In Short

Stop The Clock

We all have days when we feel older – or if you’re lucky, younger – than we actually are, and, as it turns out we may just well be. While our chronological age simply represents how many times we’ve orbited the sun while hitching a ride aboard our beautiful blue planet, our biological age concerns the rate at which our bodies are physically ageing – and unlike our chronological age, we are able to reverse (or increase) it. There are sites such as Find Out Your Biological-Age (biological-age.com) which estimate your biological age through online quizzes, but an epigenetic test is required for the most accurate assessment. First developed by University of California researcher Steve Horvath in 2013, the tests, available as home kits, analyse DNA collected from saliva, blood, or urine samples and though they can’t predict how long we will live, they will reflect how we are living and allowing us to adjust our lifestyles accordingly. There’s now also an AI model that can estimate your biological age from images of your face, tongue, and retina.

What A Raquet!

In 1969, Mexican Enrique Corcuera modified his squash court to incorporate elements of platform tennis and unwittingly created the brand-new racquet sport of padel. Now challenging the similar pickleball as among the world’s fastest growing sports, padel is enjoyed by over 25 million people in around 90 countries: famous fans include the Princess of Wales and Andy Murray. “There’s obviously a bit of crossover to tennis,” Murray tells CBS. “But it’s probably a little bit easier… it’s fun, it’s competitive, it’s good exercise.” Usually played as doubles, padel takes place on a space around a third the size of a tennis court, and one which is completely surrounded by walls of glass and mesh which, like squash, the balls are allowed to bounce off. In European countries like Spain and Italy, it is the second most popular sport (after soccer), and here in New Zealand the first court opened last October at Mount Wellington’s Riverside sports club. Another has since opened at Remuera Rackets Club, with more planned around the country. Find out more at padelnewzealand.org.nz.

Board Senseless

The pandemic and its aftermath were significant drivers in the resurgence of board games, and their popularity are continuing to explode. The industry, currently worth in the region of $28 billion, is forecast to be worth $55 billion by 2030, with the USA leading the charge with nearly a third of the share. Surprisingly, as they’re known as the digital natives, research has shown up to 38% of Gen Z to enjoy board games – and the popularity is mirrored in New Zealand with board game cafes – and even competitions – springing up across the nation. Cakes n Ladders, Auckland’s “premier board gaming cafe” provides a sprawling library of offerings to hard-core gamers, families, and couples, while the very first jigsaw racing competition was organised by the New Zealand Masters Games in Whanganui in 2021. The curious and already converted should mark 1 June (always celebrated on the first Saturday of June) in their diaries: it’s International Tabletop Day when gamers around the world meet and unite to celebrate the wonder of all games.

Dumping The Shark

Some might be surprised to learn that last year’s horror-comedy movie, Cocaine Bear was (very loosely) based on the true story of an American black bear that ingested a duffel bag of dumped drugs. If the notion of an unstoppable ursine isn’t terrifying enough – how about the idea of a junkie Jaws?! It turns out that sharks off the coast of Florida might be acting “crazy” because they’re feasting on bales of cocaine dumped overboard by smugglers. Researchers have observed sharks swimming wonkily and swimming in tight circles as if fixated on something that wasn’t there. Dummy cocaine packages were also placed next to dummy birds on the surface of the water, and, to the scientists’ astonishment, the sharks headed straight for those rather than their traditional prey. Smuggling is such an issue in the area that bales regularly wash ashore. Common toothy types in the region include the tiger, hammerhead, and bull sharks; great whites are also known to visit the local waters.

Not So Sweet

And so from addict sharks to humans that can’t get enough of sugar – research has shown that the sweet stuff might be even more addictive than cocaine and opioids, and harder to kick than cigarettes! Despite negative consequences like weight gain and hormonal imbalances, Cassie Bjork, RD, LD, founder of Healthy Simple Life, tells Healthline that sugar “activates the opiate receptors in our brain and affects the reward centre, which leads to compulsive behaviour”. Every time we consume sugar, she adds, we’re causing the brain to become increasingly hardwired to crave it and “building up a tolerance like any other drug”. Research has shown rats to prefer sugar to cocaine so much so that they’ll even self-administer electric shocks to get it, and, perhaps most worrying of all, that sugar consumed by way of processed food has the potential to cause our bodies as much harm as cigarettes. 

Breaking Bad Habits

Among the first steps towards making positive behavioural changes is to understand the basics of how our brain actually works – and then go about rewiring it. That’s exactly what renowned habit researcher Dr Gina Cleo did with her new book, The Habit Revolution: Simple steps to rewire your brain for powerful habit change. Billed as ‘beyond Atomic Habits’, the tome is the result of decades of research and covers topics such as how to master motivation, how to break free from the cycle of unwanted habits, and how to create habits that stick. Interestingly, Cleo even goes so far as to say that willpower is overrated as a method for getting things done. “If you’re someone who values high-quality, evidence-based information and practical tools, you’ll love this book,” she says. “Whether you’re looking to break free from unwanted patterns or enhance your daily routines, this book is a guide to creating lasting, positive change.”