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Most people heading into their retirement years already know the usual advice: eat fruits and vegetables, choose lean proteins, and go easy on sugar and salt. But there’s another layer to nutrition that’s often overlooked — lesser-known foods packed with compounds that support healthy aging in surprisingly powerful ways. These aren’t exotic items you have to special-order from across the globe. Many are now available in standard grocery stores or online, and they can bring variety, flavor, and longevity-boosting benefits to your daily routine.

Long before their teeth evolved to handle tough, fibrous plants, early humans were already digging up and eating grasses, sedges, and starchy underground foods.A new fossil-tooth isotope study shows this behavior began about 700,000 years before longer molars emerged -- revealing that behavioral innovation, not anatomy, drove the change...As early humans moved from the dense forests of Africa into open grasslands, they began relying on quick, reliable sources of energy. This shift in habitat led them to favor grassy plants, especially grains and the starchy tissues stored underground.A new study led by Dartmouth researchers reveals that hominins started eating these...

Parmesan, formally known as Parmigiano-Reggiano, hails from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region and has been crafted for over 900 years. True Parmesan is protected by DOP status, ensuring traditional, regional production. Rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus and essential vitamins like B12 and K2, Parmesan can support bone, muscle and immune health. It’s low in carbs and lactose, making it keto- and lactose-intolerant-friendly.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has officially sworn in Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D. as the first National Advisor for Nutrition, Health, and Housing, an appointment that aligns with the administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative. In announcing the swearing-in, USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins stated, “There is no one more qualified than Dr. Carson to advise on policies that improve Americans’ everyday quality of life, from nutrition to healthcare quality to ensuring families have access to safe and stable housing.”  Rollins also cited “six in ten Americans living with at least one chronic disease, and...

Risk of new lesions reduced by 54% in veterans who started drug after first skin cancerKey Takeaways Nicotinamide reduced skin cancer risk by 14% overall in patients with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer. The risk reduction increased to 54% when nicotinamide was started after a first skin cancer diagnosis. More prospective studies are needed to confirm findings and identify patients most likely to benefit. Patients with a history of using nicotinamide had a significantly lower risk of developing nonmelanoma skin cancer, particularly when starting treatment after a first skin cancer, a large retrospective cohort study showed. Overall, nicotinamide use...

SummaryIndia witnessing huge demand for protein-loaded products Boom driven by high protein deficiency, not gym fad Consumer firms rush in, launch products with extensive marketing India has world's most vegetarians; poorly ranked on meat intake MUMBAI/CHENNAI, Aug 26 (Reuters) - At McDonald's outlets in South India, a 30-cent burger topping has been selling out fast. It's not extra cheese or a fancy salsa dip, but a vegetarian protein slice developed with Indian government food scientists -- the brand's first such offering globally. McDonald's has joined India's biggest dairy Amul, a slew of startups and a company backed by Bollywood superstar...

A 60-year-old man was hospitalized with severe psychiatric symptoms — plus some physical ones too, including intense thirst and coordination issues — after asking ChatGPT for tips on how to improve his diet. What he thought was a healthy swap ended in a toxic reaction so severe that doctors put him on an involuntary psychiatric hold. After reading about the adverse health effects of table salt — which has the chemical name sodium chloride — the unidentified man consulted ChatGPT and was told that it could be swapped with sodium bromide. Sodium bromide looks similar to table salt, but it’s...

Diets rich in phosphate additives, commonly found in processed foods, can increase blood pressure by triggering a brain signaling pathway and overactivating the sympathetic nervous system that regulates cardiovascular function, researchers discovered. Their findings could lead to treatment strategies for patients with hypertension caused by overconsumption of foods containing high levels of phosphates. "This research uncovers a previously unrecognized brain-mediated mechanism by which high dietary phosphate intake promotes hypertension and sympathetic overactivation, highlighting central fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling as a novel therapeutic target," said Han Kyul Kim, Ph.D. Inorganic phosphate is often used as a preservative or flavor enhancer...

Despite medical advances, infectious diseases caused by bacteria and viruses are still among the most common causes of death worldwide. What role could fructose play in such diseases? A research group has now been able to prove for the first time that monocytes, important immune cells in the blood, react more strongly to bacterial toxins after fructose consumption—but not in a positive way. Specifically, the concentration of receptors for certain bacterial toxins increases, making the body more susceptible to inflammation. In two independent randomized studies with healthy adults, the researchers investigated how the consumption of fructose-sweetened beverages affects the immune...

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is tapping Dr. Casey Means, a wellness influencer with close ties to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as his nominee for surgeon general after withdrawing his initial pick for the influential health post.Trump said in a social media post Wednesday that Means has “impeccable ‘MAHA’ credentials” – referring to the “ Make America Healthy Again ” slogan – and that she will work to eradicate chronic disease and improve the health and well-being of Americans.“Her academic achievements, together with her life’s work, are absolutely outstanding,” Trump said. “Dr. Casey Means...

Survival benefit was tied to plant-based oils, including affordable alternatives to olive oilA large-scale longevity study suggested that more butter is bad, more plant oils are good -- and substituting plant-based oils for butter translated into better survival over several decades. After 33 years of follow-up, deaths were disproportionately more likely among people in the highest quartile versus the lowest quartile of butter consumption (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.08-1.22). The opposite was true for the relationship between mortality and plant-based oil consumption as the latter appeared more protective (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.79-0.90), even when olive oil was excluded from...

There are few treatment decisions more difficult for families and loved ones to make than those surrounding the use of artificial nutrition and hydration in the seriously or terminally ill person:“Should nutrition be given intravenously if my wife’s gut isn’t working right?”“Should intravenous fluids be given to my father when he stops drinking and becomes dehydrated?”“Should a feeding tube be placed if my mother can’t swallow without choking?”Family members agonize over these questions, especially if they are not given clear explanations about the effectiveness or lack of effectiveness of various available treatments, and what kind of burdens, side effects and...

A pioneering study has uncovered the vital role that gut microbiota plays in regulating stress responses by interacting with the body's circadian rhythms. The findings open the door for developing new microbial-based therapies that could help individuals better manage stress related mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression which are often associated with alterations in circadian and sleep cycles. This breakthrough research offers compelling evidence that the trillions of microorganisms in the gut orchestrate the body's hormonal responses to stress in a time-dependent manner, paving the way for new therapeutic approaches targeting the gut-brain axis. This study shines a...

These easy dinners will help keep you full and satisfied throughout the night, thanks to their protein-rich nutritious ingredients. With at least 15 grams of protein per serving, these recipes will help you reap the benefits of the nutrient, including promoting muscle growth and supporting the immune system. Recipes like our High-Protein Taco Skillet Pasta and Chicken-Potpie Twice-Baked Potatoes can be made in three steps or less, so you can make a delicious meal with ease.

A study from Tufts University found that daily consumption of pistachios can enhance eye health by increasing macular pigment optical density (MPOD), which helps protect against blue light and age-related eye damage. This benefit is attributed to pistachios’ unique content of lutein, a plant pigment essential for eye health and potentially useful in preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Daily pistachios boost eye health by raising lutein, protecting against age-related damage, and supporting brain function. A recent study by researchers at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy suggests that eating pistachios daily may greatly benefit eye health. This...

Patients improved their insulin responses after being taken off medications and adjusting lifestyle. Type 2 diabetes patients who went on a low-carbohydrate diet saw their insulin production double, potentially eliminating their need for medication, according to a new study published Tuesday in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Type 2 diabetes occurs when insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells become less effective. Insulin is needed to regulate blood sugar levels, and when there is not enough being produced, blood sugar levels rise, causing various diseases linked to Type 2 diabetes. No conventional drug for Type 2 diabetes has been shown to...

New research showing the association between greater bean and pulse consumption and improved shortfall nutrient intakes and a higher diet quality in American adults is published. Pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family. Pulses grow in pods and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors and include beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2018, the analyses modeled the addition of one and two servings of beans in adults. Results show that greater consumption of beans is associated with significant increases in several shortfall nutrients, including...

I asked ChatGPT: If a person has little money, please list a low-cost meal plan for one day that would maximize nutrition and minimize cost. This is the answer that it gave: Creating a low-cost meal plan that maximizes nutrition involves choosing affordable, nutrient-dense foods. Here’s a sample meal plan that aims to balance cost, nutrition, and simplicity: Breakfast: Oatmeal with Fruit and Seeds Oats: Cooked with water or a small amount of milk (or a plant-based alternative). Oats are inexpensive and provide fiber, protein, and various vitamins and minerals. Flax Seeds: Add a tablespoon of ground flax seeds to...

From the vantage of the American supermarket aisle, the modern food system looks like a kind of miracle. Everything has been carefully cultivated for taste and convenience — even those foods billed as organic or heirloom — and produce regarded as exotic luxuries just a few generations ago now seems more like staples, available on demand: avocados, mangoes, out-of-season blueberries imported from Uruguay.But the supermarket is also increasingly a diorama of the fragility of a system — disrupted in recent years by the pandemic, conflict and, increasingly, climate change. What comes next? Almost certainly, more disruptions and more hazards, enough...

— Reports are promising, but rigorous trials are needed, experts sayThe ketogenic diet has long been known for its use in treatment-resistant epilepsy, but attention is now turning to its potential benefits in mental illness as well. Could something as simple as a diet actually improve notoriously difficult-to-treat conditions including major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia? The evidence to date has been less rigorous than gold-standard randomized controlled trials. But new studies are underway, and more clinicians are keen to explore reports of patientsopens in a new tab or window whose psychiatric conditions improved when they adhered to a...