Many people think that simply avoiding excessive alcohol is enough to keep the liver healthy. Although alcohol is one of the main enemies of this organ, poor diet, too much sugar and fat, combined with lack of physical activity, can seriously damage its health, writes Best Life.

Fortunately, a proper diet and an active lifestyle can do wonders for regenerating and protecting the liver. Gastroenterologist Dr Joseph Salhab recently shared three types of vegetables he includes daily in his diet to boost liver health.

Broccoli

In a TikTok video, Dr Salhab highlighted that broccoli takes first place on his list thanks to its powerful detoxifying properties.

“Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a compound that activates enzymes responsible for detoxifying the liver and removing toxins from the body,” he explains.

Studies confirm that sulforaphane may ease symptoms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and because of these benefits, there are more and more broccoli-based supplements on the market.

Similar benefits come from other cruciferous vegetables – such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage – as well as leafy greens like kale, spinach, and Swiss chard.

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Beetroot

“Beetroot contains betalain, a powerful antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress in the liver and helps healing,” says Dr Salhab.

According to Dr Jason Itri, founder of the Health and Longevity Clinic in Virginia, betalains also promote bile flow, making fat digestion easier and speeding up the elimination of toxins.

“People who regularly eat beetroot have better blood flow in the brain, especially in areas responsible for memory and critical thinking,” adds Dr Brynna Connor.

Artichokes

In third place are artichokes, which surprise many with their strong effect on the liver.

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“Artichokes are among the best foods for liver health because they contain cynarin, a powerful antioxidant,” explains Dr Salhab.

A 2022 study showed that artichoke leaf extract may have a protective effect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), reports Večernji list. Salhab shares that he often eats them as a spread on sourdough bread for a healthy and nutritious lunch.

During the summer, bees, wasps, and hornets are most active, and experts warn that from the moment of their sting to a severe allergic reaction, only minutes can pass.

Hemorrhoids are a relatively common condition, and fortunately, most cases are mild. But if they become more severe, they can cause significant problems. In the past, serious hemorrhoidal issues were treated with complicated and very painful surgeries, but with the introduction of the TRILOGY - HAR-RAR method, this hemorrhoid operation has become painless.

Extreme temperatures, very hot or freezing cold days, as well as sudden changes in weather can disrupt the body's internal balance.

Studies show that 30 to 50 percent of people with migraines identify some kind of weather change as a trigger, making this phenomenon a common cause of its onset, reports TPortal.

However, it is one of the most mysterious triggers, as medicine still does not fully understand it.

Air pollutants such as ozone and nitrogen dioxide can cause inflammation in the nerves involved in the development of migraines. Bright sunlight can also be unpleasant, likely due to increased light sensitivity and an overactive visual system in the brain.

There are also studies suggesting that lightning and strong winds may be associated with migraine attacks in some people.

In other words, weather changes can be stressful for an already sensitive brain. The exact triggers and bodily reactions vary from person to person, but research indicates that the interaction between weather and the body plays a role in some migraine sufferers, writes Gizmodo.

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How to relieve migraine pain?

We cannot change the weather, but there are steps we can take to prevent or alleviate migraine attacks.

Keep a migraine diary and track the forecast: Record when they occur and what the weather was like. You may notice patterns, such as more frequent migraines the day before rain or during sudden temperature changes, which can help you adjust your schedule or medication plan.

Healthy sleep, diet, and exercise habits: Dehydration, poor sleep, and skipping meals can worsen the effects of weather, while regular exercise and a balanced diet can help your body stay stable and more resilient.

When the sun is too strong or humidity is high, stay indoors. Wear sunglasses, an eye mask, or blue-light-filtering glasses.

Also, darken the room. Some people also find that certain types of earplugs can help reduce the sensation of pressure changes.

Try meditation: Meditation can help regulate the body's physiological responses, such as muscle tension or breathing, and reduce nervous system hypersensitivity in the long term.

Consider preventive treatment: If you know weather is a trigger for you, prepare acute medications in advance or consult your doctor about preventive therapies.

Weather is not the only factor

Although weather changes can be a strong trigger for migraines, they are rarely the sole cause. Most often, they are the result of a combination of factors: genetic predisposition, hormones, stress, sleep, diet, and weather.

That is why it is crucial to identify your personal triggers and develop a plan with your doctor.

Weather-induced migraines can be frustrating because they seem completely beyond your control. But with knowledge, tracking, and the right treatment strategies, it is possible to reduce the frequency of attacks.

Regular disinfection and monitoring of chlorine and pH levels are key to preventing infections.

Swimming is one of the healthiest physical activities – it cools you down, engages your whole body, and relaxes your mind. But even though pool water often looks clean, experts warn: behind the apparent clarity, many microorganisms may lurk that pose a health risk, especially if the water isn’t properly maintained, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

Regular disinfection and monitoring of chlorine and pH levels are key to preventing infections. The most at-risk groups include children, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, and anyone who spends a lot of time in the water.

Water that looks clean

Bacteria, viruses, and parasites can spread by swallowing contaminated water, skin contact, or inhaling droplets that float above the surface. That’s why pools must be regularly treated with chemicals like chlorine and bromine.

One of the most common pool-related illnesses is diarrhea. Even the smallest amount of contaminated water can cause infection, especially if someone who is currently ill or recovering from an intestinal infection is in the water.

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Cryptosporidiosis

The parasite Cryptosporidium is one of the most common causes of diarrhea outbreaks in pools because it can survive even in water treated with standard amounts of chlorine. For this reason, most public pools require users to shower before entering, and people who have recently been ill should avoid swimming.

Health experts warn that untreated diarrhea can last up to two weeks and cause severe dehydration, especially in children. Medical help should be sought if there is black stool, blood in the stool, severe abdominal pain, fever, dehydration, or diarrhea lasting more than two days.

Hot tub rash and swimmer’s ear

If hot tub water isn’t properly disinfected, it can cause a rash from the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This red rash can appear a few hours after leaving the water.

The problem is more common in hot tubs because heat speeds up chlorine breakdown, allowing bacteria to multiply faster.

Another common complaint among swimmers is swimmer’s ear – an infection of the outer ear canal that happens when water gets trapped in the ear. It most often affects children, with symptoms like pain, itching, swelling, and sometimes pus discharge.

Prevention includes thoroughly drying the ears, and special drops that dry out the ear canal can also be used – but only after consulting a doctor.

Steam can be dangerous

The bacterium Legionella, which causes Legionnaires’ disease, can also spread by inhaling steam or mist from hot tubs and pools.

This respiratory infection is especially dangerous for older adults, smokers, and people with chronic illnesses. Symptoms include cough, chest pain, fever, muscle aches, and digestive problems.

Although the disease can be successfully treated with antibiotics, early detection is key to recovery.

Test the water

To prevent infections, pool water can be periodically tested using readily available home test strips. But experts’ most important advice remains the same: don’t go into the water if you’re sick, always shower before swimming, and shower and change clothes as soon as possible after getting out.

The drop in estrogen lowers resting metabolism, burns fewer calories, increases muscle loss and fat storage.

Eating disorders are slowly but steadily gaining ground among women in middle and older age.

Doctors and experts notice a significant increase in problems among women aged between 40 and 70 who seek help. Since they don’t fit the stereotype of someone with an eating disorder – that is, they’re not teenage girls – their diagnosis is often missed or treatment is delayed, reports net.hr.

“There’s nothing worse than being told by a doctor you’re too old for an eating disorder,” says Cynthia Bulik, founder of the University of North Carolina’s Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders.

“Yet countless women in menopause report exactly that.”

The most common types: binge eating, bulimia, and laxative abuse

Research shows that between two and 13 percent of women over 40 have an eating disorder, and experts think up to 30 percent of middle-aged women may have symptoms, with a noticeable rise, according to Elizabeth Wassenaar, certified eating disorder specialist and regional medical director at the Eating Recovery Center in Colorado.

Binge eating is the most common disorder in mature women, followed by bulimia, and Jason Nagata, a physician specializing in eating disorders at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco, also notes an increase in laxative abuse in this age group.

Middle-aged women may also experience anorexia and orthorexia – a disorder involving obsessive exercise and “healthy” eating, often tied to perimenopause, which can lead to malnutrition.

Symptoms of perimenopause and menopause are key in the development of eating disorders due to complex physiological and psychological changes.

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Ways these conditions increase a woman's risk of developing eating disorders include:

Hormones that change body composition

Menopause can trigger eating disorders much like puberty affects teenage girls.

During puberty and menopause, estrogen fluctuates, affecting serotonin production, mood, happiness, confidence, and physical health.

“During perimenopause and menopause, women often experience an increase in overall body fat, especially around the abdomen,” explains Nagata.

As he points out, this mostly happens due to the drop in estrogen, which affects fat storage and regulates appetite and mood.

The drop in estrogen lowers resting metabolism, burns fewer calories, increases muscle loss and fat storage, lowers energy, activity, and increases body dissatisfaction.

Regaining lost sense of control

Besides hormonal changes, menopause often comes alongside major life shifts like children leaving home, marital issues or divorce, job changes, and aging parents needing care – all of which strongly impact eating habits.

Additionally, “middle-aged women carry much of the family burden,” says Robyn Kievit, registered nurse and certified eating disorder specialist from Massachusetts.

Under such pressures, eating disorders may develop as a way to “regain a lost sense of control,” says Wassenaar.

“The desire for control is a powerful psychological driver of eating disorders at any age, but especially in midlife,” Nagata emphasizes.

One patient in 2009 said that controlling food was the way she managed her life.

Pressure to stay slim

Women in midlife face pressure to remain slim and youthful as their bodies naturally change, leading to weight dissatisfaction in 73 percent of them – a situation worsened by trendy weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and harmful #SkinniTok trends.

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Why was everyone so slim in the ’60s: Did we eat differently or move more?
Lifestyle
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May 19
“Asking a woman aged 45 to 55 to look like she did at 15, 20, or even 30 is unfair,” says Kievit.

Bulik notes that women in perimenopause and menopause experience body changes that often cause feelings of disconnection from themselves, which worsen eating disorders as a coping strategy.

History of eating disorders, anxiety, and depression
Women who developed eating disorders in youth are at the highest risk of relapse during menopause.

“Research shows many women with midlife eating disorders didn’t experience these issues for the first time,” says Nagata.

Jennifer Wildes, director of the Eating Disorders Program at the University of Chicago Medical Center, says she’s seen this in her patients.

“Some were never treated or had symptoms fade only to return with menopause,” she says.

How to recognize and recover from eating disorders

The main challenge in treating women in perimenopause and menopause is helping them recognize their eating disorder, which is often masked by diets, health trends, or aging itself.

Signs weight loss is out of control include preoccupation with food or weight, frequent detoxing, severe restrictions, social food avoidance, and compensatory behaviors like excessive exercise, laxative use, reducing or skipping meals.

Recognizing signs is key because “eating disorders treated in the first six months have the best chance for full recovery,” says Kievit.

The good news is that when recognized and diagnosed, evidence-based treatments – including proven psychotherapy – can be highly effective.

Women struggling with eating disorders in midlife can seek help from trained therapists, nutritionists, doctors, and organizations.

No matter where they turn for help, Wassenaar stresses the importance of doing so before it’s too late, writes National Geographic.

“It’s never too late to seek help for an eating disorder and build a peaceful relationship with your body,” she says, adding, “Whether you’ve developed eating disorders for the first time or lived with them for decades, now is the time to seek and receive help.”

Emotions guide us. They help us decide whether to start something, continue, change, or stop – depending on our current physical state, environment, and the meaning we assign to it.

In this way, emotions act as an internal compass – showing us what matters or warning us when something is wrong, writes psychologist Theo Causidis for Psychology Today.

Throughout the day, we experience a wide range of emotions. Most pass unnoticed. But there are three emotions that have the power to completely take over our brain – bypassing thought, blocking logic, and leading us to impulsive, often harmful actions, reports N1.

When these emotions overwhelm us, we lose emotional balance. We act on autopilot. The thinking part of the brain shuts down, and emotions take command. The longer they remain unchecked, the stronger they become – pulling us further away from what truly matters to us.

It's important to stress that these emotions are not "bad." No emotion is inherently bad. They are messengers, not enemies. They are here to deliver a message and serve a purpose – to help us survive, connect, and find meaning.

These emotions share common traits:

They narrow our focus solely to what triggered them. They create a strong internal pressure to be "released." They pull us away from core priorities – often without us realizing it.

The first two are fear and anger.

They are loud, quick, and familiar. But the third is less obvious – craving. Craving doesn’t shout. It whispers. And that’s precisely why it can just as powerfully hijack the mind.

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Fear: Brain in Survival Mode

As soon as we face something that even slightly scares us, the brain registers it as a threat. Whether it’s a growling dog or a hostile look, the "fight or flight" response is triggered.

In that moment, everything non-essential is paused. Focus locks onto the threat and a possible response. Should we avoid it? Confront it? Freeze and hope it goes away?

The threat doesn’t even have to be real. Imagined fear is enough. For example? Stage fright – heart racing, mind blanking, body wanting to flee. That’s fear taking over.

When fear dominates, focus narrows, the body prepares for defense, and long-term planning disappears. Instead of strategy – survival.

This mechanism once saved our lives, but today it often holds us back – we avoid important conversations, miss opportunities, and shut down when we should open up.

Anger: Fast and Furious Reaction

While fear responds to threats, anger responds to insults. Insults don’t have to be words – they can be the feeling of being ignored, misunderstood, disrespected, or attacked.

When anger overtakes us, focus locks on what insulted us – and the person responsible. Instinctively, we strike back.

Our tone rises, body language becomes defensive or aggressive, words get sharper. We criticize others’ flaws, mistakes, and weaknesses. Reason and reflection vanish. The part of the brain that might say, “Maybe don’t post that now” – doesn’t function.

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Anger hits like a wave – forcefully, until it throws us onto the shore. Sometimes unharmed, but often with consequences.

The same applies when we are the source of our own anger. Self-criticism can be just as ruthless. Instead of understanding – attack.

Think of the last heated argument with someone you love. Did you tell them how much you appreciate them? Or did you reach for “vinegar” instead of “honey”?

Craving: The Silent Saboteur

Craving is a universal emotion, but rarely spoken about openly. Even in therapy, it’s often avoided. It’s intimate. Private territory. But like fear and anger, it too can completely hijack our brain.

Craving isn’t just sexual. It includes longing for excitement, reward, fulfillment. When unchecked, it leads to obsessive thoughts, poor choices, and emotional detachment.

In extreme cases, it contributes to sexual or porn addictions, pathological jealousy, idealizing a partner, even self-degradation.

Craving focuses attention, narrows awareness, and shuts off judgment – quietly but persistently. It doesn’t shout – it whispers.

Scientific research shows that during sexual arousal, the brain areas responsible for reward and motivation become more active, while those for self-control and critical thinking diminish. Hormones like dopamine, testosterone, and oxytocin flood the system. Essentially – the entire brain is in action.

And interestingly – the object of desire doesn’t even have to be real. Fantasies and mental scenarios are enough. Just as imagined threats paralyze us with fear, imagined closeness sustains craving.

What Can We Do?

The goal is not to suppress these emotions. They are not enemies. But we can slow them down and activate the rational part of the brain.

This is where emotional regulation comes in – the ability to recognize what we’re feeling, understand how it affects us, and choose behavior that aligns with our values and goals.

One effective tool is the LAPS strategy:

Label

“I feel fear/anger/craving.”

By naming the emotion, we activate the awareness center and engage the rational part of the brain.

Allow

“It’s okay to feel this.”

Emotions are human. We shouldn’t demonize them.

Pause

“I won’t react yet.”

Create space between feeling and action. The wave will pass.

Shift

“What else can I do now?”

Redirect attention to something calming or mentally engaging. Activate the mind.

Fear, anger, and craving are part of the human experience. But if we give them too much space – they’ll take us where we didn’t want to go. Understanding how they work doesn’t make us cold – it makes us aware.

And awareness is the first step to regaining control over our own mind.

Talking about digestive issues may be uncomfortable, but paying attention to certain symptoms is crucial for your health.

A group of doctors shared with the portal Eating Well eight symptoms related to digestive health that deserve attention.

Rectal Bleeding

Gastroenterologist Dr. Michael Schopis states that “although there are many causes of rectal bleeding, including harmless hemorrhoids, it’s important to have an exam to rule out more serious and potentially life-threatening conditions such as colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease.”

Prolonged Diarrhea

“In the case of diarrhea lasting two weeks or more, you should visit a gastroenterologist to rule out possible causes such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, thyroid disorders, persistent infections, and so on,” adds Schopis, advising to monitor soft or watery stools lasting longer than a few days, reports Eating Well.

Severe Abdominal Pain

Another symptom may be abdominal pain, notes gastroenterologist and professor of medicine Dr. James Cox. “Abdominal pain can be deceptive because it sometimes feels like a simple stomachache. But it can be caused by organs outside the digestive system,” he explains.

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While occasional stomach pain may be harmless, if it is intense or persistent, you should consult a doctor. “Prolonged or debilitating pain may be a sign of a serious condition,” the doctor emphasizes.

Bloating Issues

Gastroenterologist Dr. Kenneth Brown believes that “new evidence shows bloating may be an early sign of inflammation in the intestines which, if untreated, can lead to chronic health problems. If you constantly feel bloated, especially if accompanied by other symptoms, consult a doctor.”

Bloating may indicate an imbalance in gut flora and lead to conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or metabolic disorders like diabetes. Other symptoms can include abdominal pain, changes in bowel movements, unexplained weight loss, or vomiting.

Unintentional Weight Loss

People often experience weight changes, but if you’re losing weight without changes in diet or physical activity, it may be time to visit a gastroenterologist.

“Typically, this means sudden loss of more than four to five kilograms without any change in habits,” says Cox. This could indicate a condition affecting nutrient absorption or appetite, such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease, reports Eating Well.

Changes in Bowel Habits

Changes in the color, consistency, or shape of stools may signal it’s time for an exam. “People often notice changes if they pay attention: the color, texture, or frequency of bowel movements can change significantly,” says Cox. If you notice this, schedule a doctor’s appointment.

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Frequent Heartburn

“Chronic heartburn can be confusing because people sometimes experience it as common digestive trouble. But if you feel a burning sensation in your chest, especially near the breastbone, it’s heartburn, not just indigestion,” says Cox. It could be a sign of a hiatal hernia or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), so a thorough evaluation is important.

Difficulty Swallowing

Cox identifies difficulty swallowing as another symptom to pay attention to. “Swallowing difficulties may appear in different forms, such as food coming back up into the throat or a sensation of something being stuck in the throat or chest,” explains the doctor for Eating Well.

Persistent pain while swallowing is also a reason for an exam. Schopis notes that a doctor might recommend an endoscopy to examine the digestive system with a camera, reports Index.hr.