6 Nov 2026 06:23
The Gary Null Show - 11-6-26
- New study of 3000 adults connects symbolic immortality to stronger psychological well being
- Cold showers benefit the environment and your health
- MIND Diet Tied to Higher Cognitive Scores in Study of 8,681 Older Adults in China
- Low vitamin D more than doubles kidney patients’ risk of dialysis within a year
- Mushroom extract supplement linked to improved aerobic performance in male athletes
What does it mean to feel that a part of us will live on after we are gone? A new study of nearly 3,000 adults found that people who believed they would be remembered by others after death tended to report better mental health, a stronger sense of meaning and lower levels of problematic substance use and addictive behaviors. The findings point to a possible link between our sense of lasting significance and the way we cope with stress, uncertainty and mortality.
The study examined what psychologists call "symbolic immortality," the sense that some part of us will continue through our relationships, accomplishments, identity or legacy. Those with a stronger sense of symbolic immortality tended to report greater self-esteem, stronger social support, more meaning in life and more secure relationships. They also reported fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress, fewer sleep problems and fewer difficulties regulating their emotions.
At its core, the idea is simple: people may fare better when they feel that their lives have meaning beyond the present moment. Importantly, the researchers distinguished symbolic immortality from belief in an afterlife. While the two were related, afterlife belief was closely tied to religiosity and belief in God and was not consistently associated with better mental health.
Cold showers benefit the environment and your healthUniversity of Basel (Switzerland), October 31 2026 (Eurekalert)
A recent study explored whether people are more willing to adopt habits that benefit both the climate and their health if those habits are easy to incorporate into everyday life and offer personal rewards. This question was investigated by studying the effects of regular cold showers.
The study included 719 participants aged 18 to 65 who were asked to take showers as cold as their shower would allow for 12 weeks. Many participants dropped out during the first two weeks, but the dropout rate declined afterward.
The remaining participants reported feeling increasingly better, both mentally and physically. Subjective improvements also showed up in their sick leave: On average, participants took 31% fewer sick days than the control group. Participants said they felt more awake and refreshed. They also took pride in having pushed themselves to do something uncomfortable.
Over time, taking cold showers saves you money. People tend to spend less time in the shower, reducing their water consumption. They also use less energy because the water doesn't need to be heated. That means lower utility bills and a measurable reduction in CO2 emissions. Over the 12-week study, participants reduced their CO2 emissions by 15 kilograms per person, roughly equivalent to the emissions from driving 100 kilometers. In other words, cold showers make sense both environmentally and financially.
MIND Diet Tied to Higher Cognitive Scores in Study of 8,681 Older Adults in China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China), November 3 2026 (Natural News) Older adults who more closely followed the MIND diet tended to score higher on cognitive screening tests than those who did not, according to findings published in Frontiers in Nutrition. The analysis drew on data from 8,681 independently living older adults.
The MIND diet combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH eating patterns and is built around foods associated with brain
