THE WOMEN'S WELLNESS WIRE

Science-backed women's health, minus the hype with Natalie Tysdal

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Hi Reader,

One week ultra-processed food is blamed for everything. The next, someone says it's all overblown.

This week brought a big new study that lands somewhere in the middle. Let's sort it out.

This week's featured story: ultra-processed food and colorectal cancer

Researchers followed more than 460,000 Americans, ages 50 to 71 at the start, for about 19 years. The study was published October 15 in PLOS Medicine, with the National Cancer Institute's Erikka Loftfield named as the study's lead.

The finding that surprised people: total ultra-processed food intake was not linked to higher colorectal cancer rates.

But the details matter:

• What you eat inside the category matters. Ultra-processed foods that contributed whole grains, fiber, dairy and calcium were linked to lower risk. Ultra-processed meats were linked to higher risk.
• Swaps may help a little. Replacing 10% of ultra-processed food with minimally processed food was linked to about 2% lower colorectal cancer incidence.
• It's observational. It can show patterns, not cause and effect. Diet was measured once, in the mid-1990s, and most participants were older and white, so it may not apply to everyone. The summary I reviewed didn't break results out by sex.

So here's how I'd use it:

• Skip the all-or-nothing thinking. "Ultra-processed" covers whole-grain bread and deli meat alike.
• Look at the label for fiber and whole grains first.
• Go easy on processed meats like hot dogs, sausage and deli slices.
• Make one swap this week, like a packaged snack for fruit and nuts.

Sources: ScienceDaily on the PLOS Medicine study | Medical Xpress​

Also on the wire

Grip strength and longevity. In JAMA Network Open research on more than 5,400 older women, those with the strongest grip had a 33% lower risk of death over about 8 years, and the link held even for women who didn't hit 150 minutes of aerobic activity. It's observational, so strength may partly reflect overall health. Still, it's a nudge to add resistance training. Read more​

Hot flash guidance updated. If you're in the thick of perimenopause, ACOG released a new guideline on October 15 that strongly recommends hormone therapy for bothersome hot flashes and related sleep loss when there's no medical reason to avoid it. It's a conversation to have with your clinician. Read more​

Beauty, decoded

"Skin longevity" is trending. The proof isn't there yet.

This week Dermatology Times published a commentary by Yale dermatologist Christopher Bunick, MD, PhD, with a pointed message: terms like "skinspan," exosomes and stem-cell skincare are being marketed faster than they're being tested in people. As he puts it, biological plausibility is not clinical proof. The FDA has said there are currently no approved exosome products.

What does have solid evidence? Daily sunscreen. In a randomized trial he cites, people who used it every day showed less visible skin aging over 4.5 years than people who used it only when they chose to. I like to use a product that protects while improving skin tone and hydration. Here is a solid sun protection product I recommend.

My takeaway: Before you buy the next "longevity" serum, make sure the basics are in place: a broad-spectrum sunscreen you'll actually wear every morning, including on your neck and hands.

Source: Dermatology Times, Oct. 2026​

Now I'd love to hear from you. Which food headline has confused you the most lately? Just hit reply. I read every message.

With you,
Natalie

The Women's Wellness Wire sometimes includes affiliate links to products Natalie genuinely recommends; if you buy through them she may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This newsletter is for education, not medical advice — please talk with your own clinician about what's right for you.