HEALTH NEWS Analysis of 82 Trials Shows Black Seed May Improve Cardiovascular Risk MarkersNew Study Reveals Herpesvirus Infection May Accelerate Alzheimer’s DiseaseFavorable lifestyle factors reduce dementia risk across key genetic profilesPeople are living longer, but spending more years in poor healthImbalances in the oral microbiome linked to symptomatic hand osteoarthritis   Analysis of 82 Trials Shows Black Seed May Improve Cardiovascular Risk MarkersShahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Iran), July 21 2026 (Natural News)  A pooled analysis of 82 randomized controlled trials involving 5,026 adults has found that supplementation with Nigella sativa, commonly known as black seed or black cumin, is associated with improvements in multiple cardiovascular risk markers. The meta-analysis, published in the journal Pharmacological Research, was conducted by researchers from several Iranian universities. The analysis used a GRADE-assessed, dose-response method to evaluate the effects of black seed compared with placebo or standard care. According to the study, black seed supplementation led to significant reductions in body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and body fat percentage. The analysis noted that daily amounts used in most trials ranged from 1 to 3 grams of ground black seed or 1 to 3 milliliters of black seed oil. According to the researchers, one teaspoon of ground black seed contains roughly 4 grams, meaning a single daily teaspoon stirred into food falls within the range used in studies. For those who prefer oil, a half teaspoon delivers close to 2 milliliters.The researchers emphasized that consistency, rather than a large single dose, appears to drive positive results. New Study Reveals Herpesvirus Infection May Accelerate Alzheimer’s DiseaseCardiff University (UK), July 21, 2026 (SciTech Daily)In a new study, researchers found that herpesvirus infection intensified memory problems and other Alzheimer’s-related changes in mice already vulnerable to the disease. The damage appeared to be driven not simply by the virus itself, but by the immune system’s prolonged attempt to control it.Herpesviruses are a large family that includes viruses associated with cold sores, childhood infections, and glandular fever. After the initial illness passes, some can remain dormant inside the body and reactivate later, repeatedly drawing the immune system into action.Scientists results suggest that T cells, immune cells that identify and attack infected cells, can enter the brain during herpesvirus infection and accelerate cognitive decline. Following infection, large numbers of immune cells moved into the brain. Most were CD8+ T cells that specifically recognized the virus, showing that they had entered the tissue as part of the body’s attempt to contain the infection.Similar T cells have previously been found in the brains and spinal fluid of people with Alzheimer’s disease, although their exact role has remained uncertain.The results indicate that a virus-driven immune response can actively speed the progression of Alzheimer’s-like disease rather than merely appearing alongside it.  Favorable lifestyle factors reduce dementia risk across key genetic profiles  Kyushu University (Japan), June 5 2026 (News-Medical)With dementia cases expected to nearly triple worldwide by 2050, researchers are increasingly focused on identifying ways to prevent or delay the disease. While lifestyle and health-related factors, such as blood pressure control and physical activity, influence dementia risk, genetics also play a major role. Currently, it is unclear if maintaining a favorable lifestyle reduces dementia risk equally across different genetic backgrounds.A new study led by Kyushu University examines whether favorable modifiable risk factors (mRF)-behaviors or conditions that people can change or control-can lower dementia risk even among individuals wi