NHS directed pregnant women to controversial Free Birth Society via charity

Exclusive: NHS websites pointed women to factsheet featuring podcast by ‘dangerous’ influencers linked to baby deaths

The one change that worked: I was trembling with anxiety when I found a fun, free way to get calm

I can’t dance. Not even a little bit. But the terrible moves my friends mock are an antidote to the racing heart and quivering breath that arrive in my more anxious moments

The loneliness fix: I wanted to find new friends in my 30s – and it was easier than I imagined

It is said to be harder to make friends as you age. But I found that a mix of apps and other tools, as well as a happy attitude, led to a world of potential new pals

Five key findings from our investigation into the Free Birth Society

Year-long investigation into multimillion-dollar business exposed serious concerns, from dangerous medical claims to FBS-linked stillbirths

Being labelled a Highly Sensitive Person was validating and empowering – until it wasn’t

An online personality quiz made me feel understood, but it also created a mental cage

My schoolmates mocked me for being a UPF-free, ‘weird lunchbox’ kid. Turns out my mum was right all along

In the 90s my mum embarrassed me with her rejection of ultra-processed foods – but the growing body of evidence about them is vindicating her, says Guardian columnist Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world

A year-long investigation reveals how mothers lost children after being radicalised by uplifting podcast tales of births without midwives or doctors

The 12 best US gifts for the fitness fan in your life, vetted by a CrossFit coach

From Lululemon to LMNT and Nike, here’s the fitness gear that’s stood up to sweat tests and made workouts better

Hold an ice cube – and shake like a dog: therapists on 16 simple, surprising ways to beat stress

It can cause physiological and emotional problems, but none of us can avoid it entirely. Here are some of the best ways to react when stress hormones start coursing through your body ...

Wednesday briefing: Why strangulation during sex has become so common among teenagers

In today’s newsletter: Despite the risks, many young people now see choking during intimacy as acceptable or even expected, which experts put down to the proliferation of increasingly violent online pornography