03/21/24 - #92

Good morning. In today’s edition:

  • Drinking Boiled Tap Water Could Significantly Reduce Exposure to Nano- and Microplastics, a New Study Suggests. Researchers Found That Boiling Hard Water Can Cause the Plastics to Co-precipitate Out of the Water With Calcium Carbonate, Becoming Trapped in Limescale Deposits That Form

  • This is Why Walking is My Favorite Exercise for Weight Loss

  • Nicotine E-cigarettes Are More Effective in Helping People Quit Smoking Than Conventional Nicotine-replacement Therapy (NRT), According to the Latest Review of 88 Studies (From US, UK, Italy) and More Than 27,235 Participants

  • Healthy Sleep Needs a Healthy Day: Study Found That Children and Adults With Higher Levels of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity During the Day Had Less Troubled Sleep, Reduced Tiredness, and Better Sleep Quality

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

Drinking Boiled Tap Water Could Significantly Reduce Exposure to Nano- and Microplastics, a New Study Suggests. Researchers Found That Boiling Hard Water Can Cause the Plastics to Co-precipitate Out of the Water With Calcium Carbonate, Becoming Trapped in Limescale Deposits That Form

Are you over 45 and worried about tiny plastic bits in your water? Good news! Scientists in China discovered boiling water helps trap these plastics in the scaly stuff that forms inside kettles.

Here’s the scoop: When you boil water, the heat makes the tiny plastic particles stick to the limescale—that hard, crusty layer in your kettle. This study, from two universities in China, suggests boiling water might be a simple solution to a big problem.

Microplastics are small pieces of plastic that end up in water, and we’re still learning about how they affect our health. They could stick around in our bodies and might cause gut issues. Cleaning our water of these plastics is hard and sometimes expensive. But, boiling water, a practice some people have done for years because they think it’s healthy, could help us avoid these plastics cheaply.

The researchers found that boiling "hard" water (which has lots of minerals like calcium) can remove about 84% to 90% of microplastics. Even "soft" water (with less calcium) saw a 25% reduction in plastics after boiling.

So, if you’re concerned about your water, try boiling it. It’s an easy step that could make a big difference in reducing microplastics. This is especially good news for different places with varying water qualities. This research points to a new, simple way to keep our water cleaner and our health in check.

WEIGHT LOSS

This is Why Walking is My Favorite Exercise for Weight Loss

Walking might seem simple, but it's amazing for losing weight, especially if you're 45 or older. Let's explore why walking is much more than just a basic activity.

First, walking helps you feel less stressed. It lowers cortisol, a stress hormone, which means you're less likely to feel anxious, sad, or have trouble sleeping. Feeling less stressed can also help you avoid eating too much junk food.

But there's more! Walking is great for your health. It makes your joints feel better, fights off pain naturally, and reduces swelling. Plus, after walking for about 30 minutes, you start burning off fat.

Walking is also great as you get older. It helps your bones stay strong, keeps your feet healthy, and helps your hips, back, and neck stay in shape. It even helps your body get rid of toxins and can make back pain go away.

Additionally, walking is good for your heart, helps your brain get more oxygen, and helps clean out waste from your cells. Basically, it keeps your whole body working well.

Don't forget about walking when you're planning how to stay healthy. It might be easy to do, but it's very powerful for keeping your body healthy and helping you lose weight. When you mix walking with eating right and fasting sometimes, you've got a great plan for staying fit. Walking is not only easy to start; it's also a great way to keep healthy for a long time.

HEALTH

Nicotine E-cigarettes Are More Effective in Helping People Quit Smoking Than Conventional Nicotine-replacement Therapy (NRT), According to the Latest Review of 88 Studies (From US, UK, Italy) and More Than 27,235 Participants

Trying to quit smoking but finding it tough? Good news! Research says that e-cigarettes might help more than the usual patches or gum. This comes from a big study of 88 research projects with over 27,000 people from the US, UK, and Italy.

E-cigarettes let you breathe in nicotine through a vapor, not smoke. This seems to help people stop smoking better. Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, a researcher, says this is great news. In places like England, doctors already suggest e-cigarettes to help quit smoking.

The study found that if 100 people used e-cigarettes to quit, about 8 to 10 would succeed. This is more than the 6 out of 100 people who might quit with patches or gum.

However, e-cigarettes are not totally safe. They're less harmful than smoking but should only be used by people trying to quit. They're not for people who've never smoked.

Experts say it's about choosing the less harmful option for those who really can't quit smoking any other way. E-cigarettes should not be used by non-smokers. They're meant to help smokers quit, not start a new habit.

This research is important for health policies. It shows e-cigarettes could be another tool to help smokers quit. While not officially approved as a quitting aid, this evidence might change how we think about helping smokers quit for good.

Healthy Sleep Needs a Healthy Day: Study Found That Children and Adults With Higher Levels of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity During the Day Had Less Troubled Sleep, Reduced Tiredness, and Better Sleep Quality

Good sleep is something we all want, but it can be hard to get. Sometimes, bad sleep can even make us sick. But there's hope! A new study from the University of South Australia found a simple tip for better sleep: be more active during the day.

The study looked at over 1,000 kids around 12 years old and their parents, mostly moms aged 44. It found that doing things like running, playing sports, or even a brisk walk can help you and your kids sleep better at night. This means less tossing and turning, feeling more rested when you wake up, and having more energy during the day.

Adults should try to get about eight hours of sleep, and kids need 8-11 hours to be healthy.*

Dr. Lisa Matricciani, who worked on the study, says understanding how to sleep well is very important for our health. She found that not just the things we do right before bed matter, but also how active we are during the day.

Being active doesn't just mean less trouble sleeping. It also means better quality sleep. Just trying to sleep more without being active might not help and can even make sleep worse.

So, if you're looking for a way to sleep better, think about moving more during your day. It's a simple change that could make a big difference in how well you sleep.

✢ 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.