Pumping Irony
LATEST STORIES
PUMPING IRONY: Medicate or Meditate?
While Alzheimer’s patients wait to see if Biogen’s new drug will someday prove effective — and affordable — researchers continue to make a case for the healing powers of meditation.
PUMPING IRONY: A Kind of Reckoning
Age, the pandemic, and the looming flu season have persuaded me to engage with our broken healthcare system after ignoring its offerings for the past 20 years. First impressions have not been favorable.
PUMPING IRONY: Consumers, Unite . . . in the Snack Aisle
A half-century since boomer activists loudly proclaimed a whole-foods revolution, a new study suggests Americans are eating more ultraprocessed foods than they were 18 years ago — despite the known health risks. And guess who’s leading the trend?
PUMPING IRONY: Headed for a Fall
Millions of elderly Americans land in the hospital each year after taking a tumble. So why are doctors continuing to prescribe drugs that increase that risk?
PUMPING IRONY: Small Talk, Large Rewards
While the benefits of cultivating strong relationships are well known, we often overlook the value of the brief random social interactions that really make our day.
PUMPING IRONY: Foul Air, Faulty Brain
Raging wildfires and other sources of airborne pollution are threatening more than our respiratory and circulatory systems. New research is strengthening the link between air quality and dementia.
PUMPING IRONY: Back to the Future
Emerging from social isolation, I’m discovering the importance of patience and empathy while gradually reconnecting to friends, family, and an eerily familiar postpandemic world.
PUMPING IRONY: A Real Pain
Eight out of 10 American seniors take at least two prescription drugs daily, a fate I’ve been determined to avoid. But a stubborn illness helps me understand why it’s so tempting to reach for pharmaceutical solutions.
PUMPING IRONY: Dying to Know
Wisdom from a palliative-care doctor helps me absorb both the enormous toll of the pandemic and the imminent demise of my brother.
PUMPING IRONY: Cashing in on COVID
Driven by the demands of a broken business model, nursing homes opened their doors to coronavirus patients — with predictable results.
PUMPING IRONY: Pilgrimage
An anxious journey to visit my dying brother offers a powerful argument against fleeing from sorrow and pain.
PUMPING IRONY: Keeping Calm and Carrying On
Recent research suggests the elderly are coping more effectively than their younger peers with the emotional challenges of the pandemic. In my case, at least, that may have more to do with conditions and coincidence than acquired wisdom.
PUMPING IRONY: A Cancer Chronicle
In the pursuit of some genuine empathy in the wake of my brother’s cancer diagnosis, I find surprising wisdom in one young woman’s battle with the disease.
PUMPING IRONY: A Dose of Reality
All indications suggest seniors may be wise to temper their expectations about a forthcoming COVID-19 vaccine.
PUMPING IRONY: Salutary Side Effects?
Non-COVID hospital admissions have dropped precipitously since the pandemic struck, leading some to suggest our precautions have somehow made us healthier. I have my doubts.
PUMPING IRONY: So Sad
As my brother tumbles into the cancer vortex, I find myself struggling to find ways to express my grief and show my support.
PUMPING IRONY: Location, Location, Location
Many factors affect our access to healthcare, but new research suggests that where we choose to live may actually enhance — or limit — our lifespan.
PUMPING IRONY: Trials and Tribulations
Elderly Americans who volunteer for drug trials seldom make the cut. That makes it more difficult for researchers to know just how their new product will work for folks who often need it the most.
PUMPING IRONY: Statins and Suspicions
Recent research suggests cholesterol-reducing drugs may be safer than once thought and offer cancer- and COVID-fighting benefits. So, why do I remain unconvinced?
PUMPING IRONY: Coffee Klatch
Ritual can help ease our anxiety during uncertain times, even if it involves grinding your own beans.
PUMPING IRONY: Don’t Give It Another Thought
Conventional wisdom suggests that my lazy brain offers few benefits, but Harvard researchers believe it may be the key to a long life.