Being young is almost seen as a ‘get-away free’ card for many people. You feel energized and on top of the world, pulling all-nighters, then keeping up with all the course work and somehow have the time to party, without resting properly. This kind of mindset, while ok every now and then, encourages them to indulge in other activities like drinking, doing substances or smoking. Many of them start to believe that doing this at a young age will not affect their body, or have long-term side effects, but a new study shows that this may not be the case anymore. You may be under the assumption that strokes, diabetes and other issues like hypertension are all problems that people above 50 have, but the risk of stroke has now doubled even in youngsters.

A study published in Neurology Journals revealed a strong link between smoking and unexplained strokes, particularly in younger adults. The American Stroke Association says these strokes, known as cryptogenic strokes, happen when blood flow to the brain is blocked, but doctors can't easily find the cause. The research shows that if you smoke, your risk of having one of these strokes more than doubles. What's even more alarming is that heavy smoking makes the danger much higher. People who have smoked more than a pack of cigarettes every day for 20 years have over four times the risk of a stroke compared to people who have never smoked. This highlights how seriously smoking can damage your health, even at a younger age.

What Does This Mean For The Public?

The people who did this study think we need to work harder to stop young people from smoking, especially smoking a lot. They believe this will help stop young people from having strokes. They looked at a special kind of stroke that's hard to figure out, and not much is known about how smoking causes it in young people. They wanted to find out more. It's important to know the risks so young people can make good choices and stay healthy. According to the American Lung Association, 87% of adults who are daily smokers tried their first cigarrete by the age of 18 and 95% had by the age of 21.

To understand the connection between smoking and strokes in young adults, the researchers analyzed medical records. They compared two groups, young people who had experienced strokes and young people who hadn't. By examining these records, they could see how smoking habits correlated with stroke occurrences. The findings revealed that a significantly higher percentage of stroke victims were smokers compared to those who hadn't had strokes. Specifically, about one-third of the individuals who had strokes were smokers, while only 15% of those without strokes were smokers. This clear difference strongly indicates that smoking significantly increases the likelihood of young adults experiencing strokes.

Why Does This Kind Of Stroke In Younger People Pose A Problem?

More young people are having these hard-to-explain strokes. That's why this study is so important. The researchers found that smoking is a big reason why these strokes happen. Knowing this can help us stop people from having them. It's important to find the causes so we can prevent them.

The study also highlighted several factors that influence stroke risk in young adults. These include age, gender, and the intensity of smoking. Men who smoke are at a considerably higher risk of strokes compared to women who smoke or to men who don't smoke at all. Also, older young adults, even within the young age range, face a greater risk. Naturally, the more you smoke, the higher your risk becomes. Smoking heavily, especially over extended periods, is exceptionally dangerous. Even smoking a small amount regularly increases the risk compared to not smoking at all. These factors show that stroke risk is influenced by multiple elements related to smoking habits.

How Does Smoking Affect Your Body?

Cigarette smoke contains numerous harmful substances that damage the body, particularly the blood and blood vessels. These substances interfere with the blood's ability to carry oxygen, leading to oxygen deprivation in various parts of the body. Additionally, they elevate blood pressure, putting extra strain on the heart and blood vessels. Smoking also disrupts cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of arteries hardening, which further restricts blood flow. All these factors contribute to an increased risk of strokes. The cumulative effect of these harmful substances makes smoking extremely detrimental to cardiovascular health. It's a direct pathway to serious health problems.

Sources

https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WN9.0000000000000003

https://www.health.gov.au/topics/smoking-vaping-and-tobacco/about-smoking/effects

https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/types-of-stroke/cryptogenic-stroke

https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/smoking-facts/impact-of-tobacco-use/tobacco-use-among-children#:~:text=Cigarette%20smoking%20during%20childhood%20and,on%20lung%20growth%20and%20function.

Your hormonal health plays a huge role in your health, and if you think it is something you need to worry about only when you get older. However, that is not true; you must pay attention to it even if you are in your 20s. Dr Holly Miller, an American Board–certified obstetrician and gynecologists, shared a video explaining why it is important for youngsters to regulate their hormonal health.

Your twenties are a critical time for building the foundation of your long-term health, impacting everything from your fertility and metabolism to your overall well-being. Hormone balance is about more than just your menstrual cycle, it profoundly influences your skin, mood, energy levels, and even your long-term risk for conditions like PCOS or endometriosis.

5 Ways To Maintain Your Hormonal Health

Here are five evidence-based strategies to actively support your hormone health

Prioritize Deep, Consistent Sleep

Sleep is the time when your body performs essential repair and resets your hormonal systems. When you consistently get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep, you stabilize cortisol, your main stress hormone.

High cortisol from lack of sleep throws off the production of reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which can lead to irregular cycles and worsen PMS. Think of a good night's sleep as the number one way to calm your internal chemistry and support the natural rhythm your hormones need to thrive.

Balance Your Blood Sugar

Rapid spikes in blood sugar trigger a rush of the hormone insulin to bring the sugar down. Over time, these frequent spikes lead to insulin resistance, a major driver of hormonal imbalances like PCOS. The key is to slow down sugar absorption.

When you eat carbohydrates like bread or fruit, always pair them with protein like eggs or chicken and healthy fat like avocado or nuts. This simple habit keeps your insulin levels steady and prevents the hormonal chaos caused by rollercoaster blood sugar.

Minimize Endocrine Disruptors

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are hidden in many everyday products, from the lining of food cans (BPA) to synthetic fragrances and certain plastics. These chemicals are problematic because they can mimic or block your natural hormones, especially estrogen.

This interference can confuse your body, leading to heavy periods, unpredictable cycles, or fertility issues. Start simple: switch to using glass water bottles and food storage, choose fragrance-free products, and look for "paraben-free" labels on your skincare and makeup.

Engage in Regular Movement

Movement isn't just for weight loss, it is powerful hormonal medicine. Exercise, especially resistance training (lifting weights or using body weight), makes your cells much more responsive to insulin.

This means your body can process sugar more efficiently, which is vital for balancing all other hormones. Additionally, regular movement helps reduce body-wide inflammation, which is a primary cause of painful, uncomfortable period symptoms. Aim for a mix of strength training and light cardio throughout your week.

Fuel Up on Key Nutrients

Your hormones require specific building blocks and helpers to function optimally. Three critical nutrients are: Omega-3s, which are found in fatty fish/flaxseed, that reduce inflammation to ease cramps and mood swings.

Vitamin D, which acts more like a hormone itself and plays a role in regulating the menstrual cycle; and Magnesium, known as "nature's relaxant," which helps reduce PMS-related anxiety, migraines, and cramps. Focus on incorporating these vital fats and minerals into your diet every day to directly support better hormonal health.

A study has been released recently based on the analysis of the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data that says that for 15 per cent of all deaths in Delhi in 2023 were caused by air pollution. The analysis was based on the data which was released by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) earlier this month. The data showed that around 17,188 deaths in the national capital were due to the long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution. This is equivalent to 1 in 7 deaths in Delhi.

However, the Union Environment Ministry has said that there is "no conclusive evidence" that could directly link air pollution to mortality. The ministry said that it could be one of several contributing factors.

Toxic Air: A Public Health Emergency

Researchers at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), which analyzed the GBD data said the findings in fact point that there is a need to treat air pollution as a public health emergency.

Dr Manoj Kumar, who is an analyst at CREA said, "Air pollution must now be treated foremost as a public health issue, not just an environmental one. India already has over 250 epidemiological studies establishing the link between polluted air and a wide range of health impacts. The science is clear: what's needed now is decisive, coordinated action," said Dr Manoj Kumar, an analyst at CREA, as reported by NDTV.

How Can Someone Die By Air Pollution?

Particulate matter or PM2.5 and PM10 impacts human far beyond their lungs. When you inhale polluted air, the pollutants can travel from your lungs. It reaches the alveoli and enters the bloodstream. Overtime and after a long time of exposure, these particles could accumulate in blood vessels and reduce oxygen flow to heart and brain. This could trigger strokes, heart attacks, and other chronic illnesses.

Rise In Deaths By Air Pollution

As per the GBD data, air pollution related deaths in Delhi rose from 15,786 in 2018 to 17,188 in 2023. This is after the authorities had introduced several air quality management related plans. The deaths have been linked to high blood pressure and diabetes during the same period, however, those numbers are lower than air pollution.

Dr Kumar has also noted that the assumption most people have that air pollution is just a winter-specific problem is not right. Pollution is a year-round crisis, he points out and the "harmful exposure happens throughout the year". Dr Kumar notes that it is during winter when the speed drops and pollutants settle close to ground, which is why it becomes more visible during the winter.

According to CREA’s latest PM2.5 assessment for October 2025, Delhi emerged as the sixth most polluted city in India, logging an average PM2.5 level of 107 µg/m³ — nearly three times its September average. Haryana’s Dharuhera topped the list as the most polluted, with levels reaching 123 µg/m³. It is interesting to note that stubble burning's contribution in Delhi air pollution in October 2025 was 6% less than in other years.

A new study revealed that childhood trauma could rewire’ your brain, the researchers suggest that this could lead to aggressive and self-harming behavior.

The study, led by Assistant Professor Sora Shin, identified the specific brain pathway that changes after someone experiences trauma early in life. The results were published in the journal Science Advances.

The researchers explained that their findings suggest that aggression and self-harm, while looking different on the outside, might actually come from the same place in the brain. They might both be a result of how the brain deals with pain signals.

Can Trauma Change Your Brain?

The new discovery is crucial because it’s the first time scientists have found a real biological process that explains how trauma, feeling sensitive to pain, and these harmful behaviors are all connected. This new understanding could lead to much more precise and effective treatments for people who struggle with conditions caused by trauma.

The researchers found that early trauma causes a specific communication line in the brain, linking the nucleus reuniens and the hippocampus, which is the pathway that regulates cognitive, executive and fear-learning process, to become overactive.

The increased activity of structures called calcium channels is what makes a person more likely to be aggressive and hurt themselves.

Both feeling upset and hurt physically seem to trigger these behaviors because the brain’s signals have been changed by trauma.

How Does Childhood Trauma Lead To Aggression?

Shin and her team research how bad experiences in childhood change the brain, leading to harmful behaviors in adulthood. Her previous work looked at how trauma can lead to things like binge eating.

Researchers questioned what really drives aggression and self-harm. Is it just feeling anxious or depressed? Or could there be a deeper reason, possibly related to how the brain handles pain, at the very core of these issues?

They explained that the trauma literally increased the activity of the calcium channel. The trauma changed the brain at a molecular level, causing the neuron to become hyperactive, meaning it was firing too much. This excessive activity in that specific circuit is what makes a person more susceptible to becoming aggressive and hurting themselves.

The research also suggested that pain, including emotional pain, might act as the doorway for these harmful behaviors to appear. By clearly identifying the physical connection in the brain between early trauma and its later effects, the study gives a much deeper understanding that goes beyond just asking people how they feel.

How Is Aggression and Self-Harm Linked?

In people who have gone through early childhood trauma, aggression and self-harm often happen at the same time. Doctors and therapists have known about this link for a while, mostly based on what patients tell them and what they observe in clinics.

To back this up, studies show that people who are treated for self-inflicted injuries are five times more likely to also be extremely aggressive. This strongly suggested that there was a single, underlying reason connecting the two behaviors.

Can This Help Treat Trauma?

Shin noted that extreme aggression is a serious social problem, and self-harm is a major concern for many people seeking treatment. She believes that their study provides clearer, more objective insights into the brain circuits that cause these outcomes. This understanding could eventually lead to the creation of more effective therapies to help people dealing with trauma's lasting impact.