NY Times articles on health and aging

[nancylebov]

An article about the possiblity that a lot of frailty (serious loss of energy, mobility, and mental focus) could be low-intensity cardiovascular problems, and also evidence that exposure to good or bad ideas about aging affects people's capacities. Even minor or subliminal exposure to positive or negative views of aging causes measureable

Comments

[chickenfeet2003]

I wonder how much of aging is psychological? I do stuff at almost fifty that few people would have considered appropriate for an (almost) fifty year old a cxouple of generations ago. I confess that without modern anti-inflammatories, physiotherapy etc I might not be able to but I suspect attitude is important.

[nancylebov]

At least some of it is. Also, a lot of what looks like aging is accumulated inefficient movement habits, and I can believe that those get worse if you expect life to be bad.

[redbird]

Interesting.

The one on the twin study did mention different gene expression, which I think is the same as what gets turned on or off.

I like both how many hypotheses and assumptions they tested and refuted (e.g., that the first-born of a pair of twins will be healthier) and the comment that randomness is the "hand-waving explanation."

[nancylebov]

Oh. However, I will refer to this as failure to check carefully rather than a senior moment.

[redbird]

Failure to check carefully, and maybe that you were pattern-matching a phrasing they didn't use.

[nancylebov]

No, I'd read it a day or two ago, and thought I'd remembered it accurately.