Wise & Well Weekly
Helping make your tomorrow a little better than today
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, a newsletter helping you make tomorrow a little better than today. Below you’ll find in-depth, actionable stories by Wise & Well’s team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals.
Why Winter Brings Endless Runny Noses and Sniffles — For Some of Us
I get the sniffles whenever it’s cold out. I’ve come to guess that it’s not allergies, as winter is a time of low allergen counts. What, then? This writer, a scientist, has the same experience, so he nosed around a bit and offers up a compelling evolutionary explanation:
Some people have larger noses, or thinner noses, or wider noses. The right nose shape might be an important part of thriving in cold or dry conditions.
— Sam Westreich, PhD
Why Your Doctor Doesn’t Listen to You
Doctor visits can feel so rushed we get flummoxed and come away without learning enough. And that’s one of the keys to a more successful visit: Be prepared with knowledge and questions. This Mayo Clinic physician explains, in detail, why doctors are so rush (the system is largely to blame) and what you can do to get what you need from the brief encounter.
Doctors often spend more time in front of a computer than in front of the patient. It didn’t use to be that way. And at the end of the month they will use “pajama time” to catch up. This means feeding the computer at off hours, which can take 20 extra hours a month, in my experience.
—Dr. Ed (Edward T. Creagan, MD)
Yes, ADHD Kills People
ADHD is often described as existing on a spectrum of the human condition. Some see it as neurodivergence that society should adapt to, rather than the individual needing to medicate. In any case, ADHD comes with heightened risk of early death, a fact that should not be minimized when deciding whether and how to treat it or not, this psychiatrist argues.
Decades of research have documented strong associations between ADHD and substantially higher rates of accidents, suicides, smoking, and substance abuse, all of which are leading causes of death.
—John Kruse MD, PhD
Simple Exercise Habits May Improve Cancer Outcomes
We know physical activity is good for physical health, mental health and longevity. A new study suggests one specific benefit among many: better outcomes later on should you be diagnosed with cancer. The finding builds upon many others that make a powerful case for exercise as a strong immune system booster and preventive activity.
Even less than 60 minutes weekly of any moderate intensity exercise — enough to get your heart rate up and quicken your breathing — improved the odds of decreasing cancer’s progression and improved mortality.
—Annie Foley
The Stigma Around Chronic Pain
Many people get stigmatized for whatever about them is outside what others consider to be a norm. You might not realize this happens to people with chronic pain, but it does, and it hurts. We can all learn how to be more empathetic from this writer, who suffers severe chronic pain that generates unwanted assumptions and derision from others—even doctors.
We may look down on pain and disability because we feel vulnerable — that it may happen to ourselves. Or it may be part of the core human need to separate from others, to see ourselves as special, and to judge others as lesser, as weaklings.
—Randall H. Duckett
Also this week, we have four stories that consider the implications for health and well-being of Americans from the sudden and ongoing dismantling of America’s world-leading system of health and science research apparatus, long a cooperative effort between the federal government, public and private universities, and numerous other institutions where public servants and expert researchers work to improve outcomes on everything from the common cold to the deadliest cancers…
How Dismantling the US Health System Affects You
Cuts to funding for basic research and staffing at critical institutions threatens the well-being of all Americans. In fact, the effects are already being felt, in research at children’s hospitals and basic care by everyday doctors.
— An editorial by Robert Roy Britt
The Price We’ll Pay for Slashing Federal Science Funding
The US government provides significant funding for basic research in science, medicine and technology. It’s why America is a leader in innovation, generating breakthroughs and inventions like penicillin, diabetes treatments, GPS and the internet.
—By Aliasger K. Salem
The Mental Health Consequences
The administration’s proposed changes to funding and staffing will wreak havoc on mental health and well-being. This psychologists offers advice for dealing with the present, unsettling change: “Voicing your concerns and remaining productively involved can be a helpful outlet, especially when feeling hopeless or overwhelmed.”
— By Gail Post, Ph.D.
Life Expectancy Flatlines
In the US and now Europe, life expectancy is no longer rising, new research this week reveals. It’s not rocket science to find the reasons: The population is overweight and sedentary. But the larger root problems are fixable only by governmental regulation and federal support — exactly the opposite of what’s happening in the US right now.
—By Robert Roy Britt
This weekly newsletter (subscribe here) is written by Wise & Well’s editor, Robert Roy Britt. I hope we’ve helped make your tomorrow a little better than today.
Cheers,
Rob