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Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
USDA Clears Iowa, Indiana to Bar Food Stamps for Soda
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on May 22 approved requests from the governors of Iowa and Indiana that asked permission to bar residents from using food stamps for soda and certain processed foods. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said at an event in Washington that she signed waivers from the two states, several days after the USDA Another half a dozen more waiver requests are 'coming down the line,' Rollins said. The Department of Agriculture has said other states that requested waivers include Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Idaho, Utah, and West Virginia. 'We are on track to sign multiples of SNAP waivers to get junk food and sugary drinks out of our food stamp system, and I am so proud,' Rollins said. She was speaking at a Related Stories 5/22/2025 5/20/2025 About 42 million Americans, or about 12 percent of the population, receive food stamps, the report notes. The only restrictions in place before the waivers were approved The commission pointed to research that About 259,000 Iowa residents and 610,000 Indiana residents receive food stamps, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 'Unlike other administrations, we will not be silenced or intimidated by the corporate lobbyists or special interests. And I want this group to do what they have to do,' President Donald Trump told the event. He said later that the waivers would 'stop taxpayer dollars from being used to make our children obese.' Under past administrations, the USDA has turned down requests for waivers to ban food stamps from being used for soda and other sugary drinks, including a 2011 rejection of a request from New York City. Iowa and Indiana asked in their requests for clearance to bar SNAP funds from being used for sugary beverages such as soda as well as certain processed foods such as candy. 'Soaring obesity rates have brought our nation and state to a crossroads,' Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds Iowa's Health Director, Kelly Garcia, added that 'limiting food benefits to purchase only the foods we know are healthier is a step in the right direction for Iowans.' Some groups have said they support new restrictions on SNAP. 'In the face of industry opposition, we have long called upon the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use its authority over SNAP to decrease sugary drink consumption,' the American Heart Association The American Beverage Association, whose members include PepsiCo, has The steps came as Congress weighs tax legislation that would result in reducing spending on SNAP by $285.7 billion from 2025 to 2034, according to a Congressional Budget Office 'The Republicans' budget will make America hungrier, poorer and sicker,' Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee,
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
At MAHA Event, Trump Targets Corporate Lobbyists: ‘We Will Not Be Silenced'
WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump held an event on Thursday at the White House to highlight the first report from the Commission to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA), which focuses on improving childhood health. He pledged to make Americans healthier and said his administration would not be intimidated by corporations. 'Unlike other administrations, we will not be silenced or intimidated by the corporate lobbyists or special interests,' Trump said during the White House event. He called on his cabinet members to take decisive action against the interest groups. 'In some cases, it won't be nice or won't be pretty, but we have to do it,' he said. 'And we will not allow our public health system to be captured by the very industries it's supposed to oversee.' Trump established the commission in February. Its first report, Related Stories 5/22/2025 2/26/2025 The commission, chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will make policy proposals over the next 80 days. Trump shared some alarming findings from the report, noting that over 40 percent of American children have at least one chronic health condition. He highlighted a nearly 50 percent rise in childhood cancer rates since the 1970s, and pointed out that childhood obesity has surged from under 5 percent in the 1960s to more than 20 percent today. Autism rates, he added, have also climbed sharply, from 1 in 10,000 a few decades ago to 1 in 31. 'They really are alarming, unbelievable, terrible,' Trump said. 'There's something wrong, and we will not stop until we defeat the chronic disease epidemic in America.' The report explores the root causes of increasing sickness among children, pointing to factors such as ultra-processed foods, overmedication, and exposure to toxic chemicals. 'Over the past few years, we've built an unstoppable coalition of moms and dads, doctors and young people and citizens of all backgrounds who have come together to protect our children, very importantly, keep the dangerous chemicals out of our food supplies, get toxic substances out of our environment,' Trump said. 'This movement has become very hot,' he said, referring to the MAHA movement. He highlighted several actions already taken, including phasing out eight artificial food dyes, eliminating major conflicts of interest at the Food and Drug Administration, and approving Nebraska's SNAP waiver request to prevent taxpayer funds from contributing to childhood obesity. Trump said requests are coming from other states as well. At the event, Kennedy said he had never seen a president from either party willing to challenge the industry groups. 'My uncle tried to do this, but he was killed,' he said. 'And ever since then, we've been waiting for a president who would stand up and speak on behalf of the health of the American people.' For too long, he said, the government has relied on biased research, while ignoring common sense or mothers' intuition. Among the guests at the White House event was former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. 'It's a huge shift from a sick care system to a health care system,' Gingrich told The Epoch Times after the event. 'I think Bobby Kennedy really made clear when he talked about what his uncle would have done if he hadn't been killed. And so, he's sort of sitting here now, living out what his uncle would have done.' Speaking after the event, scientist and physician Robert Malone called the White House meeting 'unprecedented.' 'It was an amazing presentation, and I know the team is fully committed,' he told The Epoch Times, referring to Trump's officials who pledged to address the health care crisis. Meanwhile, some critics say that the report paints an overly bleak picture of children's diseases in the United States and unfairly targets vaccines. Some groups, including the National Corn Growers Association, criticized the report. 'The Make America Healthy Again Report is filled with fear-based rather than science-based misinformation about pesticides,' the association 'We are deeply troubled that claims of this magnitude are being made without any scientific basis or regard for a long history of EPA expert evaluations of these products.' Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Epoch Times
19-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
Prediabetes in Teens Can Triple Risk of Premature Heart Damage: Study
Doctors know that heart disease is one of the possible complications of diabetes, but for the first time, research has examined the earliest connection between blood sugar and the heart. It found that persistently high blood sugar levels during the growth period between adolescence and young adulthood can triple the risk of structural and functional heart damage. Girls were affected at five times the rate of boys. The findings indicate that lifestyle and dietary factors are critically important in managing blood sugar levels during this time. How High Blood Sugar Harms the Heart In the Results showed that 6.2 percent of the adolescents at age 17 had fasting blood glucose at or above 5.6 mmol/L, which rose to 26.9 percent by age 24. Approximately 1 percent of the adolescents had fasting blood sugar at or above 6.1 mmol/L at age 17, but the prevalence rose to 5.6 percent by age 24. For both cutoff points, the difference between ages 17 and 24 represented a five-fold increase. The research team also assessed changes in heart size by evaluating left ventricular enlargement using echocardiography, an imaging test that assesses heart structure and function. The left ventricle is the heart chamber that receives oxygenated blood from the lungs via the left atrium and pumps it to the rest of the body through the aorta. Left ventricular hypertrophy refers to thickening of the left ventricular wall, which can result in cardiac disease such as heart failure or abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias). Prevalence of left ventricle enlargement rose from 2.4 percent at age 17 to 7.1 percent at age 24. Heart dysfunction prevalence increased from 9.2 percent in adolescence to 15.8 percent in young adulthood. High blood glucose was also associated with decreased heart muscle relaxation, altered heart function, and increased pressure in the blood flow returning to the heart. The measurements at ages 17 and 24 showed that fasting blood sugar at or above 5.6 mmol/L was linked to a 46 percent increase in left ventricular enlargement. Additionally, persistent insulin resistance was linked to a 10 percent rise in the likelihood of premature and worsening heart damage. Insulin resistance occurs when cells no longer respond to insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar. Interestingly, the researchers observed a very significant difference between the sexes. The increased blood glucose levels damaged female hearts five times faster than male hearts. Therefore, the authors recommended that special attention be paid to girls in terms of prevention. The team's earlier research suggests that late adolescence is a key period in the development of heart and metabolic disease, said Dr. Andrew Agbaje, a physician and associate professor of clinical epidemiology and child health at the University of Eastern Finland, in a Related Stories 3/8/2024 1/20/2023 'The current findings further confirm that even healthy-looking adolescents and young adults who are mostly normal weight may be on a path towards cardiovascular diseases, if they have high blood glucose and insulin resistance.' Sex Differences in Heart Risk The metabolic system of girls is different from that of boys, Agbaje told The Epoch Times. Muscle plays a major role in blood sugar metabolism, and boys have more muscle mass than girls. Additionally, excess fat mass underlies two-thirds of the relationship between insulin resistance and heart damage, and girls have more fat mass than boys, he said. 'It is physiologic that uncontrolled sugar levels in girls have a more rapidly developing adverse effect on the heart in comparison to boys. Studies among adults have shown that diabetes affects the heart worse in women than men.' Sugar and Heart Enlargement 'High blood glucose implies that the sugar does not reach the cells that need it for fuel and energy, which is likely due to insufficient insulin,' said Agbaje. Abnormally high blood sugar can become toxic to vital organs, including the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart. Heart enlargement could occur when high blood sugar pulls more water into the blood vessels by osmosis and subsequently into the heart, he said. When this happens, the heart is forced to overwork to pump more blood volume. This overworking of the heart enlarges the heart chambers and muscle wall, which makes it function less effectively. If excess blood sugar is not reduced to a normal level early, the heart may continue to enlarge and eventually fail and stop working due to long-term stress over several decades. Because the study focused on a young population, heart failure and heart attacks are rarely diagnosed at this stage, Agbaje said. 'However, left ventricle enlargement is a marker of early heart damage that has been clinically proven to predict heart diseases and death. It can lead to heart attacks, heart failure, stroke, kidney and liver failure, and premature death.' Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Prediabetes Adolescents are at risk for prediabetes and diabetes due in large part to their lifestyles, making these modifiable risk factors that can be reversed, Dr. Raeeda Gheewala, a board-certified physician in internal medicine, told The Epoch Times. Gheewala urges routine screenings of blood sugar for early detection of prediabetes. 'This can result in prompt lifestyle interventions before a teen's health deteriorates to full-blown diabetes.' Increase Exercise and Decrease Screen Time Regular physical activity plays a crucial role in lowering the risk of prediabetes, said Gheewala. 'Teens should get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (increasing heart rate above 100 beats per minute) on five days a week. This can be accomplished by limiting screen time, prioritizing 8 to 10 hours of sleep, and encouraging outdoor play.' Screen time refers to time spent watching TV and playing nonactive video games on a computer or smartphone. Limiting screen time is necessary, as such activities are popular in this age group and are associated with sedentary behavior. A The authors observed that decreased screen time reduced exposure to unhealthy food advertising and decreased snacking on junk food. Eat a Healthy Diet 'Increasing plant-based nutrition into a teen's daily intake can reduce the likelihood of developing chronic disease and have a lasting impact on long-term health,' said Gheewala. Eating causes blood sugar levels to rise, prompting the body to release insulin to restore them to a normal range. She explained that glycemic index is a marker that rates food from zero to 100 in terms of its ability to raise blood sugar. White bread, white pasta, and sweets tend to have higher glycemic indices. Additionally, packaged, processed food, with its higher salt and sugar content, also causes blood sugar to rise, so limiting these foods along with high-glycemic foods will promote healthier blood sugar levels. Gheewala noted that fiber-rich foods like whole grains and legumes tend to have lower glycemic indices. 'These whole foods will not only help with satiety, making teens feel full longer, but they also help with portion control and promote a healthy weight. Obesity, especially obesity in the trunk, is a risk factor for prediabetes. We need to be mindful of the type and quantity of calories we ingest.' The diet Gheewala advocates for is similar to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), which consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, dairy, poultry, and fish. A Although the DASH diet is rich in plant foods like the one Gheewala recommends, it also includes poultry and fish. Still, because the DASH diet is considered very healthy, she feels comfortable endorsing it. Gheewala noted that the goal is for people to find a healthy diet they enjoy and can maintain long-term. 'If adding fish and poultry will allow more flexibility and variety that makes it easier to create long-term health habits, I'm all for it. Small, consistent steps can have a huge return on investment.'
Epoch Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘The Trip to Bountiful': A Love Letter to Aging Gracefully
Ever wonder why young people say, 'I wish' almost as much as older people say, 'I remember'? They're merely betraying how they perceive their past and their future, and how that shapes the way they're live their present. Set in 1940s Texas, 'The Trip to Bountiful' (1985) features characters who wonder how they might savor life better. They could soak in more of their present instead of pining for their past or fretting about their future. If they learn to do that, they appear to say they'll be able to approach inevitable death with fewer sorrowful regrets and at least a few more joyful hopes. Cranky widow Carrie Watts (Geraldine Page) lives with her adult son Ludie (John Heard) and her childless daughter-in-law Jessie Mae (Carlin Glynn). The women direct their willfulness largely at each other. (L–R) Ludie (John Heard), Jessie Mae (Carlin Glynn), and Thelma (Rebecca De Mornay), in 'The Trip to Bountiful.' Island Pictures/MovieStillsDB Caught in this womanly crossfire, Ludie tries to make the best of it. Carrie, though, is secretly itching to escape to Bountiful, Texas, the faraway town she remembers from her girlhood. Jessie Mae and Ludie won't send her alone, even on some nostalgic road trip. Her heart's too weak. Bountiful has long since withered. Carrie steals away regardless. En route, she realizes that change in life is certain: some of it good, some of it less so. What matters is adapting to change gracefully. 'The Trip to Bountiful' secured Page's first and only Best Actress Oscar. In its meditation on aging, the film resembles ' Related Stories 3/15/2023 10/15/2023 The now barren Bountiful is, of course, an ironic metaphor for the girl that Carrie once was, a fond but faded fragment of the past. Carrie's journey is as much inward as it is outward. The trip nudges her toward gratitude for life's blessings and beauty, however fleeting. The character of Thelma (Rebecca De Mornay), the young woman she befriends on her bus ride, is a narrative peg, offering Carrie a chance to reflect; she's talking as much to herself as she is to Thelma. Carrie's escapade depicts how the elderly seem to regress to childlike fragility, forgetfulness, and dependence on others to a point where they're not trusted to choose what's good for them. After a lifetime of independence, it can be tough to return to accepting that others must tell them what to do, when, where, and how. Frail, Carrie childishly rebels against Jessie Mae's persistent cries to, 'Walk, don't run!' Carrie wonders if her precious pension check has more power uncashed because of what it promises, or cashed because of what it fulfills. After her aching conversation with Thelma about fulfilled and unfulfilled love, neither of them has wisecrack solutions to deal with a full, or broken, heart. Yet, Thelma finds Carrie's recourse to Psalm 91 comforting; perhaps Carrie's heart isn't as weak as she thinks. (L–R) Thelma (Rebecca De Mornay), Ludie (John Heard), and Carrie Watts (Geraldine Page), in 'The Trip to Bountiful.' Island Pictures/MovieStillsDB Carrie speaks heartbreakingly of children she'd lost to disease or some other deprivation as a young mother in Bountiful; if she'd had a grown-up daughter, she wishes she'd be just like Thelma: 'Sweet, considerate, thoughtful … and pretty.' Notice how Carrie lists what she'd like to be bountiful in a woman. Age by itself doesn't imply maturity. Carrie accepts that her childishness is getting in the way of her getting along with Jessie Mae. The sheriff and bus station clerk gain Carrie's respect, although both men are much younger than her. But by respecting someone older than they are, they're respecting themselves. Through their patience and kindness toward her, they're admitting that they too will one day, like Carrie, have slower limbs, a feebler voice, and a weaker memory. Carrie muses about what she considers luck and ill-luck. She suspects that it's not that God is absent when things don't go her way or that he's present when they do. It's merely that she acknowledges and appreciates his presence only at some times, and only in some places. Ludie nods indulgently when Carrie insists that the sky above Bountiful is the bluest, even if he knows that it's no bluer than the one back home in Houston. Clutching faded family album pictures to her chest, Carrie seems to say that photographs are mere objects, the way memories are mere images in our minds. It's the wisdom in moving on from snapshots of our past, no matter how endearing, that decides whether those memories will comfort, coach, or control us. These reflective articles may interest parents, caretakers, or educators of teenagers and young adults, seeking great movies to watch together or recommend. They're about films that, when viewed thoughtfully, nudge young people to be better versions of themselves. Check the You can watch 'The Trip to Bountiful' on the Roku Channel, Kanopy and Plex. What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
Epoch Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Both Parties Must Act to Limit Surging Electricity Inflation
Commentary Prices are surging in the Growing demand from information technology and burgeoning artificial intelligence Wholesale power costs are The best way to limit new electricity inflation is to encourage production of a variety of low-cost energy sources. Right now, But these tax incentives are now under threat from some GOP tax writers who have made them a target as part of a $5 trillion tax cut bill Congress will consider this year. Elimination or dilution of these credits would undercut the role of advanced power technology just when its needed most. A new study by the consultancy Related Stories 5/6/2025 5/5/2025 It's not surprising then that a group of more than So far, a But many Moreover, Democrats must realize that improving natural gas infrastructure and the role of gas as the key on-demand baseload power source is crucial to U.S. electric grid reliability even as the share of intermittent renewable energy increases. The As part of energy permitting reform legislation by Congress to be considered this summer, Democrats should support reasonable expansion of natural gas pipelines which can also limit leaks of methane emissions. At the same time, Republicans should support measures to expedite more rapid permitting and building of new interstate powerlines, so that low-cost renewable energy can reach distant markets. Finally, the tech sector itself must continue to make investments in expanded electricity production, supporting federal actions that limit the inflationary impact of their new data centers while using AI to improve grid system efficiency. Both parties have major vulnerabilities on inflation right now. Democrats lost the 2024 election in large part due to high inflation during the Biden's years in response to the pandemic. Republicans now face voter concerns about rising costs due to new tariffs. Both have strong policy and political incentives to act. Equally, cheaper electricity is From Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
