Browse the evidence

High salt intake (from 2-3 sources) is significantly associated with higher odds of diabetes and overweight/obesity in older adults.

If you are over 40 and live in an urban area, reducing salt intake from multiple sources (cooking, table, snacks) can help lower your risk of diabetes and obesity. Try to limit added salt and choose less processed foods.

In women, higher intake of total protein, animal protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and n-3 fatty acids is associated with decreased all-cause mortality, whereas higher carbohydrate intake is associated with increased all-cause mortality.

If you are a woman over 40, prioritizing adequate protein (especially animal sources like fish or lean meat), healthy fats (PUFA and n-3), and moderating carbohydrate intake may support longevity. If you are a man, ensuring sufficient fat intake (including saturated and monounsaturated fats) might be beneficial. These findings suggest that sex-specific dietary patterns, rather than one-size-fits-all macronutrient ratios, may be optimal for healthspan.

In men, higher intake of total fat, saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and n-6 fatty acids is associated with decreased all-cause mortality.

If you are a man over 40, ensuring adequate intake of fats, including saturated and monounsaturated fats (from sources like meat, cheese, nuts), may support longevity. This does not mean overconsumption, but rather that fat restriction may not be necessary for men in the same way it is often recommended.

Substituting 3% of total energy intake from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) for carbohydrates (low or high glycemic index) or proteins (animal or vegetable) significantly reduces systolic blood pressure (SBP) in adults.

To potentially lower systolic blood pressure, try replacing 3% of your daily calories from saturated or monounsaturated fats with Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFA). This can be done by swapping some animal proteins or refined carbohydrates for PUFA-rich foods like fatty fish, walnuts, or sunflower oil. This swap should be done while keeping your total calorie intake the same. Note that this benefit was observed in men for SBP reduction and in women for hypertension risk reduction in this specific population.

Substituting Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) for carbohydrates (LGI or HGI) significantly reduces the odds of developing hypertension.

To potentially lower your risk of developing hypertension, consider replacing 3% of your daily calories from carbohydrates (both low and high glycemic index) with Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFA). This is particularly beneficial for women in this study. Ensure you keep your total calorie intake the same by reducing carbs rather than adding extra fat. Good sources of PUFA include fatty fish, walnuts, and sunflower oil.

Adherence to a nutrient pattern rich in folate, carotene, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, iron, and retinol is associated with significantly lower all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease mortality.

To support longevity, prioritize a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and legumes. This specific combination of nutrients (folate, fiber, vitamins C and E, potassium, iron, retinol) is linked to lower risks of heart disease, stroke, and early death. You do not need to supplement these individually; obtaining them through whole food sources like leafy greens, carrots, and beans is the recommended approach.

Moderate adherence to a nutrient pattern rich in unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E is associated with lower all-cause and cancer mortality, whereas high adherence is associated with increased cerebrovascular disease mortality.

Include unsaturated fats (like those in fish and vegetable oils) and vitamin E sources in your diet, but avoid excessive consumption. The study suggests that moderate intake lowers cancer and all-cause mortality, while very high intake might increase stroke risk, possibly due to how these fats are prepared (e.g., deep-frying) or paired with other high-fat foods.

Smoking, overweight (BMI ≥24), and physical inactivity are independent risk factors for stroke, increasing risk by 1.18-1.22 fold and 1.75 fold respectively compared to non-smokers, normal weight, and active individuals.

Avoid smoking, maintain a healthy weight (BMI <24), and engage in regular physical activity (moderate or vigorous exercise ≥30 minutes, ≥3 times/week). These three factors are independently associated with a significantly lower risk of stroke. Focus on quitting smoking, managing weight, and staying active to protect your cardiovascular health.

Higher scores on the Dietary Index for Gut Microbiota (DI-GM), specifically driven by beneficial components, are associated with significantly reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in individuals with Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) syndrome stages 0-3.

For individuals with early-stage metabolic or kidney risks, prioritizing foods known to support gut health—such as fiber, fermented dairy, whole grains, and specific fruits/vegetables—may lower the risk of death from heart or other causes. This benefit appears distinct from just general dietary quality, suggesting specific gut-microbiome interactions are key.

The protective effect of beneficial dietary components on all-cause mortality is partially mediated by a reduction in systemic inflammation, as measured by the Systemic Inflammation Index (SII).

While reducing inflammation is part of the benefit, it is not the whole story. The dietary components likely work through multiple pathways, including direct gut microbiome effects, not just lowering blood inflammation markers.

High unfavorable dietary components (processed meats, red meats, refined grains, high-fat patterns) are associated with increased all-cause mortality but show no significant association with cardiovascular mortality after full adjustment.

Avoiding processed meats, refined grains, and high-fat patterns is important for overall survival, even if it doesn't directly predict heart disease death in this specific population. It contributes to general longevity.

Adherence to high dietary risk patterns (high DII score, high saturated fat/sodium, low fiber/omega-3) is significantly associated with increased odds of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE), stroke, and cardiovascular mortality in patients with angiocardiopathy.

For patients with angiocardiopathy, adopting a low-inflammatory diet (low DII score) is strongly associated with reduced risk of major cardiovascular events, stroke, and death. This involves increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, fiber, and omega-3s, while reducing saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars. While this study is observational, the strong associations suggest that dietary optimization is a key component of managing cardiovascular risk in this population.

High-fat diets, specifically those rich in palmitic acid, exacerbate psoriasis by promoting gut dysbiosis, increasing intestinal permeability ('leaky gut'), and directly activating keratinocytes and immune cells.

Dietary fats matter for psoriasis. High intake of saturated fats, specifically palmitic acid (found in many processed foods and animal fats), can worsen psoriasis by damaging the gut barrier and directly activating skin cells. Reducing these specific fats may help lower inflammation.

Urbanization disproportionately reduces occupational and household physical activity, while potentially increasing transport and recreational activity in High-Income Countries.

In urban areas, your job and home chores likely provide less physical activity than they did in rural settings. To maintain health, you must intentionally engage in leisure-time exercise or active transport, as urbanization naturally shifts you away from labor-intensive activities.

Women diagnosed with breast cancer can safely consume soyfoods without increasing the risk of recurrence or mortality, and post-diagnosis soy intake may be associated with a decreased risk of recurrence.

If you have had breast cancer, you can eat soyfoods. They are safe and do not increase your risk of the cancer coming back. Some studies even suggest they might help, but you shouldn't start eating them just to treat the cancer—just include them as part of a healthy diet.

Encapsulation technologies (nanoencapsulation, cyclodextrins) can significantly increase the bioavailability of poorly bioactive polyphenols like quercetin and resveratrol by stabilizing them and facilitating transport across the mucus layer.

If you are considering high-dose polyphenol supplements, look for formulations that use encapsulation (like nanoparticles or cyclodextrins) as these are designed to overcome the body's natural barriers to absorption. However, for general health, prioritizing whole food sources is still recommended as they provide a complex matrix of nutrients.

Cow milk consumption is associated with lower risk of mortality and major cardiovascular disease events, and can improve insulin resistance, particularly when derived from pasture-fed cows with higher CLA and n-3 PUFA content.

Incorporating cow milk, particularly from pasture-fed cows, can support cardiovascular health and insulin resistance. The benefits are linked to higher levels of CLA and n-3 fatty acids in pasture-fed milk. Choose high-quality dairy sources for maximum metabolic benefit.

Treating cardiovascular, kidney, and metabolic diseases as interconnected entities sharing common pathophysiological mechanisms (CKM syndrome) is superior to treating them as separate, isolated conditions.

If you have high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and kidney issues, do not treat them in isolation. Seek a care model that addresses all three simultaneously, as they likely stem from the same underlying metabolic and inflammatory drivers. This integrated approach is the current standard of care for preventing progression to heart failure or end-stage kidney disease.

Inappropriate physical activity (low physical activity) is associated with a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia, with an odds ratio of 1.2 compared to those with appropriate physical activity.

Increasing your physical activity levels can help improve your lipid profile. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, as recommended by general health guidelines, to reduce your risk of dyslipidemia.

Resistance training interventions introduce significant interindividual response variation (heterogeneity) in strength and hypertrophy outcomes beyond random measurement error, as evidenced by increased variance in change scores compared to non-training controls.

Do not assume that a resistance training program that works for others will work identically for you. The paper confirms that resistance training introduces significant individual variability in strength and muscle growth. If you are not progressing, it may be due to your specific 'trainability' or response pattern rather than poor adherence. Consider that personalized adjustments to volume, intensity, or exercise selection may be necessary, as 'one size fits all' prescriptions are statistically less likely to optimize individual outcomes.

GLP-1 receptor agonists provide significant cardiovascular benefits, including reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and stroke, in addition to weight loss and glycemic control.

GLP-1 agonists (like Ozempic or Victoza) do more than lower blood sugar and help with weight loss. They have been proven to reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular death in people with Type 2 Diabetes. If you have heart disease or risk factors, these drugs may offer significant protection beyond just sugar control.

Omitting initial glucose-lowering drug treatment (GLDT) in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes is associated with a higher 5-year risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), primarily mediated by lower initiation of statins and renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi), even in patients achieving glycemic remission.

If you have newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, even if you manage to normalize your blood sugar through diet and exercise (remission), you may still be at higher risk for heart attacks or strokes if you avoid glucose-lowering drugs. This is likely because avoiding these drugs also means you are less likely to be prescribed essential heart-protective medications like statins or blood pressure drugs. Ensure your doctor prescribes appropriate cardiovascular prevention strategies regardless of your glycemic status.

Obesity is a chronic disease requiring comprehensive clinical evaluation and staging (e.g., EOSS, Kings criteria) rather than reliance on BMI alone, as BMI has low sensitivity for adiposity and fails to capture complication risk.

Do not rely on BMI alone to assess your health risks. Ask your doctor for a comprehensive evaluation that includes staging criteria (like EOSS or Kings) and metabolic health markers (blood pressure, lipids, glucose). This ensures you get the right level of care, whether it's lifestyle changes, medication, or surgery, rather than just being told to 'lose weight'.

Metabolic health status (MHO vs. MUO) is a better predictor of long-term cardiovascular risk and mortality than BMI alone, with metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) requiring prompt intervention.

If you have obesity, ask your doctor to check your metabolic health (blood pressure, lipids, blood sugar), not just your weight. Your risk of heart disease depends more on these numbers and where you store fat (belly vs. hips) than your BMI alone. If you are metabolically unhealthy, you need prompt intervention.