I made my husband ill with a few words – nobody is immune to the power of the nocebo effect

My prank demonstrated how our minds can adversely affect our health, and scientists are increasingly showing that negative thoughts can produce very real symptoms, says science writer Helen Pilcher

The best blenders in the UK for smoothies, soups and frozen desserts, tested

From jugs to sticks, portable to refurbished models, which blenders are worth your money (and your fruit)?

A moment that changed me: I was wary of men – then I found out I was having a baby boy

When I became pregnant, all I wanted was a healthy baby. Discovering I would be having a son gave me a new perspective on the narratives around masculinity

Sole searching: how a medical pedicure saved my feet from the point of no return

After a harsh winter and suffering from corns, calluses and dry feet, a ‘medi pedi’ treatment came to my rescue

Put those weights down! How ‘eccentric’ exercise opens up a whole new world of fitness

For years we have been told the best way to get fitter and stronger is to lift something heavy, whether that’s a barbell or our own bodyweight. What if how we put it down was just as important?

Is it true that … your lungs regenerate when you quit smoking?

Our lungs have evolved to heal from damage, but for some cigarettes will cause changes beyond the body’s ability to fix them

‘I was mortally offended’: writers on the throwaway comments that changed their lives

Can a sentence affect the course of your life? Five authors reveal the interactions that transformed the way they saw themselves – and the world

My mother is addicted to gaming and emotionally unavailable. What should I do?

Her actions may be numbing pain she feels in other areas of her life, so you must approach the issue thoughtfully

The Devil Wears Prada is back – and oh, those fat jokes are wearing thin

There has been much talk of the long-awaited sequel making the most of body diversity. The reality seems to be one plus-size actor and gags worthy of the 00s, says Guardian deputy fashion and lifestyle editor Chloe Mac Donnell

You are what you keep: why we cling to clutter and how to free yourself of it

Feeling overwhelmed by all the stuff in your life? Understanding why we hold on to things is the first step in finding a healthy way to let go