These leafy greens could help protect your lungs, study suggests

Scientists have linked eating leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale and broccoli to better lung health.

There are two primary forms of vitamin K found in foods. The primary kind is vitamin K1, found mainly in vegetables, which plays a major role in the body’s blood-clotting process.

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Vitamin K2 is found in fermented foods, certain dairy products, eggs and meats and helps regulate calcium in the body and supports bone health.

Researchers at Australia's Edith Cowan University examined whether dietary intake of vitamins K1 and K2 was associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and lung function.

"Chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, are among the most prevalent noncommunicable diseases worldwide and were the third leading cause of death in 2019, accounting for 4 million deaths and affecting 454.6 million individuals globally," the scientists reported in the introduction to their study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"Although asthma and COPD can be managed with available treatments, neither condition is curable, underscoring the need for effective prevention strategies," they added.

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The leading cause of COPD is smoking, the Mayo Clinic reported. Exposure to other irritants, such as dust, chemicals and pollution, can also cause it.

The researchers analyzed data from 179,062 participants over a 10-and-a-half-year period and concluded that, "Higher dietary vitamin K1 intake was associated with better lung function and a lower rate of COPD."

Participants who consumed the most vitamin K1 had a 16% lower likelihood of COPD, the researchers observed. The effects were more pronounced in smokers and participants with high-risk occupations.

Consumption of vitamin K2 did not result in lower COPD rates.

"No association was observed for vitamin K1 or vitamin K2 intakes and asthma," the researchers also wrote.  

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Associate Professor Marc Sim, who was involved in the study, said that it’s likely Vitamin K activates a protein that may help keep lung tissue flexible and prevent damage.

Because the study was observational, it cannot prove that vitamin K1 directly reduces COPD risk, only that higher intake was associated with better lung health.

Just one extra serving of leafy greens "is an achievable way to boost your vitamin K1 intake," said Chengfeng Li, one of the study’s researchers.

Other foods rich in vitamin K1 include collard greens, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts and turnip greens.

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New blood test detects 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases, beating current screenings

A new test could make it easier to detect high-risk prostate cancer cases earlier.

The blood test, called Stockholm3, is showing promise in clinical trials, beating out the traditional, standard prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.

In a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden studied the test’s efficacy in more than 12,000 men – mostly Swedish or European – aged 50 to 74.

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All participants were tested with PSA and Stockholm3 and were followed for two years. During the follow-up period, 443 men were diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer.

Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests.

Stockholm3 missed "significantly fewer" serious cancer cases than PSA. The number of men incorrectly classified as high-risk was similar across both tests, according to a press release.

Thorgerdur Palsdottir, a researcher at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, wrote in a statement that one of the major challenges in prostate cancer is being able to identify the cases that are "truly dangerous."

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"Our results show that Stockholm3 identifies significantly more aggressive cancer cases than PSA, without increasing the number of unnecessary follow-ups," she said.

"These results point toward a potential change in how prostate cancer screening can be conducted," the researcher added. "A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures."

Study co-author Hari Vigneswaran, MD, chief medical officer of Stockholm3-maker A3P Biomedical, commented on these "promising" findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.

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He confirmed that PSA has been the standard for prostate cancer screening since the 1990s, despite its "well-documented limitations."

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"It leads to invasive and costly follow-up testing, contributes to over-diagnosis of non-aggressive cancers and, most importantly, it misses a substantial share of aggressive disease," Vigneswaran said.

When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival rate is close to 100%, which highlights the importance of early detection, according to the doctor.

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Data from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER database show that metastatic prostate cancer has risen over the past decade, suggesting that "we have not improved early detection of the aggressive, curable disease that screening is meant to catch," Vigneswaran said.

"The goal of screening is to find the cancers that need treatment while they are still curable, without raising the number of men who screen positive but don’t have aggressive disease," he said.

Stockholm3 could reduce the need for unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, according to the researcher.

The findings did have some limitations. Stockholm3 is an investigational device and is not currently available for sale in the U.S., Vigneswaran noted.

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The test estimates a man's risk of aggressive prostate cancer, but a biopsy remains the gold standard for confirming the disease.

The company plans to seek FDA approval to use the test for routine screening and will "generate the evidence needed to support that pathway, including U.S. data," Vigneswaran said.

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Common food preservatives may raise blood pressure and heart risks, study suggests

→ 8 common food preservatives linked to high blood pressure and heart disease

→ Study suggests latest COVID vaccine may have unexpected health benefit

→ Switching from cigarettes to vapes linked to higher risk of major eye diseases

→ Former reality star opens up about new diagnosis after years-long health ordeal

→ Popular mommy blogger dies at 48 two years after devastating cancer diagnosis

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→ Want to age better? Researchers say 4-minute routine may help prevent dangerous falls

→ One question may reveal whether your body is getting the rest it needs

→ Dad jokes may be good for your brain in one surprising way, experts say

→ Measles-infected traveler may have exposed passengers at LAX and nearby hotel

→ No sex for 10 weeks? Championship team's playoff strategy raises eyebrows

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Switching from cigarettes to vapes linked to higher risk of major eye diseases, large study finds

Switching from cigarettes to electronic vapes is often seen as a healthier move, but a massive nationwide study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology suggests that smokeless alternatives could increase the risk of serious eye diseases compared to quitting nicotine altogether.

Researchers from the Korea University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, analyzed health data from a group of 179,273 adults through the Korean National Health Insurance Service, according to a press release.

All participants had smoked traditional cigarettes between 2011 and 2012 and then quit smoking by 2018 or 2019, they reported.

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To ensure a fair comparison, the researchers paired up participants who shared similar backgrounds, including their age, gender, medical history, existing health conditions and general lifestyle habits.

This process created a balanced group of 32,316 matched participants, who were divided into two categories: complete quitters who stopped using all nicotine products and those who transitioned to smokeless nicotine products, such as vapes.

The researchers followed the participants for an average of 4.6 years to determine whether they developed eye conditions, including cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and focus-related eyesight disorders.

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Over the tracking period, the group experienced a total of 6,328 major eye disease events. People who quit nicotine entirely had the lowest disease rate in the study, at 41.1 cases per 1,000 person-years (a measure that accounts for both the number of people in the study and how long they were followed).

In comparison, that rate rose to 44 cases for individuals who had switched over to smokeless alternatives like vapes.

Ultimately, the data showed that switching to alternative nicotine products carried a steady 7% increased risk of serious eye diseases compared to quitting nicotine completely.

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Most notably, those who switched faced a 24% higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a condition that damages the blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.

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Additionally, those who ditched cigarettes for vapes had a 7% higher risk of developing refractive and accommodation disorders, which affect the eye's ability to focus clearly.

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"These findings challenge the assumption that substituting noncombustible nicotine or tobacco products for conventional cigarettes is visually harmless," the researchers noted.

The authors did point out a few limitations of the research. Because this was a study looking back at health insurance data, it cannot definitively prove that vaping directly causes eye damage.

Additionally, the study relied on people filling out questionnaires about their own smoking and vaping habits, which can sometimes lead to underreporting or simple memory errors.

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Still, the researchers concluded the findings suggest that replacing cigarettes with alternative nicotine products may not eliminate the risk of certain eye diseases.

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Latest COVID vaccine may have unexpected health benefit, study suggests

The latest COVID-19 vaccine (2024-2025) has been linked to fewer serious heart-related events among U.S. veterans.

New research confirmed a small reduction in COVID-related cardiovascular events, or COVID-19-associated MACE, due to the vaccine.

MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) is a composite measure of serious heart-related outcomes. It typically includes cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke, and may also include hospitalization for heart failure.

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Using health records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the researchers compared two groups of veterans — one that received the COVID and flu vaccine on the same day (nearly 350,000 people) and another group that received only the flu vaccine (nearly 700,000 people).

Out of more than one million veterans studied, the average age was about 70 and 92% were male, according to a press release.

Within about eight months, the results showed that those who received the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine had a lower risk of COVID-associated major cardiovascular events, with a relative vaccine effectiveness of 37.7%.

The COVID vaccine was linked to a 57.9% lower risk of cardiovascular death, 38.5% lower risk of heart attack and 41.9% lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure, the researchers stated. The result for stroke was not statistically significant.

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The benefit was greatest among adults ages 75 and older and those with underlying health conditions. In people over 75, the vaccine was 50.7% effective at preventing COVID-associated MACE.

As the study was observational, it could not prove cause and effect between the COVID-19 vaccine and lower risk of cardiovascular events, but only highlighted an association.

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Dr. Glenn Hirsch, cardiologist at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado, called these results "not overall surprising" in an interview with Fox News Digital.

"This result is consistent with previous studies of the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines against infectious diseases [in] preventing cardiovascular events, including heart attack, cardiovascular cause of death or hospitalizations," he said.

Acute inflammation in the body from infections like COVID-19 increases the risk of cardiovascular events and can cause further complications, according to the doctor.

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"This can lead to a higher risk of blood clotting, but can also make arterial plaques susceptible to rupture, which then leads to clot formation to heal a ruptured plaque," he said. "This clotting can cause a near-total or complete occlusion of an artery, leading to these cardiovascular events."

"Vaccines either prevent infection or reduce the severity of infection and subsequent inflammation, lowering the cardiovascular risk."

Despite the positive outcome, the overall benefit of the vaccine in this study was less than in previous studies, according to Hirsch, who was not involved in the research.

This could be due to the lower severity of illness seen in more recent COVID-19 variants, as well as immunity from prior infections among unvaccinated people, he noted. There has also been a decline in COVID testing, making it more difficult to link cardiovascular events to the virus.

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"The bottom line [is] that there is still evidence of benefit from COVID-19 vaccination like many other infectious disease vaccinations, and people should be encouraged to discuss these with their healthcare team annually," Hirsch advised.

"This is an observational trial and there can always be some confounding after necessary statistical adjustments and other potential benefits or harms, including adverse effects from vaccines that were not investigated in this study," he added.

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Former reality star opens up about new diagnosis after years-long health ordeal

A former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star is speaking out about a fresh wave of health issues.

Brandi Glanville, 53, has been speaking publicly about ongoing swelling, lumps and paralysis of her face since 2023.

At the time, the reality star shared that she believed she had been infected with a parasite during a trip to Morocco, Fox News Digital previously reported. 

BRANDI GLANVILLE SPENDING 'ALL OF MY MONEY' LOOKING FOR ANSWERS TO MYSTERY ILLNESS THAT LEFT HER DISFIGURED

After the initial diagnosis, she suspected she contracted a parasite in Morocco and said she could feel it moving within her face.

Glanville was first diagnosed with stress-induced angioedema, a sudden swelling of the deeper layers of the skin and mucous membranes, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Angioedema "is a reaction similar to hives that affects deeper layers of the skin. It can appear with hives or alone," Mayo Clinic states.

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Most recently, in a June 18 episode of her podcast "Brandi Glanville Unfiltered," Glanville revealed that doctors discovered a "benign tumor" in one of her facial lymph nodes.

The reality star, who has previously speculated that a parasite may be contributing to her facial symptoms, said the finding could help explain the swelling and fluid buildup she has experienced and noted that she has had a lump in her face for "years."

"I don't know what's wrong with me, guys. I thought I was fixed, and then it happened again and now it's sinking in again," Glanville said in another June podcast.

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"It could be why the fluid is going around my face and why I'm having a hard time," she added.

While benign tumors of the face have been known to arise from fat tissue, blood vessels, skin structures, salivary glands or lymphatic tissue, Glanville has not publicly disclosed the specific type of diagnosis she received.

Prior to learning of the tumor, Glanville said she saw dozens of doctors and spent over $100,000 trying to pinpoint the source of the issue.

The reality star emphasized that the tumor is "not cancerous."

"I haven't had a face lift yet!" she added.

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Glanville also said she suspected her ruptured breast implants could have played a role in her health issues, claiming the leaking silicone had clogged her lymph nodes.

Fox News Digital reached out to Glanville for comment.

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One common type of fat may increase diabetes risk, while another helps fight it

A new review suggests that the type of fat you eat may affect your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Saturated fats rich in palmitic acid – the most common saturated fatty acid in U.S. foods – appear to make it harder for the body to respond to insulin.

Meanwhile, monounsaturated fats rich in oleic acid — such as those found in olive oil — may help protect against insulin resistance, the review concluded.

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"Palmitic acid is found in meats, dairy products, cocoa butter and in the form of palm oil in foods, including margarine, cereal, sweets, baked goods and fast foods," Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, told Fox News Digital. She was not involved in the review. 

"Oleic acid, on the other hand, is in higher concentration in foods like olive oil, canola oil, nuts, sunflower seeds, eggs, olive, avocados and also in meats (beef, chicken, pork), milk, cheese and pasta."

The review, which was published in the journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, was led by researchers from the University of Barcelona and the CIBER Area for Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM) in Spain.

The findings suggest that fat quality may be more important than total fat quantity when it comes to metabolic health and diabetes risk.

DIABETES RISK LINKED TO THESE ULTRAPROCESSED FOOD COMBINATIONS

This appears to support the idea that diets rich in monounsaturated fats, such as the Mediterranean diet, may contribute to lower rates of type 2 diabetes.

"Palmitic acid promotes several molecular processes that impair insulin action," study investigator Dr. Manuel Vázquez-Carrera, from the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry at the University of Barcelona, told Fox News Digital. 

Too much palmitic acid can cause harmful fat byproducts to build up in the body, which can impair the body's ability to respond to insulin, he warned. This makes it harder to control blood sugar and increases the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

"It also promotes inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular stress responses, which contribute to insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction," Vázquez-Carrera added.

VITAMIN SUPPLEMENT MAY DELAY DIABETES IN SELECT GROUPS, RESEARCHERS SAY

By contrast, oleic acid – a hallmark of the Mediterranean diet – does not have these harmful effects, according to the researcher.

"In fact, oleic acid can counteract many of the detrimental effects triggered by palmitic acid, by promoting the storage of fatty acids in relatively inert triglycerides, preserving mitochondrial function and reducing inflammation," he said.

Freirich confirmed that the review is consistent with previous research supporting the use of olive oil in the diet for metabolic benefits.

"Also confirming previous research, the consumption of saturated fats is associated with some negative metabolic changes," she told Fox News Digital.

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Given the complexity of foods and diets, there is an overlap between foods that contain both types of fatty acids, the nutritionist noted. 

"Palmitic acid and oleic acid can both be found in olive oil, baked goods and fast foods, in differing amounts," she said. "All sources of fat in our diet contain a mix of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids."

Vázquez-Carrera noted that these findings come from a review of numerous experimental, clinical and epidemiological studies rather than a single clinical trial.

"One important limitation is that much of the mechanistic evidence comes from cell culture and animal studies," he said. 

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"Although these studies provide valuable insights into how specific fatty acids affect insulin signaling, further human intervention studies are needed to confirm the extent to which these mechanisms operate in everyday dietary settings."

In addition, many of the human studies in the review relied on self-reported dietary intake, which can introduce inaccuracies. 

"Another challenge is that people consume foods containing complex mixtures of fatty acids and bioactive compounds rather than isolated fatty acids," Vázquez-Carrera added. "Therefore, it remains difficult to fully disentangle the specific contribution of individual fatty acids in free-living populations."

The review’s findings appear to support current dietary recommendations that emphasize replacing part of the saturated fat intake with unsaturated fats, according to Vázquez-Carrera.

"This means favoring dietary patterns rich in foods such as extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds, legumes, vegetables, fruits and fish, while limiting excessive consumption of foods rich in saturated fats, especially highly processed foods," he advised.

The review does not suggest that a single nutrient alone determines diabetes risk, the researcher pointed out.

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"Rather, maintaining a healthy body weight, engaging in regular physical activity and following an overall healthy dietary pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet, remain fundamental strategies for preventing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes."

Type 2 diabetes develops over many years, with genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors all playing a role, Vázquez-Carrera noted.

"Future research should move beyond simply classifying fats as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and instead focus on understanding how specific fatty acids, their dietary sources and their interactions within whole dietary patterns affect metabolic health," he said.

Improving the quality of dietary fat intake could prove to be an effective strategy for reducing type 2 diabetes risk, according to the researcher.

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"A simple takeaway for consumers is to swap out foods high in saturated fat more often with foods rich in heart-healthy fats, like olive oil, nuts and avocados, to better support blood sugar and metabolic health," advised New Jersey-based registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, who was also not involved in the review.

Anyone at a higher risk for type 2 diabetes should consult a healthcare provider for personalized guidance on nutrition, exercise and other preventive measures, experts say.

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