• Brooke Shields is speaking out about the importance of preventive health for people over 50.
• Specifically, Shields is working to encourage others to embrace aging and the increased risk of shingles for people over 50.
• About one million people develop shingles in the U.S. each year.
• The best way to prevent shingles is to get vaccinated.

Brooke Shields has been in the spotlight for most of her life. She began modeling at just 11 months old and became a household name at age 12 for her leading role in the 1978 movie Pretty Baby.

However, as a younger person, she struggled with having a widespread platform and seeing the value in being famous.

“[As] I got older, I started to understand the value and visibility of being in the public eye and…if used appropriately, it can be used for good,” she told Healthline.

In addition to acting as president of the Actors’ Equity Association, she is outspoken about post-partum maternal mental health and is an advocate for women’s health.

“[As] a woman of this age who has experienced these things…[advocating] is the only real purpose that I have found to being a public figure,” said Shields.

Why Shields is raising awareness about the importance of preventive health for women over 50

As Shields lives through her 50s, she embraces preventive health more and more and hopes others will do the same. For people who believe that with age comes less control of your health, she said the antithesis is true; you have more control.

“We’ve gotten this far, and when you really look at what we’ve all gone through health-wise, as women…we’ve earned the position of knowing ourselves actually better than most,” said Shields.

Over the years, she learned to be persistent in asking important questions regarding her health.

“Now, if someone says something to me, I don’t assume it’s the right thing just because I’m in a hospital bed…I know that there is something amiss with me, and it’s my prerogative to be able to ask about it,” she said.

Why people over 50 are at higher risk for shingles

While Shields has not had shingles, two of her close friends, who are over 50 years old, have.

“It was debilitating for each of them in a different way. One had to shut down production for two weeks for something she was working on. Another one…couldn’t perform, the pain was [awful],” she said.

As she began researching shingles, she learned that about one million people develop shingles in the U.S. each year.

Shingles occur when the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which causes chickenpox, reactivates in the body after having chickenpox.

While anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles regardless of age, Steven Furr, MD, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, said most cases occur in people 50 or older because 99% of adults born before 1980 had chickenpox, and therefore, they have the virus that causes shingles inside their bodies. Even though not all of them will develop shingles, Furr said the risk of getting it increases with age.

“If you’ve had the chickenpox vaccine, you are less likely to get chickenpox. Therefore, you’re less likely to later develop shingles,” Furr told Healthline. “People with weakened immune systems or over 50 are more likely to get shingles, including if you have cancer, HIV or AIDS or take medicines that affect the immune system.”

Shingles symptoms and common treatments

Because shingles is a viral infection that affects the skin, it can present as a skin condition, said Adam Friedman, MD, professor of dermatology at George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC.

“The herpes zoster virus migrates from a nerve root along sensor nerves to ultimately enter and insert itself into skin cells,” he told Healthline. “The immune system is not a fan of this and attacks both the nerves (why it’s so painful) and skin, killing said skin cells and causing blisters to form.”

Because the virus travels along the sensory nerves, the skin eruption typically follows imaginary lines called dermatomes, which represent the path of said nerves, said Friedman.

High risk areas for outbreaks include the forehead toward the eye, which may require an eye doctor’s help. If there is a rash inside the ear, an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor is often required, he added.

“Also, when patients have lowered immune systems due to any number of reasons (HIV, medication, cancer), shingles can go against the textbook description and appear along multiple dermatomes (aka disseminated), and look quite different than standard cases,” said Friedman.

Because an active rash is contagious, he said to make sure to keep the rash covered and away from high risk populations like babies and older adults.

“Shingles is often treated with an antiviral medicine. These medicines can reduce the severity and duration of shingles symptoms,” said Furr. “However, I cannot stress enough the importance of preventive care.”

The best defense against shingles is to prevent it

Shields partnered with GSK on the Thrive@50+ campaign to spread awareness about shingles risk and vaccination.

The campaign includes videos of women sharing the impact of having shingles and talking about how embracing aging and prioritizing preventive health has helped them.

One of the videos features Shields, who states, “Turning 50 felt like a superpower to me.”

“[I’ve heard] the stories [about] the emotional impact and the pain and the disruption and the missing of life’s moments,” said Shields. “I think we don’t really connect with it as much as we should, and there are very clear, easy steps to take once you really understand your risk and ask about vaccination.”

The best way to prevent shingles is twofold, said Furr.

“First, I tell people in my community to vaccinate children for chickenpox. Remember, you can’t get shingles unless you’ve had chickenpox first,” he said. “I tell older adults to get the shingles vaccine, which is recommended for adults 50 and older. The vaccine can prevent shingles and stop the disease from coming back.”

The vaccine requires two doses and is over 90% effective at preventing shingles and postherpetic neuralgia (nerve pain) in adults 50 years and older with healthy immune systems.

Adults 19 years and older who have weakened immune systems are at higher risk of complications and should also get vaccinated, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Shields hopes adults 50 and over take shingles prevention seriously.

“This is an entire era of time to take control of your own health,” she said. “I just hope that the fear is diminished and that anybody over 50 simply asks the questions.”

She said to turn to your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions or concerns about the shingles vaccine.

“They’ll tell you what your risks are, and inevitably, you’ll take your power back for your own health to make decisions for your health positively,” said Shields.

• The FDA has approved an at-home nasal flu vaccine.
• FluMist will be available through an online pharmacy for people ages 2-49.
• However, it is not for the very young, older adults, or the immunocompromised.
• Experts say it will expand access to flu vaccinations and keep more people safe.
• However, injectable vaccines are safe for a wider range of populations.

On September 20, 2024, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced they had approved an at-home nasal spray influenza (flu) vaccine.

The vaccine, FluMist, can be administered by either the recipient or their caregiver. It is sprayed into the nose.

FluMist prevents cases of the flu caused by influenza virus subtypes A and B. It can be administered to people between the ages of 2 and 49.

The nasal flu vaccine is not an entirely new medication, however. It was first approved for usage in 2003 for people from age 5 to 49. Later, in 2007, FDA approval was given to lower the minimum age to 2.

Now, it has become the first flu vaccine that can be administered without the assistance of a healthcare professional.

The FDA states that the vaccine manufacturer will be making the vaccine available through a third-party online pharmacy.

To obtain FluMist, people can undergo a screening process, and the pharmacy will prescribe and ship the vaccine.

Flu vaccines play an essential role in controlling seasonal flu outbreaks. On average, about 700,000 people die each year from the disease’s respiratory and cardiovascular complications. However, the flu used to be much more deadly before a vaccine was developed.

While many people will only experience relatively mild symptoms, the flu is a contagious illness that can be passed along to those who are more vulnerable.

Older people, young children, and people with certain medical conditions are most at risk, per the FDA.

The availability of FluMist could make it easier for more people to be vaccinated and help protect those who are at greater risk.

How FluMist compares with injectable flu vaccines

Andrew Handel, MD, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, explained that there are different types of flu vaccines available in the U.S.

“Injectable vaccines consist of inactivated (dead) virus or viral particles, whereas FluMist is a live, attenuated (or weakened) influenza vaccine given by nasal spray,” he said.

According to Handel, some studies show that FluMist is more protective against infections and severe illness than injectable vaccines. However, not all studies are consistent.

John Lowe, MD, a physician focused on preventive health at Restore Care, added to Handel’s comments saying, “It has this advantage over the injection in that it can elicit a more physiological sort of interaction with the immune system than the injection, which simply presents the body with a dead virus for the body to form an immune response against it.”

Lowe went on to say that another way that FluMist contrasts with injectable vaccines is that it is not given to people under 2 or over 49 years of age.

“The injectable form is incorporated for people in high-risk groups,” he said, explaining that it is even used for people who are immunocompromised.

Additionally, Lowe said FluMist’s nasal route of administration could be more beneficial in preventing alveolar respiratory infections since the influenza virus enters the body through the nose.

“On the other hand, the injectable preparation provides more consistent efficacy across pandemic and seasonal influenza as well as other vaccine-preventable diseases,” he added.

Finally, Lowe noted that while both injectable vaccines and FluMist can provide immunization against the flu virus, injectables remain the first-line recommendation since they are safe for the majority of the population.

What health experts think about FluMist

“The approval of FluMist for self-administration at home is a huge step forward for the FDA,” said Handel, explaining that many people skip vaccines because of obstacles like having to take children out of school to get them.

“Any effort to making vaccines more accessible will help increase uptake and keep more people safe,” he said.

Lowe agreed, calling the FDA’s approval of FluMist “a welcome improvement.”

He noted that a self-administered nasal flu vaccine could also be useful in arid regions or locations with an inadequate number of healthcare facilities.

However, Lowe cautioned that FluMist is not appropriate for everyone, especially if they are immunocompromised.

“Patients should be assessed, and it should be established that it is OK to recommend FluMist to them,” he said.

Takeaway

The FDA has announced that it has approved an at-home nasal flu vaccine that is administered by spraying it into the nose.

It can be used by people aged 2 to 49. However, it is not appropriate for very young children, older adults, or those who are immunocompromised.

Injectables remain first-line vaccines because they are safe for a larger percentage of the population.

FluMist will be available through an online pharmacy that will write the prescription and ship the medication to people’s homes.

Experts say FluMist will help make vaccination against the flu more accessible to people who might otherwise have a hard time getting into a doctor’s office. This can help expand the number of people who are vaccinated.

• Actor Retta shares her personal journey with type 2 diabetes and learning about glucose health.
• She is spreading awareness for National Glucose Awareness Week, which will take place from September 23-29, 2024.
• Experts explain factors that influence glucose health.

Whether it’s her roles in “Parks & Recreation,” “Good Girls,” “Hit Man,” and “Ugliest House in America,” or her real-life persona on Instagram, actor Retta knows how to get people’s attention through humor and connection.

“It’s easier to be able to laugh when you hear bad news…it kind of gives you a stress release,” she told Healthline. “[We’re] all human, and being honest about your humanity tends to affect and help people generally.”

She’s opening up about her type 2 diabetes diagnosis in hopes of helping others.

In early 2022, her doctor informed her that her blood sugar levels were bordering prediabetes. In between traveling for “Ugliest House in America,” she focused on eating and exercising, and her numbers would fall within a healthy range.

“[I] knew that when I traveled, my eating and my movement wasn’t on par with when I’m home,” said Retta.

In July 2023, her doctor diagnosed her with type 2 diabetes, and she began taking medication.

“I’m privileged enough to go to the doctor regularly, and also, I’m a little bit of a scaredy cat, so I need to know what’s going on,” said Retta. “I didn’t know how easily I was able to jump right into that range of being diabetic.”

In fact, 20% of people with type 2 diabetes and 80% of those with prediabetes are undiagnosed and unaware of their glucose levels.

Why Retta is raising awareness about the importance of glucose health

To track her glucose, Retta uses the device Stelo. She teamed up with its maker, Dexcom, in partnership with the nonprofit Beyond Type 2, to establish National Glucose Awareness Week from September 23-29, 2024.

The week intends to spread awareness about glucose and encourage people to take action to own their glucose health by featuring a variety of educational resources.

Participants also have the chance to win prizes as they expand their knowledge and spread the word about the importance of being glucose-aware. From September 30 to October 13, they can participate in a nationwide step challenge and compete for prizes.

“When I partnered with Dexcom, I was fascinated with how many people have diabetes or prediabetes and most of which don’t even know about it,” said Retta.

She wants people to know their blood sugar levels and to understand that there are ways to regulate it.

“[I] know now whenever I do my coffee in the morning, I’m going to have a spike. Now I know I need to use a little less creamer, even though that’s my favorite part of the drink…and my spikes don’t go off the charts,” said Retta.

In a recent Dexcom-Stelo survey, only 10% of respondents with type 2 diabetes who were not on insulin and those with prediabetes said they understand the factors that cause changes in their glucose extremely well.

Dr. Karl Nadolsky, endocrinologist and diplomate at the American Board of Obesity Medicine, said keeping glucose levels close to the goals a doctor prescribes is essential to minimize the risk of long-term complications such as diabetic eye disease, nerve disease, kidney disease, heart disease and more.

Keeping glucose levels stable is also important.

“We do think that increased variability also increases these risks so preferably average blood sugar is to goal while also minimizing significant variability (ups and downs),” he told Healthline. “[There] is a wide clinical spectrum of glycemic struggles and goals in type 2 diabetes depending upon existence of complications and medications indicated or required for holistic care.”

A healthy glucose range can vary depending on a person’s age, how long they have had diabetes, and what other medical conditions they have, noted Dr. Rekha B. Kumar, an associate professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and Chief Medical Officer at Found.

“There is currently a trend to not have any fluctuations at all amongst the biohacking community (i.e., even food should lead to minimal spikes), but some variation between the fasted state and post-meal state is normal,” she told Healthline.

Managing blood sugar is about more than food intake

Kumar said people should understand the role of exercise and muscle metabolism.

“Managing blood sugar is not just about what food we take in but also about how we use up that sugar in our blood,” said Kumar. “The more active our muscles are, the more leeway we may have with what we put in it.”

Nadolsky agreed. He said while a variety of eating plans can help create an energy deficit for weight loss and treat the underlying obesity causing insulin resistance and risk of type 2 diabetes and while specific food choices can minimize high blood sugar, exercise is critical for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes because it helps improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugars.

“Resistance training should be a priority while increasing aerobic and non-exercise physical activity as much as possible to include volume and intensity,” said Nadolsky.

He reiterated that there is more to treating diabetes and health goals beyond simply managing blood sugar.

“We don’t need to get blood sugars perfect, per se, but do need to emphasize the bigger picture starting with obesity as the underlying root cause of the pathophysiology, heart and kidney health, and other related health issues,” said Nadolsky.

Retta is passionate about empowering others on their health journey

The Dexcom-Stelo survey found that since receiving their diagnosis, 45% of people with type 2 diabetes not using insulin or those who have prediabetes have faced confusion about how to effectively manage their condition.

Additionally, half of the respondents have faced decreased confidence in their overall health.

Retta hopes speaking out and sharing the educational materials connected to National Glucose Awareness Week will help change this.

“Once you know [you have diabetes], then you have the ability to help yourself, so you have that empowerment of knowing when I do this, it causes this, so that’s what the glucose awareness is about…making you aware of what happens and how to avoid it,” she said.

She also hopes that sharing her story will help normalize living with diabetes.

“It’s the kind of thing that if enough people talk about it, it’s kind of quote, unquote old news, so I guess my theory is talk about it, and it won’t be stigmatized,” Retta said.

• Six types of cancer have been linked with excessive alcohol consumption, including breast, colorectal, and liver cancer, research shows.
• In 2019, 5.4% of cancers in the United States were attributed to alcohol consumption.
• People can reduce their risk of cancer by lowering their alcohol intake.

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) published its 2024 Cancer Progress Report on Sept. 18, highlighting a strong link between alcohol use and six types of cancer. This comes as the rates for some of these cancers are increasing among younger adults.

However, in many cases, people can take steps to greatly reduce their risk of developing certain types of cancer. 

According to the AACR, 40% of all cancers in the United States are associated with modifiable risk factors, including excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco use, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet.

By lowering their alcohol intake, people can reduce their chances of developing certain cancers.

“Increased alcohol consumption was associated with higher risks for alcohol-related and all cancers,” wrote the authors of a 2022 study cited by the new cancer report, “whereas sustained quitting and reduced drinking were associated with lower risks of alcohol-related and all cancers.”

Based on this research, people who reduce alcohol consumption or stop drinking entirely can decrease their risk of developing alcohol-related cancers by 8% and their risk of all cancer by 4%, according to the AACR report.

This was compared to those who continued to drink at their current level or increased their drinking.

Several cancers linked to alcohol use

Excessive consumption of alcohol increases the risk for six different types of cancer:

• certain types of head and neck cancer
• breast cancer
• colorectal cancer
• esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
• liver cancer
• stomach cancers

In the United States, 5.4% of cancers were attributed to alcohol consumption in 2019, according to the report. Drinking at an early age can also increase the risk of developing cancer later in life.

In addition, research shows that moderate and high levels of drinking during pregnancy can increase the chance of the child developing leukemia after birth, the AACR said.

While the report shows that overall cancer death rate in the United States declined between 1991 and 2021 — translating to roughly 4.1 million fewer lives lost to cancer — some cancers are still on the rise.

Certain types of early-onset cancers — occurring in adults younger than 50 — are increasing, including breast, colorectal and other cancer, the report found.

Many people are unaware of the cancer risks associated with alcohol use

Although cutting back on alcohol consumption can help lower a person’s chances of developing cancer, many people are unaware that alcohol is a cancer risk factor.

One survey by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center found that 51% of people did not associate alcohol use with colon cancer. In contrast, most people identified family history as a risk factor for this cancer.

Nilesh Vora, MD, hematologist, medical oncologist, and medical director of the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA., pointed out that the association between alcohol and certain types of cancer is not new, with earlier research showing the same connection.

“It’s surprising to me that a lot of people, as was documented in this report, aren’t aware of that,” he said.

Part of the solution, the AACR said, is to improve public health messaging, similar to the campaigns that educated people about the dangers of tobacco, and helped drive down lung cancer deaths. 

“Public messaging campaigns (such as cancer-specific warning labels displayed on alcoholic beverages) along with effective clinical strategies that reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption must be considered to reduce the burden of alcohol-related cancers,” the report said.

“This [education] starts at the primary care physician’s office,” Vora told Healthline, “where we can work on making sure patients are aware of the risks of alcohol, and as a result, make better choices for themselves.”

How to consume alcohol without increasing your cancer risk

In its report, the AACR includes recommendations for how much alcohol you can safely consume, based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

If you consume alcohol, it is best to do so in moderation. For women, this means one or fewer drinks per day, and two or fewer drinks per day for men.

“It’s really excessive levels of alcohol consumption that increase the risk of cancer,” said Vora, “so you want to stay under the moderate level.”

Takeaway

Excessive consumption of alcohol increases the risk for six different types of cancer: certain types of head and neck cancer, breast, colorectal, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, liver and stomach cancers.

In 2019, 5.4% of cancer in the United States were attributed to alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption at an early age can also increase the risk of developing cancer later in life.

People can reduce their risk of cancer by lowering their alcohol intake. The American Association for Cancer Research calls for public health messaging about the cancer-related risks of alcohol.

As we approach winter, it’s time for people at risk to be booked in for their free flu jab. If you’re eligible, you need to know why it matters that you take up the offer. Flu is far more than …

• A study says the MIND diet could reduce the risk of cognitive problems during aging.
• Following the MIND diet especially predicted a better trajectory for Black people.
• This diet emphasizes brain-healthy foods and discourages those harmful to the brain.
• Dietitians say to eat more foods like leafy greens, nuts, berries, and fatty fish.
• At the same time, cut down on foods high in saturated fat and sugar.

According to a new study published in Neurology, the Mediterranean-Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Intervention for Neurogenerative Delay (MIND) diet could reduce people’s risk of cognitive impairment as they grow older.

The Alzheimer’s Society explains that it is normal to become more forgetful or have greater difficulty thinking as we age.

However, people with dementia can have more severe deficits in memory, thinking, language, orientation, perception, mood, and behavior.

Diet is one factor that could influence the likelihood of cognitive decline, according to the study authors.

They specifically wanted to look at whether this was equally true for both Black and white Americans.

While they found that there was no racial difference in how protective the diet was, they did find that there was a difference between women and men, with only women experiencing a decreased risk of cognitive impairment.

However, better adherence to the MIND diet was a predictor of cognitive trajectory (changes in cognitive function over time) in Black study participants.

How the link between MIND diet and cognitive decline risk was studied

The study included over 14,000 people who were, on average, 64 years old. Among these, 30% were Black and 70% were white.

These individuals were asked to complete a questionnaire examining their dietary patterns over the previous year. The researchers then looked to see how closely their diets matched with the MIND diet.

Points were given based on whether they ate certain foods in the designated amounts. For example, if they ate three or more servings each day of whole grains, they received 1 point. Twelve points was the highest possible score, meaning that their diet was a perfect match for the MIND diet.

These scores were then used to divide the participants into three groups:

• low, with an average score of 5
• middle, with an average score of 7
• high, with an average score of 9

People were followed for an average of 10 years. Thinking and memory were assessed at the beginning and end of the study.

It was found that 12% of the low group developed cognitive impairment, compared to 11% of the middle group and 10% of the high group.

However, after adjusting for various factors, people in the high group had a 4% decreased risk of cognitive impairment compared to the low group.

Additionally, women had a 6% decreased risk of cognitive impairment in the high group, but no decrease in risk was seen in men.

Finally, the scientists found that people who more closely followed the MIND diet had a slower decline in their cognitive abilities and this association was most prominent in Black individuals.

However, more research is needed to understand why there was a racial difference.

What is the MIND diet?

Johanna Angman, a Registered Dietician Nutritionist with Glowbar LDN, who was not involved in the study, described the MIND diet as a “scientifically curated eating plan.”

It blends the Mediterranean and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets with a focus on brain health, she explained.

The MIND diet is centered on ten food groups that promote cognitive function, including leafy greens, berries, nuts, and fish.

At the same time, it discourages consumption of red meat, butter, and sugary foods, said Angman.

“What sets the MIND diet apart is its laser focus on reducing neurodegeneration, targeting foods that specifically protect the brain from oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular damage, which are key contributors to cognitive decline,” she said.

Why the MIND diet might help prevent cognitive decline

Akanksha Kulkarni, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Prowise Healthcare, who was not involved in the study, said the way that the MIND diet helps prevent cognitive decline is through the nutrients it contains.

“In particular, leafy greens and berries contain many antioxidants, while omega-3 fatty acids, mostly found in fish and nuts, are believed to be essential for brain health,” she said.

These nutrients can help us with memory and other aspects of cognition as we age, according to Kulkarni.

She further noted that the MIND diet’s emphasis on good fats can play an important role in maintaining brain health.

“Healthy fats from olive oil and fish also aid in offering protection from inflammation of the brain, which has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other content degenerative diseases,” said Kulkarni.

She said the diet also reduces the consumption of saturated fats, which can contribute to the formation of plaques in the brain.

“Because the MIND diet aids in maintaining healthy blood vessels and prevents factors that put a person at risk of dementia, it helps prevent the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer’s,” said Kulkarni. “This has also been positively correlated with slower cognitive decline.”

Easy ways to begin adopting the MIND diet

Angman suggests starting with “small, sustainable changes.”

“Incorporating one serving of leafy greens daily can be a powerful first step, as these are linked most strongly to cognitive benefits,” she said.

Angman also suggests replacing snacks with a handful of nuts. You can also include berries in your breakfast or incorporate them into a smoothie.

“Fish, particularly fatty fish like salmon, should be on your plate at least once or twice a week,” she added.

Also, Angman advises reducing the amount of red meat you eat and substituting it with more plant-based proteins like legumes.

“By slowly reshaping daily habits, you’ll be aligning your diet more closely with the MIND approach,” said Angman, “giving your brain long-term protection without feeling overwhelmed by change.”

Takeaway

A new study has found that the MIND diet could help reduce the risk of cognitive problems as people age.

In Black people, especially, adherence to the diet predicted a better trajectory.

This diet merges the Mediterranean diet with the DASH diet with the goal of keeping the brain healthy.

It includes nutrients like antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids that are associated with brain health and discourages those known to harm the brain, like saturated fat and sugar.

Dietitians say the best way to begin eating more in line with the MIND diet is to make small but sustainable choices to incorporate more foods like leafy greens, berries, nuts, fatty fish, and plant-based proteins like legumes.

• MrBeast, Logan Paul, and KSI have introduced a new meal kit called Lunchly.
• It includes a Feastables bar, a Prime hydration drink, and one of three entree choices.
• They claim it is a “better-for-you” alternative to Lunchables.
• However, despite some improvements, it is still not a healthy choice for kids.
• Experts advise packing a lunch for your child that includes fruits and vegetables instead.

MrBeast (whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson), Logan Paul, and Olajide “KSI” Olatunji have announced that they will collaborate to compete with Kraft Heinz’s Lunchables meal kits with their own “healthier” offering called “Lunchly.”

This isn’t their first foray into the food and drink business, however. MrBeast’s Feastable chocolate bars and Paul and KSI’s Prime energy drinks are already available nationwide.

The online influencers’ “better-for-you” lunch combinations will include one of three choices — Fiesta Nachos, “The Pizza,” or Turkey Stack ‘Ems — served with a Prime hydration drink and a Feastables chocolate bar.

On the Lunchly website, they make a head-to-head comparison between Lunchly and Lunchables, showing that Lunchly is indeed lower in calories and sugar while also providing an electrolyte boost that is not present in Lunchable’s Capri Sun drink.

But is Lunchly really as healthy as it is promoted to be? We asked nutrition experts to weigh in.

Lunchly ingredients: What’s in (and not in) each meal kit

Leah Oladitan, RDN, LD, who runs The Child Nutritionist blog, said the Prime hydration drink included in the meal kits contains coconut water, added electrolytes, artificial sweeteners, and vitamins.

However, it’s not caffeinated, which sets it apart from Prime energy drinks, which contain 200 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can.

“The entrée options — turkey and cheese, pepperoni pizza, or nachos — are all highly processed,” she added.

Oladitan said that one of the major issues with Lunchly, however, is its sodium content.

“Like most processed foods, Lunchly meals provide over 20% of the recommended daily salt intake in just one serving,” she noted.

Excess sodium is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, according to Oladitan.

“Studies show that kids between 2-19 years old are consuming nearly double the recommended sodium intake daily, which puts them at risk of long-term health issues,” she said.

Oladitan further stated that Lunchly meals are high in saturated fat, which can raise “bad” cholesterol levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

“Moreover, Lunchly lacks two critical food groups — fruits and vegetables,” she said. “Without these, kids miss out on vital nutrients, fiber, and phytonutrients that are essential for overall health.”

Oladitan summarized her thoughts on Lunchly as follows: “While convenient, it falls short of being a healthy option.”

@loganpaul

Lunchly ✅ vs. Lunchables ❌ Follow @LUNCHLY All statements are comparing the products depicted in the video

♬ original sound – Logan Paul

How Lunchly compares with Lunchables

So, what about their claim that Lunchly is at least a better option than Lunchables?

Commenting on these two products, Dimitar Marinov, MD, a medical doctor specializing in Nutrition and Dietetics who also holds a Ph.D. in Preventative Medicine and Nutrition, said, “Though it is being marketed as a better and ‘healthier’ alternative to Lunchables, the reality check would hit harder.”

The items included in Lunchly “are not a source of nutritional powerhouses,” he said, “but instead are the form of processed food.”

Marinov said it’s important to check the nutrition label on any packaged foods you buy, including pre-packaged lunch kits like Lunchly and Lunchables.

Further comparing the two, he said they are nearly tied with each other on healthiness.

“On the one hand, where Lunchly has started to offer slight improvements like providing whole grain crackers and leaner meats, it still includes processed foods and added sugars,” said Marinov.

“All in all, the major issue is the marketing strategy of Lunchly,” he added. “Paul and MrBeast are probably giving parents the wrong idea by labeling Lunchly as a ‘healthier’ option.”

Both Lunchly and Lunchables should be consumed in moderation, Marinov added, since they are both processed foods.

“If, as parents, you truly want to give your child a healthy diet,” he concluded, “you must consider packing fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole foods instead.”

Marinov suggests getting your children involved in the process to make it a fun activity.

“Above all, it will dramatically encourage healthier eating habits,” he said.

Takeaway

Online influencers MrBeast, Logan Paul, and Olajide “KSI” Olatunji are collaborating to offer a lunch kit called “Lunchly,” which they claim is “healthier” than Lunchables.

However, nutrition experts say that the ingredients are still less than healthy. Despite the small improvements that have been made, they are processed foods that are high in sodium and saturated fat.

They are also missing out on vital fruits and vegetables that kids need to remain healthy.

It is a better option to pack a healthy lunch for your child that contains fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole foods.

• GLP-1s, the class of drugs including Ozempic and Mounjaro, treat diabetes and obesity, but some have also shown significant cardiovascular benefits.
• Millions of Americans might benefit from taking GLP-1 drugs for cardiovascular disease.
• New research suggests GLP-1 drugs could prevent up to 34,000 strokes and heart attacks annually.

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Zepbound are powerful tools for treating diabetes and aiding with weight loss, but a new study suggests these medications could also help prevent cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke in millions of people, suggests new research.

Previous clinical trials have shown that some Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) can help prevent cardiovascular disease. However, those benefits have only been demonstrated for secondary prevention in high risk individuals: those who’ve previously experienced a heart attack or stroke or have established cardiovascular disease.

However, new research from Dandelion Health, a company specializing in “real-world data and clinical AI,” indicates that GLP-1 drugs could have broad implications for the heart health of millions of Americans, potentially preventing more than 30,000 heart attacks and strokes each year in the United States.

Since prior trials have been limited to high risk individuals, Dandelion wanted to investigate what the potential health benefits could be among people with only mild or moderate CVD who had never had a prior heart attack or stroke — a population comprising tens of millions of Americans.

That’s an important demographic, but it is difficult (and expensive) to study in a clinical trial setting.

By using AI-driven algorithms to sift through real-world data — everything from electrocardiogram readings to physician notes — Dandelion claims it is able to “assess treatment efficacy faster and at a greater scale than ever before.”

How GLP-1 drugs can provide cardiovascular benefits

“What we showed was that patients who initiate treatment with GLP-1s have a lower cardiovascular risk after three years than similar patients who are not taking GLP-1s,” Nick Gossen, Head of Growth at Dandelion Health, told Healthline.

“Our study is consistent with some of the clinical trials that have gone through the FDA and gotten approval,” he added.

Dandelion’s research emphasized several findings:

• GLP-1s could potentially serve as primary prevention for heart attack and stroke for patients with obesity and mild or moderate CVD — about 44 million additional patients in the US.
• Patients taking GLP-1s had a 15-20% reduction in MACE (heart attack and stroke), which is consistent with clinical trials conducted by Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy.
• Using predictive AI, the company found that patients taking GLP-1s would see a cardiovascular benefit in under two years.

Those findings are promising but should be taken with a grain of salt. The study itself has not yet been peer-reviewed, though Gossen said that they are currently pursuing that.

“This is intended to be a proof of concept: It’s pretty clear that there’s a signal there. With additional work and peer review and going through the FDA process, we think this is a very practical demonstration of how AI can be used both to shape clinical trials and make them more inclusive and lower cost,” he said.

Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new indication for the obesity drug Wegovy.

This marked the first time that any weight loss medication was also approved to prevent cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke. Ozempic, which shares the same active ingredient as Wegovy, but is indicated to treat type 2 diabetes, received FDA approval for a cardiovascular disease indication four years earlier, in 2020.

Clinical trials from Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy, have consistently shown the benefits of these drugs in preventing cardiovascular disease in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. The results of the Sustain-6 trial, published in 2016, showed that in patients with type 2 diabetes, Ozempic reduced the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke by 26 percent.

The more recent Select trial cleared the way for the FDA’s approval of Wegovy’s CVD indication by demonstrating a 20% reduced risk of MACE in patients with obesity.

Questions remain about GLP-1s and primary prevention

Chad S. Weldy, MD, PhD, a Cardiologist at Stanford Medicine, told Healthline that GLP-1s are clearly promising for CVD prevention.

“The past 10 years have now fully established the remarkable benefit of GLP-1 therapies in those overweight and obese individuals with diabetes as well as those without diabetes and established cardiovascular disease,” said Weldy.

However, making the leap from using GLP-1 for secondary prevention to primary prevention is a large one due to the difficulty and expense of a clinical trial — a fact both he and Gossen acknowledge.

“It is highly likely that GLP-1 drugs will provide benefits for primary prevention to prevent cardiovascular disease as measured by MACE outcomes. The challenge is how this potential primary prevention clinical trial is designed,” Weldy told Healthline.

Since heart attacks and other major cardiovascular events are relatively uncommon in this generally healthy population, such a study would require potentially tens of thousands of participants and many years of follow-up. All of those parameters would also make it tremendously expensive to conduct. 

Not impossible, but difficult and unfeasible. 

While Dandelion’s research may be a proof of concept, Weldy cautions that it is still a long way from being a substitute for randomized, controlled clinical trials, which are the “gold standard” for medical research and essential to the FDA approval process.

Additionally, he notes that the suggestion of expanding GLP-1 prescriptions to tens of millions of Americans — therapies that are expensive and potentially lifelong — represents its own unique challenges to the U.S. healthcare system.

“If a large trial is performed for GLP-1 therapy, enrolling anyone who is overweight or obese without known CVD, and…we see a significant reduction in CV events from a primary prevention perspective, a big question would be, “Who do you not treat with this therapy?” Weldy asked.

The bottom line

GLP-1 drugs have the potential to reduce the number of heart attacks and strokes in the United States by as much as 34,000 annually, according to Dandelion Health.

To reach that goal, GLP-1s would need to be prescribed to tens of millions of Americans with mild or moderate CVD. 

Experts told Healthline that GLP-1s are a promising line of drugs in the fight against cardiovascular disease but that more research will be needed before they could be indicated for primary prevention of CVD.

• TV personality Clea Shearer is sharing her journey with breast cancer.
• Shearer talks about how her latest project intersects with her breast cancer experience.
• Advances in breast cancer treatment give new hope for continued progress.

Shortly after her 40^th Birthday in February 2022, star of Netflix’s “Get Organized with The Home Edit,” Clea Shearer, found a lump in her breast.

“It all the sudden just hit me that at 40, you’re due for a mammogram, so why wouldn’t this lump potentially be cancerous? What else is it?” she told Healthline.

She called her OB-GYN right away but was told she would have to wait months to get an appointment despite telling them she found a lump and wanted to schedule a mammogram.

“I was like…isn’t a special alarm supposed to go off when someone says they found something? So I called my primary care doctor,” said Shearer.

Her doctor connected her with an oncologist and breast surgeon who scheduled a mammogram and ultrasound, which resulted in an emergency triple biopsy. Two days later, she was diagnosed with stage 2 invasive mammary carcinoma breast cancer, an aggressive form of breast cancer.

“I have early stage, hormone-positive HER2 negative breast cancer with a high risk of reoccurrence,” said Shearer.

She took the right steps for self-advocating, said Margaret Gatti-Mays, MD, co-director of the Division of Medical Oncology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

“I always advise my patients that if they develop any new breast symptoms like a new mass, new pain, new skin changes, new dimpling, or new one-sided breast fullness, they should seek medical attention,” she told Healthline. “I feel strongly that women know their bodies. If something isn’t right, speak up. Advocate for yourself.”

Shearer is one of the 1 in 8 women born in the United States who will develop breast cancer at some time during their lives.

Journey to treatment and recovery

Despite the early stage of her cancer, the kind of cancer Shearer has required aggressive treatment.

“Not all stage 2 cancers are the same. Some of them are more aggressive than others, so we put more weight on the type of breast cancer than the staging,” Paul Baron, MD, chief of breast surgery at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, told Healthline. “For example, a triple negative cancer in stage 1 may be more aggressive than a stage 2 breast cancer of a different kind.”

Shearer underwent a double mastectomy, surgery for necrosis, and several rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy, all by November 2022. In June 2024, she had her ovaries removed.

Her doctor also recommended she go on the medication Verzenio in hopes of preventing recurrence. She teamed up with the maker of the medication, Eli Lilly and Company, to help empower others living with breast cancer.

“It’s so important to me not to just beat cancer once but to keep it at bay,” said Shearer. “Anything I can do to keep it from recurring, I absolutely do, so when I was presented with the opportunity to take Verzenio, I leaped at the chance because I honestly consider myself lucky to even have the opportunity to take it.”

However, Baron noted that treatment for breast cancer is unique to each person.

“Whether it would be the biology of the cancer or where the cancer is in the breast is different or the age of the patient (if it’s a premenopausal patient or postmenopausal patient). You need a team to work together to get the best results,” he said.

Advances in breast cancer care bring hope

Advances in breast cancer diagnostics and treatment are on the rise, said Baron. Contrast-enhanced mammography can detect small cancers in the breast, while less aggressive surgery has become the focus once cancer is detected.

“Rather than mastectomy, we are doing more lumpectomy. We take out lymph nodes less and less, so less and less surgeries on the breast and lymph nodes means less issues with cosmesis and lymphedema,” said Baron.

Additionally, he said chemotherapy is more targeted, allowing people to have a higher response rate. In most cases, radiation is now three weeks rather than five or six. In some cases, Baron said people can receive partial breast radiation that requires only five days of treatment.

“So we’re getting the same survival results if not better survival results with less treatment,” he said.

Managing side effects of treatments has also come a long way, said Gatti-Mays.

“As patients live longer with breast cancer, our focus as a field has shifted to not only kill the cancer but also to minimize side effects,” she said.

Advances in breast reconstruction surgery after lumpectomy and mastectomy have also improved.

Because lumpectomies often require radiation afterward, which can cause tightness in the skin, hardening of the tissue, and contour abnormalities in the breast, Dhivya Srinivasa, MD, double board-certified breast reconstructive microsurgeon and founder of The Institute for Advanced Breast Reconstruction, said a recent practice is to combine a lumpectomy with a breast lift or a breast reduction.

“This allows the plastic surgeon to rearrange the tissue for a better cosmetic outcome, even in the setting of radiation,” she told Healthline. “With smaller-breasted women who otherwise would not need a lift or a reduction, the tissue around the lumpectomy can be rearranged to ‘fill the hole,’ essentially bolstering the area to best resist radiation contracture.”

Implants have greatly improved too, she added, as they are made of cohesive silicone gel, so even if the capsule breaks, the silicone does not spill out.

“We have also changed techniques to go above the muscle, or ‘pre pectoral.’ This best mimics the natural breast, which sits on top of the muscle in normal anatomy,” said Srinivasa.

She believes one of the greatest advances in breast reconstruction is microsurgical breast reconstruction. This involves taking tissue from other parts of the body and transplanting it to the chest to create a breast.

“The breast reconstruction is all-natural, feels like a breast, and will last the lifetime of the patient,” Srinivasa said.

How Shearer found new meaning after returning to work

Aside from treatment, Shearer also focuses on self-care, including exercise and writing down her thoughts and feelings. Last year, she began writing a memoir about her journey with cancer.

“It’s been ongoing. I think that it’s really allowed me to…express how I feel and my own lived experience,” said Shearer. “I’m always hesitant to tell people what to do or give specific advice, but through the lens of my own experience, I hope that connects with people and helps them.”

Shearer is co-hosting a reboot of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” that will air on ABC-TV next year. During filming, she had the opportunity to work with families facing difficult medical conditions, an experience she said was life-affirming.

“Whenever we encounter a family with a medical diagnosis that I can relate to, it pierces my soul, but it’s such an incredible thing to be able to put your arm around someone and know that you understand what they are going through and they know you understand,” she said. “I think that’s been a real gift.”

While it can be a difficult reminder of her journey at times, she said it is the most rewarding experience she has had.

“Beautiful things are hard,” she said. “It’s not hard in a way that weighs me down, it’s hard in a way that gives me meaning.”

• Digital platform aims to help grandparents and grandkids stay connected.
• Staying connected can benefit both grandparents and grandkids.
• The creator of the platform uses it with his kids and parents.

When Eben Pingree learned that his mom and father-in-law were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease around the same time, he immediately thought of his three young children.

“One of the reactions my wife and I had was just this spike in urgency around making sure our kids felt as deep of a connection with them as much as possible in this pretty rapidly shrinking window,” he told Healthline.

Pingree began searching for technology that could help his kids and their grandparents build a connection.

“We were pretty underwhelmed with the options out there, so I decided to try to build something myself,” said Pingree.

He created the digital platform Kinsome. Kids use an app to engage in the platform, while grandparents get notifications via email or text that allow them to interact with their grandkids.

A robot named Kinzey engages kids in conversation, helping unearth interesting updates for grandparents. Based on each specific update, Kinzey also suggests questions to ask grandparents about their lives. The robot also facilitates asynchronous games and activities that the different generations can engage in with minimal parental supervision.

“At the highest level, the goal is to bring the two generations together and help them find shared interests but also give them more touch points and context for what’s going on in each other’s lives,” said Pingree.

Kinsome is user-friendly for grandparents and grandchildren

Because the platform is geared toward grandchildren between the ages of six and eleven, Pingree prioritized making the app fun to keep kids’ attention by using gamification and making the app conversational so kids want to send quick updates to their grandparents.

Since the app focuses on younger kids, the average grandparent is typically in their 60s and 70s, which means most of them have used a smartphone for several years.

“But with that said, we have really focused on making the grandparent experience as simplified as possible,” said Pingree.

For instance, when a kid creates an update, the grandparent is sent a text or email with what is called a Magic Link. When the grandparent clicks on the link, it opens a web experience with the kid’s update.

“So with one click, no app download, and no password, they’re able to be hearing their grandkid’s voice and then with another click recording their response and taking part in any activity the kid started in the app,” Pingree said.

How Kinsome can help ease loneliness

While developing the platform, Pingree’s team talked to hundreds of grandparents about their lives. They gathered insight into whether they were lonely, what they missed from their younger years, and what they wished they could add to their lives.

“We were shocked by how frequently they brought up wanting to play a bigger role in their grandkids’ lives,” he said. “They were often talking about how when they had grown up, their own grandparents had been integral in their childhood, and they didn’t necessarily feel like they were doing the same for their own grandkids.”

Learning about the 2023 Surgeon General’s Advisory on Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation also resonated with him.

The report’s findings — that lacking social connection increases the risk of premature death by more than 60% and that Americans communicated almost 40% less with family members outside of their immediate household since 2003 — gave Pingree the push he needed to go forward with Kinsome.

“A lot of times people just assume a grandkid and grandparent, because they’re in the same family, automatically have this bond, but they need to build up the foundation for a relationship, and that’s really hard to do if you’re getting on a Facetime call once a week or once a month. So, we’re trying to fill in that gap,” he said.

Some factors that contribute to loneliness include separation from friends or family, lack of social support, and feeling a lack of purpose.

Pingree hopes Kinsome helps build connections between the generations because it offers opportunities to regularly communicate with each other. He also hopes it gives grandparents a sense of purpose because “they’re feeling like they are playing a role in the next generation of their family,” he said.

Preeti Malani, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of Michigan, said that loneliness should be considered a health condition that requires prevention and treatment. Doctors should ask patients about it in the same manner they ask about diet and exercise. ​

“Increasingly, we are recognizing the importance of social connection to health and well-being — not just for older adults but for younger people also,” she told Healthline.

Malani said regular visits from grandkids, whether in person, by phone, or via a screen, can improve connections for older adults while benefiting grandkids, too.

“​This time between grandparents and their grandchildren can look different depending on geography, age of the kids, and the overall health of the grandparents, but it is a very special way for everyone to feel loved and more connected,” she said.

Practicing what he created

So far, Pingree’s creation has been successful for his children and his in-laws.

“My two older kids use it pretty much every day, and particularly my in-laws use it and are responding every time they get an update,” he said.

It’s a different experience for his parents. He lives in an apartment below them, and his younger brother and three kids live in an apartment above them.

“We have an intergenerational living setup, so that’s served as an inspiration for what we’re trying to recreate in the digital world because my kids do have all these little interactions just by virtue of not being able to avoid my parents, but when you live across the country or world it’s hard to foster those little moments,” he said.

“I’ve become a huge believer in how healthy these strong intergenerational bonds can be, and we wanted to bring that to other families,” he added.