New weight-loss drugs may have fewer side effects

Plus: a measles emergency, the risks of negative self-talk, and more health news  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Mandy Oaklander | October 06, 2026     The field of weight-loss medicine has undergone a drastic evolution in the past few years with the arrival of GLP-1s. But these medications can come with unpleasant GI side effects like nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps. That's why scientists are now studying drugs that mimic amylin, a hormone that helps people feel full. They work similarly to GLP-1s but may be easier to tolerate. My colleague Alice Park recently wrote about the rise of amylin-based drugs for weight loss. They’re still experimental and aren’t available yet, but later in this edition, Alice shares just how effective they were in one new study. TODAY’S TOPICS Watch how you talk about yourself Dramatic weight-loss results A state of emergency over measles         THE QUOTE THAT STUCK ❝   Even when you’re not talking directly to your kids, your kids are watching what you say about yourself.”   Dr. Whitney Casares In a recent interview, pediatrician Whitney Casares reminded me that kids hear the things we mutter at the mirror, too. What are we teaching them when we think we’re only talking to ourselves? —Angela Haupt, Editor, Health & Wellness         SPONSORED 1,000+ Claude Prompts Top Professionals Actually Use at Work Claude can be your analyst, editor, and strategist. But most professionals are using it to fix grammar. These 1,000+ Claude prompts take it from grammar tool to your most powerful AI work assistant. Sign up for Superhuman AI and get: 1,000+ ready-to-use Claude prompts to get real work done in minutes — researched, tested, and used by professionals at Google, Microsoft, and NASA Superhuman AI newsletter (4 min daily) so you keep learning new AI tools and skills to stay ahead in your career — the prompts are just the beginning Claim your free prompts         BIG NUMBER 22% The amount by which people who were overweight or obese cut their body weight after taking an experimental drug—CagriSema, made by the pharmaceutical company Novo—for a year. Other research, which is in an earlier phase, found that the drug can also reduce neuropathic pain in people with Type 2 diabetes. –A.P. Read the full story here. Source: Novo         SPONSORED Your K-Cups Sat in a Warehouse for Months Grocery store pods spend months going factory → warehouse → truck → shelf, losing the flavor oils that make coffee taste like coffee. Angelino's roasts, packs, and ships within days — 50+ flavors, compatible with Keurig®, from 39¢ a cup. New customers save 15%, no code needed. Try Fresh-Roasted Pods         WHAT WE’RE READING Yesterday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency in response to a growing measles outbreak. Could getting really hot help depression? Will Stone at NPR visits sauna researchers testing whether heat can improve mood, sleep, and stress. Kenya has reported its first ever case of Ebola, the BBC’s Basillioh Rukanga reports. The patient—a man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo—died days after arriving in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.         SPONSORED Is your company shaping the future? TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2027 entries are now open. Every year, TIME asks what it means for a company to be influential. Every year, the answer changes. With expanded recognition opportunities to celebrate influence across industries, impact initiatives, and, for the first time, workplace innovation, there are more ways than ever to stand out. Submit your company.        More Newsletters from Click to sign up. THE BRIEF +D.C. BRIEF +FUTURE PROOF +INSIDE TIME +IN THE LOOP +WORTH YOUR TIME + Subscribe to TIME Email us: healthmatters@time.com Received this from a friend? Sign up here Connect with TIME PRIVACY POLICY   © 2026 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved. TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508 Boone, IA 50037-0508, United States Unsubscribe

Now is the best time to get your flu shot

Plus: tend to your "fringeships," the case for taking off your headphones, and more health news  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Mandy Oaklander | October 05, 2026     Have you gotten your flu shot yet? If not, now is the time, my colleague Dominique Mosbergen wrote today: Flu season appears to have come early. Below, Dominique shares a shocking stat that just might convince you not to skip it this year. TODAY’S TOPICS Why “fringeships” matter Got a question for us? The best reason to get a flu shot The case for taking off your headphones in public         QUICK CHAT Treasure your “fringeships" There are friends. There are acquaintances. And then there’s the barista you chat with regularly at the coffee shop, or the parent you see every afternoon at school pickup. Social-relationships researcher Katherine Fiori has a name for these people: “fringeships.” You wouldn’t call them for a ride to the airport, but they might matter to your well-being more than you realize. Here’s a snippet from our recent conversation. —Angela Haupt, Editor, Health & Wellness This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. Malte Mueller—Getty Images What exactly is a “fringeship”? It’s a type of weaker social tie that’s somewhere between an acquaintance and a close friend. Maybe it’s somebody you see at work every day or someone you regularly see in yoga class. You have a really good connection with them and look forward to seeing them, but they’re not necessarily part of your inner circle. So what separates a fringeship from a regular acquaintance? There’s some level of mutual recognition and genuine enjoyment. You see this person in a particular context, and they make you happy when you’re there. But you don't necessarily expect them to provide the kind of support you'd expect from someone very close to you. Why do these relationships matter? Social interactions are important for our health and well-being, and fringeships can give us some of that connection without requiring a huge investment of time or energy. You’re seeing the person somewhere you're already going, so you don't have to carve out an entirely separate part of your day for the relationship. Do fringeships become especially useful as we get older? They can. Older adults can have less time and energy to invest in relationships for all sorts of reasons, including health issues and medical appointments. A fringeship can be valuable because it doesn't demand a huge amount of either resource, but it still brings connection and enjoyment into your life.         SPONSORED Your K-Cups Sat in a Warehouse for Months Grocery store pods spend months going factory → warehouse → truck → shelf, losing the flavor oils that make coffee taste like coffee. Angelino's roasts, packs, and ships within days — 50+ flavors, compatible with Keurig®, from 39¢ a cup. New customers save 15%, no code needed. Try Fresh-Roasted Pods         PLEASE ADVISE Ask the health team Have a burning health or wellness question? Wondering how to handle a tricky social situation? Please write to healthmatters@time.com, and we’ll weigh in weekly in the newsletter.         SPONSORED 100+ coding prompts top engineers use to ship 5X faster Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor are on every engineer's stack. Most still treat them like a search bar. Top engineers work from a system, these 100+ prompts are that system. Sign up for The Code and get the prompts free, plus a 5-minute daily newsletter to keep sharpening your edge. Claim your free prompts         TODAY I LEARNED Flu shots prevent thousands of deaths every year bymuratdeniz—Getty Images Flu vaccination is “our best bet” at preventing hospitalization and serious complications from the flu in both adults and children, Dr. Ashlesha Kaushik, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, told me in an interview for my new piece for TIME. The CDC estimates that flu vaccination prevented 10 million flu-related illnesses and 12,000 total flu-related deaths in the U.S. during the 2024–2025 flu season. —D.M.         SPONSORED Is your company shaping the future? TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2027 entries are now open. Every year, TIME asks what it means for a company to be influential. Every year, the answer changes. With expanded recognition opportunities to celebrate influence across industries, impact initiatives, and, for the first time, workplace innovation, there are more ways than ever to stand out. Submit your company.          WHAT WE’RE READING Meehika Barua stopped wearing headphones during her commute and started noticing her life again, she writes in TIME. Imagine having 10 minutes to decide whether to raise a grandchild. Patrick Butler at the Guardian meets kinship caregivers whose lives changed with almost no warning. Greg Iacurci at CNBC takes a look at why health insurance premiums are poised to jump in 2027.       More Newsletters from Click to sign up. THE BRIEF +D.C. BRIEF +FUTURE PROOF +INSIDE TIME +IN THE LOOP +WORTH YOUR TIME + Subscribe to TIME Email us: healthmatters@time.com Received this from a friend? Sign up here Connect with TIME PRIVACY POLICY   © 2026 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved. TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508 Boone, IA 50037-0508, United States Unsubscribe