Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Let us know what you think at [email protected].
Designing healing
When we think of hospitals, we generally picture stark, fluorescent-lit spaces — functional, not beautiful. But why shouldn’t a hospital be a beautifully designed, tranquil place? As The Guardian reports in a story shared by RTBC Contributing Editor Michaela Haas, Zurich’s revolutionary new children’s hospital, the Kinderspital, shows that such a thing is possible. Patient rooms are individual “cottages”; the entrance courtyard resembles a “sylvan spa complex.” There’s even a James Turrell skyspace for patients to enjoy.
Michaela says:
I loved reading this story about a children’s hospital that doesn’t feel like a hospital, but rather like a spa. And it wasn’t even more expensive to build than other hospitals!
Food as medicine
It’s no secret that the food we eat affects our health, so it stands to reason that “prescribing” food like medicine could help people manage chronic illnesses. That’s exactly what a recent study found, as the Philadelphia Citizen reports in a story shared by Editorial Director Rebecca Worby. Looking at clients of MANNA, a local nonprofit that provides medically tailored meals, the study found that clients’ risk of malnutrition dropped, and those with diabetes and hypertension also saw health improvements.
Becca says:
These findings align perfectly with so much of what we’ve covered in our whole-person health series, particularly our story about food pantries at medical centers.
What else we’re reading
🧠 24, and Trying to Outrun Schizophrenia — shared by RTBC founder David Byrne from the New York Times
🎄 How old Christmas trees can help prevent flooding — shared by Sophie Pitt from BBC World Service
🎍 Bamboo bonanza: how a village in India used its forest to go from poverty to prosperity — shared by Michaela Haas from The Guardian
In other news…
Looking for an extra dose of cheer as we dive into 2025? Don’t miss The Year in Cheer, our annual celebration of the boldest, most surprising ways the world has changed for the better.
