asking about it, prompted by a former Marine using apparently trained skills to murder a subway rider in New York, and shooters in Atlanta and Texas actually being identified as veterans in news reports — an extreme rarity. However, working from the database of mass shooters created by Moth ..read more

  Plate spinning through a roster of women is a defense mechanism to minimize vulnerability and maintain the upper hand. Instead of demanding true intimacy, requiring honesty, appreciation, and trust, you protect your heart, pushing away the authentic love you seek. The struggle of relationships is real. We stretch ourselves, open our hearts, and share our feelings, only to inevitably feel the pain of disappointment. This is non-negotiable, as every relationship from the dawn of time experienced ups and downs. And there are so many ways this manifests. Whether we can’t see eye-to-eye on ..read more

By Brandon Chase, Harvard Gazette People for whom it’s difficult to find time to exercise during a busy work week may concentrate their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to one to two days of the week or weekend. In a recent analysis published in JAMA that was conducted by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital, this “weekend warrior” pattern was associated with similarly lower risks of heart disease and stroke compared with more evenly distributed exercise. Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week for overall he ..read more