This Silent Health Crisis Is Now Affecting Nearly 800 Million People
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Release Date: 08/25/2026
People with Strong Chest and Back Muscles Less Likely to Have a Heart Attack
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
People with healthier chest and back muscles had a significantly lower risk of both heart attack and early death over the next 10 years, suggesting that muscle quality may be an important marker of long-term heart health The condition of the muscles mattered more than their size; muscles with less fat trapped inside the fibers were linked to better cardiovascular outcomes than simply having larger muscles Strong chest and back muscles remained associated with a lower heart attack risk even after researchers accounted for age, sex, and calcium buildup in the arteries, suggesting muscle quality...
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Brighter Daytime Light Is Linked to a Lower Dementia Risk
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Research suggests that spending more time in bright daytime light was linked to a lower risk of developing dementia, with measurable brightness targets that are often reached outdoors. However, the researchers caution these thresholds may not transfer directly to other populations In the study's machine-learning analysis, bright daytime light ranked as a stronger predictor of future dementia risk than several familiar factors, including alcohol consumption, obesity, hearing loss, and traumatic brain injury The strongest association between brighter daytime light and lower dementia risk was...
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Americans Favor Information and School Restrictions for Ultraprocessed Foods
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Most Americans favor clear definitions and practical dietary guidance about ultraprocessed foods over taxes, suggesting that better information is the policy change people want most Federal dietary guidelines now advise limiting highly processed foods for the first time, reflecting growing scientific concern that diets built around these products are linked to higher risks of chronic disease In a tightly controlled feeding study of 20 adults housed in a metabolic ward, those who ate ultraprocessed foods consumed about 500 more calories per day than those who ate minimally processed foods,...
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The Future of Simple Nutrition
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
For decades the supplement industry has competed in one direction only — toward more ingredients, more milligrams, more capsules — on the unspoken assumption that more is better and a complex, multi-ingredient supplement is better than a simpler one with fewer ingredients The complexity of many supplement routines works against the only outcome that matters — whether you take it, consistently, for long enough to make a difference Higher doses do not guarantee that more reaches your cells. In a poorly absorbed form, a larger dose simply means more is wasted Simplicity is the harder...
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Common Pesticide Linked to More Than Double the Risk of Parkinson's Disease
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Long-term residential exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos was associated with more than a 2.5-fold higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease, adding to growing evidence that certain pesticides may pose a significant risk to brain health Researchers strengthened the findings by showing that chlorpyrifos produced similar Parkinson's-like changes in laboratory animals (via mice exposed by inhalation over 11 weeks), including loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells, harmful protein buildup, and chronic brain inflammation The pesticide disrupted the brain's natural recycling system in...
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Specific Fruit Choices Raise Flavanol Intake — and Most Diets Fall Short
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Previous research, including the large COSMOS clinical trial, found that consuming about 500 milligrams (mg) of flavanols daily was associated with a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and fewer major cardiovascular events. However, note that COSMOS tested a cocoa extract supplement rather than food, enrolled adults aged 60 and older, and the reduction in major cardiovascular events came from a post hoc analysis The featured study found following current fruit and vegetable recommendations didn’t provide enough flavanols for most people to reach the intake linked with better...
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Non-Stimulant Pre-Workout Supplements for Exercise Performance
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Non-stimulant pre-workout supplements may improve exercise performance by supporting your muscles’ natural energy production, blood flow, and recovery instead of relying on large doses of caffeine to keep you alert Creatine remains one of the most researched non-stimulant ingredients for supporting increases in strength, power, and the number of quality repetitions you complete during high-intensity training Beta-alanine works only after consistent daily use because your body converts it into carnosine, a compound that helps your muscles resist fatigue during demanding exercise Reading the...
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Dehydrated Foods: Nutrition Facts, Health Benefits, and Safety Risks
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Dehydrated foods last longer because water removal slows spoilage, but the process also concentrates sugars, calories, salt, and other ingredients into much smaller portions Dried fruits retain fiber and plant compounds, yet research on their effects on blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure remains mixed, especially when they add extra calories instead of replacing processed snacks Prunes showed the clearest evidence for digestive and bone support, with studies linking regular intake to more frequent bowel movements and better preservation of hip bone density in postmenopausal women...
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Younger Adults May Be Aging Faster Than Previous Generations — A Pattern Linked to Higher Cancer Risk
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Cancers diagnosed before age 50 increased 24% worldwide between 1990 and 2019, while younger generations also show signs of faster biological aging Biological age reflects the condition of your cells, tissues, and organ systems, giving you a more complete picture of your health than chronological age alone Faster biological aging was associated with higher risks of early-onset lung, gastrointestinal, and uterine cancers, although the strength of these links varied depending on how researchers measured aging Different parts of your body age at different rates, with faster immune system aging...
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Moderate Air Pollution Associated with Advanced Coronary Artery Disease
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Long-term exposure to even moderate levels of air pollution was associated with more calcium buildup, more plaque and more advanced coronary artery disease, suggesting your heart is affected long before symptoms appear Women exposed to higher levels of fine particle pollution were about 80% more likely to have severe blockages in the arteries supplying the heart, highlighting that air pollution doesn’t affect everyone equally Ultrafine particles from vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, power plants and gas stoves are even smaller than the pollutants measured in the study, travel...
info_outline- Chronic kidney disease now affects an estimated 788 million adults worldwide, roughly one in seven adults, making it one of the largest and fastest-growing chronic health challenges on the planet
- Most people with kidney disease are in the early stages and often have no obvious symptoms, allowing damage to progress silently for years before it’s discovered
- Kidney disease extends far beyond the kidneys themselves; impaired kidney function contributes to more than one in 10 cardiovascular deaths worldwide by increasing strain on the heart and blood vessels
- High fasting blood sugar, high blood pressure, and excess body weight were identified as leading contributors to kidney disease-related disability and premature death, highlighting the importance of metabolic health
- Taking action early by improving blood sugar control, supporting healthy blood pressure, eating potassium-rich whole foods, staying physically active, and monitoring kidney function offers the best opportunity to preserve kidney health long term