Many of us believe that we are great drinkers and that alcohol does not affect us as much. People who are able to drink without showing any sign of inebriation are known as social drinkers. In short, they are not addicted to alcohol but will not turn down the opportunity to have a good time! While it may seem like it doesn’t affect you, new studies suggest that it is just an illusion, even if you have high tolerance, alcohol affects your cognitive and motor functions more than you think.

The study reveals the below implications and techniques:

• Researchers used a new MRI technique to precisely measure brain electrical activity.
• By comparing brain scans before and after drinking, scientists identified specific areas affected by alcohol and how much brain activity slowed down.
• Participants were chosen to be regular social drinkers without alcohol addiction, ensuring the study focused on the effects of alcohol alone.
• MRI technology provided reliable data on brain activity changes caused by alcohol consumption.

How does the brain react to alcohol?

Think of it as the foundation for your brain's performance. When brain conductivity is high, information flows smoothly, and that helps your brain in rapid processing and response. On the other hand, low conductivity can hinder cognitive function, leading to slower thinking, impaired memory, and difficulties with coordination.

A study conducted at the Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and UNSW Science unveiled a startling connection between alcohol consumption and brain conductivity.

What is the connection between alcohol consumption and brain activity?

While many people brush off the effects of alcohol as temporary changes in behaviour, the reality is much more complex. Beyond the obvious impacts on coordination and judgment, alcohol significantly alters brain function. Alcohol dramatically slowed down brain activity, especially in areas responsible for decision-making, planning, and physical coordination. This decline was so significant that it resembled the brain changes seen in normal ageing. This means even one drink could temporarily accelerate the ageing process of your brain.

Alcohol and Brain activity: What does the study Imply?

The implications of this research are far-reaching. It provides compelling evidence that alcohol consumption has a direct and measurable impact on brain function. The discovery that alcohol can significantly reduce brain conductivity opens new avenues for understanding the neurocognitive effects of alcohol abuse and dependence. While you may not feel like alcohol is affecting you and you have a high tolerance, it most definitely changes and affects your decision-making abilities and impulse control.

Furthermore, the MRI technique employed in the study could be a valuable tool for assessing the impact of other substances on the brain and for developing interventions to mitigate alcohol-related brain damage.

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorized Eli Lilly’s orforglipron, marketed as Foundayo, for weight management and type 2 diabetes.

With the approval, the UK has become the first country in Europe to authorize Lilly’s once-daily GLP-1 tablet. It is also the second oral GLP-1 weight-loss medicine authorized in the UK after Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy.

“As with all GLP-1 receptor agonists, this is a prescription-only medication, and the MHRA will keep the safety and effectiveness of orforglipron under close review,” said Julian Beach, MHRA Executive Director of Healthcare Quality and Access.

Who Can Take Foundayo?

Orforglipron is a prescription-only pill and is authorised for weight loss and weight maintenance in adults with:

• A BMI of 30 or above; or
• A BMI between 27 and 30 with at least one weight-related condition.
• It is also authorised to improve blood sugar control in adults with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes.

How Is Foundayo Taken?

Unlike injectable GLP-1 medicines such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, Foundayo is taken as a once-daily tablet. It can be taken at any time of day, with no restrictions on food or water.

Treatment starts at 0.8 mg and is gradually increased through 2.5 mg, 5.5 mg, 9 mg, 14.5 mg and 17.2 mg, with at least one month at each dose level. Patients should follow the dosing instructions provided with the medicine.

Is Foundayo Available on the NHS?

Although Foundayo has been authorized for use in the UK, it is not currently available through the NHS. The NHS availability will depend on established processes, including assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

The MHRA urged people to buy the prescription only GLP-1 medicines from a registered pharmacy, with a prescription from a doctor. Buying GLP-1 medicines from unregulated sellers carries serious health risks.

What Is Foundayo and How Does It Work?

Orforglipron is Eli Lilly’s first oral GLP-1 medicine for weight management, marketed as Foundayo. It was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April this year.

The medicine is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that mimics the action of glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone involved in appetite and blood sugar regulation.

By activating GLP-1 receptors, orforglipron helps reduce hunger and food cravings and increases feelings of fullness. Along with diet and lifestyle changes, this can support weight loss.

In people with type 2 diabetes, it also helps lower blood glucose levels. Unlike some oral GLP-1 medicines, orforglipron does not require patients to take it on an empty stomach or avoid food and water around the time of dosing.

Is Foundayo Better Than Injectable Mounjaro or Wegovy?

A recent clinical trial led by Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian showed that Foundayo may be help prevent rebound weight gain caused by GLP-1 weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro.

The ATTAIN-MAINTAIN trial included people who had previously taken tirzepatide or semaglutide and whose weight loss had plateaued.

• Among those who switched from tirzepatide, patients maintained an average 74.7% of their previous weight reduction, compared with 49.2% in the placebo group.
• Among those who switched from semaglutide, patients maintained 79.3% of their previous weight reduction, compared with 37.6% in the placebo group.

Foundayo: Side Effects and Safety Concerns

Foundayo is not approved for use in children. Its safety information also includes a warning about the potential risk of thyroid tumours, including thyroid cancer.

Patients should seek medical advice if they develop symptoms such as:

• A lump or swelling in the neck
• Hoarseness
• Difficulty swallowing
• Shortness of breath

• Nausea
• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Indigestion
• Stomach pain
• Headache
• Abdominal bloating
• Fatigue.

Amid speculation about a potential 2028 US presidential run, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has revealed that she plans to freeze her eggs.

The 36-year-old New York Democrat shared her decision in a series of Instagram Stories, including footage of herself administering fertility medication.

“This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

AOC Opens Up About Egg Freezing

Ocasio-Cortez said she had been saving for the procedure for a long time and noted that women often lack information about fertility and their reproductive health.

She also spoke about balancing fertility treatment with her work as a congresswoman, saying she would take her medication injections in a dressing room before a scheduled ABC interview.

“I want you all to see that,” she said, adding that women can balance fertility treatment with their professional lives. Ocasio-Cortez also showed some of the medicines and supplies used during the process, including syringes and alcohol wipes. Egg-freezing treatment typically involves hormone injections over about 10 days or longer.

She joked about the process before administering an injection herself. Afterward, she said: “That wasn’t so bad!”

AOC Wants To Normalize Fertility Conversations

During an interview with ABC News, Ocasio-Cortez said she had not “ruled out the possibility” of running for president. She also said she wanted to normalize conversations about fertility treatment, particularly for working women.

“In this political environment where this administration is denying reproductive care to women across the country, from abortion rights to the ability to carry out a healthy pregnancy, I think it’s important for us as leaders to have these conversations and share these processes,” she said.

What Is Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing, medically known as oocyte cryopreservation, allows women to preserve eggs at a younger reproductive age for potential use in the future.

It does not guarantee a future pregnancy but can provide an additional reproductive option for women who want to delay childbearing for personal, social or medical reasons.

Planned egg freezing may be considered after appropriate counselling and fertility assessment, particularly when undertaken at a younger age.

Who May Benefit From Egg Freezing?

Dr. Tarang Yadav, Senior Consultant – IVF, Obstetrics and Gynecology, ShardaCare–Healthcity, told HealthandMe that fertility preservation may benefit women who:

• Plan to delay pregnancy because of career or personal circumstances
• Have not yet found a suitable life partner
• Are undergoing cancer treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• Have severe endometriosis
• Are undergoing ovarian surgery
• Have diminished ovarian reserve
• Have a family history of premature ovarian insufficiency

“In such situations, fertility preservation can provide psychological reassurance and reproductive flexibility before ovarian function declines further,” Dr. Tarang said.

Why Does Timing Matter?

Egg-freezing outcomes are generally better when eggs are frozen at a younger age, particularly before 35. Younger eggs tend to have better quality and chromosomal competence, which may improve the chances of successful IVF in the future.

Dr. Tarang stressed the importance of early fertility counselling and ovarian reserve assessment. Tests such as Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), ultrasound-based antral follicle count (AFC) and an overall reproductive evaluation can help determine whether egg freezing is appropriate.

After recalling lettuce that may have been linked to a severe nationwide Cyclospora outbreak in the US, Taylor Farms has now recalled 20 more products, including salsa and guacamole, over concerns about possible Salmonella contamination.

Taylor Farms also said on social media that none of its Taylor Farms-branded salad kits are associated with the outbreak. Most of the recalled lettuce was sold in large bags to food-service operations, including restaurants, with many products containing romaine lettuce.

Why Has Taylor Farms Issued Another Recall?

In a statement on August 9, Taylor Farms said the latest recall is tied to fresh jalapeños supplied by Coast Citrus Distributors. A grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, that supplies Coast Citrus was identified as a potential source of the Salmonella outbreak.

“Taylor Fresh Foods is no longer sourcing products from this farmer and will be filling orders from alternative suppliers,” the company said on its website.

Also read: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Plans To Freeze Eggs As She Eyes 2028 US Presidential Run

Where Were the Recalled Products Sold?

The recalled products were sold in several states, including Texas, and distributed to major retailers such as Target, Walmart and Whole Foods.

Taylor Farms products were also recalled from Target, Trader Joe’s and Scarborough, Maine-based supermarket chain Hannaford across about 20 states.

Walmart said it had removed the impacted products from its stores and implemented a sales block at its registers and online. Kroger, Target, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Hannaford-parent Ahold Delhaize did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Jalapeños

The CDC and FDA said earlier this week that they were investigating a Salmonella outbreak that had sickened 345 people across 27 states and led to 36 hospitalizations.

The US investigation identified restaurants including Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba as having received jalapeños imported by Coast Citrus Distributors, Reuters reported.

Both restaurants stopped using the jalapeños, while Coast Citrus recalled the remaining product and notified customers.

Read More: Can You Contract Deadly Flesh-Eating Bacteria At The Beach? Louisiana Health Officials Warn Beachgoers

USDA Issues Alert for Meat and Poultry Products

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has also issued a new public health alert for 18 meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeño peppers potentially contaminated with Salmonella.

The products were made using jalapeños that had already been recalled by the FDA. Many of the affected products are sold under brands including Taylor Farms, Walmart’s Marketside and H-E-B. The products have expiry dates extending through August 15.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said the issue came to light after the FDA notified the agency that several meat and poultry establishments had received the recalled jalapeños as an ingredient.

The agency warned that some of the products may still be sitting in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers and advised people not to eat them. Retailers have also been told not to sell the affected products.

What Are the Symptoms of Salmonella?

Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of developing severe illness.

Contaminated food may look, smell and taste completely normal, meaning consumers cannot rely on appearance or taste to determine whether food is safe.

Consumers who have purchased products covered by the USDA alert should not eat them. They should discard them safely or return them to the place of purchase.

Anyone who develops symptoms after eating a potentially contaminated product should contact a healthcare provider and disclose the possible Salmonella exposure.