Beyond Cholesterol Lies a New Approach to Heart Health

For decades, doctors believed lowering cholesterol was a key ingredient to better health.

Now, emerging science is telling a different story—and it challenges everything we thought we knew about cholesterol, and especially statins.

🧵 THREAD Imagine a room full of your closest friends and family.

The odds are that heart disease will affect at least one of them.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, claiming a life every 33 seconds. For decades, we have been told that lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol—so-called bad cholesterol—is the key to heart health. But with odds like that, something isn’t adding up.

“I think the current model is oversimplified and rather myopic,” Nick Norwitz, a Harvard medical student who holds a doctorate in physiology from Oxford, told The Epoch Times. “LDL is the most common biomarker now. There are better markers.”

That “healthy” cinnamon supplement could be sabotaging your meds.

New research shows that cinnamon can make your body flush out medications before they even have a chance to work.

Most people have no idea this is happening... but if you’re on blood thinners, antidepressants, or diabetes meds—the consequences could be serious.

And the type of cinnamon you’re using could make it even worse.

🧵 THREAD That sprinkle of cinnamon in your coffee or oatmeal? Probably harmless. But taken as a supplement, it could change how your body processes prescription drugs, new research suggests.

theepochtimes.com/health/cinnamo…

An Overlooked Driver of Osteoporosis

Your gut could be destroying your bones—and you’d have no idea.

An imbalanced microbiome sparks silent inflammation that erodes bone density over time.

By the time osteoporosis shows up on a scan, the damage is already years in the making.

The good news? The fix starts in your gut—and it’s easier than you think.

🧵 THREAD You may not feel it, but an imbalanced gut could be weakening your bones.

theepochtimes.com/health/an-over…

A new COVID variant has a unique symptom—and it’s the most painful one yet.

NB.1.8.1, a fast-spreading strain from China, has now reached the U.S.

Its signature symptom? A sore throat so sharp it’s been described as feeling like razor blades.

Doctors say it hits hard—but there’s one antioxidant that may stop the virus from binding to your cells.

🧵 THREAD Since May, a fast-growing lineage of the virus that causes COVID-19, NB.1.8.1, has been dominant in China, spreading to adjacent countries and bringing an increase in hospitalizations and emergency room admissions.

The variant has also spread to the United States, although case numbers are low.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously told The Epoch Times that NB.1.8.1 has fewer than 20 sequences in baseline surveillance, which is too few to be included in the agency’s COVID variant dashboard. The dashboard shows only variants with at least 300 sequences.

Currently, the dominant variant in the United States is LP.8.1. However, early research suggests that NB.1.8.1 may be more transmissible than LP.8.1.

Potassium: The Antidote to Too Much Sodium

Everyone’s focused on cutting salt. But almost no one talks about potassium.

A growing body of research shows that the balance between the two may better predict high blood pressure, heart disease, and even early death.

This doesn’t just change the story.

It flips the salt narrative—and reveals a hidden danger in the modern diet.

🧵 THREAD While it’s well-known that too much sodium can raise blood pressure, the benefits of potassium are often overlooked.

Increasing potassium intake relative to sodium may be a more effective way to lower blood pressure than just cutting back on sodium. Potassium-rich foods help maintain healthy blood vessels and reduce sodium’s negative effects.

Melissa Stadt, a researcher who studied potassium-to-sodium intake and recently published a study, told The Epoch Times that early humans ate plenty of fruits and vegetables, so the body’s regulatory systems function best on a high-potassium, low-sodium diet.

“Today, Western diets tend to be much higher in sodium and lower in potassium. That may explain why high blood pressure is found mainly in industrialized societies, not in isolated societies,” she said.

During the pandemic, ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine were mocked and banned.

The FDA said no. The media laughed. Experts scoffed.

Yet doctors kept writing millions of prescriptions anyway.

Why?

A new peer-reviewed study just dropped—and the data may surprise you.

🧵THREAD Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine prescriptions “soared far above” levels before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA) and other institutions said that nearly 3 million ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine prescriptions were issued during the pandemic, totaling some $272 million, according to a news release issued on Feb. 20.

The dispensing of ivermectin “from US pharmacies was nearly 1,000 percent higher than prepandemic rates,” the study said.

Are your hands getting weaker without you noticing?

Loss of grip strength is one of the earliest and most overlooked signs of physical decline.

Your hands are getting older—even if the rest of you isn’t.

The solution? Six simple movements using rice that could change everything for your grip, wrists, and joints.

It just takes a pot, a bag of rice, and 10 minutes a day to rebuild what you didn’t know you were losing.

🧵 THREAD Hands are the king of function. They are directly involved in almost every functional task you perform. In fact, the only things moving as I type these words are my hands and fingers.

Strangely, however, even though hands and fingers are frequently used, they are often neglected when it comes to strengthening and flexibility training.

The great majority of us tend to rely on daily use alone to maintain the strength and functioning of our hands, but there is a risk in this: progressive decline.

Over the years, I’ve worked with many patients who have had decreased hand function unrelated to specific joint, muscle, or tendon pathology. Instead, they were simply deconditioned. We don’t tend to think of hands specifically when we think of muscular deconditioning and weakness, but muscles indeed power hand function and strength, and these can grow weak over time, even though we use them often.

One problem with hands, however, is that they have many joints and muscles involved in their function, and it can be challenging to address each one individually.

Common Cooking Oils Linked to Aggressive Breast Cancer Growth

Most people assume seed oils are safe—or even healthy.

But scientists say a specific fat found in everyday cooking oils may be silently accelerating one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.

Here's what the latest research shows.

🧵 THREAD A type of fat found in commonly used seed oils has been linked to faster growth of one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of breast cancer.

Using an animal model, researchers discovered that high linoleic acid consumption activated a critical growth pathway in cancer cells, potentially explaining why this particular cancer subtype is becoming more prevalent even as overall breast cancer rates decline.

The findings, recently published in the journal Science, could transform dietary recommendations for cancer patients and provide new insights into personalized nutrition approaches for cancer prevention, according to the study authors.

Walking may be more powerful than antidepressants.

A 2024 review of 8,600 people found it significantly reduces depression and anxiety—regardless of age or pace.

No side effects. No withdrawal. Just movement.

And that’s only 1 of 7 science-backed reasons to start walking today.

🧵 THREAD Walking may be the single most important thing you can do for your health. Research has linked more steps to lower rates of the world’s most prevalent diseases and chronic conditions.

Research has shown that walking 7,000 steps a day, even at a slow pace, may cut the risk of early death by up to 70 percent.

For Karena Dawn, a former triathlete, certified personal trainer, and founder of The Big Silence, a mental health nonprofit, walking became a lifeline during difficult moments.

“Walking has been one of the most powerful ways I’ve reconnected with myself, especially during times when anxiety would sneak in. There’s something about stepping outside, feeling the earth beneath your feet, and moving with intention that brings you back to your center,” Dawn told The Epoch Times.

Dawn has prioritized walking as part of her daily mental health routine. Whether it’s a 10-minute stroll between meetings or a longer walk through nature trails, each step offers her a chance to reset and reconnect.

Overlooked Chemicals in Food May Be Making You Sick

You’ve cut out seed oils. You check every label. But a new study suggests something else may be slipping through.

It’s not just what you eat—it’s what your food touches that could be making you sick.

One chemical is so toxic, it was once used in war.

What researchers uncovered could explain a lot more than just cancer and infertility.

🧵 THREAD Scientists are sounding the alarm on what they call an overlooked threat to public health: synthetic chemicals from packaging and processing equipment contaminating the food supply—particularly ultra-processed items—and potentially fueling a rise in chronic health conditions.

A comprehensive review article recently published in Nature Medicine highlights some of the most prevalent types and sources of synthetic chemical contaminants in food: chemicals known as food contact chemicals (FCCs), which may contribute to chronic health conditions, including endocrine disruption, reproductive issues, and increased cancer risks.

You went to the doctor. They said everything looks fine. But does it really?

Routine checkups miss early warning signs more often than you'd think.

That’s why more people are turning to at-home blood tests—and what they’re uncovering is too important to ignore.

🧵 THREAD The scale doesn’t lie—but it doesn’t tell the whole story.

You might be eating better, exercising more, and still seeing the same number each morning. It’s frustrating, discouraging, and, as it turns out, possibly misleading.

For decades, weight has been treated as a primary marker of health. But a number on the scale says little about inflammation, cardiovascular risk, or metabolic dysfunction—factors that often shift before any visible weight loss appears.

That’s why more people are turning to at-home biomarker testing—health tracking that looks beneath the surface, revealing internal changes long before they’re visible in the mirror or on the scale.

Can you stand on one foot for 10 seconds?

It sounds easy—until you try it. And many people can’t.

One major study found that people who failed this simple balance test had dramatically higher death rates.

Wait, what? Even the researchers were stunned. That’s how serious your balance really is.

The good news?

You can rebuild your balance with these 5 simple one-foot exercises.

🧵 THREAD Maintaining good balance at all times is the cornerstone of health. Good balance reduces the risk of falls and injuries and improves quality of life.

As we age, our sensory systems, such as vision and somatic sensation, central nervous system, and musculoskeletal system gradually decline, resulting in reduced balance control, which increases the risk of falls and other adverse health outcomes.

A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, analyzed 1,702 participants aged 51 to 75 and found that those who could not stand on one foot for 10 seconds had a higher all-cause mortality rate than those who could.

Quarantine Notice in China Attracts Widespread Attention as COVID Cases Surge

People in China are getting sick again—and it’s not just a cold.

Schools are shutting down. Quarantine orders are quietly creeping back. Yet the CCP insists everything is “under control.”

The numbers don’t match the fear.
And censorship is back in full force.

What’s really happening behind China's firewall?

🧵 THREAD Doctors and residents across China continue to report more infections and deaths as the latest wave of COVID-19 continues, portraying a far more severe situation than the Chinese regime is letting on.

theepochtimes.com/article/school…

The FDA just approved Moderna's brand-new mRNA vaccine for COVID-19.

This time, it’s not a booster. It’s a completely redesigned shot.

But most don’t know what’s actually in it—or how it works.

Moderna’s new COVID-19 vaccine skips the full spike protein—and something else too: published data.

So what exactly did the FDA approve?

🧵 THREAD The Food and Drug Administration has approved Moderna’s next-generation COVID-19 vaccine.

The FDA licensed the vaccine for adults aged 65 and up as well as people aged 12 to 64 who have at least one condition that puts them at higher risk for severe COVID-19, the agency said on May 31.

The vaccine is meant for “active immunization to prevent” COVID-19 for people who have been previously vaccinated with any COVID-19 vaccine.

Not all eggs are what they seem.

Cage-free? Free-range? Organic?

These labels sound reassuring—but most people have no idea what they really mean. The egg industry is counting on that.

Once you see the truth, you can’t unsee it.

🧵 THREAD Michael Jimenez is the founder and CEO of JMZ Farms in Texas, where he raises approximately 500 chickens and produces organic, pasture-raised eggs.

“I feed my hens a certified organic feed, and they are pasture raised—meaning that I have them on pasture 24/7,” he told The Epoch Times.

Jimenez says he chose organic, pasture-raised methods to provide customers with the highest quality eggs—completely natural and free of chemicals. His approach was inspired by regenerative farming advocate Joel Salatin, whom Jimenez discovered through videos at age 12.

“Starting with that one chicken I had—it really inspired me to want to build my home farm,” said Jimenez.

With egg prices soaring and avian flu concerns on the rise, consumers are paying closer attention to what egg labels actually mean.

Marc Dresner of The American Egg Board noted that eggs remain safe to eat.

“The USDA and FDA say consumers can be confident in the safety of eggs. There is no evidence that bird flu can be transmitted to humans through properly handled and cooked food, including eggs,” he told The Epoch Times via email.

He added that farmers and their families eat the same eggs they sell and work daily to ensure quality and safety.

Ergothioneine might be the most important nutrient you’ve never heard of.

This potent antioxidant is essential for brain health and longevity.

But thanks to changes in our food supply, it’s quietly disappearing from the modern diet.

The good news? It’s easy to get it back—once you know where to look.

🧵 THREAD Ergothioneine (ERGO), a potent antioxidant made by fungi and soil microbes, is making waves in the world of nutrition. However, many may wonder what it actually is.

Research shows ERGO is important for brain health. When animals are deprived of ERGO, it harms both brain cell growth and cognitive function. People with dementia also tend to have lower levels of ERGO in their blood compared with healthy people of the same age.

Fungi that typically grow in the rich, healthy soil of forests are a vital source of ERGO.

However, as farming practices deplete the soil, we lose its vitality and the nutrients that nourish our food—leaving us reliant on forest-grown mushrooms and improved soil care to help restore healthy ERGO levels.

The 3,000-Year-Old Secret Weapon for Anxiety, Inflammation, and Modern Mayhem

You’ve smelled it at church. Maybe even at yoga.

Now scientists are studying it for cancer, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, and irritable bowel—which, let’s be honest, covers most of the Western world over 35.

Turns out, frankincense isn’t just incense. It’s medicine.

🧵 THREAD If you’ve never heard of Boswellia, don’t worry, you’ve definitely sniffed it. Or wafted it. Or had a minor spiritual epiphany while someone burned it at a yoga class that you regretted taking halfway through.

Boswellia is the tree behind frankincense, which is surprisingly relevant to your inflamed joints, anxious brain, or slightly dodgy bowel.

This squat little tree is found in dry, dramatic places like Oman, Ethiopia, and Somalia. The tree oozes a resin when cut, like sap.

People have been scraping, sniffing, and slathering this stuff on everything from bruises to bad moods for thousands of years. And I do mean everything.

The ancient Egyptians called it the “tears of Horus” (emotional much?) and used it in embalming and in incense burned during religious rituals. The Greeks burned it in temples. The Romans traded it like it was sandalwood-scented Bitcoin.

By the time the Wise Men were loading it onto a camel for a celestial baby shower, Boswellia resin was worth more than gold.

But here’s where it gets juicy.

One woman found a $7 weight loss secret hiding in plain sight at the grocery store.

Donna lost 74 pounds—and says she never feels hungry anymore.

It works on the same pathway as Ozempic, without the side effects… or the $1,000/month price tag.

This rare sugar could be the best-kept secret in metabolic health.

🧵 THREAD Donna began using allulose as she had once used sugar, including in treats such as brownies and pumpkin muffins. Looking back, she said, finding allulose was key.

“It’s the main thing I’ve done differently compared to other low-carb diets,” she told The Epoch Times.

Semaglutide and other new GLP-1 medications have been dominating the weight loss industry, offering appetite suppression and improved blood sugar control. At roughly $1,000 per month before insurance, they are beyond reach for many people. For others, it’s the side effects of these drugs that have them searching for natural alternatives.

Enter allulose—a zero-calorie, rare sugar that stimulates the same GLP-1 hormone, although to a more modest extent than the drugs, and provides mild metabolic benefits.

New Study Reveals Overlooked Cancer Risk Tied to Routine CT Scans

CT scans are fast, common, and often life-saving.

But new research reveals a hidden danger most patients are never warned about.

Scans performed in just the past year could trigger over 100,000 future cancer cases—and that may just be the tip of the iceberg.

🧵 THREAD CT scans are essential to modern medicine, quickly diagnosing conditions from strokes to cancer. However, new research suggests that the very tool used to save lives could, in some cases, contribute to future cancer cases.

A University of California–San Francisco study estimates that CT scans performed in 2023 could lead to more than 100,000 future cancer cases—about 5 percent of annual U.S. diagnoses. That level of risk is comparable with other known factors such as alcohol and obesity.

Published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the study concludes that while CT scans remain essential, they should be used more cautiously, especially for children and patients who undergo repeated imaging.

“CT can save lives, but its potential harms are often overlooked,” Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman, lead author of the study and UC–San Francisco radiologist, said in a statement. “Reducing the number of scans and reducing doses per scan would save lives.”

Some experts worry that the message lacks balance and may scare patients from necessary care by emphasizing long-term cancer risks without proper context.

“It is frightening to see these numbers,” Dr. Donald Frush, pediatric radiologist at Duke University, told The Epoch Times. “But without putting them in the context of how valuable CT can be, we risk eroding public trust in a tool that saves lives every day.”

Alcohol is a known carcinogen, just like tobacco and asbestos.

It damages DNA, disrupts hormones, and raises cancer risk—even at low doses.

So why do so many people still think it’s safe?

One woman thought her nightly glass of wine was healthy—until her diagnosis proved otherwise.

🧵 THREAD For years, Sarah van Niekerk believed her nightly glass of red wine was doing her heart a favor. It wasn’t until her breast cancer diagnosis—and a quiet comment from her oncologist—that she learned even low levels of alcohol can raise cancer risk.

“I felt betrayed,” she said. “No one ever warned me.”

Lighting a cigarette in a crowded room might earn you glares, but pouring a glass of wine? That’s still seen as relatively harmless—even healthy by some. Yet, few people realize that alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen, in the same category as tobacco and asbestos.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Group I carcinogens can result in cancer in humans.

Why More Doctors Are Finally Questioning Seed Oils

For decades, the public was told that swapping butter for seed oils would lead to better health.

Now, a wave of new research suggests it may have triggered the exact opposite.

Behind closed doors, even top scientists are raising serious concerns.

What they’re uncovering could upend everything we thought we knew about "healthy eating."

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

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

“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.

Seed oils, usually sold under the labels of vegetable, corn, canola, and sunflower seed oil, are recommended by the American Heart Association for their cardiovascular benefits.

What does research on seed oils show, and what do health experts think?