Brain function with age

The bad news is that brain functions really do decline as we age, or as the researchers in a study published in the journal, Psychology and Aging, your brain “slows” with age

But before that depresses the hell out of all you aging baby-boomers, that doesn’t mean that your decision-making abilities shrink, too.

In fact, in this study of roughly 400 people, half of whom were under the age of30, the rest over 65 and up to 82, the researchers concluded that the older folks actually “out-thought” the younger ones in terms of problem-solving that involves fluid intelligence, what we use to make decisions.

Or as they put, older participants performed just as well or better than the younger participants in all decision-making measures.

Why?

Older folks were, as you’d expect, way more patient on average, hence they could think the problems through more thoroughly.

Older people also drew on their life experience, and clearly, they had a major advantage in this over the still-wet-behind-the-ears kids.

Skin cancer and sun exposure

Sometimes the job of trying to get people to live a healthier lifestyle seems to be, well, highly challenging is the safest way to put it.

How about this as evidence of how hard this job can be.

A study published in JAMA Dermatology found that people who have been diagnosed with a malignant  melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer and one that is directly related to excess sun exposure, do not lower their sun exposure after diagnosis.

In fact, they raise it.

In this study of 40 malignant melanoma patients, in the first year post-diagnosis, daily UVR exposure rose by 25 %.

And in the 2^nd year, it rose by 33 %.

Hard to believe, eh.

Statins and your brain

For the many of you concerned about your use of a statin drug to reduce your LDL levels, and there are literally millions of you using statins and lots of you are worried about thse drugs, some reassuring your news this week.

First, statins are good for your teeth.

Apparently, in a small double-blind, randomized study published in the  Journal of the American College of Cardiology, those people with heart disease randomized to high-dose statins had a significant reduction in gum inflammation after just 4 weeks on that regime.

And if you don’t care about your teeth, then how about your brain.

A huge review has determined that long-term statin use, which in this study was taken to be more than 1 year, reduced the eventual risk of dementia by nearly 30 %.

Neither of those conclusions should drive someone not taking those drugs into taking them

However, if you’re already on a statin, the good news is that you may be saving your teeth and your brain while saving your heart, too.

Prostrate health

Wanna take good care of your prostate?

Sure you do, unless you’re female.

Well, if you want to make sure that your prostate doesn’t get you in the end, forget PSA testing: yet another recent large review presented at the European Cancer Congress has concluded that the risks for average men significantly out-weigh the benefits.

So according to this review, whereas PSA screening will reduce the number of men who die from prostate cancer by about 1 in 1000 who get tested, false positive test results will cause 12 additional cases of impotence, 3 of incontinence, at least several infections, some of which will land those guys in ICU, and lead to the death of 1 in 10000 men as a consequence.

But don’t get too down because another study found that men can reduce their risk of dying from prostate cancer by following 6 healthy habits, and the more of them they follow, and the longer they do that, the lower their risk of lethal prostate cancer.

And no surprise: those 6 healthy habits are the same-old, same-olds: 3 nutritional habits – eat less processed meat, more fish, and the biggie: more tomatoes – as well as not smoking, doing some exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight.

And best of all, guys, what’s good for your bak end is good for the rest of you, too.

Moderate wine intake

Here’s a shock: people who pour their own wine often tend to pour themselves more than they think they did.

In another great study from Brian Wansink, who has done more than anyone to figured out why we eat what we eat, and why we drink what we drink, the research indicated that lots of people tend to pour more wine than they think they poured – and probably more than they want to think they’re taking in – when they use wide glasses rather than tall glasses (it’s apparently easier to gauge volume when it’s presented in a vertical fashion), and when they drink white wine rather than red (red wine looks bigger?).

As well, they pour themselves more when they’re holding the glass as compared to when the glass is on the table.

So if you want to stick to moderate alcohol intake, Wansink says to stick to narrow and taller glasses, and make sure the glass is not in your hand when you’re pouring.

Better yet: use my tactic if you want to moderate your intake.

Just have your wife pour your portion.

Trust me, you’ll never get over “moderate” intake that way.