7 Things You Need To Know Today (November 8, 2017)

Neurobiologist Amy Banks explains that we tend to feel relief upon canceling plans because doing so can free up downtime that we desperately need. That, or you’re just not that into the person you’re supposed to meet up with. "Meeting up with those people might be stressful or draining, so we might experience relief when canceling because we don’t feel great about seeing them," she says. (NY Mag)

Allergists are now finding that food dye can cause severe allergic reactions. Though extremely rare, this allergy is just another sign that the more natural, the better. "I was swallowing my problem by the handful every day," says someone whose colored pills were making her break out in hives for months. (NYT)

Even if you're in your 70s or 80s! "You can see dramatic benefits from exercising in older adults," Justin Mullner, a sports medicine doctor says, citing prevention of osteoporosis and muscle loss, as well as improved blood pressure and blood-glucose levels. He cautions seniors to be careful to avoid injury, perhaps even working with an expert to develop a routine that really works for them. (Washington Post)

According to new research out of the University of Cambridge, there's a chemical in the memory regions of our brains that suppresses unpleasant thoughts. While it would be nice to choose exactly which thoughts we want to get rid of, this does provide an explanation for why PTSD victims can't remember certain traumatic events. (Science Daily)

Although urine tests are relatively inexpensive—the cups typically cost about $10 each and can test for 10 different types of drugs—some doctors are massively overcharging for this procedure. When new rules around charging for these tests popped up in 2010, doctors opted for costlier tests instead. "It was almost a license to steal. You had such a lucrative possibility, it was very tempting to sell as many [tests] as you can," Charles Root, a lab industry consultant whose company has tracked the rise of testing labs in doctors’ offices, said. (Bloomberg)

When someone on the internet tried to sell her nude photos of Sia, she took to Twitter and beat them to the punch saying, "Someone is apparently trying to sell naked photos of me to my fans. Save your money; here it is for free. Every day is Christmas!" The reference to Christmas is also brilliantly a reference to her new album. (The Cut)

While much of the marketing around digital apps is toward optimizing wellness, researchers have analyzed more than 500 studies and identified diabetes, depression, and anxiety as key treatment areas that could be improved with a digital app or wearable element. (IQVIA)