08/25/25 - #463

Good morning. In today’s edition:

• Not Drinking Enough Water Floods Your Body With Harmful Stress Hormones. Adults Who Habitually Drink Less Fluid Mount a Far Stronger Cortisol Response to Stressful Situations Than Those Who Drink Plenty – Even When Other Factors, Like Elevated Heart Rate and Feelings of Anxiety, Remained Uniform

• Eating Minimally Processed Meals Doubles Weight Loss Even When Ultraprocessed Foods Are Healthy, Study Finds

• Treating Chronic Lower Back Pain With Gabapentin, a Popular Opioid-alternative Painkiller, Increases Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. This Risk is Highest Among Those 35 to 64, Who Are Twice as Likely to Develop Alzheimer’s

• Scientists Have Found That When the Stomach and Brain Are Synced Too Strongly, It May Signal Worse Mental Health, Linking Anxiety, Depression, and Stress to an Overactive Gut-brain Connection. The Stomach’s Connection to the Brain May Actually Be Too Strong in People Under Psychological Strain

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

Not Drinking Enough Water Floods Your Body With Harmful Stress Hormones. Adults Who Habitually Drink Less Fluid Mount a Far Stronger Cortisol Response to Stressful Situations Than Those Who Drink Plenty – Even When Other Factors, Like Elevated Heart Rate and Feelings of Anxiety, Remained Uniform

If you often feel stressed, the solution may be simpler than you think: drink more water.

A new study found that people who drink less water each day have a much higher stress response than those who stay well-hydrated. Scientists in the UK looked at healthy adults and tested their reactions to a stressful situation. While everyone felt equally nervous, those who drank less water had 55% more cortisol—the body’s main stress hormone—in their saliva after the test.

Cortisol helps us deal with danger, but too much of it for too long can raise your risk of heart disease, weight gain, diabetes, and even depression. This study showed that hydration affects how much cortisol your body produces during stress, even when other factors like heart rate and anxiety are the same.

The reason? When you're dehydrated, your body produces more of a hormone called vasopressin. This hormone helps your kidneys save water—but it also tells your brain to send out more stress hormones.

In short, if your body senses it’s low on water, it goes into overdrive.

Experts recommend about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of water per day for men and 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) for women. You may need more in hot weather or if you’re active.

So if you’ve got a busy day ahead—or just want to feel calmer—fill up that water bottle. Your body (and your brain) will thank you.

Source: newatlas.com

WEIGHT LOSS

Eating Minimally Processed Meals Doubles Weight Loss Even When Ultraprocessed Foods Are Healthy, Study Finds

A new study found that people lost twice as much weight eating meals made from whole foods at home compared to eating store-bought processed meals—even when both diets were considered healthy.

The study followed 55 overweight adults in the U.K. for 16 weeks. For eight weeks, one group ate meals like overnight oats and home-cooked spaghetti. The other group ate processed meals like frozen lasagna and snack bars. Then they switched diets.

People eating home-cooked meals lost about 2% of their body weight without trying to eat less. If followed for a year, that could mean a 13% weight loss for men and 9% for women. People on the home-cooked diet naturally ate about 290 fewer calories a day. Those on the processed diet ate 120 fewer.

Even though the processed meals were made to meet healthy food guidelines, they were still easier to overeat. Processed foods often have added sugars, fats, and chemicals that make them more appealing.

Minimally processed foods include fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk, and meat—foods close to their natural form. Ultraprocessed foods include boxed snacks, sugary drinks, frozen dinners, and many fast foods.

This study shows that even “healthy” processed foods don’t help with weight loss as much as simple, homemade meals. Choosing more whole foods may lead to better health over time.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always talk to your doctor before making diet changes.

Source: edition.cnn.com

HEALTH

Treating Chronic Lower Back Pain With Gabapentin, a Popular Opioid-alternative Painkiller, Increases Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. This Risk is Highest Among Those 35 to 64, Who Are Twice as Likely to Develop Alzheimer’s

Gabapentin is a drug often used to treat nerve pain, including long-term lower back pain. It’s seen as a safer choice than opioids. But new research shows it may raise the risk of memory loss, especially in middle-aged adults.

A large study looked at over 50,000 adults who had back pain. People who took gabapentin six or more times were 29% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia. They were also 85% more likely to have mild memory or thinking problems within 10 years.

The risk was even higher for people between the ages of 35 and 64. In this age group, those who used gabapentin were more than twice as likely to have memory or thinking issues compared to those who didn’t.

The more often people took the drug, the greater the risk. People who got 12 or more prescriptions had the highest chances of problems.

Gabapentin was first made to treat seizures. Now it’s often used for pain, even though there’s not a lot of proof it works well for that. Some earlier studies said it causes brain fog or slow thinking. Others did not find a problem. This new study adds to concerns.

Doctors are urged to keep an eye on memory and thinking in patients taking gabapentin. Patients should tell their doctor if they notice confusion, poor memory, or slower thinking.

Disclaimer: This article is for information only. Always talk to your doctor before stopping or changing medicine.

Source: psypost.org

Scientists Have Found That When the Stomach and Brain Are Synced Too Strongly, It May Signal Worse Mental Health, Linking Anxiety, Depression, and Stress to an Overactive Gut-brain Connection. The Stomach’s Connection to the Brain May Actually Be Too Strong in People Under Psychological Strain

Your gut and brain talk to each other all the time. This is called the gut-brain connection. It helps control digestion, mood, and stress. But new research suggests that in some people, this connection might be too strong—and that could be a problem.

Scientists from Denmark studied 243 people with different mental health profiles, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, and insomnia. They used tools to measure the stomach’s natural electrical rhythm and brain activity while people were resting. Then they looked at how tightly these rhythms were synced.

Surprisingly, they found that a stronger stomach-brain connection was linked to worse mental health. People with high levels of anxiety, stress, and fatigue had more gut-brain synchrony. On the other hand, weaker connections were tied to better mood and overall well-being.

This might sound strange. We often think stronger body-brain communication is a good thing. But researchers say that in people under stress, the stomach may be “over-talking” to the brain—making things worse.

Right now, scientists don’t know if this strong connection causes mental health problems or just reflects them. But they believe that future treatments could focus on calming this connection, possibly using gentle nerve stimulation or medication.

This study shows that mental health isn’t just in your head. It may also live in your gut.

Disclaimer: This article is for information only. It is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about your mental or digestive health.

Source: newatlas.com

✢ 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.