02/25/25 - #334

Author

Health Horizon. Herald Staff
February 25, 2025

Good morning. In today’s edition:

  • Omega-3 Supplements Seem to Slow Down Biological Ageing

  • How Did You Get to Your Goal Weight?

  • The Environment is About 10 Times More Important Than Genes in Explaining Why Some People Have a Higher Risk of an Early Death Than Others, Research Has Suggested. Experts Say the Work Highlights the Importance of the “Exposome” – the Host of Environmental Exposures We Encounter in Life

  • Struggling to Get a Good Night's Sleep? There's an Alternative to Meds, Experts Say | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Targets the Thoughts, Habits, and Emotions That Impede Our Sleep

…and lots more. Have a great day!

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FOOD & NUTRITION

Omega-3 Supplements Seem to Slow Down Biological Ageing

Taking an omega-3 supplement each day might help slow aging by about three months, especially if you also take vitamin D and exercise.

Omega-3s are healthy fats found in nuts, seeds, and certain fish. They help keep your heart, brain, and immune system strong. Researchers think omega-3s also affect DNA markers that control how cells work, which might slow down aging.

Heike Bischoff-Ferrari and her team at the University of Zurich studied 777 people aged 70 to 91. They wanted to find out if omega-3s, vitamin D, and exercise could affect how quickly these older adults aged. They split the volunteers into groups. Each group tried different combinations of omega-3 supplements, vitamin D, and exercise.

At the start and end of the study, they measured the volunteers' biological age using an epigenetic clock. This clock checks DNA markers that change as we age.

After three years, those who took just omega-3s aged about three months less than those who didn't take any supplements. Those who added vitamin D and exercise to their routine aged even less—almost like turning back the clock by four months!

These results are promising. However, we need more studies to understand their impact on overall health. Richard Siow from King’s College London noted that just because the DNA markers show younger age, it doesn't always mean better health. But for older adults, these few months could be crucial in avoiding age-related issues.

WEIGHT LOSS

How Did You Get to Your Goal Weight?

One popular New Year’s resolution is starting a new diet. But how do you choose the right one with so many options?

Dr. Roshy Raj, an expert at NYU Langone Health, talks about this year’s popular diets. She says it’s important to focus on diets that change your lifestyle, not just your eating habits for a short time.

The Mediterranean diet is a top choice. It’s about eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, olive oil, and fish. People in Italy and Greece follow this diet and tend to be healthier and live longer.

Another good diet is the MIND diet. It mixes the Mediterranean diet with another healthy diet called the DASH diet. The MIND diet is great for keeping your brain sharp and can help prevent brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. It includes foods like berries, greens, nuts, and fish.

For a healthy gut, Dr. Raj suggests eating lots of fiber and fermented foods like yogurt and kimchi. These help keep your gut bacteria happy, which is important for your whole body.

Dr. Raj recommends starting with small changes, like cutting back on sugary drinks, and slowly adding more healthy foods. Also, it's okay to have cheat days where you relax the rules a bit.

HEALTH

The Environment is About 10 Times More Important Than Genes in Explaining Why Some People Have a Higher Risk of an Early Death Than Others, Research Has Suggested. Experts Say the Work Highlights the Importance of the “Exposome” – the Host of Environmental Exposures We Encounter in Life

Research shows that the environment affects our risk of dying early ten times more than genetics. This study used data from nearly 500,000 people in the UK BioBank and shows how important our surroundings are to our health.

The "exposome" is a term for all the environmental things we experience, like where we live and if we smoke. These factors are key to understanding how we age and why we get certain diseases as we get older.

Dr. Austin Argentieri from Harvard said that improving our environments can boost everyone's health. The study examined various environmental factors, such as our diets and living situations. It identified 25 key factors that affect how fast we age and our chances of dying early. Most of these can be changed.

The study found that genes play a role in diseases like breast cancer and dementia. However, our environment affects lung, heart, and liver diseases even more.

However, the study has its limits. It only looks at one time point and is mainly relevant to the UK. Still, it shows that although our genes give us a starting point, our environment and choices shape our lives. Dr. Stephen Burgess from the University of Cambridge said, "Genetics can load the dice, but it is up to us how we play our hand."

Struggling to Get a Good Night's Sleep? There's an Alternative to Meds, Experts Say | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Targets the Thoughts, Habits, and Emotions That Impede Our Sleep

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Targets the Thoughts, Habits, and Emotions That Impede Our Sleep

Many people find it hard to sleep at night. A study shows that one in six Canadians has insomnia. Instead of taking sleeping pills, experts recommend trying Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).

Faye Dickieson from Alberton, P.E.I., struggled with insomnia for over 30 years. Sleeping pills didn't help and made her feel foggy the next day. "I would just toss and turn," she said on CBC’s The Current. She often felt confused at work after a sleepless night.

CBT-I helps by changing the thoughts and actions that keep you awake. It teaches you how to relax, keep a regular sleep schedule, and handle worrying thoughts.

David Gardner, a professor at Dalhousie University, explains that CBT-I works well. "It teaches new ways to help your body and mind relax," he says. The therapy usually takes four to eight weeks and has helped many people solve their sleep problems for good.

However, CBT-I can be expensive and hard to find. It costs between $100 and $250 per session, and it's often not covered by health insurance.

Researchers are trying to make CBT-I easier to get. They want it included in public health plans and are working on online programs for older adults. Getting good sleep is crucial for your health. CBT-I could be the solution to sleep better without medicine.

✢ 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.