Walking faster may help reverse frailty

Plus: the brain-injury risks of roller coasters, how to stop scrolling, and more health news  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Mandy Oaklander | September 30, 2026     Want to protect your body as you age? Focus on preventing frailty, which is an actual medical condition that puts you at higher risk for falls and complications after surgeries. One of the best ways to do that is with exercise—but not any old kind. In a clever new study out today, which my colleague Veronique Greenwood wrote about, researchers coached retirement-home residents to walk down the hallways at different speeds. One group fared far better than the other. Read on to find out how to apply these findings to your own stroll. TODAY’S TOPICS Learn from your local landfill What to say when your child criticizes their body Is “bricking” worth the hype? The walking-speed test to try The brain-injury risks of roller coasters         QUICK CHAT Take a trash tour While reporting a story about cutting down on school-lunch waste, I met Lauren Click, who runs a nonprofit that teaches kids about composting. Click has been to a lot of landfills. (Her boyfriend has also, apparently, heard quite enough about compost.) Somewhere along the way, she convinced me that the rest of us should visit one, too. —Angela Haupt, Editor, Health & Wellness This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. nikom khotjan—Getty Images You really think families should take a field trip to a landfill? Absolutely. A lot of landfills give free tours, and kids are fascinated. Trash day is already a big deal for a lot of kids, and at a landfill there are huge trucks and all this equipment. They give them little hard hats and vests. There’s a lot to see.  What do adults notice? I think the adults have a different reaction. You start seeing labels on the ground and birds eating trash. You see the impact the landfill has on the land around it. A lot of us are disconnected from our waste systems—we think our trash goes to some magical faraway place. But the landfill might be 20 minutes from your house. Does seeing it actually change the way you think about throwing things away? It confronts you with the reality that you contribute to this. Instead of looking at a picture in a textbook, you’re seeing where all this stuff actually goes. These systems aren’t far away or made up or magical. Any other field trips for people who suddenly find trash fascinating? Recycling centers are fun, too! They have really cool technology now that sorts paper, cardboard, metal, and other materials. I do this full-time, though, so I probably have a different definition of the word “fun.”          SPONSORED Your K-Cups Sat in a Warehouse for Months Grocery store pods spend months going factory → warehouse → truck → shelf, losing the flavor oils that make coffee taste like coffee. Angelino's roasts, packs, and ships within days — 50+ flavors, compatible with Keurig®, from 39¢ a cup. New customers save 15%, no code needed. Try Fresh-Roasted Pods         TIME TO TALK How to talk to your child about body image Photo-Illustration by Chloe Dowling for TIME (Source Image: Halfpoint Images/Getty Images) When your child says they don’t like their stomach or think everyone else is better-looking, reassurance practically flies out of your mouth: “But you’re beautiful!” Arguing with their feelings, however, can shut down the conversation. The goal is to keep the door open. Experts recommend trying these approaches instead. “Tell me more about that.” Find out what’s underneath the comment. Did someone say something cruel? Are they comparing themselves with influencers online—or worried they won’t fit in? Try: “I can see why that was upsetting.” You can validate the hurt without agreeing with the harsh judgment they’re making about themselves. “What did your body do today?” Shift the focus from appearance to experience: Did they walk the dog, laugh with a friend, or score a goal at soccer practice? Remind them that they don’t have to love how they look every minute—but they should treat their body with respect. And watch what you say about your own appearance. No script about body confidence will overpower the criticism your child hears you direct at yourself. —A.H. Read the full story here.         WORTH THE HYPE? Can a Brick break your scroll? FreshSplash/Getty Images Want to spend less time on your phone, but keep ending up on Instagram? The “bricking” trend puts an obstacle in your way: a small physical device, such as the magnetic Brick tile, that blocks selected apps. The idea is to leave the tile in another room while keeping your phone with you. To restore access, you have to bring your phone back and tap it against the tile. Unlike screen-time limits you can dismiss with a tap, “you have to get up, walk somewhere, and make a choice with your whole body,” says Elizabeth Bodett Dresser, a licensed clinical professional counselor in Chicago. The verdict: Worth trying if you keep overriding limits—but first, try the free option of leaving your phone in another room. —A.H.          SPONSORED 1,000+ Claude Prompts Top Professionals Actually Use at Work Claude can be your analyst, editor, and strategist. But most professionals are using it to fix grammar. These 1,000+ Claude prompts take it from grammar tool to your most powerful AI work assistant. Sign up for Superhuman AI and get: 1,000+ ready-to-use Claude prompts to get real work done in minutes — researched, tested, and used by professionals at Google, Microsoft, and NASA Superhuman AI newsletter (4 min daily) so you keep learning new AI tools and skills to stay ahead in your career — the prompts are just the beginning Claim your free prompts         TODAY I LEARNED How to make sure you’re walking fast enough Molly Cranna for TIME In the new walking study I covered today, I found out that walking faster may have big benefits for reducing frailty. But how can you tell you’re strolling quickly enough? Here’s what I learned from the paper: You’ll be working very hard, but not so hard that you'll need to stop imminently. You should be breathing hard, and while you might be able to exchange some words with a walking partner, you won’t be able to maintain a conversation easily. —V.G.         WHAT WE’RE READING Now that children are back in school, we must use the tools we know work to keep measles out of the classroom, writes Dr. Debra Houry for TIME. Six Flags Magic Mountain in California permanently closed its X2 roller coaster after allegations of brain injuries, Jeffrey Kluger reports for TIME. TikTok’s latest cold-and-flu remedy mixes garlic with honey—but it could also create a botulism risk. Adam Kovac at Scientific American explains what can go wrong.         SPONSORED 100+ coding prompts top engineers use to ship 5X faster Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor are on every engineer's stack. Most still treat them like a search bar. Top engineers work from a system, these 100+ prompts are that system. Sign up for The Code and get the prompts free, plus a 5-minute daily newsletter to keep sharpening your edge. Claim your free prompts       More Newsletters from Click to sign up. THE BRIEF +D.C. BRIEF +FUTURE PROOF +INSIDE TIME +IN THE LOOP +WORTH YOUR TIME + Subscribe to TIME Email us: healthmatters@time.com Received this from a friend? Sign up here Connect with TIME PRIVACY POLICY   © 2026 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved. TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508 Boone, IA 50037-0508, United States Unsubscribe

The myth of the 'addictive personality'

Plus: postnasal-drip relief, America’s surgical deserts, and more health news  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Mandy Oaklander | September 29, 2026     People often toss around the phrase "addictive personality." But is there really a single profile of a person at risk for developing an addiction? In her new piece for TIME, Stacey Colino looked into that question, which turns out to be a ripe area of scientific research. And experts had plenty to say on the subject. TODAY’S TOPICS Why you keep clearing your throat How close do you live to a surgeon? Food packaging’s toxic secret Meet the new mRNA flu shot         PLEASE ADVISE Here's a great question we received from a reader: I’ve struggled with constant postnasal drip and phlegm in my throat for years, and antihistamines and gargles haven’t helped. What might be causing it, and is there anything that can actually make it stop? Keeproll—Getty Images You’re probably not doomed to a lifetime of making that little ahem noise. But relief depends on figuring out what’s driving the drip, says Dr. Matt Hershcovitch, an ENT and sinus specialist in Burbank, Calif. Allergies and chronic sinus inflammation are common culprits; reflux and a nose that’s overly reactive to smoke, strong smells, or changing weather can contribute, too. If allergies aren’t responsible, antihistamines might not help. Since this has persisted for years, it’s time to see an ENT instead of continuing to play drugstore roulette. They can examine your nose and throat and recommend treatment for the cause. Seek care promptly if the drainage is bloody, occurs only on one side, or comes with facial pain. There’s reason to be hopeful: Finding the cause can help you finally get the irritation under control. “This is a very manageable one,” Hershcovitch says. –Angela Haupt, Editor, Health & Wellness Read the full story here.  Got a health question or social dilemma of your own? Send it our way to healthmatters@time.com, and we might tackle it in a future edition.         SPONSORED Your K-Cups Sat in a Warehouse for Months Grocery store pods spend months going factory → warehouse → truck → shelf, losing the flavor oils that make coffee taste like coffee. Angelino's roasts, packs, and ships within days — 50+ flavors, compatible with Keurig®, from 39¢ a cup. New customers save 15%, no code needed. Try Fresh-Roasted Pods         BIG NUMBER 15.1 million The number of Americans who live in a county without a general surgeon, according to a new study I wrote about today. Many of these Americans may even live near a hospital, the study found—but not every hospital has a full-time surgeon. You can find out how many surgeons live in your county with this interactive map. –Alana Semuels, Senior Correspondent Source: Journal of the American College of Surgeons         SPONSORED 1,000+ Claude Prompts Top Professionals Actually Use at Work Claude can be your analyst, editor, and strategist. But most professionals are using it to fix grammar. These 1,000+ Claude prompts take it from grammar tool to your most powerful AI work assistant. Sign up for Superhuman AI and get: 1,000+ ready-to-use Claude prompts to get real work done in minutes — researched, tested, and used by professionals at Google, Microsoft, and NASA Superhuman AI newsletter (4 min daily) so you keep learning new AI tools and skills to stay ahead in your career — the prompts are just the beginning Claim your free prompts         THE QUOTE THAT STUCK I spoke with Jane Muncke, chemist and founder of Swiss NGO Food Packaging Forum, for a recent piece I wrote about the potential risks of food-packaging chemicals. She let me in on something that irks her—and now bothers me. —Veronique Greenwood, Staff Writer ❝   “Regulators, governments, and industry are aware there are carcinogens in food packaging that get into food. They are accepting that, and I find that so incredibly infuriating. It's absolutely not fair. It's not right.”   Jane Muncke         SPONSORED 100+ coding prompts top engineers use to ship 5X faster Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor are on every engineer's stack. Most still treat them like a search bar. Top engineers work from a system, these 100+ prompts are that system. Sign up for The Code and get the prompts free, plus a 5-minute daily newsletter to keep sharpening your edge. Claim your free prompts         WHAT WE’RE READING A new mRNA-based flu shot is available for older adults this flu season, Alice Park reports for TIME. Pregnant—and suddenly disgusted by your beloved dog? Adrienne Matei at the Guardian explores the surprisingly common but little-studied phenomenon of pet aversion during pregnancy. An Indiana dance program helps people with disabilities move, make friends, and shine onstage, report Obed Lamy and Mead Gruver at the Associated Press.       More Newsletters from Click to sign up. THE BRIEF +D.C. BRIEF +FUTURE PROOF +INSIDE TIME +IN THE LOOP +WORTH YOUR TIME + Subscribe to TIME Email us: healthmatters@time.com Received this from a friend? Sign up here Connect with TIME PRIVACY POLICY   © 2026 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved. TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508 Boone, IA 50037-0508, United States Unsubscribe