A Johns Hopkins study that followed 995 older adults for up to 10 years found that napping most days was tied to a 48% higher dementia risk, and unintentional napping to a 39% higher risk. We explain why naps likely aren't the cause, and when daytime drowsiness is worth raising with your doctor. Plus: a study of nearly 58,000 older adults in 24 countries links volunteering and sports clubs to better memory and thinking; a daily dose of inulin fiber eased knee arthritis pain and boosted grip strength in six weeks; new research from The Menopause Society meeting on hormone therapy and migraines, and on ADHD drugs for menopause brain fog; and what one 30-minute sauna session does to your immune cells. Quick hits on blood proteins that may flag prostate cancer 15 years early, a new clue to why muscles weaken with age, and a plant-based butter recall. This show is for understanding the news, not medical advice.

Music by Cheerry Red

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new study in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine found that holding wall squats at home lowered blood pressure within four weeks, and people who kept it up three times a week were down nearly 14 points after eight. Once a week held on to about half of that, and stopping erased it. We explain how to do one and who should check with a doctor first. Plus: an AI tool caught pancreatic cancer on CT scans an average of 475 days before diagnosis, finding 73% of cancers versus 39% for radiologists; a New England Journal of Medicine study finds some people with Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis make antibodies that switch off their gut’s inflammation brakes; gut bacteria tied to how fast we age; and what may protect the 30% of people whose brains show Alzheimer’s changes but never get symptoms. Quick hits on Mayo Clinic’s “zombie cell” research, a lab warning about JAK inhibitors and viruses, the FDA’s proposed cadmium limits for baby food, and how exercise rewires the heart’s nerves. This show is for understanding the news, not medical advice.

Music by Cheerry Red

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flu test positivity is already at 5.7%, versus under 1% this time last year, and a newly mutated H1N1 strain may be better at slipping past existing immunity. We explain what that means for this year’s flu shot and why antivirals work best within 48 hours. Plus: a review of more than 7,200 studies finds about two drinks a day carries a 1-in-25 lifetime risk of dying from alcohol-related causes; low-dose aspirin was tied to 70% lower dementia risk in one genetic group, but with double the bleeding; a 91,000-person analysis shows blood pressure pills only protect you if you take them; a paint-on liquid stopped cavities in more than half of kids’ baby teeth without a drill; and how the Mediterranean diet may boost tiny protective proteins. Quick hits on an ear device for blood pressure, a blood test that may flag IBD 10 years early, a 1.5-million-pound meat recall, and tips for when the clocks fall back Sunday. This show is for understanding the news, not medical advice.

Music by Cheerry Red

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly one in three U.S. adults may be iron deficient, and as CNN’s Amanda Schupak reports, routine screening may miss most cases. We break down her story on the new American Society of Hematology guidelines that raise the ferritin bar, who’s most at risk, and what to ask your doctor. Plus: ACOG now strongly recommends hormone therapy for hot flashes and night sweats; a two-year USC trial finds fish oil reached the brain but didn’t protect memory; non-dairy creamer is now the top source of added calories in Americans’ coffee; cardiologists want exercise prescribed, and 5,000 to 7,000 steps a day goes a long way; and a 460,000-person study on ultra-processed food and colon cancer. Quick hits on CBN sleep gummies, unapproved retatrutide sold online, a 4.3-million-tube kids’ toothpaste recall and the measles surge. This show is for understanding the news, not medical advice.

Music by Cheerry Red

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.