Elemental

Trans experiences of isolation reveal what it really takes to come out It has been years since my egg cracked. In community parlance, an “egg” refers to a transgender person who doesn’t quite yet realize they are trans. We “crack” when that first realization happens — oh wait! what if?… Getting out of that shell takes work. I came out as nonbinary five years ago. I didn’t immediately claim the title trans, thanks to internalized transphobia.

Age Wise Napping is loved and hated and can be restorative or a sign of health problems, so here’s what you need to know There are two kinds of people in this world: happy nappers who, like me, wake up revived from a short afternoon snooze, ready to tackle the remainder of the day with fresh and annoying vigor; and napping naysayers like my wife who can’t stand naps and think people like me are just lazy asses or sleep freaks. So who has it right?

The stigma surrounding weight gain has blinded us to the real problems of health care Brandy L Schillace · Follow Published in Elemental · 6 min read · Mar 8, 2022 -- Photo by AllGo — An App For Plus Size People on Unsplash You’ve heard it said, probably in hushed whispers: Don’t call her fat, it’s rude. And largely we acquiesce, don’t we? But why? Why does a descriptor like “fat” carry such negative connotations?

The only place I learned about financial trauma was in therapy Tahirah Alexander Green · Follow Published in Elemental · 7 min read · Jul 6, 2020 -- Illustration: Olivia Fields My eyes are hot and tearful. I’m trembling, as my gasps for air grow increasingly difficult. I’m trapped. I can’t move. The words “I’m a failure” repeat in my mind incessantly as I stare at my bank account’s negative balance. I’ve experienced panic attacks countless times over the years. The cause is most often money.

Illustration: Adrian Forrow Here’s how to pull yourself out of despair and live your life Tara Haelle · Follow Published in Elemental · 13 min read · Aug 17, 2020 -- It was the end of the world as we knew it, and I felt fine. That’s almost exactly what I told my psychiatrist at my March 16 appointment, a few days after our children’s school district extended spring break because of the coronavirus. I said the same at my April 27 appointment, several weeks after our state’s stay-at-home order.

What the research says about ‘fake it til you make it’ Erman Misirlisoy, PhD · Follow Published in Elemental · 5 min read · Dec 20, 2019 -- Illustration: George Wylesol During difficult times in your life, perhaps you’ve been told to “take a deep breath” or “try to smile more.” Anxious about that big presentation at work? Just “stand up tall with confidence, and everything will be fine.” But to what extent is this kind of advice actually helpful?

Age Wise Mystery, stigma, and dreams of immortality fuel a debate that just won’t die Philosophers have argued for millennia whether aging is a natural process or a disease to be cured. The debate — gaining fresh vigor in recent years with advances in understanding disease causes even while science still can’t explain exactly why or how we age — is full of genuine scientific disagreement, laced with idealistic dreams of immortality, and loaded with ethical concerns.

Elemental is a former publication from Medium for science-backed health and wellness coverage. Currently inactive and not taking submissions. The Nuance The old ‘eight glasses a day’ rule isn’t based on science, and experts say some of us may be overdoing it It’s 10:30 in the morning, and I’m already peeing for the fourth time today.

Age Wise Mystery, stigma, and dreams of immortality fuel a debate that just won’t die Philosophers have argued for millennia whether aging is a natural process or a disease to be cured. The debate — gaining fresh vigor in recent years with advances in understanding disease causes even while science still can’t explain exactly why or how we age — is full of genuine scientific disagreement, laced with idealistic dreams of immortality, and loaded with ethical concerns.