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With Thanksgiving just around the corner, a time when we give thanks and practice gratitude for what we have, we turned to neuroscience to find out if doing so actually makes us happier and healthier. Here’s what we found. Is gratitude actually good for your health? “People who are grateful live longer, are happier, and also tend to hit workplace markers like [making] more money, and [getting] promoted more frequently,” Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Ph.D., science director at U.C. Berkeleys Greater Good Science Center, tells Fast Company. “But the key is not a fake-it-till-you-make-it approachno, its real gratitude, real contentment, based on an accurate assessment of things, not through rose-colored glasses.” Practicing gratitudein other words, not taking things for granted, but appreciating the good and bad in everyday lifecreates a heightened awareness of your values and strengths, plus a greater understanding of others. Plus, it creates greater emotional intelligence by increasing emotional regulation, empathy, and resilience. In general, grateful people are more satisfied with their lives, less materialistic, and less likely to suffer from burnout, according to the Greater Good Science Center’s white paper, The Science of Gratitude. What other kinds of health benefits come from being grateful? A 2021 University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) study by David Newman and Wendy Mendes found that people who were deemed highest in gratitude reported lower heart rates, better sleep, less fatigue, a greater appreciation toward others, and overall feelings of pleasantness when reflecting on the best part of the day. How does gratitude work in the brain? “Expressing gratitude can positively change your brain,” Kristin Francis, M.D., a psychiatrist at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, says in the University of Utah’s Health blog HealthFeed. “It boosts dopamine and serotonin, the neurotransmitters in the brain that improve your mood immediately, giving you those positive feelings of pleasure, happiness, and well-being.” What’s the best way to start practicing gratitude? Studies show writing gratitude letters can significantly improve the mental health of people with depression and anxiety. In one study, individuals were asked to either write a gratitude letter, keep a journal, or do neither. Those who wrote gratitude letters reported significantly better mental health at 4 and 12 weeks following the study. Simon-Thomas recommends what she calls Gratitude 1-2-3 to express gratitude this upcoming holiday: Be specific about what you’re grateful for: Instead of saying, “Thanks for coming to dinner,” say, “Thanks for coming to my house for this Thanksgiving meal.” Acknowledge the effort: “I know it took some effort to pack up the car and sit in traffic, so I am acknowledging effort.” Share how what they did benefitted you: “Having you for Thanksgiving dinner made me so happy. It was a treat to see you after all these years.” If you’re wondering how you’re doing, or looking for more suggestions, you can also take this gratitude quiz, based on a scale developed by psychologists Mitchel Adler and Nancy Fagley.
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E-Commerce
A health care proposal circulated by the White House in recent days is running into the reality of Republican divisions on the issue a familiar struggle for a party that has been trying to scrap or overhaul the Affordable Care Act for the past 15 years.The tentative proposal from President Donald Trump would extend expiring ACA subsidies for two years while adjusting eligibility requirements for recipients. The plan has so far been met with a stony silence on Capitol Hill as Republicans debate among themselves whether to overhaul the law, tweak it or simply let the subsidies expire.It’s unclear now when the White House plan might be released, or if it will be released at all.The Republican indecision comes as the COVID-era tax credits are set to expire Jan. 1, creating sharp premium increases for millions of Americans. Democrats who shut down the government for six weeks over the issue are demanding a straight extension with no changes, though some indicated they could support a plan similar to the one circulated by the White House.But support may be harder to find in the GOP conference, where many lawmakers say costs are still too high and have been eager to make another run at repealing the ACA. The last effort in 2017 failed when Republicans couldn’t decide on how to provide coverage to millions of Americans who depend on government-run marketplaces for their health care. It’s a dilemma that persists for the party after record numbers signed up for coverage this year.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., promised a group of moderate Democrats a vote on the ACA tax credits by mid-December in exchange for their votes to end the government shutdown. But it’s unclear, so far, whether that arrangement will lead to a solution. Bipartisan compromise? Health care has long been one of the most politically fraught topics on Capitol Hill, so a bipartisan compromise seems unlikely. But the coming price spikes have motivated some lawmakers to look for points of agreement.Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said last week that he hopes the subsidies are extended.“I’m sure some of my colleagues will be mad at me for saying this if we don’t address the subsidies issue in December, I don’t think it’s going to get addressed next year,” Tillis said, adding that Democratic campaigns will be “just churning up all the very sympathetic stories” if it isn’t fixed.The draft White House proposal would put new income limits on the tax credits at 700 percent of the federal poverty level, according to two people with knowledge of the proposal who requested anonymity to discuss it. The White House would also require those on Obamacare, regardless of the type of coverage, to pay some sort of premium for their plans. That would effectively end zero-premium plans for those with lower incomes, addressing a concern from Republicans who say the program has enabled fraud.Some Democrats have suggested they are open to those ideas as a part of broader negotiations. “I’m glad the president is reportedly considering a serious proposal,” said New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, one of the Democrats who voted to end the shutdown.Some Republicans have signaled support as well. Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood, the chairman of the business-oriented Republican Main Street Caucus, said in a statement that the group supports “President Trump’s ongoing efforts to address the ACA tax credit cliff with an extension.”Several bipartisan bills in the House would extend the ACA credits for two years, with changes such as income limits for the enhanced credit. “I think two years is really the sweet spot where everybody is OK,” said Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. Premium spikes on Jan. 1 Still, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has declined to say whether he will allow a vote on a health care bill. Many other members of his GOP conference want to see the subsidies eliminated or the underlying law overhauled. In addition, Thune and other Republicans have said they want new language on abortion restrictions if they pass an extension a dealbreaker for Democrats.If Congress doesn’t act, the enhanced premium tax credits that have helped many Americans pay for Affordable Care Act health insurance plans will disappear. And premiums could more than double for subsidized enrollees, according to an analysis by the health care research nonprofit KFF.Signups for next year’s insurance began on Nov. 1, meaning that many Americans are already planning for the higher costs. Democrats who forced the shutdown at the beginning of October had hoped to negotiate an extension before open enrollment began.“When people’s monthly payments spike next year, they will know it was Republicans that made it happen,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said last week. Republicans could go at it alone As Democrats elevated the health care issue during the shutdown, some Republicans saw an opportunity to renew their efforts to overhaul the law. GOP lawmakers in the House and Senate have been meeting to find consensus, though they haven’t found it yet.Among the GOP ideas are separate proposals from Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy to use savings accounts to either shop for insurance or defray out-of-pocket costs. Scott’s legislation would create what he called “Trump Health Freedom Accounts” and make some changes to the health care law, including by allowing consumers to shop across state lines. Cassidy’s narrower bill would create new savings accounts just to replace the enhanced subsidies that are expiring.The draft of the White House plan, meanwhile, would allow those in lower-tier plans, such as the bronze-level or catastrophic plans, to put money into health savings accounts.Those proposals are unlikely to win over Democrats. Schumer said last week that the savings accounts “will go nowhere in the Senate.”Skeptical that the two parties will ever agree, some Republicans have suggested that they try to pass a health care package using budget maneuvers similar to Trump’s ” Big Beautiful Bill ” of tax and spending cuts. If it worked, they could pass the legislation with zero Democratic votes a politically risky strategy that could take months, well into the midterm election year. It all depends on Trump Some Republicans may be waiting for clear direction from Trump, who has been sending mixed signals about what he wants.For several weeks, Trump appeared to be backing the savings accounts on social media, posting as recently as Nov. 18 that “THE ONLY HEALTHCARE I WILL SUPPORT OR APPROVE IS SENDING THE MONEY DIRECTLY BACK TO THE PEOPLE, WITH NOTHING GOING TO THE BIG, FAT, RICH INSURANCE COMPANIES, WHO HAVE MADE $TRILLIONS, AND RIPPED OFF AMERICA LONG ENOUGH.”He added: “Congress, do not waste your time and energy on anything else.”Trump reiterated that message Tuesday evening.“Don’t give the money to the insurance companies,” he told reporters Tusday evening. “You give the money to the people.” Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Joey Cappelletti, Kevin Freking in Washington and Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report. Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
The National Park Service said Tuesday it is going to start charging the millions of international tourists who visit U.S. parks each year an extra $100 to enter some of the most popular sites, while leaving them out of fee-free days that will be reserved for American residents.The announcement declaring “America-first entry fee policies” comes as national parks deal with the strain of a major staff reduction and severe budget cuts, along with recovering from damage during the recent government shutdown and significant lost revenue due to fees not being collected during that time.The fee change will impact 11 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.As part of the changes, which are set to take effect Jan. 1, foreign tourists will also see their annual parks pass price jump to $250, while U.S. residents will continue to be charged $80, according to the department’s statement.Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a post on the social platform X that the changes make sure U.S. taxpayers who support the park service “continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations!”A White House post on X laying out the increased fees ended with the phrase, “AMERICANS FIRST.”The announcement follows a July executive order in which President Donald Trump directed the parks to increase entry fees for foreign tourists.“There’s a lot to unpack in this announcement, including many questions on its implementation all which NPCA will raise with the Department of Interior,” Kati Schmidt, a spokesperson for National Parks Conservation Association, said in an email.The U.S. Travel Association estimated that in 2018, national parks and monuments saw more than 14 million international visitors. Yellowstone reported that in 2024, nearly 15% of its visitors were from outside the country, which was down from 30% in 2018.The money made off the new fees will help support the national parks, including with upgrading facilities for visitors and maintenance, according to the statement.The “resident-only patriotic fee-free days” next year include Veterans Day, which was one of the parks’ eight free days open to everyone in 2025. The Department of the Interior had announced those days by saying they wanted to ensure that “everyone, no matter their zip code, can access and enjoy the benefits of green spaces and our public lands.” Golden reported from Seattle. Hallie Golden and Matthew Daly, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
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