We didn’t expect to read this headline today, but scientists found a link between depression and … grip strength? In a new meta-analysis, people with lower grip strength were 42% more likely to develop depression over time. While more research is needed to better understand the relationship, the findings add to a growing body of evidence linking grip strength to overall health and longevity.
Grip strength probably isn’t something most of us think much about during a workout, but it may be worth paying more attention to. Here are eight ways to improve your grip strength at home and at the gym.
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Hormonal Health
GLP-1s May Cut Heart Disease Risk by 13%
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And the List Goes On: Research continues to uncover potential benefits of GLP-1 medications, beyond weight loss and diabetes management. Studies suggest they may support cognitive health, help treat substance-use disorders, and reduce systemic inflammation. And now, a new large-scale meta-analysis indicates they may also significantly reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and premature death.
The Study: Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University in the UK reviewed 11 large international studies on GLP-1’s, including data from over 90,000 adults at high cardiovascular risk. The participants were monitored for an average of three years. Those taking a GLP-1 were far less likely to experience a major cardiovascular event than participants who took a placebo, reducing the risk of these events — including heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular death — by 13%.
The Takeaway: This review supports existing research on GLP-1 drugs and heart health. But taking them comes with risks (and potential side effects) alongside the benefits. Whether or not a GLP-1 is right for you, there are proven ways to protect your heart health today, like eating a heart-healthy diet, managing stress, exercising regularly, avoiding smoking, and prioritizing sleep.
Keep in Mind: The review didn’t determine what dose you’d need to take to get cardiovascular benefits. There was also variation among the study designs and the participants’ baseline cardiovascular risk.
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Sponsored
A More Direct Way to Think About Gut Balance
Courtesy: SecondKind
Probiotics get a lot of credit in the gut-health aisle. But for many people, the actual experience is familiar: You take them consistently, wait for the shift, and still feel bloated, irregular, or uncomfortable.
SecondKind Gut Balance takes a different route with postbiotics, the beneficial compounds probiotics are meant to produce. Instead of relying on fragile live bacteria to survive the journey through your body, Gut Balance delivers a trillion clinically studied postbiotics directly to the gut.
It’s a simpler daily formula designed to support digestive comfort, regularity, gut balance, and feeling lighter.
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Nutrition & Food
Can Sparkling Water Increase Your Risk of Colorectal Cancer?
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You Should Know: There’s a new health concern bubbling up online: Some people are worried that sparkling water could cause colorectal cancer. But you can keep drinking your Spindrift in peace: Sparkling water itself does not increase your risk of cancer. The bubbles come from carbon dioxide, and there’s no evidence that carbonation is carcinogenic. The concern stems from toxins detected in flavored sparkling drinks — namely per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” linked to packaging or water sources.
Going Deeper: The theory gained traction after Consumer Reports found measurable PFAS levels in some sparkling water brands in 2020, sparking viral social posts and Reddit discussions about forever chemicals. PFAS exposure has been associated with certain cancers, but current evidence does not show sparkling water is a major source of dangerous exposure or directly tied to colorectal cancer. That said, some health experts caution that even low levels of exposure could pose a risk, because the science and guidelines around PFAS exposure are still evolving — there’s a lot we still don’t know.
Takeaway: Sparkling water is not known to raise colorectal cancer risk. The viral fear stems from broader debates about PFAS, where evidence remains mixed and evolving.
Bottom Line: Sparkling water appears safe, but there is potential for exposure to contaminants. It’s up to each individual to make their own risk assessment.
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Fitness
Can’t Focus? A 20-Minute Workout Could Be the Reset You Need
Midjourney
Brain Fog: A new study published in Brain Communications offers a tip for people who often find themselves staring at a computer screen and struggling to focus on the work at hand. Researchers measured electrical activity directly in the brains of study participants before and after a 20-minute bike ride. They found that exercise ramped up high-frequency brain waves called ripples, which are associated with how the brain consolidates and retrieves information.
How to Do It: Instead of grabbing another coffee, get up from your desk and do 20 minutes of steady cardio. Any movement that gets your heart rate up will do the trick. You might even consider scheduling it right before working on that project that requires your full attention.
The Benefits: The study shows that just one workout can prime your brain for sharper focus and better information retention, which means that you could return to your desk much more prepared to actually get things done. And the more you push during your workout, the stronger those effects appear to be — in the study, those who rode with higher heart rates experienced a greater increase in ripple activity.
This refreshing watermelon salad combines juicy watermelon with crisp cucumber, tangy feta cheese, red onion, and fresh cilantro or mint for a sweet-and-savory summer dish. The ingredients are tossed with lime juice, salt, and pepper to create a bright flavor, and it all comes together quickly with minimal prep and works well as a side dish for cookouts or warm-weather meals.
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This, Not That
Snack Timing Upgrade
THIS
NOT THAT
Andrej Lisakov/Unsplash, Frederick Medina/Unsplash
This: Planned snack Not That: Random grazing
Unplanned snacking tends to be reactive — and usually less nutritious. Having a go-to snack (protein + fiber) gives you control and consistency. It’s not about eating less — it’s about eating on purpose.
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Sponsored
A Wearable Way to Work Around Discomfort
Sometimes the hardest part of everyday discomfort is how much space it takes up: the errands you delay, the walk you cut short, the plans that feel harder than they should.
Signal Relief and Jovi are wellness products designed to help reduce the impact of discomfort, using wearable patch technology that fits into your routine. They’re drug-free, reusable, and made for everyday areas of hurt, from back discomfort to menstrual discomfort. For people looking for a simple, noninvasive method to try, this is worth a closer look.
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HEALTHY HABIT
Do One Set
Pick one bodyweight move — squats, pushups, lunges, calf raises — and do one set today. One set is better than no set, and it keeps the identity of “person who moves” alive.
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Final Thought
I learned to always take on things I’d never done before. Growth and comfort do not coexist.”
