Hello, and welcome back to The Exercise Doc. I hope you enjoyed the first edition. Today we will be talking about Social Media Use and Depression in Preteens, and The Mind Body Connection. Hopefully you will find these articles informative.

Imagine a group of nearly 12,000 kids, just about to enter middle school, being watched closely by doctors and scientists over three years. These kids, aged 9 to 10 at the start, were part of a study looking at one big question: Does spending more time on social media lead to more depression? And if kids are already feeling down, does that make them use social media more? The researchers followed these kids through early adolescence, a time when emotions and friendships can feel like roller coasters.

Imagine your mind and body as best friends who talk all the time. When one feels off, the other often does too. This connection between our thoughts and our physical health is powerful and understanding it can help us feel better every day.

Think about a time when you were really nervous—maybe before a big test or speaking in front of a group. Your heart might have raced, your stomach felt uneasy, or your palms got sweaty. That’s your mind sending signals to your body, showing just how closely they’re linked.

America's Mental Health Crisis: NBC News' special edition of Meet the Press highlighted America's growing mental health crisis, featuring former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, former Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, and Arthur Brooks discussing the epidemic of loneliness and mental health challenges across the nation. The program brought together experts to address what has become a significant public health concern affecting Americans of all ages and backgrounds. Read more at NBC News

Medical Research Funding Cuts: CBS News reports that the Trump administration has stopped payments on grants totaling more than $1.8 billion for nearly 700 specific medical research projects at the National Institutes of Health. Health experts are calling these cuts "reckless destruction," warning they could severely damage outstanding research programs, destroy the careers of young medical scientists, and potentially lead to a scientific "brain drain" as researchers seek positions in other countries. Read more at CBS News

Historic Pandemic Agreement: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Member States have formally adopted by consensus the world's first Pandemic Agreement on May 20. This landmark decision by the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly culminates more than three years of intensive negotiations launched in response to COVID-19. The agreement aims to make the world more equitable and safer from future pandemics through enhanced global collaboration and includes plans for a new system for pathogen access and benefits sharing. Read more at WHO