Good morning. In today’s edition:

• People Who Drink Cranberry Juice Are 54% Less Likely to Develop Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) | A Meta-analysis of 20 Studies Involving 3091 Participants Worldwide Confirm That Cranberries Prevent Bacteria From Adhering to the Walls of the Urinary Tract, Reducing the Risk of Infection

• Weight-loss Power of Oats Naturally Mimics Popular Obesity Drugs | Researchers Fed Mice a High-fat, High-sucrose Diet and Found 10% Beta-glucan Diets Had Significantly Less Weight Gain, Showing Beneficial Metabolic Functions That GLP-1 Agonists Like Ozempic Do, Without the Price Tag or Side-effects

• Cancer Cells Pretend to Be ‘Super Fit’ to Outsmart Normal Cells and Invade the Body. ‘Cheating’ Cancer Cells Develop the Ability to Hijack the Body’s Natural ‘Cell Competition’ Process, Which Ensures That Substandard Cells Do Not Accumulate but Instead Are Killed and Removed

• Shorter Sleep and Later Bedtimes Are Linked to Potentially Harmful Functional Changes to Parts of the Brain Important for Coping With Stress and Controlling Negative Emotions, and Poorer Kids Are More at Risk

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

People Who Drink Cranberry Juice Are 54% Less Likely to Develop Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) | A Meta-analysis of 20 Studies Involving 3091 Participants Worldwide Confirm That Cranberries Prevent Bacteria From Adhering to the Walls of the Urinary Tract, Reducing the Risk of Infection

A study by Bond University shows that cranberry juice can lower the risk of UTIs. This meta-analysis combined data from 20 studies with 3,091 participants worldwide. It found that drinking cranberry juice lowers UTI risk by 54%.

Cranberries may have compounds that stop bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract. This study confirms that cranberry juice prevents UTIs. It also reduces the need for antibiotics by 59%. This is a vital discovery, especially as antibiotic resistance becomes an increasing concern.

Dr. Christian Moro of Bond University emphasizes the importance of this finding. "Over half of women will get UTIs in their lifetime. Antibiotics are the main treatment." With cranberry juice proving effective, it offers a simple, drug-free option for managing UTIs,” he explains.

The analysis, done with the University of Oxford and University of Helsinki, noted that drinking more water or taking cranberry tablets helps. But, cranberry juice is best. This is particularly relevant for older adults, as about 50% of women and 20% of men are likely to experience a UTI in their lifetime.

This study makes a strong case for cranberry juice. It may help prevent urinary tract infections. This is especially for those seeking natural remedies.

Source: scimex.org

WEIGHT LOSS

Weight-loss Power of Oats Naturally Mimics Popular Obesity Drugs | Researchers Fed Mice a High-fat, High-sucrose Diet and Found 10% Beta-glucan Diets Had Significantly Less Weight Gain, Showing Beneficial Metabolic Functions That GLP-1 Agonists Like Ozempic Do, Without the Price Tag or Side-effects

Oats are more than just a simple breakfast choice. Recent studies show that they can fight obesity just like some expensive weight loss drugs, but without the high cost or side effects. The secret? A type of fiber in oats called beta-glucan.

For a long time, we've known fiber is good for a healthy gut. But not all fibers are the same. Beta-glucan, which you can find a lot of in oats, is special because it helps with weight loss similar to certain drugs like Ozempic.

A team led by Associate Professor Frank Duca at the University of Arizona focused on how different fibers affect our gut health and weight. They found something interesting with beta-glucan. Mice that ate a diet with 10% beta-glucan gained much less weight and fat than others, even though they all ate a lot of fat and sugar.

Beta-glucan works by improving the good bacteria in our gut and increasing a molecule called butyrate. Butyrate helps release hormones that make us feel full, much like some obesity drugs do, but it happens naturally with beta-glucan.

Beta-glucan not only helps keep weight off but also makes insulin work better and stabilizes blood sugar levels after meals. Oats and barley have a lot of beta-glucan, so adding them to your diet might be a simple way to stay healthy and control weight. Scientists like Duca are excited about making fibers even better for our health in the future.

Source: newatlas.com

HEALTH

Cancer Cells Pretend to Be ‘Super Fit’ to Outsmart Normal Cells and Invade the Body. ‘Cheating’ Cancer Cells Develop the Ability to Hijack the Body’s Natural ‘Cell Competition’ Process, Which Ensures That Substandard Cells Do Not Accumulate but Instead Are Killed and Removed

Researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research in London have found out that cancer cells can trick the healthy cells around them. Normally, our bodies have a system that makes sure only the strongest cells survive. This helps keep our tissues healthy. But cancer cells can cheat this system.

Cancer cells produce a lot of a substance called glutamate, making them look very strong and healthy. This tricks other normal cells into giving their nutrients to the cancer cells, helping them grow and spread to other parts of the body.

This cheating can make some cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy. It makes the disease harder to treat. Understanding this trick can help scientists come up with new ways to fight cancer.

The study was mainly supported by Breast Cancer Now and was done at the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre. The researchers believe that knowing more about how cancer cells cheat can lead to better treatments. These new treatments could stop cancer from growing and resisting treatment. They could help people live longer, healthier lives.

This discovery is important. It shows how cancer cells act like bullies. They take over and survive by fooling other cells. It’s crucial for scientists to keep studying this so they can find new ways to beat cancer and develop treatments that can stop these tricky cells.

Source: icr.ac.uk

Shorter Sleep and Later Bedtimes Are Linked to Potentially Harmful Functional Changes to Parts of the Brain Important for Coping With Stress and Controlling Negative Emotions, and Poorer Kids Are More at Risk

Recent research shows that lack of sleep can harm parts of the brain. These parts help us handle stress and emotions. This problem is more serious for children from poorer families.

The study involved 94 kids aged 5 to 9 from different financial backgrounds in New York. Kids from families with less money generally slept less and went to bed later. This was linked to smaller amygdalae, which process emotions. It also linked to weaker connections to other emotional brain areas. This issue was seen even in kids as young as five.

Not sleeping enough can lead to mental health problems and trouble in school. Since the brain grows quickly during childhood, poor sleep can affect a child for a long time.

The research shows we must help families. They need resources to give their kids a stable, sleep-friendly environment. Providing more money to families that need it could help children's mental health and school performance.

The study also points out that poor sleep in kids might be due to hard family situations, uncomfortable sleeping places, or noisy and bright neighborhoods.

Future research should focus on improving sleep from a younger age. Helping families financially might be key to improving kids' sleep health, brain growth, and emotional well-being.

Source: colostate.edu

✢ 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.