Health Tips Line

Be honest: How much of your time do you spend outdoors? If you’re like most Americans, it might not be much—only around 10%, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. And your health may be suffering as a result. For many of us, our jobs and other responsibilities require us to be indoors a lot . And even if you love being out in nature, like I do, the increasing cost of living and demands of our modern lives often force us to prioritize work and obligations over our health and hobbies. I’ve been so chained to my desk lately, I didn’t make it to the ocean for several months—and it’s only two blocks away. All that work indoors, combined with no quality time outside, impacted my health so much that I landed in the hospital. (The consequences are real!) “I think schools and workplaces don’t appreciate that interacting with nature is important, so they don’t build it into the schedule,” says Marc Berman, the...

This past week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the scientist and immunologist who has helped every president since Ronald Reagan manage public health crises, from HIV to COVID-19, testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Or, he sort of did. Dr. Fauci, who was called before the committee to talk about the alleged origins of the novel coronavirus that caused millions of deaths around the world starting in 2020, finished the day without answering any questions and has since been cited for contempt of Congress. Yes, really. How did we get here? And what happens next? I follow politics like a religion, watch legal dramas like they’re going out of style and have one (admittedly rather inauspicious) year of law school under my belt, and even I am scratching my head at this confounding turn of events. What is contempt of Congress? Could Dr. Fauci go to jail? Ahead, I dig into the latest news and historical precedents behind this very busy week on Capitol Hill...

If it feels like holidays arrive earlier and earlier every year, you’re not alone. “Summerween” has taken over, putting pumpkins, ghosts and other ghoulish icons front and center while you’re still blasting the A.C. Many of our favorite merchants, including Anthropologie , Pottery Barn and IKEA, have already debuted their spooky season lineups for 2026—and now beloved plush brand Jellycat is getting in on the fun, too. Here’s everything you need to know about the Halloween Jellycat collection , including when it drops. Reader's Digest, Getty Images, Via Jellycat.Com Halloween Jellycats 2026 From a life-size garlic bulb to the sweetest wizard puppy, check out some of the top Halloween toys of 2026. Shop on Jellycat What is the 2026 Halloween Jellycat collection? Like many seasonal Jellycat releases, the Halloween drop includes both new and returning favorites. You’ll find a mix of friends that are seriously sweet and a little bit spooky. Plus...

If there were a Hall of Fame for desserts, s’mores would be a first-ballot inductee. They’re gooey and impossible to eat gracefully, and they somehow taste just as magical at a backyard fire pit in August as they do when you’re wrapped in a blanket beside a crackling bonfire in October. But for a treat that’s become a staple of childhood memories and cozy nights outdoors, most of us have no idea where it actually came from. Well, every tradition has an origin story, and the history of s’mores is one of the most interesting and fun ones! How did graham crackers, chocolate and toasted marshmallows become the ultimate campfire combo? And after more than 100 years of gooey goodness, is the humble s’more finally getting a modern makeover? With International S’mores Day landing on Aug. 10, there’s no better excuse to find out and celebrate America’s favorite campfire dessert . Read on for the sweet, sticky story behind the dessert that...

Let’s have a moment of real talk, shall we? When you’re shopping for swimsuits , there are probably a few things on your mind. There’s the fit, of course. (Hey, we’ve all got to serve.) Then there’s functionality, so it stays on when you’re swimming, running after your kids or getting pummeled by waves. And finally, there’s style and color—which is largely about this year’s trends and your favorite hues, respectively. Well, there’s another thing that’s probably not on your mind but absolutely should be. The “right” bathing-suit color should go beyond faves and flattering choices. In fact, choosing wisely can increase your safety in the water , something that’s doubly true if you have children, while choosing poorly can do the opposite. How, exactly? And is this more of a factor in pools, lakes or the vast ocean with its rip currents and (gulp!) sharks? To find out, we examined the latest data and talked...

In the new Christopher Nolan movie The Odyssey , soldiers from the Greek island of Ithaca end up trapped in a cave with a terrifying, enormous creature. The blockbuster film loosely follows the legendary poem by Homer, and students of Greek history will recognize the one-eyed giant Cyclops. Odysseus, the Greek king played by Matt Damon, who is trying to make it home to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and their son, encounters many strange creatures on his decades-long journey. However, the Cyclops stands out for his size and the frightening scene in which the soldiers slip out of the cave camouflaged as a herd of sheep as the monster sleeps. But how was the creature created? That’s an interesting story all by itself. A puppet and a real actor brought the Cyclops to life According to NBC News, Nolan used a 60-foot puppet to create the Cyclops, whose formal name is Polyphemus in Greek mythology . Actor Bill Irwin, who previously played the robot in Nolan’s Interstellar , br...