Natasha Lavender

Of all the things that are good for our health, oxygen is both the number one necessity, and the one we take most for granted. But that could change, since the air delivering that oxygen is becoming increasingly polluted. A study recently published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters found that in 2016, 95 percent of the population lived in regions where levels of air pollution were higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines deemed to be safe. The researchers also found that in 2016, air pollution reduced the average global life expectancy by about a year (and by more than that for highly polluted countries). So what are the health implications, and what can we do? Take a deep breath and read on.

The idea that people who are naturally happy tend to live longer than less positive types might seem either obvious or offensive, depending on your disposition. On one hand, for those who are optimistic, it seems obvious that people who are able to take everything life throws at them in stride might be more resilient. But then again, if you struggle with feeling happy in your own life, this concept could feel insulting. The truth is, the connection between life expectancy and happiness is complicated. Just because you get sick doesn’t mean you aren’t a positive person. But more than one scientific study has identified a link.

Smartphones often get a bad rap when it comes to mental health. It’s partly because they’re the gateway to social media, which leads to the potential pitfalls of comparing your real life to other people’s perfectly curated feeds. And it’s partly because some studies have found that they can be addictive, although the research on that is a work in progress. But totally dismissing smartphones deprives us of a powerful tool that can be used to make us feel calmer, more productive, and less stressed. Check out these five ways you can use your phone to promote good mental health.

Over the 60 years since it was first brought to the American public, the Pill has joined Madonna, Prince, and Beyoncé in becoming famous enough to be known by a single name. It refers to a pill that combines synthetic versions of the hormones estrogen and progestin, which stop you from ovulating every month. According to the CDC, it remains the most popular form of birth control among females aged 15 to 44. With women’s reproductive rights under scrutiny once again, we’re taking a closer look at the Pill. Here are seven facts about it you may not know.

Until your winning lottery numbers come up, chances are you’ll be keeping that office job. And while there are definite perks — like gossip, work wives, and happy hours — you can probably think of a few things your workplace could do better to help with your overall well-being and health. Don’t resign: Redesign! Turn the place where you’re spending your nine-to-five from dismal to delightful by considering a few important pieces of advice.

When you’re having a medical emergency, the last thing you’re probably worrying about is the gender of the doctor who’s treating you. Unfortunately, it could be a factor worth considering if you’re a woman. A recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that female heart attack patients had a higher chance of survival if they were treated by a female ER doctor.

Trying to clearly communicate a medical problem can often be challenging, but it’s especially difficult when you feel like the doctor you’re talking to isn’t listening or taking you seriously.

Most of us pride ourselves on being pretty clean (and we have the cabinets full of products to prove it), but we’re usually missing something. Taking your hygiene from sparkling to spotless doesn’t have to mean professional cleaners or hours of work. Here are seven quick and easy tips to help you (and your home) get five stars every time.

Sometimes it seems like looking after your health is all working out and no play. But protecting your heart isn’t just about saying no to bacon (occasionally, anyway) and yes to hitting the treadmill. Here are seven fun ways to make your heart happy.

The readers' letters page, except since it's the 21st century, they're emails, tweets and Facebook posts. Every month, I came up with and posted the questions, compiled all of the responses, found the star letter, and organized the infographic at the bottom (executed by our brilliant art team). From Good Housekeeping, October 2016.

Health tips from physios, including stretching ain't all that, balance your cardio with strength training, forget perfection, and a little is more than nothing. From Good Housekeeping, September 2016.

We gave three women their own 'working uniform' - one outfit they would wear every day for a month - in an effort to see if it would save them time and money, or just get boring. From Good Housekeeping, January 2016.

I interviewed actress Kim Cattrall about upcoming events, including a Lionel Richie tour, a David Hockney exhibition, and Ghostbusters 3. From Good Housekeeping, July 2016.

If there's an A-list foot disease, it's bunions, with high heels blamed for giving red carpet regulars these painful toe deformities. But is that true? Are they avoidable? Are there treatments beyond surgery? Find out. From Good Housekeeping, July 2016.

I interviewed Oscar-nominated actress Naomie Harris about her love of cooking and collecting recipes, dark chocolate, and taking little trinkets to make everywhere a home. From Good Housekeeping, June 2016.

1. No one chooses to become anorexic. Before I became anorexic I thought it was basically just an extreme diet that people who wanted to be supermodels or celebrities decided to go on, but I learnt first-hand that anorexia is not a diet or a lifestyle choice. Anorexia was never my decision. It's not always easy to remember this, and there are times when I feel incredibly shallow and stupid and crazy. But I didn't choose anorexia and it's not my fault. 2. It's hard to know which part of your bra

I started hearing the talk in the spring. My coworkers arrived at their desks in gym gear, loudly discussing how many calories they’d just burned in their cardio classes. All day they traded juice recipes, agonized over goal weights, bitched about eating salad, complained about how much they wanted pizza, and stressed how hungry and tired they were. At 5 p.m., they discussed their evening workouts and the calorie content of wine versus straight vodka. It was exhausting and boring and relentless. I’m all about exercise and healthy eating as tools of empowerment, but most of my coworkers didn’t speak about their workouts and diets as something that made them feel strong and confident.

The only guests at my wedding were two strangers. One was our photographer, a young med student working a photography side gig on the weekends. The other was the judge, a white-haired dude who looked like the benevolent grandfather in a kids’ movie. My husband and I got married at Chicago’s City Hall. He wore a suit; I wore a tulle skirt and silver sequin sneakers.

When I was 17, I announced to my mom that I wanted to take ice skating lessons. I’d secretly decided that I wanted to be a professional figure skater, an aspiration that was beyond unlikely. I blame Disney for telling me to follow my dreams.

If you asked me to pick my favorite physical feature, aside from, like, vital organs, it would always be my legs. I have body dysmorphia, and while I struggle to see most of my body objectively, I’ve always loved my legs. As a teenager, I was aware that they jiggled when I walked and spread out when I sat down, but I didn’t care. They were long and relatively slim, and looked good in denim miniskirts (which I wore, proudly, all the time).