Happy Wednesday!
Today, we're exploring research that could change how you view your daily habits—starting with resistant starch, which is helpful but not as revolutionary as social media makes it seem. We're also examining AI that can detect pancreatic cancer before doctors even suspect it, and new research indicating that your body clock might serve as an early warning sign for cognitive decline.
Additionally, we're settling the vitamin D versus vitamin E debate (one provides real benefits, while the other primarily goes along for the ride), and sharing science-backed tips for napping without feeling more tired afterward.
Wishing you good health and happiness!
Nicolle, Editor
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🥕 WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE?
The Resistant Starch Reality Check
Carbs may be getting a quiet redemption arc. A growing body of research suggests resistant starch (found in beans, green bananas, and foods like rice or potatoes that are cooked then cooled) can help support blood sugar control, gut health, and even inflammation. The key detail social media skips? The effect is modest, not magical. Chilling rice doubles the amount of resistant starch by about 1-2 grams, which is helpful, not transformative.
Dietitians say the real win comes from patterns, not hacks: pairing starches with beans, vegetables, protein, and fat—and eating a generally fiber-rich diet—is what actually improves metabolic health. Resistant starch works best as part of a bigger picture, not as a loophole around refined carbs or sugar. Translation: leftovers are great, pasta salad is fine, but the real glow-up comes from what’s on the plate with the carbs, not just whether they went in the fridge first.
Try this healthy and delicious orzo pasta salad with fiber included. Just be sure you cool the orzo in the fridge for a bit.
🧠 AI IN MEDICINE
AI Is Catching Pancreatic Cancer Before Doctors Even Know to Look
An AI system in China called PANDA is scanning routine CT scans (the kind doctors order for totally unrelated reasons) and catching pancreatic cancer early. Like, really early.
Why does this matter? Pancreatic cancer has a brutal 10% five-year survival rate, mainly because it's almost always caught way too late. But in a clinical trial in Ningbo, China, PANDA flagged about two dozen cases, 14 of them early-stage. One doctor, point-blank said, "AI saved their lives."
A Nature Medicine study showed PANDA correctly identified pancreatic lesions in 93% of scans. The catch? Lots of false alarms—only about 300 of 1,400 alerts actually needed follow-up. So yes, anxiety-inducing for patients, but still potentially life-saving.
The FDA granted it "breakthrough device" status in April, allowing it to be used in U.S. hospitals soon. For a cancer this deadly, early detection is everything—and this tech might deliver on that promise.
🦋 SUPPLEMENT CHECK
Supplement Check: Vitamin D or Vitamin E
If you’re taking vitamin E for immunity or energy, this is your sign to save your money.
Vitamin D actually regulates immune function. Low levels are strongly linked to fatigue, low mood, frequent infections, and muscle weakness—and correcting a deficiency can noticeably improve energy over time.
Vitamin E’s immune benefits are indirect and limited. It acts mainly as an antioxidant, and there’s little evidence that supplementing it boosts immunity or energy unless you’re truly deficient (which is uncommon).
Most adults need vitamin D supplementation, especially if you live in northern latitudes, avoid sun, are in perimenopause/menopause, or have autoimmune risk.
Vitamin E is usually easy to get from food (nuts, seeds, leafy greens) and rarely needs to be supplemented unless testing shows a deficiency or you have malabsorption issues.
Bottom line: If you’re choosing between the two for immune support or fatigue, vitamin D is doing the heavy lifting. Vitamin E is more “nice to have”—not a workhorse.
Try this instead: If you’re tired all the time, ask your doctor for a 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test before adding more supplements to your routine. Guessing is expensive; data is cheaper.
🧠 LONGEVITY
Your Body Clock Might Be an Early Warning Sign for Dementia
You know that phase where you're suddenly going to bed at midnight instead of 10, waking up groggy no matter how much sleep you get, and your energy doesn't peak until late afternoon? Maybe you're blaming perimenopause, stress, or just "getting older." But new research suggests your shifting body clock may be signaling something important about your long-term brain health.
A study published in Neurology tracked over 2,000 older adults (average age 79) and found that those with weaker, more irregular circadian rhythms were significantly more likely to develop dementia. They wore heart monitors for about 12 days to track rest-activity patterns, then were followed for three years.
The results? 176 developed dementia, and the pattern was clear:
People with the weakest daily rhythms had nearly 2.5 times the risk of dementia compared to those with the strongest rhythms. And folks whose activity peaked later in the day (after 2:15 p.m., rather than around 1 p.m.) had a 45% higher risk.
The researchers think disrupted circadian rhythms might mess with inflammation, interfere with sleep, or affect how the brain clears amyloid plaques—the protein buildup linked to Alzheimer's. But this study shows correlation, not causation. We can't say the rhythm changes cause dementia yet.
Still, it raises an important question: Could interventions such as light therapy, consistent sleep schedules, or lifestyle tweaks lower dementia risk? Future studies need to determine that.
🍎 APPLE OF THE DAY
How to Nap Without Waking Up Groggy
Short naps really can boost mood, focus, and alertness—if you time them right. Sleep experts say the sweet spot for most adults is 20–30 minutes, ideally before 3 pm, which gives your brain a reset without tipping you into deep sleep (the part that causes that foggy, worse-than-before feeling). Longer naps aren’t inherently bad, but the danger zone is 45–60 minutes, when you’re more likely to wake mid–sleep cycle.
The hack:
If you need a nap, set a timer for 25 minutes, use an eye mask (your brain learns the cue), and lie down only when you feel slightly drowsy—not just bored or overwhelmed. Want to level it up? Have a small coffee right before lying down: caffeine kicks in around the same time you wake, helping you feel sharper, not sluggish.
Bottom line:
Naps are a tool, not a lifestyle. Use them to get through disrupted sleep, illness, or heavy mental or physical days, but protect your nighttime sleep first.
A few other things worth knowing…
Even a single binge-drinking episode (about four drinks for women) can temporarily weaken the gut lining, allowing toxins to leak into the bloodstream and trigger inflammation, according to new research.
New research suggests that maintaining the vagus nerve’s connection to the heart may slow cardiac aging and help preserve heart strength over time.
A new study found that time-restricted eating does not improve metabolic or heart health unless it also leads to fewer calories consumed.
A new study argues that our obsession with killing germs may overlook beneficial microbes that help regulate immunity, reduce stress, and support healthier environments.
Adult vaccines may do more than prevent infection: large studies link flu, shingles, RSV, and pneumococcal shots to lower risks of heart attack, stroke, and even dementia in older adults, something doctors refer to as “off-target benefits.”
A study suggests chronic fatigue symptoms may be amplified by dysfunctional breathing—often without patients realizing it—opening the door to new, non-drug treatment approaches.