Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, and elevated cholesterol is one of its most common risk factors.
Public health campaigns such as American Heart Month routinely emphasize small dietary changes that can lower cardiovascular risk.
Against that backdrop, a new scientific review suggests pecans may deserve renewed attention.
The analysis, published in the peer reviewed journal Nutrients, was conducted by researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology and evaluated 52 studies published between 2000 and 2025.
Study context first
The project was supported by the American Pecan Promotion Board, an industry group operating under U.S. Department of Agriculture oversight. According to the authors, the sponsor had no influence over the review’s conclusions.
Researchers also acknowledged important limitations, including a relatively small number of long term clinical trials and differences in study design, portion sizes and participant populations. These factors make direct comparisons across studies challenging.
Cardiovascular findings
Despite those caveats, the strongest pattern across the evidence involved blood lipids.
Regular pecan intake was repeatedly associated with lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, along with improvements in triglycerides and non HDL cholesterol.
The researchers point to pecans’ composition of unsaturated fats, fiber and polyphenols as potential drivers of these effects.
These compounds are linked to antioxidant activity and may reduce lipid oxidation, a contributor to cardiovascular damage.
Some emerging data also indicate pecans may support healthier fat metabolism after meals.
Broader dietary impact
Beyond cholesterol, the review found that pecan consumers tend to score higher on the Healthy Eating Index, a federal measure of diet quality supported by NHANES survey data.
Evidence related to blood sugar control was mixed, though substituting pecans for refined carbohydrates showed potential metabolic benefits in certain trials. Studies examining satiety reported increased feelings of fullness without consistent signs of weight gain.
There is a wide range of advice about protein and exercise, and it can be difficult to make sense of the recommendations.
Here is a comprehensive overview of what protein means for the body and how to meet your needs in connection with training.
What is protein?
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Protein is often referred to as the body’s building block because it is broken down into amino acids, which help the body grow and repair itself.
Hair, skin, and muscles are made up of protein. It is found in foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, nuts, and soy products.
Why is protein important for training?
Photo: Shutterstock.com
When you exercise, small tears occur in the muscles, making them stronger as they rebuild.
Protein provides the amino acids needed to repair muscles and help them grow stronger.
At the same time, additional protein can support faster recovery and the replenishment of glycogen stores.
How much protein do you need?
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Most adults require around 0.75 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
On average, this corresponds to approximately 45 grams for women and 55 grams for men, which can roughly be covered by two portions of meat, fish, or tofu per day.
Competitive sports
Photo: Shutterstock.com
If you are training for a competition or a longer event, it is recommended to include a portion of protein with each meal.
This supports muscle building and repair in line with the increased physical demands.
How to assess portion sizes
Photo: Shutterstock.com
A simple way to manage portion sizes is to use your hand as a guide.
The palm of your hand can be used as a measure for red meat, while the whole hand can serve as a reference for white meat and fish.
Protein after short workouts
Photo: Shutterstock.com
If your workout lasts less than an hour, it is sufficient to eat regular, healthy meals with protein distributed throughout the day.
There is no need to focus specifically on protein intake immediately before or after training.
Protein after longer workouts
Photo: Shutterstock.com
For training sessions lasting more than an hour, it may be beneficial to consume additional protein afterward.
This should be combined with carbohydrates and consumed in appropriate amounts to support the body’s recovery.
The right timing for recovery
Photo: Shutterstock.com
The body’s ability to build new muscle and absorb glycogen is at its peak in the period shortly after exercise.
An intake of around 15 to 30 grams of protein within approximately one hour after training is considered effective.
Suggestions for recovery meals
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Examples of good combinations of protein and carbohydrates include low-fat chocolate milk, homemade drinks with cocoa powder and skimmed milk or a plant-based drink, and sports drinks containing protein and carbohydrates.
Other options include Greek yogurt with banana, apple slices with nut butter, an egg sandwich, or breakfast cereal with milk.
Are protein shakes necessary?
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Recovery drinks are most effective shortly after exercise.
They should contain more carbohydrates than protein, typically in a ratio of three or four parts carbohydrates to one part protein.
A content of 10 to 20 grams of protein is considered sufficient.
Do you need supplements?
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Additional protein supplements or special high-protein diets are generally not necessary, even when training for an event or competition.
However, it depends on your preferences and your overall protein intake.
Protein bars and powder
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Protein supplements are often marketed as an easy solution for muscle building and improved performance. However, most people already get sufficient protein through their diet.
If you wish to increase your intake, it is recommended to first add protein-rich foods to meals and snacks rather than replacing them with powder.
Supplements should only serve as a complement to a balanced diet, and it is important to read the nutrition label, as some products contain added sugar and fat.
A major review published in the Cochrane Library, cited by HealthDay, shows that daily aspirin use may increase the risk of serious bleeding.
There are also indications of a possible increased risk of bleeding in the brain.
The risk applies even at low doses. According to the researchers, the risk of bleeding begins from the moment a person starts taking the medication.
Any potential protective effect against cancer, by contrast, would only become apparent after more than ten years, if it occurs at all.
What does the study show?
The analysis is based on 10 randomized trials involving nearly 125,000 participants.
The researchers examined whether aspirin could prevent colon and rectal cancer or precancerous conditions in individuals at average risk.
During the first five to fifteen years, there was little or no protective effect.
Some studies suggested a possible benefit after long-term use, but the researchers assess the certainty of this evidence as very low.
Caution recommended
Aspirin and similar painkillers have been studied for several years as a possible means of cancer prevention.
Interest has partly focused on their effect on inflammatory processes in the body.
The researchers behind the review, who are affiliated with West China Hospital at Sichuan University, recommend consulting a doctor before starting aspirin to prevent cancer.
Overall, the review shows that the benefits for individuals at average risk are uncertain, while the side effects are well known and can be serious.
A new 2026 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Associationshows that mortality among people aged 18 to 54 has risen for the most severe type of heart attack.
The increase particularly affects women. More often than men, they have died during hospitalization following their first heart attack.
This applies to both the severe and the less severe types.
According to the researchers, earlier data suggest that overall mortality had been declining until 2010. However, the improvement appeared to primarily benefit older patients and men.
More than lifestyle
The study is based on nearly one million hospital admissions in the United States from 2011 to 2022. About four in ten patients had the most severe type of heart attack.
Women underwent fewer cardiac examinations and received fewer treatments than men, even though they experienced just as many complications.
The researchers also point out that social factors play a significant role.
Low income was the most common nontraditional risk factor and was more frequent among women.
Kidney disease and the use of substances other than tobacco were also associated with a higher risk of dying during hospitalization.
According to the analysis, these factors had a greater impact on mortality than traditional risks such as smoking and high blood pressure.
Importance of early intervention
The data come from the U.S. database, the National Inpatient Sample, which compiles information from both public and private insurance sources.
The researchers note that the figures are based on hospital records and that patients were not followed after discharge.
Overall, the findings indicate a need for earlier identification of risk factors in younger adults, particularly women.
When discussing weight loss, the focus is often on eating less and exercising more.
However, according to Harvard Health Publishing, recent research suggests that sleep also influences how much we eat.
Many people do not get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
This has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, among other conditions.
Sleep is also considered a central component of both physical and mental health, alongside diet, exercise, and stress management.
Trial involving 80 participants
A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine included 80 overweight adults between the ages of 21 and 40. They typically slept less than 6.5 hours per night.
For two weeks, half of the participants received guidance aimed at extending their sleep to 8.5 hours, while the rest continued their usual routines.
Participants were not allowed to change their diet or exercise habits.
Sleep was measured using a wrist-worn device, and researchers also monitored calorie intake and energy expenditure.
According to the results, the group that received sleep guidance slept more than an hour longer per night. On average, they consumed 270 fewer calories per day and lost about half a kilogram. The other group gained nearly half a kilogram.
Hormonal effects
Harvard Health Publishing explains that sleep affects the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which regulate hunger and satiety.
Too little sleep can increase appetite and make it harder to feel full.
The study measured results over a two-week period only, and it remains unclear whether the effect persists in the long term.
However, the findings suggest that improved sleep habits may influence body weight, even without changes in diet and exercise.
There are still misconceptions suggesting that a plant-based diet does not provide sufficient protein.
ProVeg reviews this claim and assesses whether it is possible to meet the body’s protein requirements through plant-based foods alone.
What are proteins?
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Proteins are complex chemical compounds made up of amino acids.
The body uses 21 amino acids to build proteins, at least nine of which are essential and must be obtained through the diet, as the body cannot produce them on its own.
The role of protein in the body
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Proteins serve as building blocks in muscles, nerves, and connective tissue.
They transport substances such as hemoglobin in the blood and play a key role in the immune system, as well as in hormones and enzymes that regulate vital processes.
Recommended protein intake
Photo: Shutterstock.com
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the recommended intake for adults and older individuals is 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
For children and adolescents, requirements range between 0.83 and 1.31 grams per kilogram, depending on age.
Protein requirements during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Pregnant women are advised to consume 0.83 grams per kilogram of body weight, with an additional 1 gram in the first trimester, 9 grams in the second, and 28 grams in the third.
Breastfeeding women have the same basic requirement, plus an additional 19 grams during the first six months and 13 grams thereafter.
Consequences of protein deficiency
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Protein is essential for the growth and maintenance of cells and tissues.
In adults, deficiency can lead to a weakened immune system, slower wound healing, and loss of muscle mass. In children, it may affect mental development.
However, protein deficiency is rare in industrialized countries.
Protein-rich plant foods
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Legumes such as lentils, peas, and beans, particularly soybeans, as well as grains like rice, oats, wheat, rye, and spelt are important sources of protein.
Pseudocereals such as quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat, along with nuts and seeds, also contain significant amounts of protein.
Soy products as a protein source
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Products such as textured soy protein, tempeh, and firm tofu are high in protein.
Soy yogurt and soy milk also contribute protein, while cooked soybeans are a particularly rich source.
Legumes in everyday meals
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, black and white beans, as well as green peas, all provide substantial amounts of protein, both raw and cooked, and can serve as regular components of a plant-based diet.
Nuts, seeds, and other sources
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, cashews, and sesame seeds are among the most protein-rich options.
Nutritional yeast and portobello mushrooms also contribute protein.
Biological value of protein
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Both animal and plant-based proteins contain all essential amino acids, but in varying amounts.
The more closely the amino acid profile matches the body’s needs, the higher the biological value, and the smaller the quantity required to meet those needs.
Combining foods improves quality
Photo: Shutterstock.com
The biological value can be increased by combining different plant-based foods, as their amino acid profiles complement one another.
What matters most is the total intake over the course of the day, not the composition of a single meal.
Preparation enhances absorption
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Cooking, especially pressure cooking, soaking, and blending in a blender or food processor can increase the digestibility of legumes and grains, thereby improving the absorption of plant protein.
Protein and muscle building
Photo: Illustrations photo Welltica and Shutterstock.com
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts conducted a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, finding that the source of protein, whether from meat, fish, dairy products, or legumes, is not decisive for building muscle strength and muscle mass.
A vegan diet can meet requirements
Photo: Shutterstock.com
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and national health authorities, a well-planned vegan diet can meet all nutritional recommendations and ensure adequate protein intake.
This requires a varied selection of plant-based foods and sufficient calorie intake.
Cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS often begin with subtle breakdowns inside cells.
Scientists have long searched for ways to intervene earlier, by targeting the internal systems that regulate growth and clear toxic proteins.
According to researchers at Scripps Research, a newly identified cellular structure could offer exactly that opportunity.
The team reported in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology on February 2, 2026, that certain biomolecular condensates inside cells are supported by a microscopic scaffold of protein filaments.
The discovery suggests these structures, once considered too disordered to target with drugs, may in fact have defined architecture that can be manipulated.
From liquids to structure
Biomolecular condensates have been a major focus of cell biology over the past decade, particularly in research on phase separation, a process in which molecules cluster together much like oil separating from water.
First recognized as a widespread organizing principle in cells in the 2010s, these droplets were believed to behave like simple liquids without internal structure.
According to the Scripps team, that view is incomplete. Using cryo-electron tomography, the researchers examined a bacterial protein called PopZ and found that it assembles into thin filaments that weave together into a supportive network. The team reported that this scaffold determines the droplet’s physical properties.
When the researchers engineered a mutant version of PopZ that could not form filaments, cells failed to grow properly and struggled to divide their DNA.
Why it matters
Although the experiments were conducted in bacteria, similar condensates in human cells help regulate cell division and remove damaged proteins.
Disruption of these processes has been linked to cancers and neurodegenerative disorders, including ALS.
By identifying a structural framework within condensates, the researchers suggest that future therapies could be designed to stabilize or modify these internal networks rather than targeting individual molecules alone.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed to review a new application from the pharmaceutical company Viatris, according to MedPath.
The application seeks to expand the use of the eye drop phentolamine 0.75 percent for the treatment of presbyopia, also known as age-related vision.
The FDA is expected to make a final decision by October 17, 2026.
The medication is already sold in the United States under the name Ryzumvi, but it is currently approved only for the treatment of pharmacologically induced pupil dilation.
Results from trials
The application is based on two large clinical trials, VEGA-2 and VEGA-3.
According to Viatris, both studies met their primary endpoints, and no serious side effects related to the treatment were observed.
The most common side effects were mild eye discomfort upon instillation, redness, and altered taste.
The treatment should not be used in cases of active eye inflammation. Contact lenses must be removed before use and may be reinserted after 10 minutes.
Many affected
Presbyopia is a natural part of aging and means that the eye gradually has more difficulty focusing on objects up close.
Around the age of 50, most people require reading glasses or other forms of vision correction.
Globally, an estimated 1.8 billion people had presbyopia in 2015. The figure is expected to rise to 2.1 billion by 2030.
As the United States weighs its strategy toward Iran, debate has intensified not only over foreign policy but also over President Donald Trump’s leadership.
Reports of military planning and diplomatic maneuvering have unfolded alongside renewed scrutiny of the president’s decision-making.
Podcast remarks spark reaction
During an appearance on The Daily Beast podcast, psychologist John Gartner, a former professor at Johns Hopkins University, questioned the president’s mental condition.
He argued that psychological factors could influence high-level policy choices, particularly in moments of geopolitical strain.
“It’s such a terrible combination, because we have a constitutional crisis of sorts… But we have someone with a brain disorder, OK? A deteriorating brain disorder, so they have no internal controls or judgment”, John Gartner said.
He referred to the president’s recent comments at a meeting of the newly formed Board of Peace, including remarks about possible next steps regarding Iran, as examples supporting his concerns.
White house response
The White House rejected the allegations. In comments reported by the International Business Times, spokesperson Davis Ingle defended the president, stating: “President Trump is the sharpest, most accessible, and energetic president in American history”.
The exchange comes at a time of heightened tension with Iran, as U.S. officials consider potential responses to regional developments.
The overlap between strategic military considerations and public debate over presidential fitness has further intensified political divisions.
