Hot Topics: From Well

Good health doesn’t happen at the doctor’s office. Instead, it’s about the small decisions we make every day when we take care of our families, shop, exercise and eat. Here in Hot Topics From Well you’ll find my reports on the latest and most important news on the issues you care about the most, organized by subject. Check back for frequent updates.

Relationships

Read about the latest science on love sex and companionship. Whether it’s a new insight on Facebook friendships or a better understanding of the married brain, you’ll find advice for improving your most important relationships.

• Divorce, It Seems, Can Make You Ill
  Married people tend to be healthier than single people. But what happens when a marriage ends?


• Marriage Stands Up For Itself
  They’re done. Toast. The governor needs his head checked.


• She Works. They're Happy.
  Ever since Betty Friedan urged women to leave the house and pursue careers, people have argued over whether women’s marriages and romantic prospects would suffer for it.


• What are Friends For? A Longer Life
  In the quest for better health, many people turn to doctors, self-help books or herbal supplements.


• What Do Same-Sex Couples Teach Us About Marriage?
  For insights into healthy marriages, social scientists are looking in an unexpected place.

Family Health

Whether you’re a stay at home parent or juggling work and family, chances are you’re looking for ways to make family life better. Check here for regular advice from pediatricians and family therapists about children, parenting and health.

• As Girls Became Women, Sports Pay Dividends
  Do sports make a long-term difference in a woman’s life?


• Behind the Wimpy Kid Phenomenon
  Inside the kids book series by Jeff Kinney


• Six Food Mistakes Parents Make
  A series of simple meal-time strategies can help even the pickiest eater learn to like a more varied diet. Here’s a look at six common mistakes parents make when feeding their children.


• The Family Meal Is What Counts, TV On or Off
  Television viewing has long been linked with poor eating habits.


• The Three R's? A Fourth is Crucial Too. Recess
  The best way to improve children’s performance in the classroom may be to take them out of it.

Pets

What would life be like without our four-legged companions? Increasingly science shows animals play an important role in human health. Scamper back for the latest updates on pets and health.

• Do You Look Like Your Dog?
  A Slideshow: Dogs and Dogowners: A Family Resemblance


• The Best Walking Partner: Man vs. Dog
  New research has found that people who walk dogs are more consistent about regular exercise and show more improvement in fitness than people who walk with a human companion


• When Illness Brings You Closer to Animals
  Much has been written about the healing power of pets and how animals of all kinds can improve health.

Exercise

As a sometime runner who needs to exercise more, I’m always looking for new ideas for boosting fitness. For the latest science on exercise and the motivation to get moving, check in here before your daily workout.

• A Marathon Run in the Slow Lane
  Since I began training for a marathon I’ve discovered that the view is a lot more interesting in the back of the pack.


• Does Buying a Home Gym Ever Make Sense?
  With the Right Motivation, That Home Gym Makes Sense


• Firm Body, No Workout Required
  Can you give your muscles a better workout simply by changing your shoes?


• The Human Body is Built for Distance
  Does running a marathon push the body further than it is meant to go?

Eating

Foodies can be healthy too. Dig in for daily updates on recipes, nutrition and ideas for healthful eating.

• For Three Years, Every Bite Organic
  Fruits, vegetables and animals can be 100 percent organic. What about people?


• Instead of Eating to Diet, They're Eating to Enjoy
  After decades of obsessing about fat, calories and carbs, many dieters have made the unorthodox decision to simply enjoy food again.


• Probiotics, Looking Underneath the Yogurt Label
  When the label tells you the food you are buying ”contains probiotics,” are you getting health benefits or just marketing hype?


• Recipes!
  The Well blog has a constant stream of great new recipes. Check it out every week to make discoveries.