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Today’s Health Upgrade
Can you turn off your sweet tooth?
Talk your brain healthier
The diet that protects your memory
Not cutting it
A Little Wiser (In Less Than 10 Minutes)
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On Our Radar
Can You Turn Off a Sweet Tooth?
If you’ve ever wished you could quiet your sugar cravings without sheer willpower, scientists may have found a curious clue.
Early research suggests that Gymnema sylvestre, an herb used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, might reduce sugar intake by dulling the tongue’s ability to taste sweetness.
In a recent study, researchers tested a 14-day Gymnema intervention in people who identified as having a “sweet tooth.” The idea is simple: if sweets don’t taste as rewarding, maybe you’ll eat less of them. Participants who took the supplement reported lower sugar consumption during the trial period, suggesting that taste modification—not just willpower—may be a tool for breaking sugar habits.
What makes this interesting is the short timeline and the mechanism. Unlike diets that depend on rigid restriction, Gymnema works by blocking sweet taste receptors. That means a cookie might taste bland instead of irresistible.
But here’s the caution: this was a small, short study. We don’t know how well the effect holds up beyond two weeks, whether it impacts natural foods like fruit, or if cravings return once supplementation stops. Longer, larger studies are needed before any recommendations can be made.
While Gymnema is intriguing, it has not yet been proven to be a reliable fix for sugar cravings. If you struggle with a sweet tooth, proven strategies still work best: eat enough protein and fiber (which helps control appetite), exercise regularly, stay hydrated, prioritize sleep (lack of rest can boost cravings), and manage stress (which can drive sugar cravings).
Together With Babbel
How To Reorganize Your Brain In the Fight Against Dementia
Some hobbies are a great distraction from life. Other hobbies can help protect you from threats to your life.
Research suggests learning a new language could help protect your brain from dementia.
Scientists reviewed 20 studies to determine the potential cognitive benefits of learning multiple languages. While speaking multiple languages does not prevent or reverse cognitive disorders, learning a new language can strengthen and reorganize your brain functionality, which can help protect against neurodegenerative diseases.
Scientists previously believed that brain diseases were a natural part of aging. But it might be that the real issue is we don’t continue to force our brains to work as hard as we did when we were younger.
Additional research suggests challenges that force you to learn, think, and acquire new skills help maintain brain health and can fight neurodegenerative disease.
Consistently performing mentally demanding activities -- such as learning a new language -- is associated with a 40 percent lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia compared to those with low levels of mental engagement.
It's harder to start speaking a language in adulthood, but Babbel has built a program to help you learn a new language with as little as 10 minutes of daily practice. Pump Club readers told us that Babbel worked better than anything they had tried, so we created a special offer for all our members.
We love training your mind, not just your muscles. That's why — for a limited time only — all APC members receive 55% OFF a Babbel subscription. The app makes it easy to learn vocab and phrases with lessons, games, podcasts, and more. And you can start speaking a new language in as little as three weeks.
As an APC reader, you can now access a lifetime Babel membership for just $239.
The lifetime deal is a limited-time offer. Start learning a new language today, and turn bite-size lessons into big-time brain protection.
Instant Health Boost
The Brain-Boosting Diet That Could Protect Your Memory
What if your grocery list could help you stay sharp for decades to come?
An analysis of more than 225,000 people found that the way you eat today may lower your chances of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease tomorrow.
Following a Mediterranean-style diet was linked to up to a lower risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s, and cognitive decline.
Researchers combined data from 11 long-term studies across multiple countries to explore whether this classic eating pattern — rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, olive oil, and nuts — truly protects the brain.
They found that people who followed it most closely had a 21 percent lower risk of cognitive impairment, a 19 percent lower risk of dementia, and a 14 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease
The studies followed participants for up to 18 years and consistently showed that even moderate adherence offered benefits. While these were observational studies (meaning they can’t prove cause and effect), the pattern was clear: those eating like people in the Mediterranean region aged with healthier brains.
Researchers believe the Mediterranean diet’s power lies in its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, plus its ability to support blood flow to the brain and deliver omega-3 fats that keep neurons healthy. Over time, that combination helps reduce oxidative damage and the buildup of harmful proteins linked to neurodegeneration.
If you want to protect your memory, start small. Swap butter for olive oil, eat fish twice a week, fill half your plate with colorful vegetables, and add beans or nuts daily. You don’t need to be perfect. Each meal built around these foods is an investment in a sharper mind and longer life.
Not Cutting It
Why Probiotics Are Not The Blood Sugar Fix You’ve Been Sold
They’re in your yogurt, your supplements, and probably half your grocery store; but are probiotics really doing anything for your blood sugar or heart health?
A new analysis suggests that probiotics are unlikely to provide meaningful benefits for improving blood sugar or cholesterol.
In this meta-analysis, researchers reviewed 8 randomized controlled trials involving 585 individuals with pre-diabetes. Most of the supplements included strains from the Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium families.
Some studies used just one strain, while others used multi-strain blends. The interventions lasted between 8 and 24 weeks to see whether these gut-friendly bacteria could help improve cardiometabolic health, including blood sugar levels, cholesterol, blood pressure, and BMI.
Compared to placebo, probiotic supplementation had no meaningful effect on fasting glucose, insulin levels, blood lipids, blood pressure, or body weight.
That doesn’t mean probiotics are useless. They can still support digestive health, and other studies have shown they may benefit people with specific gut issues or after antibiotic use. But if your goal is better blood sugar control or cholesterol levels, this research suggests you’re better off focusing on diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes than relying on a probiotic supplement.
Better Today
Take any of these tips from today’s email and put them into action:
The Supplement That Curbs Sweetness: Gymnema sylvestre, an herb used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, might reduce sugar intake by dulling the tongue’s ability to taste sweetness.
How To Keep Your Mind Sharp: Research suggests learning a new language could help protect your brain from dementia.
The Brain Diet: Following a Mediterranean-style diet was linked to up to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline.
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
