HEALTHY LIVING THE LATEST RESEARCH
Cardiac Health A
Sugary Drinks Worst for
swedish study found that sugary drinks significantly raise the risk of serious
cardiovascular disease, including stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. But other forms of sugar didn’t carry the same risk. Researchers looked at the impact of three classes of sugar consumption — toppings like honey, treats like pastries, or sweetened beverages like fizzy drinks — on the health of 69,705 men and women. They found that consuming sweet drinks was far
worse for health than any other form of sugar. “This surprising contrast highlights the importance of considering not just the amount of sugar consumed, but its source and context,” said researcher and Ph.D. candidate Suzanne Janzi of Lund University.
SUGARY DRINKS LINKED TO MILLIONS OF HEART DISEASE, DIABETES CASES A study from Tufts University found that about 2.2 million cases of Type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million cases of cardiovascular disease are due to the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Sugary beverages cause a spike in blood sugar levels while offering little nutritional value. Regular consumption over time leads to weight gain, insulin resistance, and a host of metabolic issues tied to Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, two of the world’s leading causes of death.
changes can slow the process that can lead to cognitive decline. The best results were seen in people who ate a Green Mediterranean (Green- Med) diet. This twist on the Mediterranean diet, which is plant-based with healthy fats, includes the addition of polyphenols from plant-based
Best Diet for Slowing Brain Aging
W
hile age-related brain atrophy, the gradual loss of neurons and
shrinkage of brain tissue, is natural, a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that dietary
90 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | MAY 2025
sources like green tea, and is low in red and processed meats. “Polyphenols found in plant-based
foods may cross the blood-brain barrier and help reduce brain inflammation, which is crucial for memory,” said lead researcher Iris Shai, Ph.D., from Ben- Gurion University.
PAIN: NON-OPIOIDS BEAT OPIOIDS AFTER DENTAL SURGERY A study published in The Journal of the
American Dental Association compared pain relief outcomes for patients who had their wisdom teeth extracted. Patients who received an over-the-counter combination of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) were half as likely to require additional “rescue” pain medication as those who received the narcotic hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab) with acetaminophen. They also reported higher overall satisfaction with their pain treatment than the opioid group.
LONG COVID: EXTENDED PAXLOVID MAY HELP Taking the antiviral medication
Paxlovid for an extended amount of time may help some of the 17.6 million Americans who have long COVID, says a study from the University of California, San Francisco. Symptoms, which range from brain fog to
respiratory issues, can last for months or even years after an initial COVID-19 infection. Fifteen
days of treatment improved symptoms in some people who saw no improvement after an earlier round of the drug that lasted five days.
COPD: COMMON MEDS INCREASE FALL RISK People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a higher risk of falling due to frailty, impaired gait, and the tripping hazard of oxygen tubing. But medications often prescribed to COPD patients also increase the risk of falling, according to researchers at Duke University School of Medicine. Opioids, benzodiazepines, and other medications used to treat conditions commonly associated with COPD, such as pain, anxiety, diabetes, insomnia, and hypertension, can increase the risk of falls. A study of adults with COPD found that 65% were prescribed at least one drug known to increase the risk for falls, and 30% had a fall with injury in the two years prior to their death. “We found that the chance of a person falling increased relative to how many fall-risk increasing drugs they used,” said Cara L. McDermott, Ph.D.
PAXLOVID/RAFFMASTER /SHUTTERSTOCK / ALL OTHERS ©ISTOCK
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