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Month: December 2011

Genes only count for 1/4 to 1/3 of longevity

“‘Genes account for one-fourth to one-third of longevity,’ estimated Howard Friedman, a professor of psychology at the University of California (Riverside) and the coauthor of The Longevity Project, published this year. ‘That leaves well over half not accounted for.’ Most of the rest, for better or worse, is up to more »

Choline could help keep your brain sharp

Getting enough choline, a nutrient related to the B vitamins, may be important to keeping your brain sharp as you age. Researchers at Tufts and other Boston-area universities analyzed data on nearly 1,400 participants, ages 36 to 83, in the long-running Framingham study. Participants completed dietary questionnaires and then took more »

Gay marriage laws improve health of gay men

Gay men are able to lead healthier, less stress-filled lives when states offer legal protections to same-sex couples, according to a new study examining the effects of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. The study, “Effect of Same-Sex Marriage Laws on Health Care Use and Expenditures in Sexual Minority more »

Rejecting the “Tithonus” error

by David Bunnell Tithonus was a handsome mortal dude who fell in love with Eos, the gorgeous goddess of dawn. Eos begged Zeus to grant Tithonus immortality. Otherwise, he would grow old and die…while she would stay young and lovely forever. Zeus was jealous, because he wanted to seduce Eos, more »