Lindsey Leake, MA²
@newsylindsey.bsky.social
Independent Health & Medical Reporter | Senior Editor @sciwritermag.bsky.social | Alumna @jhu.edu (MA ‘22) American (MA ‘19) Princeton (BA ‘10) | Signal: leak_to_leake.08
“Individuals who perform regular exercise tend to have lower risk of cognitive decline, dementia, Alzheimer’s and the like,” Glenn Gaesser, of Arizona State, told me. “If you want a healthy brain, you need to have healthy muscle.” Read more in my @nbcnews.com story: www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
People with more muscle mass and less visceral fat have younger brains, study finds
Strength training can be protective against cognitive decline.
www.nbcnews.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:33 PM
“Individuals who perform regular exercise tend to have lower risk of cognitive decline, dementia, Alzheimer’s and the like,” Glenn Gaesser, of Arizona State, told me. “If you want a healthy brain, you need to have healthy muscle.” Read more in my @nbcnews.com story: www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
“In general, I try to discourage people [from hormone testing] as much as possible,” Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, of the Yale School of Medicine, told me. “Particularly in the perimenopausal situation, hormones fluctuate all over the place.” Read more in my latest article for @nbcnews.com:
Are your hormones imbalanced? Doctors explain how to know if you need testing
Numerous companies offer tests, which may involve blood, urine or saliva collection and can be very expensive. The results may not be accurate or useful.
www.nbcnews.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:01 PM
“In general, I try to discourage people [from hormone testing] as much as possible,” Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, of the Yale School of Medicine, told me. “Particularly in the perimenopausal situation, hormones fluctuate all over the place.” Read more in my latest article for @nbcnews.com:
Scientists say they have identified the “happiness threshold” needed for a country’s population as a whole to achieve certain health benefits. Read more in my @cnn.com debut article:
A happier country equals a healthier one — but only above a certain threshold | CNN
A country’s increased happiness level is linked to a decrease in risk for early deaths due to chronic diseases once it reaches a certain threshold, a new study found.
www.cnn.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Scientists say they have identified the “happiness threshold” needed for a country’s population as a whole to achieve certain health benefits. Read more in my @cnn.com debut article:
“You can start [walking] at any age; it’s not too late,” Carmen Swain, PhD, of Ohio State University, told me. I invite you to read my latest health story for @nbcnews.com:
Adults who logged fewer than 5,000 steps a day saw the greatest health benefits from one longer walk a day, as opposed to several shorter walks throughout the day.
When it comes to walking for health, longer is better, study suggests
Adults who logged fewer than 5,000 steps a day saw the greatest health benefits from one longer walk a day, as opposed to several shorter walks throughout the day.
nbcnews.to
October 29, 2025 at 2:09 AM
“You can start [walking] at any age; it’s not too late,” Carmen Swain, PhD, of Ohio State University, told me. I invite you to read my latest health story for @nbcnews.com:
People who completed @brainhq.bsky.social exercises 30 minutes a day for 10 weeks had a 2.3% increase in acetylcholine production in the anterior cingulate cortex, a part of the brain important for learning, memory, attention and executive function. Check out my latest @nbcnews.com story:
A brain training game boosts a chemical linked to memory and attention, new research shows
Researchers measured acetylcholine production in participants' brains at the beginning and end of the 10-week trial.
www.nbcnews.com
October 20, 2025 at 10:01 PM
People who completed @brainhq.bsky.social exercises 30 minutes a day for 10 weeks had a 2.3% increase in acetylcholine production in the anterior cingulate cortex, a part of the brain important for learning, memory, attention and executive function. Check out my latest @nbcnews.com story:
“Sleep is a more complex issue than just how much time you spend in bed,” Dr. Rafael Pelayo of @stanfordmedicine.bsky.social told me. Check out my latest article for @nbcnews.com:
Your 'sleep profile' sheds light on health, lifestyle and cognition, new study shows
Researchers have uncovered five patterns of sleep that affect brain activity in different ways.
www.nbcnews.com
October 8, 2025 at 6:06 PM
“Sleep is a more complex issue than just how much time you spend in bed,” Dr. Rafael Pelayo of @stanfordmedicine.bsky.social told me. Check out my latest article for @nbcnews.com:
I'm excited to see my inaugural Cancer Today story in print! Check out my chemo brain Q&A with Yale Medicine medical oncologist Yu Zhang (and learn why she considers "chemo brain" an outdated term): www.cancertodaymag.org/fall-2025/re...
In the fall issue of Cancer Today, read about new guidelines to identify chemo brain, the power of appreciating small pleasures during treatment, and more. Available online now: buff.ly/zYkOoFp
September 18, 2025 at 8:03 PM
I'm excited to see my inaugural Cancer Today story in print! Check out my chemo brain Q&A with Yale Medicine medical oncologist Yu Zhang (and learn why she considers "chemo brain" an outdated term): www.cancertodaymag.org/fall-2025/re...
Last weekend I received the NABJ South Florida Diversity Award, given by the @spj-posts.bsky.social Florida Pro Chapter, for the 3rd time! This win was extra special given my recent layoff and serves as a reminder that there are more stories for me to tell ☀️📰🏆 spjflorida.com/2025-sunshin...
2025 Sunshine State Award winners
spjflorida.com
September 12, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Last weekend I received the NABJ South Florida Diversity Award, given by the @spj-posts.bsky.social Florida Pro Chapter, for the 3rd time! This win was extra special given my recent layoff and serves as a reminder that there are more stories for me to tell ☀️📰🏆 spjflorida.com/2025-sunshin...
This was a fun one! I got to interview Sel Yackley, an 85-year-old #SuperAger who plans to donate her brain to Northwestern University. Pursuits "that make you proud" are key to a long life, she told me. Check out my latest article for @nbcnews.com:
New research reveals clues to memory and longevity from the brains of 'SuperAgers'
Nearly 300 people have participated in the Northwestern University SuperAging Program since 2000.
www.nbcnews.com
August 7, 2025 at 5:51 PM
This was a fun one! I got to interview Sel Yackley, an 85-year-old #SuperAger who plans to donate her brain to Northwestern University. Pursuits "that make you proud" are key to a long life, she told me. Check out my latest article for @nbcnews.com:
Honored to be a 4x finalist for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) South Florida Diversity Award, given by @spjflorida.bsky.social! This nomination is bittersweet now that I no longer live in the Sunshine State ☀️📰🏆 spjflorida.com/sunshine-sta...
Sunshine State finalists 2025
Here’s the list. Winners will be announced in September in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
spjflorida.com
July 16, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Honored to be a 4x finalist for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) South Florida Diversity Award, given by @spjflorida.bsky.social! This nomination is bittersweet now that I no longer live in the Sunshine State ☀️📰🏆 spjflorida.com/sunshine-sta...
In May, I attended my first #HJ25 conference in LA through a
@healthjournalism.org scholarship. I got to cover the panel "Straight talk from editors: What freelancers need to know," featuring editors from @kffhealthnews.org @sciencenews.bsky.social @slate.com @whyy.org:
@healthjournalism.org scholarship. I got to cover the panel "Straight talk from editors: What freelancers need to know," featuring editors from @kffhealthnews.org @sciencenews.bsky.social @slate.com @whyy.org:
Editors’ pitching advice for freelance journalists: Hook, surprise and persist
At Health Journalism 2025, a panel of editors discussed pay rates, revision policies and the art of pitching.
healthjournalism.org
July 9, 2025 at 5:59 PM
In May, I attended my first #HJ25 conference in LA through a
@healthjournalism.org scholarship. I got to cover the panel "Straight talk from editors: What freelancers need to know," featuring editors from @kffhealthnews.org @sciencenews.bsky.social @slate.com @whyy.org:
@healthjournalism.org scholarship. I got to cover the panel "Straight talk from editors: What freelancers need to know," featuring editors from @kffhealthnews.org @sciencenews.bsky.social @slate.com @whyy.org:
If your exercise routine has hit a summer slump, it may be because your workouts aren’t suited to your personality, new research from @ucl.ac.uk suggests. My latest for @nbcnews.com:
Want better workout results? Match your exercise to your personality, study suggests
It’s expected that introverts would gravitate toward solo workouts and extroverts would shine in group fitness classes, but there were some surprises.
www.nbcnews.com
July 8, 2025 at 8:11 PM
If your exercise routine has hit a summer slump, it may be because your workouts aren’t suited to your personality, new research from @ucl.ac.uk suggests. My latest for @nbcnews.com:
The dietary supplement spectrum includes everything from powders that claim to promote muscle growth to gummies that promise to reduce stress. When it comes to herbal supplements, natural doesn’t necessarily mean better or safer. Check out my latest story for @nbcnews.com:
Drug-induced liver injuries rise in the U.S. as supplements grow in popularity: What to know
Most people who take dietary or herbal supplements do so on their own, not under a doctor’s advice.
www.nbcnews.com
May 28, 2025 at 1:41 AM
The dietary supplement spectrum includes everything from powders that claim to promote muscle growth to gummies that promise to reduce stress. When it comes to herbal supplements, natural doesn’t necessarily mean better or safer. Check out my latest story for @nbcnews.com:
“No matter what your weight status, a healthy diet is important for better health,” Erin Hennessy, PhD, of @tuftsnutrition.bsky.social, told me. Check out my latest @nbcnews.com story:
A healthy diet may be a key to girls starting puberty at a later age, new research suggests
Previous research has linked height and BMI to early puberty. The new research, the authors say, is the first to look at specific diets.
www.nbcnews.com
May 7, 2025 at 8:23 PM
“No matter what your weight status, a healthy diet is important for better health,” Erin Hennessy, PhD, of @tuftsnutrition.bsky.social, told me. Check out my latest @nbcnews.com story:
It was great spending World Press Freedom Day with @dcswa.bsky.social at @gwu1821.bsky.social 🦆📰🧪🧬🔭📝 I also loved (re)connecting with alumni and students from the @jhuaap.bsky.social MA in Science Writing community 🩵💙🩵
May 3, 2025 at 11:03 PM
It was great spending World Press Freedom Day with @dcswa.bsky.social at @gwu1821.bsky.social 🦆📰🧪🧬🔭📝 I also loved (re)connecting with alumni and students from the @jhuaap.bsky.social MA in Science Writing community 🩵💙🩵
Can't wait to meet the other fellows next month and learn how I can improve my reporting on workplace mental health!
Congratulations to the 14 journalists selected for NPF's Covering Workplace Mental Health fellowship! The cohort will hear from expert speakers on psychology and business in Washington, D.C., May 21-22, 2025.
nationalpress.org/newsfeed/npf...
nationalpress.org/newsfeed/npf...
April 30, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Can't wait to meet the other fellows next month and learn how I can improve my reporting on workplace mental health!
“Focusing on policies that help people better meet their everyday needs promises to go a long way in improving life expectancy,” Dr. Marc Gourevitch, of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, told me. Check out my latest story in @nbcnews.com:
Life expectancy for women in some Southern states has barely budged in more than 100 years
A century of advancements in medicine and improvements in health care has had little impact in some states, a new study from Yale researchers finds.
www.nbcnews.com
April 29, 2025 at 5:54 PM
“Focusing on policies that help people better meet their everyday needs promises to go a long way in improving life expectancy,” Dr. Marc Gourevitch, of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, told me. Check out my latest story in @nbcnews.com:
My first post-layoff freelance story has been published by @nbcnews.com! I spoke with nutrition, pharmacology and obesity medicine experts about the health risks of so-called #GLP1 supplements that claim to work like weight-loss medications Wegovy and Zepbound.
Supplements claiming to boost the body's natural GLP-1 levels come in drops, pills and patches, but experts say they're most likely ineffective for weight loss.
What to know about GLP-1 supplements for weight loss
Supplements claiming to boost the body's natural GLP-1 levels come in drops, pills and patches, but experts say they're most likely ineffective for weight loss.
nbcnews.to
April 25, 2025 at 11:05 PM
My first post-layoff freelance story has been published by @nbcnews.com! I spoke with nutrition, pharmacology and obesity medicine experts about the health risks of so-called #GLP1 supplements that claim to work like weight-loss medications Wegovy and Zepbound.
I'll be attending my first Health Journalism conference next month, thanks to @healthjournalism.org! I'm honored to be a recipient of the 2025 Freelance Health Journalism Travel Scholarship ✈️💊💉🩺📰
Over 85 journalists have been selected as 2025 Health Journalism Fellows and will attend #HJ25 in Los Angeles from May 29 to June 1. Meet the fellows and learn more:
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Meet the 2025 Health Journalism Fellows
This year, more than 85 fellows will receive registration, travel support and lodging to attend HJ25 in Los Angeles from May 29 - June 1.
healthjournalism.org
April 25, 2025 at 9:15 PM
I'll be attending my first Health Journalism conference next month, thanks to @healthjournalism.org! I'm honored to be a recipient of the 2025 Freelance Health Journalism Travel Scholarship ✈️💊💉🩺📰