Good morning. In today’s edition:

• Broccoli Sprouts Have Been Discovered to Contain Seven Times More Polysulfides Than Mature Broccoli. Higher Intakes of Cruciferous Vegetables Like Broccoli Are Associated With Reduced Risks of Diseases Such as Diabetes and Cancer.

• Should Insurance Cover Wegovy, Ozempic, and Other New Weight-loss Drugs?

• Individuals With ADHD Who Are Evening Types Are More Likely to Have Depressive Symptoms

• 10-second Voice Test Shown to Detect Type 2 Diabetes | Currently, if Someone Wants to See if They Have Type 2 Diabetes, They Have to Travel to a Clinic for Blood Tests and Then Wait for Results

…and lots more. Have a great day!

FOOD & NUTRITION

Broccoli Sprouts Have Been Discovered to Contain Seven Times More Polysulfides Than Mature Broccoli. Higher Intakes of Cruciferous Vegetables Like Broccoli Are Associated With Reduced Risks of Diseases Such as Diabetes and Cancer

Here's something cool about broccoli sprouts! These little greens in your salad are not just tasty, they're super healthy. Scientists found out that broccoli sprouts have way more of a special thing called polysulfides than regular broccoli.

Polysulfides are natural stuff in plants. They're like health heroes, fighting off diseases. Eating more broccoli or its sprouts can help keep away big health problems like diabetes and cancer.

Here’s a fun fact: as broccoli grows from a small sprout to a big veggie, the amount of these good polysulfides increases a lot. This means that when broccoli is still a sprout, it's packed with these helpful things.

These polysulfides are great at keeping our body in balance and protecting our cells. This stops damage that can cause diseases. Broccoli sprouts have two main types of these compounds, named CysS2H and CysS3H.

There's more! Broccoli sprouts have a special version of something called sulforaphane. It's already known to be good for our health, but the type in the sprouts is even better at protecting our bodies.

So, what's the takeaway? Adding broccoli sprouts to our diet is a yummy and easy way to help our bodies stay strong and healthy, especially as we get older. Let's make sure to include these tiny, powerful greens in our meals!

Source: sciencedirect.com

WEIGHT LOSS

Should Insurance Cover Wegovy, Ozempic, and Other New Weight-loss Drugs?

Imagine someone like Pamela Torres. She was a great runner but gained weight after an injury and developed diabetes. At 68, she tried Ozempic, a diabetes drug, and lost a lot of weight. However, when her insurance stopped covering it, she regained the weight.

Now, there are medicines like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro that help people lose weight. They have something called semaglutide in them. This ingredient is really good at helping with weight loss and might also help stop heart diseases.

But these medicines are super expensive, like $1,000 every month, and most health insurance doesn’t pay for them. Since 2003, Medicare hasn’t paid for weight-loss medicines because some old ones weren’t safe.

Things might be changing, though. Studies found that semaglutide doesn't just help lose weight; it also lowers the chance of getting heart problems. This might make insurance companies think about covering these drugs. Congress is also looking at whether Medicare should help pay for them.

These drugs make you feel less hungry, but they can sometimes make you feel sick, especially if you are older.

A survey showed that lots of adults would try a weight-loss drug if it was safe and their insurance covered it. Even though these drugs cost a lot, they could save money later by making people healthier.

So, the big question is, should insurance cover these new weight-loss drugs? This is really important and could affect lots of people, especially those who are older.

Source: scientificamerican.com

HEALTH

Individuals With ADHD Who Are Evening Types Are More Likely to Have Depressive Symptoms

Do you know someone with ADHD who likes to stay up late? A new study says these night owls might feel more down than others.

ADHD makes it hard to focus, sit still, and not act on impulse. It often begins in childhood but can continue into adulthood. Researchers found that people with ADHD who stay awake late, or "evening types," often feel sadder.

Our bodies have internal clocks, called circadian rhythms. These clocks tell us when to sleep, wake up, and do other daily activities. Some people are morning types, feeling awake and active early. Others, evening types, are more awake and active at night. This study discovered that many with ADHD tend to be evening types.

Over 4,000 college students took part in the study. They answered questions about their sleeping habits, ADHD symptoms, and feelings. About 14% showed signs of ADHD. Some had trouble paying attention, others were hyperactive, and a few had both problems.

The study showed that students with more attention problems often stayed up late. These night owls also felt more down, especially those with ADHD.

This research helps us understand how ADHD, our body clocks, and our feelings are linked. But it's not perfect. The study only used what the students said about themselves, not doctor check-ups. And it doesn't prove that staying up late with ADHD will always make someone feel down. Still, it gives us good ideas about these connections.

Source: psypost.org

10-second Voice Test Shown to Detect Type 2 Diabetes | Currently, if Someone Wants to See if They Have Type 2 Diabetes, They Have to Travel to a Clinic for Blood Tests and Then Wait for Results

Scientists have discovered something cool: a 10-second recording of your voice on a smartphone might soon tell you if you have type 2 diabetes. This is way easier than going to a doctor and getting blood tests.

The study, done by Klick Labs, involved 267 people, some with diabetes and some without. They spoke into their phones a few times every day for two weeks. The researchers then used a special computer program to listen to these recordings. They found that people with diabetes sounded a bit different, but it's so small that we can't hear it – only the computer can.

This computer program is really smart. It doesn’t just listen to the voice; it also looks at things like how old you are and how much you weigh. It turned out to be really good at figuring out who had diabetes, almost as good as the regular blood sugar tests.

This new way could make checking for diabetes much simpler. You wouldn't need to go to the doctor or wait for test results. Just talk into your phone, and you'll know quickly!

Jaycee Kaufman, a scientist who worked on the study, thinks this voice test could be a big help. It can save time and money and make things easier for everyone. The team wants to keep improving this test and try it on more people to see how well it works.

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.