Medical News Today

Experts are interested in how the gut microbiota may influence mental health conditions like anxiety. One narrative review suggests that people with anxiety can experience decreased microbial diversity and fewer short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria. The finding also suggests that using probiotics could help to improve anxiety symptoms. https://lnkd.in/eiQ_bPB3

As much as 50% of older adults have sleeping issues, including insomnia. A new study says that resistance or strength training might be the best exercise for improving insomnia in older adults. https://lnkd.in/eDc-ZWxs

Researchers are still working to crack the code of aging to help people live a longer, healthier life. A new study provides more evidence of how lifestyle and environmental factors influence how we age, including smoking status, physical activity, and living conditions. https://lnkd.in/g8m2s_KW

🎙️ In the age of viral content and fast and furious social media communication, disinformation and misinformation, including about health matters, are spreading more widely than ever. Why is this the case exactly, and how can we learn to spot inaccurate and even malicious health information? Why do we fall so easily for false health info, and how can we update our mistaken beliefs? These are some of the questions this episode aims to answer. https://lnkd.in/eZBRVNTz

A new study reveals an unexpected potential benefit of ‘live’ yogurt: That of protecting against certain forms of colorectal cancer. https://lnkd.in/eV9VsStt

Short juice cleanses are increasingly popular and are heavily marketed with claims that they help remove toxins and aid digestion and weight loss. A small study found that only three days of a juice cleanse appears to alter a person’s microbiome, increasing inflammatory bacteria and decreasing those that are beneficial to health. https://lnkd.in/etfrrABE

Decades of evidence show that regularly consuming soda is linked to poorer health outcomes. The latest study on the topic suggests that the negative effects may be partly mediated by the gut microbiome. https://lnkd.in/ejHrMqBv

Our brains have an ‘in-built’ ability to restrict intrusive memories, which contributes to the maintenance of our mental health. However, a new study from the University of York and the University of East Anglia now suggests that disrupted sleep and sleep loss interferes with that ability, making intrusive memories more persistent. https://lnkd.in/eyMpKn58

A global group of experts has suggested a new approach to diagnosing and treating obesity. Instead of relying only on body mass index (BMI), which has some limitations, the new framework introduces improved ways to identify and understand obesity, for example, by separating early signs of obesity (pre-clinical) from more advanced cases (clinical). https://lnkd.in/et7qRajd

How might a Mediterranean diet help protect brain health? A new study in rats sheds more light on the potential mechanisms. https://lnkd.in/drEgcaTq