Your coffee, memory, and mood

Sunday · 7:44 AM ET · Better Habits. Healthier Habitat.

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Every 7 days, we begin here with 4x4 box breathing.

Soften your jaw. Let your tongue relax from the roof of your mouth. Drop your shoulders. Take one round, or stay for a few until you feel grounded.

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Welcome back to The Nest!
Clocks fall back next Sunday. To head off the sluggishness earlier sunsets can bring, keep the same wake-up time all week, get outside soon after waking, and dim the lights an hour before bed. Then set your clocks back on Halloween night and enjoy the bonus hour.

A line to carry
“We are what we repeatedly do”
Will Durant (Submitted by Perri Sucoff)

In today’s digest, we’ll be discussing:

Americans spend more than $1 billion a year on omega-3 supplements, many hoping to protect their memory. But a two-year trial from Keck Medicine of USC found that high-dose fish oil reached the brain without improving memory or slowing brain shrinkage in older adults at higher risk for Alzheimer's.

The researchers gave 365 adults ages 55 to 80 who rarely ate fish either 2,000 mg of DHA a day or a placebo, and nearly half carried APOE4, the strongest known genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's. After six months, DHA in the fluid around the brain was up 17% in the supplement group, but after two years they did no better on memory and thinking tests, and their hippocampus, a key memory center, shrank just as much.

That doesn't mean omega-3s or fish don't matter. The researchers suspect the nutrients work better as part of an eating pattern like the Mediterranean diet than as an isolated pill, and they point to exercise, quality sleep and a balanced diet as the strongest tools for protecting the brain.

Takeaway: If protecting your memory is the goal, omega-3s from food, like a couple of servings of salmon or sardines a week, may be a better bet than a capsule, since the researchers think these nutrients work best as part of an overall healthy diet.

Americans aren't drinking more coffee than they used to, but their cups are packing more calories. A Tufts University study of 30,000 U.S. adults found that average daily coffee calories rose from 43 to 60 between 2003 and 2018, nearly 40%, and that non-dairy creamer has overtaken sugar and milk as the biggest source of those added calories.

Coffee intake held steady at about 13 ounces a day. What changed was what went into it: non-dairy creamer use more than doubled, and by 2018 it added about 18.5 calories a day on average, compared with 16 from sugar or syrup and 11 from dairy milk. Many non-dairy creamers are high in saturated fat, which packs a lot of calories into a small pour.

People who slept less or worked longer hours tended to drink more coffee. The study, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, relied on people recalling what they ate and drank, which can introduce errors, and it tracks habits only through 2018.

Takeaway: You don't have to give up your creamer. Comparing labels for saturated fat and added sugar can point you to a lighter option you still enjoy.

Lifting weights is often sold as a way to change how you look, but a recent trial suggests it may change how you feel, too. In a University of Limerick study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, twice-weekly strength training eased depressive symptoms in young women with high anxiety. The 55 women, average age 22, did supervised squats, bench presses and deadlifts for eight weeks at either 70% to 80% of their max or just 20%, and depression scores fell 54% in the heavier group and 43% in the lighter one, a difference that wasn't statistically significant.

Most of the benefit held a month after the program ended. The heavier group gained about twice as much strength (41% vs. 21%), so the researchers still suggest working up to heavier weights over time. The study was small, relied on self-reported symptoms, included only young women and didn't compare lifting with therapy or medication. Still, as lead author Darragh O'Sullivan put it, "anything is better than nothing, including for mental health."

Takeaway: If the gym feels intimidating, starting light may still be worth it for your mood. Two sessions a week of squats or other simple moves with light weights could be an easy place to begin, building up gradually as you get stronger.

Which of these servings has the most magnesium?

A. 1 ounce of chia seeds

B. 1 ounce of 70% to 85% dark chocolate

C. Half a cup of cooked spinach

D. 1 ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds

Answer below ↓

Blueberries are known for their antioxidants, and a small new study hints they may affect mood by way of the gut. Researchers at Hebrew SeniorLife's Marcus Institute for Aging Research gave sedentary adults 65 and older with mild depressive symptoms 48 grams of blueberry powder a day, about two cups of fresh berries, or a look-alike placebo for three months.

The blueberry group saw a greater and more consistent drop in depressive symptoms, and their gut bacteria showed changes in genes for certain enzymes, including one tied to making GABA, a calming brain messenger. The overall makeup of their gut bacteria didn't change.

This was a pilot study with just 18 people finishing, and the mood improvement wasn't statistically significant compared with placebo. Larger studies are needed to know whether blueberries truly help mood, but the results add to growing interest in the gut-brain connection.

Takeaway: Blueberries can be an easy win for some people either way. Maybe try adding a cup to breakfast or a snack, and frozen ones can make that easier to keep up through winter.

⌚ Your Apple Watch just joined Orangetheory class. Orangetheory launched OTconnect for Apple Watch, so members can see heart rate, heart rate zones, calories and Splat Points on their wrist mid-class for a one-time $99 connection fee at participating U.S. studios starting Oct. 23.

🏃 The first-ever treadmill world championship is open to everyone. Technogym and World Athletics kicked off RUN X, a 5K treadmill race for every level at 400 gyms in 20 countries, with qualifying through Jan. 24, a live global leaderboard and a $100,000 prize pool.

🧖 A 15-minute reset for tired skin. Pharrell Williams' Humanrace launched a compostable sheet mask with niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and peptides that rehydrates dull, worn-out skin in 10 to 15 minutes, at $11 each or $44 for six.

🧬 A workout plan built around how your body moves. Tracy Anderson unveiled IDENTITY, the next version of her Online Studio, which starts with a free movement assessment that maps you to one of seven body-focus profiles before unlocking progressive 10-day programs in 15-, 30- or 60-minute sessions.

🧘 Pilates gets its most beautiful reformer yet. STOTT PILATES maker Merrithew launched the NX3 MAX, its first maple-wood reformer, with its biggest carriage to date, a near-silent eight-wheel glide and resistance changes that don't require swapping springs, built for boutique studios, clubs and hotels.

Meet Marina Moiseyeva, a board-certified family nurse practitioner, functional medicine practitioner, and founder of Harmonious Life Family Health in Brooklyn, New York. With over 15 years of healthcare experience, Marina developed a passion for holistic wellness after seeing how often nutrition and lifestyle were overlooked in traditional care. Today, she helps individuals and families take a more comprehensive approach to health, focusing on hormonal balance, nutrition, longevity, and disease prevention. She's also the author of Harmonious Healing Blueprint, exploring how everyday habits and modern science can support lifelong wellness.

Why follow: Marina makes the science of healthy aging and functional medicine approachable, sharing practical ways to improve your well-being without chasing every new wellness trend. Her content encourages a smarter, more intentional approach to living healthier for longer.

Follow them here:

Instagram @liveharmoniouslife ↗
Website liveharmoniouslife.com ↗
Book Hormone Weight Loss Nutrition Plan ↗

D. 1 ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds

An ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds packs 156 mg of magnesium, about 37% of the Daily Value. Magnesium helps run your muscles, nerves, blood sugar and blood pressure, and nearly half of Americans get less than they need from food.

Try this week:
Save the seeds when you carve your pumpkin. Rinse, dry, toss with a little olive oil and salt, and roast until golden.

Fruit
🍎 Apples · 🍐 Pears · Cranberries · Pomegranates · Figs · Persimmons · 🥝 Kiwi

Vegetables
🎃 Pumpkin · Spaghetti squash · Kabocha squash · 🍠 Sweet potatoes · Beets · Parsnips · Turnips · 🥦 Broccoli · Brussels sprouts · 🥬 Kale · Swiss chard · Radicchio and endive · Fennel · 🍄 Mushrooms · 🧅 Onions

_{Seasonal availability may vary by region and growing conditions.}

If this brought a little calm or clarity to your Sunday morning, send it to someone who would appreciate it too.

If this week’s quote resonated with you, reply with one of your favorites.

We’ll choose one reader submission for next week’s line to carry.