Happy Friday!
Pasta lovers, unite! This Sunday, October 25, is World Pasta Day! In Sardinia, Italy, home to one of the world’s largest numbers of centenarians, pasta shows up on their tables nearly every day. Maybe the key to longevity isn’t about cutting the carbs, but changing how you enjoy them by keeping portions reasonable and pairing pasta with protein, veggies, and healthy cooking oil. Let’s celebrate the day with one of these pasta dishes this weekend.
In today’s newsletter, let’s dive into ultra-processed foods, antibiotic use in kids, edibles, and why a good book might be the best exercise for your brain.
Today’s headlines:
Your snack drawer might be showing up on your brain scan
The antibiotic aftertaste
Get high? Don’t forget to share with your doctor
Why a good book might be the best brain workout
Would you tell your surgeon about cannabis use?
Spotlight
Your snacks might show up on your brain scan
In a new study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers discovered that people who ate the most packaged, ultra-processed food were more likely to have more silent brain damage before any noticeable cognitive symptoms.
What researchers found
Upon scanning the brains of nearly 9,000 adults, researchers found that people who ate the most packaged, ultra-processed foods (chips, soda, snacks, and ready-made meals) had 40% higher odds of silent brain damage than people who ate the least.
Gender also seems to make a difference. Women who ate the most ultra-processed foods had 78% higher odds of this same silent brain damage than those who ate the least. Men showed no clear link, though researchers say it’s too early to rule one out.
But what is silent brain damage? In this study, it consists of tiny “silent strokes” in the brain’s wiring. This damage has no apparent symptoms, but it can be a precursor that comes years before a stroke or dementia diagnosis.
Why this matters
Doctors see these ‘silent strokes’ as an early warning sign of more serious conditions. But because they show up so far in advance (well before memory or focus start to decline), people have time to modify their diet.
The takeaway: The study doesn’t prove that processed food alone causes brain damage, but it adds to the growing evidence that what’s on your plate affects how your brain functions with age.
Small changes to your diet today can protect your brain for a healthier tomorrow. For simple, everyday snack tips:
Move processed snacks to a higher or lower shelf in your pantry and more nutrient-dense snacks like nuts and whole foods at eye level.
Pop your own popcorn kernels instead of buying the microwaveable bags.
Roast chickpeas when you’re craving a crunchy snack.
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Wellness Watch
The aftermath of antibiotic use
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can develop for many different reasons, hence the term syndrome. But childhood isn't usually the first place people look for clues.
A new study suggests that people who received more antibiotic prescriptions from childhood through early adulthood had higher odds of developing IBS.
What researchers found
Young people with more antibiotics had increased odds of developing irritable bowel syndrome in young adulthood.
Based on an analysis of antibiotic prescription records from nearly 2,900 participants in a Swedish birth cohort, researchers tracked antibiotic use from ages 9–11 through age 23 and found:
Kids prescribed antibiotics had 1.5 times the odds of developing IBS by age 24 compared with those prescribed none.
The odds were 1.7 times among people who took six courses or more.
However, since the study did not examine participants’ microbiomes, gut-bacteria changes are only one possible explanation. Other factors might also be involved.
Why this matters: Antibiotics target infections, but they can also disrupt the balance of harmful and helpful gut bacteria, which may contribute to common IBS symptoms like bloating and abdominal pain.
The good news is that IBS symptoms are generally manageable at any age. Gastroenterologists often recommend a low FODMAP diet (cutting back on hard-to-digest carbs) and stress management.
The takeaway: Researchers stress that these drugs remain essential when you truly need them. But if one is prescribed, this research gives good reason to ask questions, especially for younger people.
The next time you find yourself at the doctor’s with your young kids, ask more questions.
Does this infection need an antibiotic, or is waiting a day or two safe?
What is the shortest effective course?
Would a specific probiotic help reduce the harmful effects of antibiotics, and is it safe for a child?
In other news
High stakes on the operating table
Cannabis users may face greater heart risk when undergoing surgery, per new research presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ annual meeting.
Based on a pool of five studies and 44,000 surgical patients, researchers at the University at Buffalo-led team found that cannabis use was associated with a 46% higher risk of heart attack during or shortly after surgery compared with nonusers.
Why cannabis could strain the heart
THC (the compound behind a high) can raise heart rate and blood pressure, and increase the heart’s need for oxygen, which could potentially strain the heart during anesthesia and surgery.
Before your next procedure, tell your surgical team:
How often (if) you use cannabis
What form of cannabis you use (gummies count!)
When you last used it
Short longevity hits
Nap attack: Daily naps in older age were linked to a 48% higher dementia risk, according to a new study.
Treating the gene: Novel cancer treatments target gene mutations rather than tumors, offering hope for wider cancer treatment.
The youth protein: Scientists discovered a protein that may revitalize brain function, memory, and slow aging.
Early Bird Pricing is Here for San Francisco!
Join us March 5-6 at Marriott Marquis for The Livelong Women’s Health Summit in San Francisco.
Two days of evidence-backed conversations about the health decisions that shape how women live, feel, and age. From hormones and menopause to strength, brain health, fertility, longevity, prevention, nutrition, and more.
Come with questions. Leave with better answers, practical strategies, and a clearer understanding of your health and what's possible in the years ahead.
Long-levity
Why you should read for pleasure
Once upon a time (last week), a sweeping review found that reading for pleasure may be one of the most effective and low-cost habits to protect your brain over an entire lifetime.
Within minutes: Leisurely readers can expect less stress, a greater sense of connection, and better performance during cognitively demanding activities.
Over a lifetime: Mentally stimulating activities like reading have been linked to a 33% lower dementia risk, based on key studies.
Better together: When enjoyed in book clubs or reading groups, researchers are finding that it can reduce loneliness and increase the cognitive benefits even more. Shared reading is even being used to support recovery from domestic violence!
So whether it’s romance or sci-fi (or heck, a comic strip), finding books that inspire you to read for pleasure can support a higher-functioning brain today and for the rest of your life. The end.
New at Livelong
Join us for one of our upcoming Studio Session virtual events
📆 Monday, Oct 26 at 3:00 PM ET/12:00 PM PT: Heart Health After 45: The Tests, Numbers, and Symptoms Every Woman Should Know with Dr. Arash Bereliani
Reader response
Highlighting your responses to last week's question, featured in Why an Alzheimer’s Gene Might Make Healthy Habits Pay Off More. We asked:
Who’s really ruining your sleep?
For most of us, the bladder is to blame. BUT dogs are also in the doghouse. Maybe you can relate to this pet parent who, when their dog whines at night, goes into “I gotta fix that!!! SOON” mode.
Gotta love pets.
Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend.
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The information provided about wellness and health is for general informational and educational purposes only. We are not licensed medical professionals, and the content here should not be considered medical advice. Talk to a doctor before trying any of these suggestions.
