Pumping Irony
LATEST STORIES
Pumping Irony: Skin Game
The dermatology industry is booming, powered by unnecessary procedures performed by unlicensed practitioners. And geezers are the primary victims.
PUMPING IRONY: The Hidden Power of Everyday Excursions
Afternoon bicycle trips to the coffee shop may be extending My Lovely Wife’s lifespan — in more ways than one.
PUMPING IRONY: No Pressure
Geezers facing ever stricter demands to lower their blood pressure might want to look beyond the American medical-pharmaceutical complex for guidance.
PUMPING IRONY: DNA and Destiny
For more than a half-century, scientists have wondered why our genes should be kinder to youth than the elderly. A new study suggests genetics may be subject to change as we age.
PUMPING IRONY: Too Weak for Surgery?
With an alarming percentage of elderly Americans going under the knife each year despite a level of frailty that makes survival a dicey affair, surgeons are pondering alternatives.
Pumping Irony: Just Say No
In the past five years, researchers have identified some 500 unnecessary procedures and tests regularly perpetrated on anxious healthcare consumers, yet doctors continue to recommend them and we continue to acquiesce.
PUMPING IRONY: We All Fall Down Sometimes
Frequent tumbles are a way of life — and death — for the elderly. But the latest prevention strategies seem riskier than sprinting down a well-waxed tile floor.
PUMPING IRONY: Life, Interrupted
Little good can come from projecting your lifespan or falling prey to a late-life medical intervention.
PUMPING IRONY: Come to Your Senses
New research suggests that a declining sense of smell, taste, touch, vision, or hearing may lead to an early grave. I’d suggest it’s simply a natural consequence of growing old.
PUMPING IRONY: A Work in Progress?
For many geezers, economic realities have postponed the promise of a placid retirement, which may not be a bad thing.
PUMPING IRONY: One More for the Road?
High-risk drinking has grown dramatically among the geezer set in the past decade. And mixed messages about alcohol’s health benefits could be part of the problem.
PUMPING IRONY: Home Sweet Home
The move to repeal DACA doesn’t just throw 700,000 “dreamers” into limbo; it threatens the future of millions of homebound elderly.
PUMPING IRONY: The Cholesterol Conundrum
Despite obsessing for nearly a half century over the role of lipoproteins in heart disease, researchers seem to be more conflicted than ever.
PUMPING IRONY: Algae for Arthritis?
New research holds promise for the millions of geezers with creaky joints, but I’m more inclined to follow a less invasive protocol.
PUMPING IRONY: Par for the Course
An afternoon on the links brings two old friends with disparate views back together.
PUMPING IRONY: Lift and Learn
I may have to adjust my opinion of bodybuilders after new research suggests resistance training strengthens the aging brain.
PUMPING IRONY: Stop and Smell the Broccoli
New research suggests that a reduced-calorie diet can extend your lifespan — but only if you take a whiff of what’s on your plate.
PUMPING IRONY: Try Counting Sheep
Nearly half of the senior set isn’t getting enough sleep, but efforts to address the problem seem to be more entertaining than effective.
PUMPING IRONY: Doctor’s Orders
A former practicing physician explores the bottom-line priorities that govern our dysfunctional healthcare system — and offers some practical tips for overcoming the many obstacles it throws in our paths.
PUMPING IRONY: Saddle Up, and Take Your Chances
If bicycling at my age wasn’t already a risky proposition, new research suggests that the simple act of breathing while pedaling may be unwise.
PUMPING IRONY: A Geezer in the Garden
Is it OCD or just my aging insistence on order that has been propelling my recent yardwork?