Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is often recommended for women of a certain age.
While many of the side-effects continue to be screened, I am not sure that a particular side-effect that I have noticed is on any medical researcher's radar:
Some women become progressively shorter and lighter in weight.
What proportion of women who take HRT have this side-effect?
With what other side-effects is that linked?
Are there better ways of tackling the issues of ageing for women?
And why is it that Indian women of the same age-level never suffered the symptoms for which HRT is recommended?
Or did that apply to all women from non-industrial societies?
Sunday, 20 December 2009
Monday, 14 December 2009
Climate Skeptics versus the "Scientific Consensus"
The best summary of these opposing views is at:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yhh534j
[Open in new window]
It is clear that there is much to be said on both sides. The truth may lie somewhere between these extremes of opinion. Perhaps human actions have made only a marginal difference and will make only a marginal difference.
So why do I eventually line up with the "Scientific Consensus"?
Because if the Skeptics are right, we need to do nothing - and nothing we do can possibly affect the outcome - which will be benign or devastating for reasons outside our control. The Skeptics are modern fatalists. Whatever will be will be.
The "Scientific Consensus" may or may not turn out to be right. No one knows. There are many imponderables. But at least these Consensus guys are not fatalists. They tell me that my actions, or at least OUR actions as a human race, have made a difference in the past and can make a difference in the future.
Even if they are more wrong than the Skeptics, I would prefer to cast my lot with the Consensus because at least then I will have done the right things in terms of environmental care, even if the actions concerned make very little difference to the eventual outcome.
The question is not what effect our actions might or might not have. The question is: what is the right thing to do. And the right thing to do is certainly to act in a manner that lines up with environmental responsibility.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yhh534j
[Open in new window]
It is clear that there is much to be said on both sides. The truth may lie somewhere between these extremes of opinion. Perhaps human actions have made only a marginal difference and will make only a marginal difference.
So why do I eventually line up with the "Scientific Consensus"?
Because if the Skeptics are right, we need to do nothing - and nothing we do can possibly affect the outcome - which will be benign or devastating for reasons outside our control. The Skeptics are modern fatalists. Whatever will be will be.
The "Scientific Consensus" may or may not turn out to be right. No one knows. There are many imponderables. But at least these Consensus guys are not fatalists. They tell me that my actions, or at least OUR actions as a human race, have made a difference in the past and can make a difference in the future.
Even if they are more wrong than the Skeptics, I would prefer to cast my lot with the Consensus because at least then I will have done the right things in terms of environmental care, even if the actions concerned make very little difference to the eventual outcome.
The question is not what effect our actions might or might not have. The question is: what is the right thing to do. And the right thing to do is certainly to act in a manner that lines up with environmental responsibility.
Will the US "Healthcare Bill" inevitably lead to "death panels"?
I haven't seen the details of the drafts that are being bandied about.
However, a vigorous defense of the view that the Health Bill will inevitably lead to "death panels" is at: http://preview.tinyurl.com/ybaf2ud
[Open in new window]
Among other points, the argument is that "deas have consequences and that the bills being put forward by Congress and the White House are founded on principles and paradigms that will, in time, lead to death panels just as surely as similar ideas led to the Holocaust in Germany during World War II and abortion on demand in the United States".
However, a vigorous defense of the view that the Health Bill will inevitably lead to "death panels" is at: http://preview.tinyurl.com/ybaf2ud
[Open in new window]
Among other points, the argument is that "deas have consequences and that the bills being put forward by Congress and the White House are founded on principles and paradigms that will, in time, lead to death panels just as surely as similar ideas led to the Holocaust in Germany during World War II and abortion on demand in the United States".
Friday, 20 November 2009
A Puzzle: Why do Americans who can afford Health Insurance remain without it?
According to the latest figures that I have seen, some 47 million Americans don't have health insurance.
However, at least 43% of Americans aged 18 to 64 who lack health insurance have incomes at or above 2.5 times the poverty line. Which suggests that they do have the means to obtain health care coverage!
That's according to June and David O'Neill, of the City University of New York, who analysed a variety of data for the Employment Policies Institute, a think tank.
So why don't these "non-poor" Americans, who can afford health insurance, avoid going in for it?
Could it be that they really do not believe they will need it some time? Are they simply careless, living for the day and not concerned about their own future? Or do they simply not trust the insurance system and/ or health-care provision in the USA?
However, at least 43% of Americans aged 18 to 64 who lack health insurance have incomes at or above 2.5 times the poverty line. Which suggests that they do have the means to obtain health care coverage!
That's according to June and David O'Neill, of the City University of New York, who analysed a variety of data for the Employment Policies Institute, a think tank.
So why don't these "non-poor" Americans, who can afford health insurance, avoid going in for it?
Could it be that they really do not believe they will need it some time? Are they simply careless, living for the day and not concerned about their own future? Or do they simply not trust the insurance system and/ or health-care provision in the USA?
Friday, 7 August 2009
Ageing and dryness
As I grow older, I notice that my body has a tendency to become dry more quickly than earlier, that I tire more easily, that tiredness has something to do with lack of water in the system, that tiredness can be countered by drinking water, and that I need, in general, more water to keep going.
My mind also flashes to the observation, which I must have made less than consciously at the time, that my mother, as she approached the end of her life, also suffered more and more from dryness.
Has any research been done on the relationship between dryness and tiredness, and between ageing and dryness?
My mind also flashes to the observation, which I must have made less than consciously at the time, that my mother, as she approached the end of her life, also suffered more and more from dryness.
Has any research been done on the relationship between dryness and tiredness, and between ageing and dryness?
Friday, 24 July 2009
Different kinds of fat in the body?
It seems to me that there must be at least three different kinds of fat in the body.
1. "Simple" fat made by the body from relatively innocuous substances such as sugar and unhydrogenated vegetable fats. "Simple" fats accummulate as a "spare tire" in the midriff or around the neck. However, they are more or less easy to work off - at least in my experience.
2. "Complex" fat made by the body from substances such as non-vegetarian and hydrogenated fats. These also settle mainly around the midriff and neck but probably more in the rest of the body. In any case, these appear to be more difficult to work off (I do not know, being a vegetarian - but it has struck me that I seem to be able to work off fats dramatically quickly compared to almost everyone else I know well, and they are all non-vegetarians).
3. "Abnormal" fats which are the result of the body storing or otherwise reacting (for example, allergically) to substances of other than those enumerated above. Abnormal fats are extremely difficult to work off as they have nothing to do with the normal mechanism that the body has for storing excess energy (carbohydrates and sugars).
My view is that most so-called "obese" people in the Western world suffer from an accummulation of abnormal fats. In other words, these people are not obese because they eat too much (as I tend to do!), but they are obese because they eat the wrong kinds of things or as a result of the exposure of the body to the wrong kinds of influences.
The hypothesis above could be tested by getting a suitably large sample of people who suffer from "abnormal fats" to keep their level of exercise and calorific intake as near their usual as possible, but to reduce (systematically, one by one and for say as many months as possible) their exposure to plastics, intensively-farmed meat, processed foods, mobile phone radiation and other "electronic smog", and other such things that may be suspected of causing the accummulation of "abnormal fats".
A statistical analysis of the medical history of people with "abnormal fats" should also reveal some interesting patterns of disease, if one excludes those diseases that are related to mere weight.
1. "Simple" fat made by the body from relatively innocuous substances such as sugar and unhydrogenated vegetable fats. "Simple" fats accummulate as a "spare tire" in the midriff or around the neck. However, they are more or less easy to work off - at least in my experience.
2. "Complex" fat made by the body from substances such as non-vegetarian and hydrogenated fats. These also settle mainly around the midriff and neck but probably more in the rest of the body. In any case, these appear to be more difficult to work off (I do not know, being a vegetarian - but it has struck me that I seem to be able to work off fats dramatically quickly compared to almost everyone else I know well, and they are all non-vegetarians).
3. "Abnormal" fats which are the result of the body storing or otherwise reacting (for example, allergically) to substances of other than those enumerated above. Abnormal fats are extremely difficult to work off as they have nothing to do with the normal mechanism that the body has for storing excess energy (carbohydrates and sugars).
My view is that most so-called "obese" people in the Western world suffer from an accummulation of abnormal fats. In other words, these people are not obese because they eat too much (as I tend to do!), but they are obese because they eat the wrong kinds of things or as a result of the exposure of the body to the wrong kinds of influences.
The hypothesis above could be tested by getting a suitably large sample of people who suffer from "abnormal fats" to keep their level of exercise and calorific intake as near their usual as possible, but to reduce (systematically, one by one and for say as many months as possible) their exposure to plastics, intensively-farmed meat, processed foods, mobile phone radiation and other "electronic smog", and other such things that may be suspected of causing the accummulation of "abnormal fats".
A statistical analysis of the medical history of people with "abnormal fats" should also reveal some interesting patterns of disease, if one excludes those diseases that are related to mere weight.
Monday, 11 May 2009
Preventing Colds, Coughs, 'Flu, Influenza ...
Most people are careless about a "cold". But Influenza can actually kill you! So take care!
On the other hand, colds can be EASILY avoided (I have escaped colds for some 43 years by taking the following SIMPLE steps).
1. At the VERY FIRST sign of a cold (sneeze, cough, "feeling chilly"), IMMEDIATELY do as many of the following as possible:
- wear as many warm clothes as possible, particularly make sure that
every part of your body that is feeling cold is kept warm: cover your
head, wear a scarf, put on an extra sweater...
- lie down for as long as possible (even 10 minutes!)
- drink as much as possible - ANYTHING will help, but preferably as hot as
tolerable, and preferably lemon or lime (nimboo paani), honey, tahini, Vitamin C, ginger tea (or Masala Chai or boiled water poured over very finely sliced fresh ginger root OR over a very small quantity of Carraway Seed or even fresh Thyme), and the Indian
preparation called "rasam" (available at most South Indian restaurants)is excellent!
- eat as much as possible of whatever you like, but the following are the
most helpful and can be taken in any shape or form and in any
combination: sesame seed (but if possible the brown variety which you get from Asian shops, rather than the "white" variety which you get from most "normal European" shops), garlic, honey, lemon, ginger (Migros' Chinese Section has sweet Crystallised Ginger - Indian shops have this too)
2. Till you are sure that you have COMPLETELY got rid of the threat of a cold/'flu, continue the attack on the cold/'flu by keeping your whole body as warm as possible:
- keep yourself as warmly clothed as possible (specially those parts that
are affected - e.g. throat or head)
- take as much rest as possible
- every half hour, drink something hot (even a few sips if you dislike drinking so often!)
- make sure you are eating the key things above as much and as often as possible.
3. IF you start SWEATING, this is an excellent sign, but be careful: do not suddenly throw off your clothes - your body may cool down too quickly and your cold may actually get worse! So take off one layer of clothes at a time and make sure that you cool down gradually.
The "formula" above is a TRADITIONAL INDIAN one. Regretfully, too few Indians know it now...so they too run after expensive chemicals instead, and these are (in my experience) anyway much less effective than the traditional remedy. The only exception that I have found is the UK's "Fishermen's Friend" products which are aimed at sore throats rather than the 'Flu in general - though these are too strong for some people, they are certainly worth trying if your throat is suffering.
Keep Healthy!
On the other hand, colds can be EASILY avoided (I have escaped colds for some 43 years by taking the following SIMPLE steps).
1. At the VERY FIRST sign of a cold (sneeze, cough, "feeling chilly"), IMMEDIATELY do as many of the following as possible:
- wear as many warm clothes as possible, particularly make sure that
every part of your body that is feeling cold is kept warm: cover your
head, wear a scarf, put on an extra sweater...
- lie down for as long as possible (even 10 minutes!)
- drink as much as possible - ANYTHING will help, but preferably as hot as
tolerable, and preferably lemon or lime (nimboo paani), honey, tahini, Vitamin C, ginger tea (or Masala Chai or boiled water poured over very finely sliced fresh ginger root OR over a very small quantity of Carraway Seed or even fresh Thyme), and the Indian
preparation called "rasam" (available at most South Indian restaurants)is excellent!
- eat as much as possible of whatever you like, but the following are the
most helpful and can be taken in any shape or form and in any
combination: sesame seed (but if possible the brown variety which you get from Asian shops, rather than the "white" variety which you get from most "normal European" shops), garlic, honey, lemon, ginger (Migros' Chinese Section has sweet Crystallised Ginger - Indian shops have this too)
2. Till you are sure that you have COMPLETELY got rid of the threat of a cold/'flu, continue the attack on the cold/'flu by keeping your whole body as warm as possible:
- keep yourself as warmly clothed as possible (specially those parts that
are affected - e.g. throat or head)
- take as much rest as possible
- every half hour, drink something hot (even a few sips if you dislike drinking so often!)
- make sure you are eating the key things above as much and as often as possible.
3. IF you start SWEATING, this is an excellent sign, but be careful: do not suddenly throw off your clothes - your body may cool down too quickly and your cold may actually get worse! So take off one layer of clothes at a time and make sure that you cool down gradually.
The "formula" above is a TRADITIONAL INDIAN one. Regretfully, too few Indians know it now...so they too run after expensive chemicals instead, and these are (in my experience) anyway much less effective than the traditional remedy. The only exception that I have found is the UK's "Fishermen's Friend" products which are aimed at sore throats rather than the 'Flu in general - though these are too strong for some people, they are certainly worth trying if your throat is suffering.
Keep Healthy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)