Good Stuff To Know September 2019

How and why resistance training is imperative for older adults

A new position statement issued by a global expert panel, and supported by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, highlights the importance of resistance training for older adults to empower healthy aging.

Marital infidelity and professional misconduct linked, study shows

People who cheat on their spouses are significantly more likely to engage in misconduct in the workplace, according to a new study.

Antioxidant compound from soybeans may prevent marijuana-induced blood vessel damage

Marijuana exposure damages cells of the inner lining of blood vessels throughout the heart and vascular system. In studies with human cells and arteries from mice, a compound found in soybeans blocked the damage and may have potential in preventing cardiovascular side effects of marijuana use.

Many assisted suicide deaths are slow and painful, not dignified or compassionate.

The release of the data from the recent 2018 Oregon DWD report indicates that some Oregon assisted suicide deaths were long and drawn out, but the report doesn’t provide data on the suffering associated with these deaths. This article examines the suffering experienced while dying.

People who eat dark chocolate less likely to be depressed


Warning to adults: Children notice everything

Adults are really good at paying attention only to what you tell them to — but children don’t ignore anything. That difference can actually help children do better than adults in some learning situations, a new study suggests.

Robotic cane shown to improve stability in walking

By adding electronics and computation technology to a simple cane that has been around since ancient times, researchers have transformed it into a 21st century robotic device that can provide light-touch assistance in walking to the aged and others with impaired mobility. The autonomous robot ‘walks’ alongside a person to provide light-touch support, much as one might lightly touch a companion’s arm or sleeve to maintain balance while walking.

‘Tickle’ therapy could help slow aging, research suggests


Re-Thinking The Anti-Aging Pill

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Patients with type 2 diabetes improve their ability to regulate blood sugar levels if they eat food with a reduced carbohydrate content and an increased share of protein and fat. The findings are contrary to the conventional dietary recommendations for type 2 diabetics.


Smokers exposed to toxic chemicals, ultrafine particles and carbon monoxide. Hookah water pipe use has grown in popularity in recent years — 1 in 5 college students in the U.S. and Europe have tried it — but the practice could be more dangerous than other forms of smoking, according to a first-of-its-kind study.

Testosterone has a complicated relationship with moral reasoning, study finds

Although some studies have linked high levels of testosterone to immoral behavior, a new study published in Nature Human Behavior finds testosterone supplements actually made people more sensitive to moral norms, suggesting that testosterone’s influence on behavior is more complicated than previously thought.

‘Silent’ strokes common after surgery, linked to cognitive decline

The study found that ‘silent’ covert strokes are actually more common than overt strokes in people aged 65 or older who have surgery.

Adults with mild cognitive impairment can learn and benefit from mindfulness meditation

A pilot study shows promising evidence that adults with MCI can learn to practice mindfulness meditation, and by doing so may boost their cognitive reserve.

Are Siri and Alexa making us ruder?

Is the way we bark out orders to digital assistants like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant making us less polite? Prompted by growing concerns, two information systems researchers decided to find out

Financial abuse of older adults by family members more common than scams by strangers

A new analysis of resource line calls identifies financial abuse of older adults by family members as more common than scams by strangers.



Online brain games can extend in-game ‘cognitive youth’ into old age

Training enables seniors to multitask mentally on par with those 50 years younger. A new study has found that online brain game exercises can enable people in their 70s and even 80s to multitask cognitively as well as individuals 50 years their junior. This is an increasingly valuable skill, given today’s daily information onslaught, which can divide attention and be particularly taxing for older adults. (BM: I’ve been using Lumosity for a couple of years and recently added Brain IQ from Posit Science)


Long term exposure to highest levels linked to greatest risk of age related macular degeneration (AMD) among over 50s. Long term exposure to pollutants from vehicle exhaust is linked to a heightened risk of the common eye condition age-related macular degeneration, or AMD for short, suggests new research.

Antibiotic use linked to heightened bowel cancer risk

Antibiotic use (pills/capsules) is linked to a heightened risk of bowel (colon) cancer, but a lower risk of rectal cancer, and depends, to some extent, on the type and class of drug prescribed, suggests new research.

Nicotine-free e-cigarettes can damage blood vessels

A Penn study reveals single instance of vaping immediately leads to reduced vascular function.

Selfie versus posie

If you lose sleep over the number of likes on your Instagram account, new research suggests you might want to think twice before posting that selfie.

First of its kind mapping model tracks how hate spreads and adapts online

Researchers have developed a mapping model, the first of its kind, to track how hate spreads online.

‘Alarming’ First Vaping Death Reported in US

An individual who had recently vaped and was hospitalized with severe respiratory illness in Illinois has died, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in a news briefing.

Heart attack patients with mild cognitive impairment get fewer treatments

New research finds people with mild cognitive impairment don’t always receive the same, established medical treatment that patients with normal cognitive functioning get when they have a heart attack.

Frying oil consumption worsened colon cancer and colitis in mice, study shows

Food scientists have shown that feeding frying oil to mice exaggerated colonic inflammation, enhanced tumor growth and worsened gut leakage, spreading bacteria or toxic bacterial products into the bloodstream.

How diabetes can increase cancer risk: DNA damaged by high blood sugar

For years, scientists have been trying to solve a medical mystery: Why do people with diabetes have an increased risk of developing some forms of cancer? Today, researchers report a possible explanation for this double whammy. They found that DNA sustains more damage and gets fixed less often when blood sugar levels are high, thereby increasing cancer risk.

Choking Hazard: Another Reason to Skip Supplements

Large, hard multivitamin and calcium supplements are a frequent cause of choking in seniors, according to results of a study published online August 19 in Annals of Internal Medicine. (BM: Shameless example of medical and pharmaceutical bias)

New evidence that optimists live longer

After decades of research, a new study links optimism and prolonged life. Researchers have found that individuals with greater optimism are more likely to live longer and to achieve ‘exceptional longevity,’ that is, living to age 85 or older.

Excess body fat increases the risk of depression

Carrying ten kilograms of excess body fat increases the risk of depression by seventeen per cent. The more fat, the greater the probability of developing depression.

Could marriage stave off dementia?

Dementia and marital status could be linked, according to a new study that found married people are less likely to experience dementia as they age.


The largest clinical study of its kind to look at the effects of strict alternate-day fasting in healthy people has shown a number of health benefits. The participants alternated 36 hours of zero-calorie intake with 12 hours of unlimited eating.






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