Lebanon is facing a crippling economic crisis that has caused a shocking jump in poverty and food insecurity in recent years. Plummeting economic activity, roiling political instability, and skyrocketing inflation following decades of governmental mismanagement by sectarian elites have turned a scenic country that was once called the “Switzerland of the Middle East” into a land of economic despair for much of the country’s population. (No wonder it’s one of the countries where at least half the population wants to move away.)
These challenging conditions have helped push Lebanon near the bottom of a list of the world’s 137 “happiest”…
keys to healthy living
Poverty is making us sick—and our politicians aren’t helping
How are you feeling? If you are reading this in the UK, that question is definitely worth pausing on.
New analysis this week reveals that more than five million of us are living with diabetes for the first time. That is just the latest pointing in a line of frightening figures to sicken society.
Since the statistical fog of the pandemic started to clear, the official job numbers have strictly registered a huge growth in the group—currently an additional 400,000-plus people—who are “inactive” and not even searching for work because they are “long-term” term sick.”
The latest available data is…
2 Minutes of Daily Exercise May Help You Live Longer
However, a study published in August 2021 in Mayo Clinic Proceedings better coincided with the federal guidelines. It found that people who exercised between 2.6 and 4.5 hours a week (156 to 270 minutes) had the most improvement in life expectancy. They were about 50 percent less likely to die in a 25-year period than those who didn’t exercise.
Interestingly, the mortality benefits diminished in those who exercised more than 10 hours a week, says coauthor James O’Keefe, MD, director of preventive cardiology at the St. Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute.
O’Keefe recommends shooting for 30 to 55 minutes of…
Healthy streets, healthy life – POLITICO
Beach Drive in Washington, DC, remains a walker’s paradise. | Getty Images
American cities that closed streets during the pandemic to give residents additional outdoor space for recreation have returned most of them to drivers.
Those reopenings are a missed opportunity to improve health if the prognosis from an ongoing experiment in urban redesign in Barcelona, Spain, is any indication.
POLITICO’s Helen Collis reports that Barcelona has seen promising results from a decade-old project to close large sections of three neighborhoods to traffic.
A survey of people living in the repurposed areas found they reported better rest, increased socialization and…
Reshape Your Life With Actress/Author Ali Landry
Every Monday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, interviews authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and other inspirational people about the strategies that help them think, feel, and do their best in life.
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More About the Podcast
The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.
Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too.
Episode Transcript
Editor’s Note: Please…
Top 10 states with the longest life expectancy and healthiest lives
We already know that lifestyle choices can help influence how long you live. But where you live may also factor into your longevity.
Consider this: in 2019, the US landed at No. 40 for life expectancy when compared to other countries, according to the World Health Organization. With America’s advanced healthcare system in mind, an average life expectancy of 78.5 years, prior to Covid-19, was pretty low.
But there are some states where residents have a better chance at living longer lives, and that may be due, in large part, to their healthy lifestyles.
Life Extension, a company that aims…
‘I worry for the times ahead’
Panel voter
The historic criminal indictment against former US President Donald Trump has sparked another partisan flashpoint in an already deeply polarized nation.
Ahead of his court appearance next Tuesday, voters have been sharing with the BBC their strong felt reactions to the first prosecution of a former president.
Whatever their political affiliation, most of our voter panel agreed that the unprecedented case left the US in uncharted waters.
Jim Sullivan
This is an excellent example of the politicization of the judiciary. It’s a huge mistake. Banana republic style vintage. It’s, in my opinion, totally undermining our rule of law…
Douglas, Pitkin counties ranked as healthiest in Colorado
Douglas and Pitkin counties are the healthiest in Colorado for the fifth year in a row, while people living in Otero and Bent counties have the shortest and sickest lives.
The annual health rankings compiled by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute attempt to grade counties across the country on two areas: health outcomes and the factors that influence health.
The ranking of counties’ health outcomes combines years of potential life lost from residents dying before age 75; the percentage of people reporting poor health; and the percentage of babies born too small. It correlates strongly with how prosperous…