Imagine if your morning cup of coffee one day smelled like rotting garbage. Or, if your favorite comfort food had no taste at all. For some COVID long haulers, this is their new reality. What causes these distortions in smell and taste in the first place? And, what treatment options are available for these patients? On this episode, we’ll speak to Stanford University smell expert Dr. Zara Patel, who says olfactory training – or “smell training” -- can help some people re-gain a lost sense of smell and taste. Plus, long COVID patients share their stories, and the resources that have helped them cope with their diagnosis. 
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Sniffing Out the Cause of Smell Loss

Is there a science to being happy? Does our brain chemistry, or even our genetics, determine how we feel about our lives? Can we learn to become even happier? While happiness may look different for everyone, and can at times feel impossible to achieve, we know it’s an emotion that can be crucial to both your physical and mental health. So in this season of Chasing Life, Dr. Sanjay Gupta is setting out to better understand happiness and what the science tells us about the best ways to achieve it.

Nutrition

Health & Fitness

Mental Health

With the surge in telemedicine, therapy has seen a remarkable rise in popularity. But could therapy hold the key to a happier life? And should everyone go to therapy? Sanjay speaks with psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb, acclaimed author of "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone," and co-host of the Dear Therapists podcast, about how therapy can actually change your brain and get you one step closer to achieving happiness. Plus, Lori sheds light on the surprising ways therapy can reshape your perspective, especially for those who are therapy-curious.
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Should Everyone Consider Therapy to Be Happier?

Do you spend time worrying about what could go wrong in the future, or stressing about something you did or said in the past? That nagging feeling has a name: anxiety. But what if worrying about preventing anxiety is actually getting in the way of our happiness? New York University neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki is on a mission to help more people accept, and even embrace, what she calls “the most misunderstood emotion.” In this episode, we’ll explore an unexpected solution to happiness: embracing stress and how accepting “good” anxiety can help us feel happier and more at ease with uncomfortable feelings. Plus, Professor Suzuki explains why our society’s obsession with avoiding anxiety and negative emotions may be doing more harm than good.
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Can Anxiety Be A Good Thing?

Have you ever wondered: What does it mean to be truly happy? Can our brain chemistry, or even our genetics, determine how we feel about our lives? And, most importantly, can we learn to be even happier? Cognitive scientist and Yale University Psychology Professor Laurie Santos has spent her career researching these questions. As the host of The Happiness Lab, Laurie has gone on her own journey to discover what it truly means to be happy. On today’s podcast episode, Professor Santos will share her findings and how she says we can re-train our brains to make better choices, build better habits, and ultimately, be happier. 
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Is There A Science To Happiness?

It turns out a simple “thank you” really can go a long way. In fact, giving thanks doesn’t just make others feel good – it can also boost your own mental and physical well-being. Dr. Sanjay Gupta hears how gratitude helped one woman navigate a life-changing medical diagnosis. Plus, how you can implement a gratitude practice into your daily life. This episode originally aired on May 17, 2022.
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The Benefits of Gratitude

We've all heard of processed foods, but what about ultraprocessed foods, which make up more than half of the typical American diet? In this special Chasing Life: Spotlight, CNN Medical Correspondent Meg Tirrell explores how these foods became so widespread and the potential risks they pose to our health. She speaks with Professor Marion Nestle, a leading authority on nutrition and food policy and NIH senior investigator Kevin Hall, who conducted the first and only controlled clinical trial on ultraprocessed foods. Hear about the study's remarkable findings; it may change some of the choices you make in the grocery store. 
 
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Sniffing Out the Cause of Smell Loss

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