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The body and physical health

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A portrait of a woman with powdered hair wearing a silk dress, lace collar, black choker, and a pink ribbon, seated against a dark background.

The body and physical health

idea

Menopause was a French invention at a time of revolution

French doctors of the 1800s had a vested interest in pathologising women’s ageing, as do many commercial entities today

by Alison M Downham Moore

Three people wearing bathing suits and felt hats sit on a wooden bench in a sauna. The sauna is filled with steam, making the ambience hazy. The woman on the left is holding a bundle of twigs, likely for traditional sauna rituals. The mood appears relaxed and warm within the wooden interior.

The body and physical health

idea

You are your body: here’s how to feel more at home in it

Just because you live in a body, doesn’t mean you feel at one with it. Embodiment psychology can help you reconnect

by Elna Schütz

A woman jogging along a paved riverside path with modern buildings and a cloudy sky in the background. She is wearing a grey hoodie, black leggings, and trainers while listening to music on earphones.

Goals and motivation

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So-called ‘SMART goals’ are a case of style over substance

From fitness to finance, the SMART goal-setting method is ubiquitous, but often detrimental. There are better approaches

by Christian Swann

A child is offering a plate of homemade cookies

The body and physical health

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What I wish more people knew about deadly allergic reactions

Living with a deadly food allergy, I’ve discovered staying safe involves navigating other people’s doubts and expectations

by Hannah Waldfogel

A close up of a vibrant yellow-gold tulip flower

History of ideas

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I smell, therefore I am. On the philosophy of the olfactory

To truly grip us, philosophy must engage with the practical and animalistic. It’s time to stop turning its nose up at smell

by Simon Hajdini

Person with closed eyes holding a twig with small red flowers near their nose, appearing to smell it. They wear a ring and have a light purple eyeshadow.

Communication and language

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What is the secret to an evocative smell description?

Many languages have very few odour-related words, so conveying what a scent is like requires knowing your audience

by Giulia Martina

Elderly woman with shoulder-length grey hair wearing a purple cable-knit sweater, sitting in a dimly lit room, looking towards the camera.

Mind-body interactions

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Can a perfectionist personality put you at risk of migraines?

The hunt for a ‘migraine personality’ dates back over a hundred years and still it goes on. Why is the idea so alluring?

by Shayla Love

A couple embracing by a waterfront at sunset, with city lights and a colourful sky in the background.

The body and physical health

idea

How ‘stirrings of the heart’ shape your experience of time

New research is showing the embodied nature of time perception and how it can fluctuate in tune with the heart’s beats

by Shayla Love

Cracked and peeling black paint on glass with a blurry, out-of-focus background in warm tones.

Body dysmorphic disorder

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Body dysmorphic disorder is common, yet widely misunderstood

What strikes someone with BDD as a glaring physical problem actually calls for a psychological solution

by Toni Pikoos

People eating chips with various sauces in cardboard trays, standing outdoors on paving stones with a crowd in the background.

The body and physical health

idea

Practise ‘intuitive eating’ and feel a lot happier about food

Practise ‘intuitive eating’ and free yourself from worrying about food and the ricochet between dieting and indulging in it

by Charlotte H Markey

Medical imaging scan showing the internal organs of a human torso, including intestines highlighted in blue and other organs in shades of red and orange.

Mind and brain

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To grasp how serotonin works on the brain, look to the gut

A new perspective uses an analogy between digestion and cognition to help explain the function of a key neurochemical

by James M Shine

Black and white photo of a woman with braided hair embracing a man who has his eyes closed, both looking pensive and emotional.

Emotion regulation

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Heartbreak is more than a metaphor. Are you at risk?

Heartbreak is more than a metaphor, but not everyone is at risk. Why does it kill some and spare others?

by Sian Harding