Staying Healthy News

December 29, 2025

Top Headlines

ADHD Drugs Don’t Work the Way We Thought

Dec. 29, 2025 ADHD stimulants appear to work less by sharpening focus and more by waking up the brain. Brain scans revealed that these medications activate reward and alertness systems, helping children stay interested in tasks they would normally avoid. The ...

Eating More Vitamin C Can Physically Change Your Skin

Dec. 26, 2025 Vitamin C doesn’t just belong in skincare products—it works even better when you eat it. Scientists discovered that vitamin C from food travels through the bloodstream into every layer of the skin, boosting collagen and skin renewal. People who ...

Your Roommate’s Genes May Be Shaping Your Gut Bacteria

Dec. 23, 2025 Scientists studying thousands of rats discovered that gut bacteria are shaped by both personal genetics and the genetics of social partners. Some genes promote certain microbes that can spread between individuals living together. When researchers ...

Study Links Full-fat Cheese to Lower Dementia Risk

Dec. 21, 2025 Eating full-fat cheese and cream may be associated with a lower risk of dementia, according to a large study that tracked people for more than 25 years. Those who consumed higher amounts of these foods developed dementia less often than those who ...

Deaths of Despair Were Rising Long Before Opioids

Dec. 20, 2025 Long before opioids flooded communities, something else was quietly changing—and it may have helped set the stage for today’s crisis. A new study finds that as church attendance dropped among middle-aged, less educated white Americans, deaths ...

Helping Others for a Few Hours a Week May Slow Brain Aging

Dec. 19, 2025 Spending a few hours a week helping others may slow the aging of the brain. Researchers found that both formal volunteering and informal acts, like helping neighbors or relatives, were linked to noticeably slower cognitive decline over time. The ...

Young Adults Are Using Cannabis to Sleep at Alarming Rates

Dec. 18, 2025 More than 20% of young adults say they use cannabis or alcohol to fall asleep, with cannabis leading by a wide margin. Researchers warn this strategy can backfire, disrupting sleep quality and increasing the risk of long-term sleep and substance-use ...

Colon Cancer Is Surging in Younger Adults and Doctors Are Alarmed

Dec. 16, 2025 Cases of colorectal cancer in younger adults are climbing worldwide, driven by lifestyle changes and inherited genetic risks. Diet, obesity, and lack of early screening are playing a major role in this shift. New genetic tests offer hope for earlier ...

New Study Shows Some Plant-based Diets May Raise Heart Disease Risk

Dec. 15, 2025 Researchers tracking over 63,000 adults found that high-quality, minimally processed plant foods significantly reduce cardiovascular risk. But when those plant foods are ultra-processed, the advantage disappears—and can even backfire. Some ...

Harvard Gut Discovery Could Change How We Treat Obesity and Diabetes

Dec. 14, 2025 Scientists found that certain molecules made by gut bacteria travel to the liver and help control how the body uses energy. These molecules change depending on diet, genetics, and shifts in the microbiome. Some even improved insulin response in ...

Tea May Strengthen Bones in Older Women While Heavy Coffee Weakens Them

Dec. 13, 2025 A decade-long study of older women found that tea drinkers had slightly stronger bones, while moderate coffee drinking caused no harm. Heavy coffee intake—over five cups a day—was linked to lower bone density, especially in women who consumed ...

Kids’ Anxiety and Depression Dropped Fast After COVID School Reopenings

Dec. 13, 2025 Researchers discovered that children who went back to school during COVID experienced far fewer mental health diagnoses than those who stayed remote. Anxiety, depression, and ADHD all declined as in-person learning resumed. Healthcare spending tied ...

Latest Headlines

updated 1:09am EST

Is a Vegan Diet Safe for Kids? A Huge Study Has Answers

Dec. 21, 2025 A major new meta-analysis finds that vegetarian and vegan diets can support healthy growth in children when properly planned. Kids on plant-based diets often had better heart health markers, ...

These Simple Habits Could Make Your Brain 8 Years Younger, Study Finds

Dec. 15, 2025 New research shows that your brain’s “true age” can shift dramatically depending on how you live, with optimism, restorative sleep, stress management, and strong social support acting like ...

Mayo Clinic Neurosurgeon Reveals 8 Back Pain Myths to Stop Believing

Dec. 15, 2025 Back pain is wrapped in persistent myths, but many are far from the truth. From misconceptions about heavy lifting and bed rest to confusion over posture, exercise, and surgery, Dr. Meghan Murphy ...

AI Finds a Hidden Stress Signal Inside Routine CT Scans

Dec. 14, 2025 Researchers used a deep learning AI model to uncover the first imaging-based biomarker of chronic stress by measuring adrenal gland volume on routine CT scans. This new metric, the Adrenal Volume ...

Scientists Find Dark Chocolate Ingredient That Slows Aging

Dec. 12, 2025 Scientists have uncovered a surprising link between dark chocolate and slower aging. A natural cocoa compound called theobromine was found in higher levels among people who appeared biologically ...

Stressed Rats Keep Returning to Cannabis and Scientists Know Why

Dec. 11, 2025 Rats with naturally high stress levels were far more likely to self-administer cannabis when given access. Behavioral testing showed that baseline stress hormones were the strongest predictor of ...

Even Moderate Drinking Carries a Bigger Cancer Risk Than You Think

Dec. 11, 2025 Researchers found that both how often and how much someone drinks significantly shape their cancer risk, even at moderate levels. Vulnerability varies across groups, with genetics, socioeconomic ...

Blood Tests Reveal Obesity Rapidly Accelerates Alzheimer’s Progression

Dec. 10, 2025 Obesity accelerates the rise of Alzheimer’s-related blood biomarkers far more rapidly than previously recognized. Long-term imaging and plasma data show that obese individuals experience much ...

Why Ultra-Processed Foods Make Teens Eat More When They Aren’t Hungry

Dec. 10, 2025 A Virginia Tech study shows that ultra-processed foods may influence adolescents differently from slightly older young adults. Participants aged 18 to 21 ate more at a buffet and snacked even when ...

Most of the World Isn’t Getting Enough Omega-3

Dec. 9, 2025 Most people worldwide aren’t getting enough omega-3, leaving a major gap between scientific recommendations and daily diets. Researchers emphasize the critical role of EPA and DHA across all life ...

Gut Molecule Shows Remarkable Anti-Diabetes Power

Dec. 8, 2025 Researchers revealed that the microbial metabolite TMA can directly block the immune protein IRAK4, reducing inflammation and improving insulin sensitivity. The molecule counteracts damage caused by ...

RSV Prevention in Newborns Could Cut Asthma Risk

Nov. 30, 2025 Scientists found that RSV infection early in life can set the stage for childhood asthma, particularly in kids already genetically prone to allergies. The virus appears to skew the developing immune ...

Scientists Studied 47,000 Dogs on CBD and Found a Surprising Behavior Shift

Nov. 28, 2025 Data from over 47,000 dogs reveal that CBD is most often used in older pets with chronic health issues. Long-term CBD use was linked to reduced aggression, though other anxious behaviors didn’t ...

Polluted Air Quietly Erases the Benefits of Exercise

Nov. 28, 2025 Long-term inhalation of toxic air appears to dull the protective power of regular workouts, according to a massive global study spanning more than a decade and over a million adults. While exercise ...

Scientists Reveal a Powerful Heart Boost Hidden in Everyday Foods

Dec. 5, 2025 Regular consumption of polyphenol-rich foods like tea, coffee, berries, nuts, and whole grains may significantly support long-term heart health. A decade-long study of more than 3,100 adults found ...

Scientists Find a Hidden Obesity Trigger in Soybean Oil

Nov. 30, 2025 Researchers at UC Riverside have uncovered why soybean oil, one of America's most widely consumed ingredients, drives significant weight gain—at least in mice. The findings point not to the ...

Daily Coffee May Slow Biological Aging in Mental Illness

Dec. 4, 2025 Researchers studying people with major psychiatric disorders found that drinking up to four cups of coffee a day is associated with longer telomeres. This suggests a potential slowing of biological ...

A Common Nutrient Deficiency May Be Silently Harming Young Brains

Nov. 27, 2025 Scientists studying young adults with obesity discovered early indicators of brain stress that resemble patterns seen in cognitive impairment. The group showed higher inflammation, signs of liver ...

Scientists Discover Hidden Wolf DNA in Most Dogs

Nov. 29, 2025 Researchers studying thousands of canine genomes discovered that wolf DNA is still present in most dog breeds. This ancient genetic influence shows up in traits like body size, behavior, and ...

Study Finds Untreated Sleep Apnea Doubles Parkinson’s Risk

Nov. 27, 2025 A massive veteran study found a strong connection between untreated sleep apnea and a higher chance of Parkinson’s. CPAP users had much lower odds of developing the condition. Researchers believe ...

The Body Trait That Helps Keep Your Brain Young

Nov. 25, 2025 Scientists discovered that more muscle and less hidden abdominal fat are linked to a younger biological brain age. Deep visceral fat appeared to accelerate brain aging, while muscle mass offered a ...

Vegan Diet Beats Mediterranean for Weight Loss Even With Potatoes and Grains

Nov. 24, 2025 Participants lost more weight on a low-fat vegan diet than on the Mediterranean diet, largely due to eliminating animal foods and reducing oils and nuts. Increased intake of plant foods, even ...

Humans Are Built for Nature Not Modern Life

Dec. 8, 2025 Human biology evolved for a world of movement, nature, and short bursts of stress—not the constant pressure of modern life. Industrial environments overstimulate our stress systems and erode both ...

Global Surge in Ultra-Processed Foods Sparks Urgent Health Warning

Nov. 24, 2025 Ultra-processed foods are rapidly becoming a global dietary staple, and new research links them to worsening health outcomes around the world. Scientists say only bold, coordinated policy action can ...

Just a Few Cigarettes a Day Can Damage Your Heart for Decades

Nov. 22, 2025 People who smoke only a couple of cigarettes a day still face surprisingly high risks of heart problems and early death. A large review of long-term studies shows that even very light smokers can see ...

Her Food Cravings Vanished on Mounjaro Then Roared Back

Dec. 8, 2025 Deep-brain recordings showed that Mounjaro and Zepbound briefly shut down the craving circuits linked to food noise in a patient with severe obesity. Her obsessive thoughts about food disappeared as ...

This Simple Ingredient Makes Kale Way Healthier

Dec. 8, 2025 Scientists found that kale’s prized nutrients are hard for the body to absorb unless they’re eaten with oil. Cooking doesn’t improve absorption, but adding oil-based dressings—or even more ...

Animals Are Developing the Same Chronic Diseases as Humans

Nov. 17, 2025 Across the planet, animals are increasingly suffering from chronic illnesses once seen only in humans. Cats, dogs, cows, and even marine life are facing rising rates of cancer, diabetes, arthritis, ...

Running on Little Sleep? You’re Twice as Likely to Get Hurt

Nov. 11, 2025 Researchers found that runners who sleep poorly face nearly double the injury risk compared to those who rest well. The study highlights that sleep is not just recovery—it’s a key factor in ...

Ultra-Processed Foods Quietly Push Young Adults Toward Prediabetes

Nov. 17, 2025 Ultra-processed foods, already known for their links to health problems in adults, are now shown to harm young adults too, disrupting blood sugar regulation long before illness appears. A four-year ...