Latest news with #MiljanŽivković
Newsweek
21-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Newsweek
Introvert Living 'In the Forest' For $500 a Month Baffles Internet
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An online post describing a man's life on $500 a month in the forest has drawn both admiration and skepticism, as critics dissected his cost-cutting methods and lifestyle philosophy. Writing under the Reddit handle SpecialistPublic5503, the individual explained how he cycles between legal, free campsites, living mostly alone and relying on basic food, minimal gear and a monthly gym visit for charging electronics. Frugality and Solitude The post outlines a stripped-down lifestyle centered on frugality and solitude. With a $3,000 car, a tent setup and 10 20,000mAh power banks for phone charging, he covers food, fuel, insurance and hygiene for around $500 per month. Meals largely consist of tortillas, canned beans and soy milk, while hygiene involves baby wipes and creek water, a point many commentators fixated on. "I use baby wipes to bathe every few days," he wrote. "I might use a smidge of hand sanitizer once a week... I carry a bucket and bathe on the soil away from the water flow." Stock image: Man wearing a plaid shirt looks at his phone while camping. Stock image: Man wearing a plaid shirt looks at his phone while camping. Miljan Živković/iStock / Getty Images Plus Reddit reactions to the post varied amid 1,500 comments within eight days. Some folks saw ingenuity, others a self-imposed hardship. One person offered the original poster (OP) a practical idea: "Can I suggest getting a job as a campground host? It doesn't pay amazingly... but you don't use any gas for it." Others questioned his hygiene and spending logic, or as another individual commented, "Even still, OP is paying $65/m—phone bill for access to the gym. I'd use that for the bulk of my showers." Working Debt The man, who self-describes as "under 40" and living in Australia, as well as introverted with a preference for solitude, says he took this route after working full-time and ending up in debt. He earns about $15,000 annually from short-term jobs, savings and limited welfare. "There is dignity in having a normal 9-5 life," the OP reasoned, "and it is better than living in the woods for most people." Financial Trade-Offs The lifestyle described by SpecialistPublic5503 aligns with principles described in where financial counselor Rick Munster wrote, "Living below your means isn't about cutting out everything fun—it's about spending intentionally so that your financial future is just as important as your present." Munster described his own realization that higher income didn't guarantee security: "As my income grew, so did my spending... I still felt like I wasn't getting ahead." The financial tradeoffs of forest living—such as choosing gas money over frequent showers—may strike some as extreme, but according to there is no fixed dollar threshold for "living below your means." Instead, it's defined as spending less than you earn, whether that means skipping daily luxuries or, in this case, camping full-time. Criticism has focused largely on perceived compromises in quality of life. One Reddit user wrote, "As strange as some of your choices are, it's all understandable except 'bathing' with baby wipes... You probably stink to high heaven." Yet others defended his choices, especially the focus on personal freedom. "When you're at that small of a margin, the $20 extra a month for that gas can actually be make or break," another remarked. Restriction Worries In reply to an invitation to comment from Newsweek, user SpecialistPublic5503 said he was "worried" that the rules may change to be more restrictive on camping, for instance a limit of a month in a year, instead of alternating. "Also, one big reason I did this was because I work shift jobs and had bad experiences with getting varying shifts per week while having to pay rent, plus psychotic roommates," the OP added. Newsweek's "What Should I Do?" offers expert advice to readers. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@ We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work, and your story could be featured on WSID at Newsweek. To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, click here.
Newsweek
02-06-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
This Diet Reduces Dementia Risk, Scientists Say
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. With dementia diagnoses on the rise as the U.S. population grows older, many people are wondering what they can do to protect their brain health. A new study points to a surprisingly simple answer: your diet. Researchers found that sticking to the MIND diet—a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets—were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. "Our study findings confirm that healthy dietary patterns in mid-to-late life and their improvement over time may prevent Alzheimer's and related dementias," said paper author professor Song-Yi Park of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. "This suggests that it is never too late to adopt a healthy diet to prevent dementia." An estimated 7.2 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia in 2025, according to the Alzheimer's Association. But researchers have found that following this diet over ten years can reduce the risk by 25 percent. A stock image of a senior man eating a salad. A stock image of a senior man eating a salad. Miljan Živković/iStock / Getty Images Plus What is the MIND Diet? The MIND diet combines two powerful eating plans: the Mediterranean diet—known for its links to heart health and longer life—and the DASH diet, originally created to help reduce high blood pressure. MIND stands for Mediterranean–DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. This brain-focused diet emphasizes whole grains, leafy greens, berries, beans and nuts. It also encourages moderate intake of other vegetables, fish, seafood, poultry and olive oil. At the same time, it recommends limiting red meat, wine, fast food, fried foods, butter, margarine, pastries and sweets like candy. A stock image of food products representing the MIND diet created to reduce dementia and the decline in brain health. A stock image of food products representing the MIND diet created to reduce dementia and the decline in brain health. monticelllo/iStock / Getty Images Plus The Study The study analyzed data from nearly 93,000 U.S. adults as part of the Multiethnic Cohort Study. Participants, aged 45–75 at the start of the study in the 1990s, shared their dietary habits, and more than 21,000 went on to develop Alzheimer's or related conditions in the decades that followed. According to the study, those who followed the diet most closely had a nine percent lower risk of developing dementia overall. The effect was even more pronounced—around 13 percent—among African American, Latino and White participants. "We found that the protective relationship between a healthy diet and dementia was more pronounced among African Americans, Latinos and Whites, while it was not as apparent among Asian Americans and showed a weaker trend in Native Hawaiians," Park noted. "A tailored approach may be needed when evaluating different subpopulations' diet quality." Significantly, the study also revealed that individuals who improved their adherence to the MIND diet over time experienced a 25 percent lower risk of dementia compared to those whose adherence declined. This trend held true across age and racial groups, reinforcing the potential benefits of making dietary changes at any point in life. Researchers pointed out that cultural differences in dietary preferences may influence how effective the MIND diet is for different groups. While Asian Americans generally have lower rates of dementia, their traditional diets may offer protective benefits not captured by the MIND framework. Park emphasized the need for future interventional research to confirm these observational findings and to explore more culturally adapted dietary approaches. Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about dementia? Let us know via health@ Reference Park, S.-Y., Setiawan, V. W., Crimmins, E., White, L., Haiman, C., Wilkens, L. R., Marchand, L. L., & Lim, U. (2025). The MIND Diet and Incidence of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Among Five Racial and Ethnic Groups in the Multiethnic Cohort Study. NUTRITION 2025, Orlando, Florida.
