| |  Plant-based diets are good for you. They promote gut, immune, metabolic and cardiovascular health, in part by cultivating a diverse community of intestinal bacteria. | |
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| |  Scientists have found the first direct evidence of the powerful role our genetic makeup plays in influencing our risk of cancer, with inherited genes interacting with acquired genetic mutations to shape how tumors evolve. | |
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| |  ARIC researchers linked self-reported TV watching and occupational sitting in midlife with brain MRI measures obtained roughly 24 years later in 1,712 adults without dementia. Frequent TV watching was associated with greater white matter hyperintensity volume and lower volumes in several brain regions, while sitting at work was associated with lower white matter hyperintensity volume and larger selected cortical volumes. | |
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| |  A Cleveland Clinic-led study shows a connection between elevated blood levels of TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide) - a byproduct of gut bacteria digestion of nutrients found in red meat and other animal products - and a higher risk of atrial fibrillation. | |
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| |  A review of 37 publications found that grape- and blueberry-derived polyphenols were associated with modest improvements in cardiovascular risk markers, particularly endothelial function. However, most studies were small or short-term, frequently tested concentrated products, and measured biomarkers rather than cardiovascular events. | |
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| |  Researchers used a UK survey and genetic data to examine whether higher neuroticism is associated with lower exercise engagement. Under the study’s Mendelian randomization assumptions, higher neuroticism was estimated to reduce participation in moderate and vigorous physical activity, while conscientiousness may lessen this effect. | |
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| |  A new study reveals that lignin - a natural plant polymer - can be transformed into a bioactive material that promotes the formation of bone-like minerals while supporting the growth of bone-forming cells. | |
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| |  Researchers tested 18 stuffed toys and found that all released at least one targeted PFAS into artificial saliva under mouthing-relevant conditions, with PFHxA driving much of the variation between products. Modeled intake of the four PFAS covered by EFSA’s group tolerable weekly intake remained below that benchmark, but some high-PFHxA toys had reduced margins of exposure, and water rinsing produced mixed results. | |
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| |  A father's diet can affect his children's health and body composition before they are even conceived. A study of 43 triads of fathers, mothers, and newborns treated in the public healthcare system of Ribeirão Preto in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, demonstrated this. | |
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| |  Researchers linked higher plasma TMAO to prevalent atrial fibrillation in 5,090 people and found that TMAO or choline supplementation accelerated AF onset, progression, atrial remodeling, and electrical dysfunction in mice. Inhibiting gut microbial TMA production lowered circulating TMAO and delayed AF in mice, identifying a potential therapeutic pathway that now requires human testing. | |
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| |  In 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Phase I voluntary sodium reduction targets to encourage manufacturers to lower the amount of sodium in packaged food products by 2024. | |
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| |  Biomedical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a method for systematically developing novel, complex combinations of probiotics and prebiotics to more effectively maintain gut health and treat various gastrointestinal diseases. | |
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| |  Prebiotic sodas have become more popular in recent years, with a wave of new products promising gut health benefits and low-calorie enjoyment. | |
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| |  A UK Biobank analysis of 66,483 adults found that longer daily moderate-to-vigorous activity bouts and less fragmented activity were associated with lower subsequent risks of inpatient diagnoses of dementia, depression, and anxiety, independent of total activity time. | |
