SUBJ: High sugar diet like soda pop promotes colon cancer

SUBtitle: Physically/mentally lifestyle gives younger brain and cognitive age

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SHORT NOTES:

1..High sugar diet like soda pop promotes colon cancer.

2..A physically/mentally active lifestyle relates to younger brain and cognitive age.

3..I got the Nike jogging ap on my iPhone!  I ran 1.1 miles at 14 mph.

4..Dietary supplements combined with exercise improves muscular, aerobic, and metabolic health,

5..Lower diet quality accelerates DNA methylation-based aging.

6..In healthy elderly, polyphenol intake improves exercise benefit.

7..Values for the five-times-sit-to-stand test-50–54-year-olds-5th percentile = 18 s.

8..Workplace health promotion for healthy aging works and saves money.

9..Sulforaphane (broccoli) improves exercise-induced NRF2 signaling in older adults.

10..Both aging and obesity significantly amplify Systemic inflammation after stroke.

11..Vitamin D deficiency is a risk for cognitive decline at age 50 or older.

12..Ambient air pollution accelerates 78 non-communicable chronic diseases.

13..Associations between dietary patterns and reduced dementia prevalence.

14..Chronic inflammation mediates physical activity and telomere length.

15..Quality of life in end of life evaluates palliative care.

16..Area Deprivation Index allows you to view adverse health conditions at home.

17..My dear friend has written a book, The Persistence Factor, Amazon #1 list.

18..Hypertension is a Major Risk Factor in Alzheimer’s Disease.

19..Cocoa extract did not have an effect on the five epigenetic clocks tested.

20..Sauna challenges the body in ways that are similar to exercise.

21..Gait performance depends on numerous aspects of brain function.

22..A scalable step count-based predictor of biological age.

23..Hypertension with aging induces damage to brain parenchyma and memory.

24..Group dance interventions for older adults to prevent and treat sarcopenia.

25..Exercise, diet, and vitamin D supplements can help reverse frailty.

26..Increased genetic protection against Alzheimer’s disease in centenarians.

27..Approaches to minimize the negative effects of menopause on mental health.

28..Changes occurred esp. in immune cells during aging.

29..Pluripotent stem (iPS) cells restore after heart failure and Parkinson’s disease.

30..Self-amplifying RNA improves heart function after myocardial infarction.

31..Astrocyte-based CAR approach offers improved Alzheimers therapeutics.

32. Thirty six solutions to stabilize Earth’s climate.

33..Potential of probiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation for mitigating neuroinflammation and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease.

LONG NOTES:

Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for cognitive decline in individuals aged 50 or older. Vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for declines in global cognition and executive function in individuals aged 50 or older. Vitamin D [25-hydroxyvitamin D, 25(OH)D] was classified as sufficient (> 75 nmol/L), insufficient (> 30 and ≤ 75 nmol/L), or deficient (≤ 30 nmol/L).

A physically and mentally active lifestyle relates to younger brain and cognitive age.

I got the Nike jogging ap on my iPhone!  I ran 1.1 miles at 14 mph.

Dietary supplement use in longevity: evidence from 2,877 centenarians.  Approximately one in ten centenarians in China reported using dietary supplements. The most commonly consumed supplements were calcium, protein, and multivitamins, while DHA was the least commonly used.  These results indicate that a combined RT and minimal HIIT program improves muscular, aerobic, and metabolic health, and may improve inflammatory regulation in aging adults.

 

Lower diet quality accelerates DNA methylation-based age. a lifestyle combining low cardiovascular risk, high mental engagement throughout life and high physical activity/fitness is jointly associated with less-than-expected brain pathology and better-than-expected cognitive performance.

 

Effects of resistance-based training and polyphenol supplementation on physical function, metabolism, and inflammation in aging individuals. Aging is associated with declines in muscle mass, strength, aerobic capacity, and metabolic health, accompanied by increased low-grade inflammation. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of 12 weeks of resistance training (RT) combined with minimal high-intensity interval training (HIIT), with or without polyphenol supplementation, on muscular, cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory adaptations in healthy older adults.

 

Reference values for the five-times-sit-to-stand test: a pooled analysis including 45,470 participants from 14 countries. The aim of this study was to establish reference values for the Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSST) in a large, population-representative sample from 14 European countries. For females, the best performance on the FTSST was observed among the 50–54-year-olds (5th percentile = 18 s; 50th percentile = 10 s; 95th percentile = 6 s) and the worst among 85–89-year-olds and ≥ 90-year-olds (5th percentile = 28 s; 50th percentile = 15 s; 95th percentile = 9 s). For males, the best performance was observed among the 55–59-year-olds (5th percentile = 18 s; 50th percentile = 9 s; 95th percentile = 5 s). The worst performance for males was observed among ≥ 90-year-olds (5th percentile = 26 s; 50th percentile = 15 s; 95th percentile = 9 s), even though the 10th percentile was higher (poorer performance) among 85–89-year-olds.

 

Workplace health promotion for healthy aging: a randomized controlled trial within the Semmelweis–EUniWell Workplace Health Promotion Model Program comparing email-based and face-to-face motivational interviewing to increase step count. With the aging population in Europe, particularly Hungary, unhealthy aging is emerging as a growing public health challenge. Physical inactivity is a modifiable risk factor for age-related diseases and remains highly prevalent.  The results suggest a potential short-term benefit of workplace health promotion programs on physical activity, and that motivational interviewing may support longer-term maintenance of gains

 

Sulforaphane improves exercise-induced NRF2 signaling in older adults: an in vivo-ex vivo approach. This study tested the hypothesis that combining acute exercise (in vivo stimulus) with ex vivo SFN treatment would induce greater NRF2 activation and signaling in older adults compared to either treatment alone. These data suggest that combining exercise with SFN may amplify the strength of NRF2/ARE redox signaling in older adults.

 

Review: Systemic inflammation after stroke. Therapy and perspective. Systemic inflammation following ischemic stroke is driven by a complex interplay among pro-inflammatory cytokines, immune cell activation, and neurovascular dysfunction. Both aging and obesity significantly amplify this inflammatory response, exacerbating stroke severity and impeding recovery. Aging induces a chronic low-grade inflammatory state—referred to as inflammaging—that heightens vulnerability to stroke-induced brain injury. Similarly, obesity promotes a persistent pro-inflammatory milieu Overall, advancing our understanding of systemic inflammation and its modifiers will be key to developing innovative, patient-specific therapies aimed at improving outcomes and quality of life for stroke survivors.

 

The aging gut–glia–immune axis in alzheimer’s disease: microbiome-derived mediators of neuroinflammation and therapeutic innovation. Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia in the aging population, is marked by amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, tau tangles, and progressive neuronal degeneration, placing heavy clinical and socioeconomic burdens on healthcare worldwide. Aging remains the strongest risk factor, with chronic low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired proteostasis creating a vulnerable brain environment that accelerates AD onset and progression. Recent evidence highlights the gut–glia–immune axis as a critical pathway linking age-related microbiome changes to glial dysfunction. Microbial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids and tryptophan derivatives, regulate microglial maturation, astrocytic activity, and neuroimmune signaling. This review highlights the therapeutic potential of probiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation for mitigating neuroinflammation and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease.

 

Ambient air pollution exposure accelerates the occurrence of 78 non-communicable chronic diseases: an accelerated failure time analysis of a nationwide cohort. Ambient air pollution is a well-established risk factor for chronic diseases, but its impact on disease onset age remains unclear. This study systematically evaluated the acceleration effect of air pollutants on the onset of 78 chronic diseases . Notably, we observed that neurological/psychological disorders were observed to be mostly affected, including schizophrenia, dystonia, polyneuropathies, and migraine, with 1 ~ 3% reduction in the AAO. On a population level, PM2.5 overexposure (exceeding the WHO guideline of 5 μg/m3) accounted for 539,320 person-years of accelerated AAO across 78 chronic conditions, with hypertension (18.10%), asthma (6.03%), and diabetes (5.39%) contributing the most.

 

From the plate to the brain: associations between dietary patterns and reduced dementia prevalence and white matter lesions in older Japanese adults. Diet is widely considered essential in dementia, but its association with white matter lesions (WMLs) remains unclear. This cross-sectional study investigated the associations between dietary patterns, dementia, and WMLs. A Japanese diet including protein and minerals was associated with lower dementia prevalence and smaller WML volume in older Japanese adults.

 

Chronic inflammation mediates the relationship between physical activity and telomere length. A physically active lifestyle benefits cellular aging, however the mechanisms linking physical activity (PA) with longevity remain unclear. PA is associated with longer telomere length (TL), while shorter TL has been associated with increased cellular aging. Some research suggests increased levels of inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), are associated with telomere dysfunction. These novel findings suggest a potential pathway where PA is associated with lower CRP concentrations, which in turn is associated with longer average TL.

 

Quality of life in end of life. Assessing quality of life (QOL) in end-of-life patients is vital for understanding the complex impacts of terminal illnesses on individual well-being. This study aims to compare two widely used QOL assessment tools: the Karnofsky Performance Status Scale (KPSS) and the Short-Form-36 (SF-36) Health Survey among patients with late-stage diseases. KPSS, a clinician-rated scale measuring functional capacity, provides an objective perspective on a patient’s clinical status. Conversely, the SF-36 offers a patient-reported overview across eight dimensions, including physical and mental health. This comprehensive approach emphasizes the need for robust QOL evaluations in palliative care, facilitating more patient-centered care aligned with individuals’ values and needs.

 

 

Area Deprivation Index – Developed at UW-Madison, this site allows you

to view adverse social exposome (i.e., neighborhood disadvantage) rankings for all neighborhoods (i.e., census block groups) in an individual state or the entire country as mapped by 2023 ADI. Areas with high ADI scores have higher levels of adverse social exposome; conversely, areas with low ADI scores have lower levels. Neighborhoods may be ranked relative to the full nation or relative to other neighborhoods within that individual state.

 

My dear friend Kevin Fickenscher, whose newsletter often is quoted here, has written a book, The Persistence Factor.  It made the Amazon #1 list. It’s a book I’ve been thinking about for some time. Over the couse of time, I’ve read all sorts of books on “persistence” but none of them really provided a “framework” for how to engage in it. As a result, I developed a framework and developed the book around that approach toward solving problems. Given our history of working to “make a difference”, “make the world a better place”, “solving problems…”, it seemed that some of you may be interested in the i  deas developed in the book.

 

Hypertension as a Major Risk Factor in Alzheimer’s Disease: Mechanisms, Interactions and Therapeutic Perspectives. This review suggests that controlling blood pressure throughout life could significantly reduce the global incidence of dementia. In addition to being a major vascular risk factor, HTN also acts as a separate accelerator of neurodegeneration linked to AD. This highlights the need for early detection and continuous blood pressure medication as practical, scalable preventive measures.

 

Effects of daily multivitamin–multimineral and cocoa extract supplementation on epigenetic aging clocks in the COSMOS randomized clinical trial.  Cocoa extract did not have an effect on the five epigenetic clocks tested. Although the statistically significant but small effects of daily MVM supplementation on slowing biological aging are encouraging, additional studies are needed to determine the clinical relevance of daily MVM supplementation on epigenetic clocks.

 

Scientists are discovering that sauna’s health benefits aren’t all hot air.  Sauna challenges the body in ways that are similar to exercise, researchers say. Confronted with the sudden increase in heat, your cardiovascular system is put to the test – blood vessels dilate, heart rate increases and blood gets pushed to your skin, where it can be cooled more easily by sweat.  using a sauna four to seven times per week was associated with a 40% to 60% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and death, compared to those who only went once a week.

 

Cognition and brain network connectivity in timed up & go performance. Gait performance depends on numerous aspects of brain functioning that are also relevant to key cognitive processes throughout the lifespan. The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test has been shown to be a reliable tool for assessing age-related mobility changes and risk of falls in older adults.  Findings indicate different contributions of attentional systems to gait performance in aging.

 

A scalable step count-based predictor of biological age: development and validation of MoveIt! Age in community-dwelling adults and geriatric rehabilitation inpatients. Measuring biological age typically requires invasive and costly procedures. To address this, the MoveIt! Age Score was developed: a simple, scalable, and interpretable aging clock that predicts biological age using only wearable-derived steps data. These findings support MoveIt! Age as a practical tool to gain insights into biological age in both clinical and community settings.

 

Age and associated hypertension impair hippocampal circuitry function and memory. Chronic hypertension with aging induces significant alterations in the structure and function of brain parenchyma and memory dysfunction. While therapeutic control of hypertension reduces risk, the functional changes in neural circuitry that underlie memory deficits are unknown. Identifying possible early onset changes in the hippocampal trisynaptic circuit (HTC) may reveal opportunities for therapeutic intervention. The results reveal an hypertension/age-associated anomaly in ripple band activity in SD males, characterized by reductions in mean peak ripple amplitude and in the ability of α5IA to potentiate peak ripple amplitude, without effect upon ripple frequency or duration.

 

Group dance interventions for community dwelling older adults to prevent and treat sarcopenia: a mixed methods systematic review. Group dance is an engaging physical activity that may benefit the prevention and management of sarcopenia among older adults. Enjoyment-driven and socially engaging group dance interventions are encouraged to support the prevention and management of sarcopenia.

 

Combined effects of vitamin D and cumulative dietary risk score on fatty liver and mortality in vulnerable individuals: a prospective analysis from the UK Biobank. Frailty is a global public health issue associated with multiple adverse outcomes in later years, however, studies have shown exercise, diet, and vitamin D supplements can help reverse frailty. The combination of vitamin D and dietary risk score offers a more effective method for assessing disease risk in vulnerable populations.

 

Increased genetic protection against Alzheimer’s disease in centenarians.  The genetic protection was of modest size: the average increase in polygenic protective score specific to Alzheimer’s disease (AD PPS) was approximately one additional protective allele per 5 years of gained lifetime. Additionally, we show that the higher AD PPS was associated with better cognitive function and decreased mortality.

 

Science 26 Feb pg881- Menopause has been associated with psychological and cognitive changes, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is currently used to minimize menopausal changes. Zuhlsdorff et al. studied the links among menopause, HRT, and mental health using data from 125,000 UK Biobank participants. Menopause was associated with increased depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. Before menopause, women who subsequently underwent HRT had more mental health issues compared with women not given HRT, and HRT did not alleviate the symptoms. At the structural level, menopause was associated with reduced gray matter volumes in all groups. These results will help in the identification of interventional approaches to minimize the negative effects of menopause on mental health.

 

Science 26 Feb pg887- Aging atlases have been generated for multiple organisms, but they are often restricted to capturing the transcriptional landscape across cells. Lu et al. created a single-cell chromatin accessibility atlas in mice for 21 tissues over three age time points (see the Perspective by Barnett and Noseda). They combined this atlas with a previous gene expression atlas of aging and found many changes in cellular composition and chromatin accessibility with aging. Changes occurred across cell types, but immune cells in particular showed diverging patterns with aging, and the authors were able to trace these patterns to particular transcription factor motifs within the peaks. Many of these changes were sex specific, reinforcing the importance of using diverse samples in such endeavors. —Corinne Simonti

 

Science 5 Mar 2026 pg964 – Twenty years after they were first created in Japan, extraordinarily versatile stem cells made from the body’s own cells may finally realize their promise for regenerating diseased tissue. Last month, an advisory panel to Japan’s health ministry recommended limited marketing approval for therapies using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for heart failure and Parkinson’s disease. In a controversial arrangement, their makers will be able to sell the products for 7 years while continuing studies to determine just how well the therapies work. IPS cells are moving closer to medical use in other countries as well, with dozens of potential therapies in clinical trials.

 

Science 5 Mar 2026 pg986 – Protein therapy with self-amplifying RNA

Self-amplifying RNA improves heart function after myocardial infarction in mice and pigs.

 

Science 5 Mar 2026 pg990 – Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains elusive to treat despite extensive knowledge of its pathological hallmarks. In AD, amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates into extracellular plaques, and this aggregation is thought to ignite a pathological cascade leading to brain inflammation, intraneuronal tau protein aggregation, and, ultimately, neuronal loss. Because Aβ aggregation is a primary driver of AD pathogenesis, therapeutic strategies, including monoclonal antibodies, have focused on clearing brain Aβ. Yet clinical trials of these antibodies have yielded only modest benefits, accompanied by safety concerns that limit broad clinical adoption (13). On page 1006 of this issue, Chen et al. (4) report a promising alternative–engineering brain astrocytes to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that enable them to target and phagocytose (engulf ) A?. This astrocytebased CAR approach offers a new, “living drug” paradigm for improved safety and efficacy of AD therapeutics.

 

Science 5 Mar 2026 pg991 – 36 solutions to stabilize Earth’s climate. Current policies give 2.5 degrees centigrade in 2100. Wiser policies blocked my climate deniers can reduce heating to only 1.5 in 2100.

 

Science 5 Mar 2026 pg1001 – High sugar diet promotes colon cancer. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks will help you die of colon cancer.