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- 01/13/26 - #564
01/13/26 - #564
Health Horizon. Herald Staff
January 13, 2026
Good morning. In today’s edition:
More Parents Refusing Vitamin K Shots for Newborns, Study Finds
Not Losing Weight on a Very Low Calorie Diet?
Health Insurance Premiums in the U.S. Significantly Increased Between 1999 and 2024, Outpacing the Rate of Worker Earnings by Three Times. Over Half of Board Members at Top U.S. Hospitals Have Professional Backgrounds in Finance or Business
Six Particular Depressive Symptoms When Experienced in Midlife (45 to 69 Years) Predict Dementia Risk More Than Two Decades Later
…and lots more. Have a great day!
FOOD & NUTRITION
More Parents Refusing Vitamin K Shots for Newborns, Study Finds
More parents are saying no to vitamin K shots for their newborn babies. A new study found that refusal rates rose from under 3% in 2017 to over 5% in 2024. That’s about 200,000 babies who didn’t get the shot.
Vitamin K helps blood clot. Babies are born with very low levels, which puts them at risk for serious bleeding. This can include bleeding in the brain or stomach. Since the 1960s, U.S. hospitals have given newborns a vitamin K shot within hours of birth. It’s a one-time shot that can prevent life-threatening problems.
Doctors say parents are refusing the shot because of misinformation online and growing mistrust in medicine. Some believe the shot is a vaccine. It is not. Vitamin K is a supplement made from plants and is not used to fight diseases like vaccines are.
Experts warn that babies who don’t get the shot are 80 times more likely to bleed. Some cases can be deadly. One doctor said, “We are creating a population of newborns who are at risk.”
Some countries give vitamin K drops by mouth, but these must be given many times and may not work as well. Breast milk does not have enough vitamin K to protect babies.
Doctors say the shot is simple, safe, and saves lives. Most parents today haven’t seen babies suffer from vitamin K deficiency because the shot has worked so well for over 60 years.
Disclaimer: This article is for information only. Please talk to your doctor for medical advice.
WEIGHT LOSS
Not Losing Weight on a Very Low Calorie Diet?
Are you eating fewer calories but not losing weight? If you're over 40, this is common. Many people try low-calorie diets like Weight Watchers or the HCG diet. These might have worked when you were younger, but not now.
Why does this happen? Low-calorie diets slow down your metabolism. Your body thinks it’s starving, so it burns fewer calories and holds on to fat. Over time, each time you diet, it gets harder to lose weight.
The real problem isn’t just calories—it’s insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps move sugar into your cells. But high insulin also blocks fat-burning and tells your body to store fat.
To lose weight now, you need to lower insulin, not just calories. Here's how:
Eat fewer carbs – Carbs raise insulin the most.
Eat moderate protein – Too much protein can also raise insulin.
Don’t fear fat – Fat has very little effect on insulin.
Eat less often – Snacking all day keeps insulin high.
Try intermittent fasting – Waiting longer between meals can help.
Also, avoid “low-fat” and “low-calorie” foods that remove healthy fats. Don’t cut nutrients—focus on quality foods, not just fewer calories.
This method can help restart your metabolism, lower insulin, and support healthy fat loss—especially if you’re over 40.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. Talk to your doctor before making diet changes.
HEALTH
Health Insurance Premiums in the U.S. Significantly Increased Between 1999 and 2024, Outpacing the Rate of Worker Earnings by Three Times. Over Half of Board Members at Top U.S. Hospitals Have Professional Backgrounds in Finance or Business
Between 1999 and 2024, health insurance premiums in the U.S. rose nearly three times faster than worker pay. That means many people are spending a lot more on health care, even if their earnings didn’t grow much.
One big reason is rising hospital prices. Hospital visits, especially outpatient care, have become much more expensive. Mergers between hospitals have reduced competition, giving large systems more power to raise prices.
Nonprofit hospitals are also acting more like businesses. Their CEOs are often paid based on how much profit the hospital makes—not how well they care for patients. A study showed that CEOs who grew hospital size and profits got the biggest raises. But offering free or discounted care to people in need didn’t affect CEO pay.
Over half of the people on hospital boards come from finance or business. These boards decide CEO bonuses and often focus on money, not patient care. Some experts say nonprofit hospitals should have to share how they set CEO pay, just like for-profit companies do.
Other experts suggest placing limits on hospital prices. This could help stop costs from rising too fast.
Employers are also trying new health plans. One type charges lower fees for visiting lower-cost hospitals. These plans saved money without lowering care quality.
With employer health costs expected to rise nearly 10% in 2026, many people are calling for changes to keep care affordable and fair.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not offer medical or financial advice.
Six Particular Depressive Symptoms When Experienced in Midlife (45 to 69 Years) Predict Dementia Risk More Than Two Decades Later
A new study found that six specific signs of depression in midlife may raise the risk of getting dementia more than 20 years later. The research followed over 5,800 adults, ages 45 to 69, for 25 years. It showed that depression alone wasn’t the issue—but certain symptoms were.
These six symptoms were:
Losing confidence in yourself
Trouble dealing with problems
Not feeling close to others
Feeling nervous or tense all the time
Being unhappy with how you do tasks
Having trouble concentrating
People who had five or more depression symptoms in midlife had a 27% higher chance of getting dementia. But the increased risk came mostly from these six symptoms. In fact, people who had low self-confidence or couldn’t cope well had nearly a 50% higher chance.
Experts say these symptoms might lower social activity and brain use. This can shrink “cognitive reserve,” or the brain’s ability to stay strong even when it faces damage. A strong cognitive reserve may help delay dementia.
Other symptoms like trouble sleeping or feeling sad did not raise dementia risk in the long run.
Doctors say this new information could help spot people at risk earlier. More research is needed to know if this applies to everyone, especially women and different racial groups.
It’s also important to know that not everyone with depression will get dementia—and not all people with dementia had depression earlier in life.
This article is for information only and not medical advice.
✢ A Note From Hem Hero
The information in this health newsletter is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment; always consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health. The publishers are not responsible for any actions taken by the reader based on the information provided.