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Topic- Nutrition

Exercise, healthy eating before surgery boosts recovery
Actively preparing for major surgery by exercising and improving diet (known as "prehabilitation") is associated with fewer complications, less time in the hospital, and improved recovery and quality of life in adults, according to a recent study.
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Consuming prebiotics, probiotics tied to less frailty
Eating foods containing live microbes, such as prebiotics and probiotics, reduced the prevalence of frailty by 17.5% among older adults who ate a moderate amount of those foods, and 22.1% among those with high intake, compared to those who ate fewer foods with live microbes, a recent study found. Foods with live microbes include yogurt, kefir, kimchi, miso, and tempeh.
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Eating ultraprocessed foods linked to fatty muscles
A diet high in ultra-processed foods is associated with higher amounts of fat stored inside thigh muscles, regardless of the number of calories consumed or level of physical activity, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Higher amounts of intramuscular fat in the thigh could also increase the risk for knee osteoarthritis, the authors noted. Active-aging organizations might consider evaluating not only foods offered at mealtimes, but also available snacks.
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Healthy habits in middle age tied to better brain health later
Among middle-aged people, having risk factors like blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol that are not well-controlled combined with not following certain healthy habits including exercise, diet and sleep, are linked to a higher risk of stroke, dementia or depression later in life, according to a recent study.
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Stats: Unprocessed food consumption curbs MCI risk by 12%
People who consumer more ultra-processed foods like soft drinks, chips and cookies may have a higher risk of having memory and thinking problems and having a stroke than those who eat fewer processed foods, according to a recent study. The study does not prove that eating ultra-processed foods causes memory and thinking problems and stroke -- it shows an association. However, it offers one more reason to ensure that such foods are not included on the menu or continuously available as snacks in active-aging communities.
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Emotional wellbeing linked to women's gut health
A recent study linked bacteria in our gut to positive emotions like happiness and hopefulness and healthier emotion management skills. "The gut contains trillions of microorganisms collectively known as the gut microbiome. Many studies have shown that disturbance in the gut microbiome can affect the gut-brain axis and lead to various health problems, including anxiety, depression, and even neurological disorders," said coauthor Yang-Yu Liu, PhD, an associate scientist in the Brigham and Women's Hospital's Channing Division of Network Medicine and an associate professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School.
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