A year of twists and turns in health and medicine

+ lifestyle medicines, middle-aged health, COVID tests US Edition - Today's top story: They don't come as pills, but try these 6 underprescribed lifestyle medicines for a better, longer life [View in browser]( US Edition | 23 December 2021 [The Conversation]( It’s hard not to look back on 2021 without some degree of irony and wistfulness. Many Americans felt a visceral and profound sense of relief and hope as science seemed to prevail and COVID-19 vaccines were rolled out across the U.S. in early 2021. But those collective hopes were dashed when vaccine hesitancy took on a life of its own and the delta variant emerged on the scene – plunging the world back into an ongoing state of uncertainty. As the months dragged on, the slow and sinking realization set in that we are going to be stuck with this virus for the foreseeable future. The weight of it feels unbearable for many people. So perhaps it’s fitting that our most-read health and medicine story of 2021 is the most essential and basic of all health stories. It is about the underprescribed “[lifestyle medicines](” of whole-foods eating, consistent exercise, bountiful sleep, harnessing social connection and more. Another story that resonated with our readers chronicled the [troubling decline in physical and mental health]( among middle-aged people in the U.S. compared with other wealthy countries. And our third-most-read story, on the [differences between PCR and antigen COVID-19 tests](, reveals the hunger that readers have for facts, practical advice and clear explanations of science as we find our way through the pandemic. Here are a few other health and medicine stories that hit home with our editorial team and with readers: A team of virologists and immunologists from the University of Colorado, Boulder, walked us through [how a virus becomes endemic]( and how human behavior plays an important role. Epidemiologist and science communicator Katelyn Jetelina described [18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic]( in vivid detail with the help of seven charts. We also appreciated historian Yan Liu’s [fascinating perspective on Chinese medicine]( and his analysis of the pervasive use of poisons as a mode of healing in ancient China. Amanda Mascarelli Senior Health and Medicine Editor We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you give now to support our work, our board will match your donation, up to $40,000. [Double my donation]( Reader favorites Families can prioritize learning more healthy ways to eat. Joe Raedle/ Getty Images News [They don’t come as pills, but try these 6 underprescribed lifestyle medicines for a better, longer life]( Yoram Vodovotz, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences; Michael Parkinson, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Lifestyle medicine targets the root of chronic diseases like obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Experts explain why everyone should embrace these free prescriptions for good health. Middle age was often a time to enjoy life. Now, it brings stress and bad health to many Americans, especially those with lower education levels. Mike Harrington/Getty Images [Middle-aged Americans in US are stressed and struggle with physical and mental health – other nations do better]( Frank J. Infurna, Arizona State University Adults in Germany, South Korea and Mexico reported improvements in health, well-being and memory. All COVID-19 tests start with a sample, but the scientific process goes very differently after that. Morsa Images/Digital Vision via Getty Images [What’s the difference between a PCR and antigen COVID-19 test? A molecular biologist explains]( Nathaniel Hafer, UMass Chan Medical School The two types of COVID-19 tests – antigen and PCR – work in very different ways, which is why one is fast but less accurate and the other is slow and precise. Editors' picks The best way to stop a contagious virus like COVID-19 is through a worldwide vaccination program. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images [Is COVID-19 here to stay? A team of biologists explains what it means for a virus to become endemic]( Sara Sawyer, University of Colorado Boulder; Arturo Barbachano-Guerrero, University of Colorado Boulder; Cody Warren, University of Colorado Boulder Some viruses go extinct, while others stick around. The virus that causes COVID-19 seems likely to remain with us for the long term. September 11, 2021 marks the 18 month anniversary of the WHO declaring the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. summerphotos/Stock via Getty Images Plus [18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic – a retrospective in 7 charts]( Katelyn Jetelina, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston A lot has happened since the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. A portrait in data highlights trends in everything from case counts, to research publications, to variant spread. Poisons have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over two millennia. 4X-image/E+ via Getty Images [Poison or cure? Traditional Chinese medicine shows that context can make all the difference]( Yan Liu, University at Buffalo The usefulness of a drug is typically measured by its active ingredient. But traditional Chinese medicine shows that there’s more to healing than using the right chemical. Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](