Learning how to heal

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [No one knows how to truly recover from illness]( By Rachel Sonis Editor, Ideas I broke my wrist this summer, and the road to recovery was tough in ways that really surprised me. Sure, it was physically painful, but what made my recovery the most challenging was the fact that it was anything but swift. The slowness of it has been the biggest hurdle to cross. The truth is no one really knows how to recover from illness, and as Dr. Gavin Francis—author of [Recovery: The Lost Art of Convalescence]( out is his new piece for TIME, our productivity culture has overshadowed our bigger need to respect the healing process. Among his most intriguing points: - Guidance from medical professionals through the process of recovery is of the utmost importance to patients. Sometimes people need to be granted permission to take the time they need to recuperate. - A 2014 [study]( by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that Europeans take two to three times more sick leave than Americans, pointing to signs of an ingrained pressure to be maximally productive in the U.S—even when sick. - Health is a balance, not a destination. For all of its annoyances, illness can actually teach us something valuable about self-compassion, expectations, and the pursuit of true wellness. [READ M]( Share This Story What Else to Read [Mitch McConnell’s Health Episodes Show No Evidence of Strokes or Seizures]( By LISA MASCARO and MARY CLARE JALONICK / AP Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s health episodes show “no evidence” of being strokes or seizures, the Capitol physician said. [Read More »]( [Tens of Thousands of Ukrainians Scarred by Amputations and Trauma]( By Evgeniy Maloletka / AP Ukraine faces a future with upward of 20,000 amputees—many soldiers who are also suffering psychological trauma from their time at the front. [Read More »]( [How Menopause Affects Cholesterol—And How to Manage It]( By Katherine Harmon Courage Cholesterol rises for nearly everyone who goes through menopause. [Read More »]( [Is Honey Healthy? Here’s What Experts Say]( By Cassie Shortsleeve It's good for a cough—but there's more to the story. (Originally published in 2019.) [Read More »]( [How to Find Small Moments of Joy in Dark Times]( By Angela Haupt Create a joy bucket list, have recess every day, and dance it out. [Read More »]( ONE LAST READ [Prostate cancer screening comes too late for some men]( When prostrate cancer tests were first introduced in the 1990s, there was a rash of over treatment, leading to damaging side effects, and doctors eventually corrected course. But now, as Brianna Abbott reports in the Wall Street Journal, doctors may not be testing early enough, as more patients are being diagnosed with late stage cancers, often too late to treat. [Read More »]( If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Rachel Sonis and Oliver Staley, and edited by Oliver. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.