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PUMPING IRONY: To Think Better as You Age, Think Positive

By Craig Cox

Previous research has shown how maintaining a positive attitude toward aging may enhance your health. A new study suggests it may even help seniors recover lost cognitive function.

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PUMPING IRONY: Unassisted

By Craig Cox

Chafing at what they view as inadequate government reimbursements, assisted-living facilities in recent months have been evicting Medicaid beneficiaries at a disturbing rate. The consequences for the industry are negligible; for the low-income seniors, they can be tragic.

a man relaxes while drinking a cup of tea

PUMPING IRONY: The Big Chill

By Craig Cox

Cold is having a moment among longevity researchers, who argue that we should embrace a little shivering in order to extend our lifespan. My own experience suggests their theories may get a chilly reception.

A cat looks out a window on a snowy day.

PUMPING IRONY: The Disease of Disconnection

By Craig Cox

While physical frailty among seniors has been well documented, recent research suggests that social frailty may be even more prevalent — and lead to similar health issues.

people sitting at a table with cups of coffee

PUMPING IRONY: Java Jive?

By Craig Cox

The latest news on the coffee front promises no end of salutary benefits for diehard bean lovers — if you don’t mind a little sleep deprivation and some heart palpitations.

artificial intelligence

PUMPING IRONY: When Artificial Intelligence Overrules the Real Thing

By Craig Cox

Medicare Advantage insurers are increasingly using algorithms rather than actual medical reports to justify controversial denials of coverage. The effects on patients can be devastating.

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PUMPING IRONY: Swamped?

By Craig Cox

Seniors living in “food swamps” — communities dominated by convenience stores, fast-food outlets, and other purveyors of unhealthy fare — may be more susceptible to strokes, according to a new study. Call me skeptical.

a man holds his head in a worried expression while talking with a doctor

PUMPING IRONY: Worrisome Advice?

By Craig Cox

Anxiety disorders are pervasive among the Medicare set, so why is the government counseling doctors to screen only younger patients?

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PUMPING IRONY: Every Breath You Take

By Craig Cox

While air quality nationwide has improved markedly since the turn of the century, recent research highlights the cognitive damage that even low levels of pollution can exact on the aging brain.

a doctor holds a plate of veggies

PUMPING IRONY: Take Two Bean Sprouts and Call Me in the Morning

By Craig Cox

More than a half century after health-food activists began promoting the notion that food is medicine, public and private initiatives are finally taking shape. But formidable obstacles — some political, some institutional, and some purely personal — loom on the horizon.

a plate with a quarter filled with a salad

PUMPING IRONY: Eat Less, Live Longer?

By Craig Cox

The latest longevity research suggests that calorie restriction may slow the pace of aging, but questions about the design of these types of studies — and the threat of sparking eating disorders — muddle its conclusions.

bottles of shingles vaccines and a syringe on money symbols

PUMPING IRONY: The Price of Prevention

By Craig Cox

Barely one in three U.S. seniors is vaccinated against shingles, despite their vulnerability to the often-dangerous virus. One reason for their hesitancy became all too clear when I got the bill for my shot.

a person sitting at a computer in front of a window

PUMPING IRONY: Don’t Just Sit There, Do Something!

By Craig Cox

Sitting may be the new smoking, but recent research suggests that what you happen to be doing while parked in a chair — or on the couch — may mitigate its effect on your aging brain.

an antique hand timer with a rusty nail drilled through it

PUMPING IRONY: Forever Young?

By Craig Cox

The latest revelations from a leader in the antiaging industry promise a treatment that could dial back the years, perhaps extending our lifespans indefinitely. But is the goal a longer life or something even more elusive?

a woman holds her wrist while she picks up a glass of water

PUMPING IRONY: A Parley With Parkinson’s

By Craig Cox

While I only occasionally wonder whether Parkinson’s awaits me somewhere down the road, recent research provides some calming evidence that lifestyle changes may help keep the disease at bay.

doctors and nurses in scrubs walk down a hospital hallway

PUMPING IRONY: Operating Principles

By Craig Cox

U.S. seniors undergo about a million major surgeries every year, often without fully considering the risks. The consequences can be deadly.

a gavel next to medical supplies

PUMPING IRONY: Just Business as Usual

By Craig Cox

An 18-month congressional investigation turned up plenty of dirt on the FDA’s dealings with Biogen during the agency’s controversial approval of the company’s Alzheimer’s drug, but its recommendations suggest the status quo will likely remain unchanged.

a senior man walks alone on a pier

PUMPING IRONY: “Kinless” but Not Hopeless

By Craig Cox

Growing old without the support of a spouse, children, or siblings can present daunting health challenges, but some who choose that path find it to be more blissful than you might imagine.

a chalk drawing of a head with junk food in the brain area

PUMPING IRONY: This Is Your Brain on Junk Food

By Craig Cox

As Big Pharma’s latest Alzheimer’s drug faces renewed skepticism, a new study suggests that avoiding ultraprocessed food may be a more promising approach to maintaining healthy cognitive function as we age.

a pink piggy pink sinking in water

PUMPING IRONY: In Hock and Unhealthy

By Craig Cox

A growing proportion of U.S. seniors are struggling with too much debt, and a recent study suggests that it’s making them sick.

bivalent covid vaccine bottles

PUMPING IRONY: Why Bother?

By Craig Cox

As the most recent — and virulent — of COVID variants spreads across the country, U.S. seniors have mostly ignored the available boosters. Is it time to increase our vigilance against a pandemic that refuses to retreat?

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