Mandy Oaklander | November 11, 2026

Friendships are some of our most treasured relationships—and some of our most ignored. (While couples therapy is common, for instance, friendship therapy is not.)

You and your best bud could probably use a five-minute friendship check-in. Later in this edition, my colleague Angela Haupt shows you how to do it.

TODAY’S TOPICS

What a weighted vest can—and can’t—do
Inflation and mental health
Charging for patient portal messages
The 5-minute friendship check
Why your alt-milk should be fortified

WORTH THE HYPE?

Should you walk with a weighted vest?

Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Image: Anthony Rosenberg—Getty Images)

Your daily walk doesn’t have to get longer to get harder. Strapping on a weighted vest makes your muscles work more and ramps up the intensity of an otherwise low-impact workout. But claims that it’s a bone-density hack are ahead of the science: Research is limited, and a recent trial in older adults found that daily use didn’t prevent the bone-density loss that can come with weight loss.

The verdict: Worth considering if you want to make walks or body-weight exercises more challenging. Start light—experts suggest 5–10% of your body weight—and try just 10 minutes before gradually building up. If you have balance problems or neck, shoulder, or back injuries, check with your doctor first.

Read the full story here.

INSIGHT OF THE DAY

Higher food prices and mental health

High grocery prices might not only threaten a family’s finances and menu, but their mental health as well. That’s the finding of a recent study in the journal Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, based on data gathered in 2022 and 2023 by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The researchers divided people into categories based on how drastically they adjusted their coping behaviors as inflation pushed up prices. Some used relatively small strategies, such as switching to generic brands, while others made major sacrifices like taking on a second job, going without food, or delaying medical care to afford groceries. The researchers also analyzed the self-reported anxiety levels of participants.

Anxiety was highest among people who made a broad range of sacrifices. Further price increases were linked to relatively little additional anxiety in this group—possibly because their distress was already so high, the authors suggest. —Jeffrey Kluger

CAN THEY DO THAT?

Can a doctor’s office charge you for messaging providers through your health portal?

Yes. New billing codes introduced in 2020 enable clinicians to charge patients for time they spend addressing concerns asynchronously through a patient portal. While most doctor’s offices don’t do this, around 500 health care groups do, according to a 2024 report in JAMA.

Whether they should bill is a fraught question. Clinicians can spend a lot of time on these messages, but commodifying the small interactions of a doctor-patient relationship may repel patients enough that theyto seek care elsewhere. —Alana Semuels

TIME TO TALK

How to check in on a friendship

Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Image: Giulio Fornasar—Getty Images)

You know your best friend’s coffee order and feelings about her boss. But do you know whether she wishes you called more? A quick friendship check-in can surface the lovely things you haven’t said—and small hurts to address before they grow.

Start with what’s working

Over coffee or on a walk, ask: “What’s working for you in this friendship right now?” Then tell her specifically what you appreciate.

Make room for honesty

Try: “How do you feel about how often we talk?” or “Is there anything I could show up better for?” If the answer stings, listen before defending yourself. This isn’t a performance review; ideally, there should still be laughter. —Angela Haupt

Read the full story here.

TIME100 Most Influential Companies is expanding

TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2027 entries are now open.

With new Exceptional Workplaces categories, the TIME100 Companies publication is expanding to recognize businesses pioneering new approaches to how people work, from flexible and hybrid work to technology integration and career development.

Because it’s no longer just what you do, but how you do it.

Submit your company.

WHAT WE’RE READING

Could a cancer treatment help people with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder? Andrew Gregory at the Guardian reports on promising early results.
Could your oat milk be missing essential nutrients? Margherita Bassi at Smithsonian explains why choosing fortified dairy alternatives matters.
Ethiopia’s health care system was once considered a model for Africa. But now, the country is experiencing renewed war and targeted attacks on hospitals, Durrie Bouscaren reports for NPR.