It’s 4.30 p.m. as I’m writing this. Here in Brighton, United Kingdom — home to Medical News Today‘s editorial office — the cold, dark nights are already drawing in.

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The MNT team had fun creating some jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween.

However, despite the weather being far from cheerful, there’s something quite glorious about this time of year.

That distinct autumnal chill, the vibrant colors of the autumn leaves, arriving home from work and swiftly changing into my pyjamas, and making a cup of hot cocoa. These are some of the things I love about fall.

Another thing I love? Halloween.

Halloween is a relatively low key event in the U.K. compared with the United States, but we’re well and truly getting into the spirit at MNT.

We’re preparing ourselves for a creepy ghost tour around the streets of Brighton tomorrow evening, and this lunchtime, some members of the team drew on their creativity and made some spooky jack-o’-lanterns.

Remember, if you’re busy carving pumpkins today, be sure to make use of what you’ve scooped out! Pumpkins have some amazing health benefits.

Also, as a special Halloween treat for you, dear readers, our news team has created an incredibly fascinating spotlight on real zombies in nature. Enjoy!

So, what other content has piqued your curiosity this October? You were interested to learn whether or not bowel movements can lead to weight loss, and our article covering the best foods to aid digestion was popular.

You wanted to know more about female-to-male surgery, and our article on cognitive dissonance also caught your eye.

Within our news content, you were intrigued by our coverage of a study that linked some popular vitamins with a greater risk of hip fracture, and our article on a study linking yogurt and dietary fiber to lung cancer proved a must-read.

One surprising study that emerged this month suggested that turmeric could lead to harmful levels of lead exposure. Researchers found that companies in Bangladesh are adding lead to the popular spice to enhance its color. This article caused much debate on our social channels.

Do you want to get involved in the conversation? Follow us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also reach out to us via our contact page.

I’ll be back next month with the latest on what you’ve been reading and what we’ve been up to.

In the meantime, have a happy and healthful Halloween!

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Honor Whiteman, Managing Editor