If we’re lucky, most of us will notice our bodies aging gracefully. But new research suggests we might have more factors to contend with than just the ravages of time.

A new study published in Frontiers in Aging found that certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [per- and poly-floor-oh-AL-kill], or PFAS [PEA-fass], can accelerate the “true” physical age of our bodies.

Middle-aged men are the most vulnerable group.

These forever chemicals contain bits found in everyday, manufactured items like non-stick cooking pans, food packaging, water-resistant clothing and more. Their molecular makeup makes them extremely resistant to degradation — hence the use of “forever.”

They’re also everywhere.

Research has linked them to everything from cancer to obesity to hormone disruption. When the team looked at data from more than 300 adults and measured their body’s age on a cellular level, they found that two PFAS in particular were linked to accelerated aging in men between 50 and 64 years old.

Authors pointed out that not all PFAS affect the body the same, as no others were observed to have the same association. This was also not observed in women, and overall levels did not differ between the groups.

One reason middle-aged men were the most impacted could be due to middle age itself, authors said, as it is a “sensitive” window where the body is more susceptible to stressors.

Just because these forever chemicals are abundant doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to limit your exposure, however. Experts say to avoid microwaving fast food containers and eat fewer packaged foods.

There’s always a little something you can do.

If you experience osteoarthritis, you’re in good — and widespread — company.

By 2050, millions of people are slated to experience joint pain. The privilege of growing older and wiser comes with a common side effect of aches and pains. Typically, standard treatments include different kinds of medications, or even a surgery … or two.

Now, new research from Ireland suggests that the best treatment is one we microdosed in gym class or dabbled in after a New Year’s resolution: exercise.

Here’s why: The movement feeds our cartilage. This kind of tissue doesn’t come with its own supply of blood, so it relies on our movement to keep working optimally. This movement of fluid and lubrication brings in nutrients to the cartilage. Across the body, exercise dials down inflammation and alters the mechanisms driving damage to our joints. It slows progression. It reduces pain.

One of the earliest signs of osteoarthritis is muscle weakness. Targeted resistance training can help to reverse it, and there are special programs tailored to a variety of neuromuscular exercises aimed at doing just that.

In fact, research shows exercise is one of the most effective means of dealing with long-term joint pain. Regular movement is often an effective stop before surgery — and could even delay its necessity, period.

Researchers analyzed studies and found that the number of people referred to exercise programs is less than 50%. Forty percent are pointed toward surgical options before less invasive ones have been explored.

Hip replacement surgery has come a long way, but so has what we know about exercise.

An obsession can be a bad thing, even if it masquerades as something laudable.

And that is what makes orthorexia nervosa one of the trickiest eating disorders to contend with. In a new study, a team of British and Greek researchers analyzed 16 previous studies that focused on the disorder.

Orthorexia nervosa is an obsession with healthy eating accompanied by restrictive behavior. The attempt to attain perfect health through a pure diet, however, can lead to malnourishment, lost relationships and a sad life.

The person might turn down the office birthday cake every time. Their rigid meal-preparation social media posts are positively reinforced by followers.

And it frequently goes undiagnosed because society, writ large, sees such a diet as virtuous — something we all should be doing. A person with the disorder is continually applauded for the very behavior that is harmful to them.

Imagine you were to try to quit smoking cigarettes, but everywhere you went, people talked about how wonderful it is that you smoke.

The study’s authors say their findings point to a more critical and compassionate approach to health; one that understands the increasingly blurred line between health and disorder, and that resists reinforcing harmful ideals about self-control, food restriction and moralized eating.

Some scholars suggest orthorexia may be a cultural evolution of anorexia nervosa, an obsessive pursuit of thinness that is more widely known. A pursuit of health through clean eating may be more praiseworthy than simply being thin.

Just remember: What looks like self-care on the outside could still be harmful on the inside.

High anxiety is a modern scourge. Part of it stems from the outrage manufactured by social media and the 24/7 news cycle. We can seldom outrun the reach of our smartphones. Coping in the 21st century requires thick skin and Herculean focus.

But now, Brazilian researchers have discovered a medication-free way to deal with the stresses of daily life — stay fit.

Their recent study found that people who have poor cardiorespiratory fitness were nearly eight times more likely to experience high anxiety in stressful situations. That’s compared to fit individuals.

Cardiorespiratory fitness describes how well the heart, lungs and blood deliver oxygen to our muscles.

Researchers also found an association with fitness and anger, with couch potatoes more likely to fume over something than fit counterparts. The study also found that they struggled to control their anger.

Anxiety is a vicious loop. The study shows that high anxiety also tends to reduce physical activity.

Scientists measured this phenomenon by showing a group of healthy young adults a series of photos with disturbing images. Those depicted violence and accidents. They are the sort of images one might find while scrolling through a social media feed.

Then they measured how the viewer’s emotions changed.

Investigators say their findings show that exercise does more than strengthen our muscles. It appears to help rewire our brains to better handle the challenges of daily life.

Americans spend billions on mental health care and medications. But the study suggests that a little exercise might do what a pharmacy sometimes can’t — better control anxiety and anger.

Researchers have long told us that green spaces are healthy. And who could argue that spending time in a woodsy place is better than a stroll along a crowded city street?

A recent study led by a University of California scientist suggests that there might be one exception to the greenery rule: grass.

Investigators tracked nearly 90,000 nurses across the United States for nearly two decades while tracking cardiovascular problems with the group. Those include strokes and heart attacks.

The study found that trees are far more beneficial to health than grass. And the difference is startling.

People living in neighborhoods with more visible trees had a 4% lower rate of cardiovascular disease. Meantime, those living in areas with more grass had a 6% higher rate of cardiovascular disease.

Researchers used data from the Nurses’ Health Study. That study tracked nurses’ health across a wide range of locales, including cities, suburban areas and rural towns.

The team also analyzed 350 million Google Street View photos to measure green spaces.

Scientists suggest that trees can do things for our health that grass just can’t. A tree canopy keeps a neighborhood cooler, which is especially nice in a heat wave. Trees and their branches muffle traffic sounds, which other research has shown can increase risks to the heart. And people walk more often in tree-lined areas.

Now, consider grass. A lawn must be mowed. That creates noise and air pollution. Perhaps most importantly, grassy areas are more common in car-dependent areas. And cars, of course, pollute.

So, next time you look for a new home, check for trees … and maybe don’t worry about the lack of a lawn.

Waking up with a yawn, you wonder what on earth possessed you to dream you were in a kennel. Then, your better half asks if you heard the neighbor’s dogs barking all night.

Now, scientists are using that trick to goad us into creativity.

A new study from Northwestern University shows it is possible to influence what a person dreams about. And they found that REM sleep — that rapid eye movement stage when our most detailed, realistic dreams occur — might help us solve problems.

The scientists used a technique called targeted memory reactivation in a study involving 20 participants who had experienced lucid dreaming. That means they were sometimes aware they were dreaming as they slept.

Each participant was asked to solve a series of tough brain teasers, with three minutes allotted per puzzle. Each puzzle had its own distinctive soundtrack.

Later, when participants were asleep in the lab, researchers recorded their brain activity and other physiological signals. During REM sleep, scientists again played the soundtracks linked to half the unsolved puzzles.

Here’s what they found: 75% of the participants reported dreams that included ideas or facets of the unsolved puzzles. After they woke, participants solved 42% of the puzzles they dreamed about, compared with 17% of the ones they didn’t.

The researchers said their findings don’t necessarily mean you will solve every problem that finds its way into a dream, let alone those that only make sense in a dream-like scenario. But it helps expand what we know about human creativity and tells us sound can influence dreams.

So the next time a problem weighs heavily on your mind? Sleep on it.

Is using a robot pal to talk about your worries or ask for advice a good idea?

A new study from researchers in Denmark suggests those questions may have troubling answers, though they are far from definitive.

A chatbot is a software application that simulates human conversation. You might text and ask it to suggest a hairstyle. Or prompt it to write a poem. Some people use them as companions.

With more than 1.3 billion downloads since 2022, ChatGPT is now widely used.

The Danish researchers wanted to test what had only been reported anecdotally. They searched more than 10.7 million psychiatric patient records for clinical notes that mentioned “ChatGPT,” “chatbot” or had a related spelling.

They found 38 cases in which chatbot use appeared to have potentially added to mental harm, such as feeding delusions, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

In 11 cases, chatbots reinforced a patient’s false beliefs. Six patients showed signs of self-harm tied to chatbot interactions. For five patients with eating disorders, chatbots enabled calorie-counting or food restriction.

While those aren’t large numbers, researchers say the true numbers are likely much higher. Most clinicians do not consistently ask patients about chatbot use. And if they do, it might not end up in a patient’s chart. The researchers asked only about ChatGPT, not its many competitors.

For now, the researchers suggest that mental health professionals talk to patients about their chatbot use, because some would benefit from either reducing their reliance on them or skipping them entirely.

It looks like we’re not the only ones playing pretend.

A new study from Johns Hopkins University delved into the imagination capabilities of a 43-year-old bonobo named Kanzi — and learned more about how humans play pretend.

In a series of experiments published in the journal Science, researchers presented the ape with empty jars and pretended to fill the containers with juice. Then, they poured the imaginary drink from the cups and prompted Kanzi with questions about the whereabouts of the juice.

Again and again, the bonobo pointed to the location of the nonexistent beverage — despite his knowledge that there was nothing really there.

To eliminate the chance that Kanzi believed real items were hidden somewhere, researchers replicated the test with actual juice. Kanzi’s preference for the real drink in these trials suggested the ape wasn’t confused.

He was playing the game.

This research challenges the assumption that only humans are capable of creating mental images for situations that don’t really exist. Such an idea is monumental — not only for the animal kingdom, but also for humankind. This is the first instance of a controlled experiment tracking a nonhuman animal’s understanding of pretend play.

Findings like these propose that the practice of imagination isn’t just a playful act reserved for children, but rather an intricate neural system with evolutionary underpinnings.

Who knows —  our own species’ resilience might stem from the creative ability to visualize a hopeful situation beyond the here and now.

So the next time you find yourself building a pillow fort or plotting a late-night vision board, consider inviting an ape to the party. They might have their own take.

Trying to avoid diabetes? Take a hike.

No, really.

A new study from researchers at Gladstone Institutes explains why folks living at a high altitude tend to develop diabetes much less often than those who live at sea level.

As oxygen levels drop, your red blood cells tap into a different kind of metabolism, relying on the glucose in your blood to get by. They become “sugar sponges.”

Not only does this help your body adapt to the low oxygen at high altitudes — it also lowers your blood sugar levels. Researchers say this phenomenon sheds light on the untapped role of red blood cells in how the body breaks down sugar.

Initially, researchers noticed that mice in low-oxygen conditions were able to clear sugar from their bloodstream after their meals faster than their counterparts, but found no sign of the sugar being used in their organs.

They found that mice in these conditions produced more red blood cells, and that these cells acted as a sink for the sugar. Each individual red blood cell also absorbed more glucose than its counterpart produced under normal levels of oxygen.

Typically, authors said, red blood cells are almost solely known for their mission of ferrying oxygen throughout the body — so this function was surprising.

Based on this mechanism, researchers were able to develop a new drug that reversed diabetes in mice, pointing toward promising new avenues that might change how we think about diabetes treatment.

So don’t go setting off on an expedition to Mount Everest just yet. A more manageable means of accessing high-altitude benefits just might be in the works.

Here’s something to talk about around the office water cooler: Office water coolers aren’t as clean as they could be.

A paper published in the journal AIMS Microbiology reported some disquieting findings based on its review of 70 water studies. Water coolers and public water dispensers often contain more bacteria than tap water.

This finding proved true even though many dispensers supposedly filter water.

Researchers found that water coolers and other dispensers often contained bacterial counts above recommended levels.

So, if you thought it was safe to drink straight from the blue jug, guess again.

Blame it, at least partially, on biofilms. These are communities of bacteria living on surfaces. They protect themselves by creating a slimy coating making them resistant to cleaning. And water coolers and their cousins are ideal targets for biofilm formation. The bacteria thrive on plastic tubing and other internal components.

Investigators found that bacterial populations formed even after proper maintenance and treatment. Bacteria would regrow even after disinfection, often after just a couple of days.

Nozzles were ground zero for contamination. Researchers found they were 100 times more contaminated with bacteria than other parts of the dispensers.

Chlorine defeats bacteria in municipal water systems. That isn’t the case with the office water cooler. Bacterial colonies can become resistant to cleaning with time.

A serious problem with dispensers is the stagnation of water for long periods. So, bacteria are undisturbed and can grow unencumbered.

It makes tap water look pretty good.