We know a healthy lifestyle is important for warding off disease and having a better quality of life as we get older. But what if there was one easy diet change you could make to actually slow down the aging process? A study conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute suggests that proper hydration may play a key role in doing just that.

A Look At The Study

The aim of the study, published in eBioMedicine in January 2023, was to find preventive measures that could slow the aging process. According to researchers, lifelong water restriction in mice actually decreases their lifespan and contributes to degenerative changes. So in this study, researchers tested the hypothesis that optimal hydration in humans could actually slow down the aging process.

“It is known that some people age faster than others, some people live into old age disease-free, while others develop age-related chronic diseases,” the study’s background reads. “With a rapidly aging population and an emerging chronic diseases epidemic, finding mechanisms and implementing preventive measures that could slow down the aging process has become a new challenge for biomedical research and public health.”

Researchers used data from an ongoing prospective cohort study titled Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC). From 1987 to 1989, 15,792 men and women between the ages of 45 and 66 from four different U.S. communities enrolled in the ARIC study and were followed up with for more than 25 years. 

Using serum sodium as a proxy for hydration habits, the researchers calculated participants’ biological ages. As opposed to chronological age, biological age is calculated using factors like eating habits, lifestyle, blood sugar levels, and other biomarkers to approximate of how much life one likely has left. In addition to this, researchers also assessed chronic disease and premature mortality risks to estimate the relative speed of aging.

Serum sodium levels are used to assess the amount of sodium in the blood. The less hydrated you are, the higher your levels, with a normal range being 135 to 145 millimoles per liter (mmol/L).

However, after analyzing the data, the study found that middle-aged people with serum sodium levels above 142 have an increased risk of being biologically older, developing chronic diseases, and dying earlier. Consequently, staying hydrated and thereby maintaining lower serum sodium levels may help extend your life and keep you feeling younger for longer.

We should point out, though, that researchers also said “intervention studies are needed to confirm the link between hydration and aging.” Still, these initial findings could help healthcare providers identify at-risk patients and work on plans to address hydration.

Hydration Isn’t Just About Drinking More Water

As we’ve explained previously, although water consumption is obviously very important to one’s overall hydration levels, there’s a little more to it than that.

Your body’s hydration is maintained by electrolytes, which include potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and chloride, which most water will contain in trace amounts. But if you drink too much water, you run the risk of completely flushing those vital minerals out of your system. If you aren’t eating a balanced diet filled with electrolyte-rich fruits and veggies, the more water you drink, the thirstier you’ll become. 

Ultimately, proper hydration levels are key. Electrolyte powders and mineral drops can boost those levels and help you feel more hydrated. You can also get your water intake from coffee, tea, the food you eat, and even low-alcohol beer.

If you’re not getting them from your diet alone, you can replenish essential minerals in your body by adding highly-concentrated drops like these to filtered drinking water. With more than 72 ionic trace minerals, these drops will help support vital functions in the body, restore pH balance, and regulate bowel function, sleep, and mood.

Trace Minerals recommends taking 10 drops daily for the first three days, then gradually increasing your serving to eventually take roughly ½ a teaspoon once or twice a day. All-natural with low sodium and no added preservatives or sweeteners, you can feel good about what you’re putting in your body.

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Available in 12 different flavors (including Appletini and Coconut Piña Colada), this electrolyte powder from Ultima will satisfy your taste buds while keeping you hydrated. Just dissolve one scoop in 16 ounces of water to give your body the nutrients it needs with no calories, sugar, or carbs. This powder works especially well to make drinking water more appealing and to help you restore your body after working out.

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Life has a funny way of getting in the way of our health goals; there never seems to be enough time or motivation. Consequently, achieving our mental and physical goals can begin to seem more and more impossible.

But what if video games could help with this lapse in progress? The computer, video, and mobile gaming industry is as massive as it is varied. Even if you’ve never considered yourself a “gamer,” there’s likely an entire category of games that would cater to your specific interests and preferences. 

And while you certainly can use games simply as an entertaining way of passing the time, they also have the potential to help us reach our physical and mental wellness goals. Here’s how.

Stressed, Anxious, Or Overworked? Try Cozy Gaming

On the opposite end of the spectrum from prevailingly popular, intense, violent video games is the concept of “cozy gaming.” GamesIndustry.biz wrote that “the essential nature of cozy gaming is that of helping other people through non-violent means, often by nurture and generosity. Self-expression is core to the games’ progression goals, which tend to be open-ended.”

This genre can trace its roots all the way back to a 1985 game called “Little Computer People” and Natsume’s “Harvest Moon,” which came out a little over a decade before “Farmville” took our Facebook feeds by storm in 2009. More recently, “Animal Crossing” and “Stardew Valley” cemented their place as cozy game staples. 

By offering a non-threatening, low-stakes environment to explore and enjoy, cozy games offer a much-needed respite from the stress and anxiety of everyday life. And considering just how much of our physical health is related to our stress levels, these calming games offer dual benefits for both mental and physical wellness. 

Cozy gaming is a great way to decompress, de-stress, enjoy a feeling of community, and explore one’s curiosities in a safe, comfortable setting. As gaming writer Melissa Brinks wrote for Forbes, cozy gaming eliminates the need for gamers to meet their characters’ most basic needs (shelter, thirst, hunger, and safety), leaving them with a sense of “connectedness, self-reflection, and mastery.”

TheGamer listed some of the best cozy games as “Unpacking,” “Spiritfarer,” and, of course, the wildly popular and equally cute “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.”

Want To Exercise But Hate The Gym? Try This Instead

Physical fitness goals can be particularly difficult to attain for a number of reasons—but working out doesn’t have to suck, we promise. Remember when everyone and their grandma was playing either “Wii Fit” or “Dance Dance Revolution?” Well, those types of games haven’t gone anywhere, and they’re even better now.

The rise of virtual reality gaming has brought about even more immersive exercise experiences, from the music-driven “Beat Saber” to the sci-fi obstacle courses in “Sprint Vector.” And yes, “Just Dance” is still a thing (and just as fun as ever). For some individuals, these games can be an even better option than regular exercise.

A March 2019 press release published in Lifespan covered the results of a study led by behavioral scientists from The Miriam Hospital’s Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine in Rhode Island. The study itself had sedentary individuals participate in either traditional exercise or video games that involved moderate-to-intense aerobic activity.

“People who played the physically active video games continued to do more exercise than the standard group because they got more enjoyment, better management of stress and depressive symptoms, felt more engaged in physical activity, and were more confident about their ability to exercise than people doing standard exercise,” reported Dr. Beth Bock, the study’s lead scientist.

TheGamer cited “Nintendo Switch Sports,” “Zumba Fitness: World Party,” and “Ring Fit Adventure” as some of the best fitness video games of all time. “Ring Fit Adventure” in particular was difficult to find at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic due to the Nintendo Switch game becoming a popular way of working out during lockdown.

Get The Most Out Of Your Gaming

According to FinancesOnline, 64% of U.S. adults play video games on a regular basis. And despite common stereotypes of gamers being that of 20-something, Dorito-eating dude-bros, gaming is becoming increasingly popular with women at many stages of life.

Whether you’re a pro gamer or a total video game novice, finding ways to use games to your advantage is a fun, highly motivational way to reach your overall wellness goals. After all, you’re the main character of your own life. So what’s stopping you from taking the controls and completing your personal objectives?

Fat is without a doubt one of the hottest topics in the world of health and wellness, but did you know there are multiple types of fat cells that our bodies store and use in different ways?

Many of us have a negative perception of fat based on its association with serious health risks and obesity. However, while some types of fat are more harmful in excess, others can have certain benefits. The amount of each type of fat and the way your body stores that fat can have a big impact on your overall health.

What Is Brown Fat?

In general, white fat is what we think of when we talk about fat. These large white cells are stored in multiple locations throughout the body, and their primary function is to store energy for later use. White fat helps to maintain health, but too much can be harmful.

Brown fat is much less common than white fat and is mostly found in infants. Nonetheless, adults still have it, and its primary function is to help keep us warm. It also helps to regulate the metabolism of sugar and fat, which is why researchers have been particularly interested in brown fat in recent years.

There is also beige fat, which as you might have guessed, is a combination of white and brown fat cells. Aiding in regulating body temperature, scientists have also been intrigued by beige fat cells ability to convert white fat into brown.

Brown Fat Can Impact Our Metabolism

While the research into brown fat is still relatively new, findings on how brown fat can help us achieve a healthier weight look promising.

In an August 2019 study published in Nature, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) found that activated brown fat can help burn fat. 

An analysis of glucose, fats, and amino acids was performed in 33 healthy young men. At room temperature, 17 of the men had high brown fat activity while 16 had low activity. They were then exposed to cool temperatures (not enough to make them shiver) for two hours.

Participants with high levels of brown fat activity were found to have reduced levels of branched chain amino acids (BCAA), essential amino acids that provide energy during exercise. Interestingly, past studies have shown an increase of BCAA in participants with serious health risks such as obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes.

Scientists also discovered that brown fat produces a protein called SLC25A44 (what a mouthful) when it’s exposed to cold environments, which then helps convert BCAAs into energy and heat. Blocking this process caused obesity and diabetes in rodents. Using these findings, researchers were able to better understand how brown fat affects metabolism and interacts with BCAAs. 

At Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), a June 2014 study published in Nature found that cold exposure affected human fat and metabolism.

Over the course of a month, participants were exposed to mild cold for at least 10 hours at a time while wearing standard hospital attire and bed sheets. By the end of the study, participants had increased their brown fat volume by 42% and their fat metabolic activity by 10% in addition to improving their insulin sensitivity. 

How To Activate Brown Fat

You might have noticed that both studies used cool temperatures to activate brown fat. That said, you don’t need to stand outside shivering your butt off to potentially see results. Here are a few possible things to try instead.

1. Get Outdoors While It’s Cold 

Try making a habit of taking brisk morning walks or cool evening strolls. You could also go hiking with the family or finish some long overdue yard work in chillier temperatures. Staying indoors may be tempting, but as the UCSF study demonstrated, that cold exposure will help activate your brown fat cells and could lead to overall fat loss.

2. Crank Down The Temps At Night 

In addition to saving you money on your heating bill, keeping the thermostat at a low setting overnight may also crank up your metabolism. As noted in the VCU study,  sleeping in a cooler room can improve your overall health due to the activation of brown fat.

3. Get A Healthy Dose Of Meat Or Nuts

If you dislike the cold (can’t say I blame you), you’ll be glad to know there are some other options for boosting brown fat production. A June 2022 study published in Pharmaceutics found that L-arginine—an amino acid found in whole grains, dairy products, nuts, fish, and meat—effectively accelerated the transformation of white fat into brown fat after seven days.

4. Try Adding A Supplement To Your Diet

We get it, making changes to your diet isn’t always easy or possible. As an alternative, you can always supplement your diet with … well, supplements, like the NOW L-arginine Supplements. To maximize metabolic management, take two tablets of 1,000 mg per day.

Research published by the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry in September 2015 also suggested that curcumin (a substance in turmeric) may help turn white fat brown, in which case supplements such as the Qunol Turmeric Curcumin Capsules could come in handy. Taking two 1,000 mg capsules daily is recommended for best results.

Coca-Cola and Simply Orange Juice are facing a class-action lawsuit after it was revealed that their supposedly all-natural juice is actually contaminated with toxic PFAS at levels “hundreds of times” above federal advisory limits for drinking water.

The suit was filed in New York and is asking a judge to order the company to pay the plaintiffs damages. Their complaint points out that Simply Orange’s claims of using “all natural ingredients” with “nothing to hide” are false. 

By saying the company uses “filtered water,” the company leads “reasonable consumers to believe that additional care has been taken to remove any incidental chemicals or impurities,” the suit states.

“In reality, testing has revealed that the product contains [PFAS], a category of synthetic chemicals that are, by definition, not natural,” it continued. The suit also alleged that third-party testing found two of the most dangerous types of these chemicals, which have been phased out of products in the U.S. but continue to contaminate the environment. 

What Are PFAS And Why Are They Dangerous?

So, what are PFAS? The letters stand for “Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.” It’s a class of chemicals that are typically used to make certain products resistant to water, stains, and heat. They’re commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” because they don’t naturally break down. They have also been linked to cancer, fetal complications, liver disease, kidney disease, autoimmune disorders and other serious health issues.

Water is usually how people are exposed to PFAS, but they have also been found in certain foods. The FDA has taken few steps to address the dangers of these chemicals, and researchers say the organization is falling behind when it comes to testing for PFAS. 

“As we get better and better able to measure PFAS at lower levels and the FDA falls further behind on what it is testing … then you’re going to keep seeing these lawsuits pop up,” said Tom Neltner, a chemicals policy director with the Environmental Defense Fund. This organization is a non-profit that is working to pressure the FDA into taking action on the topic of PFAS. 

It’s unknown how or why these PFAS ended up in Simply Orange—it could have been through the water that is mixed with the juice, the packaging, or the fruit itself. Hopefully, this lawsuit will lead companies to take a closer look at the products they are putting on shelves.

Many of us prefer to get our daily dose of calcium from what we eat and drink—things like dairy, leafy greens, almonds, and salmon. But according to the Mayo Clinic, many Americans don’t actually get enough calcium in their normal diets. 

Our bodies need calcium for more than building and maintaining strong bones; your heart, muscles, and nerves need calcium in order to function properly. There have even been studies that suggest calcium—along with vitamin D—could possibly protect against cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. However, the full health benefits of calcium have yet to be confirmed. 

Getting enough calcium is especially important for adults over 50, as low calcium levels can lead to osteoporosis. Regarding women in particular, bone loss increases dramatically during menopause due to depleting levels of estrogen.

It’s no wonder calcium multivitamins and stand-alone supplements are popular. If you don’t get enough calcium, you’re at a higher risk for health problems related to weak bones. But if you do take a calcium supplement, there are other health risks to be aware of.

The Potential Risks Of Calcium Supplements

We should start by saying that much more research is required on this topic. Still, it’s best to approach taking calcium supplements with caution because there are potentially serious risks involved. If you’re concerned about not getting enough calcium in your diet, the ideal course of action is to confer with your doctor.

1. Cardiovascular Disease

In a February 2021 study published in Nutrients, researchers at the National Cancer Center in Korea found that calcium supplements were “significantly associated with the increased risk of [cardiovascular disease] and [coronary heart disease] by 15%, specifically in postmenopausal women.” 

That’s not the first time research has linked calcium supplements to cardiovascular disease. A July 2010 study published in The BMJ found that more test subjects who took calcium supplements had heart attacks or strokes or even died than those who took the placebo.

“Calcium supplements (without co-administered vitamin D) are associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction,” the study read. “As calcium supplements are widely used, these modest increases in risk of cardiovascular disease might translate into a large burden of disease in the population. A reassessment of the role of calcium supplements in the management of osteoporosis is warranted.”

The correlation here is plausible, but causation hasn’t been proven.

2. Dementia

A small 2016 study published in Neurology set out to determine whether calcium supplements could be associated with the development of dementia in women over a five-year period. 

The study observed 700 dementia-free women aged 70 to 92 years and concluded that calcium supplements “may increase the risk of developing dementia in elderly women with cerebrovascular disease.” Cerebrovascular disease refers to a group of conditions that affect blood flow and the blood vessels in the brain.

Researchers noted that because the study was so small and observational, their findings needed to be confirmed with further research.

3. Side Effects And Drug Interactions

If you take or plan to take a calcium supplement, the good news is there are little to no side effects. The worst appear to be gas, constipation, and bloating. 

There is a possibility, though, that your calcium supplement could interact with any prescription medications you take. The Mayo Clinic indicates that you should consult your doctor if you take any of the following: “blood pressure medications, synthetic thyroid hormones, bisphosphonates, antibiotics, and calcium channel blockers.”

How Much Daily Calcium Do You Actually Need?

According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended daily amount of calcium for adult women under 50 is 1,000 mg. For women over 50, that number increases to 1,200 mg. The best sources of dietary calcium come from dairy products.

Dark green leafy vegetables like broccoli and kale are also great sources of calcium, as are fish with edible soft bones (sardines and canned salmon), and calcium-fortified cereals, fruit juices, and soy products.

To absorb calcium, your body needs sufficient amounts of vitamin D. You can get that from sun exposure and vitamin D-fortified foods, like egg yolks and canned salmon (with bones).

In addition to a daily diet filled with the proper amount of calcium and vitamin D, exercise can go a long way toward keeping your bones healthy. The risk of osteoporosis is higher in those who aren’t physically active. Weight-bearing daily activities like walking, jogging, and climbing stairs help to build strong bones and slow bone loss.

It seems like every day, new information comes out about a diet or a weight loss trick that’s a foolproof way to shed some pounds. One of the latest trends is intermittent fasting, but a new study has uncovered some surprising information about the potential efficacy of this dieting method. 

The study looked at the eating habits of almost 550 adults (with an average age of 51) in the Maryland and Pennsylvania areas. The researchers were specifically looking at the impact of the timing of food consumption and its relationship to weight gain. 

Timing food consumption (also known as intermittent fasting) is a new weight-loss trend that encourages people to stop eating for a specific period of time each day or week.

For example, some people alternate their fasting from day to day, eating normally one day and eating nothing the next. Others decide to stop eating at a certain time each day and don’t eat again until the next morning. 

Dr. Wendy Bennett, an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and one of the co-authors of the study, discussed its findings with Today.

According to Bennett, study subjects used an app to track their eating, sleeping, and exercising habits. So, what were the findings? 

Does Intermittent Fasting Really Affect Weight Loss?

According to the study, the findings of which were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the timing of meals had almost no impact on someone’s weight. The main cause of weight gain? The amount of food eaten.

The study explained that they “found an association between the eating of more frequent and larger meals per day and weight increase, indicating that total overall caloric intake is the major driver of weight gain.” 

They also added that the results of the study “did not support the use of time-restricted eating as a strategy for long-term weight loss in a general medical population.” 

That said, it should be noted the findings were largely based on self-reported eating habits. Additionally, caloric intake was documented by approximate meal sizes (a slice of pizza equating 500 calories, half a pizza reporting a meal between 500 and 1,000 calories, and a whole pizza indicating 1,000 or more calories).

Additionally, Dr. Holly Loften, director of the NYU Langone Weight Management Program, and Dr. Ann Lala, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai Health, both spoke to Today questioning the methodology and data presented to draw such conclusions.

While intermittent fasting (IF) may or may not be the ideal diet choice for weight loss, it should be noted that there are documented health benefits of practicing IF, especially for women near or in menopause. Studies have noted that intermittent fasting can help with lowering blood pressure, lowering LDL cholesterol, reducing diabetes risk, and potentially making the body more resilient to diseases.

Many midlife American women suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) issues. In fact, more women than men in the United States suffer from certain gut problems, with some studies suggesting that women’s GI systems behave differently partly because of “sex-related features in the brain.”

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively referred to as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are characterized by inflammation of the GI tract. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping, persistent diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue. 

Now, a December 2022 study published in Nature Communications claims there’s a common food ingredient in the United States that might trigger IBD. 

This Common Food Dye Could Be The Culprit

While the causes of IBD haven’t yet been pinned down, possible culprits include genetic factors, dysregulated immune responses, and environmental factors. One environmental factor, in particular, is the typical American diet: red and processed meats, lack of fiber, sugar—and red food dye.

Allura Red (AR) food dye, also known as FD&C Red 40 and Food Red 17, is a synthetic dye made from petroleum. It’s long been a commonly used ingredient in the American diet. It shows up in foods like cereal, pastries, fruit bars, dairy products, condiments, candy, soft drinks, and more.  

It’s an FDA-approved dye for food, drugs, and cosmetics (even cosmetics meant to be used around the eye area). Research suggests it’s one of, if not the most widely-used artificial food dye in grocery store items. 

You may have heard of the potential link between red food dye and ADHD in some children. Red Dye No. 2 was even banned in the U.S. in 1976 after a Russian study linked it to cancer, a connection that’s never been fully proven or disproven.

However, research regarding AR’s effect on gut health has been lacking in recent years. This new study has changed that, finding evidence of a link between the two.

The Potential Dangers Of Allura Red

The study, conducted by McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, found that Allura Red can cause inflammation and increase serotonin in the gut (leading to colitis). It can also affect certain allergies, immune disorders, and behavioral problems in children. 

Senior author Waliul Khan, Ph.D., along with a team of researchers, studied the effects of common food colorants (including AR) on serotonin production in mice. The mice were then split into three different groups and fed either a standard diet, a diet that included AR every day, or a diet that included AR once a week.

Following 12 weeks of these diets plus a buffer week afterward, the mice were exposed to a chemical to induce colitis. The mice that only consumed AR once a week didn’t appear to have an increased susceptibility to colitis, but the ones who consumed AR on a daily basis developed mild colitis. This led to worsened intestinal nutrient absorption along with a boost in serotonin levels.

Furthermore, the researchers did a similar study on four-week-old mice and found that early AR exposure induced low-level colonic inflammation.

As Dr. Khan told Science Daily, “What we have found is striking and alarming, as this common synthetic food dye is a possible dietary trigger for IBD. This research is a significant advance in alerting the public on the potential harms of food dyes that we consume daily.” 

It’s important to note these foods do not cause IBD but exacerbate IBD symptoms. More research with human subjects at clinical and experimental levels is needed to further explore the link between IBD and Allura Red food dye. 

If you suffer from GI issues, your healthcare provider can help you make decisions about lifestyle changes.

However, while some GI issues can be mitigated by certain foods and drinks, IBD is a serious medical condition. You should consult your healthcare team to help you decide the best action plan for you. 

Not all diets are created equal, but among even the zaniest of fad diets, certain nutritional ideas seem set in stone. For example: protein is good, grains should be whole, and too much saturated fat increases your risk of cardiovascular disease.

But listen up, cheese lovers: that last tidbit of advice might not be as sound as we once thought. A December 2022 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that saturated fats from cheese, milk, and other dairy products might have more benefits than downsides. 

Read on to learn about the science behind why cheese and other dairy products are so gouda for us (sorry, we had to).

Not All Saturated Fats

The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fats found in cheese, red meat, other animal-based foods, and tropical oils. “Decades of sound science has proven it can raise your ‘bad’ cholesterol and put you at higher risk for heart disease,” the AHA’s website says. 

But researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine wanted to dig into the idea that all saturated fats are bad. Their study argues that “current dietary guidance recommends limiting intakes of saturated fats. But most fail to consider that saturated fats from different food sources may have different health effects.”

The study looked at 2,391 adults over 30. Researchers evaluated the associations of saturated fats from dairy and nondairy sources with body fat, inflammatory biomarkers, and lipid particle size and concentrations.

The Big Cheddar Of Saturated Fats

Researchers compared women in the highest and lowest 20% of dairy saturated fat intake and found some unexpected differences. First, those in the highest intake group had significantly lower body fat and percentage of fat mass.

Additionally, blood tests revealed that those who ate more saturated fat from dairy had higher HDL (good cholesterol) and lower triglycerides. Researchers did not find these positive associations with nondairy saturated fats. 

The study’s findings suggest that while some saturated fats can negatively impact our cardiovascular health, saturated fats from dairy seem to be the exception. However, there are some caveats to consider with these findings. 

First, these cardiovascular benefits were seen less often in female study participants. Second, this was an observational study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition prefaces the study by saying these associations aren’t definitive proof of a causal relationship. However, the study serves as a good jumping-off point for further research.

Pass The Cheese, Please!

As with anything, saturated fats—even those from dairy—are still best consumed in moderation. But this study provides a glimmer of hope for cheese lovers by suggesting that maintaining a healthy diet doesn’t necessarily mean banishing your favorite cheddar and brie.

Youth skews our perspective of age. When we’re young, our parents are inherently ancient (let’s ignore the fact that today’s kids probably feel the same way) and equally indestructible. But as we enter our 40th, 50th, and 60th decades, we’re faced with an unsettling fact: We might not live as long as our parents did. 

That’s because, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics, the average U.S. life expectancy has reached its lowest point in 26 years. When we account for this country’s wealth and other resource access, the problem grows even worse. 

Even more surprising is that this dip in life expectancy isn’t caused by any of the usual culprits, like cardiovascular disease or cancer. This is far more systemic.

The Root Cause Of The Drop

When the average life expectancy dropped with the introduction of COVID-19, it was disturbing but not surprising. But two years after widespread immunization decreased the number of COVID deaths per year, our average life expectancy remains at its lowest since 1996 at 76.1 years.

As independent healthcare analyst Joshua Cohen argued in an article for Forbes, the U.S. can primarily blame its low life expectancy on insufficient healthcare and political systems.

1. Maternal Mortality Is Rising

The U.S. is the only industrialized nation where maternal mortality is rising. There were 17 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births as recently as 2018. That’s more than double that of most other high-income countries.

The country’s infant mortality rate is also higher than expected for one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Infants from rich and poor socioeconomic backgrounds alike had a higher mortality rate than their European counterparts.

Meanwhile, postpartum Medicaid coverage is not a nationwide benefit. Many states offer no such medical coverage, further adding to the problem.

2. Widespread Lack Of Insurance

Speaking of a lack of coverage, a lack of health insurance is a significant public health issue in the U.S. Roughly 30 million Americans—around 8% of the population—have no access to health insurance.

An oft-cited statistic on uninsured deaths comes from the Institute of Medicine, which estimated that 18,314 Americans die annually because of a lack of health insurance. However, this data was collected nearly 20 years ago.

A 2009 study used this statistic as the basis for an analysis of death rates related to lack of insurance and found that those without insurance were 1.4% more likely to die than those with insurance.

3. Obesity With No New Solutions In Sight

Obesity affects one in three adults and one in six children in the United States. Health experts call these alarmingly high rates of obesity a national epidemic—one that leads to a slew of other health issues.

The correlations between obesity and many common diseases are well-established and include diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and cancer. Yet the government seems to be doing little to intervene.

Not only have federal budget documents revealed a stagnancy in nutrition science funding, according to POLITICO, but food deserts, long work days, poor physical wellness resources, and increased stress also contribute to the problem.

4. Increased Gun Violence

An analysis in Trauma Surgery and Acute Care Open found that the United States lost 12.6 million potential years of life between 2009 and 2018 due to firearms alone. Within that time frame, firearm deaths increased by .72% every year.

Gun violence causes an increased mortality risk in multiple ways. Researchers calculated that white males lost the most years of potential life because of suicide by gun, while Black males lost the most years by gun-related homicide.

The Gun Violence Archive recorded 648 mass shootings in 2022, and less than a month into 2023, they’ve already recorded more than 20.

5. Illicit And/Or Accidental Fentanyl Use

Provisional data from the CDC estimated that more than 107,000 people died of a drug overdose in 2021. Out of those deaths, 75% involved an opioid—illicit fentanyl being the major culprit.

Fentanyl is a type of synthetic opioid that’s 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. While it’s legally prescribed for severe pain, many illegal drug markets use fentanyl to cut other drugs, like heroin or cocaine.

Mixing fentanyl with other drugs drives addiction and attracts repeat buyers. However, it also puts hundreds of thousands of people at risk of accidentally overdosing on a drug they didn’t even realize they were taking.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Based on these contributing factors, it would appear that our best chance to increase our average life expectancy as a whole is to make a more concerted effort toward improving our public healthcare systems.

Increased access to medical resources, including mental and postpartum care, greater research into nutrition and obesity prevention, decreased gun violence, and better access to drug safety resources like fentanyl test strips and supervised consumption services are all excellent places to start.

We can’t speak to whether these issues will be of any major concern in the political arena this year. But for the sake of U.S. life expectancy rates and the chance to enjoy a version of the American dream like the one our parents had, we hope they will be.

Among the thousands of dietary supplements on the market, it can be difficult to decide which ones are right for you. Some can offer real health benefits, while others are just unnecessary despite the hype. 

The latest supplement fascination on social media and beyond is biotin, or vitamin B7, which is purported to improve hair, skin, and nail health. But despite its popularity, physicians are rarely inclined to recommend this in-vogue supplement.

Why? Evidence that biotin supplements can actually improve hair, skin, or nails is lacking. Since the supplements industry is more loosely regulated than prescription drugs, not much research is available.

We do know that at best, too much biotin can be unnecessary but harmless, while at worst, it can be problematic for your health.

Unless It’s Doctor-Prescribed, You Probably Don’t Need Biotin

Biotin is important because it helps break down fats, carbohydrates, and protein in our food. It also plays a role in helping your body produce keratin, a type of protein that is found in our hair, skin, and nails.

It is likely this latter bit that has led to the notion that taking biotin supplements can make nails stronger, support hair growth, and keep skin looking young. This is misleading for a few reasons.

To start, studies show taking a biotin supplement is only effective for those with an actual deficiency, which is quite rare.

You likely already consume plenty of biotin in your diet anyway. In fact, it’s difficult to avoid biotin throughout the day because it’s so readily available in many foods including eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and vegetables. Biotin is also found in many multivitamins.

The daily biotin requirement for adults 19 years or older is 30 micrograms (mcg). That’s substantially less than common supplements on the market that boasts biotin levels of 10,000 mcg (or even more).

Moreover, there is very limited evidence that popping a biotin capsule every day will help you grow thicker, stronger hair.

One study from 2012 showed that women who took a supplement that contained biotin reported a visible increase in hair thickness and growth compared to a placebo group, but there were multiple caveats with this research.

In addition to being a small pool of participants, the supplements given also contained ingredients such as zinc and iron, which could have played just as much if not more of a role in the, again, self-reported results. It was also noted that participants could have had a nutrient deficiency that was inadvertently corrected during the study.

Other research has shown more promising results for biotin supplements aiding in preventing hair loss, but this seemed to be in individuals who had a deficiency.

The Potential Cons Of Taking Too Much Biotin

While biotin supplements are usually unnecessary, high doses of biotin are not typically toxic given that it is water-soluble (aka excess biotin will just end up in your urine). But taking higher doses is not without risk. 

Excessive biotin in the bloodstream can interfere with lab test results, leading to misdiagnoses or missed diagnoses.

An excessive amount of biotin can cause a false negative on a blood test that measures troponin levels, used to diagnose heart attacks and strains. Too much biotin can also hamper blood tests that measure thyroid hormones, reproductive hormones, and vitamin D levels. 

Other documented symptoms of taking too much biotin include insomnia, excessive thirst, and excessive urination.

Moreover, there have been self-reported claims that taking too much biotin can cause you to break out, but there are no scientific studies to back that up.

At the end of the day, chances are that the biotin gummy you’re taking is just money flushed down the toilet (literally). If you suspect you have a biotin deficiency, which can include symptoms such as hair loss, extremely dry skin, dry eyes, loss of appetite, or a swollen tongue, it’s always best to consult with a doctor first.

As the saying goes, nothing in life is black and white. Habits widely considered to be vices are often vilified—but are they really that bad?  

Rationalizing is one thing, but it turns out science actually shows that some of our so-called bad habits might actually be good for us (or at least not harmful). Below are the top five bad habits researchers recommend you stop feeling guilty about. See if any of yours made the list.

1. You Probably Don’t Need To Cut Back On Coffee

Your morning coffee might feel like too much of a good thing. But indulging in coffee is not a bad habit unless it’s rich in sugar, creamers, and other additives, which are the real culprits. In fact, coffee has significant health benefits. 

Past studies linked drinking coffee with serious health conditions, such as asthma and heart disease. But as it turned out, most of those study subjects were smokers, so the results were unreliable.

In more recent studies, researchers found that coffee and tea consumption actually improved health. One study found a substantial reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease when you drink two to three cups of coffee daily, whether ground, instant, or decaffeinated. 

Pairing coffee with tea may further boost its benefits. In recent studies, drinking both tea and coffee has been found to significantly lower stroke and dementia risks.

And if you worry that drinking all that caffeine will make you dehydrated, think again. Contrary to popular belief, drinks with moderate amounts of caffeine give the same level of hydration as drinks that don’t contain caffeine. 

2. Don’t Discredit Daily Movement If You Can’t Get In A Workout

Finding the time to get to the gym can be daunting, as can the thought of an intense workout. The good news is that you don’t need a solid hour of intense exercise to reap significant benefits.

Researchers have found that around 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity daily goes a long way toward offsetting the negative health risks of sitting most of the day. This can include things like a cleaning session or a brisk walk.

Even better news, a study from 2022 found that even just minutes of vigorous-intensity activity throughout the day (like going up a couple of flights of stairs) can have a significant impact in reducing the risk of all-cause mortality.

3. You’re Getting More Water Than You Think

Contrary to popular belief, there’s no reason to feel guilty if you can’t down eight glasses of water every day. There is actually no scientific evidence that says that’s necessary or even that more water is healthier.

Staying hydrated is no doubt important, but you don’t need to force it into your diet. Your body will tell you when it needs water. Plus, much of what we eat and drink (think coffee, tea, and even beer) contains water, which helps us remain hydrated. 

Another common myth is that your pee needs to be as clear as possible. A good goal should be a pale yellow (think the color of a standard sticky note). If you find yourself going to the bathroom more during the day than you like, then it may be OK to even cut back on your water consumption.

4. Your Weekly Gossip Session With Your BFF Has Benefits

It turns out that being a blabbermouth at your weekly get-together is not so bad as long as your gossip doesn’t aim to hurt anybody. While gossip is generally considered to be a negative form of communication, one study found that it can be quite beneficial.

According to the study, it found that gossiping can help people learn from others’ experiences while also bringing them closer. Spilling tea also involves a bit of trust, which ultimately bridges a social bond and solidifies further ties.

5. Unless You’re Lactose Intolerant, Cheese Isn’t The Enemy

Dairy products, including cheese, have long been criticized for their high saturated fat and sodium content. But the tide is turning. In addition to being rich in calcium and proteins, studies suggest that cheese consumption may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Researchers have found that calcium and conjugated linoleic acid are two nutrients in cheese that can benefit the heart. Also, the saturated fatty acids in cheese may have different effects on the heart than red meat.

Cheese can certainly be part of a healthy diet, but the way you consume it is key. Similar to when you add a bunch of sweeteners to your morning cup of joe, enjoying cheese on top of garlic bread or pizza can negate the health benefits.

If you’re like me, you find intentionally carving out time in your day for something you don’t want to do—like exercise—to be extremely difficult.

But what if I told you just a few minutes of daily activity could lower your risk of death? A 2022 study published in Nature Medicine found that even short bursts of exercise in an otherwise sedentary lifestyle actually lowered the risk of “all-cause” mortality.

In other words, just a couple minutes of activity a few times each day can lower your risk of dying from any cause.

Over the course of seven years, Emmanuel Stamatakis, Ph.D., and his colleagues studied more than 25,000 older adults who didn’t exercise. Participants in the study cohort came from the U.K. Biobank and included 14,178 women and 11,063 men with an average age of 62.

The study was exclusive to participants who didn’t regularly exercise, meaning they didn’t have a regular fitness routine, didn’t participate in any sports, and walked recreationally no more than once a week.

Researchers found that those who engaged in what they labeled VILPA (vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity) three times a day (with each bout lasting one to two minutes each) “showed a 38%–40% reduction in all-cause and cancer mortality risk and a 48%–49% reduction in [cardiovascular disease] mortality risk” compared to those who engaged in no VILPA.

For reference, VILPA is defined as short, sporadic moments of “vigorous-intensity physical activity” that occur during daily life. This could be taking the stairs instead of the elevator or rushing to catch the train.  

Even more exciting, these results were in line with an analysis done with participants who regularly exercise, suggesting that whether you can’t (or simply don’t want to) hit the gym, you can still reap health benefits moving where you can during the day.

That seems to be quite the return on a very small investment. 

Dr. Stamatakis told MedPage Today that the research team was aware of the benefits of repeated and intermittent vigorous activity prior to the study, but that the outsized magnitude of the benefits for such little activity came as a surprise.

Time For Healthcare Professionals To Get Involved

The results of this study mean that doctors can now encourage patients to fit in small amounts of exercise throughout the day to make significant health gains. 

Dr. Stamatakis noted that physical inactivity is one of the main driving forces behind the “unending pandemic of lifestyle-related chronic disease” the world is currently experiencing. He said that as a trusted source of information, healthcare systems and professionals have a key role in spreading this good news.

Unfortunately, he added that most healthcare professionals are not trained or educated to offer physical activity advice. Dr. Stamatakis also pointed out that the bar for leisure-time exercise programs has been set incredibly high because they often demand high levels of motivation, time availability, and the capacity and willingness to travel to a gym, fitness center, or park. 

These study results suggest that those rigorous conditions don’t need to be met to maintain a healthy lifestyle, so healthcare professionals can take a different approach when they advocate for physical activity. They can identify opportunities that exist in their patients’ everyday life for short bursts of VILPA. 

These opportunities could include maximizing your walking pace for a minute, parking farther away from your destination, carrying your bags of groceries to your car instead of using a cart, or using the stairs instead of an elevator. If this kind of behavior becomes ingrained in your everyday life, it will almost certainly result in health benefits—including lowering your risk of death.

Girls are often raised to be polite, quiet, and sweet. As they become adults, pent-up emotions and aggression can become difficult to deal with. Hormonal changes often exacerbate the issue: menopausal rage anyone?

And because it often doesn’t feel OK to be anything other than “ladylike,” unhealthy coping strategies can plague women in midlife—impulsive spending, rumination, and drug and alcohol abuse are just a few ways in which women avoid uncomfortable emotions.

Exercise is a well-known prescription for mental and physical health, especially as we age. But we also might feel we need to be gentler with ourselves and stick to walking or light stretching as we get older—a medical professional (or mother-in-law) may even have told us as much.

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But middle-aged women around the world are showing that a little aggression is alright, and even can be downright therapeutic for our bodies and brains.

Catharsis Through Punches And Hooks

Humans of New York profiled a woman named Detra in the summer of 2022. Her boxing coach is a perfect example of how sometimes trainers do double duty as therapists.

She arrived at the gym one day upset about an interaction with her husband, whom she described as psychologically abusive. Her coach, Martin Snow (who has also appeared on Real Housewives Of New York), insisted that every time she threw a cross she should say, “Fuck that shit.”

She was uncomfortable with the rough language at first. But with each cross, Martin encouraged her to say the phrase louder. She complied, and the exercise became about much more than the interaction with her husband.

“The psychological abuse in the marriage. The sexual abuse as a child. All the guilt I’d been made to feel, all the shame. Fuck. That. Shit. It was wrong,” she told Humans Of New York. “I’ve known it was wrong my whole life. But I never defended myself. Or if I tried, it was: ‘Get back in your place.’ But now I was doing something. I was fighting back. At the end of the day when I walked out the door, I felt relieved of so much pain.”

Detra is far from the only midlife woman using boxing as a therapeutic tool. Forty-something abuse survivor and writer Alexis Strum’s therapist suggested she take up boxing. And although she said she was stunned by the recommendation, she knew she had to do something about the rage eating her up inside.

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So she followed her therapist’s advice and said that while boxing got her in amazing physical shape, her mind has become more fit as well. “I felt exhilarated, high on endorphins,” Strum wrote in The Independent. “I had never sweated so much, not even during a two-hour Zumbathon or a 10k run. Not even during childbirth,” she wrote about her first boxing class.

“The silence in my head was a liberation. There was no space to think, only to count—1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4—as I worked my way through the combination of punches and slips. In a world where all the windows in our heads are permanently open and the lure of the scroll is constant, it was a relief to finally switch my brain off. I was entirely present.”

Strum also noted that the “in the moment” nature of boxing stimulates different parts of the brain and helps build and maintain hand-eye coordination and build strength.

Should You Get Hooked On Boxing?

Boxing trains you to focus, strategize, and coordinate your mind and body. It improves cardiovascular fitness, tones and sculpts muscles, and increases strength. Combined with the mental perks, boxing has a whole lot to offer, especially for midlife women.

It may seem extremely intimidating to walk into a boxing gym, but many women say the camaraderie they feel in the sport is also an important benefit, saying they feel included and accepted even as beginners.

Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise routine—perhaps especially with boxing since the risks include a punch in the nose. But if you’re looking for a new exercise, boxing may be just the thing to try in midlife and beyond.

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Many of us have made New Year’s resolutions to be healthier. These resolutions typically include eating better, exercising more, and losing weight. But shedding those extra pounds can be difficult, especially when menopause sets in. Although weight loss can be daunting as we get older, one doctor is revealing how she lost 100 pounds in her 50s.

Even though she’s been a doctor for decades, Dr. Emi Hosoda (better known as Dr. Emi on TikTok) knows the struggles of living a healthy lifestyle. In an interview with TODAY, the doctor admitted that she reached her heaviest weight of 235 pounds after having kids in her 30s. 

Although Dr. Emi was able to lose the extra pounds at the time, she was unable to keep the weight off for very long. As she continued to age and experienced menopause, weight loss seemed impossible.

The doctor explained, “Perimenopause hit around 2010 and I started working nights in a hospital, then all bets were off. So I gained pretty much all of my weight back.”

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The doctor decided to invest in a new fitness routine and different eating habits. Eventually, she lost 100 pounds due to her discipline and commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. In fact, Dr. Emi continues to focus on these changes since her energy has returned.

Although diet and health needs vary for each person, Dr. Emi recently revealed the five things she always does to keep the extra weight at bay. And some of these tips are easy enough for most of us to follow!

1. Stop Counting Calories

The one that we can all get behind is to stop looking at calories! Yes, you read that right. Instead of looking at the calorie count, Dr. Emi shared that we should be looking at the sugar value instead. Surprisingly, Dr. Emi even revealed, “I don’t really care about calories at all.” 

2. Take The Right Supplements

The doctor also shared that we should take the right supplements for our genetics and hormones. Then she mentioned the one thing most of us know: “drink enough water.”

3. Drink Water Based On Your Body Weight

How do you know if you’re drinking the right amount of water? According to Dr. Emi, “Each of us should be drinking a half ounce to an ounce of water per pound of body weight depending on how active we are.”

The caveat is that people with medical conditions should check with their doctors to find out how much water they should be drinking.

4. The Magic Of Magnesium For Menopause

Next, Dr. Emi shared that magnesium was a huge game-changer for her, and could be for women over the age of 35. Apparently, magnesium can help with sugar cravings and sleep. That’s good news for anyone who is menopausal or perimenopausal!

5. Strength Training Is Key

Lastly, Dr. Emi revealed that aerobic exercises aren’t enough. Strength training is also important, especially for those over the age of 50. However, this takes discipline even for Dr. Emi. In fact, she wakes up at 4:00 a.m. at least three times a week to work out. Her exercise routine includes 30 minutes on a stationary bike and then one hour of weightlifting.

If you’ve resolved to be healthier and want to follow Dr. Emi’s tips, check with your doctor to be sure these steps are right for you.

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If you’re unfamiliar with Dr. Mary Claire Haver, allow me to introduce you to the best friend and medical guru you’ve always wanted if you’re over 40. Haver is a board-certified OB/GYN physician who provides valuable medical and wellness information to midlife women on social media.

Haver’s new book, The Galveston Diet, will be available on January 10, so mark your calendars.

In particular, she is a big proponent of intermittent fasting, especially for perimenopausal and menopausal women.

First, A Quick Run-Down On Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) refers to a pattern of fasting and eating on a regular schedule. Haver’s conversation centers around a 16:8 pattern, which refers to a 16-hour fasting and an 8-hour eating period. Alternate-day fasting, periodic fasting, and daily-time restricted eating are other forms of IF. 

Our bodies convert what we consume into glucose, which we use as our primary energy source. Once these glucose reserves deplete in the fasting period, the body switches to burning fat for fuel. While this can aid in weight loss, Haver said this is not just a weight loss program. 

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Rather, IF is a supplement to well-balanced nutrition and exercise that can increase metabolism and, yes, promote weight loss. Additionally, Haver cites several studies that show IF can reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, preserve muscle mass, improve general well-being, and reduce inflammation.

Why Is It So Beneficial For Menopausal Women?

Perimenopause and menopause bring about several physical and mental changes that can feel overwhelming when piled on top of the obligations of everyday life. Intermittent fasting can fortify our bodies, building resiliency to annoying menopause symptoms and improving our quality of life.

Haver breaks down each benefit of IF and how it pertains to menopausal women.

1. Decreased Heart Disease Risk

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, even for women,” Haver said. “Not cancer.”

She cites a 2018 study published in Obesity where researchers found IF benefits including lower blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), and lower triglycerides in overweight and obese premenopausal (but still middle-aged, between 40 and 51) women.

Haver notes that these results were seen in obese women, and other women who have heart disease risk factors may need intervention beyond diet changes, such as medication.

2. Lower Diabetes Risk

A review of research published in Diabetes Spectrum in 2020 collected studies showing IF can reduce the risk of diabetes by lowering insulin levels and blood glucose and decreasing insulin resistance.

Haver mentions that obese women have achieved significant reductions in insulin resistance after six months of intermittent fasting.

3. More Muscle Mass

Compared to a calorie-restricted diet, one study published in Obesity in 2018 suggested that IF can promote lean mass retention (read: muscle mass).

Haver said the old-fashioned “less calories in than out” dieting method can result in faster loss of muscle mass, which can create a slower metabolic rate, leading to more weight gain—something Haver calls a “negative feedback cycle.”

4. Disease Resilience

Haver also references the work of Dr. Mark Mattson, a professor of neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, on the effects of intermittent fasting on the brain and cellular function.

His research shows that IF can make us more resilient to disease by causing cells to “undergo just enough stress to start making physiological changes to make them more resilient to disease and injury—almost like working out,” Haver explained.

5. Increased Longevity

Finally, Haver explains that IF has been shown to increase longevity in animal models. Because IF is a relatively new concept, IF research in humans is limited. But animal studies do show an improvement in both longevity and quality of life.

Intermittent Fasting Might Not Be Right For You If…

This form of fasting does have a few caveats. Haver warns that those who have suffered from an eating disorder and would find restricted eating triggering should avoid intermittent fasting.

Those with type 1 diabetes, certain cases of type 2 diabetes, who are currently under a doctor’s care or on medication, or who have a history of hypoglycemia should consult with their physician before starting an IF regimen—and that’s probably a good idea for just about anyone.

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Great, Now, How Do I Start?

If it sounds easy, it’s because it is. Intermittent fasting is as evolutionarily natural to us as sleeping and breathing, Haver said.

“[Our bodies were] not evolutionarily developed to have access to food 24/7. Our bodies were primed not to have food available at all times. It’s more natural to fast from time to time than to have food filling your body 24/7.”

Moreover, IF is cheap, requires no extra apps or equipment, and can be adjusted to fit your schedule. There is no hard and fast rule for delineating your 16 hours of fasting and eight hours of eating. As Haver puts it, “the only program that’s going to work is the one that’s going to work.”

Haver recommended going slow—push back your fasting period after waking up by half-hour increments until your body feels adjusted. She said it took her around six weeks to become fasting-adopted.

Whatever discomfort you experience by limiting your eating windows, the mental, emotional, and physical benefits may well be worth the effort.

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So you walk past a window and notice your body’s silhouette in the reflection. Maybe your dress feels a little more form-fitting than it did last year. Or maybe you want to look good for the attractive passerby on the street. What’s your next move? If your answer is “suck in your stomach,” join the club, sister. 

Sucking in one’s stomach, or “stomach gripping,” to create a flatter, smoother-looking midsection is an almost involuntary instinct many of us know all too well. It can become an uncomfortable norm—we might even spend the whole day tensing our abdomen without realizing it.

According to Cleveland Health Clinic chiropractor Adam Browning, the practice is more than an exercise in vanity. All that sucking in could be doing far more physical harm than good.

The Side Effects Of Stomach Gripping

Browning shared his insights into stomach gripping and a resulting problem called “hourglass syndrome” in a blog post on the Cleveland Health Clinic’s website. He defined stomach gripping as chronic, repeated contractions of the abdomen and stated that this eventually alters the movement patterns of four distinct muscle areas.

Chronic stomach gripping can result in a malfunction of our “six-pack” abs, internal obliques, transversus abdominis, and diaphragm. The upper abdomen muscles remain hypertonic or tight, while the muscles in the lower abdomen become weak. 

Our core is critical to overall physical function, so it’s not surprising that incorrectly training and working this area can result in a myriad of unsavory health issues. (None of which, by the way, seem worth a slightly flatter-looking tummy.)

Signs Of Hourglass Syndrome

Hourglass syndrome refers to a varying set of symptoms, including muscle pain, pelvic floor problems, and even breathing problems. Here are a few of the adverse side effects of too much sucking in.

1. Breathing Problems

When we suck in our stomachs, the contents of our lungs and stomach are pushed higher into the rib cage via intra-abdominal pressure.

Normally, our diaphragm moves downward when we take a deep breath. This creates empty space that the lungs can fill as they expand with air. But hourglass syndrome causes the opposite effect, forcing the diaphragm to move upward. According to Browning, this can reduce your oxygen intake by as much as 30%.

2. Neck And Back Pain

Similarly, stomach gripping will affect the movements of the muscles in our neck, upper back, and lower back. Instead of these muscles supporting our upper body, they are forced to compensate for the improperly flexed abdominal muscles. This results in muscle stiffness and pain.

3. Pelvic Floor Issues

It’s fairly common knowledge that childbirth, menopause, and aging can wreak havoc on your pelvic floor. But guess what? So can sucking in your stomach. Stomach gripping weakens soft tissues by keeping them in a state of constant stretch. A weak pelvic floor can cause urine leakage, incontinence, and painful sex.

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Do You Have Hourglass Syndrome? If So, What Next?

Any of the three physical symptoms above can be an indicator of hourglass syndrome. But other clues include a slightly upturned belly button, horizontal lines around or above your belly button, and firm definition in your upper abs with a significantly softer lower ab region.

Hourglass syndrome is treated through psychotherapy and physiotherapy, which can help restrengthen muscles. Diaphragmatic breathing can also help loosen tense ab muscles and make your body more comfortable with being in a relaxed state. 

Sucking in one’s stomach, just like any other bad habit, can be hard to break—but it’s possible. Practicing self-love, working the muscles correctly, wearing clothes that make you feel comfortable, and being patient with yourself can help retrain your body to relax, not flex.

And with time, you might be able to lessen your hourglass syndrome symptoms and, most importantly, learn to feel a little more comfortable in your skin.

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The Food and Drug Administration has not updated its guidelines for what constitutes “healthy” food for 30 years, and it’s safe to say that food science has come a long way in those three decades. A much-needed update could finally happen next year thanks to some proposed changes.

The Biggest Changes

The FDA recently proposed an update that would redefine healthy to be “consistent with current nutrition science and federal dietary guidance.” The update would be consistent with the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the upgraded nutrition facts label that debuted about a year ago when the FDA began listing added sugars, vitamin D, potassium, and more on the nutrition label.

The focus of this new categorization would be on food groups rather than individual nutrients, and foods will need certain qualifications to be labeled healthy.

This new definition would line up with what healthcare professionals already tell their patients when it comes to focusing on overall health: eat good fats, avoid saturated fats, and limit added sugars.

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Specifically, the FDA’s proposed change would require the following qualifications to be met for a food product to get a healthy label. 

1. It must “contain a certain meaningful amount of food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups (e.g., fruit, vegetable, dairy, etc.) recommended by the Dietary Guidelines.”

2. It must contain a limited amount of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. “The threshold for the limits is based on a percent of the daily value (DV) for the nutrient and varies depending on the food and food group. The limit for sodium is 10% of the DV per serving (230 milligrams per serving).”

The change will no longer account for a food’s total fat. Research has shown that low overall fat shouldn’t be the goal of a healthy diet—it’s about eating enough healthy fats and less unhealthy (saturated) fats.  

Under the current guidelines, fatty fish and avocados don’t qualify as healthy, but they will with the new guidelines. Other foods that will be considered healthy include nuts, seeds, eggs, tuna, anchovies, and olive oil. Nutritionists say it’s all a huge step forward and a long-overdue correction

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“Under the proposed definition, raw whole fruits and vegetables would automatically qualify for the ‘healthy’ claim because of their nutrient profile and positive contribution to an overall healthy diet,” the FDA explained in a press release.

On the flip side, foods like white bread, cereals, and yogurts that are high in sugar currently qualify as “healthy,” but with these changes, they no longer will.

Making Healthy Eating Easier

The FDA’s goal is to make healthy eating less complicated by educating and empowering consumers. 

“The proposed rule is part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to helping consumers improve nutrition and dietary patterns to help reduce the burden of chronic disease and advance health equity,” according to the FDA press release.

And the FDA hopes the new guidelines will “help foster a healthier food supply” and encourage manufacturers to develop more nutritional products.

The agency is also working on a new healthy symbol to appear on foods that meet their criteria. Here again, the aim is to help shoppers easily identify nutritious choices.

For many of us, these changes will confirm what many of us already know—that nutrient-rich foods are good for us. But these new guidelines and symbols will add the government’s stamp of approval, plus a visual cue.

In the future, the FDA also hopes to develop a front-of-package labeling system to make nutritional information even more obvious both at the supermarket and online.

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Your brain is a glucose-hungry organ containing nearly 86 billion cells called neurons. The brain compartmentalizes these neurons into different regions and sub-regions that perform a specific function. Neurons communicate with each other through electrical and chemical signals delivered over junctions called synapses. 

These specialized areas are responsible for our growth and development from birth to old age. And according to a review published in Psychophysiology, the way the brain links and communicates undergoes a significant “rewiring” starting in midlife. The changes in connections have an impact on our cognitive abilities and may be the brain’s solution to function as efficiently as possible with aging “hardware.”

A Systematic Review: 1986-2021

Australian researchers from Monash University examined scientific literature on the brain to better understand what contributes to cognitive decline with old age. They looked at 144 studies including tens of thousands of brain scans. 

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The brain scans revealed which parts of the brain “light up” or activate in response to certain stimuli. The data illustrated the brain’s interconnectivity, and the researchers could determine how these connections changed with age. 

They found that in our younger years, the brain appears to have many separate regions with robust inner connectivity, which make specialized processes—like learning a sport or a language—easier. Around the mid-40s, the brain shows fewer connections between these separate regions and rather broader connectivity as a whole.

This would explain what researchers noted in how we think about and view the world as we age.

“Older adults tend to show less flexible thinking, such as forming new concepts and abstract thinking, response inhibition, as well as verbal and numeric reasoning,” researchers noted. “These findings are also consistent with a decline in executive functions but maintenance of primary information processing in ‘normal’ aging, which implies an underlying compensation mechanism in aging to support higher-level cognitive functioning.”

Working With Dwindling Resources

So, why does the brain decide to reroute its connections in midlife? The simple answer is a simple sugar: glucose. Glucose is the brain’s primary energy source, using 20% of the body’s overall glucose supply while only accounting for 2% of the total body weight. 

As we age, our brains become less efficient when metabolizing glucose. The less glucose our brains can “eat,” the less efficiently it can supply enough energy to maintain highly-specialized, internally-connected brain regions. Thus, the connections become broader, more generalized, and less specifically functional. 

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Imagine a piece of woven cloth. The tighter and more plentiful the strands, the sturdier and less prone to wear and tear the material becomes—but creating this weave is labor-intensive. Alternatively, the same fabric can be woven more quickly and with less effort by using longer, looser strands. But this type of fabric is also flimsier and more prone to damage. 

How To Keep Your Mind Sharp

The brain certainly changes in many ways as we age, but they aren’t all negative. For example, researchers found that tasks relying on “predominantly automatic or well-practiced processes are less impacted by age or may even increase slightly across the lifespan.” This includes areas of brain function responsible for vocabulary and general knowledge. 

Speech and language processing tend to be relatively stable with age, the study said, although a generalized reduction in processing speed may make response times slower in older adults. And generally speaking, there are several things you can do to keep your mind sharp well past your 40th birthday. 

A proper diet (nutrients are vital for proper brain function), regular exercise, and healthy lifestyle choices can prevent the severity of cognitive decline with age. The scientists who worked on this review said further research is needed to better understand the inner workings of the brain’s rewiring phase and, in turn, how to avoid its more adverse side effects. 

So, before dogging yourself for your third “senior moment” or “menopausal brain fog” incident of the day, remember that your brain is rerouting its entire roadmap. Give yourself grace while you experience and respond to these changes.

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A good sense of balance is essential in our daily lives for basic activities like walking or climbing stairs, and it plays a key role in dynamic exercises and movements like playing sports. It’s easy to take good balance for granted in our younger years, and as we age, it can be difficult to notice our balance declining.

While a lack of balance can increase the risks of falling as we get older, studies have also tied poor balance with serious health issues.

The good news is, with some simple self-tests you can determine whether or not your level of balance is something to be concerned about. And there are things you can do to improve your balance even after you’ve started to get wobbly.

What Is Balance?

Balance can be a bit tricky to define. It’s maintained by multiple systems in the body coordinating and working together. From nerves, muscles, and movement receptors within your joints to eyesight, the inner ear, and the sensory system—all of these things work together to maintain balance. And it’s not something we’re born with; it’s an ability we gain early in life and slowly lose over time.

Technically, balance is the body’s ability to maintain its center of mass and distribute body weight over the base of support, especially during movement. And according to The American Heart Association, balance is one of the four types of exercise that should be incorporated into everyday activity, along with strength, endurance, and flexibility.

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Studies have shown that a lack of balance can be associated with serious health problems and an increased risk of falls as we age. Earlier this year, the British Journal of Sports Medicine published a decade-long study involving more than 1,700 middle-aged participants. The study found that an inability to balance nearly doubled the risk of impending death.

The researchers asked volunteers to stand on one leg with their other leg pressed against it, arms by their sides, eyes fixed straight ahead. Subjects were allowed three attempts to hold the position for 10 seconds. The inability to do so was found to be associated with an 84% increase in the risk of death from any cause within the next 10 years.

With numbers like that, focusing on prevention is crucial. Luckily, there are (literally) steps you can take to prevent serious problems.

What Causes Lack Of Balance?

Balance issues are often blamed on a lack of activity. But aging, slowing nerve signals, impaired vision, dips in blood pressure, and declines in other systems can also contribute to a decline in balance.

Whatever the cause, once balance starts to fail, it tends to accelerate into a downward spiral. If you’re unable to easily walk around your home—or if you’re afraid to—you’re unlikely to try more strenuous activity to keep your muscles robust. Further imbalances can develop as your muscles atrophy, which, in turn, increases the risk of falls. 

As Benjamin Franklin famously said centuries ago, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” And that couldn’t be more apropos when it comes to balance. 

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George Locker, author of Falling Is Not An Option and a long-term tai chi practitioner told The Guardian that the loss of balance very clearly begins at 45 and is difficult to reverse later in life. Prevention starting in midlife, he said, is imperative.

What You Can Do Now

Locker recommends taking up what he called “bent knee and ankle sports” such as ice skating, skiing, surfing, paddle boarding, or inline skating during your middle years to prevent balance problems.

If that sounds daunting, don’t worry. Tai chi is an extremely low-impact exercise that can bolster balance. You could even try something as simple as standing on one leg while brushing your teeth—but Locker recommends doing it with a bent leg to get your postural muscles firing.

As little as 15 minutes of balance exercise a day can be extremely beneficial. Start out with something easy, like the toothbrushing balance challenge. From there, try incorporating stationary or walking lunges. Once you’re feeling stronger, try using a box or step to do step-ups by pushing through your heels.

The important thing is to get started with some type of exercise to improve balance before symptoms become too debilitating. Your life could depend on it.

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Climate change has begun to measurably and observably impact the world around us. The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are causing damage to every continent on the planet. It’s also prompting couples to reimagine if, when, and/or how they will have children.

The effects of climate change vary greatly in severity, but even something as small as your glass of wine will be affected by climate change in the future. And now we’ve learned that your seasonal sniffling and sneezing could get significantly worse in the coming years as well.

According to a study published in October in Frontiers in Allergy, two potent allergens—ragweed and oak pollen—may start earlier in the season, last longer than normal, and become more widely distributed as the climate continues to change.

This information comes to us from a study conducted by the Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute. Using computer models, researchers simulated how climate change will affect the distribution and potency of certain allergens. The study concluded that by 2050, the two most prevalent allergens will be more common in areas where pollen is currently uncommon.

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The researchers adapted a computer model called the Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system, which is an open-source tool managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Alarmingly, even a moderate temperature increase resulted in significantly higher pollen concentrations.

According to the model, the Northeast and Southwest regions of the U.S. could see a 20% increase in ragweed and a 40% increase in oak pollen concentrations. Parts of Nevada and northern Texas could potentially experience a 100% increase in oak pollen by 2050, and Massachusetts and Virginia are predicted to have a 20 to 80% increase in airborne ragweed pollen by the same time.

Those who suffer from seasonal allergies or who have other chronic conditions like asthma are likely to suffer the negative health effects of a changing climate. Currently, more than 50 million people deal with various types of allergies. And of the 25 million people in the U.S. who have asthma, 60% of those have allergy-related asthma, making it the most common type.

However, even those without allergies or asthma will likely be affected by the increase in allergens. According to the study, pollen exposure can also increase susceptibility to respiratory viral infections like the flu and COVID-19.

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We all know that ultra-processed foods with little nutritional value have a negative impact on our overall health. Namely, a poor diet has been linked to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Now, there is growing evidence that ultra-processed foods can be even more damaging to the body, specifically when it comes to cognitive function as we age.

In a recent study published in JAMA Neurology, middle-aged adults who consumed more ultra-processed foods were more likely to suffer from cognitive decline.

Researchers in Brazil analyzed 10,775 subjects over the course of eight years. The mean age at the study’s onset was 51 years old. Additionally, 54.6% were women, 53.1% were white, and 56.6% had a least a college degree.

During the study, scientists asked participants to complete a food frequency questionnaire. Based on the NOVA classification system, the questionnaire classified foods into separate categories indicating the extent to which they were processed.

Cognitive tests were also conducted in conjunction with this data to determine any possible cognitive impairments. In conclusion, the study revealed some eye-opening results.

How Ultra-Processed Foods May Affect Cognitive Health

There is no doubt that chips, cookies, and sugary drinks are not the healthiest choices, but this study shows that these guilty pleasures can be so much more harmful than only a few extra calories.

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To start, the study found that individuals who consumed 20% or more of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods demonstrated a concerning 28% faster rate of “global cognitive decline” over the study duration compared to those who consumed less than 20%. Among the many mental abilities related to global cognitive functioning are learning, thinking, reasoning, recalling information, language, and solving problems.

The effects didn’t end there as researchers also discovered that the same group showed a 25% faster rate of “executive function decline” as well. Having poor executive functioning makes it difficult to plan, multitask, and focus attention. 

Researchers noted that while there was clearly a link between consuming ultra-processed foods and both global cognitive and executive function decline, the linear association was small. In layman’s terms, linear correlation is simply a measurement of the association between two variables. Nevertheless, deviations from the norm cannot be ignored. 

“Intact cognitive function is key to successful aging,” the authors wrote. “Therefore, despite the small effect size of the association between [ultra-processed food] consumption and cognitive decline, our findings are meaningful to cognitive health.”

Additionally, these findings support a similar study published by the American Academy of Neurology in September 2022 that found an increased risk of dementia in those who had a diet higher in ultra-processed foods.

A Closer Look At Your Diet

Many of us probably feel comfortable saying we eat less than 20% of our total daily calories from ultra-processed foods. But you may be surprised at just how quickly that quick snack or treat throughout the day can add up.

Corresponding with MedPage Today, study author Natalia Gomes Gonçalves, Ph.D., demonstrated just this.

“Considering a person who eats a total of 2,000 [calories] a day, 20% of daily calories from ultra-processed foods are about two 1.5-ounce Kit Kat bars, or five slices of bread, or about a third of an 8.5-ounce package of chips,” she said.

Moreover, what some of us consider ultra-processed foods might differ from researchers’ definitions.

While the usual suspects—foods that are high in added sugar, salt, and/or fat and lacking in fiber or protein—like ice cream, chips, and soda come to mind, this category can also include items with food additives or contaminations from packaging that can also have a negative impact on cognitive health. As reported by MedPage Today, this can include canned tomatoes, ketchup, and even packaged guacamole.

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A lot of the complication stems from how to cleanly define foods as unprocessed, minimally processed, processed, or ultra-processed. Factors such as differences in levels of processing across brands and the ingredients used play into the final healthiness of a product that doesn’t always fit nicely in one box.

Small Changes Can Add Up

While obviously much easier said than done, evaluating and working to improve your diet during midlife can make a big impact on your future year. And it doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to happen overnight. Hell, it doesn’t even have to happen during midlife.

“Middle age is an important period of life to adopt preventive measures through lifestyle changes since the choices we make at this age will influence our older years,” Gomes Gonçalves said. “This does not mean that older adults will not have benefits if they adopt a healthier lifestyle. Research has shown over and over again that we benefit from healthy choices at any age.”

Looking back at the study examining the link between ultra-processed food consumption and increased risk of dementia, researchers found that individuals who swap about 10% of ultra-processed foods for healthier alternatives were able to lower their dementia risk by an astounding 19%. 

Healthy lifestyle choices can be made at any age and in any amount. It’s all about one step at a time.

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For many of us, dark chocolate is a tasty treat that we feel good about eating. According to the National Library of Medicine, the benefits of eating chocolate include several cardiovascular benefits, such as “regulation of blood pressure and insulin levels.”

In fact, some studies even show that “cocoa plays a role in treating cerebral conditions, such as stroke.” We also know that the darker the chocolate, the lower the sugar level.

With all the health benefits of dark chocolate, is there any reason not to eat this treat that ancient Mayans called the food of the gods? Turns out, there may be some dangerous health consequences to eating dark chocolate. In fact, we may be ingesting some metal with our dark chocolate.

A new study by Consumer Reports shows that there are concerning levels of heavy metals in certain dark chocolate products on the market. While we’re enjoying our tasty treat, we may just be ingesting high levels of lead and cadmium.

The Dark Side Of Dark Chocolate

The study tested a variety of brands, including some smaller companies and ones that many of us know, such as Dove, Hershey’s, and Ghirardelli. As the report found, “For 23 of the bars, eating just an ounce a day would put an adult over a level that public health authorities and [Consumer Reports] experts say may be harmful for at least one of those heavy metals. Five of the bars were above those levels for both cadmium and lead.”

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Apparently, the risks associated with eating these levels of heavy metals are very dangerous. “The danger is greatest for pregnant people and young children because the metals can cause developmental problems, affect brain development, and lead to lower IQ,” according to Tunde Akinleye, the Consumer Reports food safety researcher who led the study.

Although pregnant women and young children are at the highest risk, all people are susceptible to health problems from too much exposure. Some of the more severe risks include “nervous system problems, hypertension, immune system suppression, kidney damage, and reproductive issues.”

With all the potential health risks of heavy metals found in dark chocolate, should we stop eating the succulent treat? Thankfully, the answer is no. The best thing to do is to be more mindful about the specific dark chocolate we’re eating and to reduce the intake of our midday energy booster. 

Want to know if your favorite dark chocolate bar is unsafe? Take a look at the list. Some of the brands may surprise you!

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If you’re aiming to make 2023 the year you take charge of your physical health, here’s a super manageable way to start. Dr. Jill Zimmerman, a physical therapist based in Charleston, South Carolina, is the creator of the “Treat Yo’ Self” DIY at-home exercise program, which provides basic tools to help you move better.

In a recent Instagram video, Dr. Zimmerman showed an 84-year-old woman named June getting on and off the floor from the kneeling position. She can get off the ground better now than she was able to 20 years ago, Dr. Zimmerman wrote.

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If you have time for only one exercise, this is it.

“Get on and off the floor several times a day, every single day,” she wrote. “I don’t care how much help you use to start. But as time goes on I want you to use less and less support. It’s one of the biggest bang for your buck movements you can do.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dr. Jill Zimmerman, DPT, CPT (@jillzimmermanpt)

This single movement addresses balance, stability, mobility, strength, coordination, and function. 

Balance is crucial when it comes to prolonging your life, and movements like this one are perfect for improving yours. As the doctor points out, “If longevity is your goal, this is how.”

The movement of getting on and off the floor from the kneeling position sounds deceptively easy, but it requires some technique and awareness. Always place padding under your knees, and start off by using support if necessary. For example, place your hands on your knees, or lean on a table or chair. 

If the movement is too much for you even with support, Dr. Zimmerman suggests starting small by getting in and out of a chair without using your hands. Whatever method you try, over time try to decrease how much support you use.

And do it every day. It only takes a minute or two, and this simple movement could add valuable months and years to your life. Then when you do make it to the age of 84, you won’t actually feel like you’re 84.

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Selenium is an essential mineral that facilitates normal cellular function, helps make our DNA, and protects us against infections, cell damage, and other health problems. 

It’s also vital for thyroid health. Getting healthy amounts of the mineral has been associated with a reduced risk of Hashimoto’s disease, Graves’ disease, and thyroid cancer.

Clearly, selenium is essential. But that doesn’t mean you need a ton of it. In fact, our bodies only require a tiny amount of selenium—you can get plenty by eating a single Brazil nut per day.

On the flip side, eating too much selenium-rich foods or taking too much via supplements can cause some pretty serious health issues.

Selenium deficiency is extremely rare in the United States because our soil is rich in the mineral. Most Americans get plenty of it in our food, and a supplement could easily put you well over the daily limit.

Nevertheless, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, nearly one-fifth of the US population takes a daily supplement that contains selenium. The recommended dietary allowance for adults over the age of 19 is 55 micrograms every day. The only exception is women who are pregnant and lactating—they require approximately 60 and 70 micrograms daily, respectively.

That’s a pretty easy range to hit with most regular diets—and it means if you take a supplement that contains selenium, you could get too much without realizing it.

In one study that investigated an outbreak of selenium toxicity, researchers found that the source was a liquid dietary supplement that contained 200 times the labeled concentration of selenium. 

Partly because the supplement industry isn’t regulated like the pharmaceutical industry is, this mislabeled product made it onto store shelves.

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Any amount of more than 400 micrograms daily for adults (including pregnant and lactating women) can cause health problems including muscle tremors, upset stomach, lightheadedness, hair loss, and respiratory distress. In severe cases, chronically high intakes of selenium can cause a heart attack or kidney failure.

If you’re a fan of Brazil nuts, be especially careful that your supplements don’t contain extra selenium. Brazil nuts contain the highest amount of selenium of any food, and eating just one (a single nut has 96 micrograms) will put you over the recommended daily amount.

That can be a good thing if you’re concerned about thyroid health, but eating too many Brazil nuts on a regular basis can cause your body to reach toxic levels. 

Other foods high in selenium include seafood and organ meats. Protein foods from animals are also good sources of selenium, as are breads, cereals, poultry, red meat, and eggs.

Bottom line: it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor before taking any supplement, and to read the ingredients list carefully.

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Infertility is a common problem for many women. In fact, according to the CDC, about one in five heterosexual women between the 15 and 49 are unable to conceive after trying for a year.

Stress and depression are common when a woman is struggling to get pregnant. And now, researchers are discovering that infertility can also have a negative impact on mental health later in life.

In a study presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s annual meeting (as reported by MedPage Today), the results showed that middle-aged women who had experienced infertility had increased risks for depression and anxiety.

Infertility And Its Link To Mental Health

In essence, researchers found that women who had reported infertility issues were more likely to develop depressive symptoms before menopause. Women who were “involuntarily childless” and unable to have children at all were at an even higher risk. Additionally, both groups of women had an increased risk of anxiety during the menopausal transition phase.

Researchers relied on data from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN)—a long-term research project examining the health of women in their middle years.

The 3,061 study participants were aged 42 to 52, were not pregnant or receiving hormone therapy, and had had at least one menstrual period in the previous 90 days. Out of the entire study population, 600 participants had reportedly experienced fertility issues and 127 were involuntarily childless.

After a baseline visit, each patient returned for 16 follow-up visits to assess their physical and mental condition. Researchers also documented where participants were in their menopausal stage. Findings were then adjusted based on variables including the use of oral contraceptives, insurance, education, race, marital status, and ethnicity.

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The most significant finding was the increased risk for depression and anxiety in midlife women who had infertility issues. When it came to increased risks for physical issues before or during menopause, such as hot flashes or vaginal symptoms, the differences among all women assessed were not significant.

Key Takeaways Of The Study

One of the study authors, Dr. Victoria Fitz, told MedPage Today that these findings indicate that OB/GYN providers and primary care physicians should consider screening midlife patients who have experienced infertility for depression.

“I don’t think I’ve thought of infertility as signaling a reason to give someone a full depression screening,” Fitz noted. “It could be viewed as a risk factor if it is confirmed in more studies.”

Fitz did note a few limitations of the study. For starters, the classification as infertile or involuntarily childless was based solely on self-reported data from study participants. Additionally, researchers did not have access to more information on what may have caused infertility in those patients.

For future research, Fitz was interested in looking into women who had tried reproductive technologies, such as IVF, as well as more closely examining the causes of infertility to get a clear picture of how that might play into increased risks for anxiety and depression.

And while not noted, with the current political atmosphere around reproductive health, issues surrounding anxiety and depression are sure to get even more complicated.

Dealing with infertility issues is never easy, even after the decision to stop trying. Being aware of the possible mental health risks and reaching out for professional advice can hopefully help mitigate future mental health issues as we deal with all the other changes midlife brings.

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Most of us are familiar with Botox as an injectable that smooths wrinkles, but you may be surprised to learn that Botox can be injected into your jaw.

Botox, the brand name for Allergan’s formulation of botulinum toxin, wasn’t even invented with a cosmetic purpose in mind. In 1978, ophthalmologist Alan Scott first used a mild version of the toxin to treat strabismus, more commonly known as crossed eyes. Given that the neurotoxic protein causes minor paralysis in the injection site, it made sense for the condition.

In 1989, the FDA approved Allergan’s Botox as a cosmetic treatment for wrinkles. Since then, Botox has been prescribed for migraines, sweaty palms, and even heart troubles, to name a few.

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Recently, Botox has been increasingly used for another common condition: clenched jaw and teeth grinding. It’s sometimes referred to as “teeth Botox,” and this simple procedure could be a lesser-known solution for those who suffer from bruxism.

A Quick Overview Of Bruxism

Bruxism is the involuntary clenching of the jaw or excessive grinding of the teeth. It can happen while awake or during sleep and can lead to not only a sore jaw and headaches, but dental issues including worn enamel, increased tooth sensitivity, and even broken teeth. Our teeth can clench with up to 250 pounds of force, so in the most severe cases, bruxism can result in jaw dislocation.

Awake bruxism, which is unconscious jaw clenching or teeth grinding during the day, could be a reaction to stress, anger, or anxiety. Sleep bruxism, on the other hand, is classified as a sleep disorder and is less understood.

Botox For Bruxism 

Studies in recent years have found that injecting Botox shots into the masseter or chewing muscles can prevent the grinding, clenching, and pain associated with bruxism. Botox is not FDA-approved to treat bruxism, but doctors are free to use it as an “off-label” treatment (because the FDA regulates drugs, not physicians, doctors can prescribe approved drugs for any safe indication).

Doctors say that while Botox tends to work well, it’s not a panacea. It can be expensive—around $1,000 per procedure—and usually lasts a maximum of four months. Depending on the reason for masseter muscle botox, it might be covered by insurance in some cases.

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Botox in the masseter muscle can also cause side effects. A small number of patients have experienced lopsided smiles that lasted a few days. Other risks for using Botox in any location include bruising, allergic reactions, or changing your face shape.

The latter can be a pro or a con—some people choose Botox injections in the masseter muscle specifically to slim their jawline.

Jaws Of The Pandemic

The American Dental Association believes pandemic stress maybe be to blame for recent increases in teeth grinding and similar issues. In a survey performed by the ADA Health Policy Institute in February of 2021, 70% of dentists reported an increase of patients experiencing teeth grinding and clenching—a more than 10% increase from the fall of 2020. They also reported a 63% increase in chipped teeth as well as cracked teeth, and a 62% increase in temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) symptoms, which include headaches and jaw pain.

Other treatments for bruxism that don’t involve needles exist, including mouthguards, stress management, muscle relaxants, and biofeedback. But “teeth Botox” can be an excellent, low-effort option for many.

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Over the years, I’ve dealt with mild and occasional digestive discomforts like gas, bloating, and diarrhea. And for the most part, I’ve passed off these sporadic episodes as unavoidable. The idea of a gut microbiome (or how to support it) wasn’t even on my radar.*

But recently, I started taking a more active role in maintaining my overall health, which included my gut health. As I’ve gotten older, this has become more out of necessity than interest. I started experimenting with various gummies and drugstore probiotics to see if I could find the right fit.

So, when Ritual reached out to see if I’d consider trying Synbiotic+, a dietary supplement for maintaining gut health, I was excited to give it a go.

Maintaining The Microbiome*

If you haven’t spent hours Googling how the gut works like I have, allow me to enlighten you. The human body contains good and bad bacteria. Most of it lives in the esophagus, stomach, and intestines or gastrointestinal tract.

When the balance between good and bad bacteria gets out of whack, the microbiome gets unhappy. This can result in mild and occasional digestive comforts. (Did you know the microbiome is also involved in our immune response? It’s estimated that a whopping 70% of the immune system is located in the gut.*)

That’s where Ritual comes in. Synbiotic+ is a 3-in-1 daily dietary supplement. It contains clinically studied prebiotics, probiotics, and a postbiotic to support a balanced gut microflora.*

Ritual Synbiotic+

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Ritual’s Unique Triple Threat

I tried several different probiotic strains before, but I had never tried a 3-in-1 formula like Ritual’s. Each element of Synbiotic+ serves a distinct role in maintaining gut health. First, 15 mg of prebiotics target unwanted bacteria in the gut, supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria.*

Next, 120 mg (11 billion CFUs) or probiotics serve as the live microorganisms (read: good bacteria) that contribute to digestive health and help with mild and occasional digestive discomforts like bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Finally, 300 mg of a postbiotic serves as a major energy source for cells that line the gut, and it also helps support gut barrier function.

I was particularly impressed with Ritual’s transparency with its labeled ingredients. Ritual is Made Traceable™, meaning they show you what you’re putting into your body and its final place of manufacture. The company lists the labeled ingredient’s name, source, and supplier, something I had never seen before in other brands I’ve tried.

My Ritual Experience

Ritual’s Synbiotic+ supplement impressed me from the jump. The 3-in-1 nested capsule is not only striking to look at. But it also has a soft, minty scent that makes taking the medium-sized pill more enjoyable. I find it leaves a subtly minty smell in my mouth, which is particularly nice when I take it after a meal.

I’ve been taking Synbiotic+ for several weeks now. And honestly, it’s easier to describe what I don’t notice versus what I do. I didn’t notice much of an adjustment period, although Ritual’s website states that this is possible and can produce minor gas, bloating, or stomach rumbling.

Overall, I’ve noticed relief from mild and occasional bloating. I’m happy with the notable lack of not-so-fun stomach moments since taking Ritual regularly.

The Synbiotic+ Secret

Ritual Synbiotic+

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As I’ve mentioned earlier, I’ve tried other gut health supplements in the past. And out of them all, I’m the happiest with Ritual. There are a few factors that I believe set Ritual’s supplement apart from the rest. The first is its vegan, delayed-release capsule design.

Probiotics work most of their magic in the colon, but they’ll never make it there if they’re too delicate to bypass harsh conditions such as stomach acid and bile of the stomach and small intestine. Ritual’s delayed-release capsule design helps ensure probiotics will make it to the colon, an ideal place for probiotics to grow and thrive.

CoreBiome® Tributyrin, Ritual’s postbiotic, is another distinguishing factor. Butyrate (as Tributyrin) is a significant energy source for cells that line the gut. Postbiotics are still relatively new in the gut health world, making Ritual a leading brand for including this compound in its formula.

Lastly, Ritual is clearly committed to science and compliance with regulations for heavy metals, microbes, and major allergens. The company conducted a human gastrointestinal model study with ProDigest in Belgium, one of the leading experts in GI tract simulation. Ritual tests Synbiotic+ supplements to ensure its ingredients’ identity, purity, quality, and composition.

Start Your Synbiotic+ Journey Today

Synbiotic+ is designed for adults over 18 years old. However, if you’re pregnant or nursing, using medications, or have a medical condition, Ritual recommends consulting with your personal healthcare practitioner before starting Synbiotic+.

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The “cure for aging” isn’t a new concept. In line with the medical advancements that have greatly increased life expectancy, researchers have been looking at how to make those twilight years even more enjoyable.

As it turns out, our inner demeanor might have a significantly larger impact on our overall wellness and path to better aging than we previously thought. Forget whether you’re a Scorpio or INTP, these scientists want to know if you’re an “orchid” or a “dandelion.”

The Goal Of The Study

A new study from Simon Fraser University published in Frontiers set out to examine how lifestyle factors affect our cognitive abilities, and thus our larger quality of life, as we age.

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In particular, researchers in this study were curious about curbing cognitive decline that occurs with aging by prescribing certain lifestyle activities such as taking long walks or picking up a new hobby.

However, the authors of the study noted that research on which individuals would benefit from what activities have always been hazy. And the answer to that question was precisely what they hoped to discover.

The Methods And Findings

Simon Fraser University Circle Innovation gathered 3,530 adults over 60 (1,752 men and 1,778 women). Researchers used a word recall exercise to categorize the participants into “cognitive categories (CC),” with the lowest level of cognitive functioning being CC1 and the highest being CC5.

The participants were then analyzed according to 36 lifestyle factors. These factors ranged from hobbies to socioeconomic status to physical health. Some include “ongoing health problems,” “often read,” “smoke/drink,” “often do mild activities,” and “ongoing financial strain.” 

Interestingly enough, those who rated on both the lowest and highest ends of the CC scale showed the greatest impact on cognitive abilities (both positive and negative) from various lifestyle factors. Meanwhile, those who had more average cognitive scores were hardly impacted at all.

To explain why this is, researchers looked at the “orchid and dandelion” theory.

Are You An Orchid Or A Dandelion?

The “orchid or dandelion” concept is more commonly used in childhood psychology and development, but study authors believe the theory holds water in the context of aging adults, too. 

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“Orchids” are individuals who thrive best under ideal circumstances. These people are sensitive and biologically reactive, living on either end of the CC chart. “Dandelions,” on the other hand, are resilient and hardy. They are less environmentally sensitive and live closer to the middle of the chart. 

“[Orchid] older adults are more fragile … and hence prone to overreact to ongoing health and housing problems, disturbing news about the economy, or global pandemics,” explained study researcher Emma Rodrigues in an SFU press statement. “Dandelion retirees are relatively less environment-sensitive and also more resilient to deterioration in poor environmental conditions.”

What Does This Study Mean For You?

I can practically hear you through the screen: “Okay, great—sensitive people are more sensitive. Thanks, science.” However, scientists suggest this discovery could benefit senior adults, their decision-makers, and younger midlifers approaching their golden years.

Whether someone is an orchid or a dandelion can determine how well supportive programs might work for them as they age. This study provides evidence that older adults shouldn’t be pigeonholed into one population or treatment type. 

As the SFU press release put it, “Understanding how modifiable lifestyle factors may maintain or promote cognitive health can lead to a healthier aging population.”

So, are you a dandelion or an orchid? What about your aging parents? 

If you’re unsure, try taking research psychologist Elaine Aron’s 23-question test. The test was originally developed in 1996 to determine whether children are considered highly sensitive (i.e. dandelions), but it can also be helpful for adults looking to assess their sensitivity. If you’re like me, though, I’m sure you already have a pretty good idea of which category you fall into (hi, orchid here.)

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Over the years, coffee has earned a bad reputation, often being maligned and associated with health problems. According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, early studies linked coffee consumption to serious conditions ranging from asthma to heart disease. As it turns out, many participants in these studies also smoked cigarettes, so an unfair connection between coffee and health was concluded.

More recent research is showing strong evidence between drinking coffee and overall improved health. We’ve already covered its potential to help reduce the risk of dementia and stroke. Now we’re taking a look at another study that suggests coffee’s positive impact on heart health and life longevity.

A study published on September 27, 2022 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology looked at habitual coffee consumption and its impact on incidents of arrhythmia, cardiovascular disease, and mortality.

The researchers tracked 449,563 participants aged 40 to 69 (median 58 years, 55.3% females) for over 10 years. The BMI, smoking and alcohol habits, and health history of participants were all taken into account to rule out potential false correlations as seen in previous studies.

Those in the study then answered a questionnaire detailing how much coffee they drank each day and whether it was instant, ground, or decaffeinated. After that, the participants were categorized into six daily intake categories: none, less than one, one, two to three, four to five, and more than five cups.

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What researchers found appears to be great news for coffee lovers. Here’s the basic breakdown:

• A significant reduction in arrhythmia was found for those who drank one to five cups of either ground or instant coffee, with the lowest risks being for those who drank four to five cups of ground coffee or two to three cups of instant coffee a day. Those who drank decaffeinated coffee did not see a reduced risk of arrhythmia.
• Drinking two to three cups of ground, instant, or decaffeinated coffee were all associated with decreased risks of cardiovascular disease compared to non-drinkers.
• All causes of death were significantly reduced when consuming two to three cups of either ground, instant, or decaffeinated coffee.

Overall, all coffee-type consumption was associated with improved health (with the exception of decaf coffee and arrhythmia). Still, for those with caffeine sensitivity, this is promising news. And for most correlations, drinking two to three cups a day proved the most beneficial.

The study authors do note a few limitations to the research, including that coffee consumption was self-reported and relied on the presumption that coffee intake would remain consistent. They also noted the possibility that participants consumed more than one type of coffee over the course of the study. Additionally, the population was mainly white, so the findings may not be fully applicable to other ethnicities.

While more research would need to be done to address these limitations, the initial findings are promising for coffee loves of all types.

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Using technology to track our health has become a common part of our lives in recent years. From wearable devices to apps on our phones, many of us are monitoring and tracking everything in our lives with a smart device.

But what if this technology could predict when you’re at risk of dying? It turns out, scientists believe they have found a way.

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign conducted a study titled Population Analysis of Mortality Risk: Predictive Models From Passive Monitors Using Motion Sensors that was published in the journal PLOS Digital Health.

That’s an extremely scientific and fancy way of saying that they were trying to find out if they could predict mortality rates using the measures of physical activity from wrist-worn accelerometers.

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While this specific study used a wearable device, the researchers wanted to simulate as closely as possible the data that could be provided passively by just carrying a smartphone.

As the study notes, smartphones are very prevalent in high-income countries and on the rise in low-income countries. If they could find a way to use smartphone-collected data for population-level analysis, this could open doors for improved public health across the globe.

A Look At The Study

Using data from 100,000 participants that came from one week of wearing a wrist sensor, researchers designed a model that pared an individual’s acceleration and distance down into six-minute chunks. This mimics the popular six-minute walk test that doctors use as a simple measure of aerobic exercise capacity to monitor lung and heart health.  

Based on this analysis, the researchers developed a model aimed at predicting mortality risk, and the results were surprisingly accurate. In predicting death after one year, they were correct 76% of the time. Predictions of death after five years stood at 73%. These results were similar to a study published last year in the Journals of Gerontology, which used hours of data instead of minutes.

According to study author Bruce Schatz, a computer science researcher at the University of Illinois, the latest research is potentially more beneficial to public health since it demonstrated the capabilities of passive monitoring technology. Not only does this open up greater analysis potential as detailed earlier, but it requires less effort on the part of the user.

Imagine, a world where your doctor can receive vital data on your health and potentially identify health risks such as a heart condition, all without the need to schedule an in-office visit.

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Of course, there are possible ethical implications when using technology that can passively monitor the user. In terms of sending information to health care providers, there are issues of continuous informed consent and lack of technological literacy, among other concerns.

There are also privacy concerns when it comes to the potential large-scale health analysis that researchers were very excited about. “If you record all of the data, it’s true that people have characteristic walks and you can tell who the individual is,” Schatz told The Daily Beast. “But it’s totally possible to take part of the signal, which is good enough to do the vitals but completely disguises who the person is.”

Overall, Schatz remarked that these ethical issues are still speculative but will be considered as the research moves forward. His team has already studied sensors that are used in cell phones and smartphones. In the future, they will be working on phones that are carried in pockets instead of technology worn on the wrist.

“If you want to raise the general health of the entire population, this kind of project is really important,” Schatz concluded.

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Diet culture spews a lot of confusing ideas about how to lose weight, and often they’re completely contradictory. Some say calories in, calories out is the only equation you need. Others say intermittent fasting is key, or lots of fruit and vegetables, or no carbs at all. Who can keep track?

But it turns out one old diet adage may actually have scientific merit: Don’t eat late at night.

In the past, researchers found evidence that delayed late eating is associated with an increased risk of obesity, but the mechanisms behind the phenomenon were murky. Now, a new study has pinpointed some of the biological reasons why late-night snacking can make you gain weight compared to eating the exact same things earlier in the day.

Determining Why Timing Matters

A study published in Cell Metabolism by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital looked at 16 individuals with body mass indexes in the overweight or obese range. They received a three-meal daily diet over the course of two six-day stays in the lab.

During the first visit, the meals began in the morning. On the second visit, the exact same meals were shifted four hours ahead starting in the early afternoon.

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Participants were instructed to maintain a fixed sleep and wake schedule for two to three weeks before starting each in-laboratory stay. They also followed identical diets and meal schedules at home for the last three days before entering the laboratory.

The participants regularly documented their hunger and appetite. They provided small blood samples throughout the day, along with measurements of body temperature and energy expenditure. Researchers also took fat tissue biopsies.

They found that eating late significantly increased appetite during the day, decreased energy expenditure during the day, and caused the study subject’s bodies to more readily store fat. But why?

Three Culprits Come To Light

The researchers hypothesized that hormones, metabolism, and molecular changes might all converge to cause a correlation between late-night eating and increased risks of obesity. This is what they found:

1. The appetite-regulating hormone leptin, which signals fullness, decreased during a 24-hour period during the late-eating stay compared to the early-eating stay.
2. Late eating was associated with lower daytime metabolism.
3. Late eating triggered a gene expression that causes increased fat storage.  

Resetting Your Eating Schedule

If you are a serial late-night eater, it can be tough to break the cycle. Plus, between hectic work days, taking care of the family, and other life obligations, we all don’t get guaranteed meal breaks.

Similar to forming (or breaking) any habit, it takes time and dedication. If you usually skip breakfast, start with something small. If possible, try to eat meals at similar times of the day. Over time, your body should begin to adjust to your new eating schedule.

Meal prep can be a great option when trying to sticking to a new schedule, especially if you find yourself eating late dinners. Sometimes something as simple as prepping and chopping ingredients ahead of time can save valuable minutes when throwing a meal together at night.

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If your elders ever chided you to eat your veggies “to have healthy, strong bones,” then prepare for your inner child’s vindication. A recent study from the University of Leeds revealed that while a vegetarian diet has plenty of benefits, it has some notable cons, too. 

And for middle-aged women, one such downside includes an increased risk of hip fracture—roughly 33% as compared to regular meat eaters in the study. A hip fracture is a serious, independence-altering injury, which makes this statistic all the more alarming. 

But before you swear off brussels sprouts forever, let’s get to the root of the facts.

The Proof Is In Bone Mineral Density

The University of Leeds study followed 26,318 UK women to determine how their reported diets would translate in terms of hip health. Diets were varied among the women, ranging from omnivore (both regular and occasional meat consumers) to pescatarian to vegetarian (which also included a small percentage of vegans). Hip fractures occurred in 822 participants or 3% of the sample population.

Researchers then adjusted the hip fracture data to reflect other potential factors, such as ethnicity, the prevalence of other diseases, and other lifestyle factors. That data revealed that vegetarians exclusively had an elevated risk of hip fracture. 

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While scientists say the subject needs more research, preliminary estimates suggest vegetarians’ increased risk is due to a lower bone mineral density. Nutrients often found in animal products, such as protein, calcium, and other micronutrients, support healthy bone mineral density.

“Low intake of these nutrients can lead to lower bone mineral density and muscle mass, which can make you more susceptible to hip fracture risk,” wrote Dr. James Webster, the study’s lead author. “This makes it especially important for further research so that we can help people to make healthy choices.”

A Global Health Issue With High Economic Costs

Part of the urgency around finding more information on the link between bone health and vegetarianism is the severity of the potential injury. Study co-author Dr. Janet Cade described hip fracture as a “global health issue with high economic costs that causes loss of independence, reduces the quality of life, and increases the risk of other health issues.”

With more information, middle-aged individuals (particularly those who forgo meat) can make better, more informed choices about their health. Because all things considered, a vegetarian diet isn’t a bad idea. Not only does it lower the risk of some chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, but it’s also better for the environment. 

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Still, it’s important to be aware of all potential risks of a diet, even one that seems particularly healthy on the surface. While scientists gather more data on plant-eaters’ bone health, there are some steps you can take to fortify your nutrition. 

One possible solution is to add more nutrient-rich veggies to your diet (as a vegetarian myself, I know how tempting it can be to slip into a diet of mostly potatoes and beans). Foods rich in calcium include leafy greens, squash, and broccoli. Vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium, can be found in mushrooms, citrus fruits, and bananas. 

Another way to fortify your diet is to take supplements to support gaps in your nutrition. It’s important to consult with a doctor or nutritionist to figure out what deficiency you might have and which supplements are recommended.

Being a vegetarian can have many benefits, and by taking precautions and focusing on filling any nutrient gaps, you can better avoid potential downfalls like the one illustrated in this study.

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Lately, I’ve noticed more people in my life (myself included) complaining of headaches, sinus pressure, and migraines. Family and friends in different states as well as those who live nearby all have one thing in common: Their headaches are getting worse and happening more frequently. So, what’s causing these symptoms?

Migraines and headaches have many causes: Lifestyle factors, food triggers, and stress can all contribute. And it’s no secret we’ve collectively experienced a fair amount of stress in the past few years.

But the recent headache spike might actually be thanks to the changing seasons and fluctuations in barometric pressure—or at least it’s yet another headache-causing layer on top of everything else.

What Is Barometric Pressure?

Barometric pressure is the measurement of air pressure in the atmosphere. It’s the weight of air molecules above any given point on the Earth. It’s measured by a barometer, and it changes constantly. The measurement will be different depending on where the reading takes place.

When the barometric pressure is high, the result is typically better weather. And as the barometer falls, the weather can become more volatile—the lower the pressure, the more intense the storm.

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Geographic locations with higher altitudes tend to have overall lower barometric pressure. You’ve likely heard climbers refer to the “thinner air” of mountainous regions.

People sometimes comment on how it’s more difficult to breathe, they feel dizzier, and/or they may feel more fatigued at higher altitudes. Conversely, it can be easier to breathe by the ocean (or at sea level) because the barometric pressure is higher.

Fluctuations in barometric pressure are more common in some parts of the U.S. than in others. Cities in places like Hawaii, California, and Connecticut have fewer fluctuations in barometric pressure.

The barometric pressure also changes as the seasons change. Spring and fall typically have more variation in barometric pressure, while fall brings cooling weather patterns and a drop in barometric pressure.

Typically, when the barometric pressure is steady, there won’t be much change in the weather. When the barometer drops suddenly, a storm could be headed your way.

Barometric Pressure’s Effect On The Body

Some people feel like they can predict the weather because their bodies react to changes in barometric pressure. If the phrase, “My knees can predict the weather,” is becoming a part of your vernacular, you likely already know some of the ways barometric pressure can affect the body.

When the barometric pressure drops, the shift in pressure between the air in our sinuses and the atmosphere can trigger pain, including various types of headaches.

Sudden drops in barometric pressure can cause sinus headaches, migraines, joint and muscle pain, blood pressure changes, fatigue, asthma, allergies, and even blood sugar fluctuations. Your knees (or other joints, muscles, and scars) hurt when the barometric pressure drops because it causes the tissue to swell and can irritate the nerves surrounding the tissue.

Symptoms of a sinus headache include pain and pressure in the cheek, brow, and/or forehead. Pressure or pain can also be exacerbated when you bend down or lie down. It can also include a stuffy nose and fatigue. Migraine symptoms can include throbbing, sensitivity to light, nausea, and nasal congestion, among others.

How To Combat Barometric Pressure Headaches

It’s always important to stay hydrated, and that’s especially true when battling a headache or migraine.

Natural home remedies for sinus pressure and headaches include using a humidifier, using a saline spray, and elevating your head when you sleep. Getting enough sleep (if you can) is important too. Over-the-counter pain medication and decongestants may work well enough for sinus and pressure headaches.

But you may need to see a doctor if headaches become frequent and intense, or if you feel like you are having migraines. You may require prescription medications and the doctor may want to rule out other causes of your symptoms.

It’s also important to exercise a few days a week, eat a balanced diet, and avoid skipping meals. Relaxation techniques, yoga, and meditation can also help prevent some symptoms of headaches and migraines.

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Many of us have jobs or lifestyles that require a lot of sitting. We are at our desks and in front of our screens for hours every day, and we know this can’t be good for our health. Our bodies weren’t made to sit in an office 40+ hours per week—or on a couch, in a car, etc.

Doctors know that too much sitting can predispose you to major health issues if you’re not careful, and not just from a potentially increased waistline. Since many of us have our hands tied when it comes to how much we sit in a day, researchers have been looking for solutions to offset society’s increasingly sedentary lifestyle.

Luckily, a recent study claims we can reverse these risks through exercise. And they found just how much we need to move every day to do so.

The Health Risks Of Too Much Sitting

Obviously, when you sit for hours on end every day, you are using less energy than you would if you were standing or moving. This makes for fewer calories burned and possibly more pounds on the scale. But those are just the beginning of the health concerns that could arise from sitting too much.

According to the experts at the Mayo Clinic, research has indicated that sitting for long periods of time is linked to “a cluster of conditions” that make up what’s known as metabolic syndrome. This cluster includes excess body fat around the waist, increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, and unhealthy cholesterol levels.

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Prolonged periods of sitting also increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease—the number one killer of women—and cancer.

While analyzing 13 studies of sitting time and activity levels, researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that people who sit for more than eight hours per day without any physical activity had a risk of death similar to that of smokers and individuals with obesity.

This take was recently co-signed by researchers at the Norwegian School of Sports Science, who released a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that found higher sedentary time equaled a higher mortality rate in “less active individuals.”

A Look At The Study

The purpose of the NSSS study was to “examine the joint associations of accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary time with all-cause mortality.” If you’re like us and don’t know what an accelerometer is, it’s a tool that measures the change in a person or object’s velocity over time. They’re used in fitness trackers to calculate how much you’re moving.

This was a massive study with “harmonized meta-analysis” that included nine cohort studies from four countries, which followed 44,370 adult men and women between 4 and 14.5 years. During that time, 3,451 participants died, producing a 7.8% mortality rate.

Researchers analyzed sedentary time as well as different combinations of exercise routines with moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA). They found that the average sedentary time ranged from 8.5 and 10.5 hours per day, while the average MVPA ranged from 8 to 35 minutes per day.

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The results showed an increased risk of death in people with higher sedentary times and lower levels of MVPA. Participants in the lowest third of MVPA had the greatest risk of death in all combinations of sedentary and exercise time.

How Much Exercise You Need To Offset A Sedentary Life

The NSSS study states that “about 30-40 [minutes] of MVPA per day attenuate the association between sedentary time and risk of death, which is lower than previous estimates from self-reported data.”

In layman’s terms, that means getting 30 to 40 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity will counteract the health risks of sitting all day. Previous studies have recommended as much as 60 to 75 minutes, so this study is great news for those of us who just don’t have that much time in a day to spare.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “moderate-intensity activities are those that get you moving fast enough or strenuously enough to burn off three to six times as much energy per minute as you do when you are sitting quietly, or exercises that clock in at 3 to 6 METs. Vigorous-intensity activities burn more than 6 METs.”

Some examples of moderate-intensity activities include brisk walking, riding a bike, or more strenuous cleaning activities (like yard work or mopping). Vigorous-intensity activities include jogging, hiking, shoveling, or many standard exercise routines.

While it can be hard to carve out time in our busy days, prioritizing your health, both physical and mental, is important. Plus, many home maintenance projects fall into the moderate-intensity activities bucket, so you don’t need to hit up a cycling class every day.

Finding ways to add more activity and movement into your daily life will bring numerous health benefits—so get moving!

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You wouldn’t typically associate your seemingly innocuous hair care products with harmful and potentially fatal consequences such as cancer. Nevertheless, the findings of a recent study may prompt you to examine your beauty routine more closely.

An alarming link has been discovered between the use of chemical straighteners and incidents of uterine cancer. These chemical straightening products are often marketed toward Black women, as they tend to use these products at a higher rate. Because of this, Black women may be disproportionately at risk.

A study conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences examined the hair care habits of more than 33,000 women aged 35 to 74. Among these women, 60% who reported using straighteners were Black.

According to the study, women who straighten their hair chemically at least four times a year are more than twice as likely to develop uterine cancer as those who don’t use chemical straighteners. Uterine cancer, also known as endometrial cancer, is the most commonly-diagnosed malignancy of the female reproductive system. 

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Alexandra White, Ph.D., the study’s lead author and head of the NIEHS Environment and Cancer Epidemiology group, reported to TODAY that, “we see a doubling of risk for frequent users, and that’s a very alarming figure. For non-users, the absolute risk is about 1.64%, and then when you look at frequent users, the risk goes up to 4.05%. It’s a notable increase in risk.”

It’s estimated that there have been a startling 65,950 new cases of uterine cancer in the U.S. this year, representing 3% of all new cases of cancer in the country. These numbers are on the rise, warranting a closer look at what may be causing it and what can be done.

Long, straight hair has long been upheld as a societal beauty “ideal” associated with whiteness, while textured hair has often been demonized and discriminated against. Many Black women use chemical relaxers, often laden with asthma-inducing and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, when giving up their natural hair. These societal pressures have now been proven to have toxic consequences—literally. 

The good news is that more and more Black women are choosing to embrace their hair the way it is, societal pressures be darned. Here’s to hoping we can build a world that allows women to feel comfortable with their natural beauty without feeling they have to resort to potentially harmful procedures.

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Breast is best, or so the saying goes. But is that really the case when you factor in newly-discovered risks? Microplastics in water supplies have been a long-standing concern, but a recent study finding them in human breast milk raises even more alarm. Due to the prevalence of plastic in every corner of the earth, this new discovery may have a significant impact on breastfeeding moving forward. 

According to the EPA, in the U.S. alone in 2018, 35.7 million tons of plastic was produced, resulting in startling numbers of plastic waste. Water bottles, food containers, cosmetics, as well as microfibers from textiles and clothing (just 2.5 million tons, or less than 15% of textile waste was recycled in 2018), can all produce tiny plastic particles. Microplastics can also leach from the breakdown of larger plastics.

Now that scientists have discovered traces of microplastics in human breast milk, there seems to be even more cause for concern.

Although no epidemiological studies in a large group of people have yet shown that microplastics are harmful to human health, laboratory tests in mice show they can cause inflammation, lower sperm count, and result in fewer pups.

Microplastics In Breast Milk

In a recent study, which was published in June 2022 in the journal Polymers, researchers looked at 34 healthy mothers after giving birth in Rome, Italy. Among the 34 breast milk samples examined, 26 contained microplastics—mostly polyethylene, PVC, and polypropylene, which are mainly found in packaging.

Even when accounting for the women’s age, diet (especially that of seafood or items from plastic packaging), and use of personal care products that contain plastic compounds, no significant difference was made in the findings of microplastics in breast milk.

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Valentina Notarstefano, a researcher at Universita Politecnica della Marche and one of the study’s authors, told The Guardian that the findings were extremely concerning.

The authors also wrote in the paper that microplastics in breast milk might be even more prevalent than what they recorded. “It should be stated that the number of microparticles that we detected could be underestimated, since only … ~4 g of milk was considered for each sample.”

So, what should nursing mothers do?

What This Could Mean For Breastfeeding

While the results are disconcerting, the researchers were hesitant to recommend nursing mothers switch to formula just yet.

“It will be crucial to assess ways to reduce exposure to these contaminants during pregnancy and lactation,” Notarstefano told The Guardian. “But it must be stressed that the advantages of breastfeeding are much greater than the disadvantages caused by the presence of polluting microplastics. Studies like ours must not reduce breastfeeding of children, but instead raise public awareness to pressure politicians to promote laws that reduce pollution.”

Additionally, previous research has shown that bottle-fed babies are still ingesting microplastics due to the high temperatures needed to sterilize bottles and prepare formula.

That said, the researchers stressed the need for more research, especially since newborns and infants are more vulnerable to chemical contaminants.

Where Do We Go From Here?

With microplastics everywhere, it’s clear that a greater focus should be placed on their impact on human health, especially on newborns and young children. Emphasis on reducing plastic packaging and waste should be another top priority.

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And while the study did not find a specific cause of microplastics in regards to diet or cosmetics use, Nostastefano told The Guardian that, “we would like to advise pregnant women to pay greater attention to avoiding food and drink packaged in plastic, cosmetics, and toothpastes containing microplastics, and clothes made of synthetic fabrics.”

Scientists are just beginning to understand how our most vulnerable population is affected by microparticle exposure, but it’s increasingly difficult to ignore the dangers. In the meantime, staying informed and taking steps to reduce plastic waste and potential negative exposure are all good first steps.

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Cardiovascular disease is the number-one killer of women (and men). It causes one in three deaths in women each year—more than all forms of cancer combined. Nonetheless, many of us fail to recognize the risk that cardiovascular disease poses to our health.

Heart disease can affect women at any age, and it’s vital that we understand our personal risk factors and family history. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 45% of females 20 and older have some form of cardiovascular disease, and pregnancy and menopause can further increase your risk.

Even though menopause doesn’t cause heart disease, it’s at this point in midlife when our cardiovascular risk factors can accelerate. At this stage of our lives, focusing on our heart health is absolutely crucial.

Previous research published by the BMJ has shown that long, irregular cycles in adolescence and adulthood are linked to a greater risk of early death, especially as a result of cardiovascular disease. So researchers were curious to look at the relationship between heart disease and menstrual cycles during the menopausal transition—and what they found may surprise you.

A Look At The Study

As we approach menopause, the length of our menstrual cycles usually gets longer. According to a new study published in Menopause, this change in cycle length could provide some clues about our individual risk of developing heart disease.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh collected menstrual cycle data from 428 different women aged 45 to 52 at the time of enrollment for up to 10 years or until they were post-menopausal. They focused on changes in cycle length during the menopausal transition, then assessed cardiovascular risk after menopause by measuring arterial stiffness or artery thickness.

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The study found that those who saw an increase in cycle length two years before their final menstrual period had better measures of vascular health than those who experienced stable cycle lengths during this time.

These results indicate that differences in cycle length—along with other menopause-related characteristics and health measures—could help predict which menopausal women are at greater or lesser risk of cardiovascular disease. It could also help doctors to recommend individualized strategies for preventive care.

“Cardiovascular disease is the [number one] killer of women, and the risk significantly increases after midlife, which is why we think that menopause could contribute to this disease,” explained lead author Samar El Khoudary, Ph.D., associate professor of epidemiology at Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health, in a University of Pittsburgh news release.

“Menopause is not just a click of a button,” she continued. “It’s a multistage transition where women experience many changes that could put them at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Change in cycle length, which is linked to hormone levels, is a simple metric that might tell us who is more at risk.”

Analyzing The Findings

The results of the study noted three distinct trajectories in the length of the participants’ menstrual cycles over the course of their menopausal transition. The majority—62%—had stable cycles that didn’t change much before they entered menopause.

Approximately 16% experienced an early increase in cycle length (five years before their final period), while 22% showed a late increase (two years before their final period).

When compared to those with stable cycles, the women in the late-increase group had substantially more favorable measures of artery hardness and thickness, which indicates a smaller risk of heart disease. Those in the early-increase group had the poorest measures of artery health.

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These results are quite surprising, given the previous research about the link between menstrual cycle length in younger women and the risk of heart disease. Earlier studies suggested that high estrogen levels may protect the heart in young women with short cycles, but apparently, that can change as we age.

“These findings are important because they show that we cannot treat women as one group: Women have different menstrual cycle trajectories over the menopause transition, and this trajectory seems to be a marker of vascular health,” El Khoudary noted.

“This information adds to the toolkit that we are developing for clinicians who care for women in midlife to assess cardiovascular disease risk and brings us closer to personalizing prevention strategies.”

El Khoudary and her team hypothesize that the different menstrual cycle trajectories during the transition to menopause reflect hormone levels. It’s possible that estrogen is less protective in older women. The researchers plan on tracking hormone changes to test that theory in their future work.

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Among the leading causes of death worldwide, cancer is ranked second after cardiovascular disease. As this disease poses a major public health burden, scientists have worked tirelessly to develop treatment, prevention, and early detection measures. That said, many researchers have been hard at work for years on vaccines to prevent cancer, most notably for pancreatic, colon, and breast cancer.

A woman in the United States has an average risk of developing breast cancer at some point in her life, about 13% according to the American Cancer Society. There are, however, specific gene mutations that increase a woman’s chances of developing breast cancer. Having a BRCA mutation increases your chances of developing breast cancer by 45% to 85% according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

A revolutionary study at Penn Medicine is trying to paint a more hopeful future for women who are at high risk for developing breast cancer, which is responsible for around 43,000 deaths annually in the United States alone.

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The trial will focus on intervening early in BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast cancers to alter their normal progression. Their goal is to determine whether vaccinating individuals with the genetic mutations BRCA1 or BRCA2, putting them at increased risk of breast cancer, will lower their risk of recurrence or developing cancer in the first place.

Are these trials likely to succeed? Penn Medicine is not the first to explore the effectiveness of a cancer vaccine, despite it seeming like a novel approach. 

A Cancer Vaccine Isn’t Science Fiction

Although cancer vaccines exist, they work differently from what Penn Medicine is currently developing. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, for example, prevent cervical cancer through the targeting of the HPV strains responsible for tumor development. In spite of the HPV vaccines’ effectiveness, cancer is rarely caused by viruses, so enabling the body to identify tumor cells would be invaluable for other types of cancer.

Researchers have therefore begun focusing on reducing the chances of recurrence among those who have already developed cancer. As a result, many newly developed treatments can train the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. 

Immunotherapy treatments are used to treat advanced disease, which has metastasized, as a method of last resort in some patients. There are some medical experts, however, who are using vaccines earlier, with some success, in training the immune system to fight lung, skin, and kidney cancers in an effort to prevent reoccurrence.

In the case of breast cancer, it’s a different story.

The Advancements And Challenges With A Breast Cancer Vaccine

When it comes to the treatment of breast cancer, immunotherapy treatments fall short. “A lot of breast tumors do not attract the immune system, so there is very little in the way of an immune response,” Dr. Robert Vonderheide, director of the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine, explained to TIME. “That’s where vaccines come in because they are designed to start an immune response that can then be elaborated.”

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A vaccine’s principal function, according to Vonderheide, is to optimize the immune response by teaching cells to recognize cancer cells as foreign. If this is possible in a breast cancer vaccine, Vonderheide believes it may be possible not just to prevent recurrences of cancer, but also to prevent it from developing in the first place. Researchers at Penn Medicine may be on the verge of achieving that goal.

Dr. Susan Domchek is investigating the safety of a vaccine targeting telomerase, an enzyme that modulates the rate at which breast cancer cells divide. Cells that divide rapidly, such as cancer cells, produce more telomerase, while cells that function normally have less. 

A prospective vaccine could include DNA snippets coding for key parts of telomerase that would train immune cells called T cells to recognize and target excessively telomerase-using cells.

They “stalk the blood to attack and kill those [cancer] cells before anyone even knew they were there,” explained Dr. Domchek to TIME.

While promising, Dr. Vonderheide, a collaborator with Domchek on the trial, explained that getting the T cells to work against the cancer is vital to moving this breast cancer vaccine forward. “We think the best vaccines for cancer will be those that generated T cells,” he stated. 

As part of the study, Penn Medicine will enroll 16 people who have been diagnosed with cancer and have the genetic mutations BRCA1 or BRCA2, which puts them at higher risk for breast cancer. A further 28 people with genetic risk, who do not have cancer, will also be studied to see if they are at lower risk of getting cancer if they are vaccinated. The study will take place for two years. 

Breast cancer vaccine trial results showing a reduced risk of recurrence or a significant reduction in developing cancer will be considered a great triumph for cancer research, as well as a huge step forward for cancer prevention. 

Even as we wait for exciting developments, medical experts still advise women to have regular mammograms and clinical breast exams, especially if they are considered high-risk.

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COVID-19 has been perplexing, to put it lightly. For the past three years, we’ve seen a variety of different symptoms, severities, and outcomes on an individual basis. We know that things like age, sex, and certain underlying medical conditions have an influence on how COVID affects a person. But new research published in Nature shows there might be another explanation for why some people have more severe COVID cases than others.

The APOE Gene Could Be To Blame

The ability to determine who is at risk for deadly and incapacitating COVID cases has been a major sticking point for scientists. But recent research from The Rockefeller University indicates that the APOE gene could be a major player when it comes to COVID infections.

In their study, researchers found that mice with gene variants previously linked to Alzheimer’s disease were at greater risk of dying when infected with COVID. In their retrospective analysis, it was suggested that human COVID patients with those same genetic mutations—which are found in 3% of the world’s population, or approximately 240 million people—were more likely to have died during the pandemic.

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“It is clear that age, sex, and certain preconditions such as diabetes increase the risk of detrimental outcomes, but these factors don’t fully explain the spectrum of COVID outcomes,” Sohail Tavazoie, the Leon Hess Professor at The Rockefeller University, told Futurity. “This is the first time that we’ve seen such a common genetic variant associated with COVID mortality.”

The Difference Between APOE Variants

Tavazoie’s lab had previously studied the APOE gene, which plays a role in cancer metastasis. It’s known to regulate tumor-fighting immune responses and suppress the spread of melanoma.

Most people have a form of the APOE gene called APOE3, but 40% of us actually carry at least one copy of the APOE2 or APOE4 variant. Individuals with these variants (also called alleles) produce proteins that differ by just one or two amino acids compared to APOE3—and according to Tavazoie’s research, that difference has a massive impact.

Those with the APOE4 variation are at greater risk for Alzheimer’s, which is what prompted Tavazoie and his team to wonder if APOE variants could possibly affect COVID outcomes, too.

“We had looked only at non-infectious diseases,” he said. “But what if APOE variants also made people vulnerable to an infectious agent, like SARS-CoV-2? Could they cause different immune responses against a virus?”

APOE And COVID-19 Severity

After exposing more than 300 mice engineered to carry human APOE to COVID, Tavazoie and his team found that those with APOE4 and APOE2 were more likely to die than those with the more common APOE3 form. They also had more virus replicating in their lungs, more signs of inflammation, and more signs of tissue damage.

“The results were striking,” lead study author Benjamin Ostendorf shared with Futurity. “A difference in just one or two amino acids in the APOE gene was sufficient to cause major differences in the survival of mice exhibiting COVID.”

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When they took their study results and analyzed 13,000 human COVID patients in the UK Biobank, the researchers found that individuals with two copies of APOE4 or APOE2 were more likely to have died from the virus.

What The Research Suggests

In his research, Tavazoie makes it clear there is no evidence that the 40% of people carrying only one of the alleles are at increased risk. He also says that the 3% of the population with two APOE2 or APOE4 alleles are probably at lower risk today than the research indicated because of the vaccine.

He explained that the data in the UK Biobank is from the entire pandemic, and it’s possible that those who died early on may have been protected against dire outcomes if they’d been vaccinated. However, he would like to see more research done on the link between APOE and specific COVID outcomes.

“We want to better understand the function of APOE by studying how it shapes the behavior of cells in these disparate contexts of cancer, dementia, and now viral infection,” Tavazoie said.

This research may help us learn more about how COVID works, but human trials that account for vaccination are necessary in order for the results to be clinically useful. If future research does confirm the link between APOE and COVID outcomes, that could help when it comes to prioritizing individuals for vaccinations, boosters, and antiviral therapies.

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Diet soda first came into the American market back in 1952 with No-Cal ginger ale. At first, it was just an incidental part of the carbonated beverage industry that didn’t get much attention. But as the interest in weight loss grew among the American population, diet soda exploded in popularity and became the industry’s flagship product.

Big soda brands are generally targeted at everyone. But when it comes to the diet versions, women have historically been the target market. Some of the most popular brands we know today first popped up in the 1960s. They included Dr. Pepper (originally called Dietetic Dr. Pepper), Pepsi (their first diet drink was called Patio Diet Cola), and Coca-Cola (they started with Tab and later introduced Fresca).

Those early diet sodas were originally sweetened with cyclamates and saccharin. But in 1969, a rat study suggested cyclamates were carcinogenic in humans and the FDA banned its use. Cyclamates were later re-evaluated and scientists concluded it was not a carcinogen, but the ban has remained.

Saccharin was also part of that rat study and was linked to the development of bladder cancer. But, further studies showed those results occur only in rats, not humans. Saccharin was eventually delisted from the U.S. National Toxicology Program’s Report on Carcinogens and is still found in some diet fountain drinks today.

In 1983, most beverage companies transitioned to using aspartame as the artificial sweetener of choice. But in recent years, sucralose and stevia have both entered the marketplace. No matter which sweetener is used, though, artificially sweetened beverages are often touted as a healthier, low-calorie alternative to sugary drinks.

Now common in a number of products, scientists have been studying the potential link between artificial sweeteners and a host of health concerns. Particularly, in a 2020 research letter published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, diet soda, in particular, looks to be associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

A Look At The Study

Researchers note that sugary drink consumption has increased worldwide in recent years, and the evidence of its “detrimental impact on cardio-metabolic health is accumulating.”

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“Artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) are marketed as a healthier alternative, but their cardiometabolic impact is debated. We investigated the relationships between the consumption of sugary drinks, ASB, and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a large prospective cohort,” the study reads.

All diet beverages containing non-nutritive sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, and natural sweeteners (stevia) were considered ASB. A total of 104,760 participants were included in the study—with a median age of 42.9 years—and it took place in France from 2009 to 2019.

The Link Between Diet Drinks And Heart Health

Researchers assessed dietary intakes and consumption of artificial sweeteners based on repeated 24-hour dietary records, which included brand names of industrial products. When the data was compiled, they found that “both sugary drinks and ASB were associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.”

“The findings from this large-scale prospective cohort study suggest a potential direct association between higher artificial sweetener consumption (especially aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose) and increased cardiovascular disease risk,” the study concluded.

In other words, just because your diet soda is marked “zero calories” that doesn’t mean it’s a healthier beverage alternative. Using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar isn’t the miracle alternative we once thought it was.

The harmful effects of added sugars on your health have been extensively studied, and they are now recognized as “major risk factors” by public health authorities. Sorry to have to break your Diet Coke addiction, but sugar-free sodas may be linked to serious heart problems!

RELATED: Here’s Why You Don’t Feel Hydrated Even After Drinking Water All Day

Instead of drinking diet soda to get through your day, there are healthier alternatives. If you need the caffeine kick, try this copycat recipe for Panera Bread’s Iced Green Tea.

If you love the bubbles of diet soda, investing in a SodaStream sparkling water maker might be a good option. You can add any flavoring your heart desires, like these fruity drops from the popular sparkling water brand Bubly. If you love the traditional flavors of sodas, there is also this natural line of flavorings (including cola, cream soda, root beer, and cherry vanilla) from Bakto Flavors.

Of course, there’s nothing healthier than drinking plenty of ice-cold water every day. If you choose to add flavorings, just be sure to double-check the label.

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Many factors can contribute to the development of PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Some include combat, serious accidents or health issues, sexual abuse, and, as it turns out, being a woman. In fact, that last factor alone doubles an individual’s chance of having this debilitating anxiety disorder.

Yet, despite PTSD’s ubiquity among women, clinical research and models have historically excluded women from their findings. Of course, when one considers the medical field’s long, tarnished history of ignoring or misunderstanding women’s health, this isn’t exactly surprising. But it doesn’t make it any less disconcerting. 

The relationship between PTSD and female hormones affects every aspect of a woman’s health (and nearly every age). It explains why she would be more likely to develop an anxiety disorder than her male counterpart. And it could also shine a light on some of menopause’s more troubling symptoms.

PTSD’s Effect On Hormones

While PTSD largely seems relegated to the brain and our emotions, it also has a domino effect on our hormones. When the brain perceives danger, it signals a stress response by releasing hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine. Then, the oxytocin system works with our HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) to regulate the stress response. 

However, trauma—particularly childhood trauma—may inhibit the development or functionality of the oxytocin system. With less oxytocin in the body, stress hormones aren’t regulated and the feeling of fear and anxiety persists. Trauma also directly affects sex hormones, like estradiol, progesterone, and estrogen.

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The Link Between Estrogen And Trauma

According to a 2022 article published in Frontiers, “[female sex hormone] levels at the time of trauma exposure have been suggested to contribute to the development of PTSD symptoms.”

Estrogen receptors are densely expressed in the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus, which suggests estrogen’s influence on emotion and cognition (just like PTSD, which affects the same areas of the brain). Studies have found a stronger fear response in the brain when estrogen levels are low and lesser fear responses when they’re high.

These neuroimaging studies found greater activation of neural networks involved in stress responses during the early phases of the menstrual cycle (when estrogen is low). During mid-cycle, when estrogen levels are high, these networks are less activated and, in turn, less stressed.

A similar result was found in a 2012 study that compared sexual assault victims who did and did not take estrogen-based emergency contraceptives immediately after the assault. Those who took the estrogen had significantly lower PTSD symptoms six months after the incident.

What This Means For Sexually Mature Women

Women’s estrogen levels naturally fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle each month. We’re more likely to report symptoms of depression and anxiety during pre-menstrual and menstruating stages when estrogen levels are relatively low. (But did a scientific study really need to tell you that PMS makes you feel like crap?)

The average woman has over 450 menstrual cycles in her lifetime. This means that during each of these periods, a woman is more likely to develop a dysfunctional stress response to a traumatic event. It also suggests that underlying PTSD symptoms can either flare up or subside, depending on how low or high estrogen levels are.

So, no—it isn’t your PMS ‘making you crazy.’ It’s your brain’s natural response to deregulated stress hormones and subsequent stress management. But unfortunately, this phenomenon isn’t for menstruating women only. The link between estrogen and PTSD affects our peri- and post-menopausal experiences, too.

What This Means For Menopause Specifically

Estrogen levels reach an all-time low during peri- and post-menopause, making older women the most at risk of developing depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental disorders. But it can also shed light on why some people experience worse menopausal symptoms than others. 

As mentioned before, PTSD disaffects the functionality of the HPA axis. The HPA axis works with the vasomotor system, which is responsible for some of menopause’s more notorious symptoms (i.e., hot flashes, night sweats, heart palpitations, and sleep disturbances). When this axis is unregulated, symptoms can get worse.

A 2019 California-based study supports this correlation. The study interviewed 2016 women aged 40-80, around 20% of whom had experienced trauma (either ongoing or specific) in their lives. Those with trauma experience reported higher incidents of sleep disturbances, hot flashes, and unpleasant vaginal symptoms in menopause.

RELATED: Working With Menopause Symptoms Ranks More Difficult Than Starting A Family: Why Employers Need To Pay Attention

The Clinical Implications Of This Connection

The symptoms of PTSD have been recognized since the late 19th century, and the disorder was codified by the American Psychiatric Association in 1980. Yet, the connection between significant hormonal fluctuations (like menopause) and the severity of PTSD wasn’t discussed until the mid-aughts. Even today, the literature remains scant.

Navigating the medical world as a woman can feel incredibly lonely. A notable lack of female-based clinical studies has created a void of inaccurate, apathetic medical care. More often than not, a woman’s best solution to dealing with hormonal health issues is to “deal with it.”

And while women are tough as hell and likely could deal with it, that doesn’t mean we should. The link between estrogen and PTSD offers significant clinical implications, like using hormone therapy as a potential treatment. But first, more research must be done examining PTSD in women specifically.

In the meantime, there is a silver lining to be found here. The sexist trends of the medical world are on their way out, and a rejuvenated women’s wellness boom is taking its place. The first step in easing hormonal dysfunction’s grip on our lives is identifying the problem. Now that we’ve done that, we can move on to fixing it.

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A daily coffee ritual is vital to so many of us, and while some call it a vice, coffee has been associated with several health benefits. Besides being an essential ingredient to a productive day, coffee may also reduce your risk of dementia, among other potential health benefits.

And now here’s some more good news: if you add this one inexpensive ingredient to your coffee, you could rack up even more health benefits. Supplementing your morning cup with a few tablespoons of chicory root can help decrease inflammation and improve gut health. If you’re avoiding caffeine altogether, you can also brew it on its own as a coffee alternative.

Either way, it’s an easy way to feel good about your morning routine—and we’re all for making small changes that can make big impacts on our health.

The Lowdown On Chicory

Chicory is a flowering plant that is a part of the dandelion family. The leaves and flowers of the plant can be used in salads. The root is typically roasted, ground, and brewed for a drink that has a nutty, earthy, and woody flavor.

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A staple in New Orleans, the drink gained popularity during the Civil War when New Orleanians couldn’t get coffee due to a naval blockade cutting off their port. They added chicory to stretch the coffee they had or brewed the root as an alternative. Luckily it tastes pretty good, and adding chicory to coffee has become a signature of the Louisiana city.

Potential Health Benefit

As it turns out, chicory root is a good source of dietary fiber. Most Americans don’t get enough fiber, and studies have shown that increasing fiber in your diet could decrease cardiovascular disease, as well as reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.  

Scientists also suspect, based on animal studies, that chicory has anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation is linked to many diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Chicory also contains many essential nutrients including manganese and vitamin B6, which support brain health, and inulin fiber which helps control blood sugar and supports gut health. One review of several studies found that people with type 2 diabetes could benefit from a supplement of inulin to help lower insulin resistance.

Ready To Make Chicory Coffee?

You could go out and harvest your own chicory root, but you could also make things easy on yourself and buy some.

Anthony’s Instant Chicory Root, 8 oz

$12.49 Shop Now At Amazon

Anthony’s Organic Roasted Chicory Root is USDA certified organic and non-GMO. Mix it 1:1 with your favorite coffee and brew normally. Or add two tablespoons of the granules to one cup of water, boil, and cover for 10 minutes. Then strain and enjoy!

Organic Daily Prebiotic Dietary Fiber Supplement Powder (Inulin Fiber from Chicory Root)

$18.95 Shop Now At Amazon

Another option for the benefits of chicory is Organic Daily Prebiotic Dietary Fiber Supplement Powder. This is a flavorless option, so you can add it to your favorite coffee, tea, or smoothie and never know the difference. However, you’ll still reap the benefits of the chicory root.

Worldwide Botanicals French Chicory Root

$9.99 Shop Now At Amazon

Lastly, Worldwide Botanicals French Chicory Root is a dark roast version. You can blend it with coffee to reduce the coffee’s acidity and caffeine, or just brew it by itself. It’s decaffeinated, kosher, and vegan. This high-quality chicory can be made in any coffee maker including a drip coffee maker, French press, or espresso machine. It also has a shelf life of three years.

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Most of us know our lifestyle choices have a major impact on our health and longevity. But, many of us probably think that our genes play the largest role and are the most important factor in terms of our health overall.

We’ve all heard the stories of the daily drinker who lived to well over 100 or the epitome of health struck dead by a heart attack in midlife. Is this a matter of genes, or just pure anomalies?

It’s easy to resign ourselves to our inherited health fate, but do we have to play the genetic hand we are dealt? A new book is challenging that very notion.

‘The Great Age Reboot’

The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrowby New York Times best-selling author Dr. Michael F. Roizen takes a look at the future of human longevity while revealing how to prepare for a longer, healthier life.

Roizen says that over the next decade, living to 100, 120, or even 130 years old will become increasingly common. What’s more, he says that life as a centenarian is not going to be what you think.

Before we get too far into his theory, let’s take a look at Dr. Roizen’s list of credentials because they are impressive and add even more credibility to his latest book.

• Roizen is a graduate of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine who performed his residency in internal medicine at Harvard’s Beth Israel Hospital.
• He’s worked with Nobel prize winners, was a college professor, has directed different medical programs, is certified by both the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Anesthesiology, and is the past chairman of an FDA advisory committee. He also has a dozen US patents, plus more overseas.
• Roizen has more credits on his CV than we can count. But, some of the most impressive comes from his writing. We’re talking about dozens of peer-reviewed scientific papers, textbook chapters, editorials, and even medical textbooks—including a medical best-seller.

What Is Gene Influencing?

While genes can raise your risk for certain diseases, they aren’t the only factor in whether or not you’ll get that disease. Well known in the science community as epigenetics, environmental factors can influence how our DNA controls what is happening in our bodies. And this is essentially what Roizen is arguing.

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In a recent piece he wrote for National Geographic—the publisher of his latest book—Roizen said that if you make healthy lifestyle choices, you can “self-engineer genetic alterations to prevent disease and boost longevity.”

In the United States, approximately 40 percent of premature deaths (defined as occurring before age 75) are related to lifestyle choices. Which, as Roizen notes, are “behaviors we can change.”

“Lifestyle and genetics are intertwined, in that your lifestyle choices influence the ways that many of your genes function—and thus how your body functions,” Roizen wrote.

“Studies of human gene expression show that if you choose to make certain lifestyle changes, you can influence whether your genes are ‘on’ or ‘off.’ In fact, your choices can influence an estimated 1,200 of the 1,500 genes that are on and probably can influence the other estimated 21,000 that are off.”

Science tells us that by the time we hit the age of 60, about 75 percent of our health outcomes are literally determined by our choices. As Roizen explained, that’s “genetic self-engineering.”

Of course, the brain is the center of everything, and Roizen notes that when the mind goes, the body quickly follows suit. As such, taking measures to protect the brain shouldn’t be overlooked. Luckily, they are often the same steps you can take to protect the whole body.

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Steps To Live Longer

Building a strong foundation now by making good choices will help you live longer because you have the ability to change how your body works and reacts. We all know things like diet, exercise, sleep, and quitting smoking are healthy lifestyle factors we should strive to prioritize. That doesn’t always make them easy, though.

To help, Roizen outlined some of the methods people have successfully implemented to make better lifestyle choices.

1. Take Advantage Of Technology

From simple step trackers to smartwatches to calorie-tracking apps, there are a number of devices and tools on the market that can help us make better choices. While it won’t work for everyone, for others these aids can assist in setting and monitoring goals or identifying areas that need more attention.

2. Use Financial Incentives

With the healthcare system in the United States, a chronic illness or emergency hospital visit can get costly, so that alone could be a financial incentive for some. Roizen also notes that those in better health tend to have higher work productivity and can work longer, which can manifest in raises and more retirement savings.

3. The Good Old Buddy System

Whether it’s a group class, an online support group, or a neighbor to walk with, the power of community support can’t be understated. Other people can help hold us accountable, offer encouraging words when we struggle, or influence us to make better choices.

4. Do The ‘Little’ Things

When we face an injury or illness, it’s common for doctors to recommend steps for fast recovery. That could take the form of going to physical therapy, making sure we’re drinking extra fluids, or doing daily stretches at home. Yet it’s so easy to stop these activities before recommended or even skip them altogether. Yet Roizen urges that the little things matter, and every decision we make, no matter how small, can add up when it comes to our overall health.

Finding the right way to motivate ourselves to make those better choices isn’t easy. But as Roizen says, “science is about to offer you the Garden of Eden”—the chance of a prolonged life with prolonged youthful years. However, it will be up to you to take advantage of it.

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Society treats the midlife crisis more like a punchline than an actual problem. We mock 40-something men driving sports cars or similarly-aged women dying their hair a shocking shade and snagging a younger beau. We write off this social and cultural phenomenon as an excuse for impulsive behavior (or a denial of reality). 

However, new research suggests that midlife crises are more than just cheesy sitcom fodder. According to data from the National Bureau of Economic Research, there is a tangible difference in happiness between people who are 20 and 40. Despite the latter typically being the most financially prosperous and independent, their joy doesn’t match up.

And while everyone reacts to this emotional transition differently, it has the potential for disastrous results. So, maybe it’s time we laid off the midlife crisis jokes?

An Actual Headache Or A Hoax?

Canadian psychoanalyst Elliot Jacques coined the term “midlife crisis” in 1965. He described it as a time when many people are forced to come to terms with their mortality. Since then, the midlife crisis has become a household concept with varying degrees of support.

Writer Dean J. Murphy is in the unsupportive camp: “Midlife crises do not exist,” he wrote in a 2020 Medium article. “They are merely a marketing scheme based upon poor science and movies.” Dr. Susan Krauss Whitbourne shared similar sentiments five years earlier in an article published in Psychology Today.

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“There is virtually no data to support the assertion that the midlife crisis is a universal experience,” Whitbourne wrote. “Cornell University sociologist Elaine Wethington talks about the midlife crisis as a case of ‘expected stress.’ You think everyone will have a midlife crisis, so you feel you have to fit into the mold.”

In a way, denouncing the existence of midlife crises is empowering. With no potential crisis to worry about, you can buy that car, take that vacation, or switch up your career or love life guilt- and shame-free. As long as you feel emotionally and mentally well, then that’s all that matters. But what if you don’t?

The Real-(Mid)-Life Ramifications

For those struggling with their psychological well-being in midlife, writing off the midlife crisis as a sham can be disheartening. If there’s no such thing, then why would these symptoms still affect so many? That makes the NBER study so important, especially for high-risk individuals.

The group of economists and behavioral scientists surveyed 20,648 working individuals aged 15-75 to collect data regarding suicide, sleep disturbances, depression, career strain, headaches, concentration or memory problems, and alcohol dependence. The data fell into an upside-down U, or hill shape, every time.

Among all genders and socioeconomic backgrounds, participants in midlife (from late 30s to early 50s) recorded higher instances of stress, unhappiness, substance abuse, and mental, emotional, and sleep disturbances. Considering other life factors around this age set, researchers found these results disturbing. 

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“Middle-aged citizens in our data sets are close to their peak earnings, have typically experienced little or no illness, reside in some of the safest countries in the world, and live in the most prosperous era in human history,” the study reads. “This is paradoxical and troubling. We believe the seriousness of this societal problem has not been grasped by the affluent world’s policy-makers.”

Accurately comparing evidence rooted in emotional phenomena is difficult, and most midlife crisis studies acknowledge this. However, it isn’t just humans that experience this type of slump. A 2012 study found similar downward emotional trends in middle-aged great apes, suggesting a stronger biological influence. 

Making The Most Of Midlife And Beyond

But whether you are a midlife crisis believer or a denier, the data is worth considering. It’s clear that emotional wellness wanes around the middle-age mark, despite other markers of prosperity reaching their peak. This is true across multiple studies, countries, and even species. 

Still, the midlife experience varies from person to person. What appears as a crisis to one person might be a so-so month to someone else. Perhaps the issue isn’t whether a midlife crisis exists. Maybe the problem is how we’re trying to define it. 

If you are confident and secure in your midlife years, then there is scientific data backing up your notable lack of crisis. You’re not an anomaly, nor are you secretly doing something wrong. Your midlife crisis might seem more like one bad week when you were 42, and that’s okay. But if you find yourself struggling, then this research allows you to give yourself some grace. 

For many individuals, midlife is a tumultuous chapter. Its effects go beyond flashy Ferraris or outlandish shopping sprees. They can have real-life ramifications, particularly for those at higher risk of developing mental disorders or substance abuse. By giving this phenomenon the credence it deserves, one can better look out for struggles (plus solutions and preventative measures) for family, friends, and themselves. 

There is no cut-and-dry definition of the midlife crisis, it seems. There is freedom in knowing that, for some, midlife is liberating at best and uneventful at worst. But there is also grace and compassion in knowing that it can feel like a crisis for some. 

No matter where you fall on the midlife experience spectrum, you’re not alone. And that’s the important part.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of American adults have hypertension, aka high blood pressure. Lifestyle changes can be made to help control it, such as losing weight, eating a healthy, low-sodium diet, and getting more exercise. However, many of us also have to use medication.

With hypertension being such a common issue, the scientific community has been diligently studying the situation. And research suggests there’s another way to reduce high blood pressure that doesn’t have anything to do with medication or major lifestyle changes.

Instead, the study indicates that training our diaphragm and other breathing muscles can help promote heart health and reduce high blood pressure.

How Breath Training Works

The Journal of Applied Physiology recently published a study about “high-resistance inspiratory muscle strength training (IMST)” and how it lowers blood pressure. Just like weightlifting at the gym can strengthen our triceps and glutes, the idea behind this study was that strengthening the muscles we use to breathe could have BP-lowering effects.

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After five pilot trials in healthy adults aged 18-82 years, researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder wrote that the results “provide the strongest evidence to date that high-resistance IMST evokes clinically significant reductions in SBP (systolic blood pressure) and DBP (diastolic blood pressure) and increases in PIMAX (maximal inspiratory mouth pressures), in adult men and women.”

Integrative physiologist Daniel Craighead explained to NPR that “the muscles we use to breathe atrophy, just like the rest of our muscles tend to do as we get older.” To find out what happens when you give your breathing muscles a workout, Craighead and his fellow researchers tested volunteers using a device called PowerBreathe for five minutes per day.

This hand-held machine is a breathing trainer that looks similar to an inhaler. When you breathe into it, the PowerBreathe creates resistance to make your diaphragm and other breathing muscles work harder.

“We found that doing 30 breaths per day for six weeks lowers systolic blood pressure by about 9 millimeters of mercury,” Craighead said. He noted that kind of reduction would be expected with walking, cycling, and other forms of conventional aerobic exercise.

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It’s also the kind of reduction you could see from taking a blood pressure drug, according to Dr. Michael Joyner—a Mayo Clinic physician who studies how the nervous system regulates blood pressure.

In addition to lowering blood pressure, breath training with a PowerBreathe could possibly help prevent hypertension. Joyner wrote in the Journal of the American Heart Association that he believes the prospects of using this technique in preventive care are “promising”—especially for people who aren’t able to do traditional aerobic exercise.

He also pointed out what’s really appealing about this method—it’s so easy. Dr. Joyner explained that giving your breathing muscles a workout with high-resistance IMST “offers a new and unconventional way to generate the benefits of exercise and physical activity.”

Benefits Of Breath Training Surprised Researchers

Breath training may be new to the world of hypertension treatments, but strength training the breathing muscles through deep diaphragmatic breathing has long been used during meditation and mindfulness practices.

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This is why high-resistance IMST using a small machine like the PowerBreathe could actually benefit adults of all ages, no matter their health status. But just how big that benefit was came as a surprise to researchers.

“We were surprised to see how ubiquitously effective IMST is at lowering blood pressure,” Craighead said, adding they “saw robust effects” in study participants of all ages. He noted that these results could indicate that IMST may help prevent heart disease and high blood pressure that tends to happen when we age.

If you happen to be an elite, endurance athlete, Craighead also noted that six weeks of IMST could be very helpful in increasing aerobic exercise tolerance.

If you’re thinking that breath training can replace exercise, though, that’s not the case. It shouldn’t necessarily replace your medication, either, Craighead warns. This is definitely a discussion to have with your doctor. Especially when your blood pressure is so elevated that you’re at high risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Instead, the researcher says, “it would be a good additive intervention for people who are doing other healthy lifestyle approaches already.”

Still, the initial research looks promising, and for just five minutes a day, considering adding the PowerBreathe to your health routine may be worth it.

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Sir Alexander Crichton first noted what would later be called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 1798. And in true patriarchal fashion, it only took 224 years for women to enter the conversation. For those two centuries prior, female diagnoses were widely misunderstood—or missed altogether. 

In the last few years, there has been a sharp increase in adult women diagnosed with ADHD. But women in their 30s and beyond weren’t magically developing this disorder overnight. It was there the whole time, hiding in plain sight. 

Indeed, ADHD symptoms and treatment were born in a male-dominated medical world. And unfortunately, this male-centric perspective altered the efficacy and accuracy of women’s health—until now.

The Rise Of ADHD Cases Across The U.S.

The Attention Deficit Disorder Association is a nonprofit group that helps adults manage their ADHD symptoms. The organization’s membership doubled between 2019 and 2021. While this could have been an attempt to ease pandemic isolation, a study published in the JAMA Network Open suggests otherwise. 

The study found that annual adult ADHD diagnoses increased by 43% between 2007 and 2016. Even more astounding is data from the CDC that show a whopping 344% increase in women between the ages of 15 and 41 filling ADHD medication prescriptions from 2003 to 2015. 

Despite the number of female diagnoses rising, stats like these from 2006 reported that ADHD was more prevalent in males (5.4%) than females (3.2%). Today, we know that might not have been the case—doctors were just overlooking female symptoms.

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How ADHD Affects The Brain

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects the pre-frontal cortex and limbic system. As a result, those with ADHD struggle with attention, organization, memory, and emotional regulation. ADHD brains also have low levels of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter for dopamine (the “pleasure and reward” chemical). 

There are three types of ADHD: hyperactive-impulsive, inattentive, or a combination. Hyperactive-impulsive is the easiest to spot (think squirming, fidgeting, etc.) and is the most dominant diagnosis for males. Inattentive ADHD is far more elusive and, you guessed it, the most common form found in female patients. 

With inattentive ADHD, symptoms are often silent. They include struggling to focus, sensory overload, disorganization, memory issues, difficulty planning, and problems with juggling multiple tasks. Inattentive ADHD also makes it harder to process information, particularly when it’s something uninteresting.

What Makes Female ADHD So Easy To Miss?

That’s the million-dollar, multi-answer question. For starters, women’s internalized ADHD symptoms are harder to notice. Even how they express impulsivity, a more external symptom, looks different. Impulsivity in female ADHD might look like excessive talking, self-harming activities, unhealthy self-discipline, and an inability to maintain healthy relationships. 

Additionally, female ADHD patients often have comorbid psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Doctors might take note of these symptoms first and treat the comorbidity, not ADHD. And while these comorbidities can be separate from ADHD, they can also be a direct result of suppressing and overcompensating for symptoms.

Society encourages women to be pleasant, flexible, and capable of managing stress discreetly. Consequently, women with ADHD try to mask their symptoms by overworking, impulsively overextending their resources, or seeking a boost for their depleted dopamine levels via food, sex, or substances. 

Untreated ADHD worsens symptoms of anxiety, depression, and OCD. Female patients often have lower self-esteem. They make friends quickly but struggle to keep them. Moreover, they often have more volatile—sometimes even abusive—romantic relationships.

The Sexism Behind The Missed Symptoms

The stereotype that ADHD affects boys more than girls and a societal expectation for girls to be more mature have caused women to go undiagnosed for decades. They suffer through and suppress their symptoms, internalizing them as personal defects instead of an easily treatable and common disorder. 

Such is the case for many facets of women’s health, including perimenopause and menopause. And considering ADHD and low estrogen levels are directly linked, it’s essential for women in midlife and beyond to seek appropriate treatment, whether medication, therapy, or both. 

ADHD entangles some of the most complex, misunderstood concepts of well-being: mental wellness, trauma response, hormonal regulation, and environmental influence. Its symptoms have tangible, potentially detrimental effects on people’s lives. Women deserve the opportunity to receive accurate, effective diagnoses and treatments. 

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Women’s health has come a long way from the knee-jerk “hysteria” diagnoses of the late 1800s to the benzo prescriptions of the 1950s. But we still have further to go. ADHD is just one example of women’s health being ignored, misdiagnosed, or mistreated. 

However, this steep rise in ADHD diagnoses indicates progress. Medical professionals are starting to listen to and help their female patients. At the same time, women are beginning to advocate for themselves and their health. 

The sexist tradition of women suffering in silence is on its way out. And we can’t wait to experience the women’s wellness boom that will take its place.

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For many of us, our relationship with food changes as we age. Our sense of taste usually develops from a love of sugar-filled sweets as children to a more complex flavor palate as adults. But just because we tend to expand our horizons with food in adulthood, that doesn’t mean our favorite foods will necessarily change. The effect that food has on your body, however, sure can.

The changes in the way food affect our bodies can sneak up on us. The diet you had in your teens and 20s does not digest the same way in your 30s and 40s, and that change continues the older we get. We just have to accept that it’s no longer a peaceful process, right? Well, maybe not.

Beyond age-related changes to the digestive tract, lifestyle factors like stress or alcohol use can make matters more complicated. Figuring out which of these factors trigger your specific digestion issues isn’t an easy process. But, it can be done.

Have you reached a point in your life where your favorite foods aren’t loving you back? Here are a few reasons why we become more sensitive to certain foods as we age, and some things we can do to enjoy our favorite foods again.

1. Lack Of Saliva

Did you know that as we get older, our salivary glands produce smaller quantities of saliva? It’s true, and this could be a big reason why your favorite foods aren’t loving you back. The chemical process of digestion begins in your mouth the moment you take a bite. 

The mouth secretes enzymes via the saliva to break down food. So, that lack of saliva as we age can inhibit food breakdown and lead to dry mouth. Which, in turn, can cause digestive issues. There is no way to prevent that decrease in saliva production as we age, but, you can actually stimulate saliva production by sucking on sugar-free or sour candies.

2. Eating Too Fast

Chewing your food is the start of the mechanical process of digestion, and how you chew has a significant impact on that process. If you are rushing through your meals and eating too fast—swallowing large chunks of food—this could be causing increased levels of digestive discomfort.

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Larger pieces of food take longer to break down in the stomach, which can end in gastrointestinal discomfort. Taking time to chew your food and breaking it down into smaller pieces can help avoid a post-meal upset tummy. Bonus tip: good dental hygiene also plays an important role in proper chewing.

3. High Blood Sugar

The digestive tract pushes food through the gut by moving in a rhythmic manner. But, if your blood sugar levels are always elevated, that can damage the nerves that cause that much-needed digestive tract movement. 

As a result, the stomach will empty slower and symptoms can emerge like bloating, heartburn, reflux, and nausea. If you have issues with elevated blood sugar levels, you should definitely see your doctor. You can also help alleviate those symptoms by avoiding high-fat foods, eating smaller meals, and not eating within 30 minutes of bedtime.

There are also “trigger foods” that are the usual suspects when it comes to irritating the upper GI tract—chocolate, acidic foods, spicy foods, and caffeine. If your favorite foods fall into those categories, the chances of them loving you back as you age are slim. Consider making those things a rare treat instead of including them in your daily diet.

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4. Taking Medication

Medications for pain management (narcotics) or conditions like diabetes can affect the digestive tract by slowing down the rate your food will move through it. If you are having problems with digestion and are on any kind of prescribed medication, that’s a discussion you definitely need to have with your doctor.

Side effects from meds can cause reduced saliva production, constipation, and nutrition deficiencies. Some can also increase the risk for an overgrowth of Clostridium difficile (C. diff) colitis, a bacteria that naturally inhabit the GI tract. 

5. Whacky Microbiome

The last stage of digestion takes place in the small bowel. But, the bacteria we need in the small bowel to do that job changes as we age. In addition to a decrease in the biodiversity of bacteria, there is an increase in proinflammatory bacteria and no change in the number of health-promoting bacteria.

Eating a high-fiber diet and avoiding processed foods can help with any issues of bacteria overgrowth and stimulate microbiome diversity. However, you will also need to talk to your doctor and get an antibiotic.

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It’s common knowledge that lifestyle choices and genetics play large roles in our overall health. While some factors are easier to quantify than others, these are relatively easy things to observe and, if possible, improve. 

But what about your blood type? Research in the past few years found that our blood type might be more important than we previously thought, increasing the risk of certain diseases by over 50 percent. 

Yet, most Americans don’t even know their blood type unless they’ve had a transfusion or found out during pregnancy. Consequently, they could be blind to possible health risks, from blood clotting disorders to cognitive impairment to COVID-19.

Breaking Down Blood Types

Our blood types refer to the ABO gene, which programs the blood cells in our bodies. In types A, B, or AB, red blood cells (RBCs) have either A, B, or both antigens. Type O blood contains no antigens. 

The terms “positive” and “negative” refer to the presence of proteins on RBCs. Blood cells with proteins are Rhesus, or Rh, positive. Alternatively, those without proteins are Rh-negative. 

Blood types with different proteins and antigens are incompatible. For example, if you were to give type A blood to someone with type B blood, their body would negatively react to the foreign antigens. Thus, we typically think of blood type in the context of blood transfusions, donations, or pregnancy.

Why Blood Type Is So Important

However, studies show that our blood type goes far beyond trips to the Red Cross or maternity ward. According to a 2020 study posted by the American Heart Association, types A and B have an 8% higher risk of heart attack and a 10% increased risk of heart failure. 

The same study found that those with type A and B blood were 51% more likely to develop deep vein thrombosis and 47% more likely to develop a pulmonary embolism. Both of these disorders further increase the risk of heart failure. 

While more research is needed, scientists speculate that type A and B blood are more prone to disorders because of their added proteins and antigens. Their proteins may cause more blockage or thickening in veins and arteries, increasing the risk of blood clotting and heart disease. 

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On the other hand, type O blood presents a lower risk of heart problems and blood clotting. This still-inconclusive data might explain the anecdotal decrease of severe COVID-19 in type O patients. However, type O blood presents a higher risk of hemorrhaging, which can negatively impact pregnancy and trauma recovery outcomes.

Our blood types affect more than just blood, too. According to a 2016 study, those with type O blood can affect the intestinal tract, increasing the risk of developing cholera. And another study found that AB blood might cause cognitive impairment, including difficulty with memory, focus, or making decisions.

What Should You Do Next?

Blood type alone will not guarantee the risk (or lack thereof) of developing a disorder—cardiovascular or otherwise. Maintaining a heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory diet and regular exercise can lower your chances of developing health complications. 

However, learning your blood type might improve the efficacy of preventative health care. You can ask your doctor to run a blood test to determine your type. Alternatively, you could kill two birds with one stone and find out your type by donating blood to the American Red Cross, which is currently facing a historically low blood shortage. 

Whether you’re A, B, AB, or O, we can all benefit from learning more about our blood and, in turn, our overall health.

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America is experiencing a new wave of reefer madness—except this time, we’ve flipped the script. What the 1930s once considered a “deadly scourge” is now lauded as holistic medicine capable of potentially treating a myriad of physical and mental ailments. 

From those with Parkinson’s to veterans with PTSD, people from all walks of life are starting to turn toward cannabis to alleviate their symptoms. A recent study published in the scientific journal Menopause suggests that cannabis might also have a rightful place in women’s health care. 

According to the study, cannabis has become increasingly more popular among women for dealing with menopause-related symptoms. Yet just because it’s more common, does that also mean it’s safe?

Baking The Data

Thanks to the increased access to medical cannabis, the study’s premise was to more closely examine the number of women turning to cannabis to alleviate menopause-related symptoms. Researchers mainly recruited participants through targeted social media ads, with most of the participants being white, non-Hispanic, middle-aged women who were either perimenopausal or postmenopausal.

Participants began by outlining their most burdensome symptoms. The top three mentioned were sleep issues, tiredness, and a general lack of energy.  

86.1% of study participants already consumed cannabis, and 78.7% endorsed medical cannabis use to mitigate menopausal symptoms. Around 84% of participants smoked, while 78% opted for edibles. Based on these self-reported numbers, the study suggests that more and more women are turning to cannabis to treat menopause-related symptoms, particularly for sleep and mood issues.

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But is it just easier to ignore symptoms while you’re high? What about weed makes it so sought after in treating menopause’s most stubborn symptoms?

How Cannabis Might Help Menopause Symptoms

While the research on cannabis use specifically for treating menopause symptoms has been limited, the general health effects of cannabis have been studied a bit more.

Speaking to Healthline, Dr. Aaron Gelfand, an OB-GYN at ChoicePoint, explained that numerous physiological systems are thought to be affected by the use of THC or CBD (which activate the endocannabinoid system).

Things such as body temperature, mood, stress, and sleep can all be impacted by cannabis use. Additionally, Gelfand pointed out that cannabis is used to treat anxiety, depression, and even vaginal dryness in menopausal women.

“The amygdala is responsible for emotions, behavior, and motivation,” Gelfand told Healthline. “During menopause, all of these are heightened. Upon taking cannabis in any form, the response is suppressed, causing less anxiety and depression.”

Despite the promising sound of all this, Gelfand cautioned that not all users react to cannabis use the same, particularly those who ingest THC. In particular, THC may have a stimulating effect on some which could in turn make it even harder to fall asleep.

Some Health Professionals Say CBD Might Be Safer

As a brief overview, cannabidiol, aka CBD, is a chemical found in marijuana that doesn’t contain the psychoactive compound THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

Both CBD and THC are shown to have similar medical benefits, but CBD seems to be better tolerated with fewer side effects than THC.

David Culpepper, clinical director of LifeMD, is one medical professional who is more comfortable with patients using CBD over THC for treating menopause symptoms.

“In my experience, most of the anti-inflammatory and other health benefits patients receive from cannabis products come not from THC, but from CBD, which is a benign, non-psychoactive compound,” Culpepper told Healthline. “It’s possible that women using cannabis for menopause are reaping the benefits of the CBD, while unnecessarily intoxicating themselves with THC.”

This opinion seems to largely come from the fact that very little research has been done specifically on the use of cannabis with THC to treat menopause symptoms.

More Research Is Needed

More research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits and risks of medicinal cannabis use for those suffering from perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. This is particularly true in evaluating CBD’s and THC’s individual contributions (and potential side effects) in this matter.

Moreover, combustible marijuana (weed you smoke) poses its own problems. While research suggests smoking marijuana is less harmful to the lungs than tobacco, the risk is not zero. Any combustion (even vaping) is hard on the lungs, and prolonged exposure to smoke or irritants can result in respiratory ailments.

No two menopauses are alike, and not everyone will benefit from medical cannabis. That said, it’s clear it’s a solution more and more women are turning to ease menopause symptoms. Like any health-related issue, it’s always advised to speak to your doctor first to decide if trying cannabis may be a good option for you.

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Midlife is a time of enormous change in a woman’s life, both good and bad. It’s a time for reaching professional peaks, gaining confidence, and discovering new passions. But midlife also brings about many less-than-savory hormonal shifts, which can lead to changes in our skin, hair, and weight.

Changes to the skin and hair can be frustrating, but they’re not particularly dangerous. Weight gain, however, does pose a notable risk to a woman’s overall health. Obesity can increase the risk of disorders and diseases including hypertension and type 2 diabetes. It can also lead to heart disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality. Obesity has even been linked to ovarian, breast, and endometrium cancers.

A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine by the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center sought to formulate new guidelines with the aim of preventing obesity in midlife. According to Kimberly D. Gregory, MD, MPH, the corresponding author of the clinical guidelines, “more than two-thirds of middle-aged women are overweight or obese. Given women’s increased risk for weight gain in midlife, there is a critical need for intervention aimed at preventing obesity and the host of serious health outcomes associated with it.”

While the research suggests it’s time we start shifting the national weight guidelines, how the study reached its conclusion is somewhat controversial.

What Are The New Guidelines? 

The Women’s Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI) created the new obesity guidelines, which strongly encourage healthcare providers to begin addressing the issue of weight with their patients early. The WPSI guidelines suggest discussing these risks with all middle-aged women, even those who might be at a “healthy” weight.

This preventative treatment would involve behavioral counseling for women aged 40 to 60, which includes speaking to women about healthy eating and physical activity. These interventions, and the study itself, refer to the traditional BMI, or body mass index (more on that later).

The study included seven randomized clinical trials with over 50,000 patients aged 40 to 60. Participants went through various behavioral and counseling interventions. According to the study, “trials indicated favorable weight changed with interventions that were statistically different from the control groups.”

Interventions varied in intensity, frequency, and approach and, in turn, had varying degrees of effectiveness. The WPSI recognized that research studies might not answer all of the clinical questions regarding the efficacy of prevention rather than treatment. Nevertheless, this shift in perspective could be extremely positive.

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Focus On Prevention Rather Than Treatment Is A Welcome Approach

Western medicine has often approached healthcare from a treatment standpoint instead of prevention. These reactive measures have made great strides in the biomedical world, including the eradication of smallpox. But after the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, the medical world shifted toward preventative health care.

Still, it’s difficult to provide preventative health care when you’re unsure of what, exactly, you’re preventing—or why. Popular health care often overlooks midlife women. Many doctors aren’t trained to understand perimenopause and menopause and other health issues that arise in this phase of life. If they don’t fully understand females’ changing hormones, then how can they counter, let alone prevent, its adverse side effects?

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This creates a cycle of frustration: a woman assumes her doctor won’t understand her needs and so doesn’t bother to share them. The doctor, none the wiser, continues to not treat her menopausal symptoms, either out of ignorance or lack of experience.

A shift toward preventative care could flip this narrative. Preventive care promotes research and proactive thinking instead of problem-solving and troubleshooting. According to the Mayo Clinic, there can be many contributing factors to midlife weight gain, both lifestyle and genetic. A preventative approach to treatment seeks to mitigate these causal factors before they do significant damage.

Is BMI A Reliable Measure?

In theory, the study sounds positive. However, many critics hesitate to use BMI to measure health. Not only was BMI originally used to describe entire populations, not individuals, but it’s based on a white European man as the “average,” which is decidedly unhelpful for American women of all races and ethnicities.

Consequently, the inaccuracies of BMI can put people at risk of being over or underdiagnosed for certain conditions. Today, traditional BMI classifies anything between 18.5 and 25 as a healthy weight. The index considers 25-30 as overweight and over 30 as obese.

But depending on your genetics and ethnicity, BMI will not always capture an accurate picture of your health. This can lead to distortion of health assessments and increases the risk of developing a negative body image. Moreover, BMI-specific treatment could produce little to no significant results.

Therefore, it’s critical to find an OBGYN or PCP who takes your personal history into account. Preventative treatment for obesity can certainly be beneficial to all body types and sizes, not just those who are currently overweight, but until western healthcare starts acknowledging each patient’s unique background, we still have a long way to go.

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