Why has food become another joyless way to self-optimise?

Women of my age are told we neglect protein at our peril – but you can’t cheat death with chia seeds alone. So, could we rein back on the self-optimisation – and ramp up the joy, writes Emma Beddington

Avocados are a Super Bowl staple – but are they truly a miracle food?

Americans are expected to devour nearly 280m pounds of avocados during Super Bowl weekend. Are they actually healthy?

‘The children are not safe here’: the Nigerian couple fighting infanticide

The long read: In a few isolated communities in central Nigeria, some babies are believed to be bad omens. Olusola and Chinwe Stevens run a thriving home for babies at risk. But what happens when the families want them back?

Breathwork has its uses – but when it comes to ‘unlocking your fullest human potential’, beware the puffery

While some benefits such as stress relief are backed by solid evidence, they can be achieved without expensive hyped-up courses

Ultra-processed foods should be treated more like cigarettes than food – study

UPFs are made to encourage addiction and consumption and should be regulated like tobacco, say researchers

‘Adjustments must be made’: how to live well after mid-life

We are living longer and longer, but many of us are unprepared for the challenges age brings, says the novelist and psychotherapist Frank Tallis

Are protein bars actually good for you? Four common questions, answered by nutritionists

We asked nutrition experts to weigh in on healthy protein bar brands and ingredients, and if we even need protein bars at all. Here are their science-backed answers

‘Menopause gold rush’? Boom in hi-tech products as stigma starts to recede

The march of wearable tech is coming to the aid of women in what some say is a long underserved market

PMDD is ruining my life. What can I do?

You’re already doing all the right things for your premenstrual dysphoric disorder, but perhaps it’s time to ask others for more help

Taliban birth control ban: women ‘broken’ by lethal pregnancies and untreated miscarriages

Women across Afghanistan describe the traumatic impact of disappearing clinics and contraception