08/22/24 - #201

Good morning. In today’s edition:

  • A Study of More Than 400,000 People Tracked for Up to 24 Years Finds That Those Who Got Their Dietary Fat From Plants Versus Animals Had Significantly Lower Odds of Dying During the Study Period. Fats From Dairy Products and Eggs Were the Most Harmful

  • What Are Your Top Motivations for Losing Weight?

  • Pregnancy Drug Restores Youthful Function to Clean Up Aging Brains | A Drug Used to Induce Labor During Pregnancy Shows to Reactivate Waste-clearing Pumps in the Brains of Old Mice. This Could Hold Promise to Fight Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases and Overall Cognitive Decline

  • Eating Specific Type of Meat Could Be Linked to Diabetes, Experts Warn

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

A Study of More Than 400,000 People Tracked for Up to 24 Years Finds That Those Who Got Their Dietary Fat From Plants Versus Animals Had Significantly Lower Odds of Dying During the Study Period. Fats From Dairy Products and Eggs Were the Most Harmful

A big study followed over 400,000 adults for up to 24 years. The results were clear: people who ate more plant fats, from grains and vegetable oils, lived longer than those who ate animal fats, from meat, cheese, dairy, and eggs.

Those who got most of their fats from grains had an 8% lower chance of dying from any cause and were 14% less likely to die from heart problems. People who ate a lot of vegetable oils had a 12% lower risk of dying from any cause and a 15% lower chance of dying from heart issues.

On the other hand, fats from dairy and eggs were linked to higher risks of death. People who ate a lot of dairy fats were 9% more likely to die early, and those who ate a lot of egg fats had a 13% higher chance of dying early, especially from heart problems.

Experts suggest eating more plant-based fats and less animal fats. Plant fats help manage cholesterol better and keep your heart healthy. They recommend eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and healthy oils like olive oil.

If you do eat animal products, choose lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Eating less red meat and processed foods can help you stay healthy longer.

In summary, choosing plant fats over animal fats could help you live a longer, healthier life.

WEIGHT LOSS

What Are Your Top Motivations for Losing Weight?

Losing weight is tough, and getting started needs motivation. Here are some common reasons why people choose to lose weight.

The top reason is to look better in their clothes. It sounds simple, but it's a big deal for many. Next, people want to live longer to spend more time with their grandkids. Others want to feel healthier overall and lower their chances of getting serious health problems like diabetes or heart disease.

Some people find it hard to get up from sitting or kneeling because their weight hurts their knees. Also, losing weight can help reduce the need for medications, which is a big motivator.

For example, one woman didn't realize how much weight she had gained until she saw her large shadow on the sidewalk and thought it was someone else. This was her wake-up call. Another woman gained weight to avoid attention. But, it caused health problems, like high blood pressure and diabetes. So, she decided to lose the weight.

While exercise is important, what you eat is even more crucial—it makes up about 85% of weight loss success. If changing your diet sounds hard, starting with something like intermittent fasting can help.

Finding what personally motivates you is key to starting your journey toward a healthier life.

HEALTH

Pregnancy Drug Restores Youthful Function to Clean Up Aging Brains | A Drug Used to Induce Labor During Pregnancy Shows to Reactivate Waste-clearing Pumps in the Brains of Old Mice. This Could Hold Promise to Fight Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases and Overall Cognitive Decline

A drug often used to help during childbirth might also help older brains stay healthy. Research on mice shows that this drug can kick-start a cleaning system in the brain. This is exciting because it might lead to new ways to treat Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other brain problems that happen as we get older.

Our brains create proteins when they work hard. These proteins need to be cleaned out regularly to keep the brain working right. If they pile up, they can cause problems, such as the tangles found in Alzheimer's disease or the clumps seen in Parkinson's disease.

In 2012, a scientist named Maiken Nedergaard discovered the brain's cleaning system, called the glymphatic system. It uses a special fluid to wash away waste. She found that small pumps in the neck, called lymphangions, help move this dirty fluid out of the brain.

As mice get older, these pumps don't work as well. But when the researchers used the childbirth drug on old mice, the pumps started working like they were young again. This cleaned the brain better.

If this works in people, it could be a big deal. It could help us find new ways to treat diseases that make it hard for older adults to think and remember. "These vessels are easy to reach and very important, and now we know how to make them work better," said Douglas Kelley, one of the researchers. This drug could be part of new treatments for brain diseases in the future.

Eating Specific Type of Meat Could Be Linked to Diabetes, Experts Warn

If you love eating red meat like steak and burgers, you might want to think twice. Harvard scientists have found a worrying link between red meat and a higher chance of getting type two diabetes. Their research looked at what over 200,000 people ate over 36 years, focusing on 'heme iron'—a type of iron found a lot in red meat.

Heme iron helps our bodies but also has a downside. The study showed that people who ate the most heme iron had a 26% higher risk of developing diabetes than those who ate the least.

Frank Hu, the lead researcher, suggests that cutting down on red meat and eating more plant-based foods might help prevent diabetes. Plant foods contain 'non-heme iron', which doesn’t increase the risk of diabetes like heme iron does.

Type two diabetes affects how your body handles sugar and can make you feel very thirsty, tired, and need to go to the bathroom a lot. Sometimes, it doesn’t cause any symptoms but can still lead to serious problems like dementia.

The good news? You can lower your risk by eating more beans, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits instead of red meat. These findings are important, but scientists say we need more research to understand everything fully. For now, adding more plants to your meals is a smart move.

✢ 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.