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YOUR WEEKLY CHECKUP

This week: The declining nutritional value of fruits and vegetables; what we know about the subvariant driving a new COVID wave; what microplastics are doing to our bodies; the health benefits of yoga.

PHOTOGRAPH BY LUCAS FOGLIA

Fruits and vegetables are less nutritious than they used to be

Mounting evidence shows that many of today’s whole foods aren't as packed with vitamins and nutrients as they were 70 years ago, potentially putting people's health at risk.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

MANUEL CANALES

How to feed 10 billion people without destroying the planet

Yes to fruits and nuts, while consumption of red meat and sugar is cut in half.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

REBECCA HALE, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

What's the real difference between fruits and vegetables?

Even the Supreme Court has weighed in on this age-old question.

THE DEFINITIONS

PHOTOGRAPH BY SPENCER PLATT, GETTY IMAGES

What we know about the BA.2 Omicron subvariant driving a new COVID-19 wave

BA.2 infections aren't as mild as once thought, and even newer versions of Omicron are circulating and spreading fast.

RELATED: If no one else is wearing a mask, should you? +

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID LIITTSCHWAGER, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Microplastics are in our bodies. How much do they harm us?

They've been found in every corner on Earth, including the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink. While the science is unsettled on what kind of harm they might be doing to our bodies, researchers say there is cause for concern.

LEARN MORE: The world's plastic pollution crisis explained +

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDY RICHTER

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ FROM THE ARCHIVES‌ ‌ ‌

Our fast-paced society loves yoga. What does the science say?

This ancient practice is held up as a fitness regimen, a path to transformation or enlightenment, and a treatment for so much that ails us—from addiction, headaches, and hearing loss to post-traumatic stress disorder and heart disease. Here's what research has shown about its benefits.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

NG STAFF

Moderna seeks approval for its vaccine for kids under 6

Meanwhile, new cases continue to rise in the U.S., with Omicron subvariants BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 responsible for the uptick.

TRACK COVID IN THE U.S.

SCIENCE SOURCE

Are more powerful COVID vaccines coming? Shots targeting T cells show promise.

Early trials suggest vaccines that activate these immune cells work better and faster and may protect people with weakened immune systems.

Even mild COVID-19 can cause your brain to shrink (subscriber exclusive)

COVID deaths no longer overwhelmingly among unvaccinated (Washington Post)

Are some people resistant to COVID-19? Geneticists are on the hunt.

Why China is using guard geese to uphold its zero-COVID policy

DIAGNOSING A MYSTERY

PHOTOGRAPH BY UNIVERSAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, UIG/GETTY

How PTSD went from 'shell-shock' to a recognized medical diagnosis

The battles were over, but the soldiers still fought: flashbacks, nightmares, depression. Some slurred their speech. Others couldn't concentrate. These soldiers didn't fight in Vietnam or World War I—their symptoms were recorded on cuneiform tablets in Mesopotamia more than 3,000 years ago. Back then, they were said to be hexed by ghosts.

INVISIBLE WOUNDS

MORE HEALTH NEWS

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOEL SARTORE, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

The rare medical condition that makes you love everyone

Williams syndrome, whose sufferers have a surfeit of oxytocin, affects roughly 1 in 10,000 people worldwide, with 30,000 in the U.S.

A psychedelic surprise may be thriving in your local garden

Should we be eating three meals a day? (BBC)

How loneliness is damaging our health (New York Times)

The end of inflammation? New approach could treat dozens of diseases.

Hepatitis cases in kids have scientists hunting for answers (Wired)

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