03/11/24 - #84

Good morning. In today’s edition:

  • Sugar-free Gum, Mint, and Candy Can Give You Gas, and Researchers Think They Know Why. Missing Gut Microbes After Taking Antibiotics and a High-fat Diet May Be to Blame for ‘Sorbitol Intolerance’, Finds a New Study With Mice, Which Can Lead to Bloating, Cramps, and Diarrhea

  • What’s the Best and Fastest Way You’ve Found to Lose Weight?

  • A Ban on Menthol Cigarettes Would Likely Lead to a Meaningful Reduction in U.S. Smoking Rates, a Survey Showed That 24% of Menthol Cigarette Smokers Quit Smoking After a Menthol Ban

  • A Brain Pacemaker Helped a Woman With Crippling Depression. It May Soon Be Available to More People

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

Sugar-free Gum, Mint, and Candy Can Give You Gas, and Researchers Think They Know Why. Missing Gut Microbes After Taking Antibiotics and a High-fat Diet May Be to Blame for ‘Sorbitol Intolerance’, Finds a New Study With Mice, Which Can Lead to Bloating, Cramps, and Diarrhea

Ever eat sugar-free gum or candy and then feel gassy? Scientists from UC Davis have found out why this might happen. It turns out, it's about the tiny bugs in our belly and the kinds of food we eat.

The troublemaker is called sorbitol, a sugar substitute found in many sugar-free foods and some fruits. While it helps people eat less sugar, for some, it can be tough to digest, causing gas, bloating, or cramps.

The research done on mice shows that antibiotics or eating lots of fatty foods can make us lose certain good belly bugs, named Clostridia. These bugs help break down sorbitol. Without them, sorbitol stays undigested, causing those uncomfortable tummy troubles.

The study also found something interesting about oxygen in our bellies. After taking antibiotics and eating fatty foods, there's too much oxygen left in the gut, which the good bugs don't like. The scientists tried fixing this by giving the mice a helpful type of bacteria. It lowered the oxygen, making the belly a better place for the good bugs to live and help digest sorbitol again.

This research is not just for understanding why we get gassy but also for finding new ways to treat it. A drug called mesalazine might help with this problem by keeping the oxygen level in the belly just right.

Remember, this study was on mice, so more research is needed to see if it works for people too.

WEIGHT LOSS

What’s the Best and Fastest Way You’ve Found to Lose Weight?

Losing weight doesn't have to be hard if you know the right tricks. Here's how you can shed pounds faster and easier:

1. Choose Healthy Fats: Not all fats are bad. Avoid unhealthy oils found in processed foods and opt for good fats in foods like grass-fed beef and fish. This small change can make a big difference in your weight loss journey.

2. Eat More Greens: A large salad every day can boost your health and help you lose weight. Salads are packed with nutrients and good bacteria that keep your gut healthy. Just make sure to use olive oil instead of processed dressings.

3. Fast Intermittently: Eating once a day and fasting for the rest of it can really speed up weight loss. This method helps your body burn fat more efficiently.

4. Exercise Wisely: Mix daily walks with some high-intensity workouts a few times a week. Walking is great for stress, and intense workouts help burn fat fast. Just make sure not to overdo it.

5. Quality Over Quantity: Eating high-quality proteins and fats is key. Include healthy meats and make sure to stay hydrated with electrolytes and sea salt to keep energy up.

Remember, losing weight is more about getting healthy first. With these tips, you can lose weight quickly and feel great without putting in too much effort.

HEALTH

A Ban on Menthol Cigarettes Would Likely Lead to a Meaningful Reduction in U.S. Smoking Rates, a Survey Showed That 24% of Menthol Cigarette Smokers Quit Smoking After a Menthol Ban

A study found that banning menthol cigarettes might greatly lower how many people smoke in the U.S. When stores stopped selling menthol cigarettes, about 1 in 4 people who liked them quit smoking for good.

Sarah Mills is a health expert. She says this study supports the idea of not allowing menthol cigarettes to be sold. The government thinks about banning them. They make it easier for people, especially kids, to start smoking. Menthol makes the tobacco not taste as strong.

The study looked at areas where these cigarettes can't be sold. It found that half of the menthol smokers switched to regular cigarettes. But, 24% quit smoking entirely. This means a ban all over the country could help even more people quit.

Menthol cigarettes are mostly smoked by Black Americans. The study says stopping their sale could really help Black communities, who have been unfairly targeted by cigarette ads.

Some worried the ban might lead to unfair police actions against Black smokers. But the FDA said the ban would only apply to those who make and sell menthol cigarettes, not the smokers.

Groups like the NAACP and the American Lung Association want the ban, saying it could save many lives. They're asking President Biden to quickly put the ban in place to help protect people's health, especially in Black communities.

A Brain Pacemaker Helped a Woman With Crippling Depression. It May Soon Be Available to More People

Emily Hollenbeck was very sad for a long time, so sad that it made every day hard for her. She lost both her parents to sadness too. She decided to try something new: a brain pacemaker.

This special treatment is called deep brain stimulation (DBS). It's like a heart pacemaker but for the brain. Doctors put tiny parts in the brain and connect them to a small device in the chest. This device sends signals to help control feelings of sadness.

DBS is not new; it's used for other health problems like shaking hands (Parkinson’s disease) and seizures (epilepsy). But now, doctors are testing it for people with very bad depression who haven't gotten better with other treatments. Emily was one of these people, and it really helped her. She started feeling happier and enjoying life again.

Researchers are still studying DBS to make sure it's safe and works well for depression. Some studies didn't show good results at first, but now they're trying different ways to make it better for each person. They hope it will be approved for more people soon.

Emily's story gives hope to others who are very sad and have tried many treatments without getting better. If DBS gets approved for depression, it could help a lot of people feel better and enjoy life more.

✢ 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.