Wellness Advice
A Pain in the Shin
I am an older man who recently developed a debilitating—and agonizing—shin splint after I increased my daily steps in a good-faith effort to improve my health. What did I...
The Placebo Prescription?
I recently came across a medical study that caught my eye because it investigated a controversial subject. In a survey of doctors from 21 countries, researchers posed this question:...
Blink Twice: Can This Supplement Really Relieve Dry Eye Disease?
I’ve tried over-the-counter artificial tears for the stinging and burning of my dry eyes, but they don’t help enough. What do you think about the oral supplement Blink NutriTears...
Flower Power on Your Plate
I’ve seen flowers in salads at fancy restaurants and sold at some upscale markets. Are they really edible, and how nutritious are they?
Yes, many flowers—from pansies and nasturtiums to...
Remembering the Scientists We Lost in 2025
Over the past year, we have lost some giant figures in the scientific world—including the revered anthropologist and conservationist Jane Goodall, and the accomplished and controversial geneticist James Watson,...
A Hearing Testing … Over the Phone?
Is the National Hearing Test that’s done over the phone—or now online—a good way to get your hearing checked?
Yes, actually. The National Hearing Test (NHT) is considered a reliable...
The No Flush List
My husband and I have a running “debate” about him tossing dental floss in the toilet (he says that’s fine, I say that’s a no-no) and me flushing hair...
How Fruit Lost Its Flavor
I remember as a child, biting into a peach or a slice of melon and practically swooning over the sweet, juicy taste. These days it seems like all the...
‘Eat Locally, Think Globally’: It All Began With Joan Gussow, 1928–2025
Before there was Michael Pollan, there was Joan Gussow—writing, teaching, and sounding the alarm about the industrial food system as early as the 1970s, three decades before The Omnivore’s...
Is ‘Old Person Smell’ Real?
I’ll never forget hugging my grandparents as a child and catching a whiff of something reminiscent of mothballs and musty wet leaves. Now that I’m in my early 80s,...
