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Advances in health and medicine no longer rest entirely in the hands of scientists and clinicians. Patients and citizen activists are stepping up to influence research priorities, crowd-source data, and scour arcane medical literature in search of novel experimental approaches. Often, they are motivated by personal experiences, the refusal to accept that a disease lacks tr...
Nearly 75 percent of us experience some significant adversity by the age of 20, but these experiences are often kept secret — as are our battles to overcome them. Clinical psychologist Meg Jay, author of Supernormal, tells the tale of everyday superheroes who have made a life out of dodging bullets and seeking justice, even as they hide among us as doctors, artists, entrep...
From anxiety to focus to memory to joy, physical activity has a truly astounding number of benefits on our brain’s anatomy, physiology, and function. In this interactive session, come prepared to experience real brain change, and walk away with science-based tools you can use every day to improve your brain function.
How do you deal with the unprecedented?
Tim O’Reilly says we should be harnessing technology, rather than fearing it.
Published studies have documented the many physical and mental health benefits of meditation, including decreased pain, better immune function, less anxiety and depression, a heightened sense of well-being, and greater happiness and emotional self-control. Google Scholar turns up almost 700,000 research documents on meditation, among them imaging studies that show increase...
Scientists at the cutting-edge of neurobiology are studying the rhythms of electrical activity within the brain and learning more about how malfunctioning neural circuitry links to mental illness. Kafui Dzirasa, one of the pioneers in the field, is trying to build a “pacemaker for the brain,” drawing on new technologies to stimulate neurons, alter electrical patterns, and...
Since 2014, Aspen Ideas: Health has welcomed over 700 inspiring women leaders to our stages to share their bold approaches to better health. In honor of Women's History Month, we're taking a look back at some of the many highlights. From medical researchers and clinicians to entrepreneurs and activists, meet 12 change makers who are breaking barriers to reimagine a healthi...
Storytelling is a uniquely human activity, helping us to make sense of the world, cultivate empathy, honor the past, and pass on traditions. Everyone has a story to tell, and sharing them can be an act of love, an expression of compassion, and a way to explore our humanity more fully. Careful listening also builds health-promoting connections among caregivers, family membe...
A giant in global public health who dedicated his life to championing equity, Paul Farmer’s death in Rwanda this year at the age of 62 is a heartbreaking loss. Passionate, blunt, and inspirational, he was a physician, an activist, an anthropologist, a mentor, a father, and a husband who rooted his work on the unshakeable principle that all people should be valued equally....
Environmental stewardship has become as much a watchword in the business sector as it has among activists and advocates. When corporate executives start talking about the importance of ecosystems, regenerative agriculture, and responsible product sourcing, and NGOs promote innovative financing mechanisms that forgive national debt in exchange for funding conservation activ...
The age of technology and the internet provides constant easy access to sexual content and information about sex, for all tastes and curiosities. But survey data show that young people are having less sex than people of previous generations did at their age, and the experts are trying to figure out why. In this 2019 talk from the Aspen Ideas: Health archives, three profess...
Rick Doblin wants to be a legally licensed psychedelic therapist. Learn about his work using MDMA, or ecstasy, to help people suffering from PTSD.
Researchers have made remarkable strides in understanding the intricate workings of the brain, and this knowledge can empower us to take proactive steps in preserving and enhancing our brain health. Learn from experts in the fields of neurology, psychology, and neuroplasticity as they explain the most important things we can do to care for our brains. Not only do these tip...
Can the data collected through smartphones, wearable sensors, and passive monitoring devices be turned into actionable knowledge about the environmental impacts on our health? Meet three innovative researchers who are using these technologies to unlock the mysteries of Crohn’s disease and more. Presented by the Helmsley Charitable Trust.
Soon, we may be able to visualize any biological process in the human body, at any scale, in real time. Here’s what it will take to get there. Presented by Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
In today's society, sleep is often seen as a luxury, but Project Sleep's Julie Flygare wants us to envision a world where pulling a “sleep-all-nighter” is the new badge of honor. The sleep advocate, who spoke at Aspen Ideas: Health 2023, shares seven fascinating facts about sleep and how we can better access its power to improve our waking lives.
After two devastating years fighting the pandemic, how do we rebuild and support stronger health care and public health workforces? Dave Chokshi, who helped lead New York City's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, shares his thoughts with Aspen Ideas: Health.