NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC HEALTH

YOUR ‘REAL’ AGE

This week’s Health newsletter discovers surprising connections between diet and mental health, examines if 3D facial images better reflect your ‘real’ age ...and learns about cortisol spikes. Plus, what a giant goldfish teaches us
about eating.

THE BIG STORY

Fermented vegetables like kimchi are thought to bolster your mood by improving your gut microbiome. They do so by populating your gut with healthy bacteria that balance out the bad bacteria.

PHOTOGRAPH BY OSCAR WONG, GETTY

WHAT YOU EAT = HOW YOU THINK?

Research shows that certain foods really can help with depression and stress. Here’s why—and which foods help most.

SPOTLIGHT ON AGING

A woman's face as it ages from 20, left, to 65, right, as predicted by Han’s model. Han's research indicates that accelerated facial aging is an indicator of systemic inflammation and is associated with various health challenges such as high cholesterol, hypertension, and other aging-related diseases. This system is being used in clinics in China to assess patient health.

IMAGE BY JING-DONG JACKIE HAN, PEKING UNIVERSITY

HOW OLD ARE YOU, REALLY? YOUR FACE TELLS THE STORY.

Chronological age may not be your best marker. Researchers have developed a facial aging clock, which takes a 3D image of a person’s face and calculates their biological age. Does it work?

Related: Is ‘sleepmaxxing’ possible?

TOP HEADLINES

Cortisol rises during intense workouts. Is that a bad thing?

This common infection that affects millions of women is actually an STI

Liver problems linked to supplement use are on the rise

Drinking chlorophyll is a popular wellness trend. Does it really work?

The shaky science behind trendy ‘super greens’ powders

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Corey Ketchum of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service holds a giant goldfish found during a survey in Presque Isle, Pennsylvania. The service then posted a warning about releasing petstore goldfish on social media.

Watch your diet! It seems some animals keep growing and growing, such as this ‘Megalodon’ goldfish from my hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania. How much can a goldfish in the wild weigh?

A. 2 pounds
B. 4 pounds
C. 6 pounds
D. 10 pounds

REVEAL THE ANSWER

Found nearby: A rare half-male, half-female cardinal

Today’s Soundtrack: New Routine, Fountains of Wayne

Today’s newsletter was edited and curated by David Beard and produced by Amanda Bryant-Williams and Alisher Egamov. Thanks for reading! Have a suggestion? Let us know.

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