The five most-read stories on Scope this week were:
Can yoga help women suffering from fibromyalgia?: A study recently published in the Journal of Pain Research shows that practicing yoga boosts levels of the stress hormone cortisol and could help ease some symptoms of fibromyalgia such as pain, fatigue, muscle stiffness and depression.
Stanford psychologist Fred Luskin taking questions on the health benefits of forgiving: A new Scope feature gives readers the opportunity to ask questions to Stanford faculty, either by commenting on Scope or by tweeting an @reply to @SUMedicine and including the hashtag #AskSUMed. To start things off, Fred Luskin, PhD, a research associate at the Stanford Prevention Research Center and co-founder of the Stanford Forgiveness Project, took questions this week about why forgiveness is important for health.
The health risks of high heels: In a Well post, Gretchen Reynolds reports on a new Australian study that found wearing heels “may compromise muscle efficiency in walking” and may increase the likelihood of strain injuries. She also offers advice from Neil J. Cronin, PhD, the researcher who led the work, for readers who can’t kick their heel habit.
The end of sex?: In a talk entitled “The End of Sex,” Stanford law professor Hank Greely, JD, made the prediction that in the next 50 years or so, the majority of babies in developed countries will be spawned in IVF clinics.
More-nutritious breast milk for preemies: A Stanford team led by neonatologist William Rhine, MD, recently published the second of two papers confirming that moms who used hands-on pumping had higher fat content in their milk than women relying on electric pumps alone.
