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Happy Thursday. This week we’re spending some time in the garden, learning about fingernails and experiencing joy snacks. But before that …

This week’s must-reads:

• These 8 habits may help you live longer. A study found doing all of them added more than two decades of longevity.
• Taking fish oil supplements? The hype often doesn’t match the science.
• Is that salad safe to eat? Consumer Reports explains the germs found on leafy greens.
• Who are you calling doctor? Some states are debating what to call non-MDs who treat patients.

The joy (and power) of gardening

This week, I want to introduce you to Rosemary McDonnell-Horita, a 29-year-old disabled woman with a beautiful story about how she found empowerment and self-acceptance in gardening.

Working with the artist Sonaksha, she created a comic explaining how gardening helped her accept that it’s okay to ask for help. Gardening gave her an opportunity to be a caregiver rather than a care receiver. Taking care of plants shifted the way she thought about her body.

“I don’t think my plant is a burden because it needs more nutrients,” she writes. “I don’t fault it for getting bugs and not being able to fight against them.”

We can all learn from Rosemary not only about the joy of gardening but about accepting that we need a little nurturing from time to time.

Reading Rosemary’s story reminded me of one of my best parenting memories. Years ago, I spent a fall afternoon with my young daughter planting tulip bulbs. I remember being surprised at how delighted she was by the process, which was simple, painstaking and not particularly satisfying, since we had to wait until spring to see the results of our efforts. But it’s one of those experiences we still talk about today.

Thanks to Rosemary, I’ve decided to dedicate this newsletter to fall gardening. I’ve rounded up some of the best advice from our home-and-gardening team. Enjoy!

How gardening can sharpen your attention

8 common mistakes for new gardeners to avoid

How to plant bulbs in the fall for a spring garden

Five vegetables for fall and winter gardening

More young women are getting breast cancer

You don’t want to miss our compelling report on young women in their 20s and 30s who get breast cancer. They want answers.

Overall, the incidence of breast cancer in women younger than 40 is low — about 25 cases per 100,000 women in 2019. By comparison, there were about 229 cases per 100,000 women in the 40-to-64 age group and 462 per 100,000 in women 65 to 74.

But a study published last week in JAMA Network Open showed cancers are on the rise for younger Americans under 50, particularly among women. Breast cancer accounted for the highest number of cancer cases in younger people.

But most of these women have no screening options, as such strategies haven’t been shown to improve survival or be cost-effective in this age group.

In interviews, young women with breast cancer said they felt dismissed by their doctors when they first raised concerns about their breast health. Now, a growing group of patients and experts is calling for further research and conversations about breast cancer among young women.

“Age 40 should not be the first time you’re discussing breast cancer with your physician,” said Tari King, chief of the division of breast surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Read the full report.

What can your nails tell you about your health?

This week a reader asks about what changes in nails can tell you about your health. Do your nails have ridges, or have they turned yellow? Are they brittle or splitting?

To learn what it all means, read our latest Ask a Doctor column. Our columnist is Trisha S. Pasricha, a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. And she’s ready to answer your questions! Use our Ask a Doctor form to submit a question, and we may answer it in a future column.

Find your joy snack!

This week I’m introducing a new weekly feature in the Well+Being newsletter: Joy Snacks! A joy snack is a small moment in your day that you enjoy.

Here are a few things that brought us joy this week.

• Timesaving advice from the Home You Own team. This week: 8 tips to fake a clean house.
• Inspired Life is one of my favorite features in The Washington Post. You’ll love this column about a paralyzed dog, adopted by a physical therapy assistant, who learned to wag its tail again.
• I always enjoy seeing the best photos of the week from Post photographers. Some will make you smile; others may remind us of all there is to be grateful for. Our favorites this week: a world track record, a moon landing and a T-Rex footrace!
• And for an actual snack, we can’t stop thinking about these sheet pan kimchi noodles from our food team.

Want to know more about joy snacks? Our Brain Matters columnist Richard Sima explains. You can also read this story as a comic.

Please let us know how we are doing. Email me at wellbeing@washpost.com. You can also find us on TikTok.