Life Kit: Health

Medical transition-related treatments like hormone replacement therapy are associated with overwhelmingly positive outcomes in terms of both physical and mental health for transgender people. But, it can be hard to know exactly how to get started.In this episode of NPR's Short Wave, reporter James Factora explains where to start, common misconceptions about HRT, and the importance of finding community through the process.You can read James' full reporting for VICE here.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Anxiety can feel like the enemy, and it's easy to want to obliterate those feelings. But that might not be the best approach, according to Wendy Suzuki.In this episode, Suzuki, author of Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion, outlines strategies to turn that sinking feeling into something productive.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Returning to in-person schooling is both a relief — and a source of great anxiety — for a lot of parents this year. The pandemic is still happening. The Delta variant is surging. And millions of children are too young to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The news changes fast — updates on vaccine trials and breakthrough infections seem to roll in every day — but there's still a lot the whole family can do to stay as safe as possible.In this episode NPR health reporter Pien Huang shares tips from public health experts — all parents themselves — for keeping kids safe at school.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

People are making up for time lost during the pandemic. Weddings are happening again. People are hosting cookouts, and going on vacation. Some people are heading back to in-person school and adjusting to working from the office again. But the health crisis is not over, and people in different parts of the country are taking very different approaches to that fact.These different approaches and thoughts are presenting some tricky situations, like asking people if they have or plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot, or requesting that someone mask up.To talk through some of situations, NPR's Michel Martin spoke with Steven Petrow, an opinion columnist with USA Today, who's been writing about matters of etiquette, among other things.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

If you've noticed that your kid put on some weight during the pandemic and you're not sure what — if anything — to do about it, you're not alone.Weight is an incredibly fraught topic — and an imperfect indicator of health. As parents, a kid's sudden weight gain can be hard to know how to tackle — the last thing we'd want is to do anything that might create poor body image for our children or set the stage for eating disorders.We spoke to doctors and specialists who work with kids. In this episode, they share their tips for how to get kids back on track and support healthy habits.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We're in another unsettling moment in the pandemic. Even people who are vaccinated are wondering if it's time to be cautious again, given the rise in cases, the fast-spreading Delta variant and reports of vaccinated people testing positive. NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey offers some guidance and answers questions on what we know about the Delta variant.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Record-breaking temperatures resulting from climate change are a global problem. And while our bodies have ways to dissipate heat, sometimes they just can't keep up with extreme temperatures. Here are four tips from experts on how to stay safe and cool in extreme heat.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ah, summer. If you're making plans to head outside to enjoy the weather, don't forget to pack your sunscreen. What's that? You don't need it? Yes, you do. Here's why, and how to use it effectively. (This episode originally ran in July 2020.) This is the second in our week of episodes all about getting outside.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The CDC says vaccinated folks don't need masks in most settings. NPR's Short Wave team breaks down that guidance and the pushback.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The stress and trauma from the past year have taken a toll on all of our brains. Mental health care providers say their patients are reporting brain fog and fatigue. If that sounds familiar, here's why — and what you can do.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy