Women going in for routine mammograms are increasingly being screened with a new type of imaging tool: digital breast tomosynthesis. The new technology, which is sometimes referred to as 3-D mammography or D.B.T., lets doctors look at the breast in greater detail. Some research has shown that it can detect slightly more cancers with fewer false positive results than conventional mammograms — though it’s still too early to know whether these benefits will translate to fewer cancer deaths. The most convincing evidence in favor of D.B.T., experts said, is that it reduces false positives that require patients to come back for additional imaging. Sarah M. Friedewald, MD, a professor of radiology (breast imaging) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said she would encourage everyone who can have D.B.T. to do so. “It’s just a better mammogram,” she said. (Dr. Friedewald consults for Hologic, which makes tomosynthesis equipment.)

Jennifer Aniston shared that weekly peptide injections have worked to keep her skin looking supple. Before we dive into peptide injections, let’s first discuss what peptides even are. Amy Taub, MD, FAAD , Board board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor at Northwestern University School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life, “Peptides are molecules composed of short chains of amino acids (anywhere from 4-50) that are often smaller fragments of proteins. Different types of peptides serve a myriad of different roles within the body.” Peptide agents used for skincare are administered directly to the face to provide anti-aging benefits, accelerate and promote cell turnover and act as anti-inflammatory agents. Ultimately, weekly peptide injections to the face are designed to ward off fine lines and wrinkles and improve the skin’s overall texture. Sounds great, right? Well, there’s a catch: “While peptide injections might be gaining in popularity amongst Hollywood, most peptide injections are not approved by the FDA,” says Dr. Taub.” Finding a dermatologist who will administer peptide injections may prove to be quite the issue, “I don’t inject anything that is not FDA-approved,” insists Dr. Taub. However, plenty of skincare serums and moisturizers are packed with peptides. “Peptides have been used in skincare creams and serums for years, explains Dr. Taub, “examples of peptides known for topical use include argeriline, tripeptide-1 and tetrapeptide-21.”

More recent birth cohorts have lower levels of total cholesterol and fasting triglyceride levels, and higher levels of fasting glucose, according to a study published online Dec. 6 in JAMA Network Open. Xiaoning Huang, PhD, from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, and colleagues quantified national trends in total cholesterol, fasting triglyceride, and fasting glucose levels among cohorts born between 1920 and 1999 to examine the association of these patterns with body mass index (BMI) using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2000 to 2017-2020 cycles. “While the mean lipid profile in younger generations was improved compared with older generations, this improvement hinges on an ongoing push to continue to educate the public and health care professionals about modifying risk even at a young age,” the authors write.

Younger generations in the U.S. have higher blood sugar levels than their older counterparts, fueled in part by the ongoing obesity epidemic, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. While medications and increased awareness have helped to steadily drive down the average cholesterol and triglyceride levels for the last several decades, the researchers found that the encouraging decline in these lipids is starting to slow. Using data on hundreds of thousands of Americans born between 1920 and 1999, researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine calculated the average cholesterol, triglyceride and glucose levels for each birth cohort (people born in each decade). They also assessed how average body mass index had changed over time. Experts, including the study’s lead author, Northwestern research assistant professor of cardiology Xiaoning “Jack” Huang, PhD, credit treatment improvements for the win when it comes to lipid levels. “We have been doing tremendous things with the use of statins to reduce [lipids]in the general population in recent decades,” Huang tells Yahoo Life. Statins act on the liver to prevent the body from overproducing cholesterol and triglycerides. They can reduce “bad” cholesterol by between 30% and 50%, and lower triglycerides by 10% to 50%. The American Heart Association sums up what you can do to reduce your cardiovascular risks including: eat better, be more active, quit tobacco, get healthy sleep, manage weight, control cholesterol, manage blood sugar and manage blood pressure.