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The body and physical health

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Photo of a pregnant woman in a pink vest and white skirt, holding a red bag, walking in an urban area.

Parenting and families

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Moving through the world pregnant, my body became everyone’s

And I knew that, once I became a mother, I would be only more visible, more public, more available for scrutiny

by Katie da Cunha Lewin

Woman seated at a cafeteria table reading a book, with her shoes kicked off.

The body and physical health

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In defence of slouching: the bad science behind good posture

The idea that we should all stand straight is widely accepted. But this modern obsession has dubious origins

by Beth Linker

Photo of a woman in a pink top sitting indoors with eyes closed. Sunlight and shadows on the wall, plant on the right.

Death and dying

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It’s not foolish to foster hope in the face of illness and death

As a great loss loomed, I feared straying too far from the hard truth. But I learned to distinguish denial from hope

by Christiana Boules

A painting of a woman in 18th-century attire with a large hairstyle holding a letter, seated with a dark background.

The body and physical health

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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

Photo of three people in swimsuits and felt hats sitting in a sauna. The atmosphere is warm and misty.

The body and physical health

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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

Photo of a woman jogging along a riverside path in an urban area with tall buildings under a partly cloudy sky.

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

Photo of a person holding a plate with several chocolate chip cookies, set against a blurred background.

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

Photo of yellow tulips and pink flowers in soft focus, showing petals in detail with a blurred background.

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

Close-up photo of a woman with closed eyes smelling a small branch with pink flowers held in her hand.

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

Photo of an older woman in a purple jumper sitting alone in dimly lit theatre seats.

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

Photo of a couple embracing at sunset with a blurred cityscape and colourful sky in the background.

The body and physical health

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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

Photo of a blurred background visible through cracked peeling paint on a surface in earthy 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