Commentary
mementomori | August 21, 2006Here are the latest medical headlines that without question are crucial to the survival of the human race. As a continuing service to his readers, the moderator offers up these breathtaking revelations from the realm of health, or the lack of it:
"Yoghurt chewing gum aims to tackle tooth decay"
The new gum contains a strain of the bacteria Lactobacillus found in live yoghurt, which attach to the decay-causing bacteria, preventing them from adhering to teeth.
"Wake up, parents: Your kids are fat"
Pollsters may have discovered another symptom of the childhood obesity epidemic: widespread…
neurontic | August 17, 2006An estimated 16 percent of the American population will suffer from major depressive disorder at some point during life. The disease strikes down nearly 19 million Americans each year, and it's likely to happen more than once. A whopping 50 percent will experience an encore performance within two years of their initial depressive "episode," and the stats get even worse after the second recurrence.
What does this mean? It means that if you're wired for depression, you'll likely spend most of your adult life on some form of antidepressant--a fate that many do not relish given the side effects…
mementomori | August 17, 2006Teen can opt out of chemotherapy.
The 16-year-old Virginia boy may undergo radiation and alternative treatments.
This story has been reported before by Orac and others, but I just wanted to add a couple of highly biased comments to the latest development in the case of a teenager who took chemotherapy for Hodgkin lymphoma, had awful side effects, then suffered a relapse and refused the advice of his medical oncologists, which was to undergo high-dose chemotherapy followed by a stem-cell transplant, which of course is one of the standards of care for relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma in a young…
mementomori | August 8, 2006"Common food wrappers contain hidden rubber proteins that could trigger allergic reactions in up to 3.5million Britons some of them fatal, a study has shown."
I was just returning to consciousness after spending a peculiar night floating through Dreamland on a mission to eat as many chocolates, candy bars and ice cream treats as possible when the morning news came on, sending volleys of horrifying language through the air like sabers headed for my pillow. As the clipped, rather patronizing voice garbled on the reality of what he was saying pulled the last vestiges of sleep from my eyes. I…
mementomori | August 2, 2006"Processed Meats Tied To Stomach Cancer"
Another study of dietary habits has been published that is nothing less than a ham-handed slap in the face to loyal consumers of bacon, sausage, hot dogs, salami and smoked meats. According to a report by Swedish scientists of 15 studies on stomach cancer published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute "higher intake of processed meats was associated with a greater risk of stomach cancer. 'Findings were most consistent for bacon consumption,' the researchers write." Not my beloved bacon - say it isn't so!
A review of 15 studies showed the…
mementomori | July 21, 2006"Having a high sugar drink to boost energy can actually make people more sleepy, a study suggests."
This is a big surprise? I suppose there are some situations where ingesting a half-cup of sugar might give one a boost, such as before starting off on a leisurely jog down the streets of Pamplona during the encierro, but what about the average worker slumped over a cluttered desk on a Tuesday afternoon? Is the response to the proverbial "energy" drink the same?
Ten adults were studied to see what effect different drinks had on their wakefulness. They had all volunteered to restrict their…
mementomori | July 18, 2006For health reasons I have given up eating beef in any and all disguises, at least to the best of my ability. My family thinks I'm somewhat of an oddball for this, and of course they're no help, passing around plates heaving with juicy steaks or ribs slathered in barbecue sauce while the dog and I stare at the table like two bumpkins at a burlesque show.
Am I crazy to avoid this food item? What do the experts say about it?
"Red meat associated with pancreatic cancer"
The Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and colleagues conducted a study of more than 61,000 women. The investigators were…
mementomori | July 12, 2006"Housework Activity Helps Elderly Live Longer"
Doing household chores such as washing dishes and climbing stairs can help older adults to live longer, a new study shows.
Every now and then a study is released that just makes so much sense one feels incredibly guilty in ignoring the life-saving advice contained within it. Fortunately the feeling soon passes, allowing one to return to one's normal activities.
Researchers in the U.S. studied a group of 302 adults aged 70 to 82 who lived independently. Participants were followed for an average of six years. About 12 per cent of those who were…
mementomori | July 5, 2006"Enron Founder Kenneth Lay Dies at 64"
Upon reading this headline one cannot help but wildly speculate as to the cause of Lay's surprising death. Did he commit suicide? Was his body found in a Washington D.C. park? What on earth happened?
Pastor Steve Wende of First United Methodist Church of Houston, said in a statement that church member Lay died unexpectedly of a "massive coronary."
With this news all the doctors of the world gave out a collective "Oh, now I get it." Why do we understand? The clue is in the pastor's statement that Lay died "unexpectedly."
Unexpectedly? Who are they…
mementomori | June 21, 2006Gee, it seems that the gurus in charge of writing wire service headlines seem to have fallen under the spell of Banality, The Fairie Queen of Cliches. Here are some recent examples culled from the "Health" section, which your narrator enjoys browsing, if only to come up with new ideas on how to improve his looks.
"Healthy diet and lifestyle vital for healthy heart: AHA"
(Who knew? I just hope they allow a certain degree of latitude when defining the word "healthy," otherwise I'm in big trouble.)
"Melanoma Often Spotted Later Among Blacks, Hispanics"
(Actually this headline is misleading -…
mementomori | June 18, 2006"Fentanyl-laced Heroin Kills Hundreds Of Addicts In USA"
"Amid Fentanyl Deaths, Investigation, Addicts Keep Using"
"Police Hope Heroin Bust Stops Tainted Drugs"
These disturbing headlines have been making the news lately as illicit laboratories improve their ability to produce and ship the narcotic fentanyl to heroin suppliers in this country, who then either sell it to addicts in pure form or add it to the heroin. In either case the possibility of fatal overdose is high:
Fentanyl-laced herion has killed hundreds of addicts from Chicago to Philadelphia. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic drug…
mementomori | June 8, 2006Is this good news for workers who have been exposed to asbestos?
The Institute of Medicine researchers say... they did not find enough evidence to conclude asbestos causes cancer in the esophagus.
They also say there was insufficient evidence to infer a causal relationship between asbestos exposure and pharyngeal, stomach, and colorectal cancers.
The bad news, however, is that according to this news story, this same report suggests that asbestos exposure may cause cancer of the larynx or, as our friends in the vast universe undulating outside the small world we doctors live in call it, the "…
neurontic | April 4, 2006We've all noted the fickleness of the nutritional standards. One week we're told that eating eggs is tantamount to courting death; the next week, they're deemed safe in moderation. One second eating pasta is called the Mediterranean Diet; the next second, enjoying a spaghetti dinner is the equivalent of mainlining lard. First coffee is good for you; and then it's bad for you. We all switch to decaf only to find out that it's even worse for you.
Up until about three months ago, I was as bewildered as everyone else. But now that I spend a good chunk of my time perusing scientific journals, I'm…
neurontic | March 4, 2006I've been talking a lot about genes lately (because I'm obsessed) and what I'm finding is that many people are alarmed by genetics. I believe there are two primary reasons for this--one quite valid.
A Vast Social Engineering Project?
This fear of genetics arises, in part, from the belief that we may soon find ourselves enmeshed in a vast social engineering project. Neuroscientists already have the power to tinker with human nature and this power will only increase with time.
It's likely that within the next 10 years, people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder will have the option…