The Folly of Fools: The Logic of Deceit and Self-Deception in Human Life

Whether it's in a cockpit at takeoff or the planning of an offensive war, a romantic relationship or a dispute at the office, there are many opportunities to lie and self-deceive — but deceit and self-deception carry the costs of being alienated from reality and can lead to disaster. So why does deception play such a prominent role in our everyday lives? In his bold new work, Rutgers University evolutionary theorist Robert Trivers unflinchingly argues that self-deception evolved in the service of deceit — the better to fool others. We do it for biological reasons — in order to help us survive and procreate. From viruses mimicking host behavior to humans misremembering (sometimes intentionally) the details of a quarrel, science has proven that the deceptive one can always outwit the masses. But we undertake this deception at our own peril.

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Key Features of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Explained

from the AICR

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Dietary Guidelines are released every five years and form the basis of all federal food and nutrition policies, programs and communications for the next half decade.

The guidelines serve as a critical tool to help people make healthy choices in their daily lives to help prevent chronic disease and enjoy a healthy diet. A strong recommendation within the guidelines can have a major impact on the daily eating habits of Americans. It offers a simple message that pulls together the many complex choices in creating healthy eating habits into a single picture.

One guideline has many important implications. It says, “Focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages and stay within calorie limits.”

If that sounds like a lot of math-speak, let’s break down what it means for day-to-day eating choices.

Key Practical Steps to Nutrient Density: Nutrient-dense foods are those that deliver nutrients you need without excess calories. To meet the recommendation to focus on nutrient-dense foods and beverages take the following steps:

     1). Watch out for foods with a “health halo”. A bar, cereal, frozen dessert, yogurt or energy drink, for example, might emphasize high content of protein, fiber or some vitamin or mineral. Only when you check the Nutrition Facts label do you see high content of saturated fat, added sugars or both. Foods like this can make calories soar even in a moderate portion.

The Dietary Guidelines emphasize – consistent with AICR’s Recommendations – that a healthy diet is one that helps you reach and maintain a weight that is healthy for you. Research is clear that excess body fat increases risk of at least 12 different kinds of cancer, as well as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

     2). Stay portion-mindful. Many nutrient-dense foods, especially non-starchy vegetables, allow you to eat filling portions with relatively few calories. But even for healthful, nutrient-dense foods, consistently choosing portions that are too large can send total daily calories beyond what you need. That’s why AICR developed the New American Plate, which focuses on both the proportion of different foods on your plate as well as the portion sizes you choose.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans note that Americans typically eat excessive amounts of refined grains and meats (especially processed and high-fat meats). Individuals differ in how their food choices compare to the recommended dietary patterns. The key point is that the call for more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans is not calling for a larger plate. It means cutting back on the foods currently getting too much of your plate.

     3). Create more variety among healthful foods you eat. To get the widest range of nutrients and healthful phytochemicals, the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans again emphasize the importance of several servings each week of dark green vegetables and of red-orange vegetables (like carrots, tomatoes and winter squash). The guidelines also advise replacing processed or high-fat meats (such as hot dogs, sausage, and bacon) with seafood; beans, peas and lentils; and nuts, seeds and soy foods.

AICR’s recommendation to limit red and processed meat is primarily based on evidence linking excess amounts with increased risk of colorectal cancer. A side benefit of taking this step is that it gives you more room for high-fiber, microbiome-feeding beans and other pulses, and nutrient-rich seafood.

     4). Make “healthy” fit your needs and preferences. The new federal dietary guidelines call out more strongly than ever to customize your selection, cooking style, and flavoring of nutrient-dense foods and beverages.

Health professionals encourage people to adapt eating habits because of medical conditions or risk factors and still enjoy food that is flavorful and delicious. The same is true of the healthy eating patterns defined by the latest dietary guidelines.

     5). Reduce added sugars: Very few people have room for 10% of their calories coming from added sugars that’s recommended. Lots of discussion has noted that although the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommended a limit of no more than 6% of calories from added sugars, the final Dietary Guidelines for Americans identifies a limit of no more than 10% of calories. However, unless your calorie needs are over 3000 calories a day, you don’t have room for more than 15% of calories from foods and drinks that aren’t nutrient-dense.

For virtually every age group, the dietary patterns in the appendix of the Dietary Guidelines demonstrate this in practical terms. The category in the dietary patterns called “Calories for Other Uses” also includes foods high in saturated fat (like butter, high-fat meats and ice cream), alcohol, portions of refined grains and potatoes or other starchy vegetables beyond amounts in the recommended healthy patterns.
For many adults and children, there’s only room for “extra” (less-nutritious) foods that total 6-13% of their calories. Those “extra” calories include more than added sugars. Individual food and drink choices in this category can vary. But the Dietary Guidelines state for most people, only half of these “Calories for Other Uses” will come from added sugars.

If this seems confusing, here’s a practical example: If you are a typical adult who needs about 2000 calories a day, these patterns show that after meeting recommendations, you have 12-13% of calories “for other uses”. That’s about 240 calories a day. 

If you chose a 12-ounce regular soft drink (156 calories), that would leave only 84 additional calories.
   That’s enough for 1 additional slice of refined bread or 1/3 cup of refined pasta.
   OR 1/3 of a small order of French fries.
   OR a high-fat meat (like spareribs or a cheeseburger) to replace a lean meat portion.
   OR 1/2 a small single-serve bag of potato chips.

     6). Special Call-Out to Adults 60 and Over: The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include a special focus on healthy eating throughout life. For adults ages 60 and older, the call to zero in on nutrient-dense foods receives extra emphasis.
Older adults generally have lower calorie needs, but similar or even increased nutrient needs compared to younger adults. Nutrient density is particularly important to this age group.

Clearly, there are wide differences in calorie needs within this 60+ age group. It includes joggers and people with physically active jobs as well as people with muscle loss, multiple chronic diseases and impaired ability to get around. And other factors that affect nutrient needs and absorption of nutrients create differences among needs of older adults.

Regardless, for most older adults, metabolism slows and daily calorie needs are about 200 calories lower after age 50 or 60.

For women over age 60, except for those who get more than an hour of moderate physical activity each day, calorie needs generally leave room for only 100-140 calories from added sugars, saturated fat and starchy foods beyond the basic pattern as well as any alcohol.

For men and women over age 60, it becomes more and more important to be selective about the many potential “extras” in eating habits – and to choose those “extras” more occasionally instead of daily.

In Conclusion: Just as the AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations are a blueprint from which you can create a lifestyle that reduces your risk of cancer, look at the new federal dietary guidelines as a framework for a wide range of personal choices that add up to promote good health.

Minding Your Memory

from the Harvard Health E-zine 

The good news is, not all memory issues are a cause for concern. Here’s how to manage those common, annoying lapses. Everyone experiences the occasional "senior moment" as they age. You may misplace everyday items, fail to recall the name of someone you just met, or forget to do something. While these memory slips can be embarrassing and stressful, they usually don't mean that you are on a path to dementia.

"Some degree of memory lapses is a normal part of aging," says Lydia Cho, a neuropsychologist with Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital. "You can't expect to hold on to all information you've gathered throughout your life, whether it was long ago or recent. It's not realistic or adaptive."

Factors at play: there are times when frequent forgetfulness should be checked out by your doctor, as it could be a symptom of an underlying treatable health problem. For example, insomnia, anxiety, and depression can affect brain functions, including memory.

If your lapses become more frequent or severe, or if they affect your daily life (like forgetting to pay bills or take medicine), your doctor may recommend a neuropsychological evaluation. In that exam, a specialist assesses your memory and other cognitive skills, such as attention, executive function, language, and visuospatial abilities.

Brain Assistance: Even though most memory lapses are not cause for concern, you can take measures to manage and improve your existing brain skills. Adopting various lifestyle behaviors is one way (see "Manage your memory with DANCERS"). For specific types of everyday memory issues, adopting certain strategies can help you retain and recall information or navigate memory hiccups when they arise.

There are steps you can take to enhance your memory and help to delay or even prevent dementia. Lydia Cho, a neuropsychologist with Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital, suggests focusing on DANCERS, a set of lifestyle criteria created by Dr. James Ellison, former director of the geriatric psychiatry program at McLean.

D: Disease management. Maintain a healthy weight, don't smoke, and keep blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels in line to help preserve cognitive function.

A: Activity. Any cardio exercise, like walking, swimming, and playing sports, is good for brain health. "Cardio can increase energy in the brain by improving oxygen and blood flow," says Cho.

N: Nutrition. Poor nutrition leads to poor brain health. The DASH, MIND, and Mediterranean diets emphasize whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fatty fish, and healthy fats.

C: Cognitive stimulation. "Challenge your brain regularly," says Cho. "The more you engage your brain, the more likely you can retain memory."

E: Engagement. Research continues to show a reliable link between isolation and lower cognitive function. Any kind of social engagement is helpful.

R: Relaxation. Your brain needs adequate downtime. Do activities that you find relaxing, whether it's exercise, yoga, meditation, reading, or bathing.

S: Sleep. Sleep is when your brain cleans out toxins. To get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night, practice good sleep hygiene. Examples: Set a sleep schedule and stick to it. Avoid any electronic devices for at least an hour before bedtime. Don't eat after dinner time.

The following is a look at the memory obstacles you are most likely to encounter and ways to deal with them.

Absent-mindedness. This happens when you multitask and don't concentrate on less critical tasks. (Think of the stereotypical absent-minded professor who can recall complex formulas but keeps misplacing his glasses.) Sometimes, the seemingly small details can have significant consequences, like forgetting to take medicine or leaving the house without your phone.

What you can do: When faced with multiple tasks, put them in order of importance and then focus on only one task at a time before moving on to the next. Setting up routines and reminders also can help prevent absent-mindedness.

For example, create a memory table by your front door or in the bedroom where you place all your vital objects, like your phone, medicines, and glasses. To make sure you take your medicines on schedule, use a pillbox labelled with dates and times, or set alarms on your smart phone to remind you.

Blocking. This is referred to as the "tip of the tongue" phenomenon, when you can't recall a name or specific detail. "You know the information, but you can't immediately place a label on it," says Cho. "This happens to everyone at times, no matter a person's age, and isn't cause for concern unless it becomes a more frequent occurrence."

What you can do: Recalling names of people is the most common type of blocking. Cho suggests trying to associate a person with something that may help trigger name recall, like his or her hobby, work, background, or spouse. "Many times you know more detail about a person beyond his or her name," she says. Another option is to associate the person with someone who has the same name or a similar one, like a relative, celebrity, or movie character. "You can also connect the name with a rhyming word or song," says Cho. For large functions where you know the attendees, like family gatherings or meetings, rehearse people's names beforehand.

Transience. Transience is the loss of certain memories — typically facts or events — over time. "The brain decides what information becomes less crucial or integral," says Cho. For instance, you can memorize a phone number to use immediately, but then you don't retain it because it's no longer needed.

What you can do: If you want to retain certain memories, try to keep that information emotionally charged. "If you believe it's important, your brain will likely hang on to it longer," she says. You can do this by revisiting the memory through sharing it in conversation, recording it for future reference, and reviewing photographs.

Misattribution. Here, you recall accurate information from an event but can't attribute it to the correct source, or you recognize a familiar face but place the person wrongly. Another type of is misattribution is false recognition, which scammers often exploit. "People try to convince you that you owe money, and you don't trust your memory and second-guess yourself," says Cho.

What you can do: If you have trouble connecting information with a source, write down the details of an event when they occur. You can also record the information (most smartphones have voice memo capabilities) or take pictures or videos. "But keep in mind that many times what you know is more important than where it came from, so focus on that," says Cho.

To protect yourself from scams, never share financial information like account or credit card numbers on the phone or over the Internet. If you have doubts about an inquiry, and don't trust your memory, run it by a friend or family member to ensure its legitimacy.

Reinvent Your Walking Regimen: Switch Your Routine, Stay Motivated & Active

from the Harvard Health Letter

Putting one foot in front of the other is a simple way to trigger a cascade of health benefits. Regular brisk walks help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol; control blood sugar; and reduce the risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Brisk walks also strengthen muscles, burn calories, and lift mood.

Just one problem: some people find walking boring. Boredom may diminish your motivation and interest in exercising. Before that happens, mix up your regimen with different types of walking that maximize physical, mental, and emotional health benefits.

Exercise Focused Walking: While all brisk walking is good aerobic activity, you'll boost physical benefits even more if you incorporate other exercises in your regimen. Here are some options:
   An interval-training walk. Adding brief bursts of speed during a brisk walk boosts cardio fitness. "You speed up, push your intensity, recover, and then pick up the pace again," says Harvard fitness consultant and certified fitness instructor Michele Stanten. She recommends timing yourself for 15, 30, or 60 seconds at the heightened intensity and then doubling that amount of time to recover at your normal pace. "If you need longer to recover, that's fine too. When you feel ready, pick up the intensity and go faster." If you don't want to time yourself, use landmarks: speed up as you walk past two houses, go slower for four houses, and repeat.
   A strength-training walk. At least twice per week, take a resistance band on your walk. "Work your chest, arm, or shoulder muscles by stretching the band while holding it in front or above you, or loop it around your back and press it forward," Stanten advises.

Sport Walking: Some activities make walking feel more like a sport. Consider the following:
   Nordic walking. Using Nordic poles (which have a special glove-like attachment) adds upper-body exercise to a traditional walk, engaging twice the muscles and increasing calorie burning. You can walk on level surfaces or on varied terrain, and you can even do it (with a doctor's okay) if you have balance difficulty, since the poles help keep you stable.\
   Hiking. "Hiking with or without poles will you get out of the house so you can enjoy nature. If you use hiking poles, they'll help take pressure off the joints," Stanten notes.

Meditative Walking: The repetitive nature of walking makes it a natural activity for meditation or self-reflection. Try one of these:
   A breath-focused walk. The combination of breathing and stepping creates a rhythm that helps quiet the mind. "Breathing and counting are key," Stanten says. "Match your footsteps to your inhalations and exhalations. Take four steps as you inhale, take four steps as you exhale. You can lengthen those counts as you relax."
   A mindful walk. Use walking as an opportunity to become more mindful. "Really be present in your walk. Pay attention to what's going on around you, and feel the breeze and the sun on your body. Pay attention to what you're hearing — the birds chirping, the rustle of leaves," Stanten suggests.

Social Walking: Think about walking as a time for social interaction. Some possibilities:
   A chatty walk. Instead of sitting and talking to catch up with loved ones, chat during a walk in the morning, afternoon, or evening. The more you walk and talk, the more exercise you'll fit into your day.
   A heart-to-heart walk. If you need to have a tough conversation with someone, walking can make it easier. "Walking relaxes your body, and you don't need to make eye contact with the other person when you're walking," Stanten says.

Note: Texting is a form of communication but avoid texting during a walk; the distraction can lead to a fall or keep you from seeing oncoming traffic.|

Walking-Related apps: Elevate your walk by pairing it with a free app to make your time more inspirational, educational, or exciting. Consider downloading one of these:

• Charity Miles (charitymiles.org). Raise money for numerous charities as you walk.
• The Walk: Fitness Tracker and Game (thewalkgame.com). Listen to a spy story that only reveals itself as you rack up the required miles.
• A free podcast app. Listen to interesting interviews while you walk, such as the Harvard Health Publishing podcast Living Better, Living Longer (www.health.harvard.edu/podcast-living-better-living-longer).

Note: Use just one earbud to listen to a podcast during a walk. Keep your other ear free for sounds in your environment that can alert you to hazards, such as approaching cars.

Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding

 “Nothing about the biology of exercise makes sense except in the light of evolution, and nothing about exercise as a behavior makes sense except in the light of anthropology.”

In this myth-busting book, Daniel Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University and a pioneering researcher on the evolution of human physical activity, tells the story of how we never evolved to exercise — to do voluntary physical activity for the sake of health. Using his own research and experiences throughout the world, Lieberman recounts how and why humans evolved to walk, run, dig, and do other necessary and rewarding physical activities while avoiding needless exertion. As our increasingly sedentary lifestyles have contributed to skyrocketing rates of obesity and diseases such as diabetes, Lieberman argues that to become more active we need to do more than medicalize and commodify exercise. […]

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How Much Is Too Much?

from the Eat This, Not That ezine 

Is there such a thing as too much coffee? Why yes, there is! Here's how much caffeine (and cups of coffee) your body can actually handle.

If you're like most Americans, you're reaching for your coffee first thing in the morning. A 2018 study from the National Coffee Association found that 64 percent of Americans drink a cup of coffee every day, up from 62 percent in 2017, and the highest percentage since 2012.

But it's not just the coffee we're after—it's the caffeine. And whether your drink of choice is a latte, tea, or soda, you'll definitely get a fix. However, it can also have some pretty unpleasant side effects. Here's everything you need to know about caffeine and how to consume it safely.

What is Caffeine? "Caffeine is a drug (yep!) and central nervous stimulant," says Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RD, LD/N, registered dietitian and nutrition consultant for RSP Nutrition. "It has been known to aid with attention and reaction time, as well as provide more energy, strength, and endurance for physical activities. It is a gastric stimulant, and also a vasoconstrictor (it raises blood pressure)."

How much caffeine is safe to consume daily? The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines suggest up to 400 milligrams per day is safe for most healthy adults. (That's 3-5 cups of coffee per day.) In pregnancy, current guidelines recommend less than 200 milligrams per day. However, each person's body reacts differently to it. "Individual metabolism and tolerance should dictate this, and not guidelines," says Auslander Moreno. "We do not recommend caffeine for children, other than small amounts occurring in chocolate."

What are the symptoms of too much caffeine? There is definitely such a thing as too much caffeine, and your body will let you know. "Consuming more than 400 milligrams of caffeine can result in a jumpy and slightly alarmed feeling," says Lauri Wright, PhD, RDN, LD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Wright says larger amounts of caffeine may cause: irritability, sleeplessness, anxiety, headaches, diarrhea.

What is the caffeine content of popular drinks? Here's how much caffeine is in your favorite drinks (from highest to lowest amount).
   Coffee: "A cup (8 oz) of brewed coffee can have various caffeine amounts—from 70-140milligrams per cup, depending on brew and bean," says Auslander Moreno.
   Espresso: 64 mg per 1 oz. (so, a 4oz cup would contain 256 mg).
   Mountain Dew: ~54 mg per 12 oz can
   Black tea: ~50 mg per cup (depends on variety + steep time)
   Green tea: 35-50 mg per cup (depends on variety + steep time)
   Diet Coke: ~ 46 mg per 12 oz can (interesting that it contains 12 mg more than the regular variety-see below).
   Pepsi: ~39 mg per 12 oz can
   Barq's Root Beer: ~ 38 mg per 12 oz can
   Coke Zero: ~36 mg per 12 oz can
   Diet Pepsi: ~35 mg per 12 oz can
   Coke: ~34 mg per 12 oz can
   Decaf coffee: 12-15 mg per cup (yes, it still contains some despite the “decaf” label).

Can you really have caffeine withdrawal? Yes, you can, and it can be both physical and mental. "You can have a physical (and psychological) dependence on caffeine," says Auslander Moreno. The most commonly reported caffeine withdrawal issues are: headache, fatigue, irritability, anxiety, tremors, decreased concentration.

How long until caffeine is completely out of your system? "The half-life of caffeine (the amount of time until HALF a sample is metabolized) is about 5-6 hours, but tolerance and DNA can move this number significantly," says Auslander Moreno. "That's why some people find it useful to have a rather early 'cutoff time' for caffeine intake since it may be disrupting sleep far later at nighttime."

If you do overdo it, unfortunately, you can't flush it out of your system. "Drinking water may make some symptoms feel a bit better, but the drug has to be metabolized in time," says Auslander Moreno. "The half-life is about 5-6 hours, but individual metabolisms vary widely."

Can too much caffeine really kill you? It's true: Caffeine can kill you. According to the FDA, it has contributed to the deaths of at least 2 Americans. The FDA estimates toxic effects, like seizures, can be observed with rapid consumption of around 1,200 milligrams of caffeine, or 0.15 tablespoons of pure caffeine.