Misrule and martyrs: 10 dark midwinter traditions

This year, why not welcome the shadowy side of winter with an ancient ritual or two?

Experience: I was bitten by a spider – and nearly lost my leg

My entire leg was on fire. It was as if someone had slit it open with a knife

Lately I’ve become less engaged with the world. How do I find something to be interested in?

The world is a big thing to get interested in, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith. What if you start with the little things instead?

Buying up baby: five products to avoid and two that are worth the money

Newborns are big business, with a bamboozling array of products to cater to them. Here five families with young children share their shopping regrets – and the items that actually helped

Multivitamins promise glowing skin, better sleep and a longer life. But who do supplements really benefit?

For healthy people, pills, patches and gummies just create ‘expensive urine’. But for those with nutrient deficiencies, vitamin supplements have clear benefits

The ChatGPT secret: is that text message from your friend, your lover – or a robot?

People are turning to chatbots to solve all their life problems, and they like its answers. But are they on a very slippery slope?

What does the tightness of our clothes say about our emotions? You’d be surprised

Desperate to be swaddled, embraced or comforted? You may find yourself reaching for a skintight T-shirt or some Kim Kardashian shapewear

Is it true that … running destroys your knees?

Do those who run have a higher risk of osteoarthritis? And what should you do if you start to feel pain? We ask an expert

The brain microbiome: could understanding it help prevent dementia?

Long thought to be sterile, our brains are now believed to harbour all sorts of micro-organisms, from bacteria to fungi. How big a part do they play in Alzheimer’s and similar diseases?

‘I felt like a bystander in my own internal recovery’: one woman’s battle for health after a life-changing diagnosis

Facing an enormous decision about her health filled Kat Lister with wonder at her body’s ability to fight for her

Be honest, have you had work? 11 people open up about what they do – or don’t do – to their face

In the world of Botox, fillers and laser facials, 11 people – from the podcaster who has spent more than £135,000 on her face, to the 96‑year‑old who would never try tweakments – reveal all

What is ADHD, how do you get a diagnosis and can you only treat it with drugs? All your questions, answered by experts

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder affects about 2.6 million people in the UK, yet misinformation about the condition is rife. Here we separate scientific fact from TikTok-fuelled fiction

How do I get my parents to stop fixating on the fact I’ve gained weight?

If your unhappiness about unsolicited comments about your body has any hope of registering, says Eleanor Gordon Smith, you have to do more than pushback here and there

Rise in number of pregnant women in England not getting help they need, survey finds

CQC study finds falls across a range of metrics dealing with antenatal care, labour, childbirth and postnatal care

Can Gwyneth Paltrow save Goop with a bold new vaginal product?

Rumours the company is in its death throes underestimate the actor’s talent for business – and the public’s insatiable appetite for kooky wellness gimmicks, writes Arwa Mahdawi