blog

June 12

Six months ago, in the first blog of 2026, I mentioned this study, which discussed critical lifestyle factors from a survey of 16,000 individuals across 29 different countries. The authors identified 3 common factors that, if implemented consistently, could strongly impact future health. 2 of the 3 were as expected: improved resiliency, the skills needed to ENDURE moments of distress, and increased total MOVE minutes closer to guidelines. However, the third factor - how often a person ate home-cooked meals - was a refreshing surprise. Whether due to the benefit of CONNECTING with others around the table to discuss the day or the potential for significantly improved FUEL quality from fresh ingredients, a home-cooked meal can pack many positives into each serving. New evidence suggests it might even help with a very modern problem impacting us all. 

We first encountered the idea of dwindling attention spans a few years ago when we learned about the work of informatics researcher Gloria Mark. She showed, among other things, that over 20 years, average human attention—measured by the time spent on one task before switching to another in a digital environment (like a computer screen)—dropped from 2.5 minutes to just 47 seconds. The implications, of course, are concerning. 

For example, in 2023, findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that high doses of screen switching—such as near-constant checking of social media by adolescents—caused changes in brain development as measured on MRI. At the time, experts suggested it was primarily an environmental problem; therefore, organizing our space and time to allow deep engagement could help. New research, however, suggests that organizing our menu also matters.

The punchline seems to be that diets rich in fresh ingredients—partly because they are packed with healthy nutrients and partly because they displace ultra-processed foods (UPF)—might help us maintain our attention span in a highly distracting world. Late in 2025, a team studying the impact of UPF consumption patterns in adults found that high intake was associated with a poorer attention span and increased dementia risk even in those who ate an otherwise healthy diet. Reducing UPF appeared to be the answer. 

This conclusion also aligns with a 2025 study that tracked the risk of type 2 diabetes in over 200,000 Americans for 40 years. The study found that consuming minimally processed potatoes had a largely neutral effect on disease progression; however, when processed into French fries, the risk increased by 20%. Then, in January, a study of 653 adolescents showed that in the developing brain, it might be "both, and". Greater adherence to a healthy Mediterranean diet was associated with more favorable brain functioning, while heavy exposure to ultra-processed food at the other extreme was associated with a negative profile. This 2026 review of the existing evidence concluded the same: UPF consumption was generally negative for brain health, and minimally processed foods were protective. 

You may not have realized it when planting, but whether in pots, a tower, raised beds, or a traditional fenced-in patch, if you're tending a garden this year, you've got focus FUEL on the vine; turn it into a home-cooked meal and savor it.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.