05/27/25 - #399

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Good morning. In today’s edition:

  • Even a Few Meals High in Saturated Fats Can Cause Inflammation in the Body, With Physical Symptoms Potentially Taking Years to Appear. Researchers Were Able to Detect Changes to Gut Health in Mice Even After a Few High-fat Meals, Despite Lacking Visible Symptoms of Inflammation, Such as Weight Gain

  • 100 lbs Down, What’s Worked for Me

  • The Texas County Where ‘Everybody Has Somebody in Their Family’ With Dementia

  • Yes, Social Media Might Be Making Kids Depressed | Depression Symptoms Jumped 35% as Kids’ Average Social Media Use Rose From Seven to 73 Minutes Daily Over a Three-year Period

…and lots more. Have a great day!

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FOOD & NUTRITION

Even a Few Meals High in Saturated Fats Can Cause Inflammation in the Body, With Physical Symptoms Potentially Taking Years to Appear. Researchers Were Able to Detect Changes to Gut Health in Mice Even After a Few High-fat Meals, Despite Lacking Visible Symptoms of Inflammation, Such as Weight Gain

A new study shows that eating just a few high-fat meals can cause hidden inflammation in your body. This can happen even if you don’t gain weight or feel sick right away.

Researchers found that fatty foods—like burgers, fries, and other fast food—can quickly weaken the gut’s natural defenses. The study, done in mice, showed that inflammation started after only two days of eating meals high in saturated fat.

Dr. Cyril Seillet, one of the lead researchers, said that every meal affects your gut. Saturated fats lower a helpful protein called IL-22. This protein protects your gut from damage. Without it, the gut becomes weaker and more likely to get inflamed.

Even though the mice still looked healthy, their gut was already not working right. That means gut problems can start long before any symptoms appear.

On the other hand, healthy fats—like those found in nuts, avocados, and olive oil—help increase IL-22. These fats may protect the gut and lower the risk of long-term health problems.

The good news is that the researchers were able to restore gut health by raising IL-22 levels. Now, they hope to find natural ways to do this in people, such as through better diets.

This study is an early warning: eating too many high-fat foods may silently harm your body over time. Choosing healthy fats and eating balanced meals can help protect your gut and prevent disease in the future.

WEIGHT LOSS

100 lbs Down, What’s Worked for Me

A doctor in her 50s lost 100 pounds after years of struggling with weight. The change came when she stopped extreme diets and focused on finding what was really causing the weight gain.

In her 30s, she gained weight while working a stressful job and caring for a child with special needs. Dieting and heavy exercise didn’t help long-term. Later, she removed sugar, gluten, and dairy from her meals. She also learned how to keep her blood sugar steady. That helped the weight start to come off.

Losing weight in midlife can be harder. Hormone changes, thyroid problems, food sensitivities, and poor gut health can all get in the way. This doctor found hidden health issues that normal tests had missed. Years of antibiotics had damaged her gut, so she worked on healing it. She also took supplements to support hormones like insulin and leptin.

Switching from mostly cardio to weight training helped build strength and shape her body. Lifting weights became a key part of her routine.

She also changed how she thought about herself. Instead of focusing on losing weight, she started thinking of herself as someone who lives a healthy life. That shift helped make the changes stick.

Many women over 45 try hard and still gain weight. The advice to "eat less and exercise more" doesn’t always work. Finding the root causes—like hormone or gut issues—can make all the difference.

Today, she helps others heal their bodies and reach their health goals.

HEALTH

The Texas County Where ‘Everybody Has Somebody in Their Family’ With Dementia

In Starr County, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border, many families are affected by dementia. In fact, about one in five adults on Medicare in the county has the disease—more than twice the national rate. As one expert said, “Everybody has somebody in their family” with dementia.

Jessica Cantú’s father, Tomas, was one of them. He made her promise never to put him in a nursing home. She kept that promise. As his memory faded, Tomas stuck to his daily habits. He played with his 19 grandkids, preached at church, gave food to neighbors, fed his chickens, and enjoyed his favorite meals—like enchiladas and pineapple upside-down cake.

Dementia runs in Jessica’s family. Two of her dad’s siblings had it, and her grandmother did too. Jessica believes more relatives may have had it if they had lived longer.

After Tomas passed away, Jessica became a nurse practitioner at El Faro Health and Therapeutics, the county’s first private center focused on Alzheimer’s disease. Patients often ask her why so many people in the area have dementia. But even with her medical training, she doesn’t have an answer. “I don’t know what it is that’s causing all of this,” she says.

Doctors and scientists are still trying to understand why dementia is so common in Starr County. Until then, families like Jessica’s continue to care for their loved ones at home, showing love and strength every step of the way.

Yes, Social Media Might Be Making Kids Depressed | Depression Symptoms Jumped 35% as Kids’ Average Social Media Use Rose From Seven to 73 Minutes Daily Over a Three-year Period

A new study from UC San Francisco shows that more time on social media may be linked to more depression in kids. Researchers followed nearly 12,000 children from ages 9 to 13. Over three years, kids’ daily social media use grew from 7 minutes to 73 minutes. During that time, signs of depression increased by 35%.

The study found that as kids spent more time online, they showed more signs of depression. But kids who felt more depressed did not start using social media more. This suggests social media may be part of what’s causing the problem.

Dr. Jason Nagata, who led the study, said social media can lead to problems like cyberbullying and sleep loss. In a related study, kids who were bullied online were 2.6 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts the next year. They were also more likely to try drugs like marijuana, nicotine, and alcohol.

Even though social media has risks, it’s also how many kids connect with friends. That’s why experts suggest making a family plan. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers tools to help families build healthy habits.

“As a dad, I know telling kids to ‘get off your phone’ doesn’t work,” said Dr. Nagata. “Parents can lead by setting screen-free times for everyone, like during dinner or before bed. Talking openly helps too.”

Healthy screen use starts with parents.

✢ 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.