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As you grow old, your health starts to deteriorate. Everything, whether it is your mental health or your physical health, starts to slow down. However, with age, your mental health gets overshadowed by your physical health.
If you note these signs in your ageing parents or grandparents, take note of it. Try to get involved with them. It is also important to ensure that they have a separate social circle apart from the family. This way, they can have friends who they can also relate to.
With age, suggests Sinha, you are more prone to be depressed, and anxious. “Mental health conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorders are not something that happens when you grow older. You may have been living with these for the last 40 years, but the management differs, she suggests.
As you grow old, your symptoms start to overlap with other mental health conditions. For the proper treatment professionals use differential diagnosis, suggests Sinha. “The lines become blurred and to differentiate the symptoms from one mental health condition to another becomes difficult,” she says.
There are also food habits like eating leafy vegetables, nuts, fish, virgin coconut and beans that help with brain functions.
Sinha suggests that keeping a social circle and continuing your hobbies can help your mind stay healthy. “Men especially face this issue, after they retire, they feel like they are at the loss of authority, and they start to lose control. It is thus important to keep doing things and learning a new skill to keep your brain active. While for women, since they continue taking care of the house, their brain stays active,” she says.
Cognitive stimulation is the key, especially to managing dementia, she notes.
“Just with weight training, you push your body and after a while, it becomes your muscle memory. Same with the brain. However, one should not get into solving too many puzzles, or trivia after being diagnosed with dementia. Because that would mean you are making your already injured brain exercise which might lead to agitation,” she recommends.
“The most important part is for the caregiver to understand what is happening and come to terms with the conditions. Because the elderly with cognitive conditions are not able to understand, they cannot be told or instructed to do anything. Thus, the responsibility is solely on the caregiver,” points out Sinha.
So, what can be done?
Reach out to therapists and counsellors to know the ways to create such a healthy environment.
She suggests adopting the same approach that you do with kids and with your pets. This is when you focus on gestures, body language and mood over language. Due to cognitive disorders, parents experience a loss of language and the only way to communicate and to understand what they are communicating is through these means.
Create a healthy environment by agreeing with them and listening to their stories. The responsibility of creating a safe environment is totally with you.
There might be times when your parents may do socially unacceptable or non-compliance behaviour. But it is important to understand the triggers and ensure that the triggers do not occur anymore.
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Colon cancer, medically known as colorectal cancer, was historically typical for people aged 50 or older. However, in recent years, the cancer that forms in the tissues of the large intestine has been increasing in prevalence in young adults. As many as one in five colorectal cancer patients today falls into this younger age group.
Now, a study published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology shows that marathons, which are one of the most celebrated physical activities, may be increasing the risk of the disease.
The team at Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Virginia, US, initiated the study after observing multiple “ultramarathoners” present to their cancer center with advanced colorectal cancer.
To probe the link, they recruited 100 runners to undergo colonoscopies — the gold standard for screening and preventing colorectal cancer. The team then looked at runners ages 35 to 50, who had either completed at least five marathons or two ultramarathons (any runs of 50 kilometers or more).
Presenting the findings at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, Dr. Timothy Cannon, an oncologist at the Institute, stated that
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Almost always, colon cancers start as small growths called polyps or precancerous lesions on the inner lining of the colon or rectum.
Moreover, the study found that the rate of advanced adenomas nearly tripled among the marathon runners, compared to the general population, at 4.5 -6 per cent.
In general, running and other forms of exercise are known to reduce the risk of developing colon and other cancers. At the same time, exercise-induced gastrointestinal injury is also believed to be associated with reduced blood flow to the intestines during long-distance running.
Notably, to date there is no evidence that definitively shows running causes polyps.
The new study presents a correlation — an increasing relationship between long-distance running and advanced adenomas. It does not prove that running directly causes the adenomas.
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The new results suggest that “intensive long-distance running is a risk factor for advanced adenomas of the colon", said Dr. Timothy, in the paper. The team also called for "refining screening strategies" for marathon runners.
It is because runners put their bodies through a lot, which can raise the risk of chronic inflammation, enabling cancerous cells to grow.
Their high-caloric foods for immediate energy can slow down digestion and impact your overall colon health.
The American Cancer Society notes that colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. Colorectal cancer impacts around 1.9 million people every year, noted the World Health Organization (WHO) as per its 2022 data.
It is a disease of the large bowel and a type of cancer that originates from the rectum or colon. A person's colon, cecum, rectum, and anus make up the large intestine.
According to experts, if you are above 45 years of age or have high-risk factors, you need to take the initiative to be screened, as the symptoms appear late, impacting treatment outcomes.
The common red flags for colorectal cancer include:

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From being a macho dude, Bruce Willis’ personality has changed to becoming more ‘tender’ even as the 71-year-old action hero continues to battle dementia, according to his daughter Rumer.
“I’m so grateful I get to go see him,” Rumer, 37, said during a podcast interview. “Even though it’s different now, I’m so grateful.”
“There’s a sweetness. He’s always been this kind of macho dude, and there’s like a — fragile is not the right word, but — just a tenderness that maybe being Bruce Willis might not have allowed him in a certain way,” she added.
Bruce Willis is continuing into his third year living with the condition.
In March 2022, Bruce Willis, the media legend who dominated Hollywood in his prime, was diagnosed with dementia, and since then, his family has been sharing their struggle with his diagnosis and how slowly it has been taking a toll on his health.
The following year, his diagnosis was confirmed as frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which is a degenerative disease that slowly chips away at your motor skills, communication skills, etc. His wife, Emma Heming Willis, noted early signs were subtle changes in his speech, initially mistaken for a resurgence of his childhood stutter.
Rumer is the eldest daughter of Bruce and The Substance star Demi Moore, who were married from 1987 to 2000. The former couple also had Scout Willis, 34, and Tallulah, 32, together.
Although FTD is considered to be one of the rarest forms of dementia, Rumer said the disease is more “prevalent” than she realized.
“It’s wild to me. So many people come up to me now, and they say, ‘My uncle had FTD. My dad had this,” she said.
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Earlier this year, in March, a hoax news of Bruce Willis’ death circulated. However, his representatives confirmed that the news is fabricated and that the actor is alive.
"He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax. He's still alive and well. Stop believing what you see on the Internet," his official representative stated.
Frontotemporal dementia is a less prevalent type of dementia that mainly occurs in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. It tends to affect behavior, personality, language, and movement more than memory, particularly in its initial stages.
In contrast to Alzheimer's, which generally strikes older individuals, FTD can hit at an earlier age—sometimes as young as 40. The symptoms can range from changes in personality, emotional flatness, or the inability to show empathy to impulsiveness, so it is especially hard for spouses and children to cope.
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The Mayo Clinic states that the symptoms of FTD vary depending on the most affected part of the brain. The progression is gradual but relentless.
Behavioral symptoms:
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Even as injectable aesthetic procedures are gaining popularity as "cosmetic" treatments in beauty clinics and wellness centers across the country, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has tightened rules around cosmetic use.
In a new public notice issued this week, the CDSCO stated that cosmetic products that come in injectable form do not fall under the definition of cosmetics under the law. It said that such products are not permitted for use by consumers, professionals, or aesthetic clinics.
"Cosmetic means any article intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled or sprayed on, or introduced into, or otherwise applied to, the human body," the notice said.
It added that cosmetics are for "cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance."
Thus, "products supplied in the form of injectable preparation do not fall under the definition of cosmetics. No cosmetic is permitted to be used as injection by consumer/professionals/aesthetic clinics," the notice added.
The new rules bar professionals and stakeholders from using or manufacturing any cosmetic product intended for injection or medical purposes.
The move also seeks to curb misleading advertising and unauthorised cosmetic practices by clinics and individuals.
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The regulator also warned against misleading claims and the use of prohibited ingredients in cosmetic products, saying such violations attract action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Cosmetics Rules, 2020.
"Use of prohibited ingredients in cosmetic products, misleading claims on label, use of cosmetics for treatment, and application of cosmetics through injection attracts violations of the said Act & Rules," the notice said.
The regulator stated that no person shall alter, obliterate, or deface any inscription made by the manufacturer on the container or label of the product intended for use as a cosmetic.

The notice added that the list of generally not recognised as safe (GNRAS) and restricted ingredients is published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
It has also encouraged the public and users to report any instance of misleading claims or violations through email and state licensing authorities.
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The move follows several incidents of sub-standard cosmetic products found to be sold in the market, ranging from Botox parties in upscale salons to glutathione “skin whitening” drips offered in local aesthetic clinics.
Social media trends, celebrity endorsements, and growing demand for “preventive anti-ageing” treatments among younger consumers have driven the market for injectable beauty products, especially Glutathione drips, as well as detoxifying therapies, in the country.
Medical experts have also been raising concerns over their long-term safety and efficacy. As per experts, unregulated injectable procedures carry risks ranging from allergic reactions and infections to liver and kidney complications in extreme cases.
The new norms, thus, are part of the government's plans to strengthen the regulatory mechanism for cosmetics.
The government is also reportedly planning to designate a Central Cosmetics Laboratory to test cosmetic samples and may also designate any laboratory under its control for testing, according to Mint.
In addition, manufacturers will have to keep details and records of each batch and raw materials. Records are to be maintained for three years after the expiry of each batch. Imported cosmetic products shall bear a code number as approved by the State Licensing Authority.
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