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Showing posts from September, 2025

Beads Over Bytes: Japan’s Ancient Secret to Sharpening the Mind

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Japan's ancient secret to better cognitive memory - BBC REEL (YouTube link ) The Hidden Costs of AI in Childhood Learning  While AI tools offer instant access to information, their growing role in education may hinder children's cognitive development . Recent 2025 research highlights key concerns — diminished critical thinking, reduced problem-solving, and less hands-on engagement —stemming from over-reliance on AI. Experts warn that while AI speeds up learning, it risks weakening the mental effort essential for growth . A balanced approach, using AI as a brainstorming aid followed by independent refinement, is recommended to safeguard developmental skills. As we consider the cognitive costs of over-reliance on digital tools, it’s worth turning our attention to a time-honored alternative—one that cultivates mental discipline through tactile engagement and visualization . Beyond AI: The Soroban’s Quiet Power in Childhood Development The Japanese abacus, known as the soroban (算盤...

Protein Prescription for Aging Muscles: Why Leucine Matters More After 60

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The Muscle-Building Supplements That ACTUALLY Work (YouTube link ) Muscle and bone health aren’t just parallel concerns—they’re mutually reinforcing systems. Protecting one helps preserve the other. That’s why interventions like resistance training, adequate protein (especially leucine), vitamin D, and mobility-focused exercise are central to healthy aging strategies. Leucine: A Key to Combating Age-Related Muscle Loss  Maintaining muscle mass is difficult as we age due to anabolic resistance , a reduced ability of aging muscle to respond to protein and exercise (Breen & Phillips, 2011). This resistance is a major factor in sarcopenia ( age-related muscle loss ). To counter this, older adults need a higher protein intake ( 1.2–2.0 g/kg of body weight/day , compared to 0.8 g/kg for younger adults) and should aim for 25–40 grams of high-quality protein per meal (Deutz et al., 2014; Moore et al., 2015). Leucine , a branched-chain amino acid, is the primary trigger for muscle pr...