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The body and physical health

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Blurry photo through a shop window showing people on the street, a woman near the glass and pastry on display inside.

Mental health

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The brain’s reading of the body’s state is key to mental health

The neural basis of ‘interoception’ – the interpretation of bodily signals – is affected in many mental health conditions

by Camilla Nord

Coloured medical scan of human abdomen showing internal organs with blue and orange highlights, digital imaging.

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

Photo of a cyclist in a red polka dot jersey racing past a cheering crowd on a yellow bicycle.

Sports and games

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Physical fatigue is in the brain as much as in the body

The idea of ‘mind over muscle’ is more than motivational rhetoric – exercise science shows how the brain manages fatigue

by David Robson

Photo of assorted fresh foods on a wooden table including fruit veg cheese meat fish nuts spices oil bread and herbs.

Pain

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Solving chronic pain via the kitchen, not the medicine cabinet

While medicine still struggles with the mystery of chronic pain, simple dietary changes can bring much-needed relief

by Rowena Field

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

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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 person in a yellow jacket and turquoise hat running through a blurred forest path, conveying motion.

The body and physical health

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Even a single exercise session can help shift depression

The long-term benefits of regular exercise for mood are well-known. What’s surprising is that just one session can help

by Matthew Bourke & Rhiannon Patten

Photo of a girl swinging high above a cityscape with a cloudy sky in the background.

Mental health

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Why does early puberty pose a risk to girls’ mental health?

Girls who start puberty earlier are at greater risk of depression and anxiety. To know why, we must look beyond biology

by Marjolein E A Barendse & Michelle L Byrne

Photo of a woman lying on a bed holding a newborn baby on her chest, both relaxed; soft, warm lighting.

Parenting and families

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Philosophy can explain what kind of achievement it is to give birth

Pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding are physical achievements, like marathon running: give them the same respect, and no more

by Fiona Woollard

Photo of a person in colourful leggings lifting a dumbbell while wearing a digital watch, another hand on their leg.

The body and physical health

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Body positivity is fixated on beauty – here’s how to fix that

Body positivity is stuck in the shallow. We should move beyond beauty and towards health, pleasure and acceptance

by Céline Leboeuf

Persian painting depicting a seated figure with followers in colourful robes above a river scene with mountains and skeletal figures.

The body and physical health

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Magic helped us in pandemics before, and it can again

Magic always booms during pandemics, whether past or present – but that response might not be as irrational as it seems

by Matthew Melvin-Koushki

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 cityscape at sunset with silhouetted buildings and a person on a bridge in the foreground.

Pain

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Chronic pain forces a strange dance: performing wellness for others

Living with chronic pain has taught me that pain is boring for others and that our bodies are fragile containers for life

by Jude Cook