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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
PCR testing, meanwhile, has gotten very familiar after the COVID-19 pandemic. Daye’s STI test uses the same principle as this gold standard detection test for coronavirus — but in this case it’s looking for trace (or more) amounts of genetic material from pathogens that cause STIs.
“The specificity of PCRs ensures that false-positive results are reduced, providing a more reliable diagnosis,” it suggests, also noting the test can simultaneously detect multiple pathogens in a single sample. So full marks for convenience.
More convenience is coming, too, as it adds more tests, too: Daye says HPV is next on its list — an STI which has been linked to increased cervical cancer risk.
Another on its list to add “soon” is to offer GBS screening for pregnant patients. “GBS is a common bacteria often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract. While usually harmless in adults, it can cause severe infections in newborns if transmitted during delivery. Testing pregnant women for GBS allows for the timely administration of antibiotics during labour, significantly reducing the risk of neonatal infections,” Daye tells us.
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40201
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
“The specificity of PCRs ensures that false-positive results are reduced, providing a more reliable diagnosis,” it suggests, also noting the test can simultaneously detect multiple pathogens in a single sample. So full marks for convenience.
More convenience is coming, too, as it adds more tests, too: Daye says HPV is next on its list — an STI which has been linked to increased cervical cancer risk.
Another on its list to add “soon” is to offer GBS screening for pregnant patients. “GBS is a common bacteria often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract. While usually harmless in adults, it can cause severe infections in newborns if transmitted during delivery. Testing pregnant women for GBS allows for the timely administration of antibiotics during labour, significantly reducing the risk of neonatal infections,” Daye tells us.
The startup also plans to offer herpes screening for everyone down the line.
The STI testing service is being launched in the U.K.
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40202
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
“The specificity of PCRs ensures that false-positive results are reduced, providing a more reliable diagnosis,” it suggests, also noting the test can simultaneously detect multiple pathogens in a single sample. So full marks for convenience.
More convenience is coming, too, as it adds more tests, too: Daye says HPV is next on its list — an STI which has been linked to increased cervical cancer risk.
Another on its list to add “soon” is to offer GBS screening for pregnant patients. “GBS is a common bacteria often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract. While usually harmless in adults, it can cause severe infections in newborns if transmitted during delivery. Testing pregnant women for GBS allows for the timely administration of antibiotics during labour, significantly reducing the risk of neonatal infections,” Daye tells us.
The startup also plans to offer herpes screening for everyone down the line.
The STI testing service is being launched in the U.K. first — at a cost of £99 a pop — with the US slated to get the service “soon”.
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40203
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
So full marks for convenience.
More convenience is coming, too, as it adds more tests, too: Daye says HPV is next on its list — an STI which has been linked to increased cervical cancer risk.
Another on its list to add “soon” is to offer GBS screening for pregnant patients. “GBS is a common bacteria often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract. While usually harmless in adults, it can cause severe infections in newborns if transmitted during delivery. Testing pregnant women for GBS allows for the timely administration of antibiotics during labour, significantly reducing the risk of neonatal infections,” Daye tells us.
The startup also plans to offer herpes screening for everyone down the line.
The STI testing service is being launched in the U.K. first — at a cost of £99 a pop — with the US slated to get the service “soon”. Daye is also aiming to expand screening services elsewhere in Europe, saying it’s currently working on building out an aftercare offering to support patients across the EU.
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40204
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
Another on its list to add “soon” is to offer GBS screening for pregnant patients. “GBS is a common bacteria often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract. While usually harmless in adults, it can cause severe infections in newborns if transmitted during delivery. Testing pregnant women for GBS allows for the timely administration of antibiotics during labour, significantly reducing the risk of neonatal infections,” Daye tells us.
The startup also plans to offer herpes screening for everyone down the line.
The STI testing service is being launched in the U.K. first — at a cost of £99 a pop — with the US slated to get the service “soon”. Daye is also aiming to expand screening services elsewhere in Europe, saying it’s currently working on building out an aftercare offering to support patients across the EU.
How does the STI testing service work?
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40205
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
Another on its list to add “soon” is to offer GBS screening for pregnant patients. “GBS is a common bacteria often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract. While usually harmless in adults, it can cause severe infections in newborns if transmitted during delivery. Testing pregnant women for GBS allows for the timely administration of antibiotics during labour, significantly reducing the risk of neonatal infections,” Daye tells us.
The startup also plans to offer herpes screening for everyone down the line.
The STI testing service is being launched in the U.K. first — at a cost of £99 a pop — with the US slated to get the service “soon”. Daye is also aiming to expand screening services elsewhere in Europe, saying it’s currently working on building out an aftercare offering to support patients across the EU.
How does the STI testing service work? The user receives a test kit in the post and, after self administering a vaginal swab by inserting and removing the test tampon and then preserving their sample as instructed, they post it sample back to Daye’s partner lab for analysis — getting results digitally, via Daye’s app, in a few days.
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40206
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
Testing pregnant women for GBS allows for the timely administration of antibiotics during labour, significantly reducing the risk of neonatal infections,” Daye tells us.
The startup also plans to offer herpes screening for everyone down the line.
The STI testing service is being launched in the U.K. first — at a cost of £99 a pop — with the US slated to get the service “soon”. Daye is also aiming to expand screening services elsewhere in Europe, saying it’s currently working on building out an aftercare offering to support patients across the EU.
How does the STI testing service work? The user receives a test kit in the post and, after self administering a vaginal swab by inserting and removing the test tampon and then preserving their sample as instructed, they post it sample back to Daye’s partner lab for analysis — getting results digitally, via Daye’s app, in a few days.
For a further £29 they can also get a “comprehensive” consultation about their results with a nurse.
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40207
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
The startup also plans to offer herpes screening for everyone down the line.
The STI testing service is being launched in the U.K. first — at a cost of £99 a pop — with the US slated to get the service “soon”. Daye is also aiming to expand screening services elsewhere in Europe, saying it’s currently working on building out an aftercare offering to support patients across the EU.
How does the STI testing service work? The user receives a test kit in the post and, after self administering a vaginal swab by inserting and removing the test tampon and then preserving their sample as instructed, they post it sample back to Daye’s partner lab for analysis — getting results digitally, via Daye’s app, in a few days.
For a further £29 they can also get a “comprehensive” consultation about their results with a nurse. Users who don’t purchase this optional extra, but do test positive for an STI, will receive a free five minute call to walk them through their results and advise on next steps, per Daye.
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40208
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
first — at a cost of £99 a pop — with the US slated to get the service “soon”. Daye is also aiming to expand screening services elsewhere in Europe, saying it’s currently working on building out an aftercare offering to support patients across the EU.
How does the STI testing service work? The user receives a test kit in the post and, after self administering a vaginal swab by inserting and removing the test tampon and then preserving their sample as instructed, they post it sample back to Daye’s partner lab for analysis — getting results digitally, via Daye’s app, in a few days.
For a further £29 they can also get a “comprehensive” consultation about their results with a nurse. Users who don’t purchase this optional extra, but do test positive for an STI, will receive a free five minute call to walk them through their results and advise on next steps, per Daye.
One question we had is related to how sexual health clinics may routinely test for HIV when a patient attends — i.e.
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40209
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
Daye is also aiming to expand screening services elsewhere in Europe, saying it’s currently working on building out an aftercare offering to support patients across the EU.
How does the STI testing service work? The user receives a test kit in the post and, after self administering a vaginal swab by inserting and removing the test tampon and then preserving their sample as instructed, they post it sample back to Daye’s partner lab for analysis — getting results digitally, via Daye’s app, in a few days.
For a further £29 they can also get a “comprehensive” consultation about their results with a nurse. Users who don’t purchase this optional extra, but do test positive for an STI, will receive a free five minute call to walk them through their results and advise on next steps, per Daye.
One question we had is related to how sexual health clinics may routinely test for HIV when a patient attends — i.e. even if they’re at the clinic for another sexual health worry.
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40210
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
How does the STI testing service work? The user receives a test kit in the post and, after self administering a vaginal swab by inserting and removing the test tampon and then preserving their sample as instructed, they post it sample back to Daye’s partner lab for analysis — getting results digitally, via Daye’s app, in a few days.
For a further £29 they can also get a “comprehensive” consultation about their results with a nurse. Users who don’t purchase this optional extra, but do test positive for an STI, will receive a free five minute call to walk them through their results and advise on next steps, per Daye.
One question we had is related to how sexual health clinics may routinely test for HIV when a patient attends — i.e. even if they’re at the clinic for another sexual health worry. So if more people choose to adopt at-home testing for STIs, thanks to Daye’s convenient alternative, they may be missing out on the chance to acquire important health info — since clinics or doctor’s offices can often nudge an attending patient to take the opportunity to test more widely while they’re there in person.
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40211
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
For a further £29 they can also get a “comprehensive” consultation about their results with a nurse. Users who don’t purchase this optional extra, but do test positive for an STI, will receive a free five minute call to walk them through their results and advise on next steps, per Daye.
One question we had is related to how sexual health clinics may routinely test for HIV when a patient attends — i.e. even if they’re at the clinic for another sexual health worry. So if more people choose to adopt at-home testing for STIs, thanks to Daye’s convenient alternative, they may be missing out on the chance to acquire important health info — since clinics or doctor’s offices can often nudge an attending patient to take the opportunity to test more widely while they’re there in person.
Asked how it’s mitigating this risk, Daye told us: “We enable our patients to book in-clinic appointments for HIV screening, and in the future, we may also expand to at-home blood testing for HIV.
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40212
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
Users who don’t purchase this optional extra, but do test positive for an STI, will receive a free five minute call to walk them through their results and advise on next steps, per Daye.
One question we had is related to how sexual health clinics may routinely test for HIV when a patient attends — i.e. even if they’re at the clinic for another sexual health worry. So if more people choose to adopt at-home testing for STIs, thanks to Daye’s convenient alternative, they may be missing out on the chance to acquire important health info — since clinics or doctor’s offices can often nudge an attending patient to take the opportunity to test more widely while they’re there in person.
Asked how it’s mitigating this risk, Daye told us: “We enable our patients to book in-clinic appointments for HIV screening, and in the future, we may also expand to at-home blood testing for HIV. We ensure that our patients are well-educated on the risks associated with HIV and are reminded of the need for regular testing.
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40213
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Daye now offers tampon-based STI screening — starting in the UK
One question we had is related to how sexual health clinics may routinely test for HIV when a patient attends — i.e. even if they’re at the clinic for another sexual health worry. So if more people choose to adopt at-home testing for STIs, thanks to Daye’s convenient alternative, they may be missing out on the chance to acquire important health info — since clinics or doctor’s offices can often nudge an attending patient to take the opportunity to test more widely while they’re there in person.
Asked how it’s mitigating this risk, Daye told us: “We enable our patients to book in-clinic appointments for HIV screening, and in the future, we may also expand to at-home blood testing for HIV. We ensure that our patients are well-educated on the risks associated with HIV and are reminded of the need for regular testing. We’d like to play a meaningful role in destigmatising sexual health and provide medically-backed advice on the recommended cadence of screening.”
The startup also gave us a breakdown of the main customers for its novel vaginal microbiome screening service a year+ on from that launch — saying there are three main groups:
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40214
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
Using cannabis during pregnancy may come with a higher risk of poor outcomes, such as babies being born small for their gestational age, a new study suggests.
Among pregnant people who use cannabis, the risks are the highest for those who use the drug in both the first trimester and later in gestation, as opposed to only the first trimester, according to the study, published Tuesday (Dec. 12) in the journal JAMA .
"What I think this study evaluates, that has not been evaluated previously, is whether the timing and amount of exposure matters, and what we saw was that higher levels of cannabis exposure were associated with increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes," first study author Dr. Torri Metz , an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Utah Health, told Live Science in an email. Using cannabis in the first trimester still carries risk, but the findings hint that stopping cannabis use within the first trimester could help prevent that risk from growing larger.
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40215
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
Among pregnant people who use cannabis, the risks are the highest for those who use the drug in both the first trimester and later in gestation, as opposed to only the first trimester, according to the study, published Tuesday (Dec. 12) in the journal JAMA .
"What I think this study evaluates, that has not been evaluated previously, is whether the timing and amount of exposure matters, and what we saw was that higher levels of cannabis exposure were associated with increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes," first study author Dr. Torri Metz , an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Utah Health, told Live Science in an email. Using cannabis in the first trimester still carries risk, but the findings hint that stopping cannabis use within the first trimester could help prevent that risk from growing larger.
Notably, the study reveals only a link between cannabis and certain poor pregnancy outcomes — it doesn't directly demonstrate that cannabis causes these effects.
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40216
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
Among pregnant people who use cannabis, the risks are the highest for those who use the drug in both the first trimester and later in gestation, as opposed to only the first trimester, according to the study, published Tuesday (Dec. 12) in the journal JAMA .
"What I think this study evaluates, that has not been evaluated previously, is whether the timing and amount of exposure matters, and what we saw was that higher levels of cannabis exposure were associated with increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes," first study author Dr. Torri Metz , an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Utah Health, told Live Science in an email. Using cannabis in the first trimester still carries risk, but the findings hint that stopping cannabis use within the first trimester could help prevent that risk from growing larger.
Notably, the study reveals only a link between cannabis and certain poor pregnancy outcomes — it doesn't directly demonstrate that cannabis causes these effects. But it does suggest that "cannabis use should be avoided during pregnancy to optimize maternal and neonatal [newborn] outcomes," the study authors wrote in the report.
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40217
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
12) in the journal JAMA .
"What I think this study evaluates, that has not been evaluated previously, is whether the timing and amount of exposure matters, and what we saw was that higher levels of cannabis exposure were associated with increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes," first study author Dr. Torri Metz , an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Utah Health, told Live Science in an email. Using cannabis in the first trimester still carries risk, but the findings hint that stopping cannabis use within the first trimester could help prevent that risk from growing larger.
Notably, the study reveals only a link between cannabis and certain poor pregnancy outcomes — it doesn't directly demonstrate that cannabis causes these effects. But it does suggest that "cannabis use should be avoided during pregnancy to optimize maternal and neonatal [newborn] outcomes," the study authors wrote in the report.
Related: Eating just 2 cannabis gummies can put small kids at risk of toxic effects
In the study, the researchers screened frozen urine samples that had been collected from 9,200 pregnant people at eight U.S.
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40218
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
Torri Metz , an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Utah Health, told Live Science in an email. Using cannabis in the first trimester still carries risk, but the findings hint that stopping cannabis use within the first trimester could help prevent that risk from growing larger.
Notably, the study reveals only a link between cannabis and certain poor pregnancy outcomes — it doesn't directly demonstrate that cannabis causes these effects. But it does suggest that "cannabis use should be avoided during pregnancy to optimize maternal and neonatal [newborn] outcomes," the study authors wrote in the report.
Related: Eating just 2 cannabis gummies can put small kids at risk of toxic effects
In the study, the researchers screened frozen urine samples that had been collected from 9,200 pregnant people at eight U.S. medical centers. The participants were originally recruited between 2010 and 2013 for a long-term study on pregnancy outcomes and their samples have been stored since then.
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40219
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
Using cannabis in the first trimester still carries risk, but the findings hint that stopping cannabis use within the first trimester could help prevent that risk from growing larger.
Notably, the study reveals only a link between cannabis and certain poor pregnancy outcomes — it doesn't directly demonstrate that cannabis causes these effects. But it does suggest that "cannabis use should be avoided during pregnancy to optimize maternal and neonatal [newborn] outcomes," the study authors wrote in the report.
Related: Eating just 2 cannabis gummies can put small kids at risk of toxic effects
In the study, the researchers screened frozen urine samples that had been collected from 9,200 pregnant people at eight U.S. medical centers. The participants were originally recruited between 2010 and 2013 for a long-term study on pregnancy outcomes and their samples have been stored since then.
The samples were taken during three time windows that respectively fell within the first trimester, the early second trimester, and the late second trimester into the third.
|
40220
|
Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
Notably, the study reveals only a link between cannabis and certain poor pregnancy outcomes — it doesn't directly demonstrate that cannabis causes these effects. But it does suggest that "cannabis use should be avoided during pregnancy to optimize maternal and neonatal [newborn] outcomes," the study authors wrote in the report.
Related: Eating just 2 cannabis gummies can put small kids at risk of toxic effects
In the study, the researchers screened frozen urine samples that had been collected from 9,200 pregnant people at eight U.S. medical centers. The participants were originally recruited between 2010 and 2013 for a long-term study on pregnancy outcomes and their samples have been stored since then.
The samples were taken during three time windows that respectively fell within the first trimester, the early second trimester, and the late second trimester into the third. For the new research, each sample was screened for a specific molecule that appears in urine when the body breaks down tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC ), the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
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40221
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
But it does suggest that "cannabis use should be avoided during pregnancy to optimize maternal and neonatal [newborn] outcomes," the study authors wrote in the report.
Related: Eating just 2 cannabis gummies can put small kids at risk of toxic effects
In the study, the researchers screened frozen urine samples that had been collected from 9,200 pregnant people at eight U.S. medical centers. The participants were originally recruited between 2010 and 2013 for a long-term study on pregnancy outcomes and their samples have been stored since then.
The samples were taken during three time windows that respectively fell within the first trimester, the early second trimester, and the late second trimester into the third. For the new research, each sample was screened for a specific molecule that appears in urine when the body breaks down tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC ), the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
In addition, the researchers reviewed the participants' medical records to look at their pregnancy outcomes.
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40222
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
Related: Eating just 2 cannabis gummies can put small kids at risk of toxic effects
In the study, the researchers screened frozen urine samples that had been collected from 9,200 pregnant people at eight U.S. medical centers. The participants were originally recruited between 2010 and 2013 for a long-term study on pregnancy outcomes and their samples have been stored since then.
The samples were taken during three time windows that respectively fell within the first trimester, the early second trimester, and the late second trimester into the third. For the new research, each sample was screened for a specific molecule that appears in urine when the body breaks down tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC ), the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
In addition, the researchers reviewed the participants' medical records to look at their pregnancy outcomes. They took note of preterm births, stillbirths and instances when a newborn was born small for their gestational age; "small" was defined as being below the fifth percentile for their age and sex.
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40223
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
medical centers. The participants were originally recruited between 2010 and 2013 for a long-term study on pregnancy outcomes and their samples have been stored since then.
The samples were taken during three time windows that respectively fell within the first trimester, the early second trimester, and the late second trimester into the third. For the new research, each sample was screened for a specific molecule that appears in urine when the body breaks down tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC ), the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
In addition, the researchers reviewed the participants' medical records to look at their pregnancy outcomes. They took note of preterm births, stillbirths and instances when a newborn was born small for their gestational age; "small" was defined as being below the fifth percentile for their age and sex. They also noted when the mother experienced pregnancy-related high-blood-pressure disorders, such as gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
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40224
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
medical centers. The participants were originally recruited between 2010 and 2013 for a long-term study on pregnancy outcomes and their samples have been stored since then.
The samples were taken during three time windows that respectively fell within the first trimester, the early second trimester, and the late second trimester into the third. For the new research, each sample was screened for a specific molecule that appears in urine when the body breaks down tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC ), the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
In addition, the researchers reviewed the participants' medical records to look at their pregnancy outcomes. They took note of preterm births, stillbirths and instances when a newborn was born small for their gestational age; "small" was defined as being below the fifth percentile for their age and sex. They also noted when the mother experienced pregnancy-related high-blood-pressure disorders, such as gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
These outcomes have been tied to dysfunction of the placenta, the organ that supplies a growing fetus with nutrients and oxygen while removing waste from the womb.
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40225
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
The samples were taken during three time windows that respectively fell within the first trimester, the early second trimester, and the late second trimester into the third. For the new research, each sample was screened for a specific molecule that appears in urine when the body breaks down tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC ), the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
In addition, the researchers reviewed the participants' medical records to look at their pregnancy outcomes. They took note of preterm births, stillbirths and instances when a newborn was born small for their gestational age; "small" was defined as being below the fifth percentile for their age and sex. They also noted when the mother experienced pregnancy-related high-blood-pressure disorders, such as gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
These outcomes have been tied to dysfunction of the placenta, the organ that supplies a growing fetus with nutrients and oxygen while removing waste from the womb. Research in monkeys has suggested that cannabis exposure can alter gene activity in the placenta, and it's also linked to reduced oxygen and blood flow through the organ.
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40226
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
For the new research, each sample was screened for a specific molecule that appears in urine when the body breaks down tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC ), the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
In addition, the researchers reviewed the participants' medical records to look at their pregnancy outcomes. They took note of preterm births, stillbirths and instances when a newborn was born small for their gestational age; "small" was defined as being below the fifth percentile for their age and sex. They also noted when the mother experienced pregnancy-related high-blood-pressure disorders, such as gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
These outcomes have been tied to dysfunction of the placenta, the organ that supplies a growing fetus with nutrients and oxygen while removing waste from the womb. Research in monkeys has suggested that cannabis exposure can alter gene activity in the placenta, and it's also linked to reduced oxygen and blood flow through the organ. In humans , cannabis exposure has been linked to slower-than-typical growth of the fetus, which can be related to problems with the placenta.
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40227
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
In addition, the researchers reviewed the participants' medical records to look at their pregnancy outcomes. They took note of preterm births, stillbirths and instances when a newborn was born small for their gestational age; "small" was defined as being below the fifth percentile for their age and sex. They also noted when the mother experienced pregnancy-related high-blood-pressure disorders, such as gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
These outcomes have been tied to dysfunction of the placenta, the organ that supplies a growing fetus with nutrients and oxygen while removing waste from the womb. Research in monkeys has suggested that cannabis exposure can alter gene activity in the placenta, and it's also linked to reduced oxygen and blood flow through the organ. In humans , cannabis exposure has been linked to slower-than-typical growth of the fetus, which can be related to problems with the placenta.
In the study, urine screening flagged 610 participants who had used cannabis in pregnancy.
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40228
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
In addition, the researchers reviewed the participants' medical records to look at their pregnancy outcomes. They took note of preterm births, stillbirths and instances when a newborn was born small for their gestational age; "small" was defined as being below the fifth percentile for their age and sex. They also noted when the mother experienced pregnancy-related high-blood-pressure disorders, such as gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
These outcomes have been tied to dysfunction of the placenta, the organ that supplies a growing fetus with nutrients and oxygen while removing waste from the womb. Research in monkeys has suggested that cannabis exposure can alter gene activity in the placenta, and it's also linked to reduced oxygen and blood flow through the organ. In humans , cannabis exposure has been linked to slower-than-typical growth of the fetus, which can be related to problems with the placenta.
In the study, urine screening flagged 610 participants who had used cannabis in pregnancy. Nearly 200 used cannabis only in the first trimester, while the rest tested positive for cannabis both in the first trimester and later in pregnancy.
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40229
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
They also noted when the mother experienced pregnancy-related high-blood-pressure disorders, such as gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
These outcomes have been tied to dysfunction of the placenta, the organ that supplies a growing fetus with nutrients and oxygen while removing waste from the womb. Research in monkeys has suggested that cannabis exposure can alter gene activity in the placenta, and it's also linked to reduced oxygen and blood flow through the organ. In humans , cannabis exposure has been linked to slower-than-typical growth of the fetus, which can be related to problems with the placenta.
In the study, urine screening flagged 610 participants who had used cannabis in pregnancy. Nearly 200 used cannabis only in the first trimester, while the rest tested positive for cannabis both in the first trimester and later in pregnancy.
Participants who used cannabis had a higher risk of experiencing at least one of the poor pregnancy outcomes — nearly 26%, compared with 17.5% in the group that didn't use cannabis.
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40230
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
These outcomes have been tied to dysfunction of the placenta, the organ that supplies a growing fetus with nutrients and oxygen while removing waste from the womb. Research in monkeys has suggested that cannabis exposure can alter gene activity in the placenta, and it's also linked to reduced oxygen and blood flow through the organ. In humans , cannabis exposure has been linked to slower-than-typical growth of the fetus, which can be related to problems with the placenta.
In the study, urine screening flagged 610 participants who had used cannabis in pregnancy. Nearly 200 used cannabis only in the first trimester, while the rest tested positive for cannabis both in the first trimester and later in pregnancy.
Participants who used cannabis had a higher risk of experiencing at least one of the poor pregnancy outcomes — nearly 26%, compared with 17.5% in the group that didn't use cannabis. The risk was highest for those who used cannabis late into pregnancy, and the risk also appeared to rise with the overall concentration of THC byproduct in a person's urine.
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40231
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
Research in monkeys has suggested that cannabis exposure can alter gene activity in the placenta, and it's also linked to reduced oxygen and blood flow through the organ. In humans , cannabis exposure has been linked to slower-than-typical growth of the fetus, which can be related to problems with the placenta.
In the study, urine screening flagged 610 participants who had used cannabis in pregnancy. Nearly 200 used cannabis only in the first trimester, while the rest tested positive for cannabis both in the first trimester and later in pregnancy.
Participants who used cannabis had a higher risk of experiencing at least one of the poor pregnancy outcomes — nearly 26%, compared with 17.5% in the group that didn't use cannabis. The risk was highest for those who used cannabis late into pregnancy, and the risk also appeared to rise with the overall concentration of THC byproduct in a person's urine.
The researchers initially considered the pregnancy outcomes as a group, rather than separately, because "we knew we did not have a large enough sample to examine all of these outcomes independently," Metz told Live Science.
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40232
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
In humans , cannabis exposure has been linked to slower-than-typical growth of the fetus, which can be related to problems with the placenta.
In the study, urine screening flagged 610 participants who had used cannabis in pregnancy. Nearly 200 used cannabis only in the first trimester, while the rest tested positive for cannabis both in the first trimester and later in pregnancy.
Participants who used cannabis had a higher risk of experiencing at least one of the poor pregnancy outcomes — nearly 26%, compared with 17.5% in the group that didn't use cannabis. The risk was highest for those who used cannabis late into pregnancy, and the risk also appeared to rise with the overall concentration of THC byproduct in a person's urine.
The researchers initially considered the pregnancy outcomes as a group, rather than separately, because "we knew we did not have a large enough sample to examine all of these outcomes independently," Metz told Live Science. But as a secondary analysis, the researchers then zoomed in on specific pregnancy outcomes, to see which were most common in the available data.
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40233
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
In the study, urine screening flagged 610 participants who had used cannabis in pregnancy. Nearly 200 used cannabis only in the first trimester, while the rest tested positive for cannabis both in the first trimester and later in pregnancy.
Participants who used cannabis had a higher risk of experiencing at least one of the poor pregnancy outcomes — nearly 26%, compared with 17.5% in the group that didn't use cannabis. The risk was highest for those who used cannabis late into pregnancy, and the risk also appeared to rise with the overall concentration of THC byproduct in a person's urine.
The researchers initially considered the pregnancy outcomes as a group, rather than separately, because "we knew we did not have a large enough sample to examine all of these outcomes independently," Metz told Live Science. But as a secondary analysis, the researchers then zoomed in on specific pregnancy outcomes, to see which were most common in the available data.
In that analysis, cannabis use was linked to a higher chance that a baby would be born small, but it was not linked to a higher risk of high-blood-pressure disorders in pregnancy.
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40234
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
Participants who used cannabis had a higher risk of experiencing at least one of the poor pregnancy outcomes — nearly 26%, compared with 17.5% in the group that didn't use cannabis. The risk was highest for those who used cannabis late into pregnancy, and the risk also appeared to rise with the overall concentration of THC byproduct in a person's urine.
The researchers initially considered the pregnancy outcomes as a group, rather than separately, because "we knew we did not have a large enough sample to examine all of these outcomes independently," Metz told Live Science. But as a secondary analysis, the researchers then zoomed in on specific pregnancy outcomes, to see which were most common in the available data.
In that analysis, cannabis use was linked to a higher chance that a baby would be born small, but it was not linked to a higher risk of high-blood-pressure disorders in pregnancy.
Cannabis use was also tentatively linked to a risk of stillbirth, with the group that used cannabis showing a higher rate than those who didn't use the drug.
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40235
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
The risk was highest for those who used cannabis late into pregnancy, and the risk also appeared to rise with the overall concentration of THC byproduct in a person's urine.
The researchers initially considered the pregnancy outcomes as a group, rather than separately, because "we knew we did not have a large enough sample to examine all of these outcomes independently," Metz told Live Science. But as a secondary analysis, the researchers then zoomed in on specific pregnancy outcomes, to see which were most common in the available data.
In that analysis, cannabis use was linked to a higher chance that a baby would be born small, but it was not linked to a higher risk of high-blood-pressure disorders in pregnancy.
Cannabis use was also tentatively linked to a risk of stillbirth, with the group that used cannabis showing a higher rate than those who didn't use the drug. However, in a model that adjusted for other influential factors — such as nicotine exposure and the mother's age and insurance status — the cannabis-related stillbirth result was no longer statistically significant.
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40236
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
The researchers initially considered the pregnancy outcomes as a group, rather than separately, because "we knew we did not have a large enough sample to examine all of these outcomes independently," Metz told Live Science. But as a secondary analysis, the researchers then zoomed in on specific pregnancy outcomes, to see which were most common in the available data.
In that analysis, cannabis use was linked to a higher chance that a baby would be born small, but it was not linked to a higher risk of high-blood-pressure disorders in pregnancy.
Cannabis use was also tentatively linked to a risk of stillbirth, with the group that used cannabis showing a higher rate than those who didn't use the drug. However, in a model that adjusted for other influential factors — such as nicotine exposure and the mother's age and insurance status — the cannabis-related stillbirth result was no longer statistically significant.
"There are other studies that have also found an association between cannabis use and stillbirth , so it is concerning that we also saw this association in unadjusted analyses," Metz said.
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40237
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
But as a secondary analysis, the researchers then zoomed in on specific pregnancy outcomes, to see which were most common in the available data.
In that analysis, cannabis use was linked to a higher chance that a baby would be born small, but it was not linked to a higher risk of high-blood-pressure disorders in pregnancy.
Cannabis use was also tentatively linked to a risk of stillbirth, with the group that used cannabis showing a higher rate than those who didn't use the drug. However, in a model that adjusted for other influential factors — such as nicotine exposure and the mother's age and insurance status — the cannabis-related stillbirth result was no longer statistically significant.
"There are other studies that have also found an association between cannabis use and stillbirth , so it is concerning that we also saw this association in unadjusted analyses," Metz said. However, because the link disappeared in the adjusted model, "this also means that we likely needed a bigger cohort to look specifically at stillbirth as an outcome."
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
In that analysis, cannabis use was linked to a higher chance that a baby would be born small, but it was not linked to a higher risk of high-blood-pressure disorders in pregnancy.
Cannabis use was also tentatively linked to a risk of stillbirth, with the group that used cannabis showing a higher rate than those who didn't use the drug. However, in a model that adjusted for other influential factors — such as nicotine exposure and the mother's age and insurance status — the cannabis-related stillbirth result was no longer statistically significant.
"There are other studies that have also found an association between cannabis use and stillbirth , so it is concerning that we also saw this association in unadjusted analyses," Metz said. However, because the link disappeared in the adjusted model, "this also means that we likely needed a bigger cohort to look specifically at stillbirth as an outcome."
Fortunately, based on the current study's data, "stillbirth is a rare outcome," Metz emphasized.
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40239
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
Cannabis use was also tentatively linked to a risk of stillbirth, with the group that used cannabis showing a higher rate than those who didn't use the drug. However, in a model that adjusted for other influential factors — such as nicotine exposure and the mother's age and insurance status — the cannabis-related stillbirth result was no longer statistically significant.
"There are other studies that have also found an association between cannabis use and stillbirth , so it is concerning that we also saw this association in unadjusted analyses," Metz said. However, because the link disappeared in the adjusted model, "this also means that we likely needed a bigger cohort to look specifically at stillbirth as an outcome."
Fortunately, based on the current study's data, "stillbirth is a rare outcome," Metz emphasized. Its risk just warrants further study in larger groups.
The current study has other limitations. For instance, the molecules in the frozen urine samples may have degraded somewhat over the years, although they were stored appropriately.
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
However, in a model that adjusted for other influential factors — such as nicotine exposure and the mother's age and insurance status — the cannabis-related stillbirth result was no longer statistically significant.
"There are other studies that have also found an association between cannabis use and stillbirth , so it is concerning that we also saw this association in unadjusted analyses," Metz said. However, because the link disappeared in the adjusted model, "this also means that we likely needed a bigger cohort to look specifically at stillbirth as an outcome."
Fortunately, based on the current study's data, "stillbirth is a rare outcome," Metz emphasized. Its risk just warrants further study in larger groups.
The current study has other limitations. For instance, the molecules in the frozen urine samples may have degraded somewhat over the years, although they were stored appropriately. The way people used cannabis is also unknown, so it's unclear if inhaling or taking edibles would come with different levels of risk, for example.
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
"There are other studies that have also found an association between cannabis use and stillbirth , so it is concerning that we also saw this association in unadjusted analyses," Metz said. However, because the link disappeared in the adjusted model, "this also means that we likely needed a bigger cohort to look specifically at stillbirth as an outcome."
Fortunately, based on the current study's data, "stillbirth is a rare outcome," Metz emphasized. Its risk just warrants further study in larger groups.
The current study has other limitations. For instance, the molecules in the frozen urine samples may have degraded somewhat over the years, although they were stored appropriately. The way people used cannabis is also unknown, so it's unclear if inhaling or taking edibles would come with different levels of risk, for example.
And again, the study's design allows a link to be drawn between cannabis and pregnancy outcomes, but it can't say whether or how the drug actually caused the outcomes.
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Cannabis use in pregnancy linked to small birth size, other poor outcomes
"There are other studies that have also found an association between cannabis use and stillbirth , so it is concerning that we also saw this association in unadjusted analyses," Metz said. However, because the link disappeared in the adjusted model, "this also means that we likely needed a bigger cohort to look specifically at stillbirth as an outcome."
Fortunately, based on the current study's data, "stillbirth is a rare outcome," Metz emphasized. Its risk just warrants further study in larger groups.
The current study has other limitations. For instance, the molecules in the frozen urine samples may have degraded somewhat over the years, although they were stored appropriately. The way people used cannabis is also unknown, so it's unclear if inhaling or taking edibles would come with different levels of risk, for example.
And again, the study's design allows a link to be drawn between cannabis and pregnancy outcomes, but it can't say whether or how the drug actually caused the outcomes.
That said, "I think this lends more evidence to the idea that there are potential risks, and really talk to patients about alternative methods of treating whatever it is they're hoping to treat with cannabis," Metz told JAMA in a podcast interview .
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
Parenting no longer starts and stops with our children. Nor is it confined to those who have children. In a time of unrelenting change and ever-extending life, most of us will – at some stage – find ourselves “parenting” our own parents.
Indeed, many of us – particularly those who had families later – will find ourselves simultaneously parenting our kids and our parents. In one breath we’ll be begging our children to swap French fries for vegetables, and in the next breath we’ll be urging our parents to exchange cake for sardines. Little wonder today’s midlifers are known as the sandwich generation.
The relentless pace of technology – accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic – has made everything infinitely more complicated, leaving many older (and not-so-old) people baffled and frustrated.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
Parenting no longer starts and stops with our children. Nor is it confined to those who have children. In a time of unrelenting change and ever-extending life, most of us will – at some stage – find ourselves “parenting” our own parents.
Indeed, many of us – particularly those who had families later – will find ourselves simultaneously parenting our kids and our parents. In one breath we’ll be begging our children to swap French fries for vegetables, and in the next breath we’ll be urging our parents to exchange cake for sardines. Little wonder today’s midlifers are known as the sandwich generation.
The relentless pace of technology – accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic – has made everything infinitely more complicated, leaving many older (and not-so-old) people baffled and frustrated. In the last few years I’ve witnessed friends and family dashing to help parents with poorly designed online banking systems, unruly fridge alarms, “upgraded” software that has changed beyond recognition, apps and phones that don’t function as expected, and numerous other technical challenges.
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40245
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
In a time of unrelenting change and ever-extending life, most of us will – at some stage – find ourselves “parenting” our own parents.
Indeed, many of us – particularly those who had families later – will find ourselves simultaneously parenting our kids and our parents. In one breath we’ll be begging our children to swap French fries for vegetables, and in the next breath we’ll be urging our parents to exchange cake for sardines. Little wonder today’s midlifers are known as the sandwich generation.
The relentless pace of technology – accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic – has made everything infinitely more complicated, leaving many older (and not-so-old) people baffled and frustrated. In the last few years I’ve witnessed friends and family dashing to help parents with poorly designed online banking systems, unruly fridge alarms, “upgraded” software that has changed beyond recognition, apps and phones that don’t function as expected, and numerous other technical challenges.
Frankly, technology is often baffling to me, too.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
Indeed, many of us – particularly those who had families later – will find ourselves simultaneously parenting our kids and our parents. In one breath we’ll be begging our children to swap French fries for vegetables, and in the next breath we’ll be urging our parents to exchange cake for sardines. Little wonder today’s midlifers are known as the sandwich generation.
The relentless pace of technology – accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic – has made everything infinitely more complicated, leaving many older (and not-so-old) people baffled and frustrated. In the last few years I’ve witnessed friends and family dashing to help parents with poorly designed online banking systems, unruly fridge alarms, “upgraded” software that has changed beyond recognition, apps and phones that don’t function as expected, and numerous other technical challenges.
Frankly, technology is often baffling to me, too. Luckily I have kids who delight in parenting me – advising, explaining and guiding me on all things digital.
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40247
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
In one breath we’ll be begging our children to swap French fries for vegetables, and in the next breath we’ll be urging our parents to exchange cake for sardines. Little wonder today’s midlifers are known as the sandwich generation.
The relentless pace of technology – accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic – has made everything infinitely more complicated, leaving many older (and not-so-old) people baffled and frustrated. In the last few years I’ve witnessed friends and family dashing to help parents with poorly designed online banking systems, unruly fridge alarms, “upgraded” software that has changed beyond recognition, apps and phones that don’t function as expected, and numerous other technical challenges.
Frankly, technology is often baffling to me, too. Luckily I have kids who delight in parenting me – advising, explaining and guiding me on all things digital. But studies suggest that this helpfulness might not be as beneficial as we think. Grappling with new and baffling things forces the ageing brain to work in novel ways.
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40248
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
Little wonder today’s midlifers are known as the sandwich generation.
The relentless pace of technology – accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic – has made everything infinitely more complicated, leaving many older (and not-so-old) people baffled and frustrated. In the last few years I’ve witnessed friends and family dashing to help parents with poorly designed online banking systems, unruly fridge alarms, “upgraded” software that has changed beyond recognition, apps and phones that don’t function as expected, and numerous other technical challenges.
Frankly, technology is often baffling to me, too. Luckily I have kids who delight in parenting me – advising, explaining and guiding me on all things digital. But studies suggest that this helpfulness might not be as beneficial as we think. Grappling with new and baffling things forces the ageing brain to work in novel ways. A recent study from the University of Texas involving more than 200 elderly adults found that those who engaged with technology had better cognition and memory than their non-engaging peers.
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40249
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
The relentless pace of technology – accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic – has made everything infinitely more complicated, leaving many older (and not-so-old) people baffled and frustrated. In the last few years I’ve witnessed friends and family dashing to help parents with poorly designed online banking systems, unruly fridge alarms, “upgraded” software that has changed beyond recognition, apps and phones that don’t function as expected, and numerous other technical challenges.
Frankly, technology is often baffling to me, too. Luckily I have kids who delight in parenting me – advising, explaining and guiding me on all things digital. But studies suggest that this helpfulness might not be as beneficial as we think. Grappling with new and baffling things forces the ageing brain to work in novel ways. A recent study from the University of Texas involving more than 200 elderly adults found that those who engaged with technology had better cognition and memory than their non-engaging peers.
Digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain
Even the stress we experience while battling with our computer can be helpful, sharpening our mental acuity.
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40250
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
In the last few years I’ve witnessed friends and family dashing to help parents with poorly designed online banking systems, unruly fridge alarms, “upgraded” software that has changed beyond recognition, apps and phones that don’t function as expected, and numerous other technical challenges.
Frankly, technology is often baffling to me, too. Luckily I have kids who delight in parenting me – advising, explaining and guiding me on all things digital. But studies suggest that this helpfulness might not be as beneficial as we think. Grappling with new and baffling things forces the ageing brain to work in novel ways. A recent study from the University of Texas involving more than 200 elderly adults found that those who engaged with technology had better cognition and memory than their non-engaging peers.
Digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain
Even the stress we experience while battling with our computer can be helpful, sharpening our mental acuity. The study authors concluded that digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain.
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40251
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
Frankly, technology is often baffling to me, too. Luckily I have kids who delight in parenting me – advising, explaining and guiding me on all things digital. But studies suggest that this helpfulness might not be as beneficial as we think. Grappling with new and baffling things forces the ageing brain to work in novel ways. A recent study from the University of Texas involving more than 200 elderly adults found that those who engaged with technology had better cognition and memory than their non-engaging peers.
Digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain
Even the stress we experience while battling with our computer can be helpful, sharpening our mental acuity. The study authors concluded that digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain. These findings reflect earlier studies that discovered that older people who made active use of technology were less likely to get dementia.
Dr Eamon Laird, researcher in health and ageing at Limerick university, agrees that we should be encouraging older parents to try new things.
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40252
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
Luckily I have kids who delight in parenting me – advising, explaining and guiding me on all things digital. But studies suggest that this helpfulness might not be as beneficial as we think. Grappling with new and baffling things forces the ageing brain to work in novel ways. A recent study from the University of Texas involving more than 200 elderly adults found that those who engaged with technology had better cognition and memory than their non-engaging peers.
Digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain
Even the stress we experience while battling with our computer can be helpful, sharpening our mental acuity. The study authors concluded that digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain. These findings reflect earlier studies that discovered that older people who made active use of technology were less likely to get dementia.
Dr Eamon Laird, researcher in health and ageing at Limerick university, agrees that we should be encouraging older parents to try new things. And the further out of their comfort zone they feel, the better.
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40253
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
But studies suggest that this helpfulness might not be as beneficial as we think. Grappling with new and baffling things forces the ageing brain to work in novel ways. A recent study from the University of Texas involving more than 200 elderly adults found that those who engaged with technology had better cognition and memory than their non-engaging peers.
Digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain
Even the stress we experience while battling with our computer can be helpful, sharpening our mental acuity. The study authors concluded that digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain. These findings reflect earlier studies that discovered that older people who made active use of technology were less likely to get dementia.
Dr Eamon Laird, researcher in health and ageing at Limerick university, agrees that we should be encouraging older parents to try new things. And the further out of their comfort zone they feel, the better. “It’s always good to keep the mind active and fresh,” he told me.
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40254
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
Grappling with new and baffling things forces the ageing brain to work in novel ways. A recent study from the University of Texas involving more than 200 elderly adults found that those who engaged with technology had better cognition and memory than their non-engaging peers.
Digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain
Even the stress we experience while battling with our computer can be helpful, sharpening our mental acuity. The study authors concluded that digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain. These findings reflect earlier studies that discovered that older people who made active use of technology were less likely to get dementia.
Dr Eamon Laird, researcher in health and ageing at Limerick university, agrees that we should be encouraging older parents to try new things. And the further out of their comfort zone they feel, the better. “It’s always good to keep the mind active and fresh,” he told me. “New challenges can help build and maintain new brain connections and can be good for brain and overall health.”
If older people use technology to keep in touch with extended family and friends, that’s a double whammy.
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40255
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
Digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain
Even the stress we experience while battling with our computer can be helpful, sharpening our mental acuity. The study authors concluded that digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain. These findings reflect earlier studies that discovered that older people who made active use of technology were less likely to get dementia.
Dr Eamon Laird, researcher in health and ageing at Limerick university, agrees that we should be encouraging older parents to try new things. And the further out of their comfort zone they feel, the better. “It’s always good to keep the mind active and fresh,” he told me. “New challenges can help build and maintain new brain connections and can be good for brain and overall health.”
If older people use technology to keep in touch with extended family and friends, that’s a double whammy. When my 84-year-old mother recently joined Instagram, she not only expanded her grey matter but she also found an effective means of staying in touch with her grandchildren.
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40256
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
The study authors concluded that digital engagement – whatever the device – protects the brain. These findings reflect earlier studies that discovered that older people who made active use of technology were less likely to get dementia.
Dr Eamon Laird, researcher in health and ageing at Limerick university, agrees that we should be encouraging older parents to try new things. And the further out of their comfort zone they feel, the better. “It’s always good to keep the mind active and fresh,” he told me. “New challenges can help build and maintain new brain connections and can be good for brain and overall health.”
If older people use technology to keep in touch with extended family and friends, that’s a double whammy. When my 84-year-old mother recently joined Instagram, she not only expanded her grey matter but she also found an effective means of staying in touch with her grandchildren. Being social, says Laird, is as important as trying new things: “Research shows that those who are more social are also more resilient to chronic conditions and often have a stronger immune system.”
Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week Dr Eamon Laird, health and ageing researcher
Depression among the elderly is on the rise and often goes unnoticed.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
And the further out of their comfort zone they feel, the better. “It’s always good to keep the mind active and fresh,” he told me. “New challenges can help build and maintain new brain connections and can be good for brain and overall health.”
If older people use technology to keep in touch with extended family and friends, that’s a double whammy. When my 84-year-old mother recently joined Instagram, she not only expanded her grey matter but she also found an effective means of staying in touch with her grandchildren. Being social, says Laird, is as important as trying new things: “Research shows that those who are more social are also more resilient to chronic conditions and often have a stronger immune system.”
Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week Dr Eamon Laird, health and ageing researcher
Depression among the elderly is on the rise and often goes unnoticed. Gerontologists now believe that it is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among the elderly – with half of all cases going undiagnosed.
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40258
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
“New challenges can help build and maintain new brain connections and can be good for brain and overall health.”
If older people use technology to keep in touch with extended family and friends, that’s a double whammy. When my 84-year-old mother recently joined Instagram, she not only expanded her grey matter but she also found an effective means of staying in touch with her grandchildren. Being social, says Laird, is as important as trying new things: “Research shows that those who are more social are also more resilient to chronic conditions and often have a stronger immune system.”
Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week Dr Eamon Laird, health and ageing researcher
Depression among the elderly is on the rise and often goes unnoticed. Gerontologists now believe that it is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among the elderly – with half of all cases going undiagnosed. When elderly parents become depressed (many of them come from a generation not accustomed to talking about their mental health), it can be difficult to know how to respond.
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40259
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
When my 84-year-old mother recently joined Instagram, she not only expanded her grey matter but she also found an effective means of staying in touch with her grandchildren. Being social, says Laird, is as important as trying new things: “Research shows that those who are more social are also more resilient to chronic conditions and often have a stronger immune system.”
Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week Dr Eamon Laird, health and ageing researcher
Depression among the elderly is on the rise and often goes unnoticed. Gerontologists now believe that it is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among the elderly – with half of all cases going undiagnosed. When elderly parents become depressed (many of them come from a generation not accustomed to talking about their mental health), it can be difficult to know how to respond. But Laird’s latest report suggests that a daily walk could help.
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40260
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
When my 84-year-old mother recently joined Instagram, she not only expanded her grey matter but she also found an effective means of staying in touch with her grandchildren. Being social, says Laird, is as important as trying new things: “Research shows that those who are more social are also more resilient to chronic conditions and often have a stronger immune system.”
Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week Dr Eamon Laird, health and ageing researcher
Depression among the elderly is on the rise and often goes unnoticed. Gerontologists now believe that it is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among the elderly – with half of all cases going undiagnosed. When elderly parents become depressed (many of them come from a generation not accustomed to talking about their mental health), it can be difficult to know how to respond. But Laird’s latest report suggests that a daily walk could help. His study of more than 4,000 older adults found that as little as 20 minutes of daily walking could cut the risk of depression by up to 43%.
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40261
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
Being social, says Laird, is as important as trying new things: “Research shows that those who are more social are also more resilient to chronic conditions and often have a stronger immune system.”
Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week Dr Eamon Laird, health and ageing researcher
Depression among the elderly is on the rise and often goes unnoticed. Gerontologists now believe that it is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among the elderly – with half of all cases going undiagnosed. When elderly parents become depressed (many of them come from a generation not accustomed to talking about their mental health), it can be difficult to know how to respond. But Laird’s latest report suggests that a daily walk could help. His study of more than 4,000 older adults found that as little as 20 minutes of daily walking could cut the risk of depression by up to 43%. “Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week – and when they have a companion, the walk also doubles as a social occasion,” he explained.
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40262
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
Gerontologists now believe that it is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among the elderly – with half of all cases going undiagnosed. When elderly parents become depressed (many of them come from a generation not accustomed to talking about their mental health), it can be difficult to know how to respond. But Laird’s latest report suggests that a daily walk could help. His study of more than 4,000 older adults found that as little as 20 minutes of daily walking could cut the risk of depression by up to 43%. “Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week – and when they have a companion, the walk also doubles as a social occasion,” he explained. “If they can walk for longer than 20 minutes, even better.
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40263
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
Gerontologists now believe that it is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among the elderly – with half of all cases going undiagnosed. When elderly parents become depressed (many of them come from a generation not accustomed to talking about their mental health), it can be difficult to know how to respond. But Laird’s latest report suggests that a daily walk could help. His study of more than 4,000 older adults found that as little as 20 minutes of daily walking could cut the risk of depression by up to 43%. “Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week – and when they have a companion, the walk also doubles as a social occasion,” he explained. “If they can walk for longer than 20 minutes, even better. Our study showed that the risk of depression fell in proportion to the time spent walking.”
As well as a daily walk, Laird recommends vitamin D and B12 supplements – both of which appear to moderate the chance of depression in older people.
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40264
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
When elderly parents become depressed (many of them come from a generation not accustomed to talking about their mental health), it can be difficult to know how to respond. But Laird’s latest report suggests that a daily walk could help. His study of more than 4,000 older adults found that as little as 20 minutes of daily walking could cut the risk of depression by up to 43%. “Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week – and when they have a companion, the walk also doubles as a social occasion,” he explained. “If they can walk for longer than 20 minutes, even better. Our study showed that the risk of depression fell in proportion to the time spent walking.”
As well as a daily walk, Laird recommends vitamin D and B12 supplements – both of which appear to moderate the chance of depression in older people. “Depression matters,” he added.
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40265
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
When elderly parents become depressed (many of them come from a generation not accustomed to talking about their mental health), it can be difficult to know how to respond. But Laird’s latest report suggests that a daily walk could help. His study of more than 4,000 older adults found that as little as 20 minutes of daily walking could cut the risk of depression by up to 43%. “Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week – and when they have a companion, the walk also doubles as a social occasion,” he explained. “If they can walk for longer than 20 minutes, even better. Our study showed that the risk of depression fell in proportion to the time spent walking.”
As well as a daily walk, Laird recommends vitamin D and B12 supplements – both of which appear to moderate the chance of depression in older people. “Depression matters,” he added. “Not just because it reduces quality of life, but because in older people there seems to be a link between depression and dementia which we’re still unpacking.”
Health coach Susan Saunders found herself “parenting” her mother (who had dementia) while her own daughters were babies.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
“Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week – and when they have a companion, the walk also doubles as a social occasion,” he explained. “If they can walk for longer than 20 minutes, even better. Our study showed that the risk of depression fell in proportion to the time spent walking.”
As well as a daily walk, Laird recommends vitamin D and B12 supplements – both of which appear to moderate the chance of depression in older people. “Depression matters,” he added. “Not just because it reduces quality of life, but because in older people there seems to be a link between depression and dementia which we’re still unpacking.”
Health coach Susan Saunders found herself “parenting” her mother (who had dementia) while her own daughters were babies. “I’d advise anyone with a parent in the early stages of dementia to investigate all the available research trials.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
“Anyone with older parents should be urging them out for a walk five days a week – and when they have a companion, the walk also doubles as a social occasion,” he explained. “If they can walk for longer than 20 minutes, even better. Our study showed that the risk of depression fell in proportion to the time spent walking.”
As well as a daily walk, Laird recommends vitamin D and B12 supplements – both of which appear to moderate the chance of depression in older people. “Depression matters,” he added. “Not just because it reduces quality of life, but because in older people there seems to be a link between depression and dementia which we’re still unpacking.”
Health coach Susan Saunders found herself “parenting” her mother (who had dementia) while her own daughters were babies. “I’d advise anyone with a parent in the early stages of dementia to investigate all the available research trials. Start by joining Dementia Research, a nationwide register that matches volunteers to research programmes.”
Even if your parents don’t require such intensive “parenting”, a simple supplement could help.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
“If they can walk for longer than 20 minutes, even better. Our study showed that the risk of depression fell in proportion to the time spent walking.”
As well as a daily walk, Laird recommends vitamin D and B12 supplements – both of which appear to moderate the chance of depression in older people. “Depression matters,” he added. “Not just because it reduces quality of life, but because in older people there seems to be a link between depression and dementia which we’re still unpacking.”
Health coach Susan Saunders found herself “parenting” her mother (who had dementia) while her own daughters were babies. “I’d advise anyone with a parent in the early stages of dementia to investigate all the available research trials. Start by joining Dementia Research, a nationwide register that matches volunteers to research programmes.”
Even if your parents don’t require such intensive “parenting”, a simple supplement could help. A recent study from Columbia University involving 2,200 adults aged 60 and over found that an inexpensive multivitamin formulated specifically for older people improved cognition, memory and focus.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
“Depression matters,” he added. “Not just because it reduces quality of life, but because in older people there seems to be a link between depression and dementia which we’re still unpacking.”
Health coach Susan Saunders found herself “parenting” her mother (who had dementia) while her own daughters were babies. “I’d advise anyone with a parent in the early stages of dementia to investigate all the available research trials. Start by joining Dementia Research, a nationwide register that matches volunteers to research programmes.”
Even if your parents don’t require such intensive “parenting”, a simple supplement could help. A recent study from Columbia University involving 2,200 adults aged 60 and over found that an inexpensive multivitamin formulated specifically for older people improved cognition, memory and focus. In fact, the results were so marked that the researchers said the supplement could slow age-related memory decline by three years.
But while most of us can probably persuade our parents to take a multivitamin, suggesting they change their diet might be more complicated.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
“I’d advise anyone with a parent in the early stages of dementia to investigate all the available research trials. Start by joining Dementia Research, a nationwide register that matches volunteers to research programmes.”
Even if your parents don’t require such intensive “parenting”, a simple supplement could help. A recent study from Columbia University involving 2,200 adults aged 60 and over found that an inexpensive multivitamin formulated specifically for older people improved cognition, memory and focus. In fact, the results were so marked that the researchers said the supplement could slow age-related memory decline by three years.
But while most of us can probably persuade our parents to take a multivitamin, suggesting they change their diet might be more complicated. Appetites fade as we age, chewing becomes more difficult and those living alone don’t always feel inclined to cook. The important thing, say both Saunders and Laird, is that older people consume plenty of protein.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
“I’d advise anyone with a parent in the early stages of dementia to investigate all the available research trials. Start by joining Dementia Research, a nationwide register that matches volunteers to research programmes.”
Even if your parents don’t require such intensive “parenting”, a simple supplement could help. A recent study from Columbia University involving 2,200 adults aged 60 and over found that an inexpensive multivitamin formulated specifically for older people improved cognition, memory and focus. In fact, the results were so marked that the researchers said the supplement could slow age-related memory decline by three years.
But while most of us can probably persuade our parents to take a multivitamin, suggesting they change their diet might be more complicated. Appetites fade as we age, chewing becomes more difficult and those living alone don’t always feel inclined to cook. The important thing, say both Saunders and Laird, is that older people consume plenty of protein.
“Older adults should be taking at least 1 to 1.5g of protein per kilogram of body weight,” says Laird.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
A recent study from Columbia University involving 2,200 adults aged 60 and over found that an inexpensive multivitamin formulated specifically for older people improved cognition, memory and focus. In fact, the results were so marked that the researchers said the supplement could slow age-related memory decline by three years.
But while most of us can probably persuade our parents to take a multivitamin, suggesting they change their diet might be more complicated. Appetites fade as we age, chewing becomes more difficult and those living alone don’t always feel inclined to cook. The important thing, say both Saunders and Laird, is that older people consume plenty of protein.
“Older adults should be taking at least 1 to 1.5g of protein per kilogram of body weight,” says Laird. “Dairy, fish or non-processed meat can help maintain muscle strength and function, reducing the risk of frailty as we age.”
In truth, anyone over 50 would do well to follow these simple guidelines: engage with something new every day, take a daily walk of at least 20 minutes, socialise regularly, take a daily multivitamin for seniors and check the protein content of our meals.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
But while most of us can probably persuade our parents to take a multivitamin, suggesting they change their diet might be more complicated. Appetites fade as we age, chewing becomes more difficult and those living alone don’t always feel inclined to cook. The important thing, say both Saunders and Laird, is that older people consume plenty of protein.
“Older adults should be taking at least 1 to 1.5g of protein per kilogram of body weight,” says Laird. “Dairy, fish or non-processed meat can help maintain muscle strength and function, reducing the risk of frailty as we age.”
In truth, anyone over 50 would do well to follow these simple guidelines: engage with something new every day, take a daily walk of at least 20 minutes, socialise regularly, take a daily multivitamin for seniors and check the protein content of our meals. Perhaps we should think of it as self-parenting.
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Walks, tech and protein: how to parent your own parents
But while most of us can probably persuade our parents to take a multivitamin, suggesting they change their diet might be more complicated. Appetites fade as we age, chewing becomes more difficult and those living alone don’t always feel inclined to cook. The important thing, say both Saunders and Laird, is that older people consume plenty of protein.
“Older adults should be taking at least 1 to 1.5g of protein per kilogram of body weight,” says Laird. “Dairy, fish or non-processed meat can help maintain muscle strength and function, reducing the risk of frailty as we age.”
In truth, anyone over 50 would do well to follow these simple guidelines: engage with something new every day, take a daily walk of at least 20 minutes, socialise regularly, take a daily multivitamin for seniors and check the protein content of our meals. Perhaps we should think of it as self-parenting.
Good groups for elders
Age UK has a database of social activities and groups for older folk
The Walking Football Association keeps keen amateur footballers playing long into their 50s and 60s
Action for Elders offers social and exercise programmes
The Centre for Ageing Better provides information on working and living as an older person
u3a, a charity collective, provides local opportunities for people no longer in work to acquire new skills and knowledge
Annabel Streets is the co-author of The Age-Well Project: Easy Ways to a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life (Piatkus) and co-founder of The Age-Well Project
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
The second level of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a musical. Or, to be precise, it can be a musical. Whether or not the universe breaks into song depends on which words of the title “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” you prefer.
If you’re here for the “Super Mario Bros.” of it all, this level (and every level) can be enjoyed as a loyal continuation of the plumber’s work in the 2D platformer genre that has maintained a healthy and consistent cadence since the series debuted in 1985. Dash from left to right, jump over pits, concuss enemies, collect the occasional power-up, and after a few minutes of adventuring ever eastward, leap onto the flagpole that ends one level and unlocks the next.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
The second level of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a musical. Or, to be precise, it can be a musical. Whether or not the universe breaks into song depends on which words of the title “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” you prefer.
If you’re here for the “Super Mario Bros.” of it all, this level (and every level) can be enjoyed as a loyal continuation of the plumber’s work in the 2D platformer genre that has maintained a healthy and consistent cadence since the series debuted in 1985. Dash from left to right, jump over pits, concuss enemies, collect the occasional power-up, and after a few minutes of adventuring ever eastward, leap onto the flagpole that ends one level and unlocks the next.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Whether or not the universe breaks into song depends on which words of the title “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” you prefer.
If you’re here for the “Super Mario Bros.” of it all, this level (and every level) can be enjoyed as a loyal continuation of the plumber’s work in the 2D platformer genre that has maintained a healthy and consistent cadence since the series debuted in 1985. Dash from left to right, jump over pits, concuss enemies, collect the occasional power-up, and after a few minutes of adventuring ever eastward, leap onto the flagpole that ends one level and unlocks the next.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Wonder” you prefer.
If you’re here for the “Super Mario Bros.” of it all, this level (and every level) can be enjoyed as a loyal continuation of the plumber’s work in the 2D platformer genre that has maintained a healthy and consistent cadence since the series debuted in 1985. Dash from left to right, jump over pits, concuss enemies, collect the occasional power-up, and after a few minutes of adventuring ever eastward, leap onto the flagpole that ends one level and unlocks the next.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
But, if you’re curious about the “Wonder” — if you’re not too precious about video game tradition — you can find within each Wonder stage a Wonder Seed, a Mario-sized ball of botany that morphs the environment into something indeed quite wonderful.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Dash from left to right, jump over pits, concuss enemies, collect the occasional power-up, and after a few minutes of adventuring ever eastward, leap onto the flagpole that ends one level and unlocks the next.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
But, if you’re curious about the “Wonder” — if you’re not too precious about video game tradition — you can find within each Wonder stage a Wonder Seed, a Mario-sized ball of botany that morphs the environment into something indeed quite wonderful. Like a musical number.
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40280
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Dash from left to right, jump over pits, concuss enemies, collect the occasional power-up, and after a few minutes of adventuring ever eastward, leap onto the flagpole that ends one level and unlocks the next.
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
But, if you’re curious about the “Wonder” — if you’re not too precious about video game tradition — you can find within each Wonder stage a Wonder Seed, a Mario-sized ball of botany that morphs the environment into something indeed quite wonderful. Like a musical number.
To choose wonder is to flood the atmosphere with lava-lamp plasma, send gravity into convulsions, or transform your hero into any variety of creatures — or even inanimate objects.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
But, if you’re curious about the “Wonder” — if you’re not too precious about video game tradition — you can find within each Wonder stage a Wonder Seed, a Mario-sized ball of botany that morphs the environment into something indeed quite wonderful. Like a musical number.
To choose wonder is to flood the atmosphere with lava-lamp plasma, send gravity into convulsions, or transform your hero into any variety of creatures — or even inanimate objects. As my stoned college roommate once postulated while ripping an apple bong: “You always see the scenery, but have you ever wanted to be the scenery?” Reader, he dreamt so we could live.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun — and worth fitting into your schedule. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
But, if you’re curious about the “Wonder” — if you’re not too precious about video game tradition — you can find within each Wonder stage a Wonder Seed, a Mario-sized ball of botany that morphs the environment into something indeed quite wonderful. Like a musical number.
To choose wonder is to flood the atmosphere with lava-lamp plasma, send gravity into convulsions, or transform your hero into any variety of creatures — or even inanimate objects. As my stoned college roommate once postulated while ripping an apple bong: “You always see the scenery, but have you ever wanted to be the scenery?” Reader, he dreamt so we could live. For a moment, Mario gets to be the background.
The brilliance of Super Mario Bros.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch .
But, if you’re curious about the “Wonder” — if you’re not too precious about video game tradition — you can find within each Wonder stage a Wonder Seed, a Mario-sized ball of botany that morphs the environment into something indeed quite wonderful. Like a musical number.
To choose wonder is to flood the atmosphere with lava-lamp plasma, send gravity into convulsions, or transform your hero into any variety of creatures — or even inanimate objects. As my stoned college roommate once postulated while ripping an apple bong: “You always see the scenery, but have you ever wanted to be the scenery?” Reader, he dreamt so we could live. For a moment, Mario gets to be the background.
The brilliance of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is that the choice is one of “and,” not of “or.” The traditional and the topsy-turvy coexist.
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40284
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
But, if you’re curious about the “Wonder” — if you’re not too precious about video game tradition — you can find within each Wonder stage a Wonder Seed, a Mario-sized ball of botany that morphs the environment into something indeed quite wonderful. Like a musical number.
To choose wonder is to flood the atmosphere with lava-lamp plasma, send gravity into convulsions, or transform your hero into any variety of creatures — or even inanimate objects. As my stoned college roommate once postulated while ripping an apple bong: “You always see the scenery, but have you ever wanted to be the scenery?” Reader, he dreamt so we could live. For a moment, Mario gets to be the background.
The brilliance of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is that the choice is one of “and,” not of “or.” The traditional and the topsy-turvy coexist. Across six worlds, the creators of Wonder offer a menu of familiar stages that, should you like, can be prepared with extra spice — or paired with the family-friendly equivalent of ayahuasca.
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40285
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Like a musical number.
To choose wonder is to flood the atmosphere with lava-lamp plasma, send gravity into convulsions, or transform your hero into any variety of creatures — or even inanimate objects. As my stoned college roommate once postulated while ripping an apple bong: “You always see the scenery, but have you ever wanted to be the scenery?” Reader, he dreamt so we could live. For a moment, Mario gets to be the background.
The brilliance of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is that the choice is one of “and,” not of “or.” The traditional and the topsy-turvy coexist. Across six worlds, the creators of Wonder offer a menu of familiar stages that, should you like, can be prepared with extra spice — or paired with the family-friendly equivalent of ayahuasca. That particular drug comparison isn’t flippant: At one point Toad licks the ol’ Wonder Seed, and suddenly he’s riding a dragon.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
As my stoned college roommate once postulated while ripping an apple bong: “You always see the scenery, but have you ever wanted to be the scenery?” Reader, he dreamt so we could live. For a moment, Mario gets to be the background.
The brilliance of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is that the choice is one of “and,” not of “or.” The traditional and the topsy-turvy coexist. Across six worlds, the creators of Wonder offer a menu of familiar stages that, should you like, can be prepared with extra spice — or paired with the family-friendly equivalent of ayahuasca. That particular drug comparison isn’t flippant: At one point Toad licks the ol’ Wonder Seed, and suddenly he’s riding a dragon.
Wonder Seeds can add a splash of difficulty, but help is perpetually available in a fashion that’s considerate rather than patronizing. Gone are time limits. Extra lives can be purchased at a low cost with the game’s abundant purple currency.
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40287
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
For a moment, Mario gets to be the background.
The brilliance of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is that the choice is one of “and,” not of “or.” The traditional and the topsy-turvy coexist. Across six worlds, the creators of Wonder offer a menu of familiar stages that, should you like, can be prepared with extra spice — or paired with the family-friendly equivalent of ayahuasca. That particular drug comparison isn’t flippant: At one point Toad licks the ol’ Wonder Seed, and suddenly he’s riding a dragon.
Wonder Seeds can add a splash of difficulty, but help is perpetually available in a fashion that’s considerate rather than patronizing. Gone are time limits. Extra lives can be purchased at a low cost with the game’s abundant purple currency. A new badge system allows players to select from a growing collection of special abilities that range from helpful (a high, floating leap) to playful (a Piranha Plant grappling hook) to silly (a triple jump tied to a musical rhythm).
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Across six worlds, the creators of Wonder offer a menu of familiar stages that, should you like, can be prepared with extra spice — or paired with the family-friendly equivalent of ayahuasca. That particular drug comparison isn’t flippant: At one point Toad licks the ol’ Wonder Seed, and suddenly he’s riding a dragon.
Wonder Seeds can add a splash of difficulty, but help is perpetually available in a fashion that’s considerate rather than patronizing. Gone are time limits. Extra lives can be purchased at a low cost with the game’s abundant purple currency. A new badge system allows players to select from a growing collection of special abilities that range from helpful (a high, floating leap) to playful (a Piranha Plant grappling hook) to silly (a triple jump tied to a musical rhythm).
Prince charming Badges are worn by a little royal bug named Prince Florian who joins you on your journey and provides the majority of conversation on this road trip, alongside very talkative flowers sprouting across every corner of the Flower Kingdom, eager to provide a tip for a metatextual wink.
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40289
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
That particular drug comparison isn’t flippant: At one point Toad licks the ol’ Wonder Seed, and suddenly he’s riding a dragon.
Wonder Seeds can add a splash of difficulty, but help is perpetually available in a fashion that’s considerate rather than patronizing. Gone are time limits. Extra lives can be purchased at a low cost with the game’s abundant purple currency. A new badge system allows players to select from a growing collection of special abilities that range from helpful (a high, floating leap) to playful (a Piranha Plant grappling hook) to silly (a triple jump tied to a musical rhythm).
Prince charming Badges are worn by a little royal bug named Prince Florian who joins you on your journey and provides the majority of conversation on this road trip, alongside very talkative flowers sprouting across every corner of the Flower Kingdom, eager to provide a tip for a metatextual wink.
Each unlockable upgrade or special move is assigned to a badge that can be found or purchased.
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40290
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Wonder Seeds can add a splash of difficulty, but help is perpetually available in a fashion that’s considerate rather than patronizing. Gone are time limits. Extra lives can be purchased at a low cost with the game’s abundant purple currency. A new badge system allows players to select from a growing collection of special abilities that range from helpful (a high, floating leap) to playful (a Piranha Plant grappling hook) to silly (a triple jump tied to a musical rhythm).
Prince charming Badges are worn by a little royal bug named Prince Florian who joins you on your journey and provides the majority of conversation on this road trip, alongside very talkative flowers sprouting across every corner of the Flower Kingdom, eager to provide a tip for a metatextual wink.
Each unlockable upgrade or special move is assigned to a badge that can be found or purchased. One collected badge can be selected before each stage, so I found myself rotating abilities based on need.
|
40291
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Gone are time limits. Extra lives can be purchased at a low cost with the game’s abundant purple currency. A new badge system allows players to select from a growing collection of special abilities that range from helpful (a high, floating leap) to playful (a Piranha Plant grappling hook) to silly (a triple jump tied to a musical rhythm).
Prince charming Badges are worn by a little royal bug named Prince Florian who joins you on your journey and provides the majority of conversation on this road trip, alongside very talkative flowers sprouting across every corner of the Flower Kingdom, eager to provide a tip for a metatextual wink.
Each unlockable upgrade or special move is assigned to a badge that can be found or purchased. One collected badge can be selected before each stage, so I found myself rotating abilities based on need. For example, when later stages added a bunch of instant-death bottomless pits, I opted for the Safety Bounce badge: When I plunge into an abyss, the darkness spits me up like a piece of hamburger caught in its throat.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
A new badge system allows players to select from a growing collection of special abilities that range from helpful (a high, floating leap) to playful (a Piranha Plant grappling hook) to silly (a triple jump tied to a musical rhythm).
Prince charming Badges are worn by a little royal bug named Prince Florian who joins you on your journey and provides the majority of conversation on this road trip, alongside very talkative flowers sprouting across every corner of the Flower Kingdom, eager to provide a tip for a metatextual wink.
Each unlockable upgrade or special move is assigned to a badge that can be found or purchased. One collected badge can be selected before each stage, so I found myself rotating abilities based on need. For example, when later stages added a bunch of instant-death bottomless pits, I opted for the Safety Bounce badge: When I plunge into an abyss, the darkness spits me up like a piece of hamburger caught in its throat.
I expect many players will brag that their favorite badge is the “overpowered one,” which is sort of always true.
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40293
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Prince charming Badges are worn by a little royal bug named Prince Florian who joins you on your journey and provides the majority of conversation on this road trip, alongside very talkative flowers sprouting across every corner of the Flower Kingdom, eager to provide a tip for a metatextual wink.
Each unlockable upgrade or special move is assigned to a badge that can be found or purchased. One collected badge can be selected before each stage, so I found myself rotating abilities based on need. For example, when later stages added a bunch of instant-death bottomless pits, I opted for the Safety Bounce badge: When I plunge into an abyss, the darkness spits me up like a piece of hamburger caught in its throat.
I expect many players will brag that their favorite badge is the “overpowered one,” which is sort of always true. No matter what you use, you will feel like you’ve been given an unfair advantage as you casually float over chunks of the stage or vacuum coins through walls.
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40294
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Each unlockable upgrade or special move is assigned to a badge that can be found or purchased. One collected badge can be selected before each stage, so I found myself rotating abilities based on need. For example, when later stages added a bunch of instant-death bottomless pits, I opted for the Safety Bounce badge: When I plunge into an abyss, the darkness spits me up like a piece of hamburger caught in its throat.
I expect many players will brag that their favorite badge is the “overpowered one,” which is sort of always true. No matter what you use, you will feel like you’ve been given an unfair advantage as you casually float over chunks of the stage or vacuum coins through walls. To maintain balance, the designers layered on new challenges, keeping Wonder within the Goldilocks window. Not too hard, not too easy. Just right.
The wonder of playing Super Mario Bros. in 1985 came from the discovery.
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40295
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
Each unlockable upgrade or special move is assigned to a badge that can be found or purchased. One collected badge can be selected before each stage, so I found myself rotating abilities based on need. For example, when later stages added a bunch of instant-death bottomless pits, I opted for the Safety Bounce badge: When I plunge into an abyss, the darkness spits me up like a piece of hamburger caught in its throat.
I expect many players will brag that their favorite badge is the “overpowered one,” which is sort of always true. No matter what you use, you will feel like you’ve been given an unfair advantage as you casually float over chunks of the stage or vacuum coins through walls. To maintain balance, the designers layered on new challenges, keeping Wonder within the Goldilocks window. Not too hard, not too easy. Just right.
The wonder of playing Super Mario Bros. in 1985 came from the discovery. Nintendo not only predicted players would climb outside the confines of the level, it placed shortcuts in the hidden crevices to reward the most rule-breaking players.
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40296
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
For example, when later stages added a bunch of instant-death bottomless pits, I opted for the Safety Bounce badge: When I plunge into an abyss, the darkness spits me up like a piece of hamburger caught in its throat.
I expect many players will brag that their favorite badge is the “overpowered one,” which is sort of always true. No matter what you use, you will feel like you’ve been given an unfair advantage as you casually float over chunks of the stage or vacuum coins through walls. To maintain balance, the designers layered on new challenges, keeping Wonder within the Goldilocks window. Not too hard, not too easy. Just right.
The wonder of playing Super Mario Bros. in 1985 came from the discovery. Nintendo not only predicted players would climb outside the confines of the level, it placed shortcuts in the hidden crevices to reward the most rule-breaking players. Badges cleverly build upon that sense of freedom with skills that let you soar over towering enemies or use that Piranha Plant grappling hook to climb high above the confines of the stage — now a Mario tradition.
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40297
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
I expect many players will brag that their favorite badge is the “overpowered one,” which is sort of always true. No matter what you use, you will feel like you’ve been given an unfair advantage as you casually float over chunks of the stage or vacuum coins through walls. To maintain balance, the designers layered on new challenges, keeping Wonder within the Goldilocks window. Not too hard, not too easy. Just right.
The wonder of playing Super Mario Bros. in 1985 came from the discovery. Nintendo not only predicted players would climb outside the confines of the level, it placed shortcuts in the hidden crevices to reward the most rule-breaking players. Badges cleverly build upon that sense of freedom with skills that let you soar over towering enemies or use that Piranha Plant grappling hook to climb high above the confines of the stage — now a Mario tradition.
And sometimes Wonder goes further. With Wonder Seeds, the levels themselves collapse and contort, disobeying the laws established by decades of Mario games.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
No matter what you use, you will feel like you’ve been given an unfair advantage as you casually float over chunks of the stage or vacuum coins through walls. To maintain balance, the designers layered on new challenges, keeping Wonder within the Goldilocks window. Not too hard, not too easy. Just right.
The wonder of playing Super Mario Bros. in 1985 came from the discovery. Nintendo not only predicted players would climb outside the confines of the level, it placed shortcuts in the hidden crevices to reward the most rule-breaking players. Badges cleverly build upon that sense of freedom with skills that let you soar over towering enemies or use that Piranha Plant grappling hook to climb high above the confines of the stage — now a Mario tradition.
And sometimes Wonder goes further. With Wonder Seeds, the levels themselves collapse and contort, disobeying the laws established by decades of Mario games. Giant, sudsy, rainbow-tinted bubbles fill a stage and burst through the ceiling; a colossal snowball knocks down a flagpole, extending the stage beyond its official conclusion.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a perfect end for the Switch
To maintain balance, the designers layered on new challenges, keeping Wonder within the Goldilocks window. Not too hard, not too easy. Just right.
The wonder of playing Super Mario Bros. in 1985 came from the discovery. Nintendo not only predicted players would climb outside the confines of the level, it placed shortcuts in the hidden crevices to reward the most rule-breaking players. Badges cleverly build upon that sense of freedom with skills that let you soar over towering enemies or use that Piranha Plant grappling hook to climb high above the confines of the stage — now a Mario tradition.
And sometimes Wonder goes further. With Wonder Seeds, the levels themselves collapse and contort, disobeying the laws established by decades of Mario games. Giant, sudsy, rainbow-tinted bubbles fill a stage and burst through the ceiling; a colossal snowball knocks down a flagpole, extending the stage beyond its official conclusion.
This is the most significant difference between 1985 and 2023: Mario’s creators have joined in the fun of breaking the machine.
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