Health & Wellbeing

Latest stories in Health & Wellbeing

Two men sitting apart on a couch, one in a beige sweater deep in thought, the other in a white shirt resting his head in his hand.

Raising awareness of intimate partner violence in queer relationships

The damage of intimate partner violence goes beyond heterosexual relationships

Penticton, BC/Canada - August 29, 2021: Pedestrians watch from Lakeshore Drive as a forest fire flares up in the hills above the city.

How to protect your lungs from wildfire smoke

How to know when air quality is poor and how to protect yourself from the health effects of smoke

Cheering crowd at a rock concert

How to protect your hearing at summer concerts

How to tell if a concert is too loud and whether you should wear earplugs

Young female runner warming up before running at morning forest trail

Is it safe to exercise in extreme heat and smoky skies?

How to assess conditions and adapt your exercise routine to wildfire smoke and heat

Cheerful young woman on the beach applies sunscreen on her shoulder

How to choose the right sunscreen this summer

Learn common sunscreen myths and how to choose the right sunscreen year-round

Children play football outdoor

Keep outdoor play spaces cool: the best trees, shrubs and plants for shade

How to build sun-safe and creative outdoor play environments

Doctor in a white coat browsing the 'It's My Choice' website.

UBC student develops website to help Canadians choose the right type of abortion

Tool aims to help Canadians identify the abortion option that best fits their values and circumstances

5 tips for staying cool at home without air conditioning

How to cool down with fans and more when you don’t have AC in your home

Muslim family having dried dates as a snack.

How to stay healthy during Ramadan fasting

Tips for maintaining energy, meal prep and managing medications while fasting

A robot in a retirement home with a happy old woman.

How AI social robots could support people living with dementia and their care providers

Artificial intelligence could help personalize care at home and in long-term settings

A weekly pill organizer with several happy pills arranged around it.

New genetic testing could tell you which antidepressant works best for you

Pharmacogenomic testing could help find effective treatment for depression faster

A man is smiling and holding a spoon full of bugs.

Bug protein powder smoothies? Cricket flour muffins? Why it’s time to consider eating more insects

Insects could be the meat of the future and a sustainable alternative protein

Different foods on forks

How can you start eating healthier? This diet calculator quiz can help

Assess your eating habits and learn how to reduce your chance of developing a chronic disease

Pins and threads in the shape of a a human head.

The roots of the North American opioid crisis, and 3 key strategies for stopping it

Why we need to treat substance-use disorders as a public health crisis and stop an international spread

An illustrated photo of new variants of the Omicron virus.

New variants, new vaccines: what to know about COVID-19 for fall 2023

Learn when you should get the new vaccine, whether you can combine it with a flu shot, and more

A photo of a student writing mathematical formulas on a blackboard.

How to conquer math anxiety and succeed this semester

Tips for students and parents on how to cope with anxiety around math

A photo of steam rising from smokestacks in a rural sunset sky.

Tips for how to cope with climate anxiety

These steps can help you move from eco-anxiety to positive action

An image of a man looking at the sky through sunglasses.

Protect your eyes from harmful UV rays this summer

Learn which sunglasses to choose and how to understand the UV Index

A baby boy eating blend food on a high chair

How to introduce food allergens to babies: peanut allergies and more

Learn the latest recommendations and strategies for safely introducing common allergens, including peanuts, to babies

Close up cropped shot of young woman holding a glass of water prepare to swallow an orange pill.

Acetaminophen overdose is a leading cause of liver injury, but it is largely preventable

We need more awareness of the dangers of combining drugs that contain acetaminophen

Closeup shot of a man tying shoelaces in outdoors

Heads up guys! How to create daily habits and routines to manage your mental health

Making healthy habits sustainable can help to fight depression

Young man in a dark room with his head back on a sofa

When relationships break down, men are at risk of mental illness

A UBC study confirms that when men transition out of relationships they are at increased risk of mental illness

A man posing with his arm up against orange background.

How to prepare for the flu season in BC

What to expect and where to get your influenza vaccine, along with answers to some common questions

Slices of photographed faces

What’s the big deal? Here’s why microaggressions matter

Microaggressions reinforce power structures and actually harm our health

Using drone deliveries to enhance health care in rural, remote and Indigenous communities

A UBC partnership could make health care more accessible to isolated communities across Canada

A close-up photo of a mosquito biting someone's finger

How to repel mosquitoes and avoid bites

Tips on the best mosquito repellents and more from a UBC Department of Zoology expert

What is the impact of the Roe vs Wade draft decision? A ‘cruel and devastating blow’ for women, UBC Allard law experts say

Here’s what it could mean for reproductive rights in the US and the security of women’s access to abortion in Canada

A person's hand holding rice grains to show world hunger

‘Too many people, not enough food’ isn’t the cause of world hunger and food insecurity

Inequity and armed conflict play a large role in world hunger

Managing mental health as pandemic restrictions ease

Many people are dealing with anxiety as we return to the new normal; here are tips to deal with uncertainty

Photo of smoke from a forest fire near Pearchland British Columbia Canada

Why protecting air quality in BC matters to your health — not just during wildfire season

Vancouver has some of the best air quality in the world. Here’s why we need to fight for it.

A collection of images depicting what effects affect air quality

What exactly is air quality, and what affects it in BC?

Learn about air pollution sources and how weather and location affect air quality in BC

Is it time to move on from Wordle? How crossword puzzles can help train your brain

Trying a variety of puzzles can help keep you mentally sharp

Conversations about consent need to start early, and parents need to get comfortable with it

Teaching children about boundaries can help shift our culture around interpersonal trauma

Woman in striped shirt and tights exercising on yoga mat while looking at tablet.

How to get motivated to start exercising at home

App-based workouts can help combat depression and boost mental health. Here are 7 tips to get moving

Four young people sharing glasses of wine and exchanging gifts

Spread cheer, not COVID: Tips for staying safe this holiday season

Here’s how to reduce the risk of COVID infection during gatherings at home and when flying for the holidays

Photo of a football on a dark background with moisture surrounding it

The fault in our stars: Aaron Rodgers reminds us why celebrity shouldn’t trump science

Celebrities can amplify dangerous and disproven myths about the COVID-19 vaccine, says UBC’s Dr. Eric Cadesky

The doctor won’t see you now: Why access to care is in critical condition

More support for doctors will increase access to timely health care for Canadians

Smoke stack

COP26: Strong carbon-trading rules could help the world avoid dangerous levels of global warming

An international emissions-trading system being discussed at COP26 could bring an end to the production of coal-fired electricity

Getting to the HART of affordable housing

A new tool co-developed by UBC experts helps to estimate how much affordable housing a city needs

How to make yourself a hard target for communicable diseases

Practices that help slow the spread of COVID-19 can also reduce your risk of the flu, colds and other illnesses

person on grey background wearing a mask and holding hands on temples

Flu season is coming and it could be ugly: What you need to know

UBC’s Dr. Michael Curry weighs in on how to reduce your risk of getting sick

Recognizing the signs of an opioid overdose

Knowing what to look for and how to use a take-home naloxone kit can save a life, says the Executive Director of the BC Centre on Substance Use

People gathered in discussion about mental health.

Why addressing stigma around substance use matters

UBC experts say we need to normalize the conversation, as we’ve done with other health conditions

Kids too young for a COVID-19 vaccine? How to keep them safe

UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Dr. Ran Goldman offers tips for parents to protect children who are not yet immunized against COVID-19 in Canada

A doctor and a senior patient look at the patient's personalized genomic sequencing results on a tablet in a doctors office

How genomics is changing health care

Genomic sequencing is creating a new age of health and medicine that is more personalized and targeted than ever before

A collage showing a scientific illustration of DNA, the results of genome sequencing and a person working in a genomics lab

What is genomics?

UBC Faculty of Medicine associate professors explain the study of genes

Smoke from wildfires descends on Vancouver

10 tips for coping with wildfire smoke, from a public health expert

Protect yourself from the risks of hazardous wildfire smoke

A photo illustration of several neon "Open" signs alight in the dark to signify re-opening of society after COVID-19

Re-entry anxiety: How to adjust to a new, uncertain routine

As the pandemic eases and society opens up, UBC clinical psychologist Dr. Lynn Alden offers tips to help you cope

Dr Willow Thickson

Bridging gaps in community health care

UBC medical resident Willow Thickson is helping to create a safer space for Indigenous patients in BC

A bottle of prescription pills to treat a chronic disease.

3 lessons the COVID-19 pandemic can teach us about preventing chronic diseases

Learnings from COVID-19 can improve the prevention of heart disease, diabetes and mood disorders in our communities

Dr. Pieter Cullis

UBC-grown biotech companies lead pandemic efforts

A key component of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was developed by a UBC spin-off company in Vancouver

A medical professional gives a COVID-19 vaccination to a senior

Protection provided by COVID-19 vaccination

UBC vaccine expert Anna Blakney addresses the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and choosing among them

An illustration showing life after the COVID-19 vaccine, including children visiting with grandparents and a plane leaving for a vacation destination

Life after COVID-19 vaccination

Vaccine researcher Anna Blakney answers questions about travel and transmission after vaccination

Illustration showing population groups that are not yet approved for the COVID-19 vaccine, including children and pregnant women

COVID-19 vaccinations, pregnancy and kids

A UBC vaccine expert explains why there’s no vaccine for these groups yet

A medical professional gives a COVID-19 vaccine to an adult

How vaccines work

UBC vaccine expert Anna Blakney explains how vaccines work and what to consider when deciding whether to get vaccinated

A photo illustration of the mental health toll that the pandemic is taking on individuals

Weighing the pandemic’s psychological toll

Worldwide survey seeks input on everyone’s mental health

Two syringes with the COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccinations: what you need to know about the second dose

UBC’s Dr. Manish Sadarangani explains why some people are harder to vaccinate

An illustration showing COVID-19 mutations and variants

Why new COVID-19 variants are on the rise and spreading around the world

Viruses often change, and some mutations are more alarming than others

A person does an exercise workout by using water bottles as weights

How to work “exercise snacks” into your day

Research shows that “fitness snacking” adds up and even small bites of exercise are good for you

Young adults unfairly blamed for COVID-19 spread

Young adults, unfairly blamed for COVID-19 spread, now face stress and uncertain futures

Stigma leads to social, health and economic distress

A women drinks hot chocolate to improve her mental health over the holiday season

How to boost your mental health over the holidays

Six strategies to help you get through December amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Illustration showing how trade practices can lead to acute medical supply shortages during COVID-19

Why trade restrictions must be eliminated during COVID-19’s second wave

These restrictions could ultimately undermine the fight against COVID-19

An active, older adult walks her dog in the park

How older adults can embrace new routines

Physical distancing has disrupted the lives of many active seniors; here’s how to adapt

Illustration of a young man having a conversation with a senior woman

Neighbourhood watch: How to help active seniors combat isolation

Community members and organizations can help older adults connect online during the COVID-19 pandemic

Priye Iworima, a diabetes researcher at UBC

Toward a cure for diabetes

Focusing on stem cells could lead to a diabetes therapy that doesn’t rely on insulin injections

Haakon Nygaard from Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health at UBC

Focusing on Alzheimer’s disease prevention

Delaying the emergency of memory impairments by only a few years could have a major impact