Health stories that resonated in 2023

+ from sitting too much to transgender medicine US Edition - Today's top story: Sitting all day is terrible for your health – now, a new study finds a relatively easy way to counteract it [View in browser]( US Edition | 1 January 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( One of the most rewarding parts of my job as a health and medicine editor is working closely with scholars to craft pieces that disentangle complex topics and bring readers a deeper understanding of the real-life health stories that so many of us are living through. It’s both a privilege and a profound responsibility to shepherd these stories into the world. Each December, we editors have the honor of taking stock of the stories from our desk that most resonated with us and our readers over the past year. One of our most-read pieces had to do with [how to counteract the harmful effects of sitting all day](. Hint: Get up and walk for five minutes for every half-hour of sitting. I feel a little more empowered every time I pull myself away from my computer to get on my feet to do a household chore or go walk the dog, and you might, too. Readers particularly liked a story on the [abundant health benefits of eating fiber as nature intended](. Health and biomedicine editor Vivian Lam noted: “As allegedly miraculous weight-loss drugs have swept public attention, this scholar offers a simpler solution: carbs, in their natural form.” Another of our highly read stories of 2023 was about a [poorly understood sleep disorder and its links with dementia]( – a story that came about from my own desire to learn more about a condition that one of my family members is living with. We health editors also chose a few of our own favorites. These include a piece that showcases how medication paired with therapy can help people [achieve better mental health outcomes]( and a story that enlightens readers about the [long history of transgender medicine in the U.S.](, dating back to at least the 1940s. In a recent story that resonated with us editors, two neuroscience researchers write about cutting-edge research on how subtle acts of discrimination and racism can [leave harmful and lasting marks on the brain]( and lead to heightened risk of disease for those who experience it. But, importantly, the scholars also point to ways that all of us can work to counteract these behaviors in our own lives and communities to promote healing and restoration. May we all find more peace, connection, healing and restoration in our communities in 2024. Amanda Mascarelli Senior Health and Medicine Editor Readers' picks Researchers have long known that sitting at your desk hour after hour is an unhealthy habit. Morsa Images/Digital Vision via Getty Images [Sitting all day is terrible for your health – now, a new study finds a relatively easy way to counteract it]( Keith Diaz, Columbia University Short, frequent walks throughout the day are key to helping prevent the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Whole foods like unprocessed fruits, vegetables and grains are typically high in fiber. Tanja Ivanova/Moment via Getty Images [Fiber is your body’s natural guide to weight management – rather than cutting carbs out of your diet, eat them in their original fiber packaging instead]( Christopher Damman, University of Washington Many processed foods strip carbs of their natural fibers. Eating foods with an ideal total carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio can help with weight management and improve overall health. Past age 50, men are much more likely to have REM sleep behavior disorder than women. Jose Luis Pelaez/Stone via Getty Images [A little-understood sleep disorder affects millions and has clear links to dementia – 4 questions answered]( Anelyssa D'Abreu, University of Virginia REM sleep behavior disorder is characterized by acting out dreams, which may include shouting, kicking and punching during sleep. Editors' picks Medications can open a biological window of opportunity for psychotherapy to take advantage of. melitas/iStock via Getty Images Plus [Medication can help you make the most of therapy − a psychologist and neuroscientist explains how]( Rebecca Price, University of Pittsburgh Combining psychotherapy with medication can lead to more immediate and enduring results by boosting the brain’s neuroplasticity. Enforcement of binary gender norms has led to unwanted medical interventions on intersex and cisgender children. Javier Valenzuela/EyeEm via Getty Images [Gender-affirming care has a long history in the US – and not just for transgender people]( G. Samantha Rosenthal, Roanoke College The first transgender medical clinic opened in the US in the 1960s. But cisgender and intersex children began receiving similar treatments even earlier – often without their consent. Coping with everyday affronts comes at a cost and requires a certain level of emotional suppression. RyanJLane/E+ via Getty Images [Racism produces subtle brain changes that lead to increased disease risk in Black populations]( Negar Fani, Emory University; Nathaniel Harnett, Harvard Medical School Racial threats and slights take a toll on health, but the continual invalidation and questioning of whether those so-called microaggressions exist has an even more insidious effect, research shows. - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? 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