Some days my brain is like a storm, thoughts moving faster than I can keep up. A small mistake becomes an catastrophe, an offhand remark becomes a soul-deep fear. I turn around and around, analyzing each word, every move, every potentiality. But then, I discovered recently this easy 20-second hack which was actually pretty straightforward but made a tremendous difference in the negative thinking. Quickly [sitting my hand on my heart and reminding myself, I am enough. Even just that small hesitation interrupts the madness. My breath slows, my shoulders ease, and for a moment, the hurricane calms. This practice over time has become my anchor, reminding me that I am not thoughts—I am so much more.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered that it doesn't need to take long to practice self-compassion to be beneficial. The study, published in the Behaviour Research and Therapy journal, revealed that performing a 20-second self-compassion touch, such as putting a hand on your heart or belly, can greatly reduce levels of stress and anxiety.

According to psychology researcher Eli Susman, who co-authored the study, a group of 135 college students was asked to dedicate just 20 seconds a day to affirm themselves with kind and positive thoughts while engaging in a self-compassionate touch. The results were striking: those who consistently practiced this simple technique over a month experienced notable improvements in mood, self-compassion, and emotional resilience, while stress hormone levels decreased.

Why 20 Seconds of Self-Compassion Works

1. Decrease in Cortisol Levels

The stress hormone cortisol is the cause of much of the physical and emotional damage chronic stress inflicts on the body. The researchers discovered that a mere 20 seconds of self-compassionate touch resulted in a measurable drop in cortisol, allowing people to recover from stress more rapidly.

2. Better Emotional Well-Being

By practicing positive self-affirmation and empathetic touch, study participants reported greater emotional equanimity and reduced reactivity to stressful challenges.

3. A Simple, Accessible Practice

Unlike many conventional mindfulness practices that might demand lengthy meditation sessions, this micropractice requires only 20 seconds, rendering it simple to fit into daily activities, be it at home, the workplace, or even during public transport rides.

How to Practice Self-Compassionate Touch

This exercise is very easy and can be done anywhere. Here's how you can adapt it to your daily life:

Step 1: Recognize Your Emotions

Close your eyes and reflect on a recent experience that made you feel stressed, unworthy, or critical of yourself. Notice the sensations in your body as you reflect on this episode.

Step 2: Practice a Soothing Touch

Put one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. If this doesn't feel comfortable to you, you can experiment with other ways of self-compassionate touching, including:

Stroking the back of your neck

Rubbing a place on your palm with your thumb

Hugging yourself lightly by holding your arms in across your chest

Step 3: Breathe Deeply and Give Yourself Kindness

Take a slow, deep breath in. Feel the warmth and gentle pressure of your hands. As you exhale, focus on releasing tension. Now, in your mind, repeat self-compassionate affirmations such as:

“I am kind to myself.”

“I am not my mistakes.”

“I give myself room and comfort.”

“I celebrate my uniqueness.”

“I take this time to appreciate who I am.”

Step 4: Finish with a Sense of Gratitude

Open your eyes after 20 seconds and simply take a moment to admire yourself for taking the time to do this practice. You can repeat it as many times as you need throughout the day.

Susman calls this approach a "micropractice"—a tiny but effective habit that enhances mental health without taking up much time. These practices are based on classic mindfulness and meditation practices but are tailored to fit today's busy lives.

While the research was conducted with college students, the findings have applications for individuals of all ages. Whether you are a working professional with a packed schedule, a parent with numerous responsibilities, or an individual dealing with anxiety, adding a 20-second self-compassion exercise to your daily routine can be a convenient and effective method for managing stress and developing resilience.

Making It a Daily Habit

The secret to reaping the rewards of self-compassionate touch is consistency. Below are some ways to incorporate it into your daily life:

Begin your day by practicing self-compassion in bed before rising.

Utilize it as a fast tool during stressful situations at work or school.

Unwind by doing this micropractice before bedtime to relax.

May merely 20 seconds a day cause you to desist from spinning? The short answer, per the most up-to-date science, is that yes, it can. Micropractices for self-compassion provide a straightforward, research-supported means for lessening distress, enhancing emotional resilience, and cultivating a friendlier relationship with oneself.

In a world where stress and worry are escalating, this simple practice is a good reminder that simple, purposeful acts of care for ourselves have the ability to create tremendous transformations in our mindset. Why not give it a try for one month, you might find a surprising transformation.

Long considered a standard tool for assessing body weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) may not be as reliable as once believed. A new study shows that relying on BMI can incorrectly classify people as overweight or obese.

When a team of Italian researchers used the gold standard technique of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure body fat in the general population, they found that the traditional WHO-approved BMI classification system misidentified a significant number of people as having overweight or obesity.

How Is The BMI Wrong?

A total of 1,351 adults of mixed gender aged between 18 and 98 years were checked for their body weight using the DXA system.

The results, published in the journal Nutrients, revealed that more than one-third (34 percent) of those with obesity defined by BMI had been misclassified and should be in the overweight category.

For those with an overweight BMI, DXA showed that more than half – 53 percent – had been misclassified – three quarters of those misclassified fall into the normal weight category, while the other quarter should have been classified as having obesity.

The DXA analysis found that the prevalence of overweight and obesity across the cohort was around 37 percent overall (23.4 percent overweight, and 13.2 percent obesity, compared to 26.2 percent and 14.1 percent with BMI).

“In the past few years, there has been a lot of criticism of the BMI system due to its inability to accurately capture body fat percentage or distribution, to correctly categorise weight status based on adiposity,” said Professor Marwan El Ghoch, of the Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.

Also read: Your BMI Does Not Reflect Your Health: New Study Warns How It Misses A Key Health Aspect

Despite these concerns, BMI as a weight classification system continues to be used in the general population in primary healthcare (i.e., general practitioners) and non-clinical (i.e., policy and health insurance) settings, he added.

The researchers urged revising public health guidelines to consider combining direct body composition or their surrogate measures, such as skinfold measurement or body circumference, with the waist-to-height ratio, with BMI, while assessing weight status in the general population.

Waist-to-Height Ratio May Be More Accurate: The India Story

In January 2025, India revamped its obesity guidelines, and the new approach focused on abdominal obesity and comorbid diseases, rather than just BMI.

According to the redefining team, it was essential to move beyond BMI-only approaches to tackle the ever-growing number of people related to other major health risks. They stated that while BMI can be a screening tool, obesity must be defined by body fat.

“BMI should be used for screening purposes, but obesity should be confirmed ideally by a measure of body fat wherever feasible, or another measure such as waist circumference, WHR, or Waist-to-height ratio,” Dr. Naval Vikram, Professor of Medicine, at AIIMS, New Delhi, was quoted as saying to IANS at the time.

Also read: 41 million children aged 5-19 living with high BMI in India: Study

What Do The New Guidelines Say

It recognizes abdominal fat — closely linked to insulin resistance — as a key factor in the diagnosis. It integrates the presence of comorbidities — such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease — into the diagnostic process.

The revised guidelines also introduce a two-stage classification system, addressing both generalized and abdominal obesity.

Stage 1 Obesity: Increased adiposity (BMI > 23 kg/m²) without apparent effects on organ functions or routine daily activities.

Stage 2 Obesity: Advanced state of obesity with increased BMI more than 23 kg/2, and abdominal adiposity; excess Waist Circumference or Waist-to-Height Ratio.

Amanda Peet, the Hollywood actress known for roles in Something’s Gotta Give, The Whole Nine Yards, and Jack & Jill, recently opened up about her breast cancer diagnosis and how informing her kids about her health became the toughest part for her.

In a New Yorker essay published March 21, the 54-year-old actress announced how a routine scan in August 2025 showed an unusual ultrasound result. Later, a biopsy detected a tumor that “appeared” small.

The Dirty John star found to be in stage 1 of lobular cancer that is “hormone-receptor-positive” and “HER2-negative,” making her “happier than the pre-diagnosis” stage.

It is because Hormone-receptor-positive and HER2-negative cancer is less aggressive and often easier to treat than more aggressive forms of breast cancer.

However, informing her children, Frances, 19, Molly, 15, and Henry, 11, about the cancer was the toughest part for her, and she had to be in the right mindset before sharing the news with them.

“They've been great,” Peet told E! News.

“I definitely had to get myself together before including them. The hard part was realizing that nothing is certain and there was going to be no perfect time to tell them,” she added.

Peet stated that between her diagnosis, she had also been navigating a series of family health crises — with both of her parents' final months in hospice care.

The Your Friends & Neighbors actress, in her essay, also noted that she would “only need a lumpectomy and radiation,” not a double mastectomy.

Also read: Jane Fallon Diagnosed With Breast Cancer, This Is How She Caught It Early

What is Lobular Cancer?

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) the second most common form of breast cancer, representing 5 to 15 percent of breast cancer cases.

Rather than a distinct lump, it can appear as a thickening or "fullness" rather than a tumor.

It is often difficult to detect on mammograms, thus MRI or ultrasound are more effective for detection

It is usually hormone receptor-positive.

Also read: Olivia Munn’s Mom Diagnosed With Breast Cancer After Actor Urges Her To Take Risk Test; What Should You Do If Cancer Runs In Your Family?

What Is Hormone receptor-positive (HR+) and HER2-negative (HER2−) Breast Cancer

HR+ and HER2− breast cancer is the most common subtype and is seen among 60–75 per cent of cases.

It is not two different cancers, but rather specific, defining characteristics of the same cancer type (breast cancer). It grows:

• due to hormones estrogen/progesterone,
• lacks excess HER2 protein,
• it can occur in either or both breasts
• has a better prognosis
• slower growth rate
• often treated with hormone therapy and sometimes chemotherapy.

Why Early Diagnosis Matters for Breast Cancer

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer screening is a proactive checkup used to find cancer before any physical signs or symptoms appear. While screening doesn’t prevent cancer, its goal is early detection, making the disease much easier to treat.

Since every person’s body and history are different, you and your doctor should engage in informed and shared decision-making. This means discussing the pros and cons to decide together if, and when, screening is right for you.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (a group of national medical experts) provides guidelines based on the latest research:

Average Risk

Women aged 40 to 74 should generally get a mammogram every two years.

High Risk

If you have a family history or other risk factors, your doctor may recommend a different schedule or additional tests.

GLP-1 receptor agonists are a modern class of medicines that have changed the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. In simple terms, they help the body respond to food more smartly. After eating, the intestine naturally sends signals that help regulate sugar and appetite levels.

GLP-1 RA medicines imitate this signal. As a result, blood sugar rises less after meals, appetite becomes more controlled, and many people feel full with smaller amounts of food. This is why these medicines are used not only for diabetes, but also for weight reduction in selected people.

GLP-1 Drugs: Not A Miracle Injection

These medicines are important because their benefits can go beyond sugar control alone. Studies and current diabetes guidelines show that some GLP-1 RAs can reduce body weight, improve long-term sugar levels, and lower the risk of major heart-related problems in people who have type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk.

Recent guidance also supports their use in some people with chronic kidney disease when cardiovascular risk reduction is an important goal. This does not mean every drug in the group is identical, but it means the class has become medically important for more than just lowering sugar.

For the general public, one important point is that these are not “miracle injections.”

They work best when combined with better food choices, regular walking or exercise, good sleep, and medical follow-up. They are usually started slowly because the commonest side effects are stomach-related, such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, loose motions, or a feeling of fullness.

Not everyone is suitable for them, and the decision depends on a person’s diabetes status, weight, heart or kidney disease, other medicines, and cost. Used properly, GLP-1 RAs are powerful tools that can improve health, but they should always be taken under medical supervision.

GLP-1 Drugs: Urgent Need to Curb Misuse

So Indian Medical Association (IMA) is planning to seek a mandate restricting prescriptions of GLP-1 drugs to certified endocrinologists/diabetologists or MD general medicine practitioners to curb indiscriminate use and safeguard patient safety as access expands, many media report in August last year about rampant misuse of GLP1 weight loss drugs by cosmetologists, physiotherapists, dermatologists, general MBBS clinicians, and even ayurveda, and other non-modern medicine practitioners.

Many MBBS, physiotherapists, and non-modern medicine practitioners are prescribing GLP1 drugs to people who neither have diabetes nor any comorbidity or acute obesity, but purely for cosmetic reasons to lose some weight that can be otherwise easily done with some lifestyle changes like exercise and diet.

It is a duty of the government to take care of it because there is a lot of misuse and misprescription that needs to be curbed immediately, because these medicines also have side effects.

We will write to the government to take necessary action to stop the misuse of the drug. We will discuss it in our meeting in the first week of April 2026.