Mental Floss

HEALTH

istock

Get Better Faster by Changing Your Eating Habits When You're Sick

Depending on what kind of infection you have, eating or fasting may be a better strategy.

iStock

Here’s the Best Time of Year to Get Your Flu Shot

Getting vaccinated too early could cost you.

IStock

Easy, Time-Saving Ways to Incorporate Meditation Into Your Daily Routine

You can get yourself focused and relaxed any time of day: no apps needed.

Courtesy Mother Dirt

Can a Daily Bacteria Spray Really Make You Smell Better Without Soap?

We put one company's hypothesis to the test.

iStock

Why You Shouldn’t Use Q-Tips to Clean Your Ears

Sticking a Q-Tip into your ear isn’t just ineffective—it’s downright dangerous.

IStock

What You Should Know About Pet Health Insurance

Is comprehensive puppy coverage worth the expense?

iStock

Many Americans Still Consider Themselves Too Cool for Seat Belts

"Don’t tell me what to do!"

iStock

The FDA Is Banning Useless (and Harmful) Antibacterial Soaps

It's a win for your skin's microbiome.

Being Infected With Malaria Helped Ebola Victims to Survive

A recent study of Ebola patients revealed a surprising finding.

Lantern of Madison // Facebook

This Assisted Living Facility Is Designed to Look Like a Neighborhood

The elaborate interior layout is meant to help patients with anxiety and depression.

IStock

Should You Still Be Using Bar Soap?

More and more households are giving up solid soap in favor of liquid. Is the latter really safer?

Jen Pinkowski

A Growing Number of Parents Think Vaccines Are "Unnecessary"

A new study suggests that parents’ reasons for refusing to vaccinate have shifted in the last decade.

iStock

Your 'Best' Hours Might Not Be Your Most Productive

Morning people are no better off; come daybreak, their risk of making self-sabotaging excuses increases.

iStock

Paid Sick Days Lower the General Flu Rate

Unfortunately, many workers aren't able to take a sick day.

iStock

iPads May Be Better Than Sedatives for Kids About to Undergo Surgery

Your kid's screen affinity may be a good thing.

The Case of the Deadly Bagpipes

Doctors say a British man’s fatal lung infection was likely caused by daily use of his fungi-filled wind instrument.

YouTube // OklahomaHorizonsTV

Baby Simulators Linked to Higher Risk of Teen Pregnancy

“The cure for teen pregnancy is more difficult than a magic doll,” says one expert.

iStock

Study Links Black and White Instagram Photos to Depression

Your filter choice reveals a lot about you.

iStock

UK Workers Eat Nearly 800 Extra Calories a Week on Their Commute

Blame stress eating and unhealthy food choices at train stations and buses.

iStock

Can Stress Really Turn Your Hair Gray?

It can, but because of a different kind of "stress."

iStock

Here’s Why Picking Your Nose Is a Bad Idea

Picking your nose isn’t such a harmless habit after all.

slagheap, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

Sci-Fi Fans Are Helping Researchers Build a Medical Database

Dust off your favorite films and novels to contribute to this growing index.

iStock

Citizen Science Project Calls for Donations of Dog DNA

Darwin's Dogs is looking for canine DNA to better understand mental illness in humans.

Prakash Mathema/Getty Images

4 Reasons Why Climbing Everest Is Deadlier Than Ever

Reaching the summit of Mount Everest has become a must-do ascent for pro climbers and amateur mountaineers, but ascending the world's highest peak is becoming more dangerous. Here's why.