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SUBSCRIBE | SHOP THE BOOKSTORE The power of self-compassion We usually think of compassion as it applies to others. But we can- and should- also show compassion to ourselves. Self-compassion means showing compassion towards ourselves when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate.  Self-compassion offers several benefits to mental and physical health. Self-compassionate people recognize when they are suffering and are kind to themselves at these times, which reduces their anxiety and related depression. Get your copy of Positive Psychology Positive emotions have been linked with better health, longer life, and greater well-being in numerous scientific studies. On the other hand, chronic anger, worry, and hostility increase the risk of developing heart disease, as people react to these feelings with raised blood pressure and stiffening of blood vessels. But it isn’t easy to maintain a healthy, positive emotional state. Positive Psychology: Harnessing the power of happiness, mindfulness, and inner strength is a guide to the concepts that can help you find well-being and happiness, based on the latest research.   SHOW ME MORE → While some people come by self-compassion naturally, others must learn it. Luckily, it is a learnable skill. In his book, The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion, Harvard psychologist Christopher Germer suggests that there are five ways to bring self-compassion into your life: via physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual methods. Germer and other experts have proposed a variety of ways to foster self-compassion. Here are a few: Comfort your body. Eat something healthy. Lie down and rest your body. Massage your own neck, feet, or hands. Take a walk. Anything you can do to improve how you feel physically gives you a dose of self-compassion. Write a letter to yourself. Describe a situation that caused you to feel pain (a breakup with a lover, a job loss, a poorly received presentation). Don't blame anyone but acknowledge your feelings. Give yourself encouragement. If something bad or painful happens to you, think of what you would say to a good friend if the same thing happened to him or her. Direct these compassionate responses toward yourself. Practice mindfulness. This is the nonjudgmental observation of your own thoughts, feelings, and actions, without trying to suppress or deny them. When you look in the mirror and don't like what you see, accept the bad with the good with a compassionate attitude. For more on drawing on your strengths and finding the positive meaning in your life, check out Positive Psychology, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. Image: © Iryna Imago/Getty Images Share this story: FEATURED CONTENT Positive Psychology • What is happiness • How happy are you? • Pathways to happiness • Building on strengths of character • Gratitude • Savoring pleasure • Flow: Getting engaged and absorbed Click here to learn more »

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Dear Reader, When it comes to your health, why not learn from the same experts who train the nation's top doctors? With Harvard Health Online Learning All-Access, you'll get direct guidance from Harvard Medical School physicians—trusted, evidence-based insights you can use to live longer and healthier—all at your own pace, in your own home. Whether you want to manage joint pain, improve heart health, boost your brainpower, or simply stay well, you deserve information that's clear, credible, and easy to apply in your daily life. These courses are developed by Harvard Medical School doctors specifically for people who aren't in the medical field, but want to understand and manage their health with confidence. A rare opportunity from the top minds in medicine! What you'll get: Unlimited access to dozens of doctor-developed online courses Short videos, interactive tools, and practical tips from Harvard experts  and doctors—all in plain English Expert guidance that helps you ask smarter questions and make more informed choices about your health Certificates of Completion from Harvard Health Publishing Multiple-choice quizzes to help you retain what you have learned Charts, worksheets, lists of websites, programs, organizations and more to help you stay on track Plus...New content is added every week at no extra cost! Discover our extensive catalog — only $6.99 monthly! Full-length courses normally cost $29.95. But once you subscribe to Harvard's Online Learning All-Access, you can engage with 150+ (and growing) pieces of content for less than your monthly Netflix subscription. Return to any lesson, anytime, to refresh your skills, revisit strategies, or download your tip sheet again! It's like having the advice of Harvard Medical School at your fingertips to expand your knowledge and answer your questions! Single Course Purchase: All-Access Subscription: Single Course Access Unlimited Access to Full Courses  Mini-Courses Quizzes At-a-Glance Charts and Features Video Briefs Microlearning Features Helping you stay healthy and fit at any age! Here is just a sampling of the topics you'll find in our extensive catalog of courses on Harvard's All-Access: Anxiety and Stress Disorders: Discover the keys to managing panic attacks, phobias, and other related conditions Fighting Inflammation: How to effectively combat "bad" inflammation with diet and lifestyle changes Improving Memory: Learn dozens of proven strategies to combat memory loss and boost cognitive fitness as you age Managing Your Cholesterol: Learn how to successfully lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides, and achieve strong, enduring heart health Joint Pain Relief Workout: Relieve ankle, knee, hip, or shoulder pain, and become more active again  And dozens more timely and important courses! Remember, new quizzes, video briefs, and mini-courses are added every week. So, there’s always something new to learn to help you stay healthy and vital well into your later years. Courses range from less than 30 minutes to 3 hours long and can be taken at your own pace. Learn more, worry less! When you learn from Harvard doctors, you're learning from the best. Doctors everywhere look to Harvard Medical School for guidance on the latest advances in medicine.  With Harvard Health Online Learning All-Access,  you won't waste time on questionable information. You'll get actionable, clinically validated advice you can trust to help you live longer and healthier no matter your age. See how good it feels to hone your knowledge and enrich your life with hands-on help from Harvard Medical School doctors. Join Harvard Health Online Learning All-Access today! You have total flexibility with your unlimited All-Access account to Harvard Health Online Learning. Take as many (or as few) courses each month. There are no minimums, no commitment, no contract... and no hassle. You can easily cancel your account at any time with no cancellation fees. So why not start a subscription today? And see if it’s right for you. If you’re aiming for a healthy lifespan, then Harvard Health All-Access can help you get there with vitality and gusto.

Week in Review Your weekly check-in for better living HEALTH FACT OF THE WEEK Did you know—Dark leafy greens, berries, and nuts are some of the most heart-protective foods. THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHT For a healthy diet, focus on food quality Oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast? Tuna or chicken on your salad? Every day you make lots of food decisions. Now, a growing body of research is showing that how often you opt for the highest-quality food choices can have a powerful influence on your health. "We have to look beyond just carbohydrates, fats, and proteins," says Teresa Fung, a registered dietitian and adjunct professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "Where we get those nutrients from is also very important." One of the strongest recent demonstrations of food quality's importance comes from a Harvard study that tracked nearly 200,000 adults over 30 or more years and compared healthy versus unhealthy versions of both low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets. READ MORE → Get your copy of Food Is Medicine Decades of research confirm that our eating habits can play a major role in how cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer develop…and in how we prevent, treat, and heal these diseases and many others like them. Just as important are the foods you should avoid when you live with conditions such as heart disease, GI issues, osteoporosis, kidney and liver disease, dementia, and many others. Food is Medicine is your Harvard Medical School, evidence-based nutrition plan for living your healthiest life. READ MORE → EXPLORE MORE CONTENT Fit Check: Is your waistline more than 40 inches? The amount of visceral fat you carry around your waist can raise several heart disease risk factors, such as higher blood pressure, blood sugar, and total cholesterol levels. The best indication you have it is if your waist exceeds 40 inches. Discover more with our exclusive HHO+ subscription. READ MORE → Continuous glucose monitors: New guidelines recommend expanding CGM use for people with diabetes A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is a small, wearable device that automatically estimates your blood glucose (sugar) level every few minutes, 24 hours a day. About the size of two stacked quarters, a CGM device is worn on the arm or belly. A tiny sensor inserted under the skin measures a proxy for blood sugar and wirelessly transmits the results to a smartphone or other device. READ MORE → Get your copy of Living Well with Diabetes Living Well with Diabetes helps you better understand and manage your diabetes. It includes detailed, updated information about medications and alternative treatments for diabetes, and a special section on weight-loss strategies. You’ll also learn the basics of how your body metabolizes sugar, how and when to monitor your blood sugar, and how to cope with both short- and long-term complications of the disease. Most importantly, you’ll see that it’s not just possible to live with diabetes — it’s possible to live well. READ MORE → The third-space benefits of exercise If you've ever returned home from a yoga class, a walk with neighbors, or a friendly pickleball game with some extra pep in your step, you've experienced firsthand the mood-boosting benefits of group exercise. What you might not realize is that by gathering with others to move and sweat, you've unknowingly tapped into the power of the "third space." READ MORE → MUST READ Mobility and Independence Mobility and quality of life Prime movers: Knees and hips A good foundation: Feet and ankles A stable support: Your back and posture Masterful muscles Click here to learn more »

Discover the latest strategies for fighting age-related memory loss Dear Reader, Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten why you went in? Misplaced your keys — or struggled to recall a name that was just on the tip of your tongue? If so, you’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not powerless. Thanks to years of groundbreaking research into how the brain works, we now know a great deal about how memory changes with age — and, even better, what we can do about it. The experts at Harvard Medical School have gathered the most powerful discoveries into one practical guide: Improving Memory — a Special Health Report designed to help you fight age-related memory decline and stay sharp for years to come. With it, you’ll learn how to: Sharpen long-term memory with an easy “rehearsal” trick Make names and faces unforgettable (Using THIS technique is like hitting the “save button” in your mind. Find lost items faster with the “Look, Snap, Connect” technique Memorize long lists with an ingenious reading method that “locks in” key information Eat for a healthier brain with dietary discoveries that really work Hidden causes of dementia Six reversible causes your doctor may not have mentioned Improve cognitive performance with simple lifestyle tweaks Discover which medications may affect memory — and possible substitutes And more! LEARN MORE

When is memory loss normal — and when is it not?

By age 50, many of us notice changes in our powers of recall. If you’ve wondered whether memory lapses are part of aging or a possible sign of something more serious, this guide offers expert insight to help you find the answers you need. You’ll discover: How to distinguish age-related memory changes from more concerning symptoms What doctors look for when evaluating memory problems The types of tests used and how to prepare for them Key differences between Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia The latest treatments for memory loss—what they can and can’t do Don’t accept memory decline as inevitable Your brain is constantly changing. With the right support, you can give it every chance to stay strong, sharp, and resilient. Let the doctors at Harvard Medical School be your guide. Improving Memory is filled with useful, easy-to-follow advice you can start using right away. Order your copy now, and you’ll save 30% off the cover price! Sincerely, Howard E. LeWine, M.D. Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing LEARN MORE & GET STARTED TODAY!

SUBSCRIBE | SHOP THE BOOKSTORE A sharper mind: tai chi can improve cognitive function Up until about two decades ago, it was believed that your brain only produced new cells early in life. But research has shown that the brain has the ability to change throughout your entire life span, growing new cells, making new connections, and even increasing in size. These changes can improve cognitive function-and various forms of exercise, including tai chi, can help. Get your copy of An Introduction to Tai Chi Mind-body exercises, such as tai chi and yoga, have been gaining popularity over the past few decades. This is not surprising, given the increasing number of studies on the positive effects of these gentler forms of exercise — everything from lowering blood pressure and managing depression to building strength and improving balance. There is even evidence that tai chi may help you live a longer, more vital life.   SHOW ME MORE → In a meta-analysis of 20 studies on tai chi and cognition, tai chi appears to improve executive function-the ability to multitask, manage time, and make decisions-in people without any cognitive decline. In those with mild cognitive impairment, tai chi slowed the progression to dementia more than other types of exercise and improved their cognitive function in a comparable fashion to other types of exercise or cognitive training. In one study, researchers had nearly 400 men and women with some cognitive impairment perform either tai chi or a stretching and toning program three times a week. After a year, the tai chi group showed greater improvements, and only 2% of that group progressed to dementia, while 11% from the traditional exercise group did. In another study, tai chi outperformed walking. Following 40 weeks of either tai chi, walking, social interaction, or no intervention, researchers compared MRI images and discovered that brain volume increased the most in the tai chi group. In addition, that group also performed better on cognitive tests. To learn more about tai chi, its health benefits, and how to learn its movements, check out Introduction to Tai Chi from Harvard Medical School. Image: © kali9 | Gettyimages Share this story: FEATURED CONTENT An Introduction to Tai Chi • What is tai chi? • The health benefits of tai chi • Before you start: Safety first • Creating your tai chi practice • Standing Tai Chi Calisthenics • Seated Tai Chi Calisthenics • Traditional Tai Chi Elements Click here to learn more »