01/31/25 - #317

Good morning. In today’s edition:

  • Lead and Cadmium Found in Muscle-building Protein Powders, Report Says

  • New Study Reveals How a ‘Non-industrialised’ Style Diet Can Reduce Risk of Chronic Disease. In Just Three Weeks the Diet: Promoted Weight Loss. Decreased Bad Cholesterol by 17%. Reduced Blood Sugar by 6%. Reduced C-reactive Protein (a Marker of Inflammation and Heart Disease) by 14%

  • Smokers Unlikely to Quit With Just Willpower, Say Researchers. Those Using E-cigarettes, Medication or Heated Tobacco Products Are More Likely to Successfully Give Up Smoking

  • Canadian Doc Says WHO Headquarters ‘Stressed, Devastated’

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

Lead and Cadmium Found in Muscle-building Protein Powders, Report Says

A recent study by the Clean Label Project found dangerous levels of lead and cadmium in popular muscle-building protein powders. These metals can be very harmful to your health. Lead is always unsafe, and cadmium can cause cancer and damage organs like the heart and kidneys.

The study showed that protein powders made from plants like soy, rice, and peas had three times more lead than those made from whey, a dairy product. Chocolate-flavored powders had four times more lead and 110 times more cadmium than vanilla ones. They were especially high in metals. This is because plants pick up metals from the soil, which can be dirtier due to things like mining and industrial waste.

However, you don't have to stop using protein powders. The study looked at 160 products from 70 top brands. It found that almost 80% of plant-based and organic powders had too much lead based on California's strict safety rules.

If you use protein powders, you might want to choose pea protein or vanilla flavors since they have fewer metals. It's also a good idea to ask brands about metal levels in their products. Being aware and asking questions can help you make safer choices. The report reminds us that heavy metals in food are a big issue that isn't going away.

WEIGHT LOSS

New Study Reveals How a ‘Non-industrialised’ Style Diet Can Reduce Risk of Chronic Disease. In Just Three Weeks the Diet: Promoted Weight Loss. Decreased Bad Cholesterol by 17%. Reduced Blood Sugar by 6%. Reduced C-reactive Protein (a Marker of Inflammation and Heart Disease) by 14%

A new study led by Professor Jens Walter from University College Cork reveals that a diet based on old-fashioned eating habits can greatly lower the risk of diseases like diabetes and heart disease. The research, published in the Cell journal, showed amazing health improvements in just three weeks.

This special diet focuses on unprocessed natural foods. It's like the diets in parts of the world untouched by industrial food. Participants in the study saw big health benefits quickly. They lost weight. Their bad cholesterol dropped by 17%. Blood sugar levels fell by 6%. C-reactive protein, which indicates inflammation and heart disease risk, fell by 14%.

These positive changes come from bettering the gut microbiome, which is a group of good bacteria in our stomachs that helps keep us healthy. This diet helps increase the good bacteria and reduces harmful ones, leading to less inflammation.

It's exciting that people on this diet didn't eat fewer calories. But, they still lost weight and got healthier. This shows that what you eat matters more than how much.

Interested in trying it? Recipes from this health-boosting diet will soon be shared on social media and in an upcoming online cookbook, making it easy for everyone to try and benefit from eating better. This could change the way we think about diet and health.

HEALTH

Smokers Unlikely to Quit With Just Willpower, Say Researchers. Those Using E-cigarettes, Medication or Heated Tobacco Products Are More Likely to Successfully Give Up Smoking

Trying to quit smoking? Just using willpower might not be enough. Recent research shows that smokers using e-cigarettes or medications have a better chance of quitting. So do those using heated tobacco products.

Every year, nearly a million smokers in England try to stop smoking. Sadly, about half of them might be setting themselves up for failure. They rely just on willpower or over-the-counter products like gum and patches, which aren't very effective alone.

On the other hand, smokers who use stronger methods—like e-cigarettes, prescription drugs, and heated tobacco products—often do much better. These methods, along with help from health services, make it more likely that a smoker will quit successfully.

The study looked at over 25,000 smokers and found that about half used effective methods and half did not. Dr. Sarah Jackson, who led the study, says using proven support methods to quit smoking can greatly improve your chances. It's like needing to roll only one six with dice instead of two, making success much more likely.

The good news is that more smokers are trying to quit each year, and success rates are getting better. But experts say we need ongoing support and campaigns to tell smokers about the best ways to quit.

NHS England and the Department of Health want to help smokers quit. They are funding support for smoking cessation services. Their goal is to help more smokers quit for good and live healthier lives.

Canadian Doc Says WHO Headquarters ‘Stressed, Devastated’

Dr. Madhukar Pai, a Canadian health expert, says there is a big problem at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva. This happened after President Donald Trump decided to pull the United States out of the WHO. Dr. Pai is there for important meetings about diseases like tuberculosis.

The WHO staff feels very upset and stressed because the U.S. used to give a lot of money to help fight diseases around the world. Last year, the U.S. gave 18% of the money that WHO needed. Without this funding, many health programs are at risk.

This issue is very serious because diseases that we can prevent with vaccines, like measles, are coming back. Dr. Pai is also worried about the anti-vaccine messages from some U.S. leaders. He thinks this could make more people sick.

Dr. Pai is asking Canada and other countries to give more money to WHO to make up for the loss from the U.S. leaving. He wants more countries to take the lead in fighting diseases.

The WHO said it is sad about the U.S. decision and hopes the U.S. will think again. They want to keep working together for everyone's health.

Everyone is watching this situation closely. It's important not just for the WHO but for keeping people everywhere healthy.

✢ 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.