The nutrients we prioritize tend to change along with our goals. Earlier in life, the focus may be on performance: getting enough protein, building muscle, and recovering from workouts. But as healthy aging becomes a bigger priority, the nutritional picture broadens. Supporting your bones, brain, heart, and immune system requires more than just hitting your macros. Here are 10 nutrients you may not be getting enough of — and why they matter for longevity.
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Nutrition
This Eating Pattern May Drive Weight Gain
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Eat Up: There are tons of studies exploring the efficacy of various diets for weight loss, from keto to intermittent fasting. However, a new meta-analysis is getting more specific about diets that help you gain weight, including an inflammatory diet, which hinges on your overall eating pattern and how it raises or lowers inflammatory markers in your body.
The Study: Researchers pooled data from 22 studies to test this idea, using a tool called the Dietary Inflammatory Index, which scores diets based on 45 nutrients and food groups. Ultra-processed foods, refined carbs, and red meat tend to be more inflammatory, while vegetables and whole grains are on the opposite end of the spectrum. People eating the most pro-inflammatory diets had significantly higher odds of being overweight or obese, and three long-term studies found the same pattern held up over time, with one showing a 32% higher risk of becoming overweight or obese.
The Takeaway: Adding fiber-rich foods like beans or berries to the meals you already eat can help move your score in the right direction.
Keep in Mind: The chicken-and-egg question is still in play here, as it’s not clear yet whether inflammation causes weight gain or vice versa.
With Babbel, bite-sized lessons, bingeable podcasts, and real conversation practice make it easy to build a habit that’s genuinely good for you. Just 10 minutes a day is all it takes — and you could be speaking out loud in as little as 3 weeks.
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Nutrition
The “Detox” Trend Doctors Don’t Recommend
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The Trend: It’s safe to say that when most people consume coffee, they’re doing so through their mouths. But some are putting coffee, well, elsewhere. Coffee enemas have recently grown in popularity, but they’ve actually been used for therapeutic benefits since the early 1900s. (Yes, really.) People do them to “detox,” alleviate constipation, and improve gut health — often as part of a suite of alternative wellness practices — but the practice is controversial.
What People Are Saying: Coffee enemas are typically self-administered by first filling up an enema bag with brewed caffeinated coffee (cooled first, of course) and squirting the liquid in the business end of your digestive tract. Some say when administered this way, the compounds in coffee can “cleanse” the colon, detoxify the liver and digestive organs, boost the immune system, get rid of constipation, and stimulate production of the antioxidant glutathione. Perhaps the wildest claim is that coffee enemas can fight cancer.
What to Know: Sharing anecdotes on Reddit and social media, coffee enema fans say they feel better afterward, while others caution the practice can become addictive. Unsurprisingly, mainstream gastroenterologists and oncologists are not on board. There’s no scientific evidence coffee enemas work, and they could actually damage the colon.
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Supplements
How to Keep Medications Safe During Heatwaves
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Hot Stuff: The summer of 2026 is on track to potentially be one of the hottest on record. While most everyone knows to slather on sunscreen and chug cold water, not everyone is aware of how to take care of medications during the dog days of summer. Many medications are temperature-sensitive, and if your home isn’t climate-controlled, heatwaves could degrade them.
How to Do It: You’ve probably heard it before: “Store in a cool, dry place.” To get more specific, storage guidelines for most medications range from 59°F to 86°F, ideally under 60% humidity. If you live in a home with air conditioning, placing them in a (kid-safe) cupboard away from humid environments should do the trick. That means no bathroom cabinet, nor the one above your stove. If your home does not have AC, consider purchasing a mini-fridge or a skincare cooler to keep your meds stable. Double-check your medication labels, too, as some need to be stored in the fridge.
The Benefits: Extreme heat can cause some compounds to break down, reducing how well your meds work. Heat also can also cause liquids to evaporate, creams to separate, and capsules to melt. Storing your medications properly means preserving their safety and efficacy.
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Quick Picks
Core Curriculum — Try these 6 dumbbell moves that train your abs to brace, twist, and stabilize.
The key to this tomato-on-tomato salad is starting with quality ingredients, especially ripe summer heirloom tomatoes. Toss juicy tomato chunks with buffalo mozzarella, basil leaves, and shallots, then coat everything in a vibrant dressing made with grated tomato, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. Finish with flaky sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, then serve with crusty bread to soak up every last drop. The result is a quick, easy salad that doubles down on fresh tomato flavor.
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HEALTHY HABIT
Create a “No-Decision” Breakfast
If mornings are chaotic, make breakfast boring on purpose. Pick one easy, reliable option — Greek yogurt with fruit, eggs and toast, overnight oats, a smoothie — and keep it on repeat. Fewer choices in the morning means less friction before the day gets moving.
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Final Thought
Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.”
