A Massive Study Found This Daily Ritual Improves Mood Almost Instantly

A Massive Study Found This Daily Ritual Improves Mood Almost Instantly

By Zhane

Post May 23, 2026

Source

Journaling, gratitude letters, counting your blessings, these practices have become wellness staples over the past decade. But the science behind them has had a notable gap, as most studies were small, short-term, and conducted primarily in Western countries.

A new multinational megastudy1 (yes, that’s the actual word for it) just changed that, offering the most geographically diverse look at gratitude interventions to date. Here’s what you need to know, and how to level up your own gratitude practice.

About the study

For this study, researchers wanted to know whether gratitude practices actually work, and whether they work the same way across different cultures. To find out, they conducted one of the largest gratitude experiments ever, testing six brief gratitude interventions across 34 countries with 10,696 participants.

The six interventions included common practices like writing gratitude letters, listing things you’re grateful for, and reflecting on grateful moments. Participants were randomly assigned to either a gratitude practice or one of three neutral control task. Then researchers measured immediate changes in well-being outcomes including positive affect, negative affect, optimism, life satisfaction, feelings of indebtedness, and envy.

Gratitude reliably boosts mood, but other benefits are less consistent

Results overwhelmingly showed that gratitude practices work. Compared to control tasks, all six gratitude interventions produced immediate improvements across multiple well-being measures. Participants reported better mood, more optimism, greater life satisfaction, and reduced negative emotions like envy.

When researchers looked at how consistent these effects were across all 34 countries, a clear pattern emerged: positive affect was the most reliable outcome. Gratitude practices boosted mood consistently, regardless of where participants lived.

The effects on other outcomes, like life satisfaction, optimism, and reduced negative affect, were more variable. In some countries, these benefits were strong. In others, they were weaker or didn’t appear at all. The specific type of gratitude practice also mattered; some interventions worked better for certain outcomes than others.

Why this matters for your gratitude practice

This research validates what many people have experienced firsthand: gratitude practices genuinely improve how you feel. If you’ve ever noticed that writing down three good things from your day lifts your mood, this study confirms you’re not imagining it.

At the same time, the findings offer a more realistic picture of what gratitude can deliver. If you’re using gratitude journaling specifically to boost life satisfaction or reduce anxiety, results may be less predictable. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing; it just means gratitude is most reliably a mood-boosting tool, and other benefits may vary.

The practical takeaway: keep your gratitude practice, but hold your expectations loosely. Use it as a daily mood reset rather than expecting it to transform every aspect of your well-being.

The takeaway

This massive study (it’s literally the largest and most diverse study on this topic to date) confirms that gratitude practices genuinely improve positive affect. However, other outcomes like life satisfaction and optimism are real but less consistent across cultures and intervention types.

If gratitude isn’t a part of your daily or weekly practice, now’s the perfect time to give it a try.

Compiled by http://violetflame.biz.ly from: 

• https://eraoflight.com/2026/05/23/a-massive-study-found-this-daily-ritual-improves-mood-almost-instantly/

  

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7 Reasons You Should Eat More Spinach

7 Reasons You Should Eat More Spinach

By Health Cleveland Clinic

May 22, 2026

Source

It’s been more than 60 years since the cartoon hero Popeye debuted. Since then, the beloved sailor’s favorite dish — spinach — has gained a lot of fans. The average American today eats about 1.5 pounds of this leafy green vegetable every year.

“Spinach is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat,” says registered dietitian Kayla Kopp, RD, LD. “It’s also very easy to use. Raw or cooked, spinach is great in salads, appetizers, smoothies and main dishes.”

Is spinach good for you?

Yes! Spinach is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s low in calories but high in vitamins, nutrients and filling fiber — making it a superfood. Plus, this earthy, leafy green is more flavorful than lettuce but less bitter than kale.

Spinach health benefits

Kopp shares seven reasons to eat more spinach.

1. Offers a low-calorie, low-fat source of nutrients

Two-thirds of a cup (100 grams) of raw spinach has 23 calories, 3.6 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of protein and zero cholesterol or fat. Nutrient-wise, a serving has approximately:

• 483 micrograms of vitamin K (402% of daily value).
• 469 micrograms of vitamin A (52% of DV).
• 194 micrograms of folate (49% of DV).
• 0.9 milligrams of manganese (39% of DV).
• 28 milligrams of vitamin C (31% of DV).
• 79 milligrams of magnesium (19% of DV).
• 0.19 milligrams of riboflavin (15% of DV).
• 2.7 milligrams of iron (15% of DV).
• 2 milligrams of vitamin E (14% of DV).
• 0.13 milligrams of copper (14% DV).
• 558 milligrams of potassium (12% of DV).
• 0.2 milligrams of vitamin B6 (11% of DV).

2. Protects against diseases

Spinach has a variety of antioxidants, including carotenoids like beta-carotene and lutein.

These natural chemicals (phytochemicals) protect plants — and you — from bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. “Antioxidants minimize the damaging effects of free radicals,” says Kopp.

These molecules can build up in your body, causing cell damage that leads to chronic conditions like cancer, autoimmune diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. And if you have diabetes, the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid in spinach may keep glucose levels low and improve how you respond to insulin.

3. Lowers blood pressure

The high potassium levels in spinach (two-thirds of a cup has close to 600 milligrams) relaxes blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. “Potassium also helps your kidneys get rid of extra sodium,” says Kopp. “High blood pressure and excess sodium can lead to heart disease, stroke and kidney damage.”

Spinach is high in magnesium and folate, a B vitamin. These nutrients help you make nitric oxide, a molecule that lowers blood pressure. Spinach also has nitrates, chemicals that expand blood vessels. One study found that participants who drank a spinach beverage had lower blood pressure for up to five hours after finishing the drink.

4. Boosts brain health

Spinach can keep your mind sharp. One study found that eating a half-cup serving of cooked spinach or other leafy greens every day slows age-related memory changes. The high levels of antioxidants, folate and phylloquinone (a form of vitamin K found in leafy greens) help protect brain cells.

The nutrients may also lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. They stop proteins from building up in your brain and lessen inflammation.

5. Improves gut health

Two-thirds of a cup of raw spinach has close to 2 grams of insoluble fiber. “Your body can’t easily break down this type of fiber, so you feel full longer,” notes Kopp. Fiber also adds bulk to stools, helping prevent constipation.

6. Supports healthy blood

Spinach is rich in non-heme (plant-based) iron, making it an excellent choice if you follow a vegetarian or vegan meal plan. Iron helps your body make hemoglobin, a red blood cell protein that carries oxygen to organs and tissues. “Eating an iron-rich diet that includes spinach can help prevent iron-deficiency anemia and symptoms like fatigue,” adds Kopp.

Unfortunately, you don’t absorb non-heme iron from plant-based diets as well as you absorb heme iron from animal sources like beef, liver and chicken. That’s because certain compounds in spinach, like polyphenols and oxalic acid (oxalates), can attach to iron, affecting how much your body absorbs. “Oxalate is known as an ‘anti-nutrient’ because it decreases the amount of iron, magnesium and other minerals you take in from plant foods,” says Kopp.

Combining foods high in vitamin C with foods high in iron, like spinach, can maximize non-heme iron absorption. “Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) binds with iron, making it easier for your body to absorb both nutrients,” explains Kopp, who offers these food pairing suggestions:

• Cook spinach and potatoes together.
• Fix a smoothie with spinach, berries, citrus fruits and water. (Avoid using milk or milk alternatives, as calcium may affect iron absorption.)
• Make a spinach-walnut salad with raspberry vinaigrette.

7. Protects eyesight

Lutein and another antioxidant called zeaxanthin in spinach are related to vitamin A and beta-carotene found in carrots. These antioxidants help protect your eyes against sun damage. They may also lower your risk of eye disorders, such as age-related cataracts.

One small study found that eating a half-cup of frozen spinach every day for two months increases lutein levels and eye pigment. High pigment levels may lower your risk of macular degeneration.

Because vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, you’ll absorb more antioxidants if you have a healthy fat with your spinach. Kopp suggests eating fresh or cooked spinach with:

• Avocados.
• Drizzle of olive oil.
• Fatty fish like salmon.
• Nuts.
• Seeds.

Is spinach better raw or cooked?

“Spinach is good for you, whether you eat it fresh or cooked,” says Kopp.

Cooked spinach provides more:

• Calcium.
• Vitamin A.
• Carotenoids.
• Fiber.
• Iron.
• Protein.
• Zinc.

Raw spinach provides more:

• Folate.
• Lutein.
• Vitamin C.

How much spinach should you eat?

“A cup of spinach counts toward the recommended two to three cups of vegetables adults should eat every day,” says Kopp. But people with certain conditions may want to opt for other leafy greens:

• If you’re prone to kidney stones, the high oxalate content of spinach may cause more stones to form.
• An inconsistent intake of vitamin K (which helps clot blood) can be a problem if you take blood thinners to prevent blood clots.

For most people, spinach is a colorful, healthy addition to a variety of dishes.

Health Cleveland Clinic

Compiled by http://violetflame.biz.ly from: 

• https://eraoflight.com/2026/05/21/7-reasons-you-should-eat-more-spinach/

Fluoride Study Claiming No Effect on IQ Has ‘Basically No Connection to Reality,’ Critics Say

Fluoride Study Claiming No Effect on IQ Has ‘Basically No Connection to Reality,’ Critics Say

By Brenda Baletti, Ph.D.

Post on May 15, 2025

Source

Mainstream media are widely promoting a study claiming that community water fluoridation has no effect on IQ, but critics told The Defender the study contains fundamental methodological errors that invalidate the authors’ conclusions. The Defender asked to be included in a media call with the study’s author, but was denied access.

Experts who analyzed a recent study claiming that fluoride exposure from drinking water doesn’t affect IQ told The Defender the study was deceptive and relied on a flawed methodology.

The “highly anticipated long-term study,” published April 13 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), was widely cited by media and proponents of water fluoridation as evidence that there is no difference in IQ between people who drank water containing fluoride at the level currently recommended by U.S. public health agencies and people who didn’t.

But Chris Neurath — a research director for the American Environmental Health Studies Project who analyzed the study — identified flaws in the data used for the study and the authors’ conclusions.

Neurath said that one of the “most deceptive parts” of both the media coverage and the study itself was the claim that it studied community water fluoridation, and that it was a comparison between two groups — people exposed to fluoridation and people who weren’t.

Neurath found that the authors didn’t actually measure how much fluoride study participants consumed.

They also didn’t study people who were exposed to fluoride as neonates or young children — the very groups that research shows are most affected by fluoride exposure.

For example, the researchers used data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, which tracked about 10,000 people in the 1957 Wisconsin high school graduating class. Participants took IQ tests in high school and cognitive tests later in life — at ages 53, 64, 72 and 80.

That means the study participants were born in about 1939 — six years before community water fluoridation began anywhere in the U.S.

Given that community water fluoridation didn’t even exist when the study participants were born, no one in the study was exposed to it during the critical developmental years when it can affect IQ — and few people were exposed to fluoridated water at all.

Attorney Michael Connett, who represents plaintiffs in the landmark lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that put concerns about water fluoridation on the national radar, criticized the study in a post on X.

He wrote:

“The study’s use of a clearly erroneous measurement of early life exposure to fluoridated water made it virtually impossible for this study to detect an association between early-life fluoride exposure and IQ.

“It’s like trying to determine if prenatal exposure to Tylenol is associated with autism by determining the Tylenol use of the child’s neighbor rather than the child’s mother.”

‘Very faulty’ exposure method ‘invalidates the entire study’

Neurath and Connett also criticized the PNAS study’s choice of wells to estimate fluoride exposure.

The researchers assumed that if a Wisconsin county had a single well found to have naturally elevated levels of fluoride at the currently recommended 0.7 milligrams per liter (mg/L), then everyone in the county was exposed to that level of fluoride.

Connett said that assumption, at the heart of the study, “has basically no connection to reality” because fluoride levels in a single well can’t provide information about fluoride in other wells, “let alone ‘all’ wells.”

The researchers identified the wells using U.S. Geological Survey data collected between 1988 and 2017, which contained information on about two wells per county in Wisconsin.

Neurath compared the data used by the study authors to data on more detailed studies on well fluoridation from the state of Wisconsin — data that the authors of the PNAS study didn’t use.

He found that most of the counties included in the new study had only one well containing fluoride at 0.7 mg/L, and that some had up to 30 wells with levels measuring well below that threshold.

In one example from Sheboygan County, Neurath found that the single well identified as containing fluoride wasn’t even a drinking water well — it was a “monitoring well” next to an agricultural field. All other wells tested in the county had fluoride levels ranging from 0 to 0.2 mg/L.

Neurath said that most Wisconsin residents weren’t even getting water from private wells — they relied on public water systems. At the time, about 3% of public water systems had naturally high levels of fluoride.

He concluded that the study used “a very faulty exposure measure,” which he said, “invalidates the entire study.”

Lead author denies Defender access to reporter call, deflects scrutiny

Researchers from the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin and the University of Michigan conducted the PNAS study.

Lead author Rob Warren, Ph.D., was scheduled to speak with reporters on Tuesday in 15-minute slots to promote the study. The Defender signed up but was denied access. At least one local news station interviewed Warren that day.

Warren, a sociologist, told reporter Connor Rhiel that concerns about fluoride and IQ typically draw on research from small communities in Iran and China with abnormally high fluoride levels for “weird geological reasons” — and weren’t relevant to U.S. policy.

He said his team chose their approach because large cohort studies tracking fluoride exposure and cognitive outcomes over time are “relatively rare” and difficult to conduct.

He did not mention the major North American cohort studies — published in top journals and most often cited by fluoride critics — already conducted in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, which identified the link.

Warren said his research shows that children drinking optimally fluoridated water have nothing to fear for their cognition or IQ.

In a similar paper published last year — which critics also flagged for lacking any measure of fluoride exposure during gestation or infancy — he went further, claiming fluoride provided a cognitive benefit, a claim that drew sharp criticism.

When the local reporter asked whether this study found any benefits from fluoride exposure, Warren didn’t mention them. Instead, he offered general remarks that fluoride is good for teeth.

The Defender submitted its intended interview questions to Warren via email Tuesday, asking him to explain and justify the study’s assumptions about fluoride exposure.

Warren had not responded as of press time today.

Brenda Baletti

• https://childrenshealthdefense.org/