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Contagious yawning is an involuntary urge to yawn after seeing, hearing or even thinking about someone else yawning, explains Dr Pramod Pal, Senior Consultant, Happiest Brainsphere. Dr A. Preetham Reddy, Consultant Neurologist, Citizens Specialty Hospital, Hyderabad, notes it likely occurs through a mix of sensory processing, motor-system activation and social cognition, where observing a yawn engages brain regions tied to action and imitation. While empathy has long been proposed as an explanation, both experts caution the evidence remains mixed, so contagious yawning shouldn't be treated as a measure of how empathetic someone is. Scientists still debate whether it's purely an automatic reflex or an evolved social signal that helps groups synchronise alertness, but what's clear is that it is largely automatic rather than a conscious choice.

A study in mice with humanized gut microbiomes found that both low-salt and high-salt diets impaired short-term and long-term memory, though through different pathways. Low salt reduced essential hippocampal proteins like SYN1, PSD95 and BDNF needed to form memories, while high salt triggered pro-inflammatory changes in the gut microbiota and increased oxidative stress linked to anxiety-like behaviour. Published in Food Research International, the findings suggest the brain relies on a delicate balance of dietary salt, with too little starving it of vital gut-derived signals and too much causing inflammatory damage. Researchers say future studies should explore the lowest safe salt intake and whether restoring specific gut microbe metabolites could help counter these memory effects.

Popular wellness claims promote corn silk, or corn hair, as a kidney and urinary remedy, but Dr Urmila Anandh, HOD, Nephrology, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, says the evidence falls short. While corn silk contains flavonoids with antioxidant activity explored in lab and animal studies, a human study of 38 volunteers found no significant change in urine output or electrolyte excretion after a week, and a 2019 review of five trials on hypertension found possible blood-pressure benefits only as an add-on, with poor overall methodology. Dr Anandh stresses that passing more urine doesn't equal better kidney function, which depends on filtration and electrolyte balance, and warns that homemade preparations lack a standard dose and may interact with medicines, especially for those with chronic kidney disease. Symptoms like burning urination, fever or blood in urine need medical evaluation, and she cautions against letting herbal remedies delay proper diagnosis or treatment.

A study in Obesity Science & Practice surveying 1,000 US adults found roughly half reported experiencing "food noise," persistent, intrusive thoughts about food, at least sometimes, with 18% saying it happens often or always. Women, younger adults and current GLP-1 medication users reported it more frequently, while loss of control over eating emerged as the strongest predictor, nearly six times the odds. Interestingly, current GLP-1 users showed higher rates of food noise than non-users, contradicting earlier claims that these medications reduce it, possibly due to selection effects or greater awareness after experiencing relief. Frequent food noise was also linked to poorer self-rated diet quality and mental health, though researchers caution the term remains scientifically undefined and the findings are exploratory rather than definitive.

Dr Ashish Kumar, Sr. Consultant, Cardiology, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, says the concern isn't the occasional biscuit but when packaged snacks and sugary drinks quietly replace fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A review of 41 studies involving over 8.2 million adults found each additional 100 grams of ultra-processed food daily was linked to a 5.9% rise in cardiovascular events and a 14.5% rise in hypertension risk, though he cautions this reflects an association, not a fixed damage threshold. The Framingham Offspring Study similarly found each extra daily serving raised major cardiovascular risk by 7%. Dr Kumar stresses looking at overall weekly eating patterns rather than panicking over single snacks, recommending simple swaps like fruit, unsalted nuts or water, since consistent small changes matter more for heart health than occasional indulgences.

Alcohol metabolism produces acetaldehyde, a toxic compound behind hangover symptoms like headache, nausea and fatigue, explains Dr H.B Pushpalatha, General Manager - F&D, Himalaya Wellness Company. She points to amla and grape for their antioxidant polyphenols that help counter free radicals, dates for their own antioxidant contribution, and turmeric for easing alcohol-induced inflammation in the gut and liver. Ginger offers strong backing for nausea relief, while fenugreek helps ease gastric irritation over time. Andrographis, chicory and phyllanthus, rooted in Ayurvedic liver-support tradition, are being studied for their potential to aid acetaldehyde clearance. Importantly, Dr Pushpalatha clarifies these botanicals won't prevent intoxication or make excessive drinking safe, they simply support the liver's existing workload, with moderation remaining non-negotiable.

Urolithin A, a compound the body can produce after eating pomegranates, walnuts and certain berries, improved measures of heart function by up to 80% in animal models of a difficult-to-treat form of heart failure. It helped stiff heart tissue relax more effectively while reducing scarring and abnormal enlargement, two hallmarks of this hard-to-manage condition. The compound also improved relaxation in engineered human heart tissue, suggesting its benefits may extend beyond animal models and pointing to a potential new avenue for treating heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, a form that currently has few effective treatment options.

A new study suggests coffee may influence mood and brain function by altering the activity of gut microbes, revealing a possible gut-brain link behind its psychological effects. Both caffeinated and decaf coffee were associated with lower stress, depression and impulsivity, alongside measurable changes in gut bacteria and metabolites. Interestingly, the two types diverged in their specific benefits, with decaf linked to better learning and memory, while caffeinated coffee appeared to reduce anxiety and sharpen attention, suggesting coffee's effects on the brain may run through more pathways than caffeine alone.

A new study found that people with diabetes reported better quality of life on days when their glucose stayed largely within a healthy range, even when levels fluctuated more than usual, an unexpected result that challenges the push for extremely tight glucose control. The finding suggests that chasing minimal fluctuation at all costs may come with a hidden lifestyle burden, potentially involving stricter routines, more frequent monitoring or added stress, and that staying broadly within range may matter more for day-to-day wellbeing than achieving near-perfect stability.

A large health-record analysis found that glucosamine use was associated with a 25% higher likelihood of mild cognitive impairment progressing to dementia. Lab experiments suggest the supplement may intensify an abnormal sugar-tagging process in the Alzheimer's brain, offering a possible biological explanation for the link. However, researchers stress that the findings show an association only, and clinical trials are needed to determine whether glucosamine actually causes harm, so the results should be treated as a signal worth investigating rather than proof that the widely used joint supplement accelerates cognitive decline.