Happy Friday! In this week’s Wellness Watch, we’re exploring consumer health with Amazon Pharmacy. Consumer wellness isn’t just supplements and prescriptions though. It’s also pantry staples.

Case in point: I came across Sport Pasta, an $8.00 heirloom Italian pasta (actually more expensive than some medications) which promises easier digestion, 18 grams of protein, and 10 grams of fiber per serving. I love pasta, but I’ll probably wait until it goes on sale.

Let’s go! 🚶‍♀️

The way to my heart is through my belly. 🧠 The way to my brain (and yours) could be through mouth bacteria.

A growing body of research suggests that a bacterium in the mouth called P. gingivalis could be a serious risk factor that fuels Alzheimer’s disease.

A cause of gum disease, P. gingivalis can infiltrate the brain and release toxic enzymes (gingipains) that trigger inflammation and brain injury. This cascade of inflammatory processes can cause the build up harmful brain proteins, classic hallmarks of Alzheimer’s.

In an effort to find more ways to treat the disease, the National Institute on Aging has granted nearly $50 million to fund a study of LHP588, a drug created by Lighthouse Pharmaceuticals to block the enzymes from creating neurotoxic inflammation.

Big picture 👉 With six million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, a complicated disease that still has no cure, understanding all risk factors could lead to preventative treatments that extend global health span.

Alexa, refill my prescriptions.

Operating since 2020, Amazon Pharmacy was designed to make the pharmacy experience more easy and convenient than ever.

With transparent pricing, same-day delivery options, and affordable medications, from GLP-1s to insulin and supplements, Amazon is taking their retail playbook to the clinical space. 🚚

“We're very good at getting packages to your door,” Christina Smith, Senior Communications Manager at Amazon Pharmacy, tells Livelong. “We should be able to get medications to your door just as reliably.”

PillPack is one of the most popular assets, offering pre-sorted daily packets of pills labeled by date and time. ”So you don’t juggle six pill bottles,”  she says.

Also included:

The future of pharmacy: Billions of healthcare dollars are spent on managing chronic conditions, but Christina hopes that younger, healthier customers could adopt the Pharmacy to get their products that support disease prevention, as much as those who use it for chronic conditions.🛡️

Note: Amazon Pharmacy does not prescribe orders or act as a replacement for the local pharmacy, Smith says. It also does not supply specialty medications, medical devices, or compound medications.

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Codeage

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Top Story

AI forecasts your future health 🧑‍💻

What if a doctor could tell you not just what’s wrong today, but what might go wrong 20 years from now?

A new generative AI tool, Delphi-2M, can predict a person’s 20-year risk of 1,000+ diseases, according to a new paper in Nature. Delphi was trained on data from 403,000 people to learn how diseases progresses. In some cases, it can predict risks more accurately than blood-biomarker-based models, a popular method that uses blood to assess health. Researchers see AI’s potential for early predictions, helping more people get tests and proactive screenings to stay healthier, for longer. 

Quick Hits

The crafty trend that creates beauty and supports social and mental health.

From 80-plus club nights to water-tasting bars, 💧traditional social spots are evolving. On our radar? Pop-up Beading Bars. These creative gatherings bring people together to make luxury and handcrafted jewelry, brooches, and charms.

Jewelry brand Don’t Let Disco, which offers the bespoke experience, calls beading bars a “collective creation” that taps into “the meditative process of making.”

The benefits: Participating in the arts can boost serotonin levels, reduce stress hormones, and make life feel fulfilling, according to psychologist Dr. Helen Keyes.

What you’ll need:

🍹 BONUS: Mocktails! We recommend these mocktails from the Livelong experience.

We’re thrilled to introduce The Livelong Woman, an upcoming newsletter dedicated to women’s health and longevity.

Led by Editorial Director Rachel Lehmann-Haupt and writer Tiffany Nieslanik, The Livelong Women brings the science, strategies, and stories in women’s health and longevity. As part of the Livelong community, you’ll automatically start receiving it when we launch. 🚀

Until next time!

Erin is the Senior Editor at Livelong Media, where she explores the intersection of health, science, and the human experience.

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