On Your Mind… Social Security, Cancer-Causing Chemicals, and the Standing-Desk Fad

John Dunton had questions he needed expert answers to... So he started the world's first advice column.

In late-17th-century London, Dunton, a bookseller, brought together a group of experts in various fields... including a math teacher, a philosopher, and a poet.

They called themselves the "Athenian Society." And they printed their first question and answer periodical – the Athenian Gazette (later called the Athenian Mercury) – on March 17, 1691.

The publication was an instant hit. Questions flooded in about religion, philosophy, history, math, and everyday life. One of our favorite questions asked:

What sort of Creatures the World in the Moon may be supposed to be inhabited by? Whether they are governed by revealed Laws as we are, and whether they have bodies like ours, and what sort of Nourishment or Life they have?

The experts at the Athenian Mercury admitted they didn't know because "we have not so much as one footstep of either Experience or Reason to guide us therein."

Although the paper ceased publication in 1697, advice columns have remained.

And as longtime readers know, every Friday, my team of experts and I answer your questions right here in Health & Wealth Bulletin. And today, we're clearing out our inbox to answer more than we usually have space for. So let's get right into this week's Q&A...

And as always, keep sending your comments, questions, and topic suggestions to feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com. My team and I read every e-mail.

The Best Time to Claim Social Security

Q: I've reached that point in life (64) when it is time to make that decision as to when I should begin drawing on my Social Security benefits. I've talked to those in the financial world (even my ) that say take it as early as possible, while others say wait as long as you can.

A little background on myself. I'm a single, self-employed, S-corporation business owner and hope to continue working into my seventies as I love what I do. God willing. I make a comfortable living and dabble in the markets as I'm a Stansberry Alliance member. I realize you can't give definitive financial advice but I'd love to see a chart that shows both options of either drawing at 65 versus drawing at 70. – C.S.

A: Thanks for your question, C.S. There's no easy answer for what's best. But here are some things folks should consider...

• Do you need Social Security now?
• Can you retire without needing Social Security?
• How long do you expect to live?
• What other income do you expect to have? Will this cover your expected expenses during retirement?
• Are you still in your high-earning years, and could that impact your benefit amount?

Since you're 64 years old, your full retirement age is 67. That's the age at which you wouldn't receive a reduced benefit. But you can delay taking Social Security until you're 70, which would give you a higher monthly payment.

The Social Security Administration uses your 35 highest-salary years in its calculations. It applies the average from those years to its benefit formula to find your primary insurance amount ("PIA"). The PIA is the amount you'd receive at full retirement age. Each year from age 62 to 70, the amount you're entitled to changes.

Let's look at what you could receive based on the age you first claim Social Security. We're going to assume a $1,000 full monthly benefit to keep the math easy...

In this example, you'd collect $867 per month for life starting at age 65... going all the way up to $1,240 per month starting at age 70. That's a difference of $373 per month.

But by deferring your claim until age 70, you'd go five years without collecting your possible $867 monthly benefit. That's a total of $52,020.

If you wait until age 70 and then collect the extra $373 per month, you'd break even in 139 months. At that time, you'd be 81 years old. And if you lived another six years from there, you'd be on top by $26,856.

Folks might have lots of reasons to start claiming early, like job loss, the need to become a caregiver for a spouse (or other family member), or having a short life expectancy due to health concerns. And some people don't want the government keeping that cash any longer than is legally allowed.

On the other hand, some folks prefer to delay because they plan to keep working through their 60s, have a family history of longevity, want the improved lifestyle that a higher payment can help them afford, or just don't need to claim Social Security early.

If you expect to live a long life, enjoy working, and don't need the money, why not wait to get an increased benefit? But only you can decide the best time to start collecting.

Does Charring Peppers Cause Cancer?

Q: We try to cook but not burn our food on the stove and the grill. One of the items we enjoy is mini peppers. We have done them under the broiler and on the grill. They seem much more enjoyable to us when done on the grill. However, they seem to get charred more easily on the grill. Is this the type of thing that should be a concern? If the charring gets to be very significant, I will remove it from the pepper. – R.G. 

A: I've warned before that charred or well-done meat and fish can produce carcinogens. You can read more about the risks of grilled meat here.

Fortunately, researchers haven't found a similar hazard from other foods.

Charring your red peppers at a high temperature forms a chemical called acrylamide.

Research suggests acrylamide can lead to certain cancers. But that's mostly if you're getting it from cigarette smoke. As we wrote a few months ago, if you're getting acrylamide through food, current research shows little to no risk of the chemical causing DNA mutations. Two separate reviews of human studies found no strong links between the dietary intake of acrylamide and increases in instances of breast, endometrial, ovarian, or colorectal cancers.

So if your peppers get blackened on the grill, don't stress about it.

Standing Desks Won't Save Your Life

 Q: Is the hype around standing desks really worth how much they cost? – J.W. 

A: Some years ago, a new fad hit offices across America – the standing desk. Here at our Baltimore headquarters, almost every desk gives you the option to sit or stand at it. And lots of folks think that standing at your desk is much healthier than sitting.

But research published in the International Journal of Epidemiology suggests otherwise...

Researchers found that sitting more than 10 hours per day increases your risk of cardiovascular disease ("CVD") and raises your odds of developing orthostatic circulatory disease. Standing for that long also increases your risk of orthostatic circulatory disease.

The findings suggest that the trouble isn't whether you're sitting or standing... It's whether you're moving during the day. Staying still for too long is detrimental to your health, although the study concluded that sitting is even worse for you overall. What's more, while standing doesn't raise your CVD risk, it doesn't lower it, either.

The key takeaway here is movement. I've said it before – if you're moving, you're alive.

Do what I do and make movement a central part of your life. Go for a walk after meals, do yoga every day, and make sure you're doing regular exercise (like strength and high-intensity interval training). These small steps will help you live a longer, healthier life.

What We're Reading...

• Did you miss it? Three new cars you should know about.

• Something different: Social Security filings are rising this year.

Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,

Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
June 13, 2025