Lifestyle « Weekly Gravy

If a healthy slurp is your aim, skip the banana when you whip up a smoothie. Researchers at the University of California-Davis found that adding banana may interfere with absorption of powerful compounds called flavanols, which are linked to brain and heart health. “We were really surprised to see how quickly adding a single banana decreased the level of flavanols in the smoothie and the levels of flavanol absorbed in the body,” lead author Javier Ottaviani said in a news release. He’s an adjunct researcher at UC-Davis and director of the Core Laboratory at Mars Edge, part of Mars Inc. Flavanols — which are found in such foods as apples, berries, cocoa and grapes — are natural compounds that help support memory, reduce inflammation and improve blood flow when consumed regularly. That is, unless banana or another ingredient get in the way, researchers say. The problem is an enzyme abundant in bananas called polyphenol oxidase (PPO). In experiments, banana-based smoothies dramatically cut flavanol absorption compared to berry-based ones, researchers reported recently in the journal Food and Function. They wanted to learn whether the same enzyme activity that quickly causes a banana or apple to turn brown when peeled affected how much of these beneficial flavanols the body absorbs when the fruits are combined in a smoothie. “We sought to understand, on a very practical level,… read on > read on >

The flash of lightning and roar of thunder can be quickly followed by the wheezing gasp of an asthma attack, a new study says. Thunderstorms appear to trigger sharp increases in asthma-related ER visits, researchers are scheduled to report Saturday at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology’s annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. “These results confirm that thunderstorms can pose a serious health risk for people with asthma, even in the United States,” said lead researcher Dr. Diala Merheb, an internal medicine resident at the University of Kansas Medical Center. “Because storms are unpredictable, patients and health care providers should include storm-specific precautions in asthma action plans,” she said in a news release. “Thunderstorm asthma” is a well-documented phenomenon that’s been acknowledged by the World Allergy Organization, researchers said in background notes. However, studies have been limited in pollen-heavy parts of the U.S., so the threat to Americans is not well-understood, researchers said. For the study, researchers analyzed nearly 4,500 asthma-related ER cases across three Wichita, Kansas, hospitals between 2020 and 2024. About 14% of all cases occurred on just 38 days with thunderstorms, an amount of time representing only 2% of the calendar days in the study period, results show. Patients made an average of nearly 18 asthma-related ER visits per day during thunderstorms, compared to just three during calmer weather. Harvard Medical… read on > read on >

A fractured America is causing people’s stress levels to go through the roof, a new American Psychological Association (APA) survey has found. Overall, the results indicate that loneliness and emotional disconnection have become a defining feature of American life. “This year’s findings show that people across the nation are not just feeling divided, they’re feeling disconnected,” APA’s CEO Arthur Evans Jr. said in a news release. “Research tells us that a sense of isolation and social fragmentation can have real consequences for our ability to manage stress and stay healthy.” More than 6 of 10 U.S. adults said that societal division is a significant source of stress in their lives, according to results of the 2025 Stress in America survey. Half or more said they felt isolated (54%); left out (50%); or lacking companionship (50%) often or some of the time. And nearly 7 in 10 people (69%) said they needed more emotional support in the past year than they received, up from 65% last year, the APA said. Adults who cited societal division as a source of stress were more likely to: Lose patience with family members (60% versus 49% of those not significantly stressed by division). Cancel plans (55% versus 37%). Struggle to plan for the future (53% versus 37%). Those feeling high levels of loneliness also struggled with their well-being, reporting more… read on > read on >

A spinal cord injury might be only the beginning of a person’s health woes, according to a new study. People who’ve suffered spinal cord injuries are more likely to develop an array of chronic health problems, researchers reported Nov. 4 in JAMA Network Open. High blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, stroke, heart disease, diabetes and a host of brain problems and psychiatric conditions are some of the problems likely to plague a person who’s had a traumatic spinal cord injury. This increased risk is regardless of the patient’s age, the location of their spinal cord injury or their prior health, researchers found. “The journey doesn’t end when patients with traumatic spinal cord injuries leave the hospital or rehab,” senior researcher Dr. Saef Izzy, a neurologist at Mass General Brigham in Boston, said in a news release. “Programs should be implemented to identify patients at risk so that we can better manage their chronic care and address health issues that put patients at higher risk of death,” he added. For the new study, researchers tracked the health of more than 1,000 spinal cord injury patients treated at Mass General Brigham and 1,700 treated by the University of California Health System between January 1996 and January 2024. Researchers matched these patients to similar folks without a spinal cord injury, and tracked them over a follow-up period of up… read on > read on >

The Maldives has become the first country in the world to ban tobacco use for an entire generation, after a new law took effect Saturday. Under the rule, anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2007, is permanently banned from buying, using or being sold cigarettes or any other tobacco products in the country, the Maldives Health Ministry announced. That means that anyone who’s 18 or younger today will never be able to legally smoke in the nation, even as they age. The law is meant to “protect public health and promote a tobacco-free generation,” the ministry explained. The ban applies to both residents and tourists visiting the Maldives, a nation of nearly 1,200 small coral islands within the Indian Ocean. Retailers must verify a person’s age before selling tobacco and selling to someone who is under the age cutoff can lead to a 50,000 rufiyaa (about $3,200) fine, CBS News reported. What’s more, the country already has a full ban on the import, sale and use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices for people of all ages. Anyone caught using a vape can be fined 5,000 rufiyaa (about $320). Only one other country — New Zealand — has attempted a similar generational smoking ban. It was repealed in 2023. The United Kingdom also considered a version of the law, according to CBS News. More information… read on > read on >