National Geographic | Mind, Body, Wonder

This week: We learn about ’good’ inflammation, about the curious rise in stomach cancer in young women, the dangers lurking in your kitchen, and the massive numbers of men with prostate issues. Plus, magnesium and sleep; COVID and sexual performance; chocolate milk’s secret superpower.

Fried egg in a nonstick black skillet

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARYNA TERLETSKA, GETTY IMAGES

What dangers are in your kitchen?

These ’forever chemicals’ are hiding: You see the warning label everywhere, but is your kitchen really free of harmful substances like PFAs and BPAs? Experts answer what you really need to know about the risks posed by common items in your kitchen and what is simply misinformation. Here's the science behind your kitchen chemicals.

DNA sequencing as seen via gel electrophoresis. Lit under ultraviolet light, pink bands of varying thickness are seen across the gel.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CAVALLINI JAMES, BSIP/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Why are more young women being diagnosed with stomach cancer?

And why women more than men? By examining comprehensive cancer registries across the United States, scientists have found that diagnosis rates for women under 55 have risen twice as much as those for young men. Why is this happening?

PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Can inflammation help you heal?

Inflammation isn't always bad for you. In fact, it can sometimes simply be our body's healing response to strain. From cold plunges to plasma injections, we have found a host of ways to fight inflammation in the body—but when are these appropriate? When should we simply allow our system to heal on its own? Here's what we know.

COLD DUNKS OR HEAT TREATMENT?

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What foods are best at stopping inflammation?

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Do magnesium and melatonin actually help you sleep?

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What about magnesium and anxiety?

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There’s a better way to wake up. Here’s what experts advise.

A cat sits by several pairs of shoes outside a home in Hawaii

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT MADDEN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Shoes on or off inside the house?

Science weighs in. Is taking your shoes off at the door (above) good hygiene or just following cultural practices? Can those shoes spread contagion and disease inside? Here’s what science says.

WATCH YOUR MANNERS!

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OK, how long should you wash your hands?

PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEVE GSCHMEISSNER, SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

A little-known way to slow osteoporosis

Lifting weights the right way. Everybody wants to do easy lifts and breeze through reps, but heavy weights are the key to protecting women’s bones. That truth is contrary to decades of advice. And it's not too soon or too late to start, experts say.

THESE ARE THE FACTORS

An image taken of the prostate sitting below the urinary bladder

ILLUSTRATION BY ASKLEPIOS MEDICAL ATLAS, SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

With men, count on prostate issues

Why get it checked? About 1 of every 8 males will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and half of all those between 51 and 60 years old will suffer from a benign enlarged prostate. That number climbs to 70 percent among men ages 60 to 69, and 90 percent among men over 85. ”There’s no ‘apple a day’ to prevent this,” one scientist says.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

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Did COVID affect men’s sexual performance

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Sperm counts are plummeting worldwide. Why?

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Imagine a world where gender is neither a plus nor a minus

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