2 . For people suffering from depression, there’s an all-natural treatment they should use — getting more exercise. It could help fight depression, even if people have a genetic risk, new research shows.

For the study, researchers collected information from nearly 8,000 people and found those with related genes were more likely to have depression over the next two years after examining them. But that was less likely for people who were more active at the study’s start, even if they had a family history of depression. Higher levels of physical activity helped protect even those with the highest genetic risk of depression.

Both high-intensity (高强度) exercise and low-intensity activities were associated with a reduced risk of depression. Adding four hours of exercise a week could lower the risk of a new episode (一段经历) of depression by 17%, according to the study. “Our findings strongly suggest that, when it comes to depression, being physically active has the potential to remove the added risk of future episodes in individuals who are genetically risky,” said lead author Karmel Choi. “On average, about 35 additional minutes of physical activity each day may help people to reduce their risk and protect against future depression episodes.”

Depression is a common mental illness globally, with more than 264 million people affected. “Depression is so ubiquitous, and that underlines the need for effective approaches that can impact as many people as possible,” Choi said. And mental health and primary care providers can use the findings to advise patients that there’s something meaningful they can do to lower their risk of depression.

3 . Dragon boating is a team sport that has its roots in ancient China. The boats are decorated with a dragon head and tail. In recent years, cancer survivor groups have got involved in the sport to help make friends and help rebuild their lives.

On a recent Saturday morning, a group of 20 women were on a boat in the Anacostia River in Washington DC. They moved their paddles (船桨) in rhythm with the call of a coach. The women belong to the dragon boat team GoPink!DC, which trains weekly. It also races against other breast cancer survivor teams in the Dragon Boat Festival. As a result, GoPink!DC won medals in this Washington dragon boat festival.

Lydia Collins joined the team five years ago after finding out she had breast cancer. “I was told by my doctor that I developed breast cancer. I was depressed because of my illness — I lost all interest in life and wouldn’t even get out of bed to eat. But now I love the team spirit. I just love everything about it. It is like a floating support group on the water.” The paddles are breast cancer survivors and their supporters.

Annette Rothemel helped set up the group in 2006. She is a researcher of the National Institutes of Health as well as a breast cancer survivor. “It is sort of an easy entry sport because on the same boat people at different levels can be doing the same sport.” But Ms Rothemel says dragon boating can be physically demanding, especially for someone who is sick and getting treatment for cancer.

“It’s hard but I think you have to challenge yourself in life. This is something I look forward to. I get to be out here with my sisters and supporters that understand what I’m suffering and help motivate me. So it makes me stronger and it makes me feel better.” another cancer survivor Rhonda Hartzel said.

Annette Rothemel says the cancer survivors feel a sense of sisterhood and share good times when they paddle together. She says both feelings are treasured by the team.

5 . Roller coasters are fast and exciting. But passing a painful kidney (肾) stones is not. The process is painful and can take a long time. But American researchers have found that a roller coaster ride just might help those suffering from a kidney stone. They say such rides help patients pass the stones with a 70 percent success rate.

David Wartinger led the study. He found that where the person sits on the roller coaster can make a big difference. He said, “In the pilot study, sitting in the last car of the roller coaster showed about a 64 percent passage rate. Sitting in the first few cars only had a 16 percent success rate.”

It also mattered where the stones were located in the kidney. The researchers found that stones located in the upper part of the kidney model were passed 100 percent.

When it comes to passing kidney stones, not all roller coasters are equal. The researchers used 174 kidney stones of differing shapes, sizes and weights to see if each model worked on the same ride and on two other roller coasters. They found that Big Thunder Mountain was the only one that worked. The other two roller coasters both failed the test. Wartinger said the other rides were too fast and too violent. The movement forced the stones against the side of the kidney. He said that the ideal roller coaster is rough and quick with some twists and turns.

Wartinger thinks roller coaster rides could also be used as a preventative measure. He said that a yearly ride on a roller coaster could even prevent stones from developing. “You need to heed the warnings before going on a roller coaster,” he said. “If you have a kidney stone, but are otherwise healthy and meet the requirements of the ride, patients should try it.”

He adds that it’s definitely a lower cost alternative to other treatments. And riding a roller coaster is definitely more fun!