NPR is reporting that investigations reveal a troubling level of violence among patients in nursing care and assisted living facilities. It said a study of 14 assisted living facilities in New York state estimated 1 in 7 residents experienced aggression within a month, including verbal, physical or sexual acts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that more than 40% of residents in these facilities have dementia, which can impair impulse control and threat perception, increasing the risk of aggressive behavior. Experts and advocates suggest long-term care homes are often "woefully undertrained" in dementia care and that the balance has shifted too far towards profit. An example cited was the death of 96-year-old Gladys Lynch after being shoved by another resident with severe dementia, an incident captured on web cameras.
NPR is also reporting that many products claiming to be made with 100% avocado oil are actually adulterated with cheaper alternatives. It said a University of California, Davis study found that 89% of 54 tested products labeled as 100% avocado oil showed signs of adulteration, often with soybean oil. While avocados are praised for healthy fats and fiber, NPR noted there is insufficient research to prove avocado oil is healthier than less expensive options like olive oil or seed oils. Sarah Berry, a professor of nutrition at King's College London, stated that unfair claims against seed oils have given avocado oil a "health halo" effect, despite decades of data supporting the health benefits of extra-virgin olive oil and most seed oils.
Additionally, NPR is reporting on healthier ways to manage extreme emotions, drawing from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). It said psychiatrist Shireen Rizvi's book, "Real Skills for Real Life," based on DBT, offers techniques to tolerate distress and quickly lower emotional intensity. These skills, remembered by the acronym TIP (temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, and paired muscle relaxation), are designed for moments when day-to-day stress management is insufficient. Lowering body temperature by plunging one's face into ice water triggers the mammalian dive reflex, slowing heart rate and breathing. Intense exercise for 30 seconds or more can also lead to a calming effect as the heart rate decreases and endorphins are released. Paired muscle relaxation involves tensing and then releasing muscle groups while associating the release with a calming word. Rizvi emphasized that these skills reduce emotional intensity, allowing for clearer thinking, rather than eliminating the pain entirely.