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Heavy drinkers who have eight or more alcoholic drinks per week have an increased risk of brain lesions called hyaline arteriolosclerosis, signs of brain injury that are associated with memory and thinking problems, according to a new study.

With the global prevalence of obesity on the rise, it is crucial to explore the neural mechanisms linked to obesity and its influence on brain and cognitive health. However, the impact of obesity on the brain is complex and multilevel.

A new study maps how specific lactic acid bacteria can enhance both the flavor and nutritional quality of plant-based dairy alternatives. The findings may have wide-reaching perspectives for the further development of sustainable foods.

New research has uncovered a surprising culprit underlying cardiovascular diseases in obesity and diabetes -- not the presence of certain fats, but their suppression. The study challenges the conventional belief that a type of fat called ceramides accumulates in blood vessels causing inflammation and health risks. Instead, their findings reveal that when ceramides decrease in endothelial cells lining blood vessels, it can be damaging and cause chronic illnesses. Ironically, the findings could ultimately lead to therapies that maintain high levels of these protective lipids in patients with obesity.

A cohort study was conducted in Spain to compare the health and environmental benefits of the Planetary Health Diet (PHD) and the Mediterranean Diet. Compared to participants with low adherence, higher adherence to both diets was similarly associated with lower all-cause mortality and with comparable low environmental impact. This study highlights the advantages of the plant-based diets, with wider adoption of healthy and sustainable diets needed to prevent excess premature deaths worldwide.