This week in Health, just in time for Halloween, we examine what sugar really does to your body; see the consequences of the hypermobility of some dancers and gymnasts, explore the power of outdoor adventure ... and see how AI is improving the hunt for brain tumors.

Much of our food is increasingly manufactured to be irresistible to us. Foods rich in fat and sugar (like those above) can increase dopamine levels as much as 200 percent above normal—a similar bump to what’s observed with nicotine and alcohol, the two most common addictions in the U.S. As Halloween candy floods store shelves, protect yourself: This is how sugar really works. 

Related: Before Halloween became all about sugar 

Also: Hibernating bears could hold a clue to treating diabetes 

Maybe not an advantage: Being double-jointed may let you do party tricks, but for people with hypermobility like entertainer Billie Eilish, it is a pathway to pain. New evidence is emerging of unexpected health consequences--sprains and tears; dizziness and fatigue; vulnerability to COVID and POTS. 

Related: What is POTS—and why are more people getting it?

New superpowers? The patient is in the operating room. The clock is ticking. Now doctors have a fast new way of better identifying brain tumors, thanks to AI. How does it work? 

Related: Your AI questions answered

Today’s Soundtrack: She Said, Plan B 

Thanks for reading today’s newsletter. It was edited and curated by David Beard and produced by Amanda Williams-Bryant. If you want this health newsletter in your inbox next week, sign up here! See you around!