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https://nordictimes.com/health/the-overlooked-health-benefits-of-cranberries/

Health

The overlooked health benefits of cranberries

Published February 3, 2025 – By Editorial staff
3 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Cranberries are packed with antioxidants, support good bacteria, and are known for aiding urinary tract health. Though often overlooked, they grow across most of Sweden and the northern hemisphere, making them more common than many realize.

Most people are familiar with cranberries and have probably tasted juice made from them, perhaps in a drink. Many people probably don't think of cranberries when it's time to pick them, but they are actually more common than you might think. Cranberries grow in bogs across much of Sweden, although they are less common on Öland and in the mountains.

Sweeter after frost

Cranberries thrive in moist soil and often grow on bogs. They persist over winter and can therefore be harvested for most of the year, with a harvest season that extends from September to March. Like rowan berries, they are tastier after being frost-bitten, as they otherwise have a more bitter taste. In spring, the berries also become slightly sweeter.

The berries grow close to the ground and are about the same size as American blueberries. There is also a species called the dwarf cranberry, which is sometimes considered a subspecies of cranberry. The two species are nutritionally similar, so it doesn't matter if you pick the wrong one, according to Skogsskafferiet.

Health

Girls and women suffering from urinary tract infections (UTIs) have probably heard that cranberry juice can help, and it is a popular option that many women use successfully to prevent the infection.

A Finnish study had women with an increased susceptibility to UTIs drink cranberry and lingonberry juice daily to see if infections were reduced. The results showed an average reduction in UTIs of 20%. Cranberries and lingonberries are related and contain similar substances, such as pectin and vitamin C.

A meta-analysis published in 2024, which reviewed 20 studies on the topic, found that 18 of them linked cranberry juice to a 54% lower rate of UTIs compared to no treatment. In addition, cranberry juice use resulted in 59% lower antibiotic use. The conclusion was that cranberry juice can be an effective way to prevent UTIs while reducing the need for antibiotics, which is particularly important in the fight against increasing antibiotic resistance.

UTIs are caused by bacteria and mainly affect women and girls; there are indications that they can be caused by bacteria from both the gut and the vagina. A 2021 study investigated whether cranberries could alter the bacterial flora of both the gut and the vagina. The results showed that consuming cranberries increased the presence of beneficial bacteria and reduced some less beneficial bacteria. However, for the best effect, cranberry juice should be drunk unsweetened, as sugar can raise the pH and increase the risk of UTIs.

Cranberry juice in particular is said to contain some vitamins C and E, as well as magnesium and potassium, according to the medical website WebbMD. Furthermore, cranberries, like many other berries, also contain anthocyanins, which are a strong antioxidant. Since these antioxidants are mainly found in the peel, less of it is found in juice. The berry also contains the flavenoid myricetin, which is supposed to contain antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory components.

Note that you should not eat cranberries or drink cranberry juice if you are taking the blood-thinning drug Waran because substances in the berries counteract the effect of the drug.

Using the berries

Cranberries are similar in taste to lingonberries and are therefore best used in a similar way. They are ideal for making jams, jellies or juices, and thanks to their high content of benzoic acid, no additional preservatives are needed. During Thanksgiving, celebrated in Canada and the United States, cranberry sauce is a traditional part of the turkey dinner, similar to how lingonberry jam is used in Sweden.

Cranberries can be dried and mixed into muesli, for example. They can also be frozen just as they are.

For those who want to use cranberries in their diet for health reasons, such as preventing urinary tract infections, it is best to eat them plain or make an unsweetened drink. Cranberry drinks without sugar can be tart, but are much better for your body. Other tips include adding cranberries to smoothies, porridge or bread baking for a healthy and tasty variety.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/health/its-never-too-late-older-adults-can-regain-their-health/

Health

It’s never too late – older adults can regain their health

Published November 22, 2025 – By Editorial staff
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Older adults can regain full health and quality of life even after serious health problems, shows a new study. Nearly one in four people over 60 with poor well-being had completely recovered after three years.

In the study, researchers from the University of Toronto examined data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), a long-term study that collects data on aging in Canada. First, they examined people who had reduced health and quality of life and were 60 years or older during the years 2011–2015.

They then followed up with these participants three years later, during 2015–2018, to see how their health had changed and, above all, whether it had improved. A total of 8,332 people participated in the study.

Participants' well-being was measured through the absence of serious physical, cognitive or emotional problems as well as high self-reported physical and mental health, happiness and life satisfaction. Furthermore, researchers also examined whether participants had a healthy body weight, regular physical activity, good sleep, avoided smoking and whether they participated in social activities.

The results, which were published in PLOS One, show that nearly one in four people over 60 who reported poor well-being at the start of the study had regained optimal health and quality of life after three years. Those who already had strong psychological and emotional well-being at the beginning were more than five times more likely to regain optimal health.

— It's incredibly encouraging to see that, with the right supports and lifestyle, many older adults can reclaim full health, happiness, and independence - even after serious health challenges, says lead author Mabel Ho to Medicalxpress.

Often, studies about older adults focus on health deterioration and functional decline, but this study does the opposite – it shows that it is possible for older adults to regain good health and that it is not uncommon either.

— We want this study to reshape how society views aging. With the right environment, resources, and supports, older adults don't just survive after struggling with health or well-being issues -  they thrive, says Ho.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/wireless-earbuds-may-cause-thyroid-nodules/

Health

Wireless earbuds may cause thyroid nodules

Published November 11, 2025 – By Editorial staff
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Prolonged use of wireless earbuds can cause thyroid nodules, according to various studies. Furthermore, research shows that these types of earbuds expose users to varying degrees of magnetic fields.

Abnormal growths in the thyroid gland typically manifest as localized swellings in the thyroid tissue. Most thyroid nodules are benign, asymptomatic and require no treatment, but some can be malignant – something that has increased dramatically in the population over the past 15 years according to a study published earlier this year.

A study from 2024 showed that prolonged daily use of wireless earbuds that transmit 2.4 GHz Bluetooth microwaves is strongly linked to an increased risk of thyroid nodules, writes the Swedish Radiation Protection Foundation. This is explained by the fact that the thyroid gland, which is very sensitive to radiation, is one of the most exposed organs when using such earbuds as well as a mobile phone. The study also showed that sensitivity to developing thyroid nodules increased with advancing age.

"Our study highlighted a significant impact relationship between prolonged Bluetooth headset use and increased thyroid nodule risk, emphasizing the importance of considering health impacts in the use of modern technology, especially for devices like Bluetooth headsets that are frequently used daily", the researchers conclude.

Magnetic fields

Wireless earbuds emit radiation, but studies also show that they emit magnetic fields. In a study published in 2023, researchers examined six models of in-ear earbuds. These provided exposure to static magnetic fields from 20 mT at the surface to tens of μT in the inner ear. The researchers note that more research is needed on the combination of exposure to elevated magnetic fields and microwaves – recommending the use of air tube headphones.

Apple's wireless AirPods, for example, "communicate with one another using a magnetic induction field, a variable magnetic field sends through your brain to communicate with the other", explained Dr. Joel Moskowitz in the Daily Mail, who is one of the leading experts in the field of health risks from electromagnetic radiation and a member of the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF). He noted that research on the health effects of this exposure is completely lacking.

Probably carcinogenic

Microwave radiation is something that research has shown can damage cellular DNA, cause oxidative stress and damage brain cells and function, which can have effects such as headaches, impaired memory, cognitive ability and sleep – and it is precisely this type of radiation found in wireless earbuds, something the Swedish Radiation Protection Foundation has written about.

The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified microwave radiation as possibly carcinogenic, class 2B. Many researchers today believe that the radiation should be considered carcinogenic.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/pfas-during-pregnancy-alters-childs-brain/

Health

PFAS during pregnancy alters child’s brain

Published October 16, 2025 – By Editorial staff
Research shows for the first time how PFAS in pregnant women can alter children's brain structure several years later.
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

For the first time, researchers can demonstrate how PFAS in pregnant women affects their children's brains long-term. The Finnish-Swedish study shows that structural changes can be observed in children when they are five years old.

The study, which has been published in Lancet Planetary Health, is a collaboration between Örebro University (Sweden), Åbo University (Finland), and Turku University Hospital (Finland), and is part of the EU project INITIALISE (Inflammation in human early life: targeting impacts on life-course health).

PFAS consists of a range of chemicals that are difficult to break down and have been found not only in nature, but also in humans and animals. Some of these chemicals can be harmful to health. Research has shown that PFAS can affect the immune system and is also suspected to have effects on metabolism, hormonal balance, and brain development.

Because PFAS remains in the body, it can also pass from a pregnant woman to the placenta, which means the child can be exposed. Previous studies have, for example, indicated that if pregnant women have PFAS in their blood, there is a greater risk that the child will become overweight later in life.

Affected brain structure

This study is the first of its kind to examine the entire brain simultaneously in a brain scanner in children in relation to PFAS exposure during pregnancy – several years after birth.

The study was conducted using the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, which was established at Åbo University (Finland) in 2011. It is a long-term study that follows thousands of children and mothers from pregnancy onward. Some of the children underwent brain scans, and these results have been compared with the levels of PFAS measured in the mothers during pregnancy.

The results show that there is a connection between higher levels of PFAS in pregnant women and changes in both the brain's structure and in the connections between different brain regions in their children. These changes were observed five years later.

This is the first time researchers have been able to describe how PFAS in pregnant women can be linked to changes in their children's brains several years later.

— This is an important piece of the puzzle in understanding how chemicals can affect children's development. Step by step, we are gaining more knowledge about how different environmental factors interact and can contribute to health problems, says Tuulia Hyötyläinen, professor at Örebro University, in a press release.

Exposure to PFAS during pregnancy and also during early development in the child is considered particularly sensitive, the researchers say, because the brain and other organs grow rapidly and are formed during that time. More research is now needed on how PFAS affects brain function.

— Overall, the research shows that PFAS can affect brain development even at low levels. More research is needed on how chemicals affect cognition and brain function in children, what the causes are, and what it leads to, says Hyötyläinen.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Researchers' tips to avoid PFAS while awaiting stronger legislation:

  1. Eat fish, but avoid fish from lakes contaminated with PFAS. For more information about contamination levels, contact your local municipality. Also reduce consumption of takeaway food and microwaveable meals in grease- and water-repellent paper packaging.
  2. Avoid cooking with non-stick products.
    Avoid makeup, soap and beauty products containing PFAS. In ingredient lists, look out for: PTFE, polytetrafluoroethylene, "...perfluoro..." or "...polyfluoro...".
  3. PFAS is often found in water-repellent functional clothing. Since most PFAS is released during production, buying second-hand clothes can help reduce these chemicals in nature.

https://nordictimes.com/health/study-diet-crucial-against-obesity-not-activity-level/

Health

Study: Diet crucial against obesity – not activity level

Published October 6, 2025 – By Editorial staff
The problem is not a sedentary lifestyle – but too much and the wrong kind of food, according to the researchers.
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Sedentary and physically active people can burn almost the same amount of energy per day, shows a new American study. The researchers therefore argue that the fight against obesity must focus more on diet – and less on exercise.

In the study, published in the scientific journal PNAS, researchers compared data from 4,200 people from different continents with different lifestyles - including herding cultures in Siberia, hunter-gatherers in Tanzania, as well as people from both low-income and high-income countries. In total, they compared 34 different population groups.

The results show that total daily energy expenditure did not differ significantly between the different population groups. This means that, for example, a hunter-gatherer used the same amount of energy as an office worker in Sweden during a day.

— Even when people live different lifestyles, once we account for the effects of body size, we do not see meaningful differences in the total number of calories people burn, says Amanda McGrosky at Elon University in the US, who is the lead author of the study, in a press release.

McGrosky points out that obesity is therefore primarily about increased calorie consumption, not decreased activity expenditure.

— If you are worried about excess body fat, focus on calories in, not calories out, the researcher suggests.

Westerners eat too much

Obesity and overweight are growing health problems in the Western world, something often linked to the increasingly sedentary culture. However, this study suggests that sedentary behavior is not the biggest problem causing obesity, and McGrosky believes the study offers hope in the fight against obesity. Instead, one should look at diet and especially reduce the intake of ultra-processed foods and increase the proportion of healthy ones.

The researchers therefore suggest that it is not sedentary behavior that is the culprit in Western countries' obesity epidemic, but rather that people simply eat too much and too unhealthily.

Exercise is still important

However, the researchers point out that this does not mean one should exclude exercise and movement, as it has a range of health-promoting benefits such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, premature death, and also improves mental health.

— A key takeaway from the study is that increases in body fat that accompany changes in lifestyle are primarily linked to changes in energy intake, or diet. Physical activity is still very important for all-around health and should be considered complementary to diet, says McGrosky.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com