BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM “The main benefit of fasting is weight loss,” says Krista Varady, a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois Chicago and a co-author of related research, and the data supports her. In a peer-reviewed clinical trial at the University of Sydney, “participants practicing intermittent fasting lost about eight percent of body weight and approximately 16 percent of fat mass over six months,” says Luigi Fontana, one of the study’s authors and a professor of medicine and nutrition there. A systematic review of 27 trials found significant weight loss and concluded that intermittent fasting shows promise for treating obesity. What makes this finding useful is what a 2025 study found about adherence. Participants who practiced two months of intermittent fasting were more likely to maintain the pattern years later. Mark Mattson, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins Medicine who has studied intermittent fasting for 25 years, explains why that matters: “Most people who go on a calorie-restricted diet are often unable to sustain the low-calorie diet and go on to regain weight.” An eating pattern people can keep may outperform a better one they abandon. But it is not automatic. “Meaningful weight loss only occurs if intermittent fasting is properly implemented without overcompensating ‘feast’ hours or days,” Fontana says. There is also the risk of losing lean body mass. “When fasting, the body may lose lean mass such as bone and muscle along with fat,” he adds, though this can often be offset by adequate protein intake and resistance training. What happens to cholesterol and blood pressure Weight loss itself drives many of the cardiovascular benefits researchers attribute to fasting. Varady notes that it can help with “lowering metabolic disease risk indicators like blood pressure and cholesterol levels.” A 2025 six-month trial showed improvements in triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, occurring in part because weight reduction decreases visceral fat and lowers the liver’s production of fat-carrying particles in the bloodstream. Mattson points to a second mechanism: “Intermittent fasting increases the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system.” This is the branch responsible for rest and recovery, and greater activity there can lower heart rate and reduce vascular resistance, working against the chronic stress response associated with high blood pressure. The caveat is specific: “Improved cholesterol and blood pressure generally only occurs if an individual loses over five percent of their body weight and if their blood pressure and cholesterol levels were high before starting the diet,” Varady says. For people whose markers are already in a healthy range, the effect is likely to be smaller. Blood sugar and diabetes: meaningful benefits, real risks For people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, the evidence is stronger. Fasting lowers circulating insulin levels, increases insulin sensitivity, and shifts the body toward burning stored fat rather than relying on glucose. Studies show reductions in fasting glucose, lower hemoglobin A1c levels, and, in some cases, a reduced need for diabetes medication. But fasting is not risk-free for people managing diabetes. Duane Mellor, senior specialist dietitian at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, is direct: “People who take insulin or drugs that cause the body to make more insulin should speak to a doctor before starting a fasting diet.” The risk of hypoglycemia is real when medications are not adjusted to account for reduced food intake. Brain health: promising mechanism, limited clinical evidence Many people report sharper thinking while fasting, and Mattson identifies a plausible mechanism: fasting stimulates production of neurotrophic factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor and activates cellular stress responses that may strengthen neural networks involved in learning and memory. Research also shows benefits for people with epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, in both symptoms and disease progression. In healthy adults, however, the clinical picture is thinner. “There remains very limited evidence for cognition benefits,” says Varady. Much of the mechanistic research has been conducted in animal models, and results have not consistently translated in human trials. Who should approach this carefully Fasting is not appropriate for everyone. Fontana notes that caution is warranted for frail older adults or anyone at risk of sarcopenia, the progressive age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, because losing lean mass can be amplified without sufficient protein and resistance training. Valter Longo, director of the Longevity Institute at USC, adds that “people with eating disorders should also avoid fasting” due to the risk of reinforcing restrictive behaviors. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also abstain, given increased energy and nutrient demands. Women generally, though, do not need to avoid fasting. Persistent claims that it disrupts hormones have not held up under scrutiny. “There’s a lot of misinformation about this by social media influencers, but there’s no evidence to show that fasting leads to hormonal disruptions in most women,” says Varady. Multiple high-quality human trials have found no significant changes in sex hormone concentrations, even after a year of continuous time-restricted eating. What fasting actually requires to work The researchers agree on one thing clearly: fasting does not work in isolation. “No type of fasting is a short, magic fix for health,” Fontana says. “Without improving diet quality and maintaining regular physical activity, especially resistance training, fasting is not a substitute for a comprehensive healthy lifestyle and may lead to unfavorable health changes.” Practical guidance from the research team includes prioritizing protein intake, eating fiber-rich whole foods during eating windows, staying hydrated, and watching for symptoms like dizziness or excessive fatigue. Anyone with chronic conditions or taking medications should consult a healthcare professional first. And allow time. “It takes several weeks to a month for your brain and body to adapt so that you are no longer hungry during the fasting period and improvements in health indicators become clear,” Mattson says. The research is promising for many people, but the results depend on building the surrounding habits alongside the fasting window itself.     Did this solution stand out? Share it with a friend or support our mission by becoming an Emissary.The post Intermittent fasting works, but probably not how you think first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Good news: the Southern Ocean is filling with whales again. Humpback populations in Antarctica have nearly returned to pre-whaling levels, a rebound scientists say has been faster than almost anyone expected. Researchers conducting a survey near the South Orkney Islands this February recorded multiple groups of more than 100 feeding whales in a single day, scenes they described as “remarkable and breathtaking” and comparable to accounts written by the first polar explorers more than a century ago. Since commercial whaling was banned in 1986, ending a period in which more than 2 million whales were killed in the Southern Ocean, the recovery has been steady. Blue whales, the world’s largest animals, have bounced back more slowly. That trend has held for nearly four decades. “It is incredible that every day at the South Orkneys with decent weather, we could more or less guarantee seeing a group of 100-plus whales,” said Dr. Matt Savoca of Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station, who was aboard Sea Shepherd’s research vessel the Allankay for the survey. “The fact that groups this size are common here is what’s most remarkable. It’s breathtaking to see blows stretch from horizon to horizon, just as the first explorers to the region described over a century ago.” A looming threat Unfortunately, the same waters that once drew whalers now attract a different industry, and researchers say the timing could not be worse. Industrial krill trawlers, some weighing up to 3,000 metric tonnes (roughly 3,300 US tons), operate in the same feeding grounds where the whales feed. The vessels fish for Antarctic krill, the small crustaceans that form the base of the Southern Ocean food web and the primary diet of whales, penguins, and seals. What makes this particularly damaging, according to whale researcher Ted Cheeseman, is not just the volume of krill being removed but what happens to it. When whales consume krill, they return nutrients to the water through their waste, feeding the phytoplankton that krill populations depend on. Industrial trawlers, which process krill into dietary supplements, pet food, and aquaculture feed, pull those nutrients out of the ocean entirely. “When a whale eats krill, it poops out krill,” said Cheeseman, who co-founded the citizen science organization Happy Whale. “There’s a nutrient recycling happening. If you take out more predators, you would imagine you get more prey. But when you take out whales, the krill reduces.” The trawlers can be up to 100 times the size of a humpback whale. Cheeseman’s read: they have become a new kind of predator in the ecosystem. Conservation through collaboration The body responsible for protecting Antarctic marine resources, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), has been unable to act so far. In both 2024 and 2025, the commission failed to reach consensus on conservation measures after China and Russia blocked renewal of a key agreement restricting krill fishing in ecologically sensitive areas. Climate change is adding pressure of its own, with warming waters already affecting krill populations independently of fishing. With no international agreement in sight, Savoca and Cheeseman are proposing a practical alternative: a voluntary 30-kilometer (19-mile) buffer zone around the South Orkney Islands where krill fishing would be banned. Krill fishers have already accepted similar buffers around penguin colonies, which gives the researchers some reason to think the industry might be open to the idea. “There is an incredible opportunity for conservation through collaboration,” said Savoca. “The NGOs, scientists, and the fishing industry can come together and succeed where CCAMLR has failed.” Whether that happens may determine whether this whale recovery continues or runs into the ceiling of what krill-depleted waters can actually support. The trawlers and the whale aggregations are operating in the same stretch of ocean right now. A buffer zone would not fix the diplomatic deadlock, but it could buy time while the politics catch up.     Did this solution stand out? Share it with a friend or support our mission by becoming an Emissary.The post Antarctic whale populations are rebounding, but there’s still more to do first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Wynonna Judd has been living the celebrity life for decades, so we’d think she’s seen and done some crazy things. But her most ‘rockstar’ moment is more tame than you’d think. The country songstress, 61, visited the live taping of Bunnie xo’s Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic, on Sunday, April 26, and shared some candid secrets, including the wildest and most amazing thing she did. While grilling Wynonna for the tea, she asked, “What’s the most rockstar thing you’ve done that no one would expect from you?” The singer’s answer didn’t include anything illegal or shocking. “I laid down in one of the beds in the White House,” she answered. “I’ve done everything. Seriously.” Wynonna also admitted that she rummaged through the drawers while she was there. But “nothing” was in them. “Who wants to be there?” she asked. “Nobody.” Wynonna Judd also shared “something totally normal” that she loves to do that would surprise people, and it truly is “totally normal.” “I waste time sitting still by the water, and I do nothing,” she admitted. “…It’s therapy for me.” Wynonna Judd is Still Releasing New Music Wynonna, also struggles with social media addiction, and she’s using a unique method to detach “I started, and this is not religion. It’s relationship. I started reading the Bible again because I want to get off TikTok,” she shared. “I’m trying really hard to detach myself from social media.” The five-time Grammy winner went on to discuss her career, which spans over 40 years. Despite losing her mother and other half of the band, The Judds, to suicide in 2022, she has continued her solo career. She’s often admitted that singing is healing, and it helped her through her grief. Wynonna Judd is still releasing new music, and her newest album is dropping this spring. “I’m putting out music that is from my gut to yours,” she shared. This story’s featured image is by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Stagecoach.

Most of us have a desire to improve our health, sleep more soundly, have more energy and just generally feel better in our daily lives. And yet those things feel elusive to many of us, so we’re always on the hunt for hacks that can help us, and if those hacks don’t require a huge change in lifestyle or herculean feats of willpower, all the better. Thankfully, there’s one small change you can make to your morning routine that can make a big difference in how you feel, think and sleep, and it’s refreshingly simple. The simple morning habit that changes everything In a nutshell: Go outside and face the sun. More specifically, go outside as soon as possible after waking, but definitely within the hour, and look toward the sun for 2 to 10 minutes if it’s a bright, sunny day and a little longer on a cloudy one. Most of us know we get vitamin D from sun exposure on our skin, but that’s really not what getting morning sunlight is about. It’s about the sun’s light energy hitting our eyes. As Dr. Andrew Huberman, associate professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine, explains, “This is not some ‘woo’ biological thing. This is grounded in the core of our physiology. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of quality peer-reviewed papers showing that light viewing early in the day is the most powerful stimulus for wakefulness throughout the day and it has a powerful positive impact on your ability to fall and stay asleep at night.” Huberman calls it a “power tool” for getting a great night’s sleep and lists it as one of the six pillars people should invest in every day—morning sunlight, daily movement, quality nutrition, stress control, healthy relationships and deep sleep. Take care of yourself and take care of others. Daily investment in the 6 pillars is the way: morning sunlight, daily movement, quality nutrition, stress control, healthy relationships, deep sleep. Re-up every 24hrs so you can contribute and support others consistently too.— Andrew D. Huberman, Ph.D. (@hubermanlab) October 23, 2023 While the advice to look toward the sun flies in the face of all the times we’ve been warned not to look at the sun, in the early morning, the sun is less intense and you don’t need to look directly at it to get the benefits of its light rays. The photons still enter your eyes through indirect light, triggering the cortisol spike that sets your circadian rhythm in order. A woman faces the warm sun. Photo credit: Canva Why sunlight is so important “Getting sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning is absolutely vital to mental and physical health,” Huberman says. “It is perhaps the most important thing that any and all of us can and should do in order to promote metabolic well-being, promote the positive functioning of your hormone system, get your mental health steering in the right direction.” And you can also see Dr. Huberman go a lot more in depth about the benefits of sunlight and light therapies of all kinds here. This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated. The post One simple shift in your morning routine can improve your sleep and energize you all day appeared first on Upworthy.

Anna Mellor is a popular TikTokker best known for making videos where she pranks her husband, Rory. In one hit video, she forces him to dress as Mrs. Claus for the family Christmas card. In another, they plan a romantic movie night and she pretends to fall asleep just as Rory’s entering the room with popcorn. Basically, they’re couple goals and it’s extremely obvious to anyone watching that they are best friends, even soulmates, despite the lumps Rory takes along the way. But poor Rory may have got the last laugh after a secretive long-con he played left her stupefied. The secret? He’s been leaving her love letters in her shoes for years. The six-year secret hidden inside her shoes Anna took to TikTok to share the tale with her near one million followers. “I just discovered a six-year secret my husband has been keeping from me,” Mellor captioned a post with the big reveal. The video has over 2.6 million views since it was posted in March, 2022. Anna got hip to her husband’s secret joke after she purchased a pair of used Fila shoes and found a secret message written in black Sharpie on the inside: “I Fila lot better when ur around.” (A love letter and a dad joke, to boot. We love to see it.) @mellorlite Me thinking it was a love letter for someone else has same energy as when Rory was proposing and I thought the ring was somebody else’s that got lost at the beach ♬ You – Petit Biscuit After making the discovery, she called her husband to tell him the strange news. “I was like, ‘I just found a love letter in my shoes,’” she explained. Rory acted confused to hear the news. “He’s like, ‘Are you being serious?’ Acting as if I should know what’s going on,” Anna said. But he couldn’t keep up the charade for long. “We have been married for six years. I have been writing in your shoes for six years and you just noticed for the first time” he admitted. Anna then opened up another sneaker that had “If your feet get tired I will carry you” written on the tongue. It makes you wonder how many pairs of shoes that she’s thrown out had secret messages in them? Anna was clearly shocked by the revelation and thought it was a wonderfully creative way for her husband to show his love. It also shows that the man has an incredible talent at keeping a secret. Not to mention the outstanding patience on display! Commenters on the video thought that Rory is definitely a keeper, with all the makings of an all-star husband and dad. “Immediately getting a divorce… none of my shoes say stuff!” TheMrsGarcia1111 wrote. “Where did you find him and how do I get one…asking for a friend,” Keelyn added. “Ughhh *getting up to take my shoes to my husband and start and argument*” another user joked. “It’s so much sweeter that he kept doing it even though you never praised him for it” added another. This isn’t even their first viral moment This isn’t the first time the couple has gone viral. Back in 2020, Anna posted a video on TikTok where she sent her husband a dirty text message, but it was intercepted by her mother-in-law. In the video, a horrified Anna can be heard saying, “Wait, wait, no… oh no” as she watches Rory’s mother reaching for the phone. “Did you read that?” Rory asks after taking a look for himself. “I thought it was my phone,” she responds. “That is so gross!” Talk about embarrassing. But, mostly, viewers love the pranks. They can’t get enough of the pranks. @mellorlite What was he dreaming about?!?!? #sleepprank #fellasleep #prankingmyhusband ♬ original sound – Anna Mellor Why humor and small gestures matter so much in a relationship Research shows that good-natured ribbing, like the type that Anna and Rory share in their videos, is great for a couple. A meta-analysis of 39 studies found that couples who “create humor together” through inside jokes are more likely to last than those that don’t. “People say they want a sense of humor in a mate, but that’s a broad concept,” Professor Jeffrey Hall from the University of Kansas said according to The Daily Mail. “What is strongly related to relationship satisfaction is the humor that couples create together.” And little love notes and other small displays of affection? They’re key in a happy marriage. They seem small and maybe even silly, but they communicate a lot: Commitment, effort, and love. Anna and Rory are such an inspirational couple because beyond even love, it’s so obvious that they like each other. That’s a highly underrated aspect of a great relationship. If you’re trying to inject a little more of this playful fun in your own relationship, well, shoes might be a good place to start. This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated. The post Woman discovers her husband’s been leaving love notes in her shoes for over six years appeared first on Upworthy.