SPECIAL SECTION  As it turns out, much of what you think about the state of the American marriage is wrong: Half of marriages don’t end in divorce; married people don’t have less sex than their single counterparts and — surprise! — fighting can actually be beneficial to your relationship. That’s what Tara Parker-Pope, a health journalist and the woman behind the New York Times’ “Well” blog, discovered while researching her new book, For Better: The Science of a Good Marriage.” In the book, Parker-Pope argues that the marital bond isn’t nearly as mysterious as you might believe, and unlike the vast majority of authors on the subject, she uses credible scientific research to back up her claims about everything from sex to housework. Read More>>

GUEST COLUMN  Obesity has become one of the nation’s toughest, most common health challenges. And it’s happening right here in Washington. In fact, most people in our state — 60 percent at last count — are overweight or obese. Our kids are getting there, too. About one-third of our children are also overweight or obese. Read More>>