National Geographic | Mind, Body, Wonder

This week: A refresher course on COVID-19; the "good" fat our bodies need more of; why BMI is not a reliable indicator of health; why some of us can't digest milk; you might be drinking water all wrong; the strange truth about phantom pregnancies.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN TULLY, BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES

COVID is back with a vengeance. Here's a refresher on everything you forgot.

In the last week of August, deaths from COVID-19 were up 10 percent from the previous week thanks a new group of infectious Omicron variants. With cases and hospitalizations on the upswing, here are some reminders and recommendations about how to protect yourself and what to do if you think you have the virus or get sick, from the proper way to swab to how long to isolate, and guidelines on Paxlovid.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS

HAD COVID MULTIPLE TIMES? How repeated COVID infections can lead to chronic health issues +

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARTY CHOBOT, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ FROM THE ARCHIVES‌ ‌ ‌

Not all fat is bad for us. This 'good fat' could keep us youthful.

The fat most people picture is known as white fat. But you're also born with brown fat, which is metabolically efficient in that it burns lots of calories—but we lose most of it as we age. Scientists think if we had more brown fat, it could reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases, control obesity, and ultimately lengthen our lives. The question is, how do we get more of it?

HOW TO GET MORE OF THE 'GOOD' FAT

PHOTOGRAPH BY VICUSCHKA, GETTY IMAGES

Carbs, fats, proteins: How to find the right balance

When it comes to your health—and weight loss—it's all about finding the right balance between these three key macronutrients.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Read more on fat and weight:

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It's not the fat, it's where it's at: Why BMI isn't a reliable indicator of health

•

7 hormones influence how much—or how little—you eat. Here's how to control them.

PHOTOGRAPH BY LUCA LOCATELLI, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Most of us are lactose intolerant. So why do we drink cow's milk?

Dairy is an essential part of the modern American diet, but as the rise of coconut milk, cashew butter, and oat yogurt suggests, many of us can't digest it very well—68 percent of us, in fact. The truth is, drinking milk into adulthood—let alone another animal's—is strange behavior in the animal kingdom, and it has had a lot of big, weird effects.

LACTOSE AND YOU

OAT, SOY, HEMP, AND MORE: Is your favorite plant-based milk good for the planet? Here's how they compare. +

ARE YOU DRINKING WATER ALL WRONG?

PHOTOGRAPH BY WILLIAM DANIELS

Do we really need to down a gallon a day to stay healthy? And does your water need minerals, alkalinity, or salt to really hydrate you? Here's what you need to know about hydration, from what your body is made of, to what it needs, to how drinking too little or too much is bad for you.

HOW TO HYDRATE THE RIGHT WAY

THE STRANGE TRUTH ABOUT PHANTOM PREGNANCIES

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Back in 1555, Queen Mary became the first documented case of a very rare phenomenon called pseudocyesis. Sometimes called false, hysterical, phantom, or delusional pregnancy, pseudocyesis manifests most or all symptoms of pregnancy—but no fetus. Here's a look at this mysterious condition.

HOW COMMON IS IT?

THE DISEASE NO ONE WANTS TO SEE

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALEXEY KUZMA/STOCKSY

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) arises from a series of mild blows to the head. Historically, such injuries have been brushed off, but researcher Ann McKee has been tireless—often in the face of pressure from professional sports associations—in showing that such trauma, if repetitive, can lead to a brain disease that keeps progressing even after the hits stop.

CTE IN YOUNG ATHLETES

READ MORE TOP STORIES FROM NAT GEO

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Many foods and nutrients have been linked to reduced inflammation and a lower risk of cancer or type 2 diabetes. Here's how—and why—the foods we consume affect our bodies.

HOW TO USE FOOD TO LIVE LONGER

What are animals thinking? They feel empathy, grieve, seek joy just like us.

How a face transplant transformed a young woman's life

Can aging be cured? Scientists are giving it a try

Why curly hair was an evolutionary advantage

Who was the Native American mystery woman of San Nicolas Island?

How was King Tut's tomb discovered 100 years ago? Grit and luck

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