This Thanksgiving, pass on the gratitude. Pile on the purpose.

For many, it’s a short week. And depending on where in the country you live, it's particularly dark one.

But rather than echoing the customary call to gratitude, we’re sharing new research on other perspectives to help you reset, recharge and reconnect. Cheers to you for taking care of your physical and mental health. First, start with…

Your Checkup: 

• These last-minute pie recipes are naturally sweetened
• Listen to Goldie Hawn on her history w/ panic attacks
• Why online shopping sometimes drags you down
• How to adjust your workout if you can’t sleep after
• Somatic training exercise is perfect for this time of year
• Gift some ahh this season with our wellness gift guide
• Brainstorm better dining table conversation in 30 secs
• How to make amazing soup with just about anything

Primary Care

Shared meals, shared microbiomes

Can friendships affect microbiome health?

In a new study, researchers mapped people in 18 isolated Honduran villages + found that those who lived together shared about 14% of microbial gut strains. Those who didn’t live together but spent free time together shared about 10%!

Prior studies have shown that specific viruses + bacteria increase the risk of conditions like hypertension and heavier weight. So, their results imply that social relationships may impact health risks, too.

But the experts caution—friends can also pass good gut strains!

 If you catch another bug this holiday week, remember that Dr. B is online to treat UTIs, pink eye + more with same-day primary care!

Don’t regress. Reset.

According to research on interpersonal dynamics, every family has a caregiver, peacemaker and rebel—and we often revert to our 17-year-old roles around the holiday table.

To reset before you regress, activate these tips from Self:

• Take tiny breaks from family by exercising, running errands, grabbing a coffee or faking a nap. 
• In heightened moments of anger or panic, refocus your brain by grounding into your sensory experience—take deep breaths, pay attention to the sounds around you, focus on what you can taste, etc. 
• If all else fails, practice gratitude for the triggering family member—or remind yourself they’re a human with flaws, too.

For longevity, prioritize purpose

We hear a lot about gratitude this time of year. But a new study suggests we should prioritize purpose.

Researchers reviewed data taken from 6,000 people during the mid-nineties and compared those alive in 2022 with those who had passed.

Their analysis revealed that while life satisfaction helps people in some circumstances, only a strong sense of purpose corresponded with a longer life across *al*l demographics. For example, greater satisfaction or purpose increased longevity if someone had a health condition. But if they self-reported poor health, only purpose provoked the same result.

The authors propose that purpose might be a powerful motivator or coping mechanism because purpose is active, whereas satisfaction is passive.

So if you can’t count your blessings this year, maybe make a to-do list instead.

Healthcare 911

US may see a healthy Thanksgiving—but Covid, RSV could spike before Christmas, CDC warns (Forbes). A little over half of US states are experiencing low Covid rates. The rest are at moderate or high levels. (Only New Mexico is very high.) But RSV is rising, and Thanksgiving travel is expected to rebound to pre-pandemic highs. So experts stress caution + prevention with familiar tools—prioritizing improved ventilation, wearing masks in crowded places, handwashing and getting updated vaccinations. And if you get Covid-19 this season, remember that Dr. B offer same-day treatment with a convenient $15 online consultation.

Bird flu virus isolated from hospitalized Canadian teen shows signs of human adaptation (CNN). No other humans in contact with the teen have been infected, so experts hope this is a dead-end infection. But samples taken revealed mutations that could help the avian flu virus spread more easily amongst humans. The strain is close to the one circulating amongst wild birds (not US dairy cattle).

'10 Americas:' Health disparities mean life expectancy varies across US (HealthDay). Building on earlier studies, a new report reveals that the US life expectancy gap rose from 12.6 years in 2020 to 20.4 years in 2021. Ten groupings of race, ethnicity and geography illustrate health inequities that contribute to early mortality or longevity, with income, education and healthcare access supporting or impeding health. The researchers call for governments to work together to close the gaps.