04/29/24 - #118

Good morning. In today’s edition:

  • Swapping Red Meat for ‘Forage Fish’ (Such as Herring, Sardines, and Anchovies) Could Save Up to 750,000 Lives a Year in 2050 and Significantly Reduce the Deaths From Coronary Heart Disease in Particular, Most of Which Are Concentrated in Low and Middle-Income Countries

  • How Effective is Walking for Weight Loss?

  • The Number of Women Using Abortion Pills to End Their Pregnancies on Their Own Without the Direct Involvement of a U.S.-based Medical Provider Rose Sharply in the Months After the Supreme Court Eliminated a Constitutional Right to Abortion

  • Rise and Grind? Working Late, Volatile Hours May Lead to Depression, Illness by 50

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

Swapping Red Meat for ‘Forage Fish’ (Such as Herring, Sardines, and Anchovies) Could Save Up to 750,000 Lives a Year in 2050 and Significantly Reduce the Deaths From Coronary Heart Disease in Particular, Most of Which Are Concentrated in Low and Middle-Income Countries

Eating less red meat and more small fish like herring, sardines, and anchovies could save up to 750,000 lives each year by 2050. This change could be especially good for people in countries where money is tight, as these fish are cheap and easy to find there.

Forage fish are full of good fats called omega-3s, which are great for the heart. They also have lots of calcium and vitamin B12 and are better for the environment than other meats. Sadly, a lot of these fish are not eaten by people. Instead, they're turned into fishmeal and oil. This is mostly for fish farms that serve rich countries.

Researchers looked at different ways to use these fish for food. They think that helping places where not many people eat fish could make the biggest health difference. This could mean fewer people dying from heart problems, diabetes, and some cancers.

Countries that don’t have their own seafood might need more trade to get these fish. But, there are challenges like overfishing and climate change that could make it hard for everyone to benefit from eating forage fish.

Experts suggest that governments should try to make these fish more available to poor people. They should also use better, sustainable fish farm food. Teaching people about the health and planet benefits of eating forage fish, not red meat, could also encourage them to change their diets.

WEIGHT LOSS

How Effective is Walking for Weight Loss?

Many people think walking is too simple to be important. However, walking is great for losing weight and staying healthy.

First, walking can make you feel less stressed. Just 20 minutes of walking can lower your stress hormone, cortisol. This not only makes you calmer but also helps you think better. When you’re not stressed, your brain can come up with great ideas and solutions more easily.

Walking also boosts your mood and fights feelings of anxiety and sadness. It makes the parts of your cells that create energy work better, which can help keep you from getting sick. Another cool benefit is that walking can increase the good bacteria in your stomach, which helps your immune system and makes you feel more energetic.

Walking is especially good for people with sugar problems like diabetes because it makes your body better at handling insulin. This means your blood sugar levels stay more balanced.

Besides these benefits, walking helps your body get the right amount of oxygen. It’s different from hard workouts that make you breathe too much. Walking helps you breathe in a way that gets more oxygen to your tissues.

Finally, walking can make your bones stronger, lower inflammation, and even improve your eyesight by helping your eyes and brain get more oxygen.

So, walking is not just a simple activity. It has many benefits that can help you lose weight and feel great. Next time you think about skipping your walk, remember all the good it does!

HEALTH

The Number of Women Using Abortion Pills to End Their Pregnancies on Their Own Without the Direct Involvement of a U.S.-based Medical Provider Rose Sharply in the Months After the Supreme Court Eliminated a Constitutional Right to Abortion

After the Supreme Court ended a long-standing right to abortion, more women are choosing to end their pregnancies on their own. They do this using special pills. A new study looked at the months after this big change. It found a big increase in women doing their own abortions without direct help from doctors in the U.S.

From July to December 2022, use of these pills increased by nearly 28,000. This was more than expected before the court's decision. This shows that many are finding ways to get these pills outside regular healthcare services. These pills are often gotten from online groups or other places that are not typical doctor's offices.

This big increase points out that, despite new laws making it harder to get an abortion, many are still finding ways to care for their health. It also suggests that doctors and other healthcare workers need to be ready to help those who have chosen this method.

The study shows how important it is to track how women manage their healthcare. This is especially vital with new laws changing access to abortion. As laws continue to change, the way people get and use abortion pills will likely keep affecting women's health care in the U.S.

Rise and Grind? Working Late, Volatile Hours May Lead to Depression, Illness by 50

Working late nights and changing work hours often when you're young could lead to serious health problems and depression by age 50, a new study suggests.

This research tracked over 7,000 Americans from when they were 22 until they were 50. It was led by Wen-Jui Han, a professor at NYU. The study found that only about 25% of the people had regular daytime jobs their entire careers. The others worked irregular hours, including night shifts, which led to less sleep and more health issues later in life.

Han pointed out that work is supposed to help us build resources, but many people end up feeling worse over time. She highlighted how such demanding jobs can leave individuals both physically tired and emotionally drained.

The study showed that irregular work hours especially affected Black people and those with less education. This led to greater health gaps. For example, Black women switched to irregular hours in their 30s. They were much more likely to have health problems than white men with stable day jobs.

Lack of sleep, crucial for good health, often suffers under these conditions. The CDC has linked not sleeping enough to serious illnesses. These include diabetes and heart disease. These illnesses are more common in minority communities.

The findings urge a reevaluation of work schedules. They should promote better health over time. This is key, since these issues start young.

✢ 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.