Consuming legumes and soy-based foods may help improve symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by reducing inflammation and irritation

Consuming legumes and soy-based foods may help improve symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by reducing inflammation and irritation, according to a new study published in the March 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation.

COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is a progressive, inflammatory lung disease that affects  millions and is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Previous research has identified diet and nutrition as modifiable risk factors for chronic lung disease, including COPD.

This new study examined how increased isoflavone consumption impacted participants' breathing symptoms, cough, and overall lung health. Isoflavones are a natural substance commonly found in legumes and soy-based foods.

Study results showed people with higher isoflavone consumption experienced fewer breathing-related symptoms, including reduced coughing and less difficulty clearing mucus, and improved lung health.

Daniel C. Belz et al, Isoflavone Intake is Associated With Decreased Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Morbidity, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation (2026). DOI: 10.15326/jcopdf.2025.0695

Ultra-processed foods damage your focus even if you eat healthily
Higher intake of ultra-processed foods is associated with reduced attention span and lower scores on cognitive tests measuring visual attention and processing speed, independent of overall diet quality. The degree of food processing, rather than just nutrient content, plays a critical role in cognitive decline and increases risk factors for dementia, such as hypertension and obesity.
New research shows that a diet high in heavily processed foods can negatively impact the brain's ability to focus and increases the risk of developing dementia.
The findings demonstrate that a slight daily increase in a person's intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is linked to a measurable drop in attention span—even if someone otherwise eats healthily.
Because the negative effects of UPFs take place regardless of a person's overall diet quality, even for people following a healthy Mediterranean diet, researchers say the degree of food processing plays a critical role in the damage.
Food ultra-processing often destroys the natural structure of food and introduces potentially harmful substances like artificial additives or processing chemicals.
These additives suggest the link between diet and cognitive function extends beyond just missing out on foods known as healthy, pointing to mechanisms linked to the degree of food processing itself.
Eating more UPFs was linked to an increase in dementia risk factors, which include health conditions such as high blood pressure or obesity that can actively be managed to protect the brain.

Barbara R. Cardoso et al, Ultra‐processed food intake, cognitive function, and dementia risk: A cross‐sectional study of middle‐aged and older Australian adults, Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring (2026). DOI: 10.1002/dad2.70335

Millions of US birth records uncover an autism risk surge tied to common drugs taken during pregnancy
Prenatal exposure to medications that inhibit sterol biosynthesis, including certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, beta-blockers, and statins, is associated with a significantly increased risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring, with risk rising in a dose-dependent manner. The proportion of pregnancies with such exposure increased from 4.3% in 2014 to 16.8% in 2023.
A landmark study by researchers and published in Molecular Psychiatry has identified a significant association between prenatal prescription of commonly utilized medications and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children
Analyzing 6.14 million maternal-child health records from the Epic Cosmos database—representing nearly one-third of all U.S. births between 2014 and 2023—the team found that prescription of medications known to inhibit the cholesterol synthesis pathway were consistently associated with higher rates of ASD in offspring.
These sterol biosynthesis–inhibiting medications (SBIMs) include certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, beta-blockers and statins. These are the generic names of the 14 medications studied: aripiprazole, atorvastatin, bupropion, buspirone, fluoxetine, haloperidol, metoprolol, nebivolol, pravastatin, propranolol, rosuvastatin, sertraline, simvastatin and trazodone. Many of these are among the most commonly prescribed medications.
Cholesterol is essential for fetal development, especially for the brain, the most cholesterol-rich organ. The fetal brain begins producing its own sterols around 19–20 weeks of gestation. Genetic disruptions in this pathway are known to cause severe developmental syndromes such as Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), in which up to 75% of children meet criteria for ASD. Many widely used medications can unintentionally interfere with this pathway.
The study authors stress that no pregnant patient should discontinue or alter medication without medical supervision, as many SBIMs are essential, often life-saving treatments. Instead, the study calls for a re-evaluation of prescribing practices and for developing safer alternatives for use during pregnancy.
.

Eric S. Peeples et al, Sterol pathway disruption in pregnancy: a link to autism, Molecular Psychiatry (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41380-026-03610-7