Some medical procedures and treatments require prior authorization from your health insurance company, meaning you'll need pre-approval before you can receive care. This episode, health care reporter Sarah Boden shares tips on making the prior authorization process as smooth as possible — so you can save yourself frustration and get medical support sooner.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ready to turn that work bestie into a real friend? Or maybe you want to hang outside run club with your fun jogging buddy? In this episode, Kat Vellos, author of We Should Get Together, explains how to turn acquaintances into real friends — and how to foster the connection you’re seeking.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Relationship expert Amy Chan and sex educator and researcher Emily Nagoski dig into listener questions about jealousy, desire, and modern relationships ahead of Valentine's Day. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You have a budget and an emergency fund (or at least know you need both) - but you want to go deeper. What else do you need to know about managing your money? Ever heard of capturing the carry on your debt, for example? Finance experts share their top tips on handling debt, investing, taxes and more.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith's book, Sacred Rest, she outlines different kinds of rest you may be craving. From the mental to the physical, Dalton-Smith shares how to identify what kind of respite you need and how to embrace rest.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Ahead of another winter storm, Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep talks with a cardiologist about how to stay safe while shoveling.Listen to our episode about how to keep your house safe during a winter weather disaster here.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Chef and TV host Prue Leith may be an exacting judge with the bakers on The Great British Bake Off. But when it comes to the rest of us, she thinks we could all cut ourselves a bit of slack in the kitchen. That’s the idea behind her cookbook, Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom. It includes flavorful and simple recipes -- but also dozens of practical cooking hacks from her 65-year culinary career. From peeling garlic to rescuing over-whipped cream, she offers strategies to help you reduce waste and prepare tricky foods with ease. This episode originally ran in November 2024.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Every year, more than 350,000 people go into cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting in the United States. CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, can help double or triple survival rates. In this episode, we'll explain the basics of this emergency procedure so you can feel empowered to help in a life-or-death situation. This episode originally published on October 26, 2023.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In January, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released new dietary guidelines calling for a significant reset in nutrition policy and "an end to the war on saturated fat." The guidelines come with a new food pyramid that emphasizes red meat, full-fat dairy and fats. In this episode, NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey unpacks the new guidelines and offers tried-and-true nutrition advice from the experts.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This weekend, much of the country is to be hit by a major snow storm. Experts say there are several precautions to take before a winter storm arrives in your area. A meteorologist and emergency preparedness expert share tips to prepare your home, your car and your family ahead of a big snowfall.Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here.Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.orgSupport the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy