Newest Health Blogs (955)

A while back I did a blog about an old guy returning from a hospital stay with a respiratory illness in-time for a birthday party where he struggled to blow out the candles on his cake.
No one caught my hidden warning about eating cake he coughed over.

Every day there are stories about parties and family reunions where large groups of people go away and later a high percent of them show positive for coronavirus.

Part of my retirement was to take time off and travel. Those plans are on hold.

As far as going to any birthday parties... Should that happen (low, low chance) I'll ask them to put the candle(s) on a cupcake, blow the candle out and don't touch the freakin' cake!

...not always easy to define, and often quite different for different folks. Most have a few, and seem to learn the addictions in younger years. But a few foods seem to be near universal favorites.
High contents of fats, and spices, including salt, ---in many. And carbs with simple sugars, of course. Also, there are cultural differences. But more apparent similarities.
There's science, even possibly evolutionary forces, behind some cravings. Simple sugars are the main currency of the brain, and fats have the highest calorie content per unit mass, twice that of carbs or other simple sugar based larger molecules. Many ingredients in these foods were rare in the distant past, among many populations. The first addictive treats? And the brain regions, pancreas and even fat cells elaborate hormones of desire and comfort, when blasted with these delights, so there.
Yet not so fast. There are also links with inflammatory processes and these treats. And inflammation is rapidly replacing the old monoamine hypotheses in causing depression, and anxiety. Then there is the world wide curse of obesity, even among youth, which often is regulated, in part, by similar hormones. Worse, the type of fat tissues involved can preferentially be laid down in younger years. And are harder to get rid of, without surgery, at least for now. Double and triple whammies for those of "just a few extra pounds", as in so many CS profiles, sadly. Familiar and cultural influences as well. Malk on the streets of this little town, and observe families walking together. Obesity.
The good news is that these are active areas of research. In particular, on the links between all the above mentioned factors, and mood, emotions, behaviors and being overweight. Even psychiatrists, the nail and tattoo artists of real medicine, are involved.
And there's lots more. We can train ourselves to find more healthful foods of some comfort. I've done so, and the fat little illiterate Vierk Gnome is now close to boyish HS/college wrestling weight. But truth be said, the bad stuff still hasn't fully lost its allure, in spite of the uses of fiber, dried fruits, and such.
Recall, demon alcohol and other substances, notably nicotine and the opiates, hold many with strong arms, but many also quit addictions every day. Often for life. Some former alcoholic drinkers can even practice more controlled, non-alcoholic drinking, and their newer programs are now challenge those older ones based on the powerful sponsorship, spirituality and 12 steps.
We are more complicated than we are simple. Both good, and not so good, news.

The New York Times reports today;



Trump's response ? "Well, it will probably get worse before it gets better."

Yeah, thanks for your help, oh non-empathetic one. It sure didn't go away in May, as you stated it would.

I warned c_r on here TWICE, that deaths is the trailing trend. Fist come infections, then come hospitalizations and finally the deaths increase.

If you stop the infections, you stop the hospitalizations and the deaths.

Stop killing people ! Wear the masks when you can't socially distance at least 6 feet from people and wash your hands with soap and water before touching your face. .And quit urging businesses that can't do this, to open up.

Trials involving 500 people in the UK given a vaccine developed by Oxford University produced BOTH
antibodies and T-cell reactions. Antibodies help in the shorter term, but a T cell reaction may give protection for over a year. Phase 3 trials will be undertaken soon depending upon the results to that, the vaccine may be ready to distribute to the public as early as September or October.
This is the first vaccine for protection against Covid-19 that has shown both antibody & T cell responses.

The full details of the study should be available later today.

From EcoWatch;

are you willing to carry them onto your next relationship...?


11;11

Recipients of the vaccine produced antibodies to the virus.
About 1/2 got some minor side effects like soreness at the site of injection or fever.
One person got hives (an immune response) and was withdrawn from the study.
Overall a good step forward.
Phase 3 to start July 27 with 30,000 people.

Yesterday in The New York Times;


(Continued in my next comment below)

Here's a person that loves to smile.
They always try to purify anything vile
They always there to help people through their pain
And in doing so, The mental fatigue from others they gain.
They have been fighting this fight for month and years
Always barely escaping in scratches and tears.
Deep down they wondered "how long do I fight?
How long will I be able to keep up this might?"
"I am getting so tired of being beaten.
Please lord I just want this pain to end!??"
However life doesn't give them the happiness they desire
Instead they gains more people that just admire.
They admire their strength to keep moving.
That throughout many trials, their strength they keeps proving.
Knowing they have people that see their strength they refuses to quit.
For they would never forgive themselves if they end up hurting the people that stay with them through it.
They won't falter and will go another day.
Till the moment the pain finally goes away.
Now this may sound like a sad tale but that's not the case.
This is actually the obstacle in the race.
Or as a better comparison the conflict in a story.
The thing that is blocking this person's glory.
You see all things change and shift.
This problem here will soon be dealt with, powerful and swift. For even though they can't find others to save them, and their body begins to weaken.
The will eventually pick themselves up and finally get the beast to meet its end.
They will make it think it won, the fight coming to a close.
However at that moment they will reel her hand back and slam it into the dumb Beast's nose.
As soon as the beast head reel back, it's blood coating the ground.
They will give off a terrifying scream, one with a beyond angry sound.
They will start beating the beast back, ripping it to shreds.
Tearing it piece by piece, starting from the head.
As soon as they finished, with their head held high.
They will shout to the world, the beast has said its last goodbye.
They will smile once more though different from before.
Cause when they smiles this time, it won't be one with any pain in it.
Instead it'll be full of glee and relief though that isn't just it.
Final thing they'll notice is the tears streaming down their face.
They will fall so fast and plentiful that it'll seem like someone sprayed them with mace.
However at that moment they won't have a care in the world.
For at that moment they has freed themselves from the beast that made their body curled.
The thing that has haunted them has been slain.
Finally, for once in her life, pain in any categories won't be a thing they gain. Instead they finally acquired a peace of mind.
One such thing that no one can bind.
So again you may have thought this poem was sad.
However if you stuck with it till the end, you can now see that it was actually not sad nor glad.
Instead this poem was basically bittersweet.
A poem, which after writing it, I thought was pretty neat.
Now you may wonder what the next big beast the hero will need to slay.
And to that I say shut up and let them rest for the day.
The hero did their job so now's the time for relaxation.
There will be no such thing as a repeated occasion.
This hero can now rest easy.
For the future afterwards will only be breezy.

gets the second resignation of an op ed editor (first was James Bennet) in the past several months. Mzzzzz/Mrrrrr ? Bari Weiss quits its job, with an interesting letter. The gist of the letter complains that the NYT doesn't have twitter on its masthead. And that it's been tough working there with the ongoing adverse political views of much of the other staff. Ceteris paribus.
In the early days of the paper, before the 1900's, one of the founders proudly announced that his paper should present all viewpoints, so as to encourage open public debate. Right.
Now, Bari, is hardly a right wing plant. And seems pretty young, and possibly inexperienced, for such a role at this major fish wrap. But c'mon, peebles, did she/he/it, possibly think that this left wing outlet would allow the sort of fair coverage the founders believed in, over a century ago? Much less, that it/he/she would somehow have a chance in hell to change the biased leftie direction of the suits, let alone other staff To inexperience, I'd add naivete'.
In these regards, I view with interest the frequent lifting of stories from the NYT, WP, LAT, etc., by some here on CS, to post, while making a TD-HD Syndrome political point. The severity of the illness is such, that not once has there ever been raised a doubt about the veracity of the paper's stories. Nor citing any other slightly different viewpoint. It just gets proudly, stridently, lifted and copied onto the posting. AS IF.
Yes indeedie, severe afflictions---VERY severe.

Today from Reuters;