Read Online | April. 26, 2025

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“It’s not food. It’s food-like substances.”

That is how Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. described the many manufactured food products that are high in calories but low in nutritional value.

Kennedy and others have blamed the glut of tasty but vacuous foods on big tobacco companies, which entered the food industry more than 60 years ago. (Read more)

• RFK Jr. vows to seek “total transparency” at the CDC after an overhaul that started with firing all Freedom of Information Act workers.
• The FDA says it will ban two artificial food dyes and make plans to eliminate the rest but questions remain over how effective these actions will be.
• More than 50 dairy companies have pledged to remove artificial dyes from foods sold to schools by July 2026.
• NIH director says project to find causes of autism rise will take longer than Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. initially indicated.
• New study finds evidence that placebos can be more effective for depression and ADHD than conditions like panic disorder.

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🏥 Health News

Wearing overly cushioned, pillowy shoes all the time is like wearing oven mitts while chopping, mixing, and plating your food.

They help get items out of the oven, but beyond that, dull your senses, restrict movement, and make it harder to use the small muscles in your fingers and wrists.

Over-cushioned shoes do the same, stifling muscles involved in balance and coordination when walking, running, or jumping.

Our smaller foot muscles miss the opportunity to become stronger, and the brain is deprived of useful information about the terrain underfoot.

Over time, too much shoe cushioning can lead to foot and joint injuries, reduced balance, and impaired cognitive function.

Of course, some people need that extra cushioning, and some conditions call for it, but experts advise that wearing shoes with thinner soles can have several benefits. (More)

More Health News:

• At-home blood tests are getting popular as people seek a more robust picture of their health than the typical check-up provides.
• A new study links longer breastfeeding to a greater likelihood that children will reach key milestones and lower chances of allergies, asthma, and infant death.
• Artificial light and air pollution are contributing to a rise in pediatric thyroid cancer, finds a new study from Yale University.

Human cells can “hear” sound waves, potentially changing how we treat conditions like obesity, according to a new study from Kyoto University.

💤 Sleep

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How well you sleep isn’t just about how tired you may feel—it’s about how your brain regulates itself overnight. While you may have heard about the importance of “deep sleep,” there’s more to the story.

The tiny locus coeruleus (pronounced “sir-RULE-yes”), a powerhouse of stress regulation, plays a surprising role in deciding when you enter REM sleep. REM is when dreams happen, but there’s more at play. In fact, your mental health depends on this time for more than wacky, altered realities.

But if your day is filled with stress, your locus coeruleus may stand in the way, disrupting the natural rhythm of your sleep cycles. Let’s dive into the neuroscience behind this hidden sleep regulator. (More)

More Mindset:

• Social media is changing teen friendships in what one expert calls “one really big experiment.” 
• One woman shares how she recovered from 12 years of severe depressionby reading a book.
• 6 rituals help you reset and refocus throughout the day so you can get back in your flow.

🍵 Food & Nutrition

Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

Seed Oils: High Omega-6, Its Two-Fold Concern, and the Incomplete Science

When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared it was time to “make frying oil tallow again,” he reignited a debate simmering in nutrition circles for years.

The new head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has expressed concerns about seed oils, ubiquitous ingredients in processed foods, from coffee creamers to fried foods.

“Seed oils are one of the most unhealthy ingredients that we have in foods,” Kennedy said on “Fox and Friends” in August 2024.

“They’re very, very cheap, but they are associated with all kinds of very serious illnesses, including body-wide inflammation, which affects all of our health. It’s one of the worst things you could eat, and it’s almost impossible to avoid.”

What Kennedy contends goes against long-standing recommendations from nutritionists and medical associations.

The central debate about seed oil revolves around one nutrient—linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid. Your body needs this fatty acid for brain and heart function, but having too much of it may be problematic.

Research has linked higher omega-6 levels with poor health and coronary heart disease, though some experts have challenged these findings. (More)

More Nutrition:

• Citrus fruits have a unique compound that can improve blood circulation and conditions ranging from swollen ankles to memory loss.
• Yerba mate, a beverage traditionally enjoyed in South America, is packed with bioactive compounds that may support metabolism, heart health, and even cancer prevention.

Towfiqu ahamed barbhuiya/Shutterstock

Chia seeds are a compact source of essential nutrients that help fuel heart and digestive health. They are also easy to use, and make a deliciousgreat pudding that can be eaten as a snack, breakfast, or even dessert.

• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Mixed berries for topping

Mix ingredients together, then let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to thicken into a creamy pudding.

Thank you for reading 🙏

Have a wonderful day!

– Matthew Little, and Yan Yang.

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