Drinking Coffee Linked to Healthy Aging in Middle-Aged Women

Good news for coffee lovers: A new study suggests drinking a cup—or several—each day could be linked to long-term health benefits.

The study, presented on Monday at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in Orlando, found that roughly 3,700 women who met researchers’ criteria for “healthy aging” typically consumed an average of 315 mg of caffeine per day when they were between the ages of 45 and 60, mostly from drinking coffee. And for the women in that group of “healthy agers,” each extra cup of coffee per day was associated with a 2-5% higher chance of faring well as they aged, up to five small cups per day.

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“We found that women who consumed moderate amounts of caffeinated coffee in midlife were more likely to age in good health,” Sara Mahdavi, an adjunct professor in the University of Toronto’s department of nutritional sciences who led the research, told TIME in an email. “That’s not to say coffee is a cure-all, but for those w..

7 Things You Need to Do Before Air Conditioner Season

Hot days can feel unbearable without a strong air-conditioning system. Yet many of us take these essential devices for granted. “The only time people pay attention to their air conditioner is when it’s not working,” says Jeffrey Siegel, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Toronto who researches ventilation and indoor air quality.

That’s a mistake: Taking good care of your AC can help ensure it provides sufficient air flow, controls humidity, is energy efficient, and lasts as long as possible. “An air conditioner that’s not well maintained will not provide the same level of comfort” as one that is, Siegel says.

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Here’s how experts suggest tuning-up your AC so it works optimally.

Change the filter

There’s no universal equation that determines exactly how often you need to change your AC filter, which traps airborne particles like dust, pollen, and other pollutants. Manufacturers typically advise replacing it every three months, and t..

Measles Is Now Showing Up in Wastewater

Measles cases in the U.S. have been rare in recent decades, thanks to a strong childhood vaccination program. But a few cases inevitably pop up each year as travelers bring the virus in from other countries and infect unvaccinated people, primarily children.

Those cases are no longer blips. Now that the measles vaccination rate is dropping precipitously across the U.S.—due in part to anti-vaccine sentiments—cases are rising. So far in 2025, 14 outbreaks have been reported in 33 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (By comparison, in 2024, there were just 16 outbreaks reported during the entire year.)

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Scientists may now have a new way to catch cases. For the first time, researchers have posted national information on where the measles virus is showing up in wastewater.

Wastewater surveillance is a useful public-health tool because it provides an objective glimpse into where a given virus is causing infecti..

Rates of dementia are lower in people who eat this specific diet, research shows

Certain foods may feed the brain better than others.
New research presented this week at NUTRITION 2025, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in Orlando, Florida, found that the MIND diet is particularly beneficial for cognitive health.
People who followed the MIND eating plan — which stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay — were «significantly less likely» to develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, according to a press release from the American Society for Nutrition.
BRAIN AND MEMORY ARE BOOSTED BY EATING ONE PARTICULAR DIET, STUDY FINDS
MIND is a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), the latter of which is designed to reduce blood pressure.
The diet focuses on «brain-healthy foods» like leafy green vegetables, berries, nuts and olive oil.
«The MIND diet is unique as the first eating plan focused on foods to specifically improve and support cognitive health,» Lau..

FDA approves first AI tool to predict breast cancer risk

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first artificial intelligence (AI) tool to predict breast cancer risk.
The authorization was confirmed by digital health tech company Clairity, the developer of Clairity Breast – a novel, image-based prognostic platform designed to predict five-year breast cancer risk from a routine screening mammogram.
In a press release, Clairity shared its plans to launch the AI platform across health systems through 2025.
AI DETECTS OVARIAN CANCER BETTER THAN HUMAN EXPERTS IN NEW STUDY
Most risk assessment models for breast cancer rely heavily on age and family history, according to Clairity.
However, about 85% of cases occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer, likely stemming from genetic mutations that occur because of aging, health agencies report.
Traditional risk models have also been built on data from predominantly European Caucasian women, which Clairity said has not been «generalized well» to diverse backgrounds..

Boy, 6, suffers life-threatening stroke that causes paralysis: ‘Rare complication’

Christmas Eve is usually an evening of fun and festivity — but for one Illinois family in 2023, it came with a life-threatening medical emergency.
After enjoying a few holiday traditions, the Patton family had just gotten settled at the dinner table when Preston Patton, who was 6 years old at the time, suddenly slid onto the floor.
«He just fell off the chair and was limp,» recalled Shawn Patton, Preston’s father, according to a press release from OSF HealthCare. «I didn’t think it was a stroke, but I just knew something was wrong.»
MINI-STROKES MAY CAUSE SURPRISING LONG-TERM HEALTH ISSUE, EXPERTS WARN
Patton immediately called 911 and first responders rushed his son to OSF HealthCare.
At the hospital, a team of emergency and pediatric doctors assessed the situation. A brain scan revealed that Preston had a blood clot in his brain, and his heart function had dropped to just 10%. (See the video at the top of this article.)
Also known as cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), this condition ..

Measles Vaccination Rates Are Plummeting Across the U.S.

Childhood vaccination rates against measles, mumps, and rubella have been declining in much of the U.S. since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study has found.

The study, which was published in JAMA on June 2, analyzed measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination rates by county where data were available. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University collected county-level data on MMR vaccination rates for kindergarteners from each state’s health department website for the school years before the pandemic (2017-2018) and after (2023-2024). In states where that data were not available, researchers analyzed the most comparable data instead.

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Of the 2,066 counties in 33 states that researchers analyzed, 78% of them reported a decline in vaccination rates. Researchers found that the county-level mean vaccination rate decreased from almost 94% before the pandemic to about 91% after the pandemic—falling well below what public-health experts generally co..

Daily coffee drinking linked to major health benefit in women as they age, study finds

A popular morning beverage could do more than provide a perk. It could also help women stay healthy as they age.
That’s according to new research from Harvard University, which followed a group of nearly 50,000 women from the Nurses' Health Study for a 30-year period.
The researchers found that drinking coffee every morning could help women stay mentally sharp and physically strong later in life, according to a press release from the American Society of Nutrition.
THE OPTIMAL TIME TO DRINK COFFEE ISN'T WHEN YOU NORMALLY HAVE IT
The benefits were seen in middle-aged women who drank caffeinated coffee. Decaf coffee and tea did not have the same effect.
«'Healthy aging' here meant surviving to older age without major chronic diseases and with good physical, mental and cognitive function,» Sara Mahdavi, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, told Fox News Digital.
«Importantly, this relationship persisted even af..

Common supplements and medications could cause liver damage, studies show

As cases of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) are on the rise, experts are warning of the hidden dangers associated with some common medications and supplements.
Statistics show that DILI, also known as toxic hepatitis or hepatotoxicity — which is known to be a significant cause of acute liver failure — has been growing in Western countries since the 1960s.
Around one-fifth of the total population who are prescribed medications will experience DILI, according to recent research published in the journal Toxicology Reports.
COMMON DAILY VITAMIN COULD SLOW BIOLOGICAL AGING, MAJOR STUDY SUGGESTS
Potential triggers of liver injury include herbal products, dietary supplements and medications, the study found.
Those with pre-existing liver conditions and nutritional deficiencies are at a higher risk, as are pregnant women.
One of the liver’s main functions is to break down substances taken orally, including supplements and medications, according to the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG..

Second lady’s 2025 reading challenge targets declining reading scores among students

America's second lady Usha Vance has announced the «Summer Reading Challenge,» encouraging children across the country to open up a book this summer.
«Adventure, imagination, and discovery await – right between the pages of a book,» writes the second lady in a letter.
«We are excited to invite all children (K-8) to participate in the Second Lady's 2025 Summer Reading Challenge,» the letter continues.
SECOND LADY USHA VANCE ON MOTHER'S DAY AND WHAT SHE STRIVES FOR AS A MOM
Children are encouraged to read 12 books of their choice between June 1 and Sept. 5 — and track their progress through a reading log issued by the White House.
Nicole Reeves, communications director for the second lady, told Fox News Digital that Ms. Vance is very excited to announce this project in the hope of engaging young readers throughout the summer.
«It is essential that we encourage our youth to continue learning outside of the classroom, and this challenge provides an excellent opportunity to ..