02/11/25 - #324

Good morning. In today’s edition:

• Six Eggs a Week Lowers Heart Disease Death Risk by 29% - a New Study Has Found That Eating Between One and Six Eggs Each Week Significantly Reduces the Risk of Dying From Any Cause but Particularly From Heart Disease – Even in People Who Have Been Diagnosed With High Cholesterol Levels

• Body Weight and Body Mass Index Alone Are Not Enough to Predict Whether Someone Will Develop a Metabolic Disease. Around a Quarter of All Obese Individuals Are Healthy. Fat Cells of Unhealthy Obese Individuals Can No Longer Burn Fats as Effectively, Finds a New Study

• Air Pollution Reduces People’s Ability to Focus on Everyday Tasks, Study Finds | Even Brief Exposure to Particulate Matter Found to Impede Selective Attention and Emotional Recognition

• Experts Are Anxious That Bird Flu Could Become Airborne — and Jump-start Another Pandemic

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

Six Eggs a Week Lowers Heart Disease Death Risk by 29% - a New Study Has Found That Eating Between One and Six Eggs Each Week Significantly Reduces the Risk of Dying From Any Cause but Particularly From Heart Disease – Even in People Who Have Been Diagnosed With High Cholesterol Levels

Eating one to six eggs a week could help older adults live longer and reduce their risk of heart disease, even if they have high cholesterol. This is the finding of a new study by researchers at Monash University.

Many people have debated if eggs are healthy. They contain cholesterol, which was believed to raise heart disease risk. Eggs are rich in high-quality protein. They also provide important nutrients, like B vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids.

The study looked at more than 8,700 people over 70 years old. These adults reported how often they ate eggs and were followed for almost six years. Researchers found that people who ate eggs weekly had a 29% lower risk of dying from heart disease. They also had a 17% lower risk of dying from any cause when compared to those who rarely ate eggs. Eating eggs did not affect the risk of dying from cancer.

Interestingly, the study showed that regular egg eaters had a lower risk of heart disease death, even if they had high cholesterol. Those who also ate a healthy diet saw even greater benefits, with up to a 44% lower risk.

These results suggest that eating up to six eggs a week can be part of a healthy diet for older adults, helping them avoid heart disease and live longer.

Source: newatlas.com

WEIGHT LOSS

Body Weight and Body Mass Index Alone Are Not Enough to Predict Whether Someone Will Develop a Metabolic Disease. Around a Quarter of All Obese Individuals Are Healthy. Fat Cells of Unhealthy Obese Individuals Can No Longer Burn Fats as Effectively, Finds a New Study

Not everyone who is obese gets sick with diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure. In fact, about 25% of obese people are healthy despite their weight.

Scientists learned why some obese people are healthy while others aren’t. They studied fat cells from various individuals. They made a detailed map. It shows how cells in fat tissue behave differently in healthy and unhealthy obese people.

The study shows that unhealthy obese people have fat cells that aren't good at burning fat. Instead, these cells make more immune molecules that might cause health problems. This could help us understand and treat diseases better.

Where fat is located in the body also matters. Fat deep inside the belly, called visceral fat, is more harmful than fat just under the skin, known as subcutaneous fat.

The research also discovered something interesting about healthy obese people. They have more special cells in their visceral fat that can change into different types of cells. This might help their bodies manage the extra fat better.

They found differences in how men's and women's fat cells work. This might explain why they get diseases differently.

This study is important because it helps scientists look for new ways to predict and treat diseases based on differences in fat cells. All the information from this study is available online for other researchers to use, which could lead to new treatments.

Source: ethz.ch

HEALTH

Air Pollution Reduces People’s Ability to Focus on Everyday Tasks, Study Finds | Even Brief Exposure to Particulate Matter Found to Impede Selective Attention and Emotional Recognition

Air pollution isn't just harmful to your health; it can also make it hard for you to focus on daily tasks. A recent study found that even a brief exposure to polluted air can hurt concentration and emotional understanding.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham studied 26 adults. They exposed some participants to heavy air pollution from candle smoke and others to clean air for one hour. Those who breathed in the polluted air had more trouble with tasks that require focus. For example, they might find it harder to ignore things they don't need to buy while grocery shopping.

These people also struggled to recognize emotions on others' faces. They couldn't easily tell if someone was happy or scared. This might impact how well they get along with others and could even be linked to more arguments or fights, as seen in other studies.

Interestingly, their ability to remember things, like a list of items to buy, was not affected. This shows that some brain functions can handle pollution better than others.

This study is important because it shows how pollution can affect our social lives and work. Air pollution causes millions of early deaths each year around the world. More research like this could help make policies that create healthier environments.

This research is part of a larger project. It studies various pollution sources. The goal is to help create better policies in the future.

Source: theguardian.com

Experts Are Anxious That Bird Flu Could Become Airborne — and Jump-start Another Pandemic

Could the H5N1 bird flu turn into an airborne virus and cause another global health crisis? This concern is growing among scientists and health experts as the virus spreads across the U.S.

Recently, millions of birds were killed to control the virus. This has caused egg prices to rise and resulted in several human infections, with one death reported in Louisiana. Currently, H5N1 doesn’t spread between people, but the risk is still there.

The situation is serious. Since 2003, more than half of the people infected with H5N1 in the Western Pacific have died. Recent U.S. government decisions to cut ties with international health groups have raised concerns. Stopping important health updates adds to these worries.

Iowa’s governor plans to add $500,000 for vaccine research. The virus has already spread to other animals, including hogs and dairy cows. This could harm our food supply and pose risks to people.

Scientists stress the need to watch for changes in the virus to avoid a repeat of the early COVID-19 days when we didn’t know how it spread. Studies show that H5N1 might become better at spreading through the air.

Staying ahead of these changes is key. The CDC advises strong safety measures for those exposed to potentially infected animals. Researchers are working hard to understand and lessen these risks, hoping proactive steps will prevent a major outbreak.

Source: independent.co.uk

✢ 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.