For The Union-Tribune An afternoon cup of no A new study suggests that coffee drinkers who limit their consumption to the morning have a lower risk of dying of heart disease and a lower overall mortality risk than those who drink coffee throughout the day. “Research so far suggests that drinking c offee doesn’t raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, and it seems to lower the risk of some chronic diseases, such as diabetes,” said Lu Qi, a professor at Tulane University. But what about when you partake? Qi and colleagues found that compared with people who did not drink coffee, morning coffee drinkers were 16 percent less likely to die of any cause and 31 percent less likely to die of cardiovascular disease. There was no reduction in risk for all-day coffee drinkers compared with noncoffee drinkers. Morning coffee drinkers benefited from the lower risks whether they were moderate drinkers (two to three cups) or heavy drinkers (more than three cups). Light morning drinkers (one cup or less) benefited from a smaller decrease in risk. (Tetiana Ivanova / Adobe Stock) Body of knowledge People with blue eyes tend to see better in the dark than those with brown eyes. The reason may be that they possess less melanin in their irises, which allows more light to pass through. The advantage is relatively minor and may also mean greater sensitivity to bright light. (Adobe Stock) Get me that. Stat! Obesity affects 20 percent of children and 42 percent of adults, putting them at risk of chronic disease, such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Just over 1 in 3 young adults aged 17 to 24 are too heavy to join the U.S. military. Obesity costs the U.S. health care system nearly $173 billion a year, estimates the CDC. Doc talk Sausage digit — A toe or finger swollen and red along its entire length. (Adobe Stock) Mania of the week Catoptromania — An abnormal fondness for or compulsion to look into a mirror. Given our current social self-absorption, it’s a reflection of the times. Best medicine “Doctor,” said the patient. “I can’t stop singing ‘The Green, Green Grass of Home.’” “Sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome,” replied the doctor. “Is that common?” asked the patient. “It’s not unusual.” (Adobe Stock) Hypochondriac’s guide Lingua villosa is more commonly known as hairy tongue. It’s a benign condition in which the tiny bumps on the tongue, called papillae, don’t shed as they normally would and instead grow beyond their normal length of 1 millimeter. As they grow, they can assume different colors: green, brown, white or pink. The condition affects approximately 13 percent of people at some point in their lives. Good oral hygiene and daily tongue scrubbings with a toothbrush typically turn the tongue back to normal in a few months. Observation “There are three natural anesthetics — sleep, fainting and death.” — American jurist Oliver Wendell Homes (1841-1935) Medical history This week in 1953, Jonas Salk announced a new vaccine to immunize people against polio. Perishable publications Many, if not most, published research papers have titles that defy comprehension. They use specialized jargon, complex words and opaque phrases like “nonlinear dynamics.” Sometimes they don’t, and yet they’re still hard to figure out. Here’s an actual title of actual published research study: “Paying Not to Go to the Gym.” Published in the American Economic Review, the authors’ intent was to better understand how consumers choose contracts, though analyzing a database of U.S. health club members and day-to-day attendance might just leave one more confused. The researchers found that members who choose a gym contract with a flat monthly fee of more than $70 attend on average 4.3 times per month. They pay a price per expected visit of more than $17, even though they could pay $10 per visit using a 10-visit pass. On average, these users forgo savings of $600 during their membership. Consumers who choose a monthly contract are 17 percent more likely to stay enrolled beyond one year than users committing for a year, which is surprising because monthly members pay higher fees for the option to cancel each month. Last words “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed.” — American jurist Joan Ruth Bader Ginsberg (1933-2020). Ginsberg died Sept. 18. Justice Amy Coney Barrett was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court eight days later. Joe Biden would be elected the new president on Nov. 3, 2020, 45 days after Ginsberg’s death. LaFee is vice president of communications for the Sanford Burnham Prebys research institute. ...read more read less