The devastating ways depression and anxiety impact the body––New York Times, October 4, 2021
The human organism does not recognize the medical profession’s artificial separation of mental and physical ills. Rather, mind and body form a two-way street. This article explores how what happens inside a person’s head can have damaging effects throughout the body, as well as the other way around. An untreated mental illness can significantly increase the risk of becoming physically ill, and physical disorders may result in behaviors that make mental conditions worse.
In the face of unprecedented challenges, humanity is on the move–National Geographic, September 29, 2021
Our ancestors migrated to survive, and now – in the face of climate change and conflict—we moderns are becoming a migratory species again. In the decades ahead, billions of people may relocate from coastal to inland regions, from low-lying to higher elevation areas, from overpriced to affordable locales, and from failing to stable societies. But where will we go? The short answer is: from south to north, and that won’t be easy: managing migration remains one of the most sensitive areas of national sovereignty.
Is going to the office a broken way of working?––New Yorker, September 26, 2021
This is a conversation with Chris Herd, a 31–year-old tech entrepreneur who foresees a future in which most companies are remote-first. He believes that the current “office-as-factory” model is dead, but he’s against the idea of “remote-only,” emphasizing the importance of spending time together. His vision: a remote-first strategy in which relevant teams gather less frequently in varying locations that suit the work that’s being done. The two main advantages: (1) decreased overheads and (2) increased access to talent.
The wonder stuff: what I learned about happiness from a month of ‘awe walks’–The Guardian, October 4, 2021
This helps understand why the fight against air pollution is gaining so much traction and why it embeds so many investment/business opportunities. Air pollution is now clearly associated with dangerous health outcomes such as low birth weight, respiratory problems, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease, and the WHO has just decided to tighten its recommended limits for almost every pollutant. According to the World Bank, lowering the health burden associated with air pollution exposure could save $5 trillion annually in health-related costs and $225 billion in labor productivity.
A Striking Stat
84% of people report they participate in wellness activities when they travel—and 61% say they’re currently planning a wellness vacation.
