As Democracy Recedes Globally, What’s the Impact on Wellbeing? By Thierry Malleret, economist Worldwide, democracy is receding to its lowest levels since the mid-70s, with many countries “autocratizing” at the same time. According to The Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute at Sweden’s Gothenburg University, a record 41% (3.4 billion) of the world’s population currently live in countries where democracy is deteriorating. Should this be of…
A large study (2026) in JAMA Network (on 5,472 women aged 63 to 99 years) found that muscle strength was associated with significantly lower mortality risk in women—even for those not meeting guideline-recommended activity levels. The researchers noted that the findings were a surprise, as strength in older women turned out to be a key—and unique—factor in longevity, reducing the risk for early death by a third…
A 2026 study from Harvard, analyzing 30 years of data from 100K+ Americans, found that diversifying your movement may have a big impact on your lifespan. The researchers found that people that did the highest variety of exercise––whether walking, gardening or weightlifting––had a 19% lower risk of premature death compared to those who engaged in the lowest variety, even when total physical activity was held constant.…
From Paris to New Delhi, the Push to Ban Teens from Social Media Is Going Global–The Wall Street Journal Moves to bar younger teens from social media across Europe and Asia are going, well … viral. What started as an isolated regulatory gamble by Australia last fall has spread to more than a dozen countries. The policies add to a growing backlash against teen smartphone use, blamed by critics for deteriorating mental health and causing an epidemic…
Wellness Real Estate Case Study American Cancer Society Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Hope Lodge Houston, Texas, United States The American Cancer Society Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Hope Lodge© in Houston, Texas (henceforth referred to as Hope Lodge Houston) is one of the newest among more than 30 American Cancer Society (ACS) Hope Lodges located across the United States. Cancer treatment is stressful, time-consuming and expensive; for patients who need…
Social Media Is About to Have Its Big “Tobacco” Moment And it will go beyond regulating teens By Thierry Malleret, economist Earlier this month, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that “social media has become a failed state,” echoing the rising concerns of many policymakers and experts about the dangers it poses. The push to ban some digital platforms to users under a certain age is gaining traction, most notably in Europe…
