10/07/24 - #233

Good morning. In today’s edition:

  • Thousands of Toxins From Food Packaging Found in Humans. The Chemicals Have Been Found in Human Blood, Hair or Breast Milk. Among Them Are Compounds Known to Be Highly Toxic, Like PFAS, Bisphenol, Metals, Phthalates, and Volatile Organic Compounds

  • Alarming Surge: Global Crisis of Childhood Overweight and Obesity. Since 1990, the Rise in Childhood Overweight and Obesity Has Surged Across Every Continent, Almost Doubling in Prevalence. While the United States Has the Highest Prevalence, Other Nations Are Not Far Behind

  • After US Abortion Rights Were Curtailed, More Women Are Opting for Sterilisation. Tubal Sterilisations (Having Tubes Tied) Increased in All States Following the 2022 US Supreme Court Decision That Overturned the Federal Constitutional Right to Abortion (Nearly 5 Million Women)

  • Study Links Bananas, Oats, and Yogurt to Greater Diabetes Risk in Susceptible Children | Wheat Also Raised Risk of Type 1 Diabetes in Study of Finnish Children, While Berries and Some Green Vegetables Lowered It

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

Thousands of Toxins From Food Packaging Found in Humans. The Chemicals Have Been Found in Human Blood, Hair or Breast Milk. Among Them Are Compounds Known to Be Highly Toxic, Like PFAS, Bisphenol, Metals, Phthalates and Volatile Organic Compounds

Recent research found 3,600 food packaging chemicals in human blood, hair, and breast milk. These include very harmful chemicals like PFAS, bisphenol, and metals. PFAS are a type of chemical that doesn’t break down in the environment. Also included are phthalates and volatile organic compounds. These can cause serious health problems like cancer and hormone issues.

The study was done by the Food Packaging Forum, a group in Zurich that focuses on packaging safety. They found that some chemicals, like PFAS, are dangerous. Others haven't been studied much at all. These include certain preservatives and substances used in ink on packaging.

Food packaging is a big source of these harmful substances. They come from various other sources, too. Plastic materials, which are often not strictly regulated, are one of the main sources. These plastics can leak chemicals into food, especially when the food is hot, acidic, or oily.

In the U.S., many of these chemicals are allowed to be used in packaging with little checks because they are considered "generally regarded as safe." However, once a chemical is approved, it’s rarely re-evaluated, even if new research shows it's harmful.

To reduce exposure, the study suggests using glass containers instead of plastic or metal. Avoiding these chemicals is hard. We need better laws to control them in our packaging.

WEIGHT LOSS

Alarming Surge: Global Crisis of Childhood Overweight and Obesity. Since 1990, the Rise in Childhood Overweight and Obesity Has Surged Across Every Continent, Almost Doubling in Prevalence. While the United States Has the Highest Prevalence, Other Nations Are Not Far Behind

Since 1990, the number of overweight and obese kids has almost doubled worldwide. The United States has the most cases, but other countries are quickly catching up.

In Southern Europe, places like Greece, Italy, and Spain see 10% to 15% of kids facing obesity. In Asia, nearly half of the overweight kids under five live there. Africa has a quarter of its young children affected. Latin America reports about 20% of kids under 20 are overweight, with many also dealing with poor nutrition.

The health effects are serious. Kids are now getting diseases like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes that used to be seen only in adults. These problems can lead to very serious adult diseases like heart attacks and strokes at younger ages than before.

One big problem is high body mass index (BMI) from a young age. In the U.S., preschoolers with a BMI over the 85th percentile are considered overweight, which can lead to obesity as teenagers.

Another issue is too much screen time. It reduces exercise and sleep, which are vital for a healthy weight.

Also, most of the diet for young Americans is made of highly processed foods, which is bad for their weight and health. Experts suggest schools should serve better food and cut out the highly processed options.

If we don't tackle these issues, we might face a global epidemic of childhood obesity with severe future consequences. It’s important for health experts to work together to turn this around.

HEALTH

After US Abortion Rights Were Curtailed, More Women Are Opting for Sterilisation. Tubal Sterilisations (Having Tubes Tied) Increased in All States Following the 2022 US Supreme Court Decision That Overturned the Federal Constitutional Right to Abortion (Nearly 5 Million Women)

In 2022, the US Supreme Court made a big decision that ended the national right to have an abortion. Since then, more women are choosing sterilization, a permanent way to avoid pregnancy by having their fallopian tubes tied.

This choice has become more common in all states, but especially in places where it's now harder to get an abortion. The study, which experts verified, included almost 5 million women. It found that in areas with the strictest abortion laws, more women are getting sterilized.

Sterilization is a big and final choice, unlike other birth control methods that you can stop using if you decide you want to have children later. The rise in sterilization shows that women want permanent solutions. They are unsure about future access to abortions.

In states where abortion is still allowed, sterilizations rose after the Supreme Court's decision. But, those numbers have not increased much since then.

This change shows how new laws can deeply affect people's health choices. Many women are now taking serious steps to control their own futures in places where the law has changed what options they have for pregnancy. Abortion rights debates are important. They affect laws and impact people's health decisions.

Study Links Bananas, Oats, and Yogurt to Greater Diabetes Risk in Susceptible Children | Wheat Also Raised Risk of Type 1 Diabetes in Study of Finnish Children, While Berries and Some Green Vegetables Lowered It

A new Finnish study shows that bananas, oats, and yogurt may raise the risk of Type 1 diabetes in genetically at-risk children. The research was done by Suvi Virtanen and her team at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. They looked at what 5,674 Finnish kids ate from when they were born until they were six years old. Out of these kids, 94 developed Type 1 diabetes.

The study found that eating wheat could be risky. But, eating berries, like strawberries and blueberries, and vegetables, like broccoli, might lower the risk. This was surprising because foods like bananas and oats are usually seen as healthy.

The researchers think some fruits might have pesticides that increase the risk. But, berries are different because they have polyphenols. These are natural compounds that might help reduce inflammation that can lead to diabetes.

The results are important because they suggest that even healthy foods might not be good for everyone. However, the scientists say that we need more studies to be sure and that parents shouldn't change their kids’ diets just yet based on this study alone.

These findings were shared at a big diabetes conference in Madrid. They remind us that what we eat can affect our health in complex ways, but more research is needed to understand these links fully.

✢ 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.