This is truly a dumb question. Of course eating dirt is both, good for kids and healthy too. Dirt provides many nutrients, essential vitamins and minerals that otherwise they would never get. Quality dirt, mixed with some clay can make a fine meal for any child.
Yes we ate dirt as children and I think our immune systems are much better than the children of today. They frequently get sick and get antibotics from the doctor.As children we rarely went to the doctor.
I thinks we built up an immunity to germs that kids today get sick from. My mother used to say the “You have to eat a peck of dirt before you die” and I think we were much healthier for it. Children who are so sheltered usually get sick all the time because they never have a chance to build up immunites.
As a child, 54 years ago, I ate dirt. I craved it! My grandmother told me my body was craving minerals it lacked. My parents went to the river bank and hauled back a foot-tub of ‘clean’ dirt. Yes, it was clean back then…before we polluted it.
When I was pregnant with my first child, that craving returned. Believe it or not, my OB/GYN told me the same thing! Of course, he adjusted vitamins and that helped. Every once in a while, when it just starts to rain and the dirt is barely damp, the craving returns! Never made me sick!
I first heard this theory in the early 90’s when anti-bacterial products were the new rage. Soon after I read about how dangerous anti-bacterial products were, ie; creating “super” germs and even containing carcinogens. This information wasn’t publicized because it wasn’t good for “business” and didn’t sell products. Over the years I’ve had to seek out the info to share with my friends and have wondered how long it would take to actually receive widespread attention. I didn’t suspect it would take almost 20 years and untold illnesses and deaths as well as an entire generation of immune suppressed children facing lifelong chronic and debilitating diseases.
Again, this information was virtually hidden from the public for only one reason, it wasn’t good for “business”.
i think this is 100% true. i’ve taken my son everywhere with me pretty much since birth. he’s 6 years old now and has had one fever in his whole life .. he’s hardly ever sick. on the other hand, my neighbor is a germaphobe and is always keeping her kids sheltered. they’re sick every other week .. the same with my sister-in-law and nieces. you need to expose your kids to germs for them to build immunities to them.
My wife used Paxil for 10 years and it has destroyed her adrenal gland and is wreaking havoc on her thyroid. She has lost 40 pounds, hair falling out, can’t sleep etc. And this is after being off it for 4 years. Breaking the addiction to this crap is worse than pain killers. To anyone even thinking of using these drugs, DON’T! Depression can be controlled through many natural holistic ways. Accupunture, herbs, tea, vitamins etc. And you don’t get the “side effect” of wanting to kill yourself like these SSR’s do. Go natural!!!!!! The FDA is lying to you. Antidepressents ARE NOT SAFE FOR ANYONE!
Charlie, quit talking out of your rear end. Antidepressants work for millions of people with little to no side effects.
I used Remeron for a few weeks when first diagnosed with major depressive disorder. While it did help me gain back some of the weight I had lost (it does make you voraciously hungry at times), it didn’t do much for my depression. I was then switched to Prozac, and it worked wonders. Plus, Prozac gradually expels itself from your body, so it is easier to quit when therapy is no longer needed.
I’ve been on Lexapro for 6 months and started the process to wean myself off due to side effects. My doctor started me on it to help me sleep. Instead of helping, I’m actually sleeping less, I’ve gained 20 pounds in 6 months, my hair is falling out, and my mouth is always dry.
Drugs have helped me in the past, but aerobic exercise, in particular long-distance bicycling, has always been the best way for me to deal with my depression. A 2-hour or longer ride will help me for 2-3 days, during the summer when I ride at least 1 hour a day, I’m doing great. Winter, I tend towards depression and weight gain.
Charlie is right… Paxil is toxic!! I was on it for six months and I was going crazy! I laughed all the time for no reason, I was moody and I started drinking. When I stopped taking the pill the withdrawal was so bad that I have to be under a watchful eye because I wanted to kill myself. My head hurt a lot. It felt like I was going through shock therepy. It took me two months to get back to myself. I will never ever taking another pill for depression again. Now I just excercise,hang out with my friends and family and cry when needed. Pills don’t work for everyone so I won’t tell anyone not take them. I just won’t be taking them again…
to be effective you must decide if the drug is worth the side affects.
i believe that there are a lot of people who can benefit from the correct usage of the antidepressants; however, not everyone will respond the same way- so, thank goodness there are more than one option. i do not know what’s worse: knowing there is a drug out there that might help or living in the dark ages and being deprived of hope.
my suggestions… find a good doctor, who listens to you. this might prove to be more difficult than finding a pill but in the long run will serve you better.
best hopes to everyone looking for a solution or just for hope.
CC…good points, all drugs react differently to all types of people. not to mention, you’re depressed. addiction is when you start doing something that normally you would never do while not on drugs; if you’re depressed and can handle it, then find safe means to relieve stress and depression ( talking to friends or loved ones, exercise, hobbies,etc)
if you feel that you’re at the end of the road, then medication can be suitable if you know what you’re getting yourself into ( drug addiction, adverse moods and effects, sleeping all the time, etc)
i would change my perception, environment, or lifestyle before i would get involved in the corporate, and government legal drug trade.
I have been suffering with major depression for 49 years. I have been on and off many of the medications over the years. For me, I have found only a couple of them that really work for me. Well actually three. I have experienced weight gain with the medications however they have helped me very much with my illness. I personally cannot get by without the medications, believe me I have tried. But that is me and I think everyone is different. I think it is hard, at least it was for me to find the right medication to do the trick. I have had a long struggle with the illness. I believe like others have mentioned, it is important to have a positive enviornment, interests, support of friends, good relationships, pets help me and lots of light (sun) helps tremendously I have found. Avoid stress, get plenty of sleep, exercise, eat a healthy diet and stay hydrated. Most of all, stay in close touch with our Higher Power!
Zoloft saved my life and I have no side effects. Sometimes I quit taking it for a couple of months and have no withdrawal symptoms at all. I could not work without my Zoloft.
On the other hand, my daughter took Paxil, slept nearly 24/7, lost the HOPE grant because of it. I was 400 miles away and had no idea this was going on. She is off everything now and doing fine, thank goodness.
Someone mentioned Tom Cruise? What an idiot–genuine, 100% idiot.
you didn’t mention Wellbutrin or Zyban (generically known as bupropion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellbutrin) which are norepinephrine and dopamine agents as opposed to serotonin. they work well for some people (myself among them) and don’t have the sexual side effects that SSRIs do (most of what the detractors above have said about them is BS/clueless idiocy but unfortunately this one is fairly common though not universal either).
I am on Cymbalata. Which has helped me tremendously! I had a major depressive event – also known as a nervous breakdown – about a yr ago. The side effects for me getting on this was nausea and drowsiness. So I take this at night so I can sleep and the nausea went away after a few days. The only thing is that when I haven’t taken it in a few days – I know bad patient – I get this “aura” around me. Kind of like a little dizzy spell. I would love to get off of this stuff but I won’t do it w/out a Dr. I suffer from S.A.D. and am just waiting for Spring to come around so that I can try that and get out in the sun and exercise. I personally think that Tom Cruise is an idiot. But…to each it’s own.
All these people saying drugs are garbage have obviously never suffered enough to take medication. I exercise every day and nothing can compare to what medication has done for me. My doctor actually put me on Prozac for major PMS symptoms and it has been a miracle drug for me. I feel fantastic and I am always smiling – something that I have never experienced. It has made the world of difference in not only how I feel inside, but my marriage and my relationship with my children has just gotten better and better every day. I LOVE Prozac. It has literally saved my life!
Just an FYI for you folks out there who think “exercise” or a good book is the answer to severe depression as a solution have obviously been blessed by NOT experiencing depression. It has been scientifically proven that depression is in fact a chemical imbalance in the brain. Sever depression is a chronic disorder and is no different then diabetes. If you do not take insulin as a diabetic you will get sick and eventually end up in the hospital if you do not take depression medication you end up in the hospital if you are fortunate enough to make it to the hospital. To many people end up dying too young because of have a “label” attached to them and they do not seek help! You would think living in the year 2009 that label would have gone away but due to the ignorance of society it has not. Before you pass judgment on someone who is in fact suffering from depression DO YOUR HOMEWORK you might just save a life instead of pushing that person closer to the edge! AS an FYI I have suffered from depression for many years and there are many safe drugs available. It is in fact trial and error however it does make your quality of life so much better.
A good long walk with the dogs does it for me. Watching those tails wag, and seeing how excited they are just to get outside. Exercise is the best cure for depression.
I don’t buy the depression crap. You choose how you feel each and every day.
I work with people who choose to be depressed. They choose to be nasty and hateful to those around them. I don’t know how anyone can live like that. There is so much to be thankful and grateful for. Just walk outside. Look at what you HAVE, not what you don’t have. Don’t worry about what others have that you don’t, just be thankful you wake up every day and have a chance to start fresh……..
I like all the comments from people that don’t have depression and have absolutely no idea what their talking about, but are more than willing to act like Tom Cruise and some wacked out scientologist who declare nobody needs anti-depressants. The great suggestions are to drink yourself to sleep or “just smoke pot”. How pathetic. While exercise helps and a good diet, it’s imperative I take an anti-depressant and it can sometimes take years to find the right “coctail” that works for you and that’s not even getting into the milligram of the particular drug or the frequency. Every body is different and every drug may effect each individual differently. There are horror stories for every drug and wonderful sucess stories for the same drug. Most people want to have this miracle drug that will take away all of their problems. It’s the same as going on a diet. You may need to take a “pill” to help lose the weight but that in and of itself is the not all you will need to do. You’ll need to exercise, sleep right, figure out the frequency of your meals and how much of it depending on your physical condition, etc. Nothing is ever as simple as it may appear to be. If your taking an anti-depressant and you don’t feel it’s working, then tell your doctor. That part of it is not that difficult. I guess I’ll just go down a bottle of Jim Beam and smoke a bunch of weed and I’ll be alright. Stay classy all you drinkers and pot heads.
I agree with others about staying away from Paxil – the major problems with it are well-documented. My doctor put me on in back in ‘04 for anxiety and mild depression. While the drug worked ok while I was on it, getting off of it was a NIGHTMARE – constant nausea, head “zings”… I was sick for months. I’m not on anything and would be hesitant to try any anti-depressants after that. Right now yoga helps.
I know that many people have genuine chemical imbalances in their minds and that drugs do help.
However, I think that many, perhaps even the majority, of people suffering depression are depressed simply because they are trying to fit where they don’t belong. They are trying to live in cubicle farms and little apartments and row houses, spending hours in traffic, worrying over Christmas gifts, popularity, and climbing a corporate ladder. These people were not born to do this. They should be working manual labor, outside. They should not be trying to be something they aren’t. Its a hard pill to swallow when you first realize that your ideas are no more profound than anyone elses. You have been told by your parents and teachers that you were special from an early age, and when you find out that you are just another person trying to find happiness in life, it can be devestating. But eventually you can accept that you are free to do whatever you want for a living, you don’t need the things that you’ve been told you need.
I don’t understand why taking one drug, A pill, is any better than another drug. I am not saying that pills are bad, but it seems odd to think that if one takes a drug to deal with depression, than he is better than someone else who takes a drug to deal with depression, simply because one is legal and one is not.
To all of you armchair psychiatrists out there… depression is a clinical state. Don’t believe me? Fine. Believe the psychology textbook I teach out of – read the mood disorder section:
And yes, while exercise, sunlight, and a positive outlook can snap you out of being down in the dumps, nothing like that can snap you out of being in a major depressive state. That is an issue with the seratonin in your brain being re-uptaken faster than it can be absorbed by it’s receptors, causing depression.
If it weren’t a clinical psychological disorder, it wouldn’t be in the DSM-IV. It’s a shame stupidity isn’t in there too.
Best anti-depressant ? — prayer and reading scripture.
Doest it work ? yes it does, very well might I add.
Has it changed my life ? — yes and for the better, thanks to the grace of God.
Cindy an sd, one does not choose to be depressed. It’s not all in the mind. It does not occur because “you’re hateful and mean” or “trying to live in cubicle farms”. I do not suffer from depression but I know of people who do. Trust me, there is no reaching these people when they feel dispair. It is a very real illness. No one wakes up in the morning and say “I’m going to be sad today”. There are chemical imbalances going on. When a person loses their job and decides to kill the whole family nine times out of ten it is linked to some MAJOR FORM OF DEPRESSION. Please do some research and until then please have some compassion and thank God that you are mentally fit.
***CINDY*** You sound like a major b*^%h. Have you not ever heard of Bipolar II Disorder? Believe it or not it is a legitimate disorder that contains long bouts of severe depression. You should not make fun of other peoples illness’. I work in the psychology field and your nasty comments say LOADS about you. I would love to clue you in them but you probably could not afford my hourly rate..
I’m sorry, I have NO compassion for someone who “chooses” to be depressed. I work with such a person and he just can’t find happiness at all, because he CHOOSES to wallow in self pity. I don’t buy that mental illness crap at all.
You decide each and every morning if its going to be a good day or a bad day. Power of positive thinking.
I use Wellbutrin and it works pretty well. There are side effects such as dry mouth and weight gain. I attempted to come off of it and each time I gained about 6 lbs; normally lose about 3 lbs once I get back on the drug. This drug has helped me tremendously with my mood swings and paranoid behavior. It helps me to calm down and put things in perspective. The only thing I do not like about the drug is trying to gaining the weight. I exercise everyday; normally running for a total of 5 miles per day and I go to the gym for weight training. The exercise does not alleviate the anxiety, but Wellbutrin helps a lot. For those who criticize others about depression, you are totally clueless. Try being a female, and working in a man’s world. I have friends that take some type of drug and they need the help as well. I have other friends that do not take any type of antidepressant because they are just too good for them or they have tried the wrong type and the side effects are bad for them. These friends are throwing objects, distrusting everyone, and talking about how they are not loved. They definitely need to visit a doctor soon. Life for them could be so much better.
Cindy, I guess you didn’t bother to read the post where I cited professional studies that state that depression is a clinical psychological disorder. The power of positive thought can’t control neurotransmitters. Go read Lewinsohn’s studies on depression and go look at PET scans of people with depression and then tell me it’s all about the power of positive thought. Yes, the Social‐Cognitive Perspective impacts depression, but depression is caused by NEUROTRANSMITTERS.
You hit the nail squarely on the head. To you depressed, heavily addicted/medicated individuals: Quit whining and look around you. If you can’t find any beauty in life, maybe you should check out. Life is not pretty all of the time, and those times take a little courage and toughness. Exercise just for the sake of moving something is not the answer. Challenging your mind and body together will set you free, make you feel truly alive. Go and do something. Get off of the couch, out of the house, and stop feeling sorry for yourself.
No, I am not a scientologist and think them to be weak minded as well. Anyone that believes in Zenu, like they do, are just idiots, who might as well believe Lord of the Rings is true.
I was diagnosed with cancer in 1999 and again in 2007. I have been on antidepressant since 2000. I do exercise and I also have a strong faith in God. Until you walk in my shoes or someone else that has a chemical inbalance you don’t even need to be commenting.
Folks, I know this is an open forum, and we’re discussing an interesting topic here. But, please be mindful and a bit courteous. Comments like “Maybe you should check out” is not helping. Thanks.
Some of these responses really make me angry. The reason is that some folks assume that people who are depressed choose it (why would anyone choose depression?) and that positive thoughts, exercise, and diet can cure it all. Sure, maybe some people will be “healed” with these 3 and other suggestions, but a lot of us won’t. I am currently taking Wellbutrin and Lamictal (mood stabilizer – I have bipolar disorder) and I have a very, very good, successful and full life. I probably wouldn’t if I had refused medication. Regardless of how you personally feel about depression, be careful of giving the “get over it” kind of advice to people who want nothing more than an excuse not to get treatment. Also, ask yourself: would I tell a diabetic not to take insulin but just exercise? Would I tell a cancer patient not to take chemo because all he/she needs to do is exercise? If you wouldn’t say that to folks with physical illnesses, then don’t say that to people who have mental illnesses.
I was always a happy, positive person…still am, for the most part. However, after a major life storm (divorce after 30+ years of marriage, loss of friends, and upheaval from life as I knew it), I was an emotional, crying, sad wreck and couldn’t find my way back to the person I was before. I tried Cymbalta for a while but it wasn’t for me, and coming off of it was a nightmare. My head felt as if fireworks were going off all the time. At the urging of concerned friends and family, I finally tried a low dose of Zoloft and it has helped me feel more positive about my life. I don’t plan to be on it forever. For those of you who have the attitude that “anyone who needs a pill to be happy is a weak person”, I just hope that if are faced with a life-altering tragedy that you just can’t get past, that there is someone willing to help you, even with a little pill for a little while.
Cindy that was a horrible remark to make to someone who is suffering from depression, and there is a difference between self pity and depression. Shame on you. You have the compassion of an ant.
The ignorance expressed here is amazing. People still confuse depression with being in a bad mood. This is why thousands of Americans commit suicide each year and and others suffer and never seek help.
A little exercise, playing with the dogs, taking up a hobby and “talking to Jesus about it” are all great ideas. These things are not cures for depression.
Shaggy and Cindy almost make me laugh with their ignorant comments, until I realize how sad it is that they really have no clue what they’re talking about. Good luck practicing medicine without a license.
Shaggy, If you suffer from depression getting out of bed each morning is a task. Excerise is not possible. As for you comment about killing yourself, you must have not had a family member that has killed his self. The ones that actuall do it without any warning are the ones that are depressed and you do not know about it.
I take Wellbutrin use to take Lexapro but the side effects were bad. With Wellbutrin I dont have as many side effects. Also, I can excerise now and enjoy life.
My husband did not know I was taking any thing until I had been on it for over a year. When he did find out if I said anything to him about something he did not like it was “Have you taken you med. today”.
Being a mother of four and caring for a parent, plus having a full time job is hard.
My husband thinks I have been off my meds for six months now. What he does not know wont hurt him.
Shaggy, thank you for your response. I’d like to clarify that this is our forum, everyone’s, actually. All I’m hoping is that we share our opinions with passion, but also with a bit of respect. Yes, Kristy’s name-calling is not considered an ideal example, to say the least. Thanks, everyone.
Enter your comments here
Cindy and Shaggy – it is obvious you have no idea what you are talking about. in fact, Cindy, your co-worker is probably further depressed just having to work with you. Depression is a chemical imbalance that can be further affected by issues of spousal addiction, issues with elderly parents, issues raising teenage grandchildren, and issues from your past that add to all of the above – all coming at you all at once when your neurotransmitters are already out of sync. You are not feeling sorry for yourself! Trust me, you are just trying to deal with your everyday circumstances and not take that first drink after 17 years! I have been on depression medication for many years and have tried many of them – most without any success. I currently take 80mg of prozac and 300mg of welbutrin a day and lately that hasn’t been doing enough. There are side effects but so far they’ve outweighed suicide or homocide.
So, Cindy and Shaggy and all you other non-believers, until you’ve walked in depressed shoes, you don’t have a CLUE. Consider yourselves damn lucky.
You can call me names if you’d like, but I do believe that SOME people choose to be depressed. Obviously, some people are actually mentally ill, but others choose it. Not on a conscious level like, “Ok, I am really going to be sad now”, but rather in their lifestyle choices.
Maybe someone is generally depressed because they have chosen to live a lifestyle that is not conducive to the actual person they are.
I know a guy who chose to be depressed and one day chose not to be. He had gone to an Ivy League School, and got a big time job on Wall Street. He was making millions of dollars within a few years in his career. Up late all the time working. The depression got so bad that he decided to take a month off of work for his health. He went to Montana and he never came back. He now takes tourists fly fishing and he makes a fraction of what he once made. But he is happy. Truly happy.
Thats not for everyone, and some people are truly unbalanced chemically. But many of you just need to quit your job, sell your house and car, move out of the city, and live a minimalist life away from all of this race.
I’ve been to tiny villages in Kenya where people struggle to get enough to eat and drink, but the people are happy. No one is depressed.
Yes some people do choose the “WOO IS ME SYNDROME” However before you judge someone PLEASE remember there are three others judging you!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you never have to deal with depression OR ever have to deal with a loved one with depression!
I think we’ve all gotten a little off track, here. Isn’t this forum about which drugs work best for you, not is depression real? So, let’s assume depression is real and start discussing the drugs used to treat it. For those of you who don’t believe depression is real, start your own blog somewhere else.
Kudos to you. I am glad some people actually get it.
Life is tough, with no guarantees, Life is also short, too short to wander around in a paxil, prozac, etc… daze, a daze that addicts your mind just the same or more than heroin.
I can’t imagine an existence where I can’t feel, because a drug won’t let me. If I had to live like that, I would rather not exist.
I just pulled out my summer climbing pictures and kissed them, thanking my parents for giving me this life and the ability to experience beauty practically everywhere. I believe most everyone else can do the same if they will just open their eyes.
Well, I won’t buy it. I have been through a horrible divorce, raised a kid by myself, the loss of more than one job, and the death of a parent. I’m still here, and I’m not depressed. Don’t need medication to make me “right”. I make myself right.
I have been through just about everything posted on this blog, and I’m not depressed.
IT’S A CHOICE!!! And some of you chose to cry “Oh poor me”.
Hi, Cindy. Thanks for your responses. I’m trying to better understand your point here. Are you saying that we tend to over-medicate ourselves? Or that depression is not actually a medical condition? What about people whom doctors say are clinically depressed? Should they not be treated with anti-depressants? I’m trying to further our debate. Thanks, everyone.
Cyoo – Not Cindy, but one more from shaggy.
I think clinical depression exists is a very small percentage of people, not the millions that drink the cool aid, while needlessly medicating themselves and their children. The doctors and pharm companies set the stage and the media that forces this down the public’s throat are the profiteers in this game. Like my previous post said. It’s the same with ADD ADHD.
Where were all of these millions of “patients” 50 years ago? Why did they mysteriously appear everywhere once a drug(s) was advertised and the BIG story plastered on the news?
I can answer the “where were all these millions of patients 50 years ago” question. They were somewhere not getting treatment and causing hell in their homes. My grandmother suffered from anxiety disorder – undiagnosed and untreated – and she was so jittery that she would actually sweat all day just from the anxiety of something happening. She snapped all the time. She was always looking out the window to see if anything was going on. She was depressed a lot. She was mean as a snake sometimes. “Should” she have had any issues with depression or anxiety? Nope…not based on what some of you say. She didn’t work outside the home, unless you count helping my granddaddy clean offices. She didn’t have to go to the grocery store, pump her own gas, take the car for an oil change. She lived farrrrrr from the ‘rat race’ that is supposedly causing people depression. She kept the house, which of course is not easy, but she was her own boss (and my granddaddy’s) and did as she pleased. But still had issues that could have at least been mitigated, in my opinion, with medication and/or talk therapy. I use both and, as I said before, my life is d@mn good because I am stable.
I’ll bet if you asked your grandmother if she wanted to feel numb instead of truly feeling emotion, she would have bit you like the snake you describe. That generation delt with their lives differently, with courage and respect. That is something I rarely see today.
Something tells me that you would have forcebly medicated grandma, for her own good, so she would smile and be easier to mansge. What did YOU do to make grandma happy? Did you spend time doing what she wanted to do, or did you remain consumed in your own unhappiness, watching her and giving up hope for your own happiness because of her? It’s just a cop out to blame unhappiness on others, even direct family. Your life starts and ends with you.
Shaggy and Cindy, if you don’t believe depression exists, why are you getting involved in a forum about treatments for it? I don’t see what purpose it serves to try to antagonize people who are at the very least acknowledging that they are struggling.
Learn to read posts. It is healthy to understand a point before you attempt to make your own. Why do you think it is antagonization to disagree?
Let me break it down for you:
Too much heavy, addictive, personality altering drugs prescribed by an industry that makes a lot of money on these drugs that suddenly appeared for a much ballyhooed condition shoved down the public’s gullible throat by a profiteering, advertising media.
Signed, “those of us that find beauty everywhere and nowhere at the same time.”
Minimizing someone else’s illness by calling them a “whiner” and suggesting they kill themselves is antagonizing. And not very constructive behavior for someone who claims to see beauty everywhere.
Sorry for the check out thing. However, I firmly believe that unless someone or something has control over your life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, you are in control of your happiness. Living addicted to dubiously approved, costly, and personality changing drugs does not, in my opinion, equate happiness, and yes, I would rather not exist than live like that.
I once loved a woman, a very beautiful, energetic, engaging woman, who went through some life challenges. She thought she needed to see a doctor, because her peers convinced her that she needed help.(not me. I thought she was fine, just going through some tough times) The doctor promptly put her on prozac, one visit, here’s your script. The change in her otherwise vibrant personality was profound and chilling. She was a different person, one who smiled on the outside and was numb on the inside. It was like a high spirited horse that had suddenly been beaten into submission. Yes you could ride it, but it really was only a shadow of its former self. Thankfully, she allowed me to persuade her to see a different doctor (mine), with me there. (it will help this story for you to know that she is my wife) This is an older doctor, who can tell you stories of delivering babies in peoples homes. Old School. Once he found out the whole story, including the hurry up prozac prescription, he first recommended she wean herself off of it. During that time period, his recommendation was to identify things SHE really wanted to do in her life and make achievable plans to do them. It took 9 months for her to get off of that crap, however she ended up clean and is today, doing the things that make HER happy. That energetic, beautiful, intelligent woman was returned to me by her own hand.
So, please excuse my opinionated writing. I have seen this and yes, I was forced to further research it and take action, because I wanted my wife back, not the medicated woman that woke up beside me.
How many of those who choose not to afford health care choose to afford cell phones, cable/satelitte TV, lap top computers, blue ray technology, and other “necessities” in our creature-comfort driven culture?
To me, insurance of any kind, is a legalized scam. You pay and pay and pay for coverage, then when you need it, suddenly you are a high risk and your rates go skyrocketing.
I know ALOT of people, due to the cost, that do not have health insurance. Thankfully, my company pays 100% of our employee health insurance, not just for us, but for our entire family!!!!
I am very thankful to be employed full time, with 100% of my insurance paid for.
You people who think the free market is going to take care of this situation, forget it!!! This is an issue that has to be addressed!! Taxpayer, someone faced with 1000+ per month premium is not gonna be able to pay it if they forgo a 100 cable and cell phone bill. Most people I now without health insurance don’t have “blue ray technology”. I think cable is a total rip off and would never pay for it, however, I don’t see how forgoing it is gonna get anyone health insruance.
Yes. the attrition rate of uninsureds in Georgia does not help our premiums either. if you would like to talk to on of our experts please call 404-378-0015
Sugar, “insurance of any kind is a scam.” That may be the most uneducated statement I’ve ever read. If you own a home and it burns down have fun sleeping in a tent next to the remains. As far as healthcare, which is not my field, it is the uninsured that are causing premiums to increase.
Why are people on this blog. that don’t have depression or believe in taking medicine for mental illness.. yet spewing judgment and negative energy about those that seek treatment. Are you lonely, full of pent up rage, and tired of not being heard? Perhaps, you have a mental illness but are too ignorant to get help for it.
I can’t ever remeber my father making real $$$$. We never went hungry, but when we went shopping for clothes, it was K-mart or the thrift store. I do know that health insurance was never an issue. When we got sick, we went to the doctor and occassionally the emergency room. What can I say, growing up in a family with 4 kids means somebody is going to get hurt.
I was the first one in my father’s family to graduate from college. I have a technical back ground, military experience and skills that I’ve been told are needed. Unfortunately, I can’t say that I am doing better than my parents. In fact, my standard of living and my wages have decreased in the last decade. Last year I was laid off, a first for me, along with everone else in by department. I took the first job I could get and by the time I passed the probationary period, group health indyrance was no longer available. Funny how they never tell you that during the interview. I now have a private policy that doesn’t cover any pre-existing conditions.
Do you know anybody over 40 who doesn’t have a pre-existing condition? I now find myself not going to the doctor because insurance won’t cover it. My prescriptions which I only took when I could afford them have expired and since I can’t afford to see the doctor………..
BTW I paid cash for my car. I have one television that cost $200 when it was bought 2 years ago.
I agree the health insurance market is rough..Going without should be a last resort. The reason the rates go up every year is due to medical costs, and when the uninsured go to the hospital, taxpayers pay for those costs. If you have a condition going on before you get individual coverage, most likely it will be excluded. If someone has credit card debt with visa, they can’t expect mastercard to pay for it if they get a new mastercard. The government needs to step in on pre existing conditions, and not make the insurance companies take the wrap like they are trying to do now. If they are successful, we are looking at almost every carrier folding, more job cuts, and a socialized health care system. Being we are Americans, I don’t think anyone will stand waiting 6 months for a surgery like they do in other countries, then we will be going to Mexico for treatment just like Canadians come here for theirs in many cases. It’s 30 years of mismanagement catching up to us in a big way now, unfortunately.
To Taxpayer: the reality is that computers are now a necessity in order to get a job. rarely can you talk to or meet with anyone in person. As for myself, I do not buy other “luxuries” nor can I afford health insurance. So much of my paycheck goes to keep in car in order. I worked at Kroger full-time recently and was told I would not be offered health insurance until after 7 months of employment. outrageous! so much for taking care of the employee. why should I be a dedicated worker to that?
Complain all you want but to let the government take over healthcare is a big mistake we will all learn to hate quickly. It will turn right into the VA mess and the Medicare problems. Government is not equiped to take care of this and it will ruin the medical care this country has so long enjoyed.
People need to take resonsibility for themselves. Medical savings accounts have been available for ever. One can put money in and if something happens that your are out of work for a time you still have this to fall back on. Nope people would rather complain and take trips and call for the government to help. I for one am tired of helping the lazy welfare bums or even the workers who spend every penny they make and then when trouble hits its my fault and I should help you. Get off your buts and help yourself. Its your problem to take care of yourself not mine.
I do not make 100K per year, not even close. I have car payment that I make and a mortgage every month. I dont have a expensive cell phone nor headphones for it. What I do have is a bank account set so that if I lose my job I have one years payments put away. Yes one year. And I have a little over 6K in a health savings plan. It will stay there and if I lose my job due to economy I can go to the doctor and pay for prescriptions out of it. Yes for a hospital stay I am out, but you know what? I am trying and doing the best I can. Not like a lot of you who are now crying that your bluetooth cant be paid for. Give me a break.
**Insurance Companies (both dental and health) are a big rip off! It’s like some other bloggers already pointed out..you pay into them for years on-end, but when you need them they want to bail out on you! Dental coverage is the REAL SCAM!!!** Insurance coverage should be free for everyone in the U.S.A. that’s an American Citizen!
Yes, there are some people on anti-depressants who don’t really need it just like any other medication. But this should not minimize the people who truly have a chemical imbalance and do require meds to give them a better life. My husband recently went back on meds after being on and off for the last 10 years or so. He did not want to go back on them but got to the point where everyday he would try to convince himself to be happy, focusing on his family, his job, how fortunate he was in every way, but still the depression sank in. He exercises every day, is fit, has a hobby that he finds great emotional release in yet, nothing helped like the meds. He did have issues with a doctor prescribing a dosage that was too high, causing that numb feeling, and was lucky enough to find another doctor who cut the dose in half. He still feels sadness and anger, but these no longer dominate his each and every day.
The key thing is regular sex and not just because of the chemicals that’re produced.No one seems to have brought that subject up. It’s right after Air, water, food and shelter. Back down that Maslow ladder until you’re skipping something. 9 times out of 10 there’s no sex in your life. If I don’t get it I’m depressed as all get out–with it I can tackle anything.
Abstr AcademyHealth Meet. 2004; 21: abstract no. 985.
University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Center for Health Services Research & Dept. of Preventive Medicine, 66 N. Pauline Street, Suite 463, Memphis, TN 38163 Tel. 901.448.5826 Fax 901.448.8009
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: To analyze costs and cost savings associated with various state-level options for universal health care coverage. STUDY DESIGN: Data for the state of Illinois are used to examine reform options. A model of current state health expenditures was developed as a baseline. Four general reform options were postulated and the financial impacts of these changes derived using existing data and databases. POPULATION STUDIED: The population and expenditure patterns of individuals in Illinois. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using decision analysis models, we find that expanding coverage to all residents of Illinois would cost between $2.2 and $4.5 billion in the first year, but that incremental costs would diminish in subsequent years under the single payer approaches, principally due to savings in insurance overhead and administrative costs. By the 5th year of implementation, single payer models providing universal coverage would cost less than the current health care system with 1.7 million uninsured. Using probabilistic sensitivity analyses to allow key parameters to vary simultaneously, we find that single payer reforms are a least-cost strategy in more than 90 % of Monte Carlo iterations by the 8th year of implementation. CONCLUSIONS: State-level reforms appear to be a financially-viable option for attaining universal health care coverage. IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY, DELIVERY OR PRACTICE: The cost savings associated with single payer models are too significant to be ignored. Policies and programs that seek to capture these savings could significantly curb health care cost inflation and produce sufficient additional funding to provide coverage for the uninsured.
I do a daily program of breathing techniques which I learnt in the Art of Living stress management/health promotion program almost 11 years ago – it is my daily medicine, it has no unwanted side-effects, but many fringe benefits. I have very low stress levels, an improved immune system, peace of mind and a general positive and uplifting attitude. My children and I (yes, they do the breathing, too!) very seldom get sick. Research of the program has shown reduced levels of stress; improved immune system; reduced cholesterol; decreased anxiety and depression (mild, moderate and severe); increase in anti-oxidant protection; increase in natural killer cells, and enhanced well-being and peace of mind. I’ve gone through many traumatic events (e.g., a horrible divorce, a difficult move back to the US from Europe, the murder of my daughter’s fiancé and her intense suffering, losing two jobs due to budget cuts and downsizing). I moved through all of these without therapy and without meds and that is a real miracle to me.
I KNOW THAT THE TOPIC IS DEPRESSION, LIKE ME SOME PEOPLE HAVE DEPRESSION AND PANIC DISORDER, I WAS HAVING PANIC ATTACKS DAILY. I FEEL THAT I HAVE DIED A THOUSAND TIMES, THATS WHAT A PANIC ATTACK FEELS LIKE…I WAS DIAGNOSED IN 1989 BUT REFUSED TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS IN MY “MIND”…IT FELT SO PHYSICAL…I AM CURRENTLY ON KLONIPIN 3 MG A DAY AND ZOLOFT 200 MG A DAY…I THINK THESE ARE DAILY MAX DOSAGES
FOR THE COMBINATION OF DEPRESSION AND PANIC DISORDER WHICH I AM DOING WELL ON AT THE TIME BUT THAT COULD CHANGE. THEN BACK TO THE PSYCH HOSPITAL FOR MED EVALUATION AND POSSIBLE CHANGE IN MEDS AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN ON SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY SINCE 2000 FOR THE DEBILITATING PANIC ATTACKS. THEY JUST HAPPEN, NO RHYME OR REASON EXCEPT FOR THE CHEMICAL INBALANCE THAT I WAS TOLD CAUSES THEM, OHYEAH, THERE IS ALSO NO CURE. WHO WOULD “CHOOSE” TO LIVE WITH THIS?
I don’t want to upset you or scare you into a panic, but step away from the caps lock key on your computer. After you stop cyber yelling, you might get some feedback.
Why do people do this anyway? When any post is in caps lock, I usually read about one line and give it up.
Prior to living with a diabetic spouse I would’ve questioned this proposal. After living the cycle of monitoring, testing, watching, testing, waiting, testing. Watching spikes and valleys even on days/weeks where you’ve done everything ‘right’. Where do we sign up?
Maybe the group that was stressed were stressed because they didn’t know the material and knew they would struggle. They clearly have transposed cause and effect here. I would hope someone who has to work in life and death situations would be able to manage stress.
I am diabetic and would love to stop the needles, but there is this fear that I might have the sudden urge to go out and root around the yard, or invade the trash can. Seriously, it is a bit disquieting and may not work for those like me who are severely insulin resistant.
Great! Now can we just get back to injecting babies with levels of organic mercury 100’s of times higher than all safety standards. Our profits have started to slip.
Who would have ever guessed that the U.S. goverment would rule in favor of the drug companies, the CDC, IOM, FDA, HHS, AAP, AMA, NIH and all the other suspects in the case. We’re on our own folks.
Hannah Poling’s case is a red herring; she has a mitochondrial disorder. Mito experts universally recommend vaccination because the diseases they prevent can overwhelm someone w/ a mito defect.
The recent investigation that found Andrew Wakefield falsified data and the omnibus decision are the death nell for the MMR hyopthesis. Also, today’s omnibus decision telegraphs how the court will rule in the thimersol cases as today’s decision considered thimerosal as a component in the causation.
There is a small but committed group of parents who sadly lack scientific literacy and mistake a temporal event for a causal factor. They need to consider that they are mistaken, swallow some pride, and turn their anger toward all those charlatan quacks who have taken advantage of their children. Andrew Wakefield should be enemy #1
[...] has now been charged with faking his study in concert with plaintiffs’ attorneys. Does this end the matter? It should. After all Keith Olbermann has already called Wakefield his “worst person in the world.” [...]
Is Maurice Hilleman a quack? He’s the world famouse vaccine inventor who wrote the internal memo to Merck executives warning about high levels of mercury.
This isn’t a scientific issue at all. It’s an ethics issue. It’s an issue of true informed consent. Not fear tactics and arrogance like Tommy Boy uses. I know he doesn’t know the science because. Come back with some numbers. I’ll come back with more numbers. You’ll come back with some different ones and we’ll go round and round until you say the benefits outweighs the risk. And I’ll say to whom.Public health officials. Vaccine Makers? Individual parents. You’ll talk about disease, I’ll talk about informed consent. Unfortunately, you can’t scientifically say that vaccines are healthy for children. You can only infer from statistics.
Just like the pro-vaccine community would not concede the Hannah Poling case. This doesn’t settle the issue. We don’t even know what was said. What was the evidence? I don’t have a problem with someone vaccinating their child. I have a problem when the state says you have to vaccinate because a bunch of misinformed parents, the pro-vaccine community, and a judge says you have to. And they will not take responsibility if something happens. Are vaccines 100% safe? NO way! So what happens to those who fall in the gap between whatever percentage on 100%. They get dismissed and stonewalled. they say it was your fault you had a genetic condition. Don’t dare say it was my beloved vaccines.
“After all Keith Olbermann has already called Wakefield his “worst person in the world.” Actually he retracted this statement and apologized last night after reading this;
“What the Sunday Times did not report was that the GMC investigation into Wakefield was triggered by a complaint from… Brian Deer, who furnished the allegations against him four years ago. He has thus been reporting upon the hearing into his own complaint. Since when has a reputable paper published a story by a reporter who is actually part of that story himself — without saying so – and who uses information arising from the disciplinary hearing which he himself has instigated and which is investigating allegations he himself made in the first place?”
All I know is that my son is Autistic and no one can tell me why he is. No one can say Vaccines were the cause but no one can say they are not the cause. I and my wife must alone make a gut decision of what is best for our son. I am no suing anyone but I do require the right to raise him the way we feel is best.
RA, your logic is absolutely correct. This often gets reduced to a numbers game. Informed consent is not what happens in most states and Dr. offices b/c the medical community practices to the lowest common denominator. As you said, and science would agree, there is always a risk when a benefit exists but only the most insistant, informed and borderline compulsive parents are given the opportunity to make a true choice.
I have a question below about autism. But first, infants who sleep on their backs compared to infants who sleep on their stomachs have increased rates of:
- Social skills delays at 6 months (Dewey, Fleming, et al, 1998)
- Motor skills delays at 6 months (Dewey, Fleming, et al, 1998)
- Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) (Corvaglia, 2007)
- Milestone delays (Davis, Moon, et al., 1998)
- Plagiocephaly, torticollis, strabismus, etc. etc. etc…
My question is:
If a doctor was presented with a baby that had social skills delays, motor skills delays, and gastroesophageal reflux what would a doctor say if a child had these three things but not too bad. The doctor might tell the parent to be patient and that different kids develop differently. But, what if the case was more severe – what if the kids social skills were worse? The doctor might diagnose him with ADHD. But, what if the kids delays were really far behind – that is the kid had very large delays in social skills and motor skills? The doctor might diagnose him with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I think part (if not all) of the Autism Epidemic is caused by the SIDS Back to Sleep campaign.
BTW, the theoretical reason why back sleep prevents SIDS is because back sleep (aka supine sleep) does not allow an infant to get Deep Sleep (Stage 3/4 NREM sleep) which is when Babies primarily die of SIDS. Stage 3/4 NREM sleep is also when much of a babies plasticity and memory consolidation takes place. This interference with Slow Wave Sleep (SWS) may be the reason why so many infants today have social skills delays and motor skills delays.
Not anti-vaccination. Pro information. Pro choice. Pro science. Pro life.
And… my spouse works for a pharmaceutical company. I didn’t want to get into this debate. I used to despise those vaccine activists. I thought they were a bunch of liberal, hippy, troublemakers that spread disease. I didn’t have any kids. What did I care? But one day I stumbled onto the CDC mortality statistics for the flu and my life and view towards public health authorities changed. I thought something is not right here. This is all one big charade. If they are doing this with the flu vaccine, are pharmaceutical companies and doctors doing the same with childhood vaccines?The answer I discovered was Yes!
You can get vaccinated if you want to. But don’t try to use propaganda to persuade the public that we are too stupid to look at the facts and make a value judgement. Public: don’t give up your right to informed consent. It just may save your life.
this isn’t a debate. A debate is two rational, reasoned arguments comparing the merits of their case, i.e free market vs govt regulation. This is a BELIEF contending with contradicting FACTS.
The special master is right. Vaccines do not cause autism. Autism is simply a term from the psychiatric DSM-IV manual. It’s nothing but a smokescreen. It provides an alibi for the drug companies who added mercury to vaccines at levels 250 times higher than hazardous waste levels (based on toxicity characteristics). It provides an alibi for the CDC, FDA, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the other drug company cronies who are responsible for the safety of our children. It provides an alibi for the people who administered this poison. It provides an alibi for health insurance companies so they don’t have to pay for treatment for these sick kids. It provides an alibi for psychiatrists so they can force powerfull anti-psychotic drugs on these kids who are already terribly confused.
There will never be an identifiable cause for autism. There are though 11 published papers which identify the underlying medical condition of autism as neuroinflammatory disease. My favorite is ‘ Neuroglial activation and Neuroinflammation in the Brain of Patients with Autism’. This was published by John Hopkins University. Now, do you want to debate whether mercury, a known neurotoxin, added to childhood vaccines at levels 250 times higher than what the EPA identifies as hazardous waste, causes neuroinflammatory disease? Do you want to debate whether brain damaged kids behave in a way so that some psychiatrist can label them as somewhere on the ’spectrum’?
Vaccines will never be shown to be the cause of autism, as long as researchers work in silos without communicating. Mercury alone is not the cause of autism… when babies have high levels of lead (obtained inutero) the synergistic effect of lead and mercury renders the mercury more toxic by 100 X. The government and the pharmaceutical companies are correct: “Mercury” is not the cause. LEAD + mercury, however, is a completely different story. It also explains why some babies are born autistic, and others become autistic after a vaccine. Vaccines are not the only source of mercury that unborn and new born babies are exposed to.
Interestingly, another potentiating agent is testosterone… the explanation of why males are disproportionately represented not only in autism popualtions, but in other lead-related neurological damage, such as learning disabilities, ADHD, etc.
Is it time we question if mercury really is toxic? Come on! The EPA says mercury in liquids exceeding 200 ppb is hazardous waste. Today the “special masters” say its alright to inject infants with a solution that contains 50,000 ppb mercury 10 times or more. We need to re-think the mercury toxicity question.
Researcher Corinne Zoli from Syracuse wrote an article in the journal Pediactics about the vaccine issue. The title of the article is “Vaccine Debate as Cultural Symptom of Public Distrust in Medical Institutions.” There is a bigger picture here. People don’t trust Pharmaceutical companies and their motives. Doctors are a major part of the pharmaceutical industry. The majority of their education is influenced by them. Most experts in any medical area have an incestous relationship with pharma companies. They use their presitge and power to shape the standard of practice.
On top of that, their are 2 pharma lobbyist for every congressman. They have never lost in congress. With the wave of conflicts of interest and medically induced deaths that have been surfacing its know wonder that people are skeptical of the medical knowledge base. It won’t change until doctors divorce themselves from industry and stop listening to industry sponsored doctors. Not going to happen though. So… the debate will continue.
Let’s suppose there is a group of people known as the National Planetary Information Center or NPIC that believe the world is flat. Study after study says otherwise. The government has spent millions of dollars, NASA regularly tells people our Earth is indeed round. All the geographers agree. But the NPIC keeps saying the “the earth is flat. It is conspiracy. “Big Travel” wants you to believe the earth is round so they can sell you plane tickets. And the cruise lines and pilots are in on it too. Don’t believe NASA either. People are dying falling off the ends of the earth. ”
This is a weak attempt at humor, and I apologize to all those whose children suffer from autism. But it is also so very sad. There is no link between autism and vaccination. Continuing to argue about it only wastes precious medical resources that could be used to find the true cause of autism and treat these children. Time to move on.
Unfortunately your argument doesn’t solve or end any debate, it just fuels it. This is precisely the one Paul Offit and his lady friend, Dr. Nancy Snyderman use and want the public to use. It’s the authoritarian equivalent of “Because I said so!” Consensus doesn’t always equal truth. It may be the truth. But it doesn’t necessarily equal the truth.
The analogy you used is great because it’s essentially the flat earth analogy. But it’s been taken out of context. A long time ago people thought the earth was flat. Intellectuals said it was flat, Scientist type said it was flat, business people said it was flat. Essentially anyone with any type of “education” said it was flat. Even the evidence said it was flat. Anyone could look at the horizon and determine that was the truth. But someone came along and said that it was round. The majority said it was flat. So it continued to be flat. Eventually the flat earthers died off. They were never persuaeded.
If you study the history of medicine, this is the overlying theme. Some of the Giants of medicine were considered heretics. Mark twain said “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.” The Mass vaccination program should be able to stand up to open scientific questions. Instead of answering the debate, it says “it’s over because I said so!” Not very scientific at all.
Why don’t the pro information and freedom (the ones that are called anti-vaccination by the pro-vacciners) concede to the court rulings? The same reason the AAP, AMA, CDC, Paul Offit and his philosophic followers didn’t concede to the Hannah Poling case.
There are some crucial questions that need to be answered scientifically. Until they are, I’m afraid that no debate will end. Because the truth will be out there. But…science itself will not be able to end this debate because it is an ethical debate just like the Eugenics program. Does anyone remember when Eugenics was actually called a science? It was approved by the AMA and the National Academy of Science. Not until the public rose up and cried did these people crawl back and stop hiding behind the name of science.
I don’t think there is a link between autism and vaccination. This is not scientific; it is merely based on 36 years as a teacher and the observations I have made. The children I see with autism, most I have been around since they were babies, were already showing signs of problems before they had injections (folks around here rarely give their kids the shots at the recommended times). I think the causes of autism are much more varied (as the problem is varied in its manifestation) and much more complex than some folks want to think.
The court ruled that the “crucial questions that need to be answered scientifically” has already happened. Study after study after study shows no link between autism and vaccination. These studies have been published in journals like the New England Journal of Medcine etc etc.
Of course you don’t have to believe the New England Journal or even your own doctor. Just go ask your parents or grandparents. My mom was in high school in the early 1950s and dreaded the first day of school every year because she knew some of her friends would have died over the summer of polio. In the 1960s there tens of thousands of babies born with congential rubella syndrome, which includes deafness and heart defects. My mother in law told me she would bang pans together the first day home with her new baby to be sure that they did not have this problem. It has been several years since a case of this disease has been seen in the United States. And just a month ago a seven month baby died of Hib, a vaccine preventable disease. That seven month had not received any recommended vaccinations. It was the first death from Hib in Minnesota since 1991, about the time vaccine was introduced.
The point about the flat earth is certainly valid – of course everyone believed the earth was flat. Just look at the window, you don’t see the curve of the earth. But to continue to hold that belief after the time of Columbus and John Glenn is not very realistic. And that is the point about autism and vaccination, we need to move on. There are a limited number of tax dollars for medical research and they need to be spent on the true cause and better treatments for the horrible disease of autism.
Measles: Before widespread immunization, measles epidemics occurred every 2 to 3yr, with small localized outbreaks during intervening years. In recent years in the USA, outbreaks have occurred most commonly in PREVIOUSLY IMMUNIZED adolescents and young adults and SOMETIMES in unimmunized preschool aged children. An infant whose mother has had measles receives transplacental passive immunity lasting most of the first year of life , thereafter susceptiblity is high. One attack of measles confers lifelong immunity.
Atypical measles syndrome usually occurs in persons PREVIOUSLY immunized with the original killed virus measles vaccine…atypical syndrome may also follow immunization with live, attenuated measles vaccine…
Prognosis: In healthy, well-nourished children, measles has a low mortality rate unless complications ensue. {Where are all the deaths? Typically in third world type conditions. The question is: should I be allowed to uses this information and make an educated decision about my child’s health? Or will other parent’s tell the govn’t to force me to make a decision based on their fears. If that’s the case, then I don’t need to know any statistics because the CDC, AAP, and DFACS will decide for me.
Polio: According to the PBS special that ran last week there were 20,000 cases of polio per year in 1950. A deadly and paralyzing disease. It then showed people in iron lungs and crippled. By 1960 the cases were down to 3000. (I’m going off memory so correct me if I’m wrong). This clever statement didn’t lie, but it was deceitful. Less than 2% of polio cases were paralytic and permanent. Not 20,000. The Cutter Labs incident caused 40,000 cases of polio from the vaccine. More people die from hospital infections than this. Where’s the outrage on that?
If vaccines were 100% safe, this would be a no-brainer. Everyone should get vaccines. No harm in trying. But, when you inject people with 76 vaccines and ingredients, something bad, known or unknown, is going to happen. Parents should be a part of the decision process and they deserve to know all the facts.
“The court ruled that the “crucial questions that need to be answered scientifically” has already happened. Study after study after study shows no link between autism and vaccination. These studies have been published in journals like the New England Journal of Medcine etc etc.”
I’m still waiting for the controlled trial that compares vaccinated against un-vaccinated complications. Until that trial is done, then how can anyone say that this has been settled scientifically? What’s the problem? The Pro-vacciners say that would be an unethical experiment.
When someone says that a debate is over because they say so is just bullying.
that study has already been done and published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2002. It involved > 500,000 Danish children and compared vaccinated to unvaccinated. Their conclusion was “this study provides strong evidence against the hypothesis that MMR vaccination causes autism.”
I’ll get back to this study later. Its far from definitive. But let’s suppose it is “hard” science. It’s the scientific consensus. And their conclusion is the truth, not just a scientific opinion (whatever that is).
How dangerous are vaccines? Paul Offit says they are so safe that you could inject a child with 10,000 of them (presumably with mercury because he said that should’t be taken out).
Why not make them over-the-counter. Look at all the benefits and virtually no draw backs. Tylenol has a known track record with liver failure and deaths. Aspirin deaths are much higher than Tylenol. These have never stopped a disease by the millions like vaccines. Besides, according to these experts the only side effects from vaccines are anectdotal and coincidental. VAERS reports are scientifically useless. The only immediate danger would be a flesh wound with a small gauge syringe. Maybe you could poke an eye out. But you could do that with a pencil. Plus the benefits would outweigh the risks anyway.
We need to be more aggressive in our fight to eradicate these killer diseases. I would hate to see a dangerous and vaccine preventable disease like chicken pox come back because of the ignorant and selfish few. If it mutates, we would have no recourse against the Avian Chickenpox. The epidemic would come back and wipe out millions. (Show black and white film of children with sores screaming and running out of school buildings.) What are the draw backs? None, if the vaccines are as safe as the pure in heart doctors are saying. If we don’t do this, we risk millions of lives around the world.
There, you convinced me. I’m on your side now. Let’s campaign for OTC vaccines. Let’s not let doctors stand in the way of science and our children’s health.
I can completely understand why Cindy & Shaggy are expressing their concerns w.r.t. using medication to treat depression in this forum, as I was once felling exactly the same way they do…that was until I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder – commonly treated with the same anti depressant medications to control neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain…
All I can say is… No, one cannot “think” youselve out of depression or anxiety. Attitude is important, but only if one acts responsibly and use these medications in cases where “mind over matter” won’t “fix things”…
I’ve been on Cipralex for almost 5 months now, and for the first time feel “normal” – the way I used to before my chemicals have gone “haywire”…
Too all those using these medications, well done & good luck with finding the right one.
People always look for “miracles” that would instantly cure their conditions, but never stop to think that these medications are our modern “miracle”, inspired by the knowledge that God has instilled in each and every one of us. Why not use what HE’s been giving us and stop seeing it as the DEVIL…
Only my humble opinion, but I thank GOD everyday for the lessons I’ve learned through this experience. Not judging people who are suffering with depression and/or anxiety. Unless you are in their shoes, do not give advise…
As a type I diabetic of 24 years… I am all for it!!! If this worked, it could potentially save thousands of lives. I was allergic to pork insulin (way back in the day – I am telling my age here!) so I doubt this option would work for me, though. Anyone want to donate a pancreas???
Husband had cancerous tumor removed from sinus cavities almost 5 years ago. Yesterday, during routine checkup, his Dr. said he could see granulation in the sinus cavities? What is granulation? Should we worry?
I’m 100lbs over weight. I’ve tried many diets. I’m ready to explore studies, diet pills. I have HBP and Diabetics Type II for which I’m taking medication for both. I have no known heart conditions (evlauated within the last year.) Can you suggest any weight loss studies, pills, that I may try outside of gastric bypass. Process is too time consuming (all the steps you have to go through) which I’ve gone through before with the exception of pysch evaluation. Please help. I’m desparate.
My heart rate and blood pressure fluctuate depending on my position. For example, my standing heart rate is about 20 points higher and BP is 10-15 points higher as well. I also experience tachycardia when lying flat. What could cause this variance? Is that a common problem? Thank you.
I have 3 older children with ADD. They are in college in Atlanta and some are having a rough time. They are all smart but two are struggling. The one who is not struggling is taking medication. He was on Adderall and has switched to Vyvanse. He has great grades but the meds have bad side effects (loss of appetite, acne, depression). These go away when he is off the meds. The other two do not want to take medicine because of the way it makes them feel. They just cannot seem to focus and their grades have been poor. I realize that this is not a problem that you can fix, but what I’m looking for is some ideas and maybe a referral in the Atlanta area for someone who specializes in ADD. We are just using their family doctor for now and we live outside Atlanta. Please realize that we are struggling financially as I have 3 in college and my husband is unemployed. Thanks for any advice that you can offer.
Yes! I would love to see calories, fat grams, carbs and everything else printed on menus. There are so many hidden calories in some of the food…even those that seem “healthy.” I know that home-cooking is best but with a full-time job, full time school and traveling every weekend it’s hard. I wish they would pass this law in Georgia too!
Of course! However, restaurants don’t want this because sales would go down. I work as a dietitian helping people lose weight. I always direct them to the website http://www.dwlz.com. This is a website that has compiled nutrition information on almost 600 restaurants. People are always shocked by the calories in their choices.
There are so many times I have wondered how many calories I was consuming at a meal in a restaurant. I would love to see this! Why hide the calories and fat and not put it on the menu? Even if they don’t put it on the menu, it should always be offered online.
So much “touchy-feely” s–t here! “Ooohh, I want to see calories on my restaurant menu so I know how much I’m consuming” – bulls–t on that. Go to a restaurant, treat yourself to a good meal, and forget about stressing out for awhile. Next day – eat your granola bar and drink soy milk in the privacy of your home.
I think its a ridiculous thing to require restaurants to do. Its not easy to calculate calories on complex dishes and is asking too much of the owners.
I do think that if a chain restaurant did this on their own, that it might improve sales, but don’t make it a law.
First of all let me say it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have the information avaiable, what is the height of foolishness is to believe passing a law to compel restaurants to do so will do anything more than create another bureaucracy, and another opportunity where people simply want to blame others for their problems and seek compensation. Operationally it would be nearly impossible for a real restaurant (not fast food) to do this accurately and consistently for food made to order. Lisa’s ref in the 831 post is a good idea, though I would like to know who monitors the accuracy of this site, I would bet that another unbiased source visiting the same restaurants would come up with many different results. The fact is government intervention nearly always worsens a situation, if this is a good idea, some restaurants will do it (some already do Seasons 54) and people will go there. Most people don’t look at the labels on grocery store items anyway (and half the people that say they do don’t really make a decision based on it they just make a mental note of which items they need to justify!)
What right does the government have to do this??? If you want the info ask them for it. If they can’t give it to you GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. People need to take responsibility for themselves.
I would love to see calorie info on restaurant menus, but the government should stay out of private business. Let the restaurants decide what they want to put on their menus. Places like Seasons 52 already put the information on the menu and is packed everytime I visit.
I don’t think they should require it. People aren’t stupid. I know that my favorite meal at my favorite Italian restaurant is absolutely terrible for me. That’s why I don’t eat it too often. It’s called moderation!!! I would hope that some restaurants would consider putting the information up on their website for people to view if they choose, but I don’t think that should be required either.
I think that this is a great idea. I look online before I eat at any fast food restaurant and was horrified to find that things like a Market Fresh sandwich from Arby’s is over 700 calories. How can people help themselves if they don’t know. I would love to see sit down restaurants offer calories online, but I don’t think it should be mandated. I would pick a restaurant that willingly offers calories over one that does not.
“a reasonable attempt to curb obesity”
Fast Food Chains, Soft Drinks, Corn Syrup, etc have been around for decades if not longer, but it’s only NOW that we have an epidemic. For those of you at work today look around at your co workers and just watch how many times they snack on “healthy treats” or scarf down a 500 calorie latte. My cube mate is on her 2nd granola bar of the day and it’s not even lunch time and she doesn’t know why she is gaining weight (believes it’s a thyroid issue). It’s not restaurants who are causing obesity; we are “grazing” our way into an early grave.
For crying out loud. Do your homework, people! By definition, fast food (mostly) = unhealthy! At other establishements, caveat emptor. Nutrition info is on products in the grocery stores. The best way to know — apart from growing one’s own food — what’s in it? EAT AT HOME!
It would be a beneficial customer service tactic if restaurants were to publish the calorie-content of their various menu items, but don’t make it a law. (We have way too much regulation and govermental interference in our lives already!) Blame your obesity on yourself – not on the restaurants or anyone else. Take personal responsibility for your health – it doesn’t require a doctoral degree to figure out that a cheeseburger has way more calories than a salad.
Lol, Kristin so true. After reading your post I did look around and everyone was snacking on something. It is funny how people will sit and eat all day and then blame gaining weight on thyroid problems and what not.
Having the calorie and carb count on the menu would greatly help the people who have diseases affected by diet, most notably diabetes. Regulating this will be an incredible logistical NIGHTMARE. Our health department cannot even keep up with the inspections that are needed to monitor food safety in a restaurant, can you imagine how far behind they will be with monitoring the calorie content of a restaurant that changes its menu daily/weekly/monthly even seasonally?
Probably not a good thing to put into legislation….
CommonSenseRules, you would be surprised. You can eat a lot healthier at most fast food places than a sit down place. You can’t get the jumbo drink and the jumbo fries but a sandwich or wrap is frequently better for you than the chicken ceaser salad or pasta dish at a sit down place.
Heck no. Restaurants have a hard enough time becoming successful. This would only hurt the little guy, who doesn’t have the resources to do this. You would never have a “Special of the Day” if this came to pass. Try to educate yourself, first, and ask questions.
OH MAN….This is bad. Let food be food! Please don’t kill the enjoyable experience of a delicious meal by breaking everything on a menu into a list of nutritional statistics! Food is so much more than that. We’ve had this “data” on what every bit of what we eat is comprised of, and we are no healthier for it as a country. In my opinion, this is a completely ineffective and unappetizing initiative.
Yes, my sister in law and her kids go out to eat every single meal, every single day/night. She NEVER cooks, uses her stove as a laundry center. I think if she saw what was going into her body, and the kids’ bodies, she might think twice about going out to eat.
PLEASE HELP ME Government.The restaurants are making me fat! Make them quit ! Help me Barrack and Nancy ! Help !
Don’t let the free market decide to post calories if they want to. Protect me and make them do it. Do it for the children.
This is another example of over-legislation by our government. The law in NY applies to chains only (5 or more locations or something like that), so mom and pop’s and independant restaurants are not included.
The crazy thing is that is that chains are already required to have the nutritional information available in the restaurant. They have leaflets available with all the info. Requiring restaurents to post calorie info on their menu boards and menus is redundant – and costs the restaurants tons of money to do so. Who ultimately pays, we do!
It’s about personal resposibility. People know that a Whopper is not too good for them, but they eat them anyway. If you eat one every day, then your health will suffer. Every now and then though, it’s no big deal. Let’s think and make decisions for ourselves and keep the government out of it.
How rediculous. Once you start forcing them to print the nutritional stats then what’s next? Forcing the restaurants to have “healthy” options or a more healthly menu altogether. Going out to eat is a treat. If you don’t know ahead of time that it may not be low in calories you have your head in the sand. It is supposed to be an endulgence. Yikes, less government is always better.
Let me interject a little bit of fact into this debate so as to dispense with faulty, lofty intent. As a wholesale baker, I must maintain up to date nutritional information on all of my products. Any change in formulation requires the accompanying label change which requires intense scientific analysis to acquire that difficult to obtain information. There is quite a bit of science involved. This laboratory process is lengthy and on average $7000 to $10000 PER item analyzed. As a wholesaler, this price is figured as CODB. In my operation, there is volume so as to easier absorb this premium cost. In one or two location restaurants, there is not the same volume and business patterns can fluctuate wildly. Many of your favorite spots will not find it worthwhile to deal with such onerous regulation. For those remaining brave few, this will kill the ability to regularly rotate the menu and keep their customer base happy. It will be the unmitigated death of the creative chef culture. If you want to see the individual restaurant business dry up with the remaining few being prohibitively expensive for the middle class, go ahead and support this subdued socialism. This is just more nanny-statism run amock, all disguised for ‘the common good.’
I left Atlanta last Spring and moved to NYC (but thankfully am moving back in 16 days!)
Every coffee shop and restaurant has the calories posted and it’s definitely made me change my way of eating. However, what Jason said about how it’s only for chains is correct. I’ve only seen this at places like Starbucks, Applebees, McDonalds etc.
When you see that one entree is 1600 calories and one is 900, It really makes you think. The South is the fattest section of the country. We drive everywhere even if it’s down the street and we eat like crap. Maybe if the calories were posted, it would make people think twice about what they eat. I know people who eat out every single meal and maybe if they saw that they were eating double the calories they should, they would think twice about what they are eating.
Here is an idea for all the fat people. Stop eating bacon cheeseburgers and fries everyday. Try a salad and going on a walk, maybe even a brisk one. I think the states are having enough budget crises without you worry worts trying to cram more expensive regulation down everyone’s throats. As the baker stated earlier, this would knock a whole lot of independant restaurants out of business.
I don’t need the government to tell me what’s bad for me. I already know. I also know that if I eat a fast food burger, I’m going to have to work extra hard on the walk that evening. I will have to walk 4 miles, instead of the usual 3. My poor doggies.
This is why I grow my own veggies, and do my own cooking. I don’t like to go out to eat. Ok, maybe once every third blue moon. I do love a good mexican meal, even if it is not as healthy as eating at home. And once in a while I like to treat myself and be waited on and have someone else clean the dishes. Not often, but once in a while…….
Yes please! This would be so helpful (although I realize cumbersome for the restaurant owner)to ensure that the healthy meal you think you are consuming is actually healthy. Perhaps they could have nutriton facts for the regular printed menu but waive the requirement for the “daily special” as this would be incredibly difficult.
Please don’t waste this space in such general info that says lose weight and exercise for a good heart. Be a little more specific because we all know we need to lose weight and eat correctly. What we need from a medical doctor is information to help us save a trip to see our physician. Things we can do at home. There are so many people in doctor offices now that do not need to be taking up the doctors time that the people that do need to see the doctor have to wait weeks for appointments.
I agree totally with diane. This article did not tell us anything we don’t already know. We need information on new medical reatments/procedures and where to go to get the best care.
3 years ago I started feeling a numbness in both feet. A few months ago this feeling or lack there of moved to my waist. I was numb from the waist down. That lasted a couple of weeks or so. Now it’s back to the feet. Several MRI’s & CATSCAN’s show nothing out the norm. The feeling becomes intense at times. Tested for MS & diabetes both negative. Any ideas?
I am a 29 year old male. I recently had bloodwork done and it reported that my bad cholesterol was high, and my good cholesterol was low. My family has a history of heart disease and diabetes, and I have poor dieting habits, I smoke occasionally, and I do not exercise much. Also, I’m not overweight.
My doctor suggested and prescribed Zocor and come back again in two months to see him. Would this be the best diagnosis? I’m willing to change my diet, and try to make the time to exercise. As hard as this would be to make those changes, I have full support and help from my family. Would I still need to go on medication?
I have non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and my doctor at Emory is just watching it as this time. My question is, is it okay for me to use a natural hair color on my hair? Thanks!
My husband has high blood pressure and sleep apena was recently had an echo cariogram performed, it showed that the right chamber of his heart was damaged and enlarged,and was given medication to slow down his heart rate or there any webisites I can visit to find out more information
As someone who has tried ALL the natural remedies from exercise to positive thinking to fish oil to St. John’s Wort, to meditation, I can tell you that nothing has pulled me out of major depression like Paxil. I took it for 20 months with few side affects. Went off because of weight gain and despite my best efforts fell into another major depression. Paxil didn’t work the second time and now I am in process of finding something else.
I was devastated when I realized that my strong spiritual life and healthy living wouldn’t cure my depression. Then I realized that that is as silly as expecting prayer and exercise to “cure” my husband’s Type I diabetes. Prayer and exercise are extremely important in helping him stay healthy, but they are no substitute for his insulin. Major depression isn’t “feeling sorry for yourself” or being a little blue. It is a very real, very physical illness. Be grateful every day if you have never experienced it.
Oh, let me add, obviously I’m a different Cindy from the one who doesn’t believe in depression as an illness. Just because you go through terrible things in life and don’t get depressed doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist for others. Some people smoke all their long lives and don’t get lung cancer. Does that mean smoking doesn’t cause cancer? Some people are blessed with more serotonin than others. If you are be grateful.
Hello, readers. I’m the online Health editor for ajc.com. First, thank you for your questions. Please keep them coming. The writers are reading all your inquiries and choosing the best topic to blog on each week. Some of the inquiries might be too personal and too specific for the medical professionals to respond to. However, they’ll blog on the topics to which you’re bringing our attention. Some of the blog posts were published because of the sheer time element. Breaking news matters. For example, the Salmonella outbreak is very crucial for us to discuss right now. Please be patient, and keep the questions coming. Thank you.
Great Post. A friend just spent me a link for a free sleep report. It has a bunch of great information about getting a great night’s sleep without drugs. Here is link if you are interested http://www.traversebayfarms.com/sleepreport.htm
I’ve had insomnia since I was a little boy. My mom will testify to that. It has gotten worse over the past year. I’ve seen a sleep doctor and he says there is no reason for me not to sleep well. My primary doctor wants to do a narcolepsy study. I’ve done everything – no tv, exercise regularly, don’t drink caffeine, go to bed at the same time every night, etc. Nothing seems to work. I also have a prescription for the highest dose of Ambien. I always wake up after about three or four hours anyway and can’t go back to sleep. I seem to wake up at night no matter how tired I seem. I’ve tried other sleep aids and they don’t work either. I’m getting very tired of being tired all the time. Also, I have Crohn’s Disease but no one has ever said anthything about the two being related or about the medications as all the side effects are drowsiness and so on and so forth. Any alternate ideas?
Is having a premature infant hereditary? I had a 24 weeker and my baby sister had a 32 weeker; however, my middle sister had a full-term baby. Are we, myself and baby sister, genetically predisposed to having premature babies?
You’d have to be a fool to put any faith in online reviews of doctors. Having worked in a doctor’s office and in the insurance claims field, I know there is just no pleasing some people. The chronic complainers are the ones most likely to post a review. They don’t get the diagnosis they need to inflate a liability claim or the drug they are shopping for just sets them off.
How about the ex girlfriend of wife who wants revenge and posts negative comments?
My wife and I do not sleep in the same room (or spend much time at all in any room together for most of the past decade for that matter, but that’s another story.) She sleeps with the lights on and the television playing. Apparently, she is warding away the bogey man.
I’m in my mid-40’s and I’ve found if I get 4 hours of sleep a night that’s great. I can’t sleep during a full moon. I know it’s in my head, but I haven’t been able to for years. Last night I got a lot of work done!
I’ve had insomnia since I was a little boy. My mom will testify to that. It has gotten worse over the past year. I’ve seen a sleep doctor and he says there is no reason for me not to sleep well. My primary doctor wants to do a narcolepsy study. I’ve done everything – no tv, exercise regularly, don’t drink caffeine, go to bed at the same time every night, etc. Nothing seems to work. I also have a prescription for the highest dose of Ambien. I always wake up after about three or four hours anyway and can’t go back to sleep. I seem to wake up at night no matter how tired I seem. I’ve tried other sleep aids and they don’t work either. I’m getting very tired of being tired all the time. Also, I have Crohn’s Disease but no one has ever said anthything about the two being related or about the medications as all the side effects are drowsiness and so on and so forth. Any alternate ideas?
I blame not being able to sleep on the time change, as soon as I get used to it, the freakin time changes again. When are the powers that be going to do away with this? My dog whining every morning to go out when the sun comes up doesn’t help either. Also, I have a Tempur Pedic and it’s highly overrated. “Oasis” my a$$! My mom says the same about her sleep number bed also.
Dear David, Your dad sent me your Blog…most impressive…
Maybe you or someone you know may be able to HELP ME. I suffer fom chronic pain due to iddypathic periphial neuropthy in both my feet, lehs, hands and arms. Carol and my son , Robbie got my meds whay down, but Im still on 3 50 MGH Fentanyl patches every 2 days; 3 10MG Methidone daily; and now only 1 0r 2 8MG Dilaudid as needed for break through pain. I had also been taking .25MG of Halcion when I really needed it for sleep.
Since we have been down here in Florida for the winter, I don’t think I have had two nights of good sleep in a row. I’m aware of everything..all the twitchig and shooting pain in my legs and arms, pain in my neck and shoulders. The room is usually uit and cool and I generally go to bed a half hour to an hour after Carol, o she can get some needed sleep. Most nights I’m NOT there long….and go back out to atch TV, read, go onto the computer, ec, until I’m ready to fall down with fatigue…and many nights NOT at all.
We eat early, and quite light…I may have a snack and something to drink at about 10P.M.,,,NO Excercise or MEALS.
ANY SUGGESTIONSD or IDEAS? Not only with the insomnia and sleep apnia, but equally important for the Perphial Neurapathy and constant PAIN. Oh yes, I forgot t tell you I also ITCH ALL OVER from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet most days and nights..ALL the time. HELP PLEASE!
Thanks so much… I hope there may be something you might suggest or do for me…I’m at the end of my rope…and Carol is too.
Please give Kim and your beautiful and big children a kiss for me. Our fondest regards to ALL. We’re so proud of YOU!
I am 49 years old with a 5 1/2 and a 8 year old little princess. Yes, I started late in life and have been blessed so much. I have been having these hot flashes for about 3 years now about 3 or 4 times a week in the middle of the night. I really don’t have night sweats on my chest but on my back and my palms get really hot sometimes late at night. It may last up to an hour sometimes. I still have my monthly cycle and it is regular. So, they seem more severe around that time of the month. I also had a test done 3 years ago at my doctors office to see if I was going thru menepause. It came back normal. How long can these hot flashes go on and could it be something else?
Shaggy and cindy are morons….don’t know how they wandered to this page, and wonder why they don’t have anything better to do than talk smack to depressed people….i have been on paxil for 5 years, excercise every day, and take time to breath…works for me
[...] DOCTOR IS IN: ADHD over-diagnosed? | Better Health By Fran Jeffries By Thomas G. Burns, Psy.D., ABPP First, consider these startling facts about the Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The rates of diagnosis for. Better Health – http://blogs.ajc.com/better-health/ [...]
BIll- that is a very ignorant statement. I for one want to learn as much as I can, look for any possible treatment besides medication. I have a nephew that has this condition, I see what it does-
All my life I have had sleeping problems. Tried prescription medicine as well as over the counter nothing worked so I just got use to sleepless nights. A co-worked suggested I try Melatonin which is over the counter. I take it 30 minutes before I want to fall asleep. Worked for me. I may not sleep more then 4 or 5 hours but I do not have to fight anymore with getting to fall asleep.
Take two lashings and call me in the morning. It’s bureaucratic nonesense, doctors, drug makers and insurance carriers are all out to make money. As much as we really want to believe that our moral/values system in in tact we are so far from that!! Tralee your nephew needs an a$$ whipping!
No doubt ignorance would keep Bill from successfully raising a child who actually has this condition. It is obvious that God has not granted him one, or he would never have posted this comment!
I strongly recommend reading the book “Scattered” by Gabor Mate, MD. The doctor himself has ADD, was only diagnosed a few years ago, and used his medical training and knowledge of the scientific literature to investigate the potential causes of impairment. It’s the best book on ADD I have ever read, and as an adult with this condition, I have read a lot. Mate also talks about how parents can re-frame their relationship with their ADD child so that the dynamics are less confrontational and “get this done now!” and more about reassuring the child that they will be loved no matter what their performance is, so that the child feels secure in the parent’s love. It’s a very thoughtful, insightful piece of work. “Scattered: How ADD Originates and What You Can Do about It”, Gabor Mate M.D., 2000
We are all making these statements but has anyone ever looked at the efficacy rate or meds vs. the placebo effect? I willing to put my drug rep job on the line and say you will be blown away by the results!
I will say this as I was diagnosed with ADD in second grade, I am now 31 years old. Without medication I never would have made it through school….or college for that matter. I do not have the behavior problems commonly associated with this condition I really only have the attention problems….but I know for a fact that it is much more difficult for me to concentrate and stay on task without any kind of medication than it is when I am on a medication.
This is nothing more than an attempt to drug our children into submission because all the touchy-feelies have systematically removed any sort of order or discipline in the school. Teachers no longer have any powers to enforce rules so what better way to get the children to behave then to drug them. Nowadays a child could be stabbing their classmate and all the parent will say is something asinine like, “Oh look…my little Johnnie is expressing himself.” Parents who take this “head in the sand” approach to parenting should not be allowed to contribute to the gene pool ever again.
ADHD is over reported at very high rates in school systems. I don’t think it is to sell meds, I think it is because parents lack the ability, or wherewithal to discipline their children. I have students in my class who are very intelligent, who know right from wrong, and still get away with extreme amounts of disobedience because of one mis-diagnosis they had in kindergarten. I have students on BIP’s (Behavior Intervention Plans) because of this Mis-diagnosis. The fact is that all these students really need, is just one parent in the household who is not afraid to discipline their child.
I have had a true ADHD student in my class, and with out his medication it was very sad. He honestly could not stop, and you could see on his face that he wanted to. So to see him, and then see an undisciplined child, with the same diagnosis, it was disheartening.
I had a step granddaughter before that was supposedly diagnosed with this. Ya know what’s really amazing, when you take the time to sit down with the child and help her with homework from school etc. Amazingly it gets done and it didn’t take hours, and she wasn’t trying to get up and run around the room or do 20 other things at once. It was easy, you just need to have patience and the time to spend with her. I think this is a partially convoluted “disease” for parents that don’t want to have to put any effort into taking care of their kids. I know, I have an ex daughter in law that’s like that and ya know her own kids recognize that and they do get resentful, restless, angry that Mommy doesn’t spend alot of time with them. Not to mention that children need ways to expend their energy besides sitting in front of a game console for hours or TV. My sister was given custody of our 2 great nieces 3 years ago. They were terribly misbehaved, one of them diagnosed with ADD, no manners, rude I could go on. Long story short, she literally makes them go outside when the weather permits and makes them to play and do activities outside. Not just sit in the house and do nothing. She has worked with them on their homework to the pint of printing off school work worksheets and having them do them at home. Well guess what 3 years later, the teachers can’t believe it’s the same kids, one of them is on the Honor roll with a 3.5 GPA the other is right behind her. No ADD Medication or anything else other then good old fashioned time patience and understanding and discipline! So please don’t tell me this is always the case with every child diagnosed with it because I’ll tell you you’re full of it!
Its a mathamatical certainty that ADHD is over diagnosed. This is a “condition” that is only diagnosed based on a behavioral comparison to what is considered “normal”. Using standard deviation methodology items within 2 std dev or 95% of the population (are generally considered “normal” the outliers being the remaining 5% (2.5% on either side)The last census says there are 53.2M children between 4-17 yrs, the 4.4M diagnosis represents 8.3% of that population! assuming ADHD is on one side of the distributuion curve, statistically speaking there should be no more than 2.5% of the population diagnosed as outside the normal range not 8.3% Now I realize stats don’t answer everything and real people are involved, but stats also don’t lie and it is a very strong argument that at least half if not more are misdiagnosed. They are probably at one end of the “normal” range. If 8% of individuals really do display these similar characteristics, then quite frankly it is “normal” and nothing to be treated
to the comments that “Gary” made. Successful treatment of ADHD can be done outside of meds. “good old fashioned time patience and understanding and discipline” which is what you said worked, as well as playing outside, will, in fact, work. Dealing with ADHD , behavior therapy is very necessary, and a calm, structured environment is important. Medication should supplement this. THe problem is, that many parents lack the ability,understanding and time needed to let behavior modification work. In the meantime, many kids fall behind in school. The ideal situation is to work on behavior modification while using medication at the same time, with, in many cases, the end result being that the medication is not always necessary anymore.
So the child could still have ADHD, but congrats to your sister for having the patience to deal with it in a non medicated way!
I have to think this is way over-diagnosed. Why hasn’t this been an issue until the last 20 years? How did people deal with it the previous 6000 years of human existence? Corrective methods that include threats, talking to’s, loving advice and yes, spankings. Kids were more polite and respectful. I have 4 very active children ages 3-8. They have done quite a few things that make great stories now but were diffult at the time. They know they are loved but when they start “acting like children” they know there will be consequences for bad behaviour. That doesn’t stop everything, of course, but they can sit still in church for 2 hours without making noise, so I know they can behave in school. However, there was a progression. At 8 months when they start squealing in delight at the discovery of their voice you can’t punish them, but by 18 months they have an idea of when to be quiet and at least understand “shhh” when they made noise. By age 2 they were thumped on the leg for too much noise and by 2.5 were taken back to “the bathroom” for crying or talking. Now my most difficult child the current 3 year old is quiet as a mouse except when she whispers “I have to go potty”. I have witnessed plenty of children at restaurants and playgrounds that their behaviour is out of control and their parents don’t correct them. I suspect they are eventually put on medication because if they act this way in front of parents they are probably worse at school without them.
It takes a parent to truly know if their child has ADHD. It is easy to say all the child needs is a spanking or some time spent with them and thier ADHD will go away. It is like any other medical diagnosis they have good days and bad bays. I do believe that children can learn to ways to cope without meds especially when they are older. Is ADHD overly diagnosed? Yes, I think it is but to argue that it does not exist is another topic.
Gary, that’s wonderful news that your nieces have gotten into a supportive, loving environment and have been able to turn things around without resorting to medication. They sound very lucky to have family members who care so much. Every child diagnosed with ADD deserves that kind of structured assistance; and for children who still don’t improve within a year or so, then perhaps medication might be indicated. Behavioral approaches should always be tried first – however these are much more labor-intensive and from what I have seen, many people would prefer to take the ‘easy’ way out and just pop some meds. Personally speaking, I went on medication only as an adult, in order to be able to work in an office environment (talk about distraction!). But my parents always stood very firm when I was a child and said they didn’t want me on medications (I suspect the only reason the teachers were okay with that is because I was a good student and didn’t require extra work on their part).
I do agree with Bill to a certain extent. I do think stimulant drugs are needed in some cases. As mentioned above there has been a 400% increase in drug usage over 50 years. Times have changed since then.Kids are more exposed to what is going on in the world and it does effect them. There are more divorces and more television watching on now then 50 years ago. There are more children that take stimulant drugs in public schools than private schools (if any kids take stimulant drugs in private schools). There is something wrong with the diagnosing method. There is no neurological evidence to support ADHD/ADD. There needs to be more studies and definitely more behavioral therapy for children.The process of elimination should be applied in the childs situation, it works.
Beyond question, along with another excuse medication, antidepressants, one the most over prescribed and thus abusive medications. Ever wonder why other mammals don’t require these to function all over the planet?
Please take not of the author’s degree–psychology. This profession also consists of some the most bizarre and cerebrally challenged individuals on the planet at 95% of those who choose this course of study are in fact themselves kooks!
Of course there is the rare clinically correct diagnosis, but about 98% of the time it boils down to lazy, worthless parents who rely on the medication to do their job for them so their brat will be quiet and still as they watch soap operas and eat pizza and ice cream!
So Mama Cass are you saying that any physical discipline is “Child Abuse” ? Or just outright beating which I would agree that “Beating” would be abusive.
I have a son, 8, who has ADHD. He was uncontrollable in Kindergarten until he was tested for ADHD. He is in Gifted Program at school, 2nd Grade, now. This is NOT nonsense. You have NO ideas what it is like when your child is not on medicine the problems, behavior issues, etc. Without medication and therapy, my son would be lost. ADHD is a problem that usually exist in Highly intelligent individuals and genetic. Anyone who does not review information about ADHD and does not pay close attention to your child actions, behaviors at home, school, and everywhere else, I would be concern about your parenting skills etc.
I am 49 years old and I was diagnosed with a attention disorder 9 years ago. If I had the medication when I was younger, college might have been a choice. If you don’t have a problem or have a child with a problem, you have no clue what you are talking about..
Mama I would say to you that medicating a child into a desired behaviour is the real child abuse. Yes I do and have used physical discipline on my children but have never beat them. A beating is abuse and is different than physical discipline. The main problem I have with ADHD is that there is no “Test” to say you have it…it is a guess based upon observed behaviour and that there have been no long tetm studies on the long term impacts to the people who get teh meds. Besides show me a teen who goes on a rampage and I bet s/he is on some sort of med for ADHD or Depression. My original statement was meant to be over the top because there are always people who have learning issues but this whole ADHD is nonsense due to a lack of discipline and routine…
I am a mother of an ADHD daughter. I refused to medicate for YEARS. What those of you without a child with this condition fail to understand is that it goes way beyond getting homework done or cleaning their room. My daughter has the impulsive variety: she cut through a lamp cord while it was plugged in. When asked why she did it she said she didn’t know – with all sincerity. She’s set a stick of deorderant on fire. She’s flashed her schoolbus. And a ton of other things ‘normal’ children don’t do. And before you go attacking my parenting – exactly HOW would you stop a child from flashing their schoolbus? Staple their pants to their hips? I have done my best to raise her with love, values, and morals. This is not a ‘made up’ condition…
Ronnie, I don’t have children but was raised in a household with 6 children (I am the oldest) and all children do things like you describe and worse. All of which is quite a normal part of learning and growing up. You never really believe the stove is hot until you find out for your self.
Dan
I agree with your sentiments, but not your analysis. Like most statistical arguments, it begins with the assumption of a normal distribution. We have no basis to assume that ADD follows the normal distribution. In fact, If ADD were not a medical condition, and was merely “outlying” behavior, it would be expected to have a normal distribution. However, if it is a medical condition there is no reason to expect a normal distribution. That would be like assuming a normal distribution of US households being hit by a hurricane, when it is clear that individual circumstances (coastal location, brain chemistry) dictate the probabilities rather than random chance.
Researchers have found genes associated with ADHD behaviors;it’s a real disorder. ADHD may be beneficial for hunter/gatherer hunters.
In a fascinating study done on homogenous tribesmen in Africa, half of whom had settled down and half of whom still lived as hunters, researchers found that those with the ADHD-associated genes did much better as hunters than those without these genes, but the reverse was true with the settled population. In the settled group, having ADHD-associated genes was a liability.
ADHD can be seen on brain scans. However, it also appears to be over-diagnosed. From what I’ve read, only about 10% of kids diagnosed with ADHD actually have it.
Overdiagnosis not only hurts the kids who are misdiagnosed but also those with the problem because their situations and needs are not taken seriously.
Those who are against medication or diagnosis, that’s fine, that’s your opinion. But to call people “liberal” (which is not a bad thing!) or to assume that teenagers who commit crimes are on ADHD medication is ignorant at best. It’s that mentality of “just spank ‘em” and they’ll behave that is detrimental to these kids who DO actually have the disorder. Everyday with my son is a challenge. You have NO IDEA what it is like. And unlike other kids with behavioral or developemental issues, we are treated like bad parents with unruly children. I teach 6th grade. I have many, many slow minded students. Let’s say I just beat ‘em, then they’ll learn. Lazy bums. They just have no discipline….
Amen Bill! I have a child that has been “diagnosed” with this bs. There is nothing wrong with him except he is a normal boy that sometimes does not pay attention and sometimes does stupid things. That’s what kids do, their kids. But my wife (a teacher) decided that he should see a doctor and told the doc she wanted him checked for adhd and what treatments she wanted. The doc told me he had been dealing with this stuff all years because the middle school had hired a new “Counselor” who was telling parents that their children were adhd every time they were in trouble for talking in class. It is a joke. Get the counselors out of the schools and the kids off the meds!! The real problem here is MBPS (Munchausen’s By Proxy Syndrome) and a bunch of “doctor wanna be” counselors trying to justify their salaries.
Let me guess, you teach in a government school, correct? And “liberal” more often than not IS a bad thing! Who do you think relies on more on using medications and a parenting alternative, liberals or consertives?
At the risk of being ridiculed, I believe that we are trying to fit square pegs in round holes. Some people just aren’t cut out for school. I’d rather my child be uneducated in academics and off of drugs, than on drugs and well educated. There will always be labor jobs where high levels of attention are not required. There is nothing wrong with labor jobs. When we decided that EVERYONE should go to college, we started looking for ways to make sure the hyper kids with no attention span could get there too. So we drugged them. In turn, they do graduate, but they are not themselves. Their true selves are wonderfully hyper people who can’t hold the attention to read a book, but they can hammer, and dig, and find happiness in the work of their hands.
Wow! I guess ignorance is bliss! My child was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago. We knew something was wrong and decided to see the pediatrician first. She recommended a child psychiatrist and we learned of his problem. It was never recommended that he receive medication, so that theory is gone for those of you that think that’s the issue. We were given a lot of support and provided a number of strategies to help him.
Yes, we spanked this child many times just as we did the others. It didn’t work. Today she still struggles, but without meds. It’s a hard job but I think it’s something that she has to deal with. She has a therapist and that’s been really helpful. It’s a real problem that has always existed. If you haven’t lived it, you have no idea.
Dr. Amen has done significant work using brain scans and has been able to demonstrate brain activity that is different in a child with ADHD and one without. He also has some interesting theories on why ADD is increasing in our population. These have mostly to do with genetics and the fact that women with ADD reproduce more often and at a younger age. There are always the ignorant that will believe this is just bad parenting. I have three kids – one with ADD and two without- I do not raise them differently and have not spared the rod. My son was on meds for several years and now manages without, as do I. Also, I wonder how much diabetes medications have increased over the same span. It makes sense that medication usage would increase as new meds are discovered.
I am a conservative and have an almost ten year old son who IS well-disciplined at home, but had attention and hyperactivity problems. ADHD medication has done wonders for him. Until you’ve walked a mile in the shoes of a parent with an ADHD child, don’t judge.
Chris first of all good discussion
But the question on the table is over diagnosis, not necessarily the existence of the condition. (although I realize that is also a hot issue)
You can count hurricanes and there is a definitive measure (xxmph winds)
you don’t simply compare two storms and say the stronger one is a hurricane, which is how a comparitive diagnosis would work
This is why I believe a normal distribution is appropriate (if over simplified), primarily because it is not definitive that it is a medical condition. It is a behavioral one, and medical or not (which is subjective), the method of diagnosis is 100% based on comparing the patients behavior to the “norm”. If the % of people diagnosed was 2 or 3 or even 4 maybe, but 8% clearly suggests some people whos behavior is within normal parameters are being diagnosed with an issue. Wheter it is poor Dr’s or lazy parents or both. Ronnies example is a great illustration of normal behavior being blamed on a condition. If you were at a PTA meeting and asked the group have any of your kids cut a lamp cord, set fire to something in the house, or shed cloths in public
you would have 95% of hands go up and the others would be lying LOL
Yet Ronnie thinks they are indications of a problem, I am not picking on Ronnie maybe her child does have a problem, but the examples she chose to use are clearly normal growing up behavior
Exactly Dan. The problem lies in society’s attributing normal behaviors to a “Syndrome”, and then using hearsay interpretations of the behavior as a diagnosis.
This “disorder” is most often diagnosed and treated based on what the parent or teacher/counselor tells the physician. So if the parent thinks the child is adhd, then most likely the doctor will respond accordingly. My child was given meds based on what my wife told the doctor. He never saw one trait or tendency of adhd from my son directly, only what my wife described. My wife was convinced by one person in a school system that had seen my son a couple of times that he was adhd, then she talked to the doctor, now he is “diagnosed” adhd and on meds for little more than not paying attention in class. I have to laugh every time I go to his school and see the sigh out front that says “This school is a “Drug Free Zone.” Percentage wise, their counselors and teachers have now become far worse pushers than any of the street corner thugs ever were. What a joke.
As a mother of 2 daughters and 2 step-daughters, who has had one of each diagnosed with ADHD (before my husband and I met), I KNOW that this condition is over diagnosed AND over medicated. My daughters were raised and disciplined the same yet at 15 months I told the doctors that there was something wrong with my second daughter. She was 14 when she was diagnosed! I still do not believe that ADHD is the problem! The medication has made a world of difference in her behaviour, when she takes it. I can sure tell, within half an hour of her waking up whether or not she has taken her medication. She will be 26 in a month and still has behavioural and mood problems. I have had a psychologist suggest that she is ADHD, but that it is the root of a more serious condition known as Bi-Polar disorder. This I believe. I truly believe that she is Bi-Polar, although she will not seek a positive diagnosis nor treatment for it as she feels this will label her a “freak”. I feel that if she were to seek treatment, whether it be medication or behavioural therapy, that people would see her for the person I know she can be as I have seen that side of her. As it is, most people do consider her a “freak”, or a “waste of space” and she does not realize this. She wastes her time with “friends” who are into drugs and get into trouble with the law. Both of which she has been involved in. In fact, she served 20 months in a prison in Trinidad for trying to transport cocaine back to Toronto. She believes these people are truly her friends, and cannot see that they are just using her (not one of her “friends” returned calls to Foreign Affairs although she was sure they would come to her rescue when she was in Trinidad because they told her they would). She is still “hanging” around with these type of people and has a 23 month old with another on the way. She denies that she has a problem and refuses to help herself, lying to counsellors and doctors about how she is doing.
On the other hand, my step-daughter who has been diagnosed with ADHD, to my belief, does not have the condition. Medication does nothing for her and she complains that it makes her feel ill, so she does not take it. She has had problems in school for years and that is why her father persued the possibility of her having ADHD. I discovered, some time after my husband and I met, that her mother is a huge part of the problem. When my husband would phone to ask why assignments hadn’t been handed in her mother’s reply would be “Well if she doesn’t want to do it, why should she?”. Their younger daughter doesn’t like coming over to our house because when she asked for a video game console for Christmas one year, I said no until she pulled up her grades at school. Her mother bought her one for Christmas and her grades and attendance dropped dramatically. I even had her teachers telling me that they could sure tell by her homework and school work, when she had been at our place or at her mother’s. Luckily, although it took a few years, she realized herself that my requiring her to do her homework was not such a bad thing. At one point, her father wanted her tested for ADHD and I disagreed that it was necessary. This is around the time that she started seeing for herself that her mother’s lack of discipline with her sister was a problem and began to discipline herself. She is now in high school with good grades and the discipline to do her school work without anybody having to tell her.
Again, I do believe that this condition exists and I also believe that it is over diagnosed and over medicated. I also believe that ADHD is an underlying condition for something more serious, or at least that ADHD is part in parcel with other problems. Most people diagnosed with ADHD either are diagnosed with other “behavioural” or “attentive” conditions later in life, or are just plain lazy and have not had the proper discipline to know how to discipline themselves.
Raymond, I wonder the same thing. And why did they have to send her to three hospitals? Was she not getting the treatment she needed at the hospital in Montreal? If not, why not? And with all that pressure building up in her head from the injury, was it safe to put her on a plane??
I think she was brain dead before they put her on the plane so it did not matter by then. She was sent home to have goodbyes and pull the plug. What I don’t understand is how you can suffer such a hard head injury from a bunny slope? I thought maybe she had an aneurism and the fall triggered the bleeding which led to a ruptured blood vessel. We will find out eventually. Really sad and tragic.
WOW! people r so stupid these days.
I mean, if she stayed in the london hospital, they might of helped her there.
I acuse the people that put here on the plane.
Here on the plane ride gave the blood time to do what it was doing and kill her.
I used to be indifferent about helmets and skiing because I only skied Nordic style whenever I did. But the more I think about it, the more I think people should consider wearing helmets on the slope, even if it’s just a bunny slope. Up until today I probably wouldn’t have worn a helmet if I started skiing downhill — but now I probably would. How very sad for Natasha and her family. Bless their hearts.
Hey, so you all know, The CNN medical expert must have also suffered from a brain injury, an epidural bleed is between the dura and the skull, as stated above, however once the bleed breaks the dura,if thats possible, it’s no longer an epiduarl bleed but considered a subduarl bleed. Which would make more sense since subdural account for about 35% for sever brain bleeds. It’s also consistent with Diffuse Axon Injuries or brainstem injuries which is what the doctors apparently are referring to, i just wish they would come out and just say what it is, rather then try and dumb it down. -T
Thank TFL tho for actually correcting some genuises. Don’t get me worng they are but the don’t need to act like were all dumb. But other then that I feel very bad fpr the family and what they’re all going through.
Actually ths is a classic epidural bleed presentation, I mean a text book presentation. The only question left in this regard is did she have a seizure too. The reality of medicine in Canada is that they do not have neurosurgical accomodations, equipment and surgeons at each and every hospital like we do here in the USA. This is a classic socailized medicine scenario that happens there weekly. We will also have this scenario here soon as the government will cut out each hospital from having every speacialty and you will have to go to specific hospitals for specific care. This is considered a cost saving move and more of us will die and suffer as a result. That is why she was taken from hospital to hospital.
By the way the treament for this is usually a CAT scan or MRI of the brain for accurate diagnosis. The CT is much faster followed by placement of a wel positioned bore hole to allow drainage of the blood and relieve pressure followed by cautery of the epidural vessel as needed, usually a small vein partially torn, to tamponade the bleeding and it takes less than 30 minutes. This is truly bad and a waste of a life
My heart aches for her family, especially her children. Life is so fragile. I’m so shaken by the fact that she was alert and talking after the fall and then suddenly slipped into a coma. We should pay special attention when small children and the elderly take a fall.
Thank you Willie. I, too, am concerned that with socialized medicine many will die needlessly because they can’t get the care they need. If in fact the hospital in Montreal didn’t have neurosurgical accomodations, equipment and surgeons to help Natasha, it must have been a terrible frustration for her family, and my heart goes out to them. I wonder if anyone knows the name of the hospital in Montreal.
I do believe that ADD exsits. And I know that there are parents that are “too busy” to get a hold on their child but theter are teachers who are also pushing for the meds to be given to childern with “problems”. My son is just about deaf now. He has had hearing problems since birth. From pre-k till 2nd grade I had teachers telling me, in fact insisting that he was ADD. An yes he showed classic signs for ADD when in fact he was losing his hearing. I kept telling his teachers that he could not hear them properly but they kept at it until they had me convinced that he had ADD when he did not.
Willie, you must be a Republican, because it’s standard Republican policy to use personal medical tragedies to further their political agenda — witness the Terry Schiavo case in Florida last year.
Jessica: to answer your question, the Montreal hospital was Sacre Coeur de Montreal. It is associated with the Universite de Montreal.
Many Americans have been speculating that the hospital did not have the necessary CT scans, etc, to properly diagnose Ms. Richardson, blaming the Canadian universal health care system for not equipping all hospitals with adequate technology. I’ve lived in Montreal and also in very small Canadian cities, and I can assure you that there are CT and MRI capabilities in all Canadian hospitals, with the possible exception of VERY small towns, in which case patients would be airlifted to the nearest large hospital with these technologies. Montreal is a city with a 3.6 million population. Rest assured, Sacre Coeur has CT scans.
From what I’ve read, Ms. Richardson denied initial medical help, and it wasn’t until she developed a severe headache that she allowed for medical attention. She was already brain dead by the time she arrived at Sacre Coeur and the family moved her to New York so that family and friends could see her one last time.
A terrible shame, no doubt. Wear helmets, people. It may not have prevented this tragedy, but it wouldn’t have hurt, either.
Actually I think the best time to bring these things up is when there is proof ot the results of socialized medicine. Simply put it results in longer lines and a drop in quality of care. He stated a fact and you don’t like it, deal with it. Its truly sad to see someone die when they might have been fine with the proper care. Doesn’t this make you think what if that was me I know I would want the best medical care available if this happened to one of my family members.
Willie is your classic ignorant American spouting off about things they have no clue about. Question, Would you stand up in a room full of educated individuals and make a fool out of yourself? Why do it on the internet?
Why don’t you take a trip through Georgia and tell me how many small towns have a Hospital, let alone a trauma unit with a surgical neurologist on staff. I’ve been through more po dunk towns in your state than I care to remember. I would have swore I was in some 3rd world sh*thole in half of them if I didn’t know how to read a map.
Oh, interesting that our health care system give us the same outcomes when it comes to treating diseases as yours; some better, some worse, statistically insignificant differences in all from heart disease to cancer. We live longer up here as well. You pay twice as much for the same standard of care. You can’t even cover everyone and the leading cause of bankruptcy is from medical bills. Yeah, you have the better system.
You guys are always the best even when all evidence slapping you in the head points otherwise. Keep chirping its good for a laugh.
Hey, Bubba here……as a georgia peanut farmer, I gotta admit that I do not wax, and most of the other farmers I know think it’s wrong to send our American dollars to those Brazilians. Most other farmers I know dont wear those thong bikinis…they say they get all chapped from the tractor seat. Cept for my buddy Luke, who says he likes getting all chapped….course Luke was never the same after that mishap involving those sheep and some milking-machine contraption he invented.
Really? Longer than I wait in the emergency room already? Longer than the 6 hours it took for my girlfriend’s father to be seen when he was in the throws of COPD? I experienced socialized medicine in England as an American visitor. I waited less time and was treated no differently than if I had been here in the US. You people need to watch Sicko…it will change your minds on socialized medicine.
As for Ms. Richardson, this is a terrible tragedy, and to use something like this as “proof” socialized medicine doesn’t work, without knowing all of the facts, is typical scare tactics. How about some human sympathy for her family? Leave the politics out of it.
I do believe that this condition exists. But, I also believe that about 90% of these are wrongly diagnosed. First of all, there are the drug reps, who recommend a particular medication to the doctor they are meeting with. Many times the drug reps with get some sort of compensation for pushing a certain drug. The doctors themselves don’t know that much about the drugs, they are just relying on the drug reps to tell them which one is best. Lots of times the doctors will also get some sort of compensation from the drug companies for prescribing a particular medication. It all comes down to greed. People just want to get paid and they don’t really care who they have to hurt to get their money. So, I believe it is overdiagnosed because the pharmaceutical companies are pushing it on the doctors and they are in turn pushing it on the patients. All about marketing…sell, sell, sell…it doesn’t matter if you don’t need it, take it anyways…
I have no idea what a Brazilian wax is. Is that like a Turtle wax? The article could have included a picture. Like we really know what Brazilian wax is!!! This is GEORGIA USA!!!
I would have expected this from a state like Oregon, where they like their girls earthy. Brazilian waxing is a fine art, but perhaps the duct-tape-tied-to-the-bumper method is not sound. Please see a professional.
Interesting comments. My mother and my wife’s grandmother were both treated in a hospital in London (different times) and raved about the care and the medical professionals in attendance. I believe the comments referring to our system over their system is off the mark and not going to get to the answers these comments were suppose to be about. Does anyone know for sure (haven’t checked the news yet) that she was brain dead at the first hospital? The second? Seems to me a couple of you know what you are talking about and it comes down to the timing of her first hospital visit. If she was already brain dead then everything after is personal for the family and a tragedy.
As a former special education teacher in public schools, I definitely feel this condition is over-diagnosed. So many of my students who were labeled ADD/ADHD came from very chaotic homes. However, I also believe it is a real condition. I still think of one student with wonderful, supportive parents. It was truly painful to watch this poor child struggle to take in what was being instructed-you could see on his face and in his eyes how much he wanted to concentrate and participate in the classroom. As a mother of two preschool boys, I am very concerned about the 15-20 minutes of playground time in the public schools. I just do not feel that is enough physical activity for children, especially boys. I wonder how much lack of physical activity affects behavior in the classroom setting.
People, stop blabbing about socialized medicine being the cause of her death. Before you come out with your indoctrinated opinions, travel around the world a bit and get the full perspective. Just thinking that the US is the non plus ultra actually means it is. Furthermore, you ALL have no clue what happened so stop blabbing about that , too. If you do not know the facts keep your mouth shut. This was a tragedy, but that is part of life.
People die every day through lack of medical care, I am sure docs and nurses do their best with limited resources. I am a victim of medical mishap, but just have to get on with life. Whether the person is famous or not, sympathies to the family, her 2 boys, Kirsty Macall, died in similar circumstances, y does someone famous v to die before issues are raised regarding health care, helmets etc. Enough is enough, people are starving, rest in peace all who died today.
Seriously, the things people put themselves through nowadays to be “sexy” is just beyond me. Nowadays, I see women getting their entire face waxed…where does it stop? A trim here and there is one thing….but bald areas like that is for pre-pubescent stages of life…not adulthood.
Why is everyone here trying to lump everyone into one category? The fact is, there is not a “one-size fits all” for these kids. Everyone is different, and that is why some things work for some kids and others don’t. That is also why this is so difficult to accurately diagnose. For some, medication may work well, but for others, the road may be longer, with a combo of intense meds and therapy, some kids may just need regular therapy and learn some behavior modification. So for everyone here to argue this as if it has to be a black or white solution, is just silly. Each parent needs to seek out and do the research themselves, and discover what is going to be the right method of treatment for their child, if in fact they are ADD/ADHD.
Just a side note, my cousin was diagnosed with ADHA, and when his mother took him off sweet cereals, snacks, etc and drastically changed his diet, he was able to go off his meds, and continue with regular behavior therapy, and is much more manageable and pleasant to be around.
The first hospital that Richardson went to was located in a small town (Population 9000) near Mont Tremblant where the accident occurred. They examined her, gave her initial treatment, and then decided to evacuate her via ambulance to Sacre-Coeur Hospital in Montreal (about 65 miles away). This decision was made because Sacre-Coeur has an excellent neurological department and it’s located in one of Canada’s largest cities. It was while she was in Montreal that she was declared to be brain dead.
She wasn’t transferred to New York for medical treatment. The took her to New York for the benefit of her sons and other family members. They wanted to keep her on life support in order for them to be able to give her a final goodbye.
When she left Montreal they knew she wasn’t going to survive.
Apparently, she was told to see a doctor immediately after the accident occurred, and a short time later by her hotel staff, but she declined to go. It was several hours later, when symptoms started to appear that she decided to go to the hospital. Who knows whether she would have survived if she had gone to the hospital right away.
In the end, she probably would not have survived regardless of where the accident occurred.
Les you make some good points every child is different, which also means straying from the norm is not a condition, rather a normal differnce. Your example is perfect! If the “treatment” is not having sweets. THEN IT ISNT A CONDITION! Lots of kids get hopped up on sweets. Good parents take the sweets away, lazy ones call it a condition so it is not their fault
They turned away paramedics on the actual ski hill. If the paramedics had seen her, no doubt she would still be alive. This was walk and die syndrome. Has nothing to do with medical care in Canada which is top notch.
I was watching “Extreme Sports” on cable an watched a woman tumble an entire mile down an extremely steep hill, hitting jutting rocks along the way, hitting her head at least 50 times as she pinwheeled down the embankment. She blacked out half way down.
She ended up with a bruised arm.
Natasha has a mild fall on the bunny hill. All that tells you is that when it’s your time, it’s your time. Period
It’s annoying how ideologues are using this to scare clueless Americans about “socialized medicine.” Yeah, like Canada is such a backwards, 3rd world country. Try visiting other countries and learning about them before making such moronic statements. Canadians wouldn’t put up with our craptastic health care system for two seconds. Richardson got transferred the first time because it was a small town hospital – they took her to a large hospital with a prestigious neurology department for further evaluation, but by then it was too late. She was sent home to NY to die surrounded by her family.
Trust me, you don’t want to have an aneurysm in BumF_k, Georgia and get sent to their little hospital – you’d better pray you’re life-flighted to a major trauma center in time … actually, you’d better pray it happens in the ER with you scrubbed up for surgery. There’s almost NO time in this situation for any delay. This isn’t about socialized medicine, it’s about a freak accident, a tragic treatment delay and possibly, a tragedy that even if everything after the fall had “gone right” – could STILL have ended in her death. Just very sad.
The only reason she wasn’t operated on is unfortunately because of LAW SUITS.
I used to work at a neurosurgical equipment company and learned alot about neurosurgery around
the world. In some countries…albeit rough…a burr hole would have been made to relieve the pressure
and wait-n-see without fear of a lawsuit. BUT here in the US we have conditioned everyone to proceed
much more cautiously due to legal costs. She DIED because of MONEY and GREED.
Don’t forget: The US health insurance industry has approximately 2 millions employees who can act as foot soldiers to beat back attempts at health reform. They’re scared to death of losing their jobs and have a self-interest in painting socialized healthcare as evil, substandard, overpriced, etc.etc.
Nowhere in the US is anyone turned away from a hospital whether they can pay or not. With socialized medicine, you will have rationing of care and what no one is telling you is that socialized medicine will have to be subsidized by the taxpayers. Nothing is free, period.
Exactly Dan. What is most sad about this epidemic of over diagnosis and over medicating is what we’re doing to our children, their budding young minds and potential future inspirations. Had Einstein and Mozart grown up in modern American schools, they would have been diagnosed adhd and drugged with ever-increasing doses until they were lethargic and “normal”. With a school system geared toward parroted rote learning as opposed to actual thinking, it is not surprising that medicated zombies are preferred to spirited individuals.
I also fear the liable state the schools are placing themselves in. In a few years when some objectionable side effect becomes know, it will not only be the drug companies the class action lawyers go after, it will be the schools and their counselors recommending that these children be drugged.
Well, first of all I would to say that who ever wrote this article has a steriotype about brazilians wearing thongs, know their culture frist before you write something like this. They wax the genital areas not to wear a “skimpy thong” like you said; but for them “brazilians” is all about hygiene! If they banned that in New Jersey let it be, let the people rule. I’ll say that whom ever waxed that lady didn’t know what was doing.It’s optional wax if you want to! However to answer your question I say NO! They should not ban Brazilian Wax in GA!
NJYM — She didn’t die from money and greed, she died in a country that treats EVERYONE that walks through the door. It was a tragic delay in treatment, and a tragic outcome that had nothing to do with money or greed. Now, if she had died in the US, I might agree with you.
Get a grip people stop blaming the health care when she was already unconcious and in a coma when arriving at the hospital. Canadian health care is just as good as USA healthcare. If you think social medicine is poor medicine then you are SICK. Listening to too many politicians that don’t know what they are talking about. I have social medicine and it is wonderful and I get all the treatments I need and I pay for it through my taxes instead of going bankrupt. GIVE ME A BREAK. Unless you live in it or experience it then you don’t have a right to say something you don’t know anything about.
I am so proud to be a Georgian after reading these comments. Seriously. Maybe instead of the government getting involved, though, people could try not being stupid.
Reagan once said, “If the Senators from New Jersey are so worried about the wolves in Yellowstone, maybe we should let a bunch of wolves loose in New Jersey.” It’s a shame he was kidding as clearly the herd of politicians in New Jersey needs thinning.
The Brazilian wax makes a woman look like a little girl down there (hey, I had sisters growing up!)…and for me, it’s kind of a turn off—because I have no pedaphillia inclinations. Girls, I ain’t the only guy that thinks so—more men than you realize say it’s no hot. Trim it yes, shave/wax it…no. Besides, when the stubble starts growing back, it is like sandpaper….which scratchs during intimate activity. Did you know that pubic hair actually functions as a form of dry skin lubricant for sex?
Willie you are an idiot!!! Not every hospital in America has specialists, people do need to be transferred alot, hello not every hospital is located in a metropolis!!!
The Ban is not for just full removal of pubic hair as the Brazilian Waxing suggests but it is illegal to even do a trim. If you wax or not, the state should not be dicating if you can or not get groomed. Help us petition to the AG office to overturn this ban. http://www.jairasbrazilianwax.org
Big gathering event on Monday 3/23
I live in Canada, and believe that our healthcare system is in a horrible crisis and will only get worse. Compared to European countries we are number 23 out of 30 in terms of quality of healthcare. That’s nothing to write home about.
According to ER physicians and trauma surgeons, Montreal lacks the capacity to offer an emergency helicopter service. One would think that a city the size of Montreal, dealing with very ill and injured persons would provide an emergency helicopter. Such a service can get someone from a smaller, more remote hospital to one offering trauma service, much more quickly. Longer ambulance rides, can indeed increase fatality rates, in the case of life threatening injury or illness.
Montreal lacks emergency helicopter system
Updated: Wed Mar. 18 2009 6:43:21 PM
ctvmontreal.ca
Montreal is lacking an emergency helicopter system, according to Dr. Tarek Razek, head of the trauma team at the Montreal General Hospital.
“We have no medical helicopter transport system in this region or in western Quebec at all. And it’s the only region I’ve been able to find in the western world,” he said.
He notes that Nova Scotia, which is not a wealthy province, has a medical helicopter.
It is a problem that is frustrating for some of Montreal’s trauma professionals.
“I have a child and I think about what happens if we’re driving in the beautiful countryside and we have a car crash. He can’t– or I won’t be able to– get him to definitive care,” said Dr. Paola Fata, a trauma surgeon at the MUHC.
The problem has come to light after actress Natasha Richardson suffered a tumble on a beginner ski hill at Mont Tremblant on Monday. The fall resulted in a serious brain injury. She was not wearing a helmet.
“If you have a ski crash at Mont Tremblant or in Sutton, I cannot get you to my centre fast enough to have those reductions in mortality. I just can’t. Because we don’t have the mechanisms and the systems in this region to get you there. So– wear a helmet when you ski– because you’re not going to come to me,” said Razek.
I want the people Americans and Canadians who like the Canadian system to see what Canadians are saying about their socialized health care system :
(AP) A letter from the Moncton Hospital to a New Brunswick heart patient in need of an electrocardiogram said the appointment would be in three months. It added: “If the person named on this computer-generated letter is deceased, please accept our sincere apologies.” Americans who flock to Canada for cheap flu shots often come away impressed at the free and first-class medical care available to Canadians, rich or poor. But tell that to hospital administrators constantly having to cut staff for lack of funds, or to the mother whose teenager was advised she would have to wait up to three years for surgery to repair a torn knee ligament.
“It’s like somebody’s telling you that you can buy this car, and you’ve paid for the car, but you can’t have it right now,” said Jane Pelton. Rather than leave daughter Emily in pain and a knee brace, the Ottawa family opted to pay $3,300 for arthroscopic surgery at a private clinic in Vancouver, with no help from the government.
“Every day we’re paying for health care, yet when we go to access it, it’s just not there,” said Pelton.
The average Canadian family pays about 48 percent of its income in taxes each year, partly to fund the health care system. Rates vary from province to province, but Ontario, the most populous, spends roughly 40 percent of every tax dollar on health care, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
The system is going broke, says the federation, which campaigns for tax reform and private enterprise in health care.
What about the availability of healthcare here are the stats
An estimated 4 million of Canada’s 33 million people don’t have family physicians and more than 1 million are on waiting lists for treatment, according to the Canadian Medical Association. Meanwhile, some 200 physicians head to the United States each year, attracted by lower taxes and better working conditions. Canada has 2.1 physicians per 1,000 people, while Belgium has 3.9, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
What about rationing health care does the Canadian system ration? Yes they call it queuing and here it what the Canadian doctors think of it
Queuing
Queuing is a controversial measurement, not least because there may be many explanations for the queuing, many of them medically justifiable, so that aggregate queuing figures may conflate those whose waiting poses no health or other risk with those whose health may be impaired or may suffer pain while waiting.
That being said, in a system in which health services are free at the point of consumption, queuing is the most common form of rationing scarce medical resources. And since patient satisfaction plays no part in determining incomes or other economic rewards for health care providers and administrators in the public system, patients’ time is treated as if it has no value. There are no penalties in the system for making people wait
All of this is due, as I argued in a major paper I co-authored in 2002,10 to the conflict of interest at the heart of Medicare, in which the people who are the ultimate providers of health care services in Canada are also the people charged with regulating the system and quality assurance. Since no one is a competent judge of his or her own performance, and no one likes to be held accountable for his or her work, the result is that the health care system simply does not set tough standards or collect the information that would allow us to hold the system’s administrators accountable for their stewardship of our health care and the billions of dollars that they spend. The people who would collect the information are also the people whose performance would be assessed if useful information were made available. There appears to be no legal obligation on governments actually to supply the services they have promised to the population as their monopoly supplier of health insurance. This is an appalling double standard, as no responsible regulator would permit a private supplier of insurance to behave in this way, as a recent background paper for my Institute makes clear.11
There is more on Queuing and the lack of statistics
“I would also like to point out that while we talk a lot about queuing in the Canadian health care system, and we talk as if we know how many people are waiting and how long they wait, in fact we do not know this at all. Ironically for the largest single program expenditure of governments in Canada, we know astonishingly little about what we get for our money. As my colleague David Zitner, Director of Medical Informatics at Dalhousie University in Halifax and Health Policy Fellow at my Institute, likes to say, no health care institution in Canada can tell you how many people got better, how many people got worse, and how many people’s condition was left unchanged by their contact with their institution. None of them can give you an answer. No one knows how many people died while waiting for needed surgery. No one knows how many people are queuing for any particular procedure or how many people cannot find a family doctor. Mostly we have guesswork, anecdote, and subjective measures, not objective ones (such as the Fraser Institute reports mentioned earlier). We do not even know how long someone has to wait before he or she has waited “too long,” because the health care system does not establish official standards for timely care–although presumably even Mr. Romanow would agree that someone who died while waiting for care may have waited a tad too long.
Natasha would be the person that waited “a tad too long”
What are Canadians saying about MRI’s and CT scans and technology?
Medical technology
With respect to medical technology, Canada’s performance is also unimpressive. In a study12 comparing Canadians’ access to four specific medical technologies (computed tomography [CT] scanners, radiation equipment, lithotriptors, and magnetic resonance imagers [MRI]), with access by citizens of other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, Canadians’ access was significantly poorer in three of the four. Despite spending a full 1.6 percent of GDP more on health care than the OECD average, Canadians were well down the league tables in access to CT scanners (21st of 28), lithotriptors (19th out of 22), and MRIs (19th out of 27). Moreover, access to several of these technologies worsened relative to access in other countries over the last decade.
Anything that is free is usually SH#$ Canadians on free health care
“Free” Health Care Empowers the Poor
Everything I want to say about this is summed up in a story that happened to my partner Shelley. Shelley and I are partners in a restaurant, and she actually runs it. She was given an appointment at the hospital for a procedure, and she duly showed up at the appointed time. Two hours later she was still sitting there waiting to be called. Now she was only able to get a two-hour parking meter, and so she approached the desk and asked if she could go and put money in the meter. She was curtly told that she was free to go and put the money in, but that if her name were called while she was away, that her name would fall back to the bottom of the queue. So she just decided that she would take the parking ticket as part of the price of getting the medical service she needed. Another two hours passed, and still she was not called, so she again approached the counter, and very patiently and politely explained (as only Shelley can, because she is the soul of graciousness) that she actually had a small business to run; that she was there at the appointed time for her appointment; that she had waited four hours, which is far longer than she had been led to expect the whole thing would take; that she had other commitments because of the business; and could they possibly at least give her some idea of how much longer she might have to wait?
Well, the woman behind the counter got on her dignity, drew herself up to her full height, glared at Shelley and said, “You’re talking as if you’re some kind of customer!”
There you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the essence of the problem: When the government supplies you with “free” health care, you are not a powerful customer who must be satisfied. They are doing you a favor and you owe the state gratitude and servility in return for this awesome generosity. They can give you the worst service in the world, but because it is free, you are totally disempowered. One of the most important lessons I have learned from my contact with the Canadian Medicare system is that payment makes you powerful. And its absence makes you risible if not invisible.
Will Canadians ever go back to private healthcare? Yes if they can check out below
CMA Head Says Canada’s Health-Care System in Crisis, Needs Change
Posted on: Wednesday, 22 August 2007, 21:15 CDT
By CAMILLE BAINS
VANCOUVER (CP) – The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says the country’s public health-care system is headed for crisis, but a greater role for private health care could be the right prescription.
Dr. Brian Day said in his inaugural speech to Canada’s medical establishment Wednesday that contracting out health services isn’t new and has helped slash wait lists.
“Let’s be clear: Canadians should have the right to private medical insurance when timely access is not available in the public system,” he said to applause from about 270 delegates at the annual convention
What does the Canadian who created the Canadian health care sytem 40 years ago say about it today? Ladies and Gentleman I give you Claude Castonguay
Back in the 1960s, Castonguay chaired a Canadian government committee studying health reform and recommended that his home province of Quebec — then the largest and most affluent in the country — adopt government-administered health care, covering all citizens through tax levies.
The government followed his advice, leading to his modern-day moniker: “the father of Quebec medicare.” Even this title seems modest; Castonguay’s work triggered a domino effect across the country, until eventually his ideas were implemented from coast to coast.
Four decades later, as the chairman of a government committee reviewing Quebec health care this year, Castonguay concluded that the system is in “crisis.”
“We thought we could resolve the system’s problems by rationing services or injecting massive amounts of new money into it,” says Castonguay. But now he prescribes a radical overhaul: “We are proposing to give a greater role to the private sector so that people can exercise freedom of choice.”
Castonguay advocates contracting out services to the private sector, going so far as suggesting that public hospitals rent space during off-hours to entrepreneurial doctors. He supports co-pays for patients who want to see physicians. Castonguay, the man who championed public health insurance in Canada, now urges for the legalization of private health insurance.
What would drive this champion of socialism to the private sector?
Try a health care system so overburdened that hundreds of thousands in need of medical attention wait for care, any care; a system where people in towns like Norwalk, Ontario, participate in lotteries to win appointments with the local family doctor.
Years ago, Canadians touted their health care system as the best in the world; today, Canadian health care stands in ruinous shape.
Sick with ovarian cancer, Sylvia de Vires, an Ontario woman afflicted with a 13-inch, fluid-filled tumor weighing 40 pounds, was unable to get timely care in Canada. She crossed the American border to Pontiac, Mich., where a surgeon removed the tumor, estimating she could not have lived longer than a few weeks more.
The Canadian government pays for U.S. medical care in some circumstances, but it declined to do so in de Vires’ case for a bureaucratically perfect, but inhumane, reason: She hadn’t properly filled out a form. At death’s door, de Vires should have done her paperwork better.
De Vires is far from unusual in seeking medical treatment in the U.S. Even Canadian government officials send patients across the border, increasingly looking to American medicine to deal with their overload of patients and chronic shortage of care.
Critics say these border crossings highlight the dangers of a government-run health care system.
“The Canadian healthcare system has used the United States as a safety net for years,” said Michael Turner of the Cato Institute. “In fact, overall about one out of every seven Canadian physicians sends someone to the United States every year for treatment.”
Neonatal intensive care units in Alberta and Ontario have also been stretched to capacity, she said.
The cost of these airlifts and treatments, paid to U.S. hospitals by the province under Canada’s universal health care system, runs upwards of $1,000 a child.
Well since I started this at least part of it anyway I will add to my previous comments albeit to the chagrin of some of my Canadian brethren. I did tell you exactly what her diagnosis was prior to her autopsy coming out because as I stated earlier this is a textbook case, textbook. I am a physician and surgeon and I do know the Canadian system well and many of your physicians as they all leave as fast as they can from Canada to come down to the U.S. so they can make a living here in the U.S.. I am sorry that you are upset over your socialized system the only other bad news is the people that neglected to take care of Natasha will not be sued into oblivion like they would here for this neglect. That is right neglect this lady is dead and YOUR health care system is at least partly responsible and as you can see a lot of people know all about it and so do I. You see I lived in Michigan and Washington State and Buffalo during my training to be an orthopedic and spinal surgeon, about a total of 19 years including college and research, residency and fellowship years. All of those cities had programs set up to take care of the more affluent Canadians that did not want to wait 8 months to two years for a total joint or an organ transplant. To not have a hospital prepared to take care of serious injuries in proximity to a ski resort is laughable. By the way people who wear helmets get epidural bleeds and concussions too and wearing helmets is no excuse for not having adequate medical facilities. Governments (that includes the USA) cannot manage large sums or even moderate sums of money and they have proven that over and over but the hard core idiots cannot seem to get that through their heads. For example we just gave AIG bailout money to pay off bonuses to people that do not even work there anymore!! How STUPID is that?!?
I truly feel bad for Natasha and her family as this was a useless loss of life and the medical system is mostly to blame. DO NOT BLAME NATASHA ONLY COWARDS BLAME THE VICTIM. All patients when they feel better walk and talk and try to go about their business. The diagnostic period although short and unforgiving is there and she had it, she complained of headaches etc. but no one could act on it because they simply do not have the accommodations and they really should as they are at a ski resort where hundreds and thousands of people will fall every year and they should be prepared to take care of business and they are not and that is it. Typically there are protocols set up for these kinds of disasters because although not very common they do happen and the system should be prepared and clearly it is not. Had she gone to a clinic near the ski resort immediately they still could not have done anything as they plainly do not have the facilities and she would had to been flown somewhere and that takes time and you do not have that much time it has to be done on the timetable of the disease not some failed socialized half baked medical timetable
As far as me getting up in a room and telling people who are “educated” how bad this system is, I can assure you that I have absolutely no qualms or trepidations about telling the truth to anybody, anytime anywhere as there is no fear in my heart, none. The truth is what it is
Willie, I’m asking this with the wide-eyed curiosity of a 2nd-year medical student. I was sucked in to this debate first by my curiosity about the Richardson case, as well as the interesting comments here. As intelligent and experienced as you are, with 19 years of medical training, why would you choose this forum to express your views? I agree with you on most of what you say, and it’s clear you feel very strongly about your beliefs – why then would you spend over an hour commenting on an article that not many people will read? I’m sure you’re an extremely busy person who understands the difference between activity and productivity. Do more productive means exist out there for physicians to express their concerns about our healthcare system? Without us, no one would have any healthcare in the first place. I suppose I’m just wondering… if this is your only place to vent your views and attempt to affect some change, what will practicing medicine be like for my generation?
I completely agree that it is overdiagnosed! I ALSO agree that the condition exists and those with it need help and possibly medication, but faaaaarrrrr too many children are being pumped full of pills and labeled when all they need is some discipline and RECESS!!!!! Does anyone else think it’s insane and inhumane to expect a bunch of elementary school children to sit in a desk all day and behave? When I was in school we got two recesses until 4th grade and then 1 through 6th grade. Kids today need to be outside running off some steam and moving their little lard a$$e$!
This is so unbelievably sad. She and Liam Neeson have been so classy with the way they have handled their careers and raised their children. Besides being an uncommonly talented actress, she was above all a beautiful and caring human being. She will be missed.
Maria what you say is somewhat correct but you have to have a real passion for this profession and as you will learn sometimes you just have to dialogue with people especially when your voracity is being challenged by uneducated lay people. There is nothing wrong with having an opinion even a wrong one and the internet is hit and miss for sure but people use it for education and you should add your voice to the discussion as you are educated. Right now you are studying the second year med school load and you seem to not have enough time and that is normal. However never be too busy to talk to people when you are in practice people especially patients as they need reassurance and just knowing that they can talk to their doctor is huge. I talk to patients all day about surgery and success and failure of treatment. All patients have my cell phone and home phone I am never unavailable to them. I have had seven spinal operations myself 4 on my neck and three on my back, I come from a family of seven physicians and surgeons and I have grown up around medicine my whole entire life. I went to U of M in Ann Arbor played football for Bo Schembechler and then went to Wayne State med school, I was a linebacker in college (part of the cause of the seven spine surgeries later in life) I have always been a fighter and stood up for what was right. The American people are being lied to, again, about health care. I have worked in all types of medical systems city hospitals at Detroit Receiving, County hospitals like LA County USC and LA County Martin Luther King, VA hospitals, and private hospitals well run and not well run.
A well run private hospital with academically oriented leadership is the best health care in the world period. They are provide great health care, they are profitable and provide jobs and a sense of pride for the entire community. By the way there is nothing wrong with making a good living while providing good care and do not let anyone tell you that there is something wrong with you making a good living that is total BS. Everybody wants to have first class health care from a committed physician and surgeon and those people cost money. Bright dedicated hard working people are not free, most of them had to borrow money to go to school and the people they borrowed money from want their money back plus interest.
I did my spine fellowship at William Beaumont in Royal Oak Michigan that is a great hospital and it does all of those things. As far as venting goes I am not venting I am teaching and if I saved just 1 life I did a good job and that is how I see it. The evidence i presented did not require that much time I am an experienced researcher I have written scientific papers, the evidence of this bad health care scenario is overwhelming and this was just a smidgeon of it.
On a personal side learn not to argue with people that know a lot more about something than you do and never insist that you are right when you are clearly wrong in addition to looking like a clown as a physician you will kill somebody. READ the literature most of these people do not read and they just listen to people tell lies and because it sounds good and because it supports their own political and social position they back it up. The Canadian health care system although well intentioned is a huge failure the man who invented it, Claude Castonguay said so himself!!! I mean how much more verification do you need? Now the system represents socialist hypocrisy because it cannot meet the BASIC needs of the people and emergency services are basic needs, and the system failed because it does not require what medicine compels the most RESPONSIBILITY. That is correct no one in the system has to be responsible and they do not want to be responsible because that would mean looking at what they have wrought on the Canadian people.
Finally it is my intention to pursue a law degree. I will do it over the internet. You do not know the depth of the depravity in health care. There is tremendous waste and abuse and I am talking about right here in the U.S. The politics of healthcare revolves around the love of money not truly earned and lies and the people are truly secondary and the physicians are considered as pest, people in the way of the “agenda”. I am just practicing my skills on the internet jury “presenting my case” as it were. When people see my real name I want them to tremble if they have mistreated a patient or a physician. I want their attorneys to tell their clients that “we need to settle if we can because this guy is the real deal and he means it. “
Good Luck Maria I am sure you will do fine just remember always be honest no matter how difficult it is and always be available and people will love you and respect you and you will feel great about your work and yourself.
Anyone on here who denies the existence of depression, has obviously NOT suffered from it. I have been on anti-depressants since the end of 1999, because these things happened to me: I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and underwent emergency surgery during which I nearly died. I was in hospital for 8 weeks. The following year I had further surgery. I have an ileostomy bag for the rest of my life (I’m now 36). I’ve had endless financial problems, my mother died in 2002 and now I’m a full-time carer for my father who has vascular dementia. Depression is an ILLNESS which is caused by problems with neurotransmitters in the brain. Research has shown that people who inherit a certain version of the serotonin transporter gene are susceptible to depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and autism spectrum disorders. Serotinin, dopamine, noradrenaline etc are chemicals in the brain and the body, just as insulin is a chemical.Some of the posters on here really need to think about the rubbish they are coming out with, or they need to experience the same feelings that I’ve experienced: feeling suicidal, not being able to think, not being able to concentrate, feeling overwhelmed with fear which you think you’ll never get over…..paradoxically, a feeling that you really are about to die yet you don’t want to, or that you are falling further and further down a dark pit which you can’t get out of. To anyone who stills refuses to believe in depression: try living my life and THEN see how you feel.
Willie, as a passionate person myself, I appreciate the courage and drive you express in your willingness to take on controversial subjects. Today, many people are afraid to question the wisdom of socialized medicine (or the quality of our health care in the U.S.) for fear of being ridiculed. The practice browbeating others into silence is as old as civilization. Beautiful Natasha has indeed shed light on questions that must be asked – for everyone’s health and well being.
Pity the poor doctors !! What means will people have to be warned of a crappy MD or surgeon? Yeah, it’s always the oddball who complains….. nobody ever posts a legitimate claim/complaint on these sites. I’m just glad we have tort attorneys to protect us from jerks like Jeffrey Segal. Sniff, sniff, boo-hoo !! I guess we should all depend upon the AMA to provide us negative information against self interest !! Yep, that’s the ticket!
I am now 77 and in good health for my age, but concerned to know that my father and his father both
developed dementia at or around age 80. I have experienced intermittent depression since about age 10, and presently take 10 mg of paroxetine. I was hospitalized at VA in Augusta for about 30 days in
1982 for major depression. I am a retired professor from Georgia Southern University, living in Statesboro. I have had some difficulty remembering names for the last 2 or 3 years. I am physically active and play singles tennis once a week. I would be interested in any clinical trials that you under-take.
I would love to be in a trail or test. My dad died of early alzheimer’s. It was diagnosed prior to age 62. I was told to take two ibupron per day. I have not been doing so.
My mother in law is currently undergoing therapy at UAB in Alabama for Alzheimers, she is 80. Bother her parents and all four of her siblings that reached adulthood suffered from the disease. She is the only surviving child of her parents. She can recmember most family members but we know this will end soon. Before long we’ll be strangers to her. She is on a blind study medication now, I don’t see the good effects that my wife seems to see with her mom. My wife has undergone early test for the plaque that builds up in the brain and she was told she has a greater than sixty per-cent chance of developing the disease. Good luck
I intended to say good luck Mr.Fowler, I hope the best for you. I am 55 and I forget names and I have no history of this disease in my family that I am aware of, only by marriage.
I think most of us fear contracting this disease the most. It causes such a huge burden on caregivers who become as almost trapped as those who get this horrible disease with probably the most guilt and frustration it causes to all involved. If there is one disease we should probably work on in finding a cure this might be the one as it taxes both our health care system and families in such huge ways. Give me cancer or heart disease, but absolutely don’t give me Alzheimers.
Not remembering names is not Alzheimers it is when you can’t remember you car key will start your car or forgetting how to get home when you go to your local mall and have done it a many times.
My mom passed last year at 82, with congestive heart failure and pneumonia. However, she had a stroke seven years earlier and suffered some dementia a few years before she died, which according to her physician, was stroke related; regardless it was still hard to see her decline, but thankfully she still knew my sister and I, we were her caregivers. I don’t know the differences between stroke related dementia and alzheimer’s but I wish the mental decline of both types could be treated successfully.
This is the most cogent argument for the importance of early detection that I have see. Thank you Dr. Lah for constructing it. I am directing readers here from http://braintoday.blogspot.com.
I lost my dad to Alzheimers. While the disease slowly took him away from us my mother fought and lost a battle with colon cancer. My family and I were the caregivers and watched them both suffer daily. By far Alzheimers is the most devastating disease in so many respects. I worry daily about my risks and I cringe every time I hear someone say that a friend or love one is afflicted with Alzheimers. From personal experience, Alzheimer’s is devastating to the core!
My father passed away almost 3 years ago from the effects of Alzheimers but we lost him long before that. He no longer knew his family and friends and didn’t even remember who he was. He lost a lifetime of memories before he lost his life. So I guess that’s what it’s like to have your life taken away from you before you die. Very sad.
My father died from alzheimers in 93……………my sister just turned 60 yesterday and has for the past few years been experiencing memory loss……………….I expressed my concern to her husband and her daughter……………………I took matters into my own hands and flew up myself and drove her to the daughter……….long story short I wasn’t pleased with the dr…………..I flew back home………………another 2 weeks her husband took her to another doctore…………………..blood tests were done and she was told to come back in 3 months!! My plan is to go back up and request that further testing be done because her memory is horrible! Any testing that I should request would be appreciated………………..I am not exaggerating the memory………you have to take your health in your own hands, but if you aren’t capable or you’re scared, then a family member must step in !
Absolutely! If they can be treated like adults in criminal matters, why shouldn’t they be able to correct a mistake with a product that they could buy in less than a year’s time?
Kudos to this judge! It’s a great decision! Teens who purchase this product are making a much more responsible decision than having a baby before they’re financially and emotionally responsible enough to raise it. Ideally, they wouldn’t be having sex, but attempts to regulate sexual behavior has never been effective. Teens need access to this drug as well as to abortion without parental consent. This is a great decision.
May be good – May be bad, 17 year olds are very irresponsible and might try to use it as a form of birth control since they are obviously to laze to pop a birth control and/or use contraceptives. I don’t think it is designed to be used as birth control – might be harmful long term.
Bad decision. Why not just take parents further out of the equation. Parents need to be more involved and not less involved. These same teens could use the pill, all they had to do was ask their parents to get it for them. Keeping parents involved is a key to raising kids who will be productive, responsible adults.
Regarding Nona’s message I don’t think Teens should ever be allowed to have abortions without parental consent. I know some older young people who use abortion as a form of birth control and have had numerous abortions because they wouldn’t use birth control. Think of the damage that could possibly be done to your body later in life not to mention what if some medical emergency occurs during the abortion and the parents are not even aware of what is going on. That’s too big of a decision for a Teen to handle.
Absolutely they should allow the morning after pill to be bought. By no stretch of the imagination does that “promote” sex. They are going to have sex regardless of what options are available. In the heat of the moment I highly doubt they think “Wait, I don’t have to worry, I can get the morning after pill!”
This is one issue in which I cannot understand the Republican viewpoint on. As a Republican/conservative I want to prevent abortions and this pill does just that. A 17, even 16 year old child will abort a baby if it is allowed to develop. The pill stops that issue from taking place. We have to agree, at some point where or when to call a cell a baby, I don’t believe we can do that within 24 hours of actually having sex !
I do not think that it’s a good idea, because what if the child is allergic to something in the pill? It will be the “PARENTS” responsibility to take care of that childs medical bills if someting happens. I feel that if the government is passing this law, then when something happens they need to take care of the child if something goes wrong.
A 17-year old who was unfortunate – or misinformed – enough to require emergency contraception should be given access to it as immediately as possible. Particularly considering that they wouldn’t necessarily have time to get their parents involved.
I want to add another comment – a 17 year old is an adult in the eyes of the law as far as being arrested is concerned and as far as taking the parents further out of the equation? Most teens that have sex do not tell their parents and too many teens, while considered adults in some areas, are not responsible enough to remember to take the pill everyday and other birth control options, like Morena which my 20 year old daughter uses, are very expensive.
how can a girl be too young and immature to know well enough about themselves and their futures to decide whether or not to take the morning after pill, and at the same time be mature enough to be a parent 9 months later?
As a young adult I have a very important newsflash:
A) Not necessary most, but a LARGE percentage of YOUR children will have had sex by the time they are 18
B) Even smart kids (like me who graduated with a 3.8 from college) have sex before they are 18; to this day the parents still think they are angels
C)If you are smart enough to know that it is not an intelligent decision to have a child while you are still growing up, more power to you. Parents aren’t consulted before the act of sex, they shouldn’t be forced into a situation afterwords. Has anybody considered the fact that sometimes the parents are CRAZY and bringing them in the situation would just make things a thousand times worse?
Good idea as long as the product can not advertise towards minors. I would prefer to see this product have the same advertising restrictions as cigarettes.
Anybody who still thinks abstinence programs work need to retire to the beachfront property in Nebraska. If it helps curtail the number of illegitimate parents, I say go for it. Hell, I’d rather my tax money go towards the morning-after pill and abortions than Viagra, which is asinine that Medicare pays for.
I think parents should be more involved with their kids lives. Kids may not be responsible enough to take the pill every night or even have the money to pay for it but it only takes common sense to use a condom. I don’t think the morning after pill should be used as birth control like abortions have become. Ok, so we let 17 year olds get it, what next 11 year olds. As a parent would you want your 11 year old to get pregnant and you never know about it? Plus this pill I am sure is not meant to be used all the time and there may be severe side effcts if abused but kids are not going to think about things like that. If a teen has sex with no protection once and the consequences don’t exist then they are going to continue to do it and that puts the risk of AIDS and other STD higher. 17 is OK, but I don’t think they should let it go any further then that. I was having sex at 17 and was mature enough to use a condom.
I support this decision. If a 17 year old can make a decision to have sex, and then decide that she does not want to become pregnant, I think she is doing the most responsible thing she can do at that time – Not complete the pregnancy. Of course, she should have taken measures to prevent the pregnancy in the first place but that’s another subject. If a 17 year old doesn’t want a baby, why make her have it????
Imagine…. you’ve had sex “in the heat of the moment” and weren’t on the pill…. or, your partner wore a condom that broke/failed… or you were raped… or you forgot to take your birth control pill that morning (or maybe you took it, but haven’t taken it regularly enough to be effective). Sound familiar to anyone?
These scenarios aren’t limited to teens, they happen to plenty of adults too–so why should the morning after pill to only be available to adults but exclude teens? You can’t legislate responsible behavior into law, but what you CAN do is give both teens and adults a responsible OPTION if they do make a mistake so that they can correct it. Plus if teens are as irresponsible as the media make them out to be, then shouldn’t they have MORE options than adults available to deal with their mistakes because they ARE immature, and consequently shouldn’t adults be the ones to haver fewer options (because if the argument is that adults are more responsible, then we should be able to have a much easier time avoiding these situations, right???)
Yes absolutely! I would rather 17 year olds be able to end the pregnancy rather than become dependent on the medicaid/WIC system for the first five years of the unwanted child’s life.
When I was in college I knew several girls that used an abortion as a form of birth control. One girl has three done in the two years I knew here. Would the morning after pill been better than an abortion? Yes. But she didn’t even bother with birth control because she knew she could go to the clinic and get it taken care of. Why should we make it easier for teens to be irresponsible? We should make them own up to their mistakes and learn from them– not make it easier for them to cover up mistakes.
EJ, your response is not very well thought out or intelligent. Why not just ban abortions? That seems to be what you are saying. Only problem is women and girls will turn to back alley abortions and coat hangers. Great, not only will the fetus (not yet a baby) die, but the mother might as well. Great job. You just want to control all women.
So a recurring theme here is ‘what if it is misused, abused, or the user not smart enough use it right or to make a good decision on when to use something like this’. How about we get on the boat and finally decide that COMPREHENSIVE sex education is missing here in GA. How about a curriculum that includes abstinence, sex, birth control, relationships, pregnancy, STD’s and prevention (including condoms and other barriers), values and on and on… available to all teens in GA school, but maybe as an elective so that those who are just dead against it can opt out. I would love to see what happens to teen pregnancy rates 5 years after something like that was offered and delivered the right way. A labor and delivery RN can only dream…
Deepdiver, I am not saying to ban abortions. I am saying that if someone who is old enough to be in college can’t be responsible enough to use proper birth control, how can we assume that teens will be responsible enough to only use the morning after pill only as a last resort?
Teens will see this as a free pass. They may not use another other form of birth control and rely on this instead.
Well, here is yet again another clear indicator of the failing morals in this country. Perhaps these “Young” adults should be taught some morals and or ethics and more useful; some self control. Maybe they should be taught to take responsibility for their choices. Teach them it’s “Not all about them” and that some things are not ok.
If we could do away with abstinence only education across this state…then this might be less of an issue. Teaching kids that condoms are not being effective could be the reason they aren’t using them and are instead seeking the morning after pill. Why can’t we teach our children about their bodies at an early age? Why can’t we provide the necessary health services to keep them from certain poverty or….even to lift them out of poverty? This isn’t rocket science. I educated my children early on about their bodies and reproductive health. Unfortunately, many parents are not equipped to do the same. This is the issue. Whether a parent is in jail, believes sex ed goes against Jesus’teachings or sticks his head in the sand…the outcome is the same—kids are not getting the necessary tools to make good decisions, prevent pregnany and disease. Knowledge is power. There is a total lack of regard for health promotion and prevention in this state…THIS KIND OF THINKING MUST CHANGE IN ORDER FOR GEORGIA TO MOVE FORWARD AND ON TO OTHER ISSUES NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE OF THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES.
EJ, responsible teens using proper birth control can have the same problems that responsible adults have. Condoms break. They can slip off. You can forget the pill. Let teens have the chance to correct a situation if a mistake is made, whether it’s their fault or not.
Those saying that the morning after pill is not abortion need to examine the science a bit. It contains a lot of the same drugs that the birth control pill contains and, depending on your definition of abortion, both may actually cause abortions via interruption of the implantation process.
Those saying that buying the morning after pill is the responsible thing to do hear this. Unfortunately, society, largely influenced by secular-progressive liberals, has taught kids that they are not responsible for their actions. They can always blame somebody else for what happens to them. But you’re really telling me that they had no idea of the possible consequences of their actions? No amount of sex ed is ever going to stop kids from doing dumb things. The responsible thing to do would be to carry it to term. Take responsibility for your actions. If you have no means at all of taking care of the child, then put it up for adoption (everybody liked Juno, right?).
To those that would reflexively retort: Well then what are you views on the death penalty, huh? Even though there are obvious differences between a convicted killer and an unborn infant that render this argument useless, I would answer that I am not really for the death penalty. Believe me, I could really care less when it’s used. I just believe that there are punishments worse than death for monsters like Brian Nichols. If it was up to me, it would be solitary confinement to life. But what do you care, I’m just a crazy conservative.
The elderly are required to engage in some ’sporting activities’ to stay active and for ’soft landing’, and to consume more comfortable to digest diets such as fruits and veggies, which are instrumental for their metabolism and blood stream, from my perspective.
Michael, you need to examine the science. If a woman takes the pill the morning after, the egg hasn’t had a chance to implant, so, since it is an undifferentiated cell, it is not, cannot possibly, be a human by even the most ignorant religious conservative. Most people in the world don’t think you are a human until you’re born. So, don’t use your narrow-minded philosophy to dictate what any woman should or should not do with her body. No one has that right. And I have to say, your comments sort of smack of “let’s punish the slut for sinning by having her carry a baby nine months and then have to make the wrenching decision to keep the child or not”. When you are ready to adopt an illegitimate child, you can have an opinion, until then, keep your philosophy to yourself, and stop messing with the scientific facts. The morning after pill cannot possibly cause an abortion, because if the egg has implanted, it won’t work. ‘Nuff said. Now if you are one of the religious nut jobs that don’t believe in contraception, that is a whole other discussion. And again, it is not one that you are allowed to have an opinion on until you are able to get pregnant yourself.
Who is going to be responsible if the CHILD (yes, child) has an adverse or allergic reaction to this pill? The parents should know what the child has taken in order to tell EMS/doctors what was going on. It could save precious minutes/hours in saving the child’s life instead of them trying to figure out what the child took with tests, etc., which we all know can take HOURS in a hospital.
Instead of giving them a “easy out” (I guess killing a baby is an easy out) which will PROMOTE sex in teens, give them birth control and educate them…PARENTS.
the age of consent in Georgia is 16. If, by law, you are of legal age to have consensual sex…shouldn’t you ALSO be old enough to get emergency contraception?
Kids can already be treated with other drugs without the parent being around if a kid is found unconcious and they don’t know who the parents are. Your arguement is moronic. Plus there are plenty of irresponsible parents out there, not to mention kids are having sex no matter what their parents want to believe. Why make a second mistake by having a baby that probably can not be taken care of. That sounds like a stupid lesson that society will be paying instead of the kid who initially made the mistake of having sex without a condom or birth control.
Yes of course they should, we treat them like adults for criminal matters, why not this?? I would make sure they require the minor to read the materials on HOW to use the pill and sign that they read it and understand HOW TO USE IT before giving it to them. Those names of who received the pill should not be released to anyone but a the pharmaceutical company, business establishment selling, and government officials. NOT PARENTS!
Emphatically yes. When underage sex stops, i’ll stop agreeing……as long as there is underage sex, then better to let them not get unnecessarily pregnant.
Plan B should be available for 17 year old teens. How many people do you know who was comfortable about talking about sex with their parent at that age. At seventeren years of age, you would have wanted this pill. Mistakes happen. Condoms are 99.90%. However, there is a 17% chance that they make break! How about that statistic? Condoms are only effective when they do not break.
These pills cost like $40 a piece. I don’t think they’re going to be ‘overused’ they’re prohibitively expensive. The government should be giving these away for free to keep unwanted kids and abortions at bay.
Nan is right. Has anyone here noticed that stupid people seem to breed more than anyone else? I believe you should have a license to breed. Gotta have a license to drive, hunt, & fish. People need to be “fixed” at puberty & only when they have passed a certain age & a test that determins your mental capability of raising another human then you get your license. Most idiots I know have more kids than anybody & they can’t take care of themselves, much less the kids. They can’t seem to figure out what makes babies.
Absurd, you can’t have your teeth cleaned without parental consent, the ignorance of people who emphatically state that parents should not be informed is astounding (Obama mama) are you kidding me.
absolutely!! I agree with the point about if they can be tried as adults while minors, why not let them buy the morning after pill. Plus, I’d much rather my daughter take the morning after pill behind my back then come home and announce that she is pregnant at 15 or 16. Finally, I don’t think it’s any more abortion than taking the pill regularly is. It’s a preventative.
Most definitely; you will hear good and bad about the morning after pill; there are responsible and irresponsible teens and adults, but that does not stop either from having sex. I was against giving my daughter birth control pills at 16, but as the female doctor said, “you can talk until you are blue in the face and that does not stop harmones from flowing and people from having sex, safe or not.” She told me about a 16 year old who had already had 3 abortions because her mom’s religion was getting in the way of the mom doing the right thing by giving her daughter birth control and counseling her about sex. As the doctor said, If something feels good, are you going to quit doing it?” Heck no, this applies to anything in life such as eating, sleeping and most of all sex. So people, wake up, get your head out of the sand, be real, think real. And yes, I realize some teen may die from the morning after pill, but sometimes teens die while having a botched abortion or an unwanted, un-prepared for baby too. That is life….
“Parents should be more involved with their children’s lives.”
“They might use it as their only birth control.”
“What if they’re allergic to it?”
“If we taught kids morals they wouldn’t have sex in the first place.”
In the end analysis, absolutely NONE of these “shoulds” and “what ifs” are sufficient to deny a teen access to this pill. We have irresponsible kids- we also have irresponsible adults–and what, pray tell, is the intellectual difference between a 17 year old and a 19 or 20 year old? It’s often not as much as we’re trying to make it.
For that matter, I think any female who faces an unwanted pregnancy at any age should be able to access this option. Yes, even 11, and I don’t think that parental consent is always the best way to go either. I would be satisfied if someone under the age of 16 had to seek out the assistance of any trusted adult- teacher, pastor, counselor, family friend. Why? Because, unfortunately, things like rape and incest exist, and unfortunately, some kids can’t just go to their parents. We can’t expect that an 11-year old would feel comfortable telling her mother, for instance, that Daddy got her pregnant. If you think it’s an outlandish example, think again- it happens far more often than we want to believe.
Moreover, this rhetoric about teen girls needing to accept the “consequences” of their mistakes? Are you really implying that it is better to force young women to birth and care for children that they are not financially/emotionally/otherwise unprepared to have than to head this tragedy off at the pass? It seems to me it would not even be so much a punishment to the mother than to the poor children whose physical and emotional well-being could be compromised because of our insistence on teaching the mother a “lesson.”
And, for what it’s worth, isn’t it interesting that no one has ever suggested that we try to develop a drug that might temporarily block teen boys from making sperm? I love how we villainize teen girls and their sexual “bad behavior” while letting the guys off the hook completely.
I love the argument that kids are going to have sex anyways so we should allow them to make the “responsible” decision of something like the morning after pill. Well Kids are going to lie too…so we should not even bother to tell them not to…Oh yeah they are going to drink, cheat, bully, and be disrespectful of others…so there is no need to tell them not to do those things, instead we need to educate them on their rights, on how many times they can get into trouble before “really getting into trouble’, on someone coming behind them to clean up there mess. Not saying I have all the answers but that argument holds no water either.
There is no big difference between 17 and 18. None. And for all of the folks asking why these ‘girls’ aren’t smart enough to use condoms I have a news flash for you: this pill is for when your birth control FAILS. So you were smart enough to use birth control but something went wrong. But if young women are coerced into sex or their parents are too conservative to discuss sex with them then this is a great thing. A lot of young women CANNOT go to their parents when they start being sexually active. Unfortunately we do not live in a Utopian society where people will react the way we want them to. And for whoever said that there could be reactions to the medication that the parents will responsible for must think something magical happens when your 18th birthday rolls around. You will be just as allergic at 18 as you are at 17. And most 18 year olds I know would still be cared for by parents.
Oh, and BTW…abortions are NOT being used as a prominent form of birth control, especially by teens. The majority of abortions are for women in their mid 20-early 30s.
Heather–your comments symbolize all the nonsense of those who defend abortion, and yes, contrary to a lie from another poster, the morning-after pill is equivalent to abortion: Who SAYS a 17-year-old is ready to be a mother to begin with? That issue isn’t the point, anyway, at this juncture, which is something you and your pro-choice friends overlook, probably conveniently, as the mother in question already HAS a child.
What that mother does NOT have, contrary to judicial tyranny, is the right to terminate a pregnancy. This effort is just the latest attempt by pro-choice advocates and the Left in general to hide from consequences. They don’t want sexual abstinence taught in schools; they want contraceptives distributed, and they say that promoting a moral approach is somehow a violation of “Separation of Church and State”, which is untrue (not surprisingly, they totally misinterpret that phrase, probably conveniently again).
No woman has the right to an abortion or the morning-after pill, regardless of age, and we need people to stand up and speak out against all the lies we’re infested with in our culture. Take Planned Parenthood, for example: It infests young girls with so many lies that I don’t know where to start, such as the myth that abortion isn’t murder, the myth that there is no post-abortion guilt, etc.. One lie leads to another, and these people are nothing but a collective circle of dishonesty.
We don’t need the Left preaching its nonsense, promoting all the irresponsibility in the world, even to the point of blatantly attacking responsibility, and then acting as though those who oppose its tyrannical views are unconstitutional. What utter nonsense. Fact: If you’re going to get pregnant, you need to be responsible and see the pregnancy through, and if you’re not ready to support the child in question, give him up for adoption. I’m tired of all this nonsense where people get pregnant and act like they somehow have the right to terminate a pregnancy. (This “logic” is absolutely no different than saying, “Oh, I didn’t want to go to work last month. Therefore, I have the right to steal to pay my bills.”)
By the way, I posted a very-similar response last night, which ajc.com didn’t post. Not the first time this website has done so in regard to one of my posts. Gotta love the “objective” liberal media, huh? Perhaps I should make a phone call, and not to ajc.com, either.
Well Ronald, once you get pregnant and carry a baby to term you can tell people what the responsible thing to do is.
Until then, please understand that not all sex is consensual, especially when teens and young girls are concerned. And NO, the morning after pill is not abortion. It is IREESPONSIBLE to force a young woman to go through with a pregnancy based on some morality that not EVERYONE follows. Everyone has a different situation and pregnant women require a lot of care. And as soon as a baby comes into the picture who needs constant care because the mother was in no position to be a mother in the first place I know who will start complaining first about having to support that baby.
“escapee”–What utter nonsense you just typed. Don’t misuse freedom of speech to type your babble, and don’t give me any misogynistic babble about abortion allegedly being a female issue (oh, the morning-after pill IS the same as abortion, whether in-denial folks like yourself will attest to this fact of not).
Keep your excuses to yourself. You pro-choice advocates have as many excuses as you do lunatical arguments, which is saying something. You try to justify abortion because the female in question isn’t the right age or doesn’t have enough income, etc.. The nonsense and lies go on and on and on, and the level of responsibility is in inverse correlation. All excuses aside, you promote not only murder but all the irresponsibility in the world, in an effort to promote more of the same for others.
Although I disagree with you completely I understand that everyone has his or her own opinion. And you should live by your convictions. That being said, your particular dogma should not be what governs the lives and bodies of everyone else.
If you disagree with something then by all means don’t do it. Abortion is bad? Don’t get one. Sex outside of wedlock is wrong? Don’t do it.
I’m with QueDog on the overdiagnosis. A lack of proper parental discipline is a major factor in the behavior of many ADHD “diagnosed” kids! Also, in my opinion, a direct by-product of the “give them anything they want and they’ll grow up to be happy people” parental generation(s). (ie; No Discipline!)
As for my “dogma”, every individual is dogmatic, my friend, so don’t pull that left-wing trick that I referred to earlier where you try to stigmatize falsely the Christian principles this nation was founded upon.
You can tell your pro-choice friends not to try to maintain their dogma into law.
You support, whether you realize your doing so or not, the myth that the individual decides what’s true. To say, for example, to abortion opponents, “…don’t have one.” is like saying the exact, same thing to opponents of drive-by shootings, whether you’d like to admit this fact or not.
As for the morning-after pill, no one should have access to it, and to no surprise, all it does is promote more and more of the irresponsibility I’ve referred to earlier, and “safe sex” isn’t the answer, either.
“Given the magnitude of the impending threat, successful drugs are likely to become multibillion-dollar blockbusters for big pharma. I encourage, support, and participate in these efforts”, THIS STATEMENT IS A BIG CONCERN TO ME along with possible side effects of the drugs. We are well aware that pharmaceuticals are very profitiable – sometimes at the cost of health and wellness. If I’m “still kicking rear ends at bridge clubs”, I wouldn’t want to take anything that might hinder that “kickingness” even if it means a better quality of life later on. AND, if I’m 88 with few physical ailments, taking a drug that might decrease my physical condition would not be welcomed. I agree that the 3-minute MCI test is not enough. I experienced this first hand with my mother. I was even sent out of the room. It should be common knowledge that some cognitive impaired indiv. can answer some of those simple questions well enough to pass that test. I could have given them a more accurate picture of what was actually going on. AND this happened at a geriatric clinic. But, I’m sure we all agree, a lot needs to be done.
Alpen, you doubtless keep up to date with allergy medication and air purification; have you seen a new development called a liquid Ioniser? It clears the air, even in remote corners of the room by spraying partially charged liquidions. It doesn’t need to move the air with a noisey fan and is as effective as many fan based air purifiers. One real benefit from the technology is that once it has knocked the allergen from the air it locks it out for good so it doesn’t re-enter the airspace even if you disturb the furnishings in your room. This also means that there is no need to carry our a major refit of your home to rid it of carpets and curtains.
I have terrible seasonal allergies, but this year I beat them. I started taking Zyrtek and Flonaise (spray) all through the winter. I also tried allergy shots for over three years and I believe that this helped me tremendously.
Leave it to the ENTs to claim that sublingual immunotherapy is as effective as traditional injection immunotherapy. If it were indeed equally good, safer, and more convenient, wouldn’t the FDA have approved a sublingual product for use in the US? Wouldn’t every allergist offer it in his/her office? The fact is, most sublingual studies have been conducted in Europe, where there are different populations with different genes exposed to different pollens, and study designs have used widely varying doses and in some cases no or poorly chosen controls. Not surprisingly there have been mixed and irreproducible results. There is a lack of data from rigorously designed clinical trials in US populations and until then it is irresponsible to claim that this therapy is equally efficacious.
But this is what you get when you see a surgeon for a medical problem. Dr. Patel’s profile on emoryhealthcare.org includes on his list of clinical interests epilepsy, facial paralysis, neck pain, parathyroid surgery, tongue malignancies, and trauma among many others. Consulting a physician like this for allergies is like taking your broken lawnmower to an auto mechanic.
Bottom line – if you are one of the many millions who suffer from allergic disease, you are far better off seeing a board certified allergist who spent 3 years in subspecialty training to actually understand how the immune system works.
YES. I am 13 years old and cannot stand my period. its just more plumbing to be maintained. It is stupid that there is aquestion about it ! Some girls love it, i think.. and some girls like me hate it.
Or they could be of course buying it for sexual reasons. I think anyone that has their period should be allowed to take it.
That should become a loaw of some type!
No kidding ! ask any girll and i bet you they will not say they enjoy having their period!
ITS NOT FAIR!
I suffer from what is called Night Time Easting Syndrom. It is where you get up in the middle of the night to eat, sometimes three or four times during the night. Does anyone have this problem??? It is causing a weight problem PLEASE HELP
The goal of socialized medicine is to reduce costs and deliver only the medical care that is needed. So they play a numbers game – if a treatment of disgnostic tool results in positive benefits a lot of the time then it will be considered – otherwise forget it. The facilities for expensive treatments are not available at as many hospitals as they are in the US because of this.
I used to live in Canada and I’ve had some experience of this – rather than go down the hall to get an x-ray (as would happen at my GP’s in Atlanta) I’ve had to go across town to a centralized facility.
SO my child had a concussion last fall here in Atlanta, was knocked out for a short while and very confused for several hours; he got a CT scan – which showed no internal bleeding. Because of the possbility of negative results of the CT scan, the Canadian medical plans would likely not have done this. And because of the complaints about “two-tier access to medicine” that came up in the past, I would not have been able to get to ANY facility in Canada and pay CASH to get the test. I would have had to wait until the damage was done before I could escalate treatment. In the majority of cases the injury would not cause death – it’s a numbers game.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
So many experts, so little time. I don’t believe that it is overdiagnosed, I believe there is more of an awareness now. As a teacher and the parent of a child with ADD, if they truly are ADD-the meds work, if they aren’t-they don’t. You wouldn’t deny your child medication for any other condition, why do them this disservice? It’s not that the parents won’t and the teachers can’t, it’s that the child wants to (work, focus, finish a task) but can’t find a way. And John, I believe the saying is:
Those who can-teach, those who can’t- go into some insignificant line of work.
I understand why you want to ban it, but I do not think you should. I am 11 and once bought a pack of the counter, they never asked for my age. I think that we should be able to buy it because you can actually get pregnant without sex. I dont know how but it happened tomy best friend and twin sister , Bella, and she tells me everything. I know that she never had sex, but she still got pregnant. We did not tell the press cos it would shame the family if we did,, but she did get pregnant without havihg sex, so it is possible people! Luckly I managed to buy the pills for her without any trouble or it would have becam a big thing.
How about we quit filling up the jails with petty crimes like marijuana possession and lock these jackholes up for a few years. Then when they get cranky they can pick a fight with a 300lb cellmate who hasn’t had any action in quite some time. That’ll make him think twice about being a big man who is so manly he only beats up women and children.
Why is it you need a license to drive, fish, hunt, own a gun, cut hair, be an accountant, get married, etc….but any idiot off the street can knock up some slut and pop out a kid 7-9 months later? There needs to be a process where people have to be approved to bring a child into the world. Crazy.
As a teacher I see a lot of neglect. When reported, I doubt it gets sent up to DFACS–someone deems it “not significant”. If it does go to DFACS, nothing seems to happen. I have been told “we cannot interfere with the way people raise their children”, like THAT is supposed to solve the child’s misery. Teachers are held accountable; I’d like to see others in the chain also held accountable TO THE TEACHERS who have reported.
Please please please consider volunteering with your local CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) groups. As the number of abuse cases go up, that means the number of volunteers needed to support these kids need to go up too. It doesn’t take much of your time and does a world of good for these kids that need a stable caring adult in their life. http://www.nationalcasa.org/
It is unfortunate that many in the community are unaware of the procedures used by the Department of Family and Children Services. DFCS in and of itself can be a very intrusive process when a family becomes involved. There are no doubt times when one may think there should be involvement, however without that concrete proof there can be no more involvement. Many things that others may feel is neglect or maltreatment often times are due to the families economic level which may not be that of those around them. Unfortunately many people in the community may look down on others who are less fortunate and feel they are neglecting/abusing their children because those children have less than others. There is no doubt there are exceptions however, many times they may not have the perfect living situation but their basic needs are met (food, clothing, shelter). I wish that all could understand that DFCS is to help those in the community to ensure that the family can stay together whenever possible and not take away children. DFCS should never be involved with a family unless there is true risk or true abuse and neglect, not just because someone “thinks” that something is not right. Unfortunately it is impossible for any one agency to keep every child safe when there is so much negativity and education about what it is that DFCS does with the community. It would be very helpful that all who work with children get education about what child abuse and neglect looks like and how to identify without letting our own personal filters come into play.
Excuses, excuses. People who abuse kids don’t need an excuse, just an opportunity. What’s next, to blame Bush? Too bad we aren’t more pro-active in our laws and not allow some people to procreate. We all know that some people just aren’t fit to be a parent, period….no way, no how but my goodness can you imagine the ACLU and others who’d be on the pavement screaming about people’s rights. DFACS? You’d subject a child to that confederacy of dunces? That, in itself is child abuse.
I actually reported that a student was living in filth (there was dog feces in the house when I made a home visit). He would also be so hungry on Monday mornings that I kept crackers in my desk to feed him. I reported it to DFACS and they said it wasn’t enough neglect for them to investigate.
Also, I was sexually abused as a child by my father and some of his friends. This was in the ’60’s. We were not rich but we never hurt for money. What was his excuse?
[...] mind you that the teacher and the child doctor also reported it – to date nothing has been done. DOCTOR IS IN: Bad economic times means more child abuse | Better Health __________________ Mahogany [...]
God help these poor children. As a proud parent of a young son, I hope any parent that neglects or abuses a child is severly repremanded. I’m going to check out the above mentioned websites/organizations and see how I can get involved.
In response to all those people that think ADHD is crap. I have one question “What are your credentials and academic background?” I too once thought ADD/ ADHD was just an excuss for bad behavior. When decicding to become a parent I gave up a career in Radiation Therapy and became a full time mother. My son scores in the 98 percentile on achievement tests, and makes straight A’s at one of the most academically challenging schools in the country. Yet, the child can not sit still or follow more than one direction at a time. After musch reaserch it has been scientifically proven that a CT of a brain of an ADHD child is significantly different in the cerebral cortex area (area of attention and focus) than that of a child without ADHD. Explain that one Mr. Me.
The literature supporting allergy drops is very impressive. There are more than 400 citations in Pub Med including 100 double blind studies and four meta-analysis. That sublingual immunotherapy works and is safe and cost effective is undeniable. There are important benefits such as a four-fold decrease in asthma as reported by Novembre et al. There is no medication that can do this. Sublingual immunotherapy has equivalent efficacy to injection therapy yet is safer, has better compliance and costs less.
The limitation on the use of sublingual immunotherapy is a lack of expertise. Tucker et al reported that less than 6% of Allergists have any experience with this form of immunotherapy. There are more ENTs prescribing allergy drops than Allergists and this gap in expertise will continue to grow. The Allergist’s approach of prescribing medications as first line treatment rather than prescribing a safe form of immunotherapy means that patients will go where they can get help.
RE: Mercury and vaccines
February 15th, 2009
11:56 am
“mercury is not in vaccines anymore…. autism rates continue to go up.”
Actually, independent random checks on “Thimerosol-free” vaccines are turning up trace amounts in some samples. The manufacturers use it in the production process and the remove it.
But the bigger issue is that vaccines are one of many sources of mercury that newborns and young children are exposed to. And there are countless other ways an expectant mother can come in contact with it.
And then there is the synergistic effect ( AKA potentiation) between lead and mercury. It is a key piece of the autism puzzle that is being missed.
For the full story, you can read LEAD BABIES, a new book that ties mercury to autism, without being blown off course by the vaccination debate. http://www.nomoreleadbabies.com.
This is an important issue, and the good news is that awareness is increasing, and there are more resources than ever to address the problems of abuse. For anyone who wants to learn more or to get involved, consider being training in the Darkness to Light child sexual abuse prevention training, led in Georgia by the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. For $15 and 3 hours adults can learn how to prevent their children from becoming an easy target for pedophiles. People can also get involved by helping support organizations like the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy that respond to sexual and physical abuse by providing free services to child victims and education programs for adults. For more information, visit: http://www.GeorgiaCenterforChildAdvocacy.org.
I wanted to let everyone know as one of the Leaders at Spark Georgia-The Offical Team. Spark Georgia-The Official Team at SparkPeople is having their first Spark Rally across the entire state of Georgia. We have a little over 86,000 members at Spark Georgia. This will give some members the opportunity to meet the leaders and to gather together, maybe even get a spark buddy to team up with in their local area. We are coordinating these rallies in Lithia Springs at Sweet Water Park, Buford Dam, Augusta, St. Simon Island, and Valdosta. They are all being held on April 25th at 10:30 am. Please come to SparkPeople.come on the Spark Georgia Team for more details. We are also hoping that we can get coverage from AJC with this event.
I was a SLIT patient in Conn. for about a year, and it did help me. However, the cost $1200/year was too damn expensive. I know it can work because I was better able to cope with the symptoms.
I think the big hurdle to it in the USA is the FDA. Had it been approved by the FDA, my insurance would have picked it up, but why should the FDA approve it especially when they are controlled by the pharmaceutical companies who make tremendous profits from their pills. To me, that is corruption!
If anyone knows of a reasonable cost supplier of SLIT (for Tree Pollen), please let me know! radpublishing@yahoo.com
Urmm Tina I’m sorry but that’s impossible, I think your friend has been lying to you or has got the wrong idea. It is a scientifically known fact that sexual intercourse is need to become pregnant. And Ronald it is rude to force your opinions up on other people, they have just as much right to their opinion as you do to yours. This is a DISCUSSION there is no right or wrong answer. However I think that young people aged 17 are just as much of an adult and just as mature and responsible as people aged one or two years older. The same problems happen to teenagers as they do to everyone else, why blame them and not the rest of the population who have experience unplanned pregnancies?
TC GREAT OBSERVATION!!!! THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT IF THE GOVERNMENT ALLOWS OUR CHILDREN TO PUT HANDS IN A PILL LIKE THE MORNING AFTER PILL, THEN, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BILLS TO PAID. THEY RULE AND WE “PARENTS” PAID! ALL PEOPLE DO IS SHOUT AT PARENTS FOR MORE RESPONSIBILITY OVER THEIR OWN CHILDREN, HOW CAN WE DO THAT? IF THEY ARE ALLOW TO EVERYTHING WITHOUT OUR CONSENT! THESE KIDS ARE CLAIMING CHILD SUPORT AND PROTECT FROM THE GOVERNMENT DCS, BUT THEY ARE ALLOW TO PURCHASE SUCH PILL, HAVE SEX AND ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN GET HANDS ON! ARE THEY CHILDREN OR ADULTS?! I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS THE MOST INNOCENT SYSTEM THAT IS OUT THERE TO BE! CHILDRENS ARE PROTECTED WHEN A PARENT PUT A HAND ON THEM AND CAN CLAIM CHILD SUPPORT, TO ME IF A CHILD IS HAVING SEX, YOU ARE NOT A CHILD ANYMORE!!! YOU ARE OLD ENOUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT CONDONS, SEX AND PLAN B PILLS, YOU ARE AN ADULT AND SHOULD BE STOP CLAIMING CHILD SUPPORT AND BE PROTECTED BY DCS BY BEING TREATED FULLY AS AN ADULT! PERIOD!
I have read multiple posts regarding this issue: Pros and Cons. Both valid points; however the one point that is assumed in the Pro side is that parental involvement is a given. Coming from an extremely disfunctional family w/absolutely NO parental involvement I had no “parent” to turn to. So, what was the solution? Where was/is the paretnal involvement when the sex act is being committed? Look at the “Palins”. Strong parental involvement after the fact. Kudos for them. My girlfriend, who got pregnant at 17 had “strong” parental involvement. Because she came from a VERY supportive family, she was able to keep her baby and live at home w/Kristy being brought up not only by my girlfriend, but by all family members. I wish the solution was black and white…but it isn’t.
As a physician, I am very worried about the increasing loss of health insurance that my patients are enduring. They are avoiding necessary medications, treatments, and procedures. They are being admitted to the hospital instead of controlling chronic conditions as outpatients, leaving the hospitals and taxpayers to foot the (much higher) bills. Patients often must change their primary care provider when their insurance stops or changes, leading to redundant testing and increased costs. The government must be involved in shaping the health care coverage industry in the U.S., because if not, we leave ourselves to the mercy of profit-driven corporations. Many physicians in the U.S. support a public health insurance option and universal health coverage.
My best friend of 21 years left for Cancun Saturday morning. I am worried about her. I hate to say this and I know how it sounds but I won’t be going around her for a couple of weeks when she get’s back. If I was her, I would come home. But I know her and I’m sure she’s sitting on the Beach drinking her Corona and not worrying about it! For the comment from John; Maybe you need to go get tested & treated. I wouldn’t take any chances.
My family and I get our flu shots every year and we see the doctor if we are sick. Swine flu responds very well to anti-viral meds but you have to get them within the first 48 hours. If there is an outbreak we should quarantine. I am not worried about this but I am glad we got our shots. My doc says the shot will provide some protection. Also, this looks like a pretty weak strain that is hitting the US. Be cautious, take care of yourself, but don’t panic.
My poor mother gets panicked everytime this type of thing is reported. She is concerned we may have to cancel our trip to New York the end of May because she is convinced this one will go pandemic! She’s 81, so I cut her some slack. Everyone just needs to remain level-headed, take your vitamins, wash your hands and keep away from those displaying any flu-like symptoms. I will admit, videos I saw earlier of Mexico cities looked pretty dismal with no one on the streets.
I bet as soon as someone in the U.S. dies from this, or at least if the death toll here is in the low 10’s, we’ll have mandatory vaccinations. Huh. All there is to do is hope for the best–for those in this country and elsewhere.
Amoz, Asian might worry about you as this is starting in the U.S. and Mexico, not the other way around–actually, maybe that’s what you’re asking. I dunno, hopefully this will fizzle out and turn out to be less of a big deal than the world fears, but just keep an eye out.
“I bet as soon as someone in the U.S. dies from this, or at least if the death toll here is in the low 10’s, we’ll have mandatory vaccinations. Huh.”
Um, vaccinated with what, exactly? THERE IS NO VACCINE. They’ve never seen this particular virus before. Any vaccine developed for this new virus will take six months to manufacture.
“Besser said officials were already taking preliminary steps toward manufacturing a vaccine against the influenza strain responsible for swine flu. There is currently no vaccine that protects against it.
“We’ve created that seed stock, we’ve identified that virus, and discussions are underway so that should we decide to work on manufacturing a vaccine, we can work towards that goal very quickly,” Besser said.
This could mean incorporating a swine flu vaccine into the annual seasonal flu vaccine already in production, he said.”
The seasonal flu vaccine comes out in October, that is the EARLIEST that a vaccine will be available for this thing.
To the person who says that they will be avoiding their friend when she returns from Mexico: you are very smart. Stay away for about two weeks, which is how long it takes for symptoms to develop. Call her on the phone to say welcome back!
Well, I’m glad someone didn’t think it was snobby of me to say I would stay away from my friend who is currently in Cancun. I don’t know how my friend will take it but she’ll get over it. I will be calling her, just not seeing her. I just can’t chance it. One question…..Does anyone know if she will have a hard time getting back to the US?
It’s Obama’s fault. He’s an idiot. Why hold a press conference to say “Don’t be alarmed?” The fact that he held a press conference about it is enough to create mass hysteria.
I hate shots, and I definitely do not trust new and experimental shots – which will be definitely offered door to door in the next year. I respect people who run out and get vaxed, but I wish they’d in turn respect those who’d rather wear face masks, self quarantine, and emergency home school who don’t believe in miracle cures. There’s no religious exemption to vaccination during a health emergency – only a doctor’s affidavit. What doctor’s going to sign an affidavit? They’re more worried about their medical license and believe EVERYTHING they read in a book without thinking of who wrote the book and why. Why does a doctor get to say what I can do with my body instead of me taking my own personal responsibility and reading my own medical materials and considering the risks and benefits of the 2 week old vaccine myself (why would a doctor know any more than me if the vaccine’s new and experimental? A doctor’s just more indoctrinated). I wish there was a religious exemption or a self quarantine exemption to the health emergency vaccination law. Last time I checked, my body’s not owned by the crown.
O.C.G.A. 31-12-3
(a) The department and all county boards of health are empowered to require, by appropriate rules and regulations, persons located within their respective jurisdictions to submit to vaccination against contagious or infectious disease where the particular disease may occur, whether or not the disease may be an active threat. The department may, in addition, require such other measures to prevent the conveyance of infectious matter from infected persons to other persons as may be necessary and appropriate. The department shall promulgate appropriate rules and regulations for the implementation of the provisions for the Code section in the case of a declaration of a public health emergency and shall include provisions permitting consideration of the opinion of a person’s personal physician as to whether the vaccination is medically appropriate or advisable for such person.
Art: You are trying to blame this on Obama? LOL Given all the media coverage and developing hysteria, getting on television and addressing these concerns was the responsible thing for him to do.
My 3 year old daughter is home with my husband sick today. Although her her fever is not that high, I am very concerned. I will see how it plays out and take her to the dr for screening if it gets any worse. The daycare that I take her to, has a bunch of Mexicans working there, I am hoping they did not contract anything from their relatives and bring it to the daycare center.
GG: Unless they have been to Mexico in the last two months (which most of them don’t go back and forth on a regular basis as it costs too much especially in this day, age and economy), then you have nothing to worry about with your daughter. It’s probably just a cold or allergies.
Normally, 36,000 people die from the flu each year in the US. Just an interesting tidbit. In 1918, St. Louis shut down schools, theatres, outdoor festivals, etc, Philadelphia did not. Very impressive data suggests shutting down schools, etc works wonder. Hopefully, it won’t get to that point.
We get sick and die while O’Bumble fiddles. This unbelievably weak response by the Obamanation will make Katrina look like a week at the beach.. Change.. from bad.. to worse..
Eric, don’t be an idiot. You cannot compare the two. Over 1,800 people died in Hurricane Katrina (not including the 705 that are still listed as “missing”) and 1 person (that was not even an American citizen, but was visiting here from Mexico where they contracted the disease) has died here. Plus Bush & Brown completely botched the whole response. Most people (with the exception of people like you who obviously voted for McCain and who is such a sore loser) believe that President Obama and his administration are doing at the very least a very good job of handling this. But then again you’re probably the type of person that would still find something negative to say about Obama even if killed Osama Bin Laden himself. Get over your petty vindictiveness.
Wash your hands. Keep your hands away from your face. Shield coughs and sneezes in your elbow. Avoid sick people. This should get you through the Swine Panic, as well as any other contagious disease. Just good practice.
A question for Eric: what exactly do you propose that President Obama, his administration, the CDC, the WHO, etc do that you don’t think they haven’t done already? I am curious to know what you think they have failed to do because from what I can tell they have done everything in their power already and are continuing to do it.
I was just over at CNN’s website and they did a survey (a report card actually) of his first 100 days and the people they surveyed gave him a grade of B+ on his handling of the swine flu outbreak.
JEEEEEZZZZZ…just how many of you folks work at the CDC, are MDs, are RNs or work in infection control. I bet few if any. But here you are on a blog spouting your uneducated opinion. CD…yes the gov can force you to be vaccinated..IF THERE WERE A VACCINE…WHICH THERE ISN’T. So you folks just go ahead…scare the hell out of each other but try to remember…IT IS JUST THE FLU, JUST LIKE WE HAVE EVERY YEAR, JUST A DIFFERNET STRAIN AND IS PROBABLY WEAKER THAN THE ONES WE HAVE DELT WITH IN THE PAST…..
As usual, the press is creating a panic. At any given point in time, X number of people have the flu. I don’t see as much press about women and children being raped and murdered around the world, and more suffer from that than are now suffering from the flu.
My grandson is in middle school and was thrown out of school today for wearing a surgical mask that his mother insisted he wear to protect himself after reading the CDC’s announcement that deaths are expected in Georgia from the swine flu. Not only did the school require that she take him home for wearing the mask (calling it a “distraction”), the personnel in the school office laughed at him and ridiculed him for wearing it, embarrassing him in front of teachers and classmates. This morning the CDC confirmed a case of swine flu in Georgia–the very day my grandson is thrown out of school for wearing a mask.
Very true, Wanda, very true! Neither our past President or our current President is to blame for this. And it should be said as a reminder that this started in Mexico, anyways and not in the U.S.
Hey Bob, shut the hell up. This isn’t a political issue at all, and your boy Obama, with the help of the Congress, now has every single American owing the government 37k….even the unborn, so get off your soapbox already. The fact is this. Only the weak will die from it, and with proper treatment, it can be knocked out with the proper meds. But like most recent events, it’s blown out of proportion by the media. 36,000 people die from influenza yearly….just imagine is the US had socialized medicine when this broke out….we’d be screwed.
is=if…sorry for the typo. Why on Earth are you people sending your kids and grandkids to school with masks on? Kids and adults catch the flu more often by not washing their hands. You don’t have to be OCD about it, but try and use some common sense.
To everyone that is freaking out: Listen, I’m not going to sit here and bash on all the people that are getting concerned about the new strain of the flu. Its human nature to be cautious when something happens we don’t quite understand. Yes, the flu sucks, and this new strain just means that your body is more prone to catch it. The majority of the time you get sick, you feel like !@#%, and you take the medicine in between.After a couple of days of your anti-bodies kicking the crap out of the virus, you get better. Sometimes, (generally in elderly folk, and newborns) it gets a little worse, and if the proper care isn’t taken, death could be a serious possibility. But you have to understand something, things like that happen all the time. Its a sad fact in the pages of history. But people are not dying off left and right from this, they are simply getting sick. In a couple of days, (God forbid someone dies, because like I said, it is a possibility) when the majority of the so called “outbreak” patients are returned to their homes, feeling better and ready to return to their every day lives, I hope everyone that freaked out just sits back and laughs, and thinks to themselves “Well, that wasn’t so bad. I should be more level-headed next time.”
Go ahead and get all the waxing you want. Worse comes to worse you have waxing parties with friends. Me on the other hand…I just enjoy dying my bikini area. Don’t have to worry about the government banning that.
Funny, I looked at an outfit that I bought 7 years ago and swore I would lose the weight to fit into it. It’s still sitting there with price tag on it!
no matter what the size is,it’s always refreshing especially for women to buy something new. realistically if you have children they don’t get any younger and neither do we. if people are still hanging on to yesterday then tomorrow is lost.
Well, I agree with this artical. I can’t tell you how many women I see at work, or just out in public and there back (love handles) are not only struggling to get out of there super tight jeans but their shirts are too short as well and its like the skin is just sticking out. I’m like why would you want to wear such restrictive clothing? Secondly, do you not see that when you look in the mirror? It’s really something to see.
Funny, I have the opposite problem. I am losing the weight and have a closet full of clothes that don’t fit. I wish I had a few things from 10 years ago when I was my current weight, since it’s expensive to buy all new things.
I agree with many of the tenets of the article:
1. Losing weight doesn’t make you happy. You have to be happy with yourself whatever weight you are.
2. Get rid of the old clothes. If you do lose weight, they’ll probably be out-of-style anyway.
I like to keep a pair of skinny jeans around for the same reason that most people do. When you don’t fit in them anymore, it is time to hit the treadmill. Sometimes your loved ones (and you) have a hard time saying that you are getting a bit chunky. The ’skinny’ jeans, although harsh, speak without saying a word. They keep you in check. Isn’t there some advice out there about not weighing oneself everyday, but to instead judge your weight gain or loss by the clothes you wear? It is better to make sure that those ’skinny’ jeans are never truly labeled ’skinny’. Instead, label them ‘healthy’ jeans. Find a pair that fit you when you are in tip top shape and aim to wear them. The closer you are to them, the better.
I love the idea behind this: Embracing and making the most of who you are and the body you have today. What’s most important is taking good care of your health.
Dara Chadwick
Author
You’d Be So Pretty If…: Teaching Our Daughters to Love Their Bodies — Even When We Don’t Love Our Own http://www.youdbesoprettyif.com
I think some of these comments have derailed from the intent of the article. This article is not about “people should wear clothes that fit,” it’s about how we set up unrealistic standards for our present and our future based on our past. Ms Howard makes the strong point that health is not directly proportionate to numbers on a scale, or the size tag on a piece of clothing.
Fred: comment boards are not the appropriete place to express your negativeity and dissatisfaction about your life.
The articles suggest that extensive therapy can help a child with Autism. Well these therapies are expensive and can drive the average family to the brink of bankrupcy as in my family’s case. These therapies were helping my son, but the money ran out. There was a bill before the Georgia Senate and House to force insurance companies to assist parents paying for these therapies. Our legislators table the bill for further study. South Carolina and Florida already have such bills, I guess they did not feel they could rely on their finding or are they protecting insurance company profits in this state.
The problem isn’t the Doctors! The problem is the Doctor is just an Specialist in his field. Most of the Doctors here Atlanta are great at what they do. It lack of the patient understanding of all the side effects that may occur during the operation. As a husband of wife who just had an operation on her knee. The Doctor who perform the operation was great and he did an excellent job and my wife can stand up and walk with the assit of an walker. But what happen to the patient after the operation at the hospital and at Rehabitation Center creates very confused public on the information provided by the Doctor.
I breastfeed all three of my children. My first was breastfed until she was 23 months!! Needless to say breastfeeding is not good birth control because I was 5 months pregnant with the second before I even realized I was expecting. Which brings me to my comment about weight lose and breastfeeding. Other than the few pounds I lost after having my first child I never got back to my pre-prenancy weight of 115 lbs. I hovered around 135-140 and then I was pregnant again. Had my second child, nursed her and really watched what i ate and again, no real weight loss and the same with my son? So I’m not too convinced that breastfeeding really helps that much with weight loss UNLESS you really watch your diet because for some of us you just can’t go back to eating like you used to before you started having kids In any event BREAST FEEDING IS THE BEST!!!!
I shared an 8 month breastfeeding relationship with my first. Then six years later, I breastfed my daughter for over 2 years. Breastfeeding is good for Mom and baby both. It creates a bond that I cannot describe in words. It is that beautiful to me.
The biggest help with breastfeeding is to create a network of support. And do your research. If you are modest, there are aids to help you preserve your modesty. If you aren’t modest, well….as my husband always said – “If they stare, they have the problem!” If there are health issues or breast reduction, there are still ways that you can work around that problem. And if there are problems for the baby…well there are always pumps. My sister in law exclusively pumped for her special needs baby for over a year. So, my encouragement is to find a way to make it work…don’t just give up.
Join La Leche or another breastfeeding or mom’s support group that endorses breastfeeding. Surrounding yourself with positive makes all the difference in your ability to continue longterm. Society loves to tell us what rules we are supposed to “obey”. But society has often and continues to display a lot of ignorance regarding breastfeeding.
I experienced a surprise pregnancy at age 42! So breastfeeding was my only option, as I was not even considering the cost of formula. I breastfed my daughter for 26 months. It was VERY difficult to ween her off. I thought I had done so when she was 19 months…but then she becam sick and I started producing milk again. (Someone referred to this as “mercy” milk…a new one on me). Anyway, she wouldn’t take anything but breast milk. She got well and sort of just weened herself off…Nature is really unexplainable…but my daughter has so few colds…She is now five! I am a true proponent of breastfeeding. (and I agree that weight loss is not something I EVER experienced LOL)
Breastfeeding is extremely hard to do if you are working. I could not get as much milk out pumping as I needed to and eventually my milk just dried up. Not to mention, it was a battle at my company just to find a space to pump!
Breastfeeding my children has been the best experience. I nursed my first son, now 12 years old, for 19 months. I am currently breastfeeding my 18 month old son. I found that breastfeeding was both economical and convenient.
Although I stay at home now, I worked for the phone company when nursing the first child. It was somewhat difficult securing a room to pump, but the benefits to my son far outweighed the struggle.
I just did not feel comfortable giving my children formula. I am proud to say that both of my children are very healthy. The most serious illness has been a cold.
Admittedly, I have and continue to struggle with my post-pregnancy weight. I guess my body did not get the memo about weight loss and breastfeeding.
I try my best to encourage new mothers to nurse their children. For so long breastfeeding has been seen as time consuming and somewhat obscene. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is what your breasts are intended to do.
Cindy, in the previous post, offered great advice. What is needed most is a good support system. Joining a group of other breastfeeding mom’s is a wonderful idea. She is right, anyone who complains about your decision to breastfeed has the problem.
I have been breastfeeding for 10 years straight (4 children, NOT one for 10 years!), and I have to say that there is NOTHING better for both mom and baby. I wouldn’t trade that sweet, special time for anything in the world, and as my youngest (18 months) comes close to weaning I know I will be sad to be finally finished. It is most definitely a relationship, and nothing else will be similar to it later. My daughter, for example, who at 18 months loves her bottles of milk, will literally throw the bottle aside with flair in favor of brestfeeding when available. She knows my milk, but in addition, she knows the warmth and smell of my body and takes extreme comfort from closeness with me. Also, breastmilk is a living, organic substance. What I mean is that it actually responds to baby’s needs and changes throughout a feeding and as baby grows. We all know about supply and demand with BF– the more your baby drinks, the more milk you make. But also, the longer the baby drinks, the fattier and more protein-filled the milk is. In the early days, when baby cries you find milk leaking all over your shirt. I have filled with milk when she cried when I wasn’t even home– it was after filling with milk that I called home and found she was crying.
I will say that I never lost much weight breastfeeding, no matter how I’ve tried… and pumping is hard work, so it does take a lot of commitment for working moms. But the convenience and lack of cost cannot be emphasized enough– why pay for inferior food when God gives you the superior stuff for free? If you can BF, you should, for the health and happiness of both mother and baby. It is also designed to get your body ready for motherhood and recovered from birth (recovery of the uterus as well as hormonal regulation of moods). I would say it didn’t do much for birth control, since I was fertile again at 4 months, but the truth is maybe I would have been fertile at 2 without it… I’ll never know… I fully encourage mothers who are able to BF their babies, because I can’t imagine passing up on this special gift– for both of you.
I breastfed my son for 11.5 months. I’m extremely proud of myself for hanging in that long. Although I luckily had a very cozy closet to pump in at work, it was definitely not fun having to lug all of that stuff back and forth daily. My son was (and still is) a voracious eater, so I will admit that it was tiring at times. But I loved the contact and bonding and will definitely do it again with #2.
However, we have not experienced all of the health benefits. He is in daycare and is very healthy, but he has continuously had colds and ear infections starting around 6 months of age. He even had tonsillitis around 10 months of age, which is almost unheard of. We just had tubes put in his ears last month. We just haven’t seen all of the “he’s never sick” benefits that supposedly occur. A friend of mine did not breastfeed her first who is now 2.5. He has never been sick. Her second baby is now 7 months and has been exclusively breastfed. Just like my son, she has already suffered numerous colds and ear infections. It is definitely an interesting observation.
Women who do not breast feed are stupid. Seriously. Think about it. The whole purpose of breasts is to produce milk for a baby. Why would you substitute some corporate chemical crap for what you are made to do?
This is akin to women who “insist” in C-Sections, because it is convenient. Idiots.
Sorry to sound beligerent, but I just can’t stand the ignorance of some.
And yes, I breast fed my children for more than one year each.
As a father of two beautiful little girls I want to lend my support to all mom’s who breastfeed. Not only does it do all the wonderful things you ladies state but it is impossible for a dad to help out in this role which means no getting up in the middle of the night, no formula budget and the relaxing joy of just sitting back and watching TV as the kid’s get fed. I promote breastfeeding to any prospective fathers and remind them of these facts.
My only regret is that there is no way to bottle the stuff and sell in on Ebay. My girls have had ZERO colds and by all accounts are the healthiest kids we know. Granted my 2 3/4 year old still indulges and that is beginning to wear on Mommy, but if it keeps us away from the ER then I say “suckle on.” God had the right idea when he gave women the ability to do this, if men had been given the responsibility the human race would have gone the route of the dinosaurs a loooong time ago.
I breastfed my children (now 22 and 19) for nearly two years each, even though I worked full time.
I pumped until my oldest was about 11 months. I finally realized that even though our society pushes breastfeeding, we are still taught that the bottle is important, and many moms wean to a bottle. That didn’t make sense to me.
My daughter was eating food and drinking out of a cup during the day, so I realized there was no reason to give her bottles of expressed milk. My milk adjusted to produce less during the day, she continued to nurse when I was with her, and ate and drank normal food when I wasn’t.
I stayed home with my son until he was 6 months old. He was eating and drinking regular food during the day, and I continued to nurse him in the morning and evening. It worked out perfectly for us, he never had bottles. BTW, his teeth are perfect. No one believes me that he never had braces.
I really enjoyed that time right after work when my babies wanted to nurse. It forced me to put me feet up and reconnect with them and put everything else aside.
I have breastfed five children (still feeding the 19 month-old), and I realize that I have been breastfeeding babies for about 12 years total! (Oh my!)
I just wanted to say that breastfeeding is a very personal decision. I know there are some women who just can’t breastfeed, and I am not going to judge them or make them feel bad. You are the mom. Make the decisions, do what you need to do, and your child will be OK. For goodness sakes, a lot of us were fed with bottles and we survived. There are a lot of things to feel guilt about in this world. Don’t beat yourself up over this.
However . . .
If you want to breastfeed, you can, and it can be wonderful. I highly recommend going to a few months of Le Leche league meetings before you give birth the first time so that you can have their support from the start (by the way the meetings are about more than breastfeeding–they are also about how to cope with motherhood, common problems babies have like diaper rash and crying, how to deal with the stress of the in-laws telling you how to do everything, etc. It’s just nice to get to know people going through the same things you are going through–you don’t have to feel alone!!)
Good luck with whatever you do, be happy, and remember that the best piece of advice is to ignore everyone’s advice!
Elaina- I guess I’m just stupid (in your opinion). 2 children- 1 emergency c -section, the other induced to prevent possible seizure/death for both of us…and my poor “little” 40DDD’s…never produced milk-EVER. Perhaps tatas can be only for pleasure vs. functionality. Try not to be so narrow-minded. And no- they aren’t implants.
I am a strong proponent of breastfeeding. I exclusively breast fed(EBF) both of my children; my son(who is 5 now) for 8 months, and my daughter (14 mths.) for 7 months–not a drop of formula during that time. It was important for me to build up their immune systems as well as build that special bonding time between my children and myself. The other added perk was that I lost about 25 pds. after each pregnancy. After reading the article, I guess I’ve also gotten some additonal perks that will hopefully benefit me later in life! For you breastfeeding moms–”Keep it pumpin!”
I breastfed my 2 sons for about 2 1/2 years each. I felt and still feel that breastfeeding is so very important. If I was able to do this with the problems I had, anyone can!
My firstborn suckled incorrectly (put his tongue over the nipple) and rubbed holes in my nipples. We were both newbies and there was no La Leche League in my town so I didn’t catch it until the damage was done. So I pumped for a while so I could heal.
My second son didn’t have any problems. Everything was simple and easy.
My letdown reflex was so strong that I soaked everything pretty much all the way through nursing both times. I slept on a felted rubber-backed sheet because of leakage.
Even with the issues I have mentioned, issues that probably would cause many women to stop nursing, I continued. I’m not looking for a pat on the back, I simply think it is that important.
The posters are correct – Breastfeeding IS the most economical and the convenient (always the correct amount and temperature, no risk of food poisoning). It is the perfect food for infant humans. Even with all of the nutritional research, formula companies cannot make their product match exactly. You have a built in pacifier Studies have shown that breastfed babies are an average of 10 points more intelligent on IQ tests. For the most part, they are healthier. And the bond between baby and mother is just shy of magical!
First timers and women considering nursing, consider all of the advantages. Don’t be swayed by the popular “wisdom” that fathers and grandparents “need” to participate in the feeding of your baby. They don’t. They can bond at other times, through other activities. You, like every other nursing mom, can make it through nighttime feedings without daddy giving a bottle. And don’t be taken in by the “I just didn’t have enough milk” idea. This simply is not the case unless you are suffering from malnutrition or some catastrophic illness. The more the baby suckles, the more milk you produce. When a baby goes through a growth spurt, she/he will nurse hourly. This is not a signal that your milk supply is inadequate (in that you are doing harm to your child), the “problem” is being solved by the increased frequency of nursing. If you feel that you don’t have enough milk, do some research on ways to increase your supply. They can include greater fluid intake, more rest for mom, and increased frequency and duration of breastfeeding sessions.
Nature designed women for this job and privilege. Count your blessings!
Good luck.
Without a doubt, breastfeeding is great for both mom and baby. However, it IS challenging for working moms. I breastfed my first daughter for 6 months, going back to work when she was 15 weeks. Although my company has a mother’s room and a special refrigerator for breastmilk, it was still a challenge to get to the room between meetings, various crisis, occassional travel, etc…so I didn’t make it a year. With my second daughter, I attempted to do the same, but my breastmilk ended up drying up at 4 months causing me to supplement with formula, and she started favoring the formula, causing the remaining milk to dry up, too. So I didn’t make it quite as long the second time around.
All that said, I think moms should be encouraged to breastfeed if they can (and not all can, Elaina—my cousin tried but ended up with a severe thrush problem which endangerd her health and her baby’s) and as long as they can. For many women, 12 months is tough to do if they return to work. So changing the message a bit to be less judgemental and more encouraging (breastfeeding is great-and cheap-so try it!)would probably get even more moms to give breastfeeding a try, which is good for everyone. Saying that if you don’t breastfeed for a year you’re doing a disservice to your baby isn’t particularly helpful, especially for those women with legitimate issues.
Also, Elaina, give the C section thing a break. I had two…and not by choice. And my babies were quite fine.
Basically, moms need to give each other a break. It’s tough being a mom, regardless of your circumstances. Rather than nitpick on who breastfed, who didn’t, who stays home, who doesn’t, we should all support each other and provide words of encouragement, not criticism.
Losing my extra baby weight was the next best thing for me besides nursing both my children. As long as I kept the protein and calories intake up I did not have a problem nursing and I especially loved the closeness I had with the babies while doing so. The fact that my boobies got bigger was an extra bonus although I missed sleeping on my stomach at times. I’m not sure of all of the benefits but at my age, I don’t have joint or back problems and my bones are in pretty good shape. The women on my mother’s side had the worst diet in the world; i’m talking high fat, high cholesterol,I should take a Lipitor with that meal diet, and they lived to be in their 90’s. The jury is still out on a lot of things but overall, both my kids were preemies and they are surprisingly healthy. They do manage to dodge whatever the other kids have so that for me is th best benefit to breastfeeding. My son weaned at 20months after my daughter was born but she refused to to give it up and I nursed her until she was 2 1/2 until I reallized she was on the verge of milking me dry. I couldn’t keep up with her and my full time work schedule so I had to force her to wean. That was the worst part of breastfeeding.
I breastfed both my sons for a year (now 24 and 21)and the results have been great health for the both of them. They rarely even catch a cold. That was a blessing while they were growing up. I too have rarely had a cold and only wish breastfeeding would have prevented these hot flashes I am now dealing with.
I eat healthy chocolate before I work out. I go harder, longer and stronger when I do this. It is all natural and since the sugars are not processed but are slow release natural sugars, you maintain your energy level. I eat it right before I work out. I also eat it before meals and have lost weight!! If you want to know how to get this, because you won’t find it on the shelves at the store, call 1-888-225-3008, ext 1316.
I eat yogurt,1 banana and top it off with accelerade sport drink.
Post recovery I take Endurox R4 immediately after the workout. It has 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein. I started working out in June 08. My weight at that time was 218, today I am 178.
I hop on the treadmill with a Big Mac. You won’t find them on store shelves but if you’re interested in getting hold of one call 1-800-IWatch2MuchRealityTV.
Like a Neil Diamond song, none of this writers thoughts or intentions were well sung, merely he mouthed canned statements. And by the way, the word, “hopefully”, should never start a sentence-
I go to Golden Corral and have me a Gwinnetian Big Gal’s meal before I work out. Includes two fried chicken breasts, taters, three yeast rolls, mac-n-cheese, veggies, and then I hit the dessert bar for one of those soft-serve sundaes and a slice of pie! All of this followed by a 2-hour nap. Makes me forget all about my workout.
[...] bras and I loved that I never had to worry about feeding my baby, I always had food on tap By Ruth Simmons, RNC, and Melissa Kottke, MD Most experts agree that breast milk is the optimal source of nutrition for your baby’s health. [...]
Sick of the sanctimony. Do what works for you. My 3 sisters and I were only breastfed for a month and have become healthy adults. I will breastfeed my daughter until my milk dries up. Either way, it’s not the end of the world.
alheizmer’s runs in my family as my father passed away last fall as a result of this family gene. thank you for your work in the early detection of this disease. http://www.christyhulsey.wordpress.com
I breastfed and breastmilk fed (with pumping after returning to work after each) both of my children and while challenging at times, I made the decision based on the evidence about the benefits to them that last throughout their lifetime and the benefits to me that can also last a lifetime. Also, it was what breasts were made for and I was making milk specifically for my baby. Knowing I could seriously reduce the risk of illnesses and conditions (ear infections, RSV, overweight, diabetes, etc.) for them and knowing the reduction in risk for myself (reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers, etc.) was compelling enough for me to commit to it and stick with it through the trials and tribulations. I believe it is important to present the facts and to help so a mom can make a truly educated decision. I do not judge and I do not bully–it is not for everyone and it is not feasible for some. Do these benefits mean everyone will be the same whether in weight loss or protective benefits–no, but the risks are reduced and it should not diminish the overall public health benefit of breastfeeding.
Kettlebells are a great workout. I was first introduced to them at FitZone Atlanta off of Howell Mill. Your whole body will hurt, meaning all of those muscles got a work out. Thanks, Lori!
The good news is, kettlebells are fun and effective. The bad news is… they actually hit their “fad zenith” about two years ago. Why this is being reported in 2009 as “the hottest fitness trend you’ve never heard of” (…”provided you are a shut-in.”) is beyond me.
Great article. If you’re in the Atlanta area check out http://www.gymcondition.com for Atlanta’s only gym exclusively devoted to kettlebell training. And look for the RKC after your trainer’s name wherever you are. It is the original kettlebell certification in America.
And they are no “fad” – they were invented in the 1600’s by the Russian Special Ops and just hadn’t caught on in America until the last 10 years. With strength, cardio, and flexibility in one super efficient workout, you are training your muscles together and training your nervous system. Kettlebells are hands down the most efficient workout I can imagine. I started with kettlebells in CA almost 4 years ago and havent done anything else since – although many athletes cross-train with them because they not only train the production of power, but the production, reduction, and redirection of power. They also train your nervous system to go from a state of tension to relaxation back to tension in split seconds – imagine the benefits of that ability for boxers who are fluid one minute and then have to deliver a hit and then are fluid again in a split second – all the while not gaining excess weight and packing on “cosmetic” that will put you in a different weight class. I have a giant kettlebell tattoo bc to me they are the end all be all and the only workout that just… makes… sense.
I would hardly call fitness equipment that has been around for 200 to 300 years a “fad”. In any case, I use kettlebells on occasion, and they work as advertised.
I HAVE A SALON ACROSS FROM THE GYM ON HOWELL MILL AND KNOW CROSSFIT ATLANTA THESE ARE GREAT WORKOUTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN OVER 28 U KNOW!!! MY WOMEN AND MEN WHO DO IT LOOK AND FEEL GREAT!!!! ATLANTA HAS THE ROCK N EST PEOPLE!
OMG, I know this will melt the pounds off. I’ve tried weights, they were too heavy. I’ve tried treadmills, they made me sweat. I’ve tried dieting, it made me hungry.
I’m signing up next week at that new kettleball gym. Thank god for kettleballs. 20 minutes a day, three times a week and I will look like a greek goddess. Thank you ajc for informing me about these kettleballs.
If you like “gyms” full of shiny machines, mirrors, tvs, and wheels that go nowhere (like the one my hamster used to run on when i was in second grade), then kettlebells are not for you. Please consider them a fad, or don’t consider them at all, and please don’t try them. Just strap on your weightlighting gloves and keep doing the same lame “workouts” you’ve been doing for years without any real results . . . workouts, i’m sure, packed with lots lateral raises, leg extensions, and bicep-curls that you probably learned from some lazy personal trainer who doesn’t know the difference between strength training and body-building (and who probably is proficient in neither). And ladies, if you want a lean physique be sure to do lots of reps with low weight so you don’t “bulk-up” (complete B.S.). If, however, you’re not afraid of hard work and still have some functioning brain cells, then do 30 minutes worth of research and find out why people who count on strength to survive like the Navy SEALS and Marine Corps Force Recon, professional champion fighters like Randy Couture, B.J. Penn, and George St. Pierre train with kettebells, and why people with access to the best trainers in the world – athletes like Ladainian Tomlinson, and celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Penelope Cruz, and Catherine Hiegl train with kettlebells. Do yourself a favor and find a certified instructor near you (www.dragondoor.com / http://www.americankettlebellclub.com). Otherwise, just stay close to your lat-pull down machine and the mirror.
Kettlebells are for Anti-American Communists!!!!! The Navy SEALS, Marine and MMA fighters that use Kettlebells use them in TOTAL CROSSFIT WORKOUTS! People who do only Kettlebells workouts, talk about Kettlebells like a crazy religious cult….please don’t drink the kool-aid! For more information see Crossfit.com
To all you negative people – hop on I-85 north and don’t come back. Or better yet- Take I-20 a keep going until you hit Texas. You’ll fit right in with the jerks passing a law that says it’s OK for students carry guns on college campuses.
Kettlebells have been around for hundreds of years, they are hardly a FAD, it’s just people are now hearing about them more now.
I’ve been going to a kettlebell gym in 4th ward called Gym Condition for the past year and I love working out with kettlebells. I have never been stronger in my life, my core strength is incredible, and it’s not hard on my knees like running is. Delaine Ross is an incredible instructor, I highly recommend her!
I do encourage anyone interested to seek out instruction from a professional though, swinging a 20 KG kettlebell is not a good DIY project. You could really hurt yourself if your form is off.
THE TRUTH, speaking for most of us here in the deep south…….what’s keeping you? We didn’t ask your sorry rear to come and we’ll help you pack if you promise not to come back. And by the way, how’s that change you can believe in working out for ya
I agree 100% with Delaine and just so you know, I’m not a member of her gym. But I am living proof of the benefit of kettlebell training. I am middle aged, was overweight and out of shape. Started using kettlebells a little over a year ago and am stonger and fitter now than in the last 30 years. Joint aches and pains are gone as is the excess weight. Oh and another great benefit…for those of us with a few years on them and a disposition for vascular and heart disease, my lipid panels are the best they have ever been since I began any kind of treatment. Gone from a ticking time bomb to a healthy example my doctors use for their other patients. Whether you combine with crossfit, bodyweight exersizes or just use kettlebells alone, get out and do something. Your body and your mind will thank you. No koolaid, just fact!
As an instructor to personal trainers at one of the top health clubs in the world, I can tell you that Kettlebells definitely have their place in the fitness world. Are they the end all be all? No. Are they great for achieving much of which they claim to achieve? yes. Should everyone quit what they are doing and go get kettlebells? No. If proper movement patterns do not occur, they are quite dangerous and will have little benefit. However, if a person has excellent movement patterns, they should definitely be incorported into a workout purely on the fact that they will be different than exercises they have tried in the past. The fitness world is moving away from the isolated machines more and more and heading toward a direction where ACTUAL strength and movement patterns are much more important. Machines still have their place for the most part and can still give certain benefits (hypertrophy amongst a few others) that some seek. However, you will see the next age of gyms cater to those who want to be able to move their own bodies and possess true “functional” strength. Mark my word. No one piece of equipment is THE answer, they all have their place in some way.
Kettlebells Rock, got two 35 lbs. and a great enjoyable workout routine, I get to enjoy the weather outside and get great body conditioning at the same time
Vince, You’re on the right track, but just b/c someone does not have correct movement patterns is not a reason to shy away from kettlebells. It’s why everyone interested in trying them should find a qualified instructor. Kettlebells, when used properly, help people develop those correct, safe, and strong patterns. They are a great rehabilitative tool as “Kettlebell Advocate” and many others will attest.
“Crossfit King” you sound strangely like a fat troll I know who has been doing Crossfit for about 5 minutes. It’s a shame you still haven’t learned to think for yourself. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be paying extra $$ for a “brand” . . . and you might have been accepted to a decent law school.
I agree Stephen, a qualified instructor is extremely important. My point is that if any Joe Blow walks into a gym and starts using kettlebells, he could be doing himself some serious harm by doing things incorrectly. Any time an explosive total body exercise is used, there is a greater risk-reward ratio. Kettlebells can be very rewarding but only with proper technique which most people DO NOT have. Most people do not realize they are spinal loaders instead of hip loaders until they are laid up in bed for a week. We have members at our facility asking to put kettlebells out on the floor for any and everyone to use, not a chance. The potential for bad things to happen is significantly greater with these types of exercises. The potential for great things is there too, its all just a matter of proper form and technique.
The fitness movement may be moving towards non-isolation movements, but the rest of us, those doing powerlifting or olympic lifting, or just plain bothering to educate themselves beyond what the ignorant personal trainer at the Gold’s up the street says, never caught the 3 decade long fad of machines and isolation. Only the fools who don’t want to expend effort to learn anything on their own use machines and isolation exercises. And competitive bodybuilders, but that’s a different story altogether.
As an instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, I see just about every agency out here training with Kettlebell. As with any piece of equipment or program whether a rowing machine, Nautilus machine, free weights, medicine balls, Bosu balls or Kettlebell, improper form and technique can get you injured. Our agency is one of the largest at FLETC and we use Kettlebell, but we build from a basic foundation of form and technique before even handling a KB. The law enforcement officers in-training truly enjoy training with them, mainly because they see the benefits from training with them. Are Kettlebell for everyone? Is Yoga or Pilates or free weights for everyone? No, it is a choice for the individual to choose. But try it and if you don’t like it, then you know it is not right for you. I have drunk the Crossfit Kool-Aid and would do nothing but those workouts. There are 30 Crossfit certified instructors teaching thousands of law enforcement officers using Crossfit based workouts here and that should say something about the Crossfit workouts. Again, not for everyone but if you try it and stick with it, you will see results.
The fact of the matter is that most people don’t like doing difficult exercises. So, when it comes to exercise, I separate people into two groups; those that enjoy difficult compund movements and those that don’t. I won’t even address the latter. Ok, if you like doing the tough exercises, keep reading. I’m certainly not an authority on the subject and can’t tell you that Kettlebells are more effective than similar exercises performed with barbells or dumbells but I can tell you that its very liberating not to have to load and unload plates on a bar or find some remote corner of the gym where I can do compound dumbell exercises. Kettlebells may not be the “end all be all”, but for the level of fitness that 95% of the people are trying to achieve, Kettlebells will work…..if you’re not scared to do the work. Kettlebells are both effective and efficient. But then again, I suppose the eliptical machine is efficient too. I mean, any piece of equipment that allows you to read a magazine, talk on the phone, and change your ipod at the same time is a modern marvel if you ask me! Good luck and happy treading!
I have been using kettlebells myself for about two years now. I can say that I have seen the most change with kettlebell use as far as fat loss and functional strength than any other training that I’ve been exposed too. I work two jobs. One a cushy office job, and the second loading trucks for UPS. As many others have mentioned it isn’t for everyone, but it is highly effective. I love training with them because I have a tight schedule and I don’t belong to gym or have access to any other equipment as I am on a tight budget. I was in reasonably good shape before using kettlebells, but now I am pretty lean and have really improved my cardiovascular conditioning. I am a kettlebell advocate and I think a person should try it before knocking it. With proper technique(which applies to all forms of fitness) kettlebells are safe, effective, and actually kinda fun.
dumbells and free weights never get old and it works. This pos is for slackers.
regardless of what exercises you prefer your diet is the most important key to staying in shape.
Most of you have intestines filled with weeks of fecal matter. You should have at least one bowel movement per day. Ideally everytime you eat you should take a dump, this is how the human body works. However due to socialization folks have learned to hold their poop.
No Pain no gain.
this stupid gadget is an accident waiting to happen.
i’m traveling to Atlnata next week and i want to know if there is any posibility of the swine flu there, because i’ve been hearing on tv that they just found new cases there…could i have some information about it, otherwise i plan to cancel my trip
thanks
Too bad this article didn’t go into the history of these more instead of making it sound like a recent fad in the past 4-5 years. They could have at least explained why they come in weights that differ from traditional weight systems used in the U.S.
I wonder how people got fit before the advent of kettle bells, and for that matter, personal trainers. Dumbbells and barbells will do the job. You can do any movement with dumbbells that can be done with kettlebells. Add in rowing, treadmills, cycles, running stadiums or hills, etc. Forget the gym, personal trainers, kettlebells.
Dead weight is dead weight no matter what shape it’s in. Just grab some and start working, who cares what it looks like. And for the guy who thinks Georgia is backward with no nice people, maybe you should travel alot more. I’m from Atlanta and have been all over the world via Uncle Sam, Georgia’s as good as it gets!
This all sounds wonderful…PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE! This is the way societies have functioned for, well, a long time. However, we have allowed ourselves to become the law suite-loving society where, in sad-but-true reality, we are affraid to step forward for fear of legal retribution. I know, there’s the Good Samaritan Law which, on paper, affords a protective shield for those who would actualy attempt to help another in distress. The intense laughter is coming from the lawyers and ambulance chasers who would beg to differ otherwise.
What with the stellar performance we have observed from our elected law bodies, both at State and Federal levels, perhaps those esteemed servants of the people might assume a proactive approach and work on this slippery slope so that we might once again become a society of PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE.
To answer your question about the history of kettlebells I suggest you visit: http://caestuspalestra.wordpress.com/ I recently published a book on kettlebell training and used this blog as a reference regarding the history of kettlebells and how they became used as training implements.
The history of kettlebells is a little misunderstood. They were originally used as units of measure in farmers markets, a weight with a handle that could be easily lifted to balance a scale when weighing produce, the unit of measure was referred to as a “pood” which is equal to 16kg or about 35 lbs. Traditionally kettlebells jump in 4kg increments, although many manufacturers offer 5 lb increment kettlebells, similar to dumbbells. The kettlebells used in Russia and Eastern Europe, a similar style to the American Kettlebell Club kettlebell, are actually designed to specific dimensions for the sole purpose of being lifted, a little different then what some of the other companies are marketing.
As a student of Russian Weightlifting and Training methodology one thing that is quite apparent to me is that the Russians love to put weights overhead. Overtime these farmers began lifting kettlebells in loosly organized competitions, mainly the name of the game was who could put the weight overhead for the greatest number of repetitions. While kettlebells have been used for 100’s of years they actually developed into a sport form in the 1940’s-1960’s is when more organized competitions came to be.
I began using kettlebells both with my clients and myself beginning in 2003, and have seen great improvements in both general physical qualities and special/specific physical qualities. I have a national champion powerlifter I train who at 111 lbs. has deadlifted 455 lbs. squatted 405 lbs. and bench pressed 310 lbs. and a college linebacker I’m training who in 6-8 weeks, after identifying his lower back as a limiting factor in speed and power production, we were able to raise his vertical jump from 29″ to 39.5″ using kettlebell exercises in addition to his strength/power training regimin.
Then again, we don’t “work out” at my training center, we “train”. Kettlebells are highly effective and if you can’t see the potential benefits, you don’t understand how to properly implement them into a training program. For those that can’t there is always time to pick up that “flashy” lycra 1-piece with matching head and wrist bands!
Interesting discussion here though…
Scott Shetler
Extreme Conditioning & Fitness
Atlanta Barbell & Kettlebell Club
Duluth, GA
Sure, if it endangers their life and well-being by all means, force it. You people are flip-floppin again. If you’re against abortion, then you must be against war, and the bombing and killing of women and children. You also mus t be against the death penalty. And if so then maybe you are against letting a minor die that could live after receiving proper treatment. That’s Pro-Life right? If you’re going to go Pro-Life, Go Pro-Life ALL the way. Show some consistency. Where are the bible-thumpers now… this blog is dead I hear crickets in here.
Absolutely not! Are we to believe that the state has a more profound desire for what is best for that child than the parents who gave him life? GET REAL!!! Chemotherapy (poisoning the patient) and radiation are some of the most pervasive forms of abuse and they are this childs future but for the sake of parents who have educated themselves and know better how to care for their child. In steps medicine when someone dares to stand against their forced abuses called “treatments” which are profoundly poor in providing long-term survivor rates. People need to wake up and learn the truth, that is, the Beautiful Truth from the DVD by the same name which you can learn more about here http://www.thebeautifultruthmovie.com/ or maybe Google “cancer cure” and for crying out loud stop giving your money to the cancer industry – they are lying to you.
I don’t think the government has any right to be participating in this and forcing the treatment. I did not think the government had a role in Terry Schiavo. The government on any level should not be in the business of protecting us from ourselves. There is a matter of personal responsibility. This, along with seat belt rules and countless other examples are just proof the nanny state exists and a lot of people in this country covet the government taking care of them from cradle to grave.
Part of life is making hard choices on treatment options. The family made a decision. Many of us don’t like it. However, making everything a court case is wrong. The family will live the choices that they have prayerfully and carefully made.
Just because you don’t like their choice doesn’t mean that they don’t have the right to this choice.
Absolutely not. The government has no business in the lives of private citizens. This is the same situation as with Terry Schiavo, the government should not be forcing a belief onto a family, especially one who has every right to choose the care they desire for their children whether we agree with it or not. I am sick that this is taking place in our country.
This boy is old enough to have his own religious beliefs. If he is opposed to chemo for religious reasons of his own, then he should be allowed to refuse treatment. I don’t know what should happen in the case of a very young child, but this young man’s own religious convictions should be respected.
As the parent of a cancer survivor (one year post treatment), I cannot state strongly enough that parents should go with the evidence. As a parent, however, I believe that is our right.
The problem with arguing that alternative treatments have not been shown to work is alternative treatments, overall, have not been tested scientifically. There are plenty of reasons for it not being studied. On the negative side is the profitability (food cannot be patented, so we have to artificially create the molecules to have any chance of recouping research dollars). One would think the government might fund more alternative studies, but the evidence that they do not is found on clinicaltrials.gov.
Note that I am not against the doctors. I think they are wonderful. But until we can state definitively that the parents are abusing their child by refusing the injection of poisons into the body, I am not sure we have a legal basis for denying parental rights.
What is even scarier is they are talking about strapping Daniel down to stop him from taking the lines out when he is undergoing treatment. Being strapped down and poisoned does not seem like a humane option, even if the science states a 95% cure rate.
I am concerned that Daniel undergoing alternative treatment, and dying, will be seen as an indictment. If he undergoes treatment, and dies, he will just be seen as one of the 5% that did not make it. That is sad.
I personally went with the odds in my daughter’s cancer. Today, I would still do the same. But I cannot criticize a parent who chooses a non-quack type of alternative treatment, as there is anectdotal evidence that some alternatives work.
Most Americans, including parents, judges and yes, orthodox medical doctors, are extremely ignorant about cancer, and the dismal failure of orthdox cancer treatment over the years in the U.S. If any medical doctor seeks to deviate from the failed recommendations of the orthodoxy, they can have their license revoked. So why would any of them have the guts to speak up on this horror story of institutionalized American medical quackery? It is like a child telling a lie to his parents and then covering the lie with more lies, over and over again for almost 40 years now since 1971 when the failed war on cancer began. According to a recent NY Times article, over $105 billion has been squandered, yet about one person dies every minute either from cancer, treatment or both, usually treatment. Just because the false statistics claimed by the doctors are 90%, does not mean the boy, if treated, might not be in the other 10% failure and die. But if he did, they surely would find some other excuse for the death than the failed chemotherapy to blame it on. A proper and objective autopsy is rarely made of cancer patients who die while under treatment. So they often falsely blame the cancer rather than the treatment. The judge has legal immunity and cannot be held responsible if he is wrong and the boy dies after having chemotherapy.
Many years ago a distinguished professor medical physics, physiology and medical statistics at UC Berkeley, the late professor Hardin Jones, Ph.D., carefully studied the false statistics on cancer patients given the orthodox treatment of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. He found that patients that didn’t have any treatment at all, lived up to 4 times longer than those who received the failed treatment! Little has changed today. Here are some references to prove these statements:
“The truth about hydrazine sulfate-Dr. Gold Speaks” by Joseph Gold, M.D., http://www.hydrazinesulfate.org.
“American Cancer Society America’s Wealthiest ‘Non-Profit’ Institution” by Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., International Journal of Health Services, 1999, also available at http://www.preventcancer.com.
“The Hidden Story of Cancer” by Brian Peskin E.E. and Amid Habib, M.D., Pinnacle Press, Houston, 2006-2008.
“The Cancer Industry” by Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D., Equinox PRess, N.Y., 1996, first published in 1980 as “The Cancer Syndrome”.
“CancerGAte 2005″ by Samuel S. Epstein M.D., W.W. NOrton, N.Y., 2005.
“Cancer and the Search for SElective Biochemical Inhibitors” by E.J. HOffman, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2007, 2nd Ed.
“University FAils to Offer Another Viewpoint” by Winfield J. Abbe, Ph.D., http://www.annieappleseedproject.org.
“Cancer and Vitamin C Therapy for Patients” by Reagan Houston, M.S, P.E., Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients Aug./Sept., 2007
Since HIV is undetectable until such time as the retrovirus mutates within the host to adapt to and change the host’s DNA, is a virus feasible? Wouldn’t any vaccine be most effective on the host from which the virus was extracted for the vaccine, 50% as effective on those persons the host may have infected – as they’d have to be administered the vaccine after a presumed infection, but prior to their own seroconversion, as the RNA/DNA interchange of the HIV retrovirus would, at that point, be too substantially changed for the vaccine to have much effect? Then that original vaccine would be 25% effective on the person(s) this second host might have presumably infected… and so on down the line, each successive generation of infection, the vaccine becomes half as effective as it was in the previous generation?
The idea of an “HIV vaccine” also strikes me as more than a bit ironic, since the common thinking, now, is that the cross-over from simians (apes), who had long been infected with their own species-specific immunodeficiency virus to humans is due to the initial round of polio vaccines, where that vaccine was created, in Africa, using organs of simians… with the resulting vaccine then being used in humans, where the simian IV adapted to homo sapien’s DNA.
Great article. We are a lot tougher on ourselves. We should remember to offer self encouragement, with the same sincerity that we use when encouraging a friend. Let us learn to love ourselves, and set realistic, achievable, attainable goals. Shame on use for trying to get from the gym what Hollywood gets from the plastic surgeon. Diets are not the final answer, Lifestyle Change is the Key. Be encouraged!
I’m not a conpsiracy theorist by any means, but at this point you have to ask the question asked by Chris Rock in his stand up act a few years ago. When is the last time we cured something ? No money in the cure.
HIV AND AIDS will never be cured.. The Gov wont allow it! Too much money would be lost in medical bills. not many white peole have it.. minorities and gays are at bigger risk from HIV/AIDS..
The Gov wants to get rid of all all minorities and gays all around the world.. But what they got realize is not everybody gets from having sex. some get it at birth or some get it thru blood donors…
It sucks I hope one day someone cures it and wont be scared to come foward..
Dr. Mulligan, like other vaccine researchers, is hopelessly deluded that vaccines can work for HIV. While conveniently left out of the article, the latest NIH/Merck HIV vaccine, V520, actually increased the odds that subjects would contract HIV. Not exactly successful. Vaccines, by design, evoke antibody production. This pulls immune activity away from what’s called cell-mediated immunity, which involves the hunt for body cells infected with viruses like HIV. Duke University professor Aaron White published an excellent article in Lancet about this a few months back. He argues that an immune molecule called “transfer factor” offers a far more reasonable means of preventing and fighting HIV. Unlike vaccines, published science indicates that transfer factors actually DO work against HIV!
I don’t think the law should make people take lethal meds and hope the person lives and the cancer dies. The parents are just looking for a less scary option. You cant blame them for that. My mother had breast cancer 10 years ago and did both mainstream and alternative routes. We can squabble about many issues all day but the most important question here should be why are we getting cancer so young? Are we eating Genetically Engineered foods, formaldehyde from walls/carpet/furniture/bedding, mercury in our fillings and or HFCS, MSG in are conventionally grown fruit, phthalates/pesticides in our drinking water, taking in growth hormones and antibiotics from meat dairy and fish, microwaving the nutrients out of our food, blocking the production of Vit. D thru our skin with toxic sunscreen and who can afford Organic food? Is it really organic if the air is polluted? But thats a topic for a different day. Or will the shareholders see that it isnt?
Great article, and so true! We own our brains, they don’t own us, and when we realize that and work with it, we can do the things we really want to do. There’s more information at thinkequalsthin.com and a few recipes, too.
Did you know AIDS is so bad in the black community because of all the black men on the DL…. see they dont consider themselves gay as long as there the ones poking other dudes in the butt…..
especially in prison, where 90% of the prison rapes are blacks ganging up on whites. Did you know the CDC now reports that 1 in every 15 black males will have HIV in their lifetime?
And that 70% of the infected dont even know they have it yet!
Wow what the media covers up to promote “diversity” huh!
[...] of our pills?” Sources: Los Angeles Times, June 1 — Los Angeles Times, June 1 — Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 29 — Christian Science Monitor, May 29 — BBC, May [...]
I’ve heard the comment…”there’s no money in cure” before. However, from an investors point of view, the company licensed to sell a working vaccine will have a stock explosion, creating wealth for all those smart enough to own shares!
i beleive that it the debate will not end with the judges rules because you could never know if the vaccinations was the cause of autism because there is nothing saying that it wasent the cause because thers things that subject to change what if it happens to someone else they going to say the same thing that there is no eveidence they never know
Listen to have a possible vaccines is a great thing…..there is hope if only we push towards it…..We need more people in these fields that want this to be a success for generation to come, No we may not cure everyone and some will fall by the waste side but that is with anything…So for those who have contracted keep your head up there is a possible cure plus we are advance enough to help people live thru with medications. God loves people hate the sin, so if they do have it it is not a curse it called LIFE……God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference…..
[...] AIDS is too widespread and too devastating a disease to abandon the quest for a vaccine. Scientists have learned many important lessons from past vaccine trials, and there is no reason to give up now. more [...]
I agree with the earlier comment concerning revenue generated from treating a disease rather than curing it. As long as there is money in keeping people alive, but sick, I don’t think the concentration will ever be on finding a cure. “Money is the root of all evil” has never been more apparent than when discussing this topic.
Aids is a gay man’s disease. Straight black women, are the fastest growing population right now. Black women have so many babies, they are sleeping around quite a bit, and acquiring this disease. It is very sad, and people need to realize it comes with poor economic conditions and no education. There needs to be a cure ASAP.
To those saying AIDS is a black or gay disease, here’s some numbers to chew on:
Total AIDS/HIV cases by race/ethnicity:
38.7% White, 40.5% black, 19% hispanic, .7% asian
Sounds like some folks need to out of their silos and educate themselves to the true breadth of the problem. (I’d hate to see the worldwide percentage.)
Thank you Dr. Kooby, for getting some information out there about pancreatic cancer. I am currently a 3 year survivor and try every day to get information out to the public. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, http://www.pancan.org, is a non-profit that I volunteer with and they are helping to get increased federal funding for early dectection screening and better treatment. Again, thank you for spreading the word. T.
This article illustrates that although over $ 105 billion has been squandered on cancer “research” since 1971, even most medical doctors cannot provide an intelligent explanation of what cancer is, let alone how to treat it without killing the patient since all orthodox approved cancer treatments are life threatening. The genius in Germany Otto Warburg, M.D., Ph.D. (1883-1970) discovered the prime cause of cancer decades ago as published in 1923 for animals. If the oxygen is reduced for living tissue by about one third, the cells become cancerous and instead of running on oxygen metabolism, switch to running on glucose primarily in the absence of oxygen or fermentation. Hundreds of different organs and tissues were tested to prove this. It took roughly another 40 years to prove this for human cancer too. It takes time for the transformation from oxygen based metabolism to glucose based metabolish to occur, often decades in humans. Once it has made this transformation, the cancer is irreversible sort of like a fried egg is irreversible by removal of heat alone. Cancer is not hundreds of diseases as falsely claimed by the medical orthodoxy, but one disease, oxygen difficiency to living cells over a long period of time or respiratory impairment to living cells or the wrong energy supply. All cancer cells metabolize via anerobic glycolysis and this explains why those with diabetes have higher cancer rates since their systems do not properly process glucose. CAncer is also not genetically caused as falsely claimed by the cancer generals. These statements are based on experiments and facts and not genetic speculations. The cancer generals have denied this basic scientific information for decades and this explains why they do not know what they are doing and why their quack treatments all fail; they are guilty of scientific misconduct, fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity and must be fired immediately and prosecuted for medical quackery against unwitting cancer patients. When will the “sheeple” of America wake up to the fact that they have been fleeced by the cancer generals and the fools in Congress and the executive branch who appoint them?
References:
“The truth about hydrazine sulfate-Dr. Gold Speaks” by Joseph Gold, M.D., http://www.hydrazinesulfate.org.
“The Hidden Story of Cancer” by Brian Peskin, E.E. and Amid Habib, M.D., Pinnacle Press, Houston, 2006-2008.
“The Cancer Industry” by Ralph W. MOss, Ph.D., Equinox Press, N.Y., 1996, first published as “The Cancer Syndrome” 1980.
“Cancer, Its Cause, Prevention and Cure” by John P. Dobbins, Sc.D., Cytobiologische Revue, No. 3, pp. 123-134, 1985.
Winfield J. Abbe
A.B., Physics, UC Berkeley, 1961
Ph.D., Physics, UC Riverside, 1966
Athens, GA.
My mother died from pancreatic cancer. She was 42, white, nonsmoker. None of the risk factors mentioned above can be correlated with her. I have always wondered why she got this cancer. She had 3 sisters who, two still alive in their 80’s. One who died at 86. No one else in the family has had this desease. This article does nothing to answer my question of why.
Dr. Kooby,
You were my dad’s Dr. 3 years ago. Thank you for all you did for him. Our family really thought alot of you. We mailed you a CD of my dad’s band. He was a drummer. I hope you remembered him. His name was Walter Bryson. We miss him so much.
Sincerely, Wanda Bryson
I tend to look at cancer as the eeny meeny miny mo disease or tag you’re it because it happens to anybody whether they have risk factors or not. There are people who smoke that never get lung cancer, but yet there are many who don’t smoke get lung cancer. Vegeterians and highly active women are getting breast cancer. So, the bottom line is , you never know when it’s going to be your turn. The smerican cancer society tells us to avoid/limit alcohol. Again, there are a lot of alcoholics who do not get cancer. If you’ll notice people are dying younger from cancer.
Pancreatic cancer took my father in 2003. When first diagnosed he was in stage 4 with “weeks” to live. We got Dad into a trial chemotherapy thru Johns Hopkins that gave him an additional year he may not have had. Our family has joined the pancreatic cancer family reseach program at Johns Hopkins and hope to help them in finding the cure, or at least an early detection. It is my understanding that there is a gene that can be isolated as a potential indicator. I hope in my lifetime, the test is perfected, and an early warning test available.
I am a firm believer that what we eat and drink these days IS causing cancers in some. Many people may be more susceptible to some of the ingredients in what we eat and drink, and if you read labels, you’ll see there are a lot of UNnatural things in our foods and drinks, and I think these things are causing our cells to go crazy and reproduce rampantly. There are more people on average getting cancer these days and not just because there are more people in the world. Our foods are made differently today than they were 40-50 years ago. Think about it. We are what we eat (and drink). Be careful of artificial sweetners and preservative chemicals. Also, smoking IS a factor. I’ve known 2 people who had pancreatic cancer and were smokers.
Get real! Dr. Kooby’s article appears to have been written for the lay public, NOT for those experienced in pancreatic cancer-personally or professionally. (BTW Rule.303, Patrick Swazye HAS smoked for many years!) And risk factors are just that; it doesn’t mean that you have to have one or more of those in order to get pancreatic cancer! No more so than you have to be a smoker to get lung cancer!
Mr. Abbe, I don’t know the “cancer generals” are to whom you refer, but it takes more than a long paragraph to describe the biology of cancer in general, and specifically the carcinogensis and chromosomal abnormalities in pancreatic ca. It’s people like the late Dr. Judah Folkman whose work on angiogenesis nearly 40 yrs ago has lead to better understanding and treatment of cancerous tumor growth, AND whose work has been widely replicated, validated, and augmented.
There’s really no need in being so abusive towards this article. If we understood everything about cancer it wouldn’t kill so many people every year. One thing is for certain, a diet high in antioxidents and eating more servings of fruits and vegetables will go a long way to warding off cancer. There is a new drink mix out, Macon based company, that provides 5 servings of fruits and vegetables along with 5000 units of antioxidents in ONE 16oz drink. Come get the scoop. http://www.zoelifestyle.com/gtomlin or email me at gtomlin1960@gmail.com Watching what you put into your body WILL make a difference in your health.
You are so right that what we put into our bodies causes these horrible cancers and that eating fruits and veggies and getting plenty of antioxidants can keep our cells healthy and keep the bad cancer cells away. I take many vitamins, etc. and feel great at 63.
So people have many symptoms. Treatment is typically chemo and radiation. Qulity of life goes down hill until mainstream conventional oncologist and docs say they can’t do anything else, “Time To Go Home and die.”
Anyone know if Patrick Swazye has been treated with targeted low dose chemotherapy, The Kinder, Gentler Cancer Treatment (Insulin Potentiation Therapy.)? It works! People should go with this first rather than try to kill their bodies first.
To all those passing negative comments about this article because of the fact that people you know had pancreatic cancer but none of the risk factors – firstly Dr. Kooby here is only listing the risk factors issued by the National Cancer Institute, he didn’t come up with them himself. Secondly, he himself mentions in this article that many people who get this type of factors have none of the risk factors. Nobody can tell for certain how a particular cancer came to be. Risk factors just make you statistically more likely to get the cancer.
My mother died of pancreatic cancer. It is a horrible disease. We need more education. The more the better.
P.S. She loved sweets. I think it was the sugar and a stressed immune system.
My sister was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was 60,a former smoker,Her symptom was jaundice. She had whipple procedure,showed she had stage 4 , she had 2 chemoembolizations, 5 rounds of different kinds of Chemo, and it spread to liver. She passed away in 18 months.No one else in the family has ever had this disease.
the reason cancer is reaching younger people is because we keep saving the weak, thus polluting the gene pool and producing weaker people with every new generation. I have cancer now and i am 41 been getting screwed by it for 8 years.
the only treatment for cancer will be the discovery of how to turn the immune system on it and that is coming soon.
the eating of junk as we all do isnt helping matters either.
My mother had pancreatic cancer. She held on for 7 months. First through her 49th anniversary to Daddy, then Thanksgiving and Christmas and then past my daughter’s b-day in Jan. All out of shear determination. She had 2 of the risk factors. Had been smoking since she was 12, died at 69. Taught my children a very sad lesson. Thanks for all the attention to this vile disease, and more power to anyone facing it.
My sister lost her battle with this horrible disease just after her 52nd birthday and just 3 weeks after diagnosis. She had been ill for months with what she had been told was pancreatitis but not cancer and then finally accurate diagnosis and boom, 3 weeks later gone. I pray that research can provide better diagnostics because I feel like if my sis had been properly diagnosed in the beginning, treatment might at least have bought her a little more time with her family. It has been almost 5 years and I still grieve her loss!!!
One thing is for sure…….almost everyone has a cancer story. I am surrounded by it on all sides. Sometimes there is a risk factor and sometimes none. I agree that cancer can strike when there are no risk factors but I do believe that we could do so much to help ourselves with eliminating stress and poor eating.
I lost my dear,82 year old father-in-law to pancreatic cancer on he and my mother-in-law’s 50th anniversary. Dr.Kooby attempted the whipple proceedure but it was too late. That was March 1st and his first symptoms did not present until February. I look at pancreatic cancer as a silent, calculating thief that stole this precious man from us without warning. Dr. Kooby treated my father-in-law with such great respect and honor during his treatment. I believe that Dr.Kooby has a burden for families who are caught off-guard by this horrible disease and probably gets the question all time ” how could this be?” Take this article as it is. It is truly an attemp to cause awarness. I don’t believe he is trying to be a hero or know-it-all. He just wants to get people talking and sharing.
Cancer stinks! How can a 42 yr old woman be diagnosed with colon cancer when she is told she doesn’t need a colonoscopy until she is 50 and has no warning or risk? It just is. Don’t kill the messenger. Warn those that you love and care about.
Yes, Patrick Swaze smokes…and still does smoke to this every day. That I just don’t understand. I have known a few people with this disease and they have not made it past 6 months after diagnosis. The fact that he is still here is really just short of remarkable!!!!
My father was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer at 56. He was diagnosed in Feb 2004 and died 04/04/04. He was a Vietnam Veteran and was treated through the Veteran’s Hospital. Although he was part of a study and was followed more closely because of that, he went very fast. He was having digestion problems in and had his gall bladder removed before they finally diagnosed him. He is with me every day.<3 William Edgar Herndon Jr. <3
I agree with many of you who feel that cancer is largely in part due to what we put into our bodies. If we would pay attention to what we put into our bodies and stop with the junk food and processed foods so much and replaced them with fresh fruits and veggies you would be amazed at how much better your health would be. I know that all cases are different but I know that you can’t go wrong by changing your diet. Everything I have read about cancer goes back to cancer can not live in an alkaline environment, only in an acidic environment. There are even chemotherapy treatments that are based on this. What this means in short is your body chemistry should be alkaline which means more oxygen in your body. Unfortunately in our fast paced lives today this is very hard to do as we eat so much fast food as well as processed foods and these things are very acidic. Also think about what we drink. Sodas as well as coffee, tea and lets not forget alcohol are all very acidic. We should have a make up of about 20% acidic foods and 80% alkaline foods to keep a healthy balance. Just read about an acidic PH and make up your own mind. This info is not mentioned much when people talk of health problems but I believe that when your PH is acidic that that is when you can set yourself up for health problems and believe you me, we are all too acidic.
Yet when we go to the grocery store vegetable section and see stuff from China, Vietnam, guatemala, and whatever foreign country the USA can import from to save bucks for the greedy industry here. Now how safe can it possibly be to eat a piece of fruit imported from a foreign country when we know their quality control isn’t ANYTHING like ours? And even if it were, how long is the fruit enroute, where is it stored, how hot does it get when it’s stored, what does it endure while enroute, and etc, before we get it? And this is safe? I absolutely refuse to purchase fruit/veggies from a foreign country. It can rot in the bins for all I care because it is not healthy IMV.
Then think of the pesticides constantly sprayed on our fruits/veggies that are grown in this country. This is safe? Not IMO.
if you’re going to switch to fresh fruit/veggies, my suggestion is plow yourself a small garden and grow your own if you want to get truly safe, non-carcinogenic food to eat.
OK. To all those who are tyring to play doctor and push the latest UNPROVEN fads and diets and hypotheses, you are doing the general public a huge disfavor. Don’t you think that medical researchers WANT to cure this disease?–if not for altruistic reasons (mostly true), but for selfish reasons (Nobel prize, fame, money, etc). If there were any truth to any of these home remedies, then they will be tested. Once tested, the results will be published. Then other people will attempt to replicate these results. If these positive results holdup, then everyone will know that these treatments are real and effective. Please do not push untested treatments and let those who spend their lives finding a cure for cancer do what they do.
My brother passed on early this morning. Not from pancreatic cancer but a malignant brain tumor that was brought on by years of heavy smoking. It started in his lung, which they successfully treated, but part broke off and ended up in his brain. He went through many sessions of chemo and radiation. Still the result was the same. Yes it added some more time to his life but at what cost. My question is this. Why, as one blogger pointed out, has research used $105 billion to fine a cure when almost on a regular basis you hear or read about some promising new treatment and then nothing after that. The one on 60 Minutes last year is one example. There are many more I’ve seen throughout the years. My point is if there is ever a cure for cancer, its going to put a lot of people out of business.
Swayze got in to a legal mess a few years back when he crashed his private plane. Some construction workers nearby helped him unload opened bottles of alcohol and hide them. They told the FAA he appeared to be inebriated. During his subsequent interview with FAA officials a couple days later, he admitted to a 3 pack a day smoking habit which may have led to poor air quality in the plane’s cabin. You can find the official FAA report online.
There are a number of secondary causes of cancer that all merge into one prime cause, oxygen deficiency to living cells over a long period of time. For example, certain chemicals cause cancer. It is well known that asbestos causes cancer. Even some chemotherapy chemicals cause cancer. Various chemicals in smoke also cause cancer.
High energy radiation causes cancer. When one has a mammogram, for example, this is using high energy radiation into the breasts. Squeezing the breasts hard, as they do in this procedure, can also spread any cancer around. This was first reported in the medical literature in about 1928, but has been disregarded by the negligent medical doctors performing mammograms. There is a non zero probability of initiating cancer from a single mammogram for example. Dr. Samuel Epstein, M.D. has published an article about other ways to self examine oneself for lumps that are not as dangerous as mammograms. But the ultimate effect of chemicals and radiation is to diminish the oxygen supply to living cells which then results in cancer as proved from experiments and facts in the laboratory by the genius in Germany Otto Warburg, M.D., Ph.D., decades ago. Some have mentioned the wrong foods. The FDA has betrayed the American Public by approving many foods that have been adulterated by chemicals and addititives and processes to extend shelf life, but which have had vital nutrients removed that are reponsible for efficient oxygen transfer across cell walls so the oxygen can do its job of providing the vital energy necessary for cell operation. For example, most “foods” today do not have the necessary essential fatty acids which, as Peskin and Habib have emphasized in the book above, are like “oxygen magnets” to aid the oxygen transfer into cells. When the oxygen transfer is inhibited for a long period of time by about one third, the cell becomes cancerous. This can happen to any cell in any organ of the body, from the skin to any internal organ like the breast, prostate or liver or pancreas, or even deep inside a bone. But in all cases, the cause is the same, respiratory impairment or oxygen deficiency to living cells, or the wrong energy supply. If all oxygen to the living body is removed, it dies very quickly (in minutes). If all oxygen is removed from any cell it dies very quickly too. It oxygen is deprived from living cells by about one third, some cells die for lack of energy, but those that survive switch to running on glucose in the absence of oxygen (anerobically). This process is called fermentation is the way all primitive life existed before the appearence of oxygen on the earth. Only after the appearence of oxygen did the higher living forms appear, man and the higher animals. Only oxygen energy is capable of differentiation of living cells as Dr. Warburg has emphasized over and over again. All cancer is is the manifestation of the reverse of cell metabolism when oxygen is removed or deprived, back to the primitive form; fermentation, where cells possess no intelligence but only useless, mindless, growth, like yeast cells for example. All this is so scientifically consistent and beatiful it is amazing how the medical orthodoxy has denied it all. Dr. Warburg published about 500 scientific papers in his lifetime, but most “scientists”, the cancer generals and medical doctors obviously have not read them. Instead, they have negligently obstructed and sought to misrepresent his scientific findings from experiments and facts, not genetic speculations. It is this scientific misconduct on their part, of course, why they have so miserably failed to solve the cancer problem despite the enormous amount of public and private dollars squandered by them on their non scientific “research” and quack treatments.
The cancer generals claim, without proof, that cancer is caused by mutated genes because they observe some mutated genes in tumor tissue. But genes can become mutated from the wrong energy supply. Therefore, the mutated genes observed by the cancer generals evidently are a result, not a cause of cancer, resulting from oxygen deficiency to living cells as observed by Dr. Warburg and his genius level associates in his laboratory decades ago. By the way Dr. Warburg was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1931 for his work on cell respiration and was nominated for two other Nobel prizes too, the first cancer prize in 1926 and another for different work in 1944, though the latter two were not awarded. Three of his pupils also were awarded the Nobel prize in medicine, Hans Krebs, Hugo Theorell and Otto Meyerhof, shared with others. Here is another reference:
“Otto Warburg Cell Physiologist Biochemist and Eccentric” by Hans Krebs, M.D. and Roswitha Schmid, Ph.D., Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1981.
Dr. Warburg was a genius level scientist far above any living today. He was at the level of Issac Newton, Galileo Galilei or Albert Einstein. In fact, he was a close friend of Einstein.
The cancer generals must not only be fired, but prosecuted for scientific misconduct, fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity.
As a post script to the above comments, even cancer of the heart organ is possible but most people have never heard of it because it is very rare. You can confirm with any oncologist or surgeon how rare it is.
It is very rare because there is always plenty of oxygen in the heart from the highly oxygenated blood passing through it constantly, so there is almost no deprivation of oxygen to cells there, and therefore no tendency for them to be deprived of oxygen for any time and thus become cancerous. This is fully consistent with the fact that heart cancer is very rarely observed. One would have expected this.
Another point is that once the transformation from ordinary oxygen based metabolism has switched to glucose (sugar) based metabolism, fermentation, the change is irreversible. In other words, it is not possible to reverse cancer to “normal” by simply adding back oxygen to a cancerous cell as many medical doctors have falsely sought to misrepresent Dr. Warburg about. Obviously these doctors and cancer generals did not read the many papers of Dr. Warburg on this subject and, if they did read them, did not understand them. The only recourse when cancer has fully developed is to kill or remove the cancerous tissue. It is like trying to “unfry” an egg. Once heat is added to an egg to fry or scramble it, it is impossible to reverse the process, and by removal of heat alone, reestablish the state of the egg before it was fried. This is called an irreversible thermodynamic process in physics and chemistry. As Dr. Warburg stated and proved in his laboratory, called the “Palace of Cell Physiology” in Germany, fully established cancer runs on anerobic glycolysis, fermentation, and is irreversible (not reversible). However, it might be reversible during the transition between normal oxygen based metabolism and glucose based anerobic metabolism. Such cells have been observed and were called “sleeping cancer cells” by Dr. Warburg.
Just food shop at Wal-Mart and forget this fancy article. Have some guts for gosh sakes when you food shop. It is not that difficult just to buy what you need. People do it all the time.
Thank you for this article. I am donating mine to NEDA for their display along with a goodbye letter to them. My skinny jeans are from a time that I struggled with an eating disorder and getting rid of them is for me, the final step to freedom. For some, the number on that little label meant a lot to us at one time. If you can be like the previous poster and use your skinny jeans to “keep you in check” than more power to you…but for many, too small clothing from the past represents something much bigger, something you couldn’t understand unless you have been there.
Actually, just in case that previous link doesn’t work, here is another reference to the documentary about health, diet, cancer and the food and health care business in the US: The Beautiful Truth http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1288553/
Those hanging product displays that hang on shelves, are not placed willy-nilly. I have found them hiding less expensive items. Like the least expensive pure maple syrup.
I have also called a manager over to the bread isle to price more expensive loaves of bread with out shelve labels. I can’t always see the price and occasionally there isn’t one. It always seems to be the more expensive loaves that I can’t find a price on.
My husband died 60 days after being given the bad news that he hAD STAGE 4 bILE DUCT CANCER. tHE DOCTORS GAVE HIM NO HELP WITH TREATMENT. ONE DAY HE WAS FINE AND THE NEXT DAY HE HAD A BACK ACHE. THE DOCTORS SAID THAT HE HAD CANCER FOR A LONG TIME. WHAT IS A LONG TIME. HOW LONG WAS THIS CANCER EATING AWAY AT HIM? HE WAS 55.
Winfield,
I think what you have brought up is very interesting. I’m still unsure of how to ‘treat’ cancer, despite the cause. You say to still remove it, so still chemo/radiation, etc?
Also, many people experience oxygen deprivation to the whole body or only one organ but do not develop cancer. Why do some develop cancer after oxygen deprivation and others don’t? Is there a way to prevent the oxygen deprivation that creates cancer cells?
The scientific method that one assumes all “scientists” voluntarily comply with, involves a number of basic principles: Intellectual honesty, open mindedness, the ability to reproduce experimental results of others at different locations and different times, precision and accuracy in data calculations, the logical rules of mathematics, and following the laws of physics and chemistry and acknowledging the earlier experimental and theoretical work of others, lack of conflicts of interest, etc. There is no universal “police department” to force scientists to comply with the rules. Normally one would assume that no true scientists, especially one doing science for the benefit of mankind in medical research, would violate the rules. But when you read the referemces I have provided above, and many others, you find indeed some of them have been violating the rules, and that is why the war on cancer has failed so miserably. Space here does not permit a full elucidation and proof of how these scientists and “cancer generals” of the war on cancer have violated all the rules of science in the sqandering of trillions of public and private dollars for the past almost 40 years. All concerned citizens must read the above references and many others for the proof of this claim. I agree this type of reading is not much fun and not very inspiring of the human spirit.
Issac Newton and Galileo GAlilei were genius level scientists who lived almost 4 centuries ago. Galileo Galilei basically taught us and set the rules for the scientific method that all true scientists follow today. These great scientists made seminal discoveries in many areas of physics, especially, the laws of gravitation and the motions of bodies. Just because these dicoveries were made long ago does not make them any less valid than discoveries made yesterday or only one century ago. They are just as valid today as the day they were published. Suppose the engineers of today denied and failed to comply with them. Our planes would not fly, our buildings would collapse, the space shuttle would explode or crash, our ships would sink, etc. In short our civilization would not exist in the present form. One pays a heavy price when one denies the laws of physics and chemistry proved from experiments and facts following the scientific method in the laboratory as Galileo Galilei taught us to do, and Issac Newton taught us to do, and all the other subsequent great scientists too.
Again space does not permit a full elucidation here about why the war on cancer is such a dismal failure despite the expenditure of billions of public and private dollars. A large part of the problem is that the money of pharmaceutical companies has created enormous conflicts of interest between the dictum to follow the rules of science on the one hand, or follow the desires and whims of the pharmaceutical companies to make money through the patenting process of drugs. Pharmaceutical companies are larger than government. They can buy virtually anything and everything they want. While it is true they have provided many good things to our civilization, the war on cancer is not one of them.
After the squandering of multi billions of public and private dollars, still, about one person every minute dies in the U.S. either from cancer, treatment or both, usually treatment. Unfortunately or fortunately, as the case may be, there is usually no autopsy, let alone a true and objective one after a cancer patient dies while under “treatment”, to prove the exact and true cause of death. But all approved medical cancer treatments in the U.S. are life threatening. No patient will be treated without having first signed a waiver, expempting the doctor from legal liability. So one could have just as well died of the treatment rather than the disease and often do. But most doctors in charge will claim, and most newspapers will report, falsely, that a cancer patient under treatment who dies, died of the cancer rather than the treatment. They will usually say “sorry, we did our best”. But if you read the above references, you will realize that no, they did not do their best at all.
Many years ago a distinguished professor of medical physics and physiology and an expert in medical statistics at UC Berkeley, the late Hardin Jones, Ph.D., proved that cancer patients who did not receive the orthodox treament of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation lived up to 4 times longer than those who did receive such treatments! Little has changed today. The best way to fool people is with statistics. Do you remember what Mark Twain said about statistics: “There are lies, ….lies and statistics”. But after all is said and done, we all know the dismal failure of the cancer generals and the war on cancer. No other group in society would have been so indulged in failure as the cancer generals have been over the years. The time is long overdue that they be removed from their undeserved positions of power in the institutes of health of the United States, and replaced by some true scientists who are not conflicted and corrupted by the pharmaceutical companies and prejudice and failure to follow the scientific method.
When you read about cancer one thing becomes clear: Isn’t it better to prevent you house from burning down than to try to repair it after it has burned to the ground? “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. The problem is, that because the cancer generals have failed to follow the scientific method and denied the experiments and facts developed in Dr. Warburg’s and many other laboratories around the world, those in charge at the NIH, NCI and FCA do not or claim to not agree on the basic science of cancer, and therefore do not agree on how to prevent it. Suppose we did not agree on how to prevent houses from burning down? This is the core of the problem.
Furthermore, if these “scientists” called the cancer generals, many with Ph.D. degrees from “prestigious” institutions, cannot and do not accept the experiments and facts of Dr. WArburg about cancer, for whatever reason, honest or corrupt, they then cannot agree on a means to prevent and study the various ways to prevent and treat the disease once developed in the body. It seems so simple doesn’t it? If cancer is caused by oxygen deficiency to living cells, all we have to do is make sure there is plenty of oxygen to all cells don’t we? End of story and no money for the drug companies. Unfortunately it is not that simple. As any medical doctor will tell you, the system of the human body responsible for providing necessary oxygen to every one of the roughly 100 trillion cells of the human body is called the respiratory system. This system is responsible for distributing that oxygen breathed into your lungs and transferred to your red blood cells throughout all the arteries of your body, to every cell in every organ even down deep inside every bone! This is an enormously difficult and complex job. AFter all you don’t have a blood vessel next to every cell do you? Therefore, how does the oxygen get from a blood vessel to a remote cell in the prostate gland or the breast or the pancreas or the liver or the bone in your big toe? The oxygen molecules leave the blood at the arteries and move about inside your body by a physics process called diffusion. When those oxygen molecules get near certain living cells, they then must get through the cell wall which is usually made of materials including essentially fatty acids, fatty material that attracts oxygen very much like a dead fish attracts oxygen and quickly becomes rancid (smells bad). Once the oxygen is inside the cell, it then provides the energy for the cell to operate in a myriad of complex biochemical processes. This complex process continues continuously in time for the life of every human or living being. Without Mother oxygen, no life as we know it is possible. But suppose the cancer generals, in charge of the war on cancer, and who dole out the government money to study it, deny the experiments and facts proving that when inadequate amounts of oxygen are provided to any cell in your body, it becomes malignant? They won’t study this subject in the proper way and discover both how to prevent cancer and how to treat it when it develops into a clinical, observable disease. This is why the war on cancer is a dismal failure and why the prejudiced cancer generals must be fired and replaced by others who will read the experiments and facts reported in the 500 scientific papers of Otto Warburg and acknowledge them and act on that knowledge, rather than denying that knowledge. Much more emphasis must be placed on prevention since it is so difficult to prevent cancer once it has developed inside the human body. However, there is additional knowledge that the cancer generals have also denied and obstructed, that is useful for treating the disease, but it also has not been legitimately studied because the cancer generals have obstructed its study.
It has been known since about 1969 that vitamin C kills cancer cells at high doses. We even understand exactly how this process works; the vitamin C produces hydrogen peroxide inside the cancer cell which then kills the cancer cell. This was proved as early as 1957. This is really the “magic bullet” one has “searched” for for decades to treat cancer, but because of prejudice of the cancer generals against it, corrupted by the pharmaceutical companies agsinst it since they wouldn’t make any money since vitamin C is a natural substance, they have not studied this substance in the treatment of cancer in the proper scientific fashion. Indeed, it has been used to treat advanced cancer patients very successfully. A reference is provided below.
In summary then, first one must prevent cancer at all costs. This must be done in a variety of ways: Avoid all secondary causes of cancer as one avoids secondary causes of the plague, rats and filth. With cancer it means avoiding cancer causing chemicals, high energy radiation and poisons in our environment that cause cancer by in turn impairing oxygen to cells. It means taking into our bodies the “right” nutrients that aid in oxygen transfer into our cells, like eating foods that contain the essential fatty acids that aid in oxygen tranfer and taking vitamins and minerals that enhance the efficiency of the respiratory system. It means placing pressure on our government officials and elected officials to take their heads out of the sand and stop rewarding failure by the failed cancer generals of the war on cancer and replace them with others who will follow the true scientific method in the study of this horrible disease. One thing is certain. The cure is not around the next billion dollar corner as they would have us believe every spring at fund raising time, especially when no fundamental changes are made in the corrupt, failed non leadership by the non scientists running the NIH, NCI and FDA who have failed so miserably and dismally for so many years. Would you continue to pay a car mechanic over and over and over again for failure and then not even demand your money back? Have you ever heard of a medical doctor treating a patient with the only approved cancer treatment in the U.S., who may have even killed the patient from the treatment, offering to refund the money charged by that doctor and hospital for the quack treatment? I never have. People must wake up, read up and speak up or nothing will ever change. This is why I have said not only must the cancer generals be fired immediately, they must be prosecuted for scientific misconduct, fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity. If we had had 40 years of true scientific research on this subject, following the experiments and facts elucidated by Dr. Warburg, M.D., Ph.D., we would likely be on the fast trac to prevent this horrible disease today, and possibly even cure it too. However, we must put an end to the failed non science of the medical orthdoxy today.
Even if you don’t know or understand anything else, over half a million dead victims every year means FAILURE by any standard does it not?
“Cancer and Vitamin C Therapy for Patients” by Reagan Houston, M.S., P.E., Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Aug./SEpt., 2007.
“Cancer-Its Cause, Prevention and Cure” by John P. Dobbins, Sc.D., Cytobiologische Revue, No. 3, pp. 123-134, 1985.
Winfield J. Abbe, Ph.D., Physics
150 Raintree Ct.
Athens, GA 30607
Note: None of the criticisms made above are intended to apply to the medical doctor in the above article.
Good article– lots of useful advice for Democrats, about taking responsibility for their actions. No mention of a “Grocery Store Czar” to help avoid the end-caps, as of yet. Obama’ll be back next week; maybe then.
Read the “Made in”/”Country of Origin” labels. I don’t buy anything I can’t link to a country. If it doesn’t say it’s a product of the USA, I don’t buy it, period. And believe me this is tough. Supermarkets buy globally from the lowest bidder. No quality/safety control at all. Composite products don’t list the country of origin, so I don’t buy them.
Buy at local Farmers Markets and get better food at a better price.
I really can’t believe this is written by a journalist. Is this intended as humorous? We should now be at war with our grocery store for deceptive practices because they merchandize seasonal items? Should we really believe they are trying to steal our money? It sure would be easier if the government simply deliver an approved, prepared box of weekly staples for each and every family, wouldn’t it? Then we wouldn’t have to shop at all. And just think how much gas we’d save!
Don’t believe this article is getting the response that they expected. We don’t need to be told how to shop properly. It is not a course that is taught at MIT. We Americans are smart, regardless of what the politico’s might want you to believe. I, for one, will not dumb down. I do not need to be told how to lead a useful and productive life. This article is crap like so much else being shoved down our gullett. I will go now and be a productive and independent thinking American. Enough already. When will garbage like this stop being pounded on us. Spark People and Mr. Yoo can go pound salt.
Make your own salad dressings-it is so much better and costs less-here’s an easy one…1/3 cup olive oil-1/3 cup rice bran oil(super healthy), 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, teaspoon dijon mustard, salt and pepper and a little garlic-very tasty!
My husband had pancreatic cancer; Dr. Kooby was his doctor. He was diagnosed on Jun 12, 2008 and died on June 19, 2008. He was 38 years old and had none of the known risk factors; in fact one month prior to his illness he was running 10 K races. Pancreatic cancer is a terrible, horrible disease. I think if we really want to beat pancreatic cancer we have to get the word out–to our friends, family, neighbors, etc and urge them to do what they can to increase research for diagnosis and treatment. There are ways to help at http://www.pancan.org.
What an interesting load of comments. I lost a cousin to this disease-pancreatic cancer. She was 62 and died exactly 6 months after the doctor said she had 6 months to live. Didn’t do my MS any good either -the knowledge. My brother has had pancreatitis a couple of times would this put him at risk?
OMG – I’m so pleased and shocked to see Dr. Kooby’s article as I have an appointment with him this week. He is THE BEST doctor I have ever met. He removed a non malignang tumor from my pancreas six years ago. He is the most caring and polite doctor / surgeon I have ever met.
Also I would like to add that I am 41 and when I was diagnosed I wasn’t overweight, a smoker or heavy drinker – PEOPLE PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUS. I am having another bout with pancreatitis now and I don’t meet any of the criteria other than being African American.
@Peggy so sorry to hear of your loss. I am praying all goes well with me this week and I don’t have another mass / cancer.
IS THAT WHAT MR. OBAMA SAYS WE SHOULD DO. HAS HE APPOINTED A CZAR OR AT LEAST A COMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER? AND IF I HAPPEN TO BUY THE MOST EXPENSIVE ITEM WILL HE SEND ME A CHECK TO COVER WHAT I COULD NOT AFFORD BUT WANTED??
You know it’s so amazing to me how many of you BITTER REPUBLICANS still isn’t over the fact that Obama is now the President of the U.S.!!! THANK GOD BOTH BUSH AND THOSE RIP OFF REPUBLICANS ARE OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE!!!!
It’s a shame his employer took that attitude and fired him. Severing an employee due to illness is akin to filing for a divorce from an ailing spouse. It’s inappropriate and frowned upon when it becomes public knowledge. Congrats on the fresh start.
I expected the feedback to be more informative and more related to the article in a positive manner. I simply buy what I can afford and enjoy. Also, I do try generic and main brand items to compare taste–sometimes at the same meal. Then I feel my money is better spent next time. Some store brands have a better taste than the overly expensive ones. I do not enjoy wasting my time looking for a particular brand that has been separated from the main display.
Why is it that we give so much money for cancer research and yet there is no absolute cure? We are giving millions and billions of dollars each year for cancer research and there is no cure! My father passed away of Pancreatic Cancer in 1999, and yet there is still no cure. Are we as Americans being duped by the scientists and BIG Pharma? Honestly, let’s really consider this issue. Think of the billions of dollars that are raised for breast cancer each year. Why hasn’t there been a cure yet for breast cancer? You mean to tell me that the most richest and most technological country on the face of the earth can’t find a cure for any cancer? Something is terribly wrong. Sir Winfield J. Abbe, THANK YOU! Thank You for your knowledge and wisdom regarding this subject matter.
Since the medical aspect of this disease, why it happens, and what might prevent it, has already been blogged extensively by much smarter people than me, I felt I should give you my personal experience with the author, Dr. Kooby.
I was diagnosed with pancriatic cancer 13 months ago. Dr. Kooby performed a Whipple on me on July 16th of 2008. I had 12 sessions of chemo after that. Other than weight loss (40 lbs, from 165 to 125), and an extremely painful couple of months while my digestive system got used to it’s re-arrangement, everything is going fine.
I can, however, unequivocally say one thing. Dr. Kooby is an extremely talented surgeon and, in my opinion, and just as important, an extremely caring and dedicated individual (how many Doctors do you know would give you their cell phone number and tell you to call them any time). During my long surgery he and his staff kept my wife and our son well informed during their nerve racking wait, calling them several times with updates from the operating room. He was extremely compassionate with me, and more importantly, with my family. It made things a lot easier for all of us.
If you, or anyone you know gets this awful disease, make an appointment with Dr. Kooby.
By the way, tomorrow is my birthday. I made it to 63!, and thanks to Dr. Kooby, his staff,and the great people at Emory, plan on celebrating many, many, more.
I hope your health and good luck continue! You all look so happy together! I love photography also but am just a beginner! Good luck and may GOD continue to Bless you!
Your story inspired me and gave me hope. I am not battling cancer, but I am battling other health issues. He is a hero and what a wonderful wife you are to stand by him. I like that “he chose life” – So many people can learn and be encouraged. Jesus is the ultimate healer and I think it is great your husband is finally able to pursue his passion. Thank you for your story!
JB …it was not more positive because the writers of this article really ticked people off. And Iam brand loyal to only a few items. Would never use anything else but Hellmann’s mayo
I find your story truly inspirational… I was diagnosed with head and neck cancer this past February… although most of my family (on my mother’s side) have died of cancer ranging in age from 18 – 43… my reaction to my diagnosis surprised me. I was overcome with a feeling of selflessness… my reaction was not “how does this affect me” but “how is this going to affect my friends and family”… I finally realized that of all the people in my life… I was the least important to me!
Yesterday my youngest brother told me that in a conversation with a cousin he said that if I was asked what were the best 5 months out of my 53 years… I would say the last 5 months… he was right… best of luck… hope to meet you down the road… years from now…
I had a similar diagnosis, but a COMPLETELY different response from my employer. Like Herb, I was diagnosed in late 2007.
Unlike Herb, I had actually vacated by position only one month prior to my diagnosis. Not surprisingly, my new employer’s disability insurance company refused to offer me coverage. Upon hearing of my condition and challenges, my former employer offered me my former position and colleagues in my office came together and DONATED A YEAR OF SICK LEAVE! It was critical to my successful treatment and healing! H&N cancer treatment is a painful one and it completely wiped me out. I would have never paid the mortgage without the kindness and material support of my employer and colleagues. Their support saved my live.
Thank you for your article. My story is so unlike yours but my husband of 4 years was diagnosed with prostrate cancer and subsequently did not make it. My reaction to the diagnoses was completely selfish because I turned to my husband and made him promise to beat this thing. He lived only 13 more months after the diagnose. I am happy that Herb made it and C Timmons, you work with a dynamic group of people. Its news like that that make me continue to believe in people at the workplace being just as human as I had prayed they would be. Very touching indeed.
My mother-in-law was just diagnosed yesterday (6/8) with Pancreatic Cancer at at age 77. She ate nothing but organic foods and did not smoke. Our family is in shock because she is so active and eats very healthy. We do not know what stage she is in because they are still running test. My heart and prayers are with everyone who has or knows any person with Pancreatic Cancer.
Dr M has a major stake in GEOVAX, he is just selling his company. Will his vaccine work? That is the question. Should someone buy it just because a doctor tells you he believes in his work? I wouldn’t without more results and disclosure.
My mother died of Pancreatic Cancer Feb. 2008. 2 months after she started feeling symptoms, Abdominal pain, heartburn, back pain. She was a smoker for many years. She thought she had an ulcer. Catscan showed Pancreatic cancer, had spread to her liver and lymph nodes, 2 wks after official diagnosis she died. This was the hardest thing I have ever went though, so painfull to watch her painful suffering. This cancer is a nightmare.
My father went into the hospital on a Tuesday in April for what was to be a simple in and out in 2 days procedure. My mother was scheduled to have a mastectomy the following Wednesday long after Dad was supposed to be out of the hospital. Unfortunately his kidney shopped functioning and Dad was transferred around midnight, placed immediately into intensive care. He stabilized and Mom went ahead with the operation as scheduled because when she was first diagnosed, Dad said she was the priority. So Mom went in on Wednesday and out on Thursday. She stayed home for 2 days and then made the daily trips to see Dad who died a week later.
Can you imagine packing up your drains to attend your husband’s funeral? Luckily my brother who lives with Mom really stepped up. He’s always needed to be the knight in shining armor, which lead to so really bad relationships, but he been there for her ever since. And now Mom is going to live to see another grandchild born. One she’s convince was conceived after a year of trying because once in heaven, Dad had to find somethi9ng to do.
Sparkpeople is great, I’ve been a member for a few months now. There are some great tools available for losing weight, working out and general overall heatlh, check it out!
Part of the reason cancer hasn’t been cured is that there is too much money in keeping it around. Fact: the American Cancer Society is the largest medically related charity in the U.S. and it’s executives make a very comfortable living. It was reported on NPR a few years ago that former staff members have made the accusation that many promising cures researched by the ACS have been quashed before ever reaching large scale clinical trials. Why do you suppose that is? Add to that the money made by the pharmaceutical firms in supplying chemotherapy drugs and you have a pretty strong motive for making sure that cancer is never cured.
If you or a family member have recently been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer please make an appt. with Dr. Kooby. What a caring Dr. His staff was wonderful also.
I really don’t get why people are so fired up over an article intended to help us make better informed decisions. They highlighted some common practices to make us aware of them… don’t see how that has anything to do w/ government or politics at all.
Anyhow, for me, the end caps are definitely the toughest to avoid in terms of impulse grabs!
We lost a very loving friend of the family also, she never drank or smoked. She exercised and at the age of 60 could still wear a string bikini. In addition she was white female, so the article doesnt help us. She fought and survived more than a year more then the men in white coats gave her.
Great article! Precise and to the point. I lost my father on May 27, 2009 to this dreadful disease. I had never even heard of it until he was diagnosed. As awful as it is, one positive note for Patrick Swayze’s diagnosis is that he has become a vehicle for awareness and education on this disease.
calorie theory is wrong, duh, everyone should know it by now, calories are neither here nor there, it’s the glycemic index which matters. if the calorie theory were right, people would lose weight and keep it off, but in fact people lose weight then gain more, then lose weight then gain even more, and once they cycle a few decades like this are no longer able to lose any weight even if they only eat 500 calories a day.
These comments make me laugh. Americans are smart? give it up… Americans are fat, stupid and lazy. Most people are so ignorant that they need this kind of advice.
Momo, calories are the only thing that you need to focus on, and it’s not a theory. You’re giving false information. If you create an imbalance of 3500 calories, you lose 1 pound.
The article clearly explains why people cycle. After they diet, they begin consuming more calories than they burn again by resuming their “normal” diet. That’s the diet that gained the weight to start with.
If you understand how many calories your body burns, you can always lose weight. The reason you have problems after decades is that your metabolism has naturally slowed from old age. It has nothing to do with yoyo dieting.
Great article. It’s true. I was never “fat” but wanted to slim down a bit as I had reached the top limit of my “normal” weight range last fall. Since then I’ve lost 21 pounds in 28 weeks and back to the middle of my normal range – all while eating brownie bites or cookies (from Whole Foods) for breakfast 5 days a week!
The thing is, I don’t eat fast food and I eat modest portions of yogurt, fruit and cheese, and organic frozen dinners (at work) the rest of the day. I also allow myself to splurge on a “larger” dinner a couple times a week (e.g. a pork chop, couple slices of pizza, or dining out). To offset this I do yoga every week and have started swimming. I also live in a walkable neighborhood which helps!
Since I eat food I like, I don’t feel deprived. I’ve learned to set limits on portion size *before* I eat, whenever possible, and I think that (plus the exercise) is key. But I don’t beat myself up for going out to eat with friends and overdoing it once in a while, either.
I’ve lost 12 pounds since I started “dieting” 6 weeks ago … I have not cut out any foods that I love – I have merely cut back on the portion sizes and relized that if I get the slightest hunger pang, I don’t have to grab a handful of Cheezits (my favorites!). Carrots and apples are a great snack and easy to have at my desk. If I deny myself the foods that I really love, I will never stick with the change in my eating habits. Walking has really helped – I still stroll with the dogs, but I’ve also starting taking brisk 45 minute walks around a nearby school campus that includes inclines and steps.
I lost seventy lbs by exercising three hours a day, eating fruit, vegetables, lean protein. Kept the weight off for 2 years but started an stressful job after college and overeating, not exercising led to weight gain .My weight has fluctuated ever since and I’m learning moderation is key, eat sweets and fried foods when you have a craving but once a week, not everyday aim for at least 30 minutes of a day to maintain weight but at least an hour if you want lose don’t let your emotions dictate your food choices or portions.
I stopped hanging around people who smoked and tried to avoid places where smoking was allowed. I also joined my neighborhood tennis team and spend most of my free time practicing my tennis game. That has helped me keep my mind off of smoking but it has also helped me get into better shape. I have also made some great friends on the team and I became a pretty dang good player.
I quit smoking and gained 100 pounds. I lost 75 pounds in 7 months on the Atkins Diet. I felt great – cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar – all the blood work was great! I ate a modified diet, limiting carbs and kept the weight off for almost 10 years. Fat doesn’t make you fat sugar does. (carbs)
Two years ago, I started he eat more bread (my addiction), more sweets, more everything. I’ve gained 55 pounds back and my blood work shows it too! Limiting unnecessary carbs is the best and healthiest way to lose weight and keep it off. Moderation is good, but if your fat, limiting carbs is best way to lose pounds.
I took wellbutrin to suppress the urges. That worked great. Then I tried not to hang around it. Other activities like working out, cycling, running all helped to make me stop.
My work environment is smoke free. I got tired of the cravings during the work day. The first week was torture. I used the nicotine losengenzes when things got really bad. Slowly the cravings subsided and I was free from the habit. It’s been almost 5 years. Now, I can’t stand the smell nor the sight of a smoker. Quit now if you’re a smoker. You thank yourself soon enough and be free of that nasty, nasty nasty habit.
A little bit at a time – First, I stopped smoking in the car. Next, I stopped smoking in the house. Then I stopped after breakfast. Then I took 3 days off from work and spent them in bed, mostly sleeping and watching TV. I didn’t drink alcohol for a long time. For the next couple of years, my husband still smoked, and I would have one or 2 cigarettes at night. When he quit two years ago, I found that those last two cigarettes were almost as hard to give up as going cold turkey! It was so important to me that my husband not smoke, due to health issues, that this was the final motivation I need to truly stop smoking. It will be 2 years in August for both of us!
I stopped smoking in 1971 when my dad was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx…clearly a result of his 40+ years of smoking.
8 years later I was in a play that required the character I was playing to smoke. Try as hard as I could, I could NOT prevent myself from inhaling. The play ran every weekend for 4 weeks. I enjoyed every cigarette I had during those 4 weeks(plus rehearsal time). I’ve never been prouder of myself than when I put cigarettes out of my life for good when that play ended.
Cold turkey…no “helpers”. It was the only way that worked for me.
I just quit. I made it through an hour, then a day, and then a week. That was 12 years ago. I also drank a glass of water whenever I had the urge to smoke. The bad news is that you never completely lose the desire to have a cigarette.
I just stopped cold turkey…i have urges at time, but I occupy my mind with other things. The good thing is that the smell totally turns my stomach and so that is a deterrent as well.
I Quit cold turkey in 1983. It took all of the will power I had to avoid cheating. I thank God I had the sense to quit. My health really improved and I did lose my desire.
I quit cold turkey in 1982 with 2 other friends. One friend restarted and died 2 years later of lung cancer. It was the most difficult thing I ever did and I was so proud that I was able to accomplish it.. Today, I still would not smoke one cigaratte because I know I would be hooked all over again. For years I would still get the urge to smoke but they came further and further apart.
I stopped smoking in Febuary of 2008. It was my time to quit, cold turkey. I went to Paris in March of 2008 for two weeks. My traveling companion,my sister, is a non-smoker. It really was easier than I thought. I loved my smoke-free trip. So, if you want to quit smoking….. GO TO PARIS!!
I asked my doctor for Chantix. It worked great and I was surprised that I had no cravings. I have been smoke-free for over 2-1/2 years and still have no cravings. All my previous attempts failed including Zyban, nicotine gum, patches, cold-turkey, and even hypnosis.
It is nice to see that Dr. Lah and his colleagues are developing a simple screening test for MCI. I have been experiencing symptoms of MCI for several years now and no one could find a cause. The general response I would get was, your depressed, everything seems normal. Other health problem were found and treated but my core complaint, Cognitive problems, was always dismissed as in my head. It’s an easy out when the doctor doesn’t have the answer
I’m lucky I guess, as I am a stubborn SOB and would not let it rest. I recently had some disc problems and I saw a Neurologist. I told his PA about my cognitive problems and talked her into doing an MRI and a one hour Neuro Psych exam.. I had had an MRI about 3 years ago which two Neurologists looked at, including the author of this article, and I was told then that there was no physical problems in my brain that could cause my MCI..
My new neurologist told me that I have been having silent strokes for quite a while. He even showed me the MRI and pointed out where I had many white matter lesions. Looking back over my previous MRI results these were evident and even pointed out by the radiologist yet ignored in the final diagnosis. .
I’m starting Aircept. I’m told that it should greatly reduce but not eliminate the progression of the MCI. If I had started it 3 years ago when the problem was ignored, I would probably not have lost (and will never regain) anywhere near the cognitive functions I have. Early detection tests are only good if the doctors actually pays attention to them. As JoAnn said, “you have to take your health in your own hands” For whatever reason you can’t always depend on doctors to do what is in your best interest.
I lost my husband on November 16, 2006; five weeks and one day after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The first symptom that anything was wrong with him at all was a backache between his shoulder blades. He smoked and drank, but had been very healthy his whole life; he averaged a cold a year and never missed work because of illness. He was physically active and ate fairly well. There’s no definitive test for pancreatic cancer in its early stages; most of the time it’s stage IV when it’s found. I am hopeful that there will be an affordable preventative vaccine developed. Watching him suffer is the hardest thing I’ve done; being widowed is a close second.
It’s difficult to believe so many shoppers are even capable of outsmarting anyone when they can’t even do the per item math on 10 for $10. Retailers count on their ignorance. Why is it not mandatory that they learn this and how to balance a checkbook before they are allowed out in the world?
I used Chantix for 5 months. My wife referred to them as my ‘Happy Pills’. I did not have any of the typical side effects of quitting. I just seemed to feel happier. I did have some very vivid dreams, though. I have not had a cigarette since April 15, 2008. I do get a slight twinge of a craving for one. When I do, I will usually eat a mint. I do find the smell of cigarettes offensive now. BTW, I smoked for about 30 years.
I smoked for over 40 years and quit at least 40 times!
I tried Welbutrin for a year, I couldn’t tell any difference the day I started or the day I stopped taking it. I did finally quit smoking for 5 months while taking Chantix for only 4 months. The Chantix worked great, a few vivid dreams, not bad dreams, but I could remember every detail. The day my prescription ran out I started planning my first cigarette, I lasted three weeks before I smoked again. Six months later I tried quitting again.
I quit 2 ½ tears ago after taking Chantix for a full 6 months. I haven’t had a single puff since! I stay away from places where people are smoking. But, I still have strong urges sometimes. I take five deep breathes, release it slowly and remind my self why I quit.
To start with: there are 127 strains of the HPV-virus. Gardasil and Cervarix may protect against only the dangerous strains 16 and 18 and two innocent strains. That leaves 127 minus 4 = 123 strains of the HPV-virus left. Many can cause cancer. Merk and GSK and the docters don’t tell you this.
Next thing you need to know, is that both Gardasil and Cervarix are NOT proven vaccines!! They’re only tested for six and a half years. You’ll need to be vaccinated every 3 to 5 years with this vaccine.
ERGO: Gardasil and Cervarix are NOT anti-cancer-vaccines.
We’ll know at least 15 to 20 years from now, whether these vaccines are working for the strains 16 and 18.
That means : You can still get cervical-cancer after the vaccintion with Gardasil and Cervarix.
Annelies Witlam.
I.C.A.P. ( International Coalition of Advocates for the People )
All of you offering platitudes and criticism of those who have suffered from something about which you know nothing need to get on your knees now and pray you never suffer from major depression.
After having been a smoker for twelve years, I quit in August 2008 with Chantix. Over the years, I had tried unsuccessfully several times to quit smoking, using methods such as Zyban and cold turkey. I took Chantix for a month, and that was all I needed. I had some vivid dreams, but not bad dreams, as I had heard many people say they had. I probably should have taken it for another month or so, but I didn’t. So far, it’s turned out well. I can be in places where people are smoking, with no problems or cravings. I rarely even think about smoking anymore.
Right on, Aquagirl. And to Annelies — it is true that the vaccine protects only against four strains of HPV, but you totally neglected to point out that MOST cervical cancer and warts in the U.S. are caused by those 4 types, so your risk of getting cancer is thousands of times smaller if you get vaccinated. Also, you do NOT need to get a booster shot every 3-5 years — you obviously have no idea what you’re talking about. Finally, to say these vaccines are “unproven” is just silly — they have been tested far more thoroughly than most FDA-approved drugs. Let me guess that ICAP is just an organization you made up, since you clearly don’t really know anything about HPV or vaccines or medicine or science…
I work for Medicine Shoppe and thus far our pharmacists recommended that girls between 11 and 12 years of age receive the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. It’s given as a series of three shots over the course of six months. Also, it’s highly recommended for girls between 13 and 18 years old if they have not yet been vaccinated. The good news is that older adult women are also seeing benefits from the vaccine. For more information about Gardasil ask your local pharmacist.
They actually do recommend getting a “booster shot” every five years, after receiving the first initial shots because the vaccine is only effective for four and a half years. The ingredients in the vaccine contain aluminum (which has been associated with Alzheimer’s and CANCER), and sodium borate, a boric acid, which is an insecticide and anti-fugal that’s been banned in the U.S. as a food additive because it is toxic to all the human cells, and those are just a few to name. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that the vaccine is basically useless, “No significant evidence of a vaccine therapeutic effect was observed… it is unlikely that vaccination could have a significant beneficial impact on rate of lesion progression. There is little, if any, therapeutic benefit from the vaccine in the population we studied.” Diane M. Harper, M.D., a chief developer of Gardasil says that mandating the vaccine for young girls is ” a great big public health experiment,” and that ” the vaccine has not been out long enough for us to understand what all the potential side effects are going to be.” And she helped develop the vaccine! Some of the potential side effects are: genital warts, paralysis, blood clots, Bell’s Palsy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, seizures, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, gastroenteritis, appendicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, asthma, juvenile arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, reproductive system complications ( 33 out of 70 pregnant women who received Gardasil experienced spontaneous abortion and fetal abnormalities) and vaginal warts. Young women need to be informed of all the information, good and bad, before the make an informed decision.
I agree with Annelies. This is all true. But here’s the bigger thing they aren’t telling you. THE VACCINE IS EFFECTIVE IN THE MALE POPULATION, that spreads the vaccine. IF all the males were vaccinated, there would be no need to vaccinate young girls, but according to a recent paper it isn’t “cost effective” to vaccinate the males. The reality is that when your daughter reaches out for birthcontrol they want to give her the shot first. I know first hand that cervical cancer is a killer. I had ONE sex partner and contracted the disease thanks to an unfaithful husband. As a result it was a complete hysterectomy for me. You would think I would be cheering the HPV vaccine, but I am not! And yes, you have to get a booster shot FOREVER. Translation: you aren’t totally covered and there is no “cure.” like they want to announce. Young girls have no idea that sex with multiple partners literally destroys your body. Years from now when they want children of their own, I fear it shall be too late for them to learn this valuable lesson.
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, June 16th 2009) has very favorably reviewed a book on “The HPV Vaccine Controversy: Sex, Cancer, God and Politics” authored by Shobha S. Krishnan, M.D, Barnard college, Columbia University. The book is to educate both professionals and the public about HPV infections, the diseases they cause and the role/ controversies surrounding the new vaccines. The book is written without the influence of any pharmaceutical companies or special interest groups and is available at amazon.com and Barnes and Noble .com. Link to the book: http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/C35011.aspx
Hey, tsmeg, nice spin. That quote about Gardasil being useless was in a study of women who ALREADY HAD BEEN INFECTED. It didn’t help them clear the virus quicker. Quote mining is a tactic of propagandists like the quack who wrote that article. It’s deliberate misinformation. And you spread it around like it’s okay to LIE.
I completely agree anyone who has a vaccine (or parents who give permission) should be fully informed. Your cut-and-paste lies are the problem….people read that crap and think it’s valid information because its on the internets tubes. People who read unbiased information and think rationally are the ones overwhelmingly in favor of vaccinations.
According to these measurements, my bra size would be a 32C. I’ve owned that bra size. Spill out of it every time to look like a quad-boob, no matter the manufacturer. Turns out I am actually a 32D and in some manufacturers a 32DD. I would recommend people take these measurements as a possible GUIDELINE but be sure and try a size or two up for complete accuracy and comfort.
I totally agree with SV. These measurements indicate a “B” for me, but I am a definite “C.” Plus, all the manufacturers size bras differently and sizing can really get confusing if a single style is manufactured in multiple countries. Also, take the jumping jack test when you are in the fitting room…NO bounce and NO riding up when you raise your arms.
I just lost my brother to pancreatic cancer two days ago. My family is devastated. He was diagnosed in October 2008 at stage 4B and told he probably wouldn’t see 2009. We did some research and found a supplement that works with chemo specifically against pancreatic cancer, and for six months or so the cancer didn’t grow, and his quality of life was pretty good.Then it just took off like crazy, and at the end he went really fast. His name was David Lavigne, he was 48, a musician, and he died surrounded by a huge group of family and friends who truly loved him.
If you believe in informed consent then why didn’t you criticize the good doctor’s letter for not disclosing the other side of the coin: side effects.
This is 30 girls have died. Many cases of paralysis and neurological side effects have occured. And there is no proof that this vaccine prevents cancer. It takes years to prove show that inference. That study wasn’t done. All that has been proven is it seem to prevent HPV (4 strains). Time will only show if the cases of cervical cancer rapidly and dramatically decrease. Which they won’t.
I am a guy and I agree. Don’t like the quad look. Take it from a guy’s point of view, overstuffed bras are not very attractive. Neither are thongs that ride too high. Come on ladies. don’t appear so desperate. And for heaven’s sake, don’t ask a guy what is he staring at when you spend 20 minutes in the mirror propping and positioning it for display!
It is a sad woman who will pay a $400.00 for a purse but won’t buy a decent bra. Maybe I am wrong. Help me out ladies.
“Let’s hope unvaccinated girls don’t become one of MILLIONS killed or maimed by HPV due to hysterical scaremongers.” – aquagirl
Millions killed by what? 11,000 women get cervical cancer in the U.S. 3500 die from cervical cancer. Not all cervical cancer is caused by HPV. Not all HPV cervical cancer is caused by the 4 strains covered by gardasil. Not once single study has shown that gardasil prevents cancer.
Wait, Dr can’t talk to their patients about that patients disabilities?
No obesity is NOT a disability and I do want my Dr to talk with me about mine, because I am working with the fact that the Dr probably knows more about healthy nutrition and excercise than I do. (ok I probably do know more about nutrition than my Dr but I am an exception).
Until I no longer have to wait while the 300lb person in front of me (168lbs; 5′9″) and my grandchildren pile 8, yes, 8 pieces of pizza on their plate at CiCi’s , I’m going to be hard pressed to call them disabled. I will, however, say they should see a mental health professional as it may be an obsession, but I’m not a doctor so I personally think they should not accept temptation. I quit smoking after 45 years of 2 packs a day, they should be able to do the same when it comes to food.
Obesity, in almost all cases is not a disability. Poor eating habits are just that, poor eating habits. Is smoking a disability or just a bad habit? The lack of nutritional education plays a major role in obesity in America. That coupled with the fact that the least expensive foods are the absolute worst things to eat. Sure, excessive quantities of any food plays a role, especially corn and corn by products such as High Fructose Corn Syurp (HFCS). There are about 20 corn and corn by products in a single chicken Mcnugget alone. Educate people, demand higer quality, less processed foods from Agribusiness. Close all drive thru restaurants and our health care costs will be reduced significantly.
Some people are annoying, they just can’t help it, no matter how hard they try not to be annoying, they still end up being annoying. Should this be considered a disablity too? If some obese people need a title, let’em have it. I’m one obese person who will tell you I don’t need that title. What I need to do is get off this couch and turn off the laptop.
If someone is born without legs, or loses them in an accident, there’s not a whole lot they can do about it. If someone is born blind, or loses their eyesight due to a disease, that’s pretty much it. But if someone is obese, there is a fix. PUT. DOWN. THE. FORK. STOP. STUFFING. YOUR FACE.
In a word, NO. Obesity is a choice for most people, plain and simple. All the politically correct gibberish spouted by “advocacy” groups is just that and nothing more. Eat right and exercise and most people will get to their correct body weight.
“Advocacy” groups are a bane to American existence. They are a small voice that costs taxpayers millions because that is inevitably where they go to fund their hair brained schemes once they get someone with enough political clout to get on the gravy train.
This is gonna be great, under the new socialized medicine plans, obese people will be at first be taxed more for an unhealthy lifestyle (and they will probably use the BMI which categorized anyone with any kind of athletic build obese) and then when they file the return they will get it all back and more via disabled benefits. Outstanding! should be entertaining to see which advocacy group does better. As always the real winners will be the lawyers
“Give me a break, even the PC use of the word “obese” makes me nauseous. They are FAT PORKY PIGS, not “obese.” Calling ME “obese” instead of what I am, a FAT PORKY PIG doesn’t make me weigh 1 pound less of look one iota better in a speedo, (just dam, I shoulda posted an alert for THAT mental picture, sorry if any of you heaved.) In the fight to stop anorexia and other eating disorders, the PC police have gone too far. I don’t remember SO MANY fat chicks when I was in high school in the late 70’s early 80’s. You look around a high school now and all you see is FAT. AND THEY ARE PROUD OF BEING FAT CHICKS. They wear clothes so that their fat ugly BARE stomachs are visible to the whole world. Dam fat chick, put a tent on that thing, folks are trying to eat over here.
Fat Porky Pigs will be fat porky pigs until they get tired of being fat porky pigs. I got tired of being a fat porky pig, or being out of breath from getting off the couch to get another beer out of the fridge. I knew it was bad when it became a workout to open that bag of chips. So I put the twinkie down, got my fat butt off the couch and started working out for real, (well not for REAL real, but real enough for a fat porky pig trying to get back into a shape that isn’t called ROUND) and went on a 1500 calorie a day diet (holy cow, I used to spill more food down my chin and onto my fat porky stomach a day than 1500 calories). Yeah, I dream of plates of chicken wings surrounded by mounds of hot greasy french fries washed down with pitchers of ice cold beer. (oh yeah, I’m drooling on my keyboard), but I’ve lost 15 pounds so far. I still can’t see my feet when I stand up straight (hell I ain’t seen them in 10 years, I’m not even sure if I HAVE feet still) but I lost one of my chins, I’m down to 3 now.
Because of the trickery and greed of the health insurance companies and other insurers, we the people are suffering while they take our premiums and laugh all the way to the bank, both organizations ripping us citizens as they go along. They find devious ways to deny us coverage and care.
my daughter is going through the series of shots right now. I say everyone should get the shots. I am having my teen vaccinated not because she is sexually active but because i was diagnosed with cervical cancer in november of last year.
Great Article – I would rather risk my child having a slim chance of an adverse affect then to have her endure what i have to
yes Jack, you failed. The story said the test was not yet available and they are working on a test website (for scoring) and you missed it. I would say you have oldtimers disease as well as severe retardation. Sorry. As your physician I advise you to begin drinking heavily!
This information is really important. It’s not the lettuce making the salads unhealthy, it’s the dressing and the additions. So true. http://www.sikantisblog.com/wp/?p=372
You are so very true. It is better to have hope. No hope at all is not a good situation. This is exactly what a lot of oncologists are wary of. They (and I’m generalizing here) believe that the worst thing you can give a patient is false hope. But the worst situation is hopelessness. I just hope that people aren’t misplacing there hope and putting it into a vaccine.
I hope that I said “hope” enough to let you know that I believe in hope. And the vaccine is not the answer.
Link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk
It’s the 5 minute test. It looks like you have to print it out and hand write the results since you can’t enter the info. on the computer.
BEST WAY…after MANY attempts: I smoked Camel Non Filter’s for Years….
All smokers know there are ups and downs in ’satisfaction’ smoking…some times they taste like crap, but you smoke ‘em anyhow… SO, steps for me were:
1. Wait for a ‘down’ cycle where either you’re REALLY ready or…they taste like crap…
2. Get some nicotine LOZENGES…not gum, patches…LOZENGES… break in half (don’t need
ANOTHER addiction…do we…??)
3. When the ‘URGE’ blindsides you…POP half a lozenge and wait 3 minutes…. The urge will pass.
4. Always remember you’re only quitting for NOW…. not ‘forever’…that’s too much for an addict to think about…just for NOW. As a matter of fact…tell yourself, if it becomes OVERWHELMING that…ok…you’ll have one in ‘3 minutes’…pop another 1/2 lozenge… wait the 3 mins…urge will pass… stretch it out. If you fail and have a smoke… NO BIGGIE!… keep at it. After a few weeks you’ll do the same thing…only, you’ll see you don’t need the lozenge any more… you just make yourself wait out that 3-minute urge and know you can ALWAYS smoke if you want…but you DON’T want to…so wait another 3 before you do…. It worked for this hard-nosed addict…
To be honest with everyone even President Barack Obama I went on a 4 day fast/cleanse and I lost the urge to smoke. You know if you smoke and you eat anything you automatically want a cigarette. Well with the lemonade diet/cleanse you loose the taste for everything even smoking I swear to God. It’s been 11 mos. I still don’t crave cigarettes I prayed and fasted and halleluah I am smoke free. My lips cleared up my skin is brighter. And overall I feel wonderful. Take your life back and decide you are finished with cigarettes and you’re done. Plus they are way too expensive now a days.
I can vouch for the efficiency and efficacy of strength training as a way to stay slim and fit. I do three 20-minute workouts a week, each consisting of two upper body and two lower body exercises, with four sets of 12 reps each, using anywhere from 6 to 10 lb. weights, depending on the muscle group. It’s quite aerobic, actually — although aerobic exercise has been oversold as the road to weight loss. Not to say there’s not a place for step or running or brisk walking, but if you really want to lose weight, lift weights.
I am like a lot of others. I quit smoking cold turkey 20 years ago after smoking 20 years from the time I was 14…..back then, everyone smoked, including both parents! So I wanted to be healthy and thanks to Jane Fonda and her excercise tapes I quit! It was really hard, couldn’t sleep, I was a mess, but I did it and WOW, I am so happy I did! Can’t imagine ever smoking now, and want no part of it, Period! One thing for sure is: It is mind over matter, if you really, really want to do it, you can! I know people who have tried to quit for years and say they can’t, even with relatives dying with lung cancer! Yes, you can if you really want it bad enough!!!!
I had a heart attack 1 year ago and have never picked one up since. I am only 45. Best thing that ever happened. I was one of those people who never thought I could really quit. It sure is easier to travel and not have to find places to smoke! I can’t stand being around smoke now.
So strange to read in the paper what’s going on in my life. I was the care giver but no longer, lost my mom in March. Have one sister that speaks to me now but a brother that doesn’t. Strange how life turns out. I helped raise my siblings and then to have one act as if I’m no longer hurts to the bone. Not fair, have to get past this point in my life some how.
Dee
My mom is still alive and being cared for and I’m sending this article to my brother and sister. We’ve had some really bad times, but I think we’ve managed to make it through with our relationships intact — not unchaged, but still intact. I continue to pray for my mom, myself and my siblings.
i have been reading about a product called glutathione that seems to work with cancer and hiv patients maybe this might help someone i have no medical experience
I lost my husband in June of 2008 to pancreatic cancer. We fought hard with health juices , chemo , tarceva and exercise. He couldn’t take the tarceva or he would have beat it a little longer. My husband didn’t drink or smoke. We believe his was genetic. He was only suppose to live six months but we mananged to keep him for seven. I now am concern for our two daughters. We support Relay for life and Pancan. Prayer is keeping up going through this diffcult time.
Should government-run health care be enacted as the president and Democrat members of Congress desire, the result will be the rationing of care. Canada and the U.K. are examples where this rationing by government occurs.
If this rationing of health care occurs in the U.S., many people are likely to self-treat with supplements the FDA classifies as foods rather than drugs. While some of these people may be helped, others will receive no relief while still others will encounter the side effects you described. Plus, many people will take FDA-approved OTC medications as an alternative to professional care and will suffer the consequences. An elderly arthritic patient who increases her consumption of aspirin (because she cannot see a physician) and experiences G.I. bleeding is an example.
So one of the unintended consequences of “helping people” under the guise of so-called “universal health care” will be people who would like to be treated by their physician–but since care is rationed they get sicker as a result of self-medicating.
That two industries (supplement makers and the funeral industry) will be excited by ObamaCare should cause thoughtful people to withhold support for socialized medicine in the U.S.
If the Drug Companies and Doctors in the USA had not been raising their Prices 10 to 12% EVERY YEAR for the last 20 Years and thus Shutting out about 20% of the Population from Health Care then we would not be in this mess now. GREED on the part of the Drug Companies and Most Doctors is the Main Factor in out of control Health Care costs. Twenty Years ago Doctors made around $100,000 a year and now most make over $500,000.
Many make over a Million a year. Doctors Should be well paid but not at the level they are now….and every year they want more and more!
The Drug Companies are much worse. Twenty years ago they made Big Profit on a per pill basis and now….They Make HUGE unbelivable per pill profits in the USA. But in most other countries the Govt. regulates the Drug Companies and they still ONLY make Big Profits for each pill. Heath Care used to be about 5% of the average persons expenses and now it’s close to 12% and going higher every year.
I don’t know of many supplements that have killed as many people as the “regulated drugs” the FDA have allowed – with a little kick back from the drug companies. Go do something about the FDA and the collusion between it, the drug companies and doctors and you might be able to make a case. Anyway didn’t Emory just have a professor that had more than a vested interest in the drugs and the money from them versus if they worked – that’s rhetorical.
People will get sicker as they self-medicate waiting for doctors….people get sick waiting six months or more for their normal MD. People buy supplements now…just because they’re available; they also self-medicate themselves with liquor, off the street drugs and sex waiting for the “preferred doctor” or trying to figure out how to pay their next premium or deductible.
I am a Republican. However, I detest knee-jerk Republicans that just run 180degrees out of phase to any recommendation by a Democrat.
How many Republican & Democrats that have run for office in the past 50 years have absolutely promised to tackle health care and make it available to everyone. That ration of campaign promises has come from every house, state, Federal office seeker at each and every campaign. Whether I like the man or not….I respect the office of the current president that is actually coming up with a solution.
If you don’t like the solution….come up with a better one. At present, I’m doling out $1200 a month for my wife and I for health insurance; I’d much rather dump that $14K a year and pay into a tax line against my income. It’s bound to be a lot cheaper than giving my cash away for a policy that keeps raising it’s premium for each birthday.
You’re afraid you won’t see your favorite doctor while in the hospital? Well bunkie….many if not all Hospitals do NOT allow your doctor into the hospital; you have to use the sub-contractor doctors as the hospitals and MDs try to eliminate the paper trail back to them for the myriad of suits that compound the hospital liability each day.
We’re already in a form of Socialized Medicine…except we’re paying big out of pocket and still getting sub-standard care; we’re still waiting for doctor appointments for days to months at a time; we’re still paying a large chunk of cash in deductible at each doctor visit….and we’re still arguing the fine print for insurance companies that attempt to evade making payment.
Try running the numbers rather than just being argumentative due to philosophy. I’m sick of paying top dollar for health care insurance that I have to continually fight to validate coverage. For what it’s worth, my mother is on Medicare and social security…I know exactly what to expect in her health care costs and the various doctors that she has to visit…accept her cards like cash. If it’s an example of Socialized Medicine to see MDs that accept her coverages….I’m not unhappy.
I had smoked for many, many years and gave up once for 6 months using patches. This time (3 years later) I was having a hard time thinking of myself as a Christian and also being addicted to nicotine.
I asked God to step in and take control. I gave up trying to help myself any more and that was the last time I lit up. I have been nicotine free without any cravings for 5 days and my 30 year old son is amazed as he thinks of me as a hopeless addict. I told him God answered my prayers.
I am not a nut by the way !!!
The writer of this article is obviously part of the medical, drug company, FDA establishment. For years they have been pushing treatments – such as HRT for example – that later turn out to be very harmful. They are an arrogant monopoly that can not be trusted. Unless this changes and they come clean and stop attempting to restrict free choice for people in the area of health, I for one will not trust anything they say. Their continued propaganda push makes me trust anything that is said by mainstream medicine LESS and LESS.
It’s about time. My wife and I both have a history of celiac in our families, and she’s been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance. It’s incredibly difficult to find gluten free options, and removes a lot of your everyday favorites. A lot of things use soybean oil, which contains gluten, and other gluten containing products. I’m just glad there are more restaurants opening up options for it now.
There’s some very good info in this article, so thanks for that. I’ve eaten at Shaun’s and a number of other restaurants that are starting to cater to those of us who suffer from celiac disease and I’m very appreciative of the concern.
I was at the Taqueria del Sol last week and the person taking my order steered me away from something I would normally have ordered telling me she thought there was an ingredient in it that had gluten. That didn’t happen just a year ago.
Kroger has a remarkably good line of gluten free foods. It is possible to find gluten free options at a “regular” grocery store.
Some of the test are gender biased – like the cloths queston, and somewhat life style biased. Had to think about the parts of a suit – never wear them!
Why mark down ‘Shark’ in the S animal test. Surely using the example show guile and intelligence (and very short term memory) – the test dosent say you cant use the example! Goddam hate people who write test that are not precise!
It’s actually a funny thing…the whole gluten free swing.
A lot of people seem to be struggling with gluten intolerance…I myself having Crohn’s Disease.
One of my favorite, safe, things that I eat is gluten free pasta.
I stumbled across this company that makes amazing gluten free pasta. From what I understand, they just started shipping nationally, which is pretty cool. They’re based in Connecticut and since that’s where I am I don’t have to worry about the shipping…but they’re all made fresh and packaged with dry ice.
You definitely can’t tell they’re gluten free!
So for many of you looking for good tasting gluten free options like I am, consider DePuma’s Gluten Free Pasta.
I love reading all of your comments. Keep ‘em coming. Very helpful information for all. As you know, there’s only so much that fits into
one of my columns. So this is great way to add details.
What’s sad is that I have a Co Worker who is 28 with high blood pressure. She got bent out of shape when her doctor told her that she was obese and that she needed to lose weight. She complained to anyone who would listen about how rude it was that her Dr. pointed out that she has gained 20lbs in ONE YEAR! Right now as I am typing she is drinking some concoction from Starbucks and snacking rice cakes. Lunch is less than an hour way – sad.
People need to exercise, drink plenty of water, and stop eatin like a drunk on a binge. Eat to live, not live to eat. At lunchtime and you are not hungry, take a walk and skip the meal.
I will go deeper. I don’t think health care companies should be required to pay for obestiy issues. Obestity is causing health care to sky rocket. I’ve been with my company for 13yrs. I have watch coworkers gain 20-30lbs per year. I have co-workers who are on their 2nd gastro bypass surgery. They are too lazy to go get their lunch, they have 2000 calories/100 grams of fat delivered every day. My company has excellent heathcare package. If these people with these uncontrollable appetites had to pay for the up keep of their bodies, they would learn some self control.
I have a friend that is 50. She has every disease associated with obesity. Now she gets disability cause she can barely walk. She continues to switch doctors cause the ones she had for years have come right out and told her that there is no magic pill for her pain. One doc told her that every time she come, she is bigger & bigger. She claim that the bedside mannor of these doctors are terrible and she refuse to be talk down to. Is their a nice way of telling a patient to get off their fat a$$ and take control of their life. These doctors are tired of talking common sense to idoits.
Obesity is caused by sugar and refined carbs. There was no such thing as diabetes or populations of obese people before the Western diet of breads and sugars.
Obese people do not eat anymore than anyone else.
These government agencies refuse to admit they were wrong about high fat diets being unhealthy.
Nothing will change until the causes are addressed.
Obese people do not eat anymore than anyone else.
Adam – your soap box broke at that statement. You must not have any obese friends because obese people do eat more than slim people. What we eat is also important but blaming the government is a copout. Someone must live in a cave not to know high fat foods, refined sugar and carbs and over processed foods will make you fat. But people still buy foods that they know are not good for them. It is a decision not a conspiracy
Are you kidding me? 90 percent of the people with disabled parking permits are fat black women driving Caddielacs. Lay off the fried chicken Bertha, you should be parking at the BACK of the parking lot and walking your fat ass.
If Canada and their health care system are so bad, how come they have better health than we do at much lower cost?
And if they are rationing health care thereby exacerbating already existing health problems, how come they just published substantial decreases in the incidence of cardiac disease? And their longevity is still going up, rather than stabilizing or going down like the U.S.
Something isn’t adding up. Where did you get your information about Canadian health care–the Heritage Foundation?
This is great news. I’ve had Celiac Disease for over 4 years and eating out is not easy. It’s really neat to be able to go to a restaurant that has a gluten free menu, makes me feel almost normal.
I found this article very informational and had some key points to help children in their fight against diabetes. I found another site with some more information which could help to gain more knowledge about Juvenile diabetes. http://www.dlife.com/dLife/do/ShowContent/type1_information/
I have had two bad hips, since my 30’s, that had caused me excrutiating pain most days. At times I couldn’t sit in a chair without feeling the horrible pain.
Additionally I was in two major accidents in my 40’s, which resulted in three herniated disks in my neck. For a while I needed Vicadin in order to function because of the pain in my neck. My left arm was atrophying because the lack of muscle strength. My doctor sent me to a pain specialist and a physical therapist to help with the pain. It did help me get off the vicadin. But any activity like golf or basketball would cause tremendous pain in my neck and hips.
I am now 52 years old and for the past five years I have been taking two tablespoons of tart cherry juice concentrate mixed with 7 oz. of water once per day in the morning. I have been relatively pain free since then. Occassionally after I golf or play a sport with my teen son I will have some minor pain in my neck and hips….but I take an additional glass in the evening and the next morning I am pain free.
I told my family doctor about tart cherry juice and its positive effect it has had on me and he responded by saying “that’s great”. He didn’t inquire at all about it.
Someone other than the big pharmaceutical companies need to look into this simple and safe natural anti-pain fruit. It has been a miracle for me.
I’m sure ADHD is a real disorder, but I also think a lot of children are diagnosed with it when their problem is that they simply have not learned how to pay attention. For most people, self-control and attentiveness have to be learned and practiced. Some parents and teachers don’t seem to realize this; they assume that their children should automatically be calm and focused, and that something must be wrong if they aren’t. Have you taken the time to intentionally help your child practice being attentive?
I understand that every case is different and that medication is needed and appropriate in some cases. My point is that medication should not be a substitute for the hard work of lovingly training and correcting your child, also known as parenting.
I smoked for 20+ years. I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 1999. My oncologist mentioned to me that I really needed to quit. I really didn’t want to. The night before I had my mastectomy I asked God to help me quit. I have not had a cigarette since September 1999. He took the desire away. Praise the Lord.
Thank you, Tom. I do indeed stand corrected. It was soy sauce, not soybean oil, that I was thinking of when I wrote that. And soy sauce only has gluten because a lot of soy sauces have wheat as an added ingredient.
Can we think about this for a second? I mean, logically. Do the members of the FDA understand what it is to live with chronic pain? Aching, constant pain that zooms up and down a pain chart with the regularity of the contractions of birth? What do they suggest we who depend on acetaminophen, Vicodan or Percocet do if they decide it’s in our best interest for these items to have their approvals revoked? I’m allergic to aspirin–not an upset stomach ‘allergic’ but trouble breathing and hives ‘allergic’- and acetaminophen is my drug of choice for the usual aches and pains. I also have fibromyalgia, and along with the appropriate medication, I rely, alternately, on Vicodan or Ultram. My doctor watches me, checks me and uses his medical knowledge to dispense the appropriate doses. If I’m under my doctor’s care, why does the FDA (a somewhat bizarre government agency who doesn’t seem to follow through on much of anything anyway) think they’re entitled to take my only relief off the market? Apparently, the liver damage they’re worried about is only a result of abuse. Trust us who suffer from chronic pain, our doctors are so afraid of turning us into prescription junkies, that we’re practically begging for pain medication. At least with acetaminophen or Vicodan, I have a chance for some relief and the opportunity to lead a more normal life as a result. Let the FDA place warnings on bottles (as they do on cigarettes) and let us grown ups decide how to run our own lives. Alcohol and tobacco cause far more damage than these pain medications and, so far, nobody has made them illegal.
Those who have have disproportionate hips, have risk of suffering from bone degeneration, back problems, joint aches, rheumatism. To achieve fat-weight loss, exercise is important. One can go for kettlebell exercises. Various exercise can be performed with kettlebell. It helps to get fat reduction and taut muscles. And it is great for hip training. To get more knowledge on kettlebells exercise, refer http://www.zippy-health.com/hip-health-through-kettlebells-workouts/
I recently stumbled on the cherry thing quite by accident. I have mild arthritic pain, mainly in my legs. I had recently bought some sweet cherries and noticed about the third day of eating them ( 8-10 cherries or so, too many give me diarrhea) that I hadn’t had to take ibuprofin in a few days for the pain in my legs. Who knew? I then searched the internet and read what I had already discovered. I am grateful not to have to take so much ibuprofen. I am going to pursue a supplement because cherries are so seasonal. Or try the juice and frozen and canned versions.
I’ve found a new favorite, all natural diet soda. It’s called Zevia and comes in great flavors: cherry, cola, rootbeer, and lime. I no longer consume chemically sweetened (Splenda, aspartame) diet sodas and my body is thanking me for it.
Never knew how brave and strong Farrah was,what a beautiful fighter. She had so much dignity thru out her whole cancr expperience. Nothing but admirmation.
Go even better with True Lemon or True Lime. Just crystalized juice to add to water. No other additives or strange aftertastes like so many of the “instant drinks.”
keep a pitcher of water in the fridge with some meyer lemon wedges & fresh mint sprigs in it…..it’s refreshing, tasty, and adds no calories or unhealthy sweetener to your diet
I love Coke Zero cause it tastes like real Coke with no calories. I also love Honest Tea because it is very lightly sweetened, about 70 calories in 16oz bottle.
[...] Hey everyone, I decided it would be a great idea to post up the latest news from Google so here it is… THINNER YOU: Moderation in all things – how to avoid the diet blues [...]
First give each FDA member two hip replacements. Then ask them whether percocet and vicodin should be removed from the market due to acetaminophen concerns…what morons…will fentanaly patches, oxycotin, and morphine now replace percocet and vicodin for chronic pain sufferers? Nothing like having no clue about those who suffer from chronic pain and being able to function and work vs being bed ridden…. walk in our shoes first, please.
I could say I agree half way. This is because as the reason of trying to lose weight is really to lose weight, the benefit of increased well being is a great benefit but should remain as such, a benefit. If you find that a weight loss plan is not getting you results, get to understand why it is failing, then try another plan with the positives of your previous diet minus the negatives. Do this a couple of time and you will find one that lose s you weight and improve your wellness. Here are three tips that can start you off with… http://www.health-emark.com/video-weight-loss-exercise-plan-tips-for-men-and-women.html
…and by the way diet is the most important aspect of losing weight. Get that wrong and you will be enjoying only wellness s benefits, because you cannot out-train a bad diet.
Don’t tell that to the throngs at every Starbucks though.
However, what I’ve found that most people never do when “dieting” (even though the word is used wrong these days) is that they never actually find an accurate # of calories they burn in a day. You may be using 2,000, or 1,500, or if exercising 3,500.
Also, the way the body works, you can have a bad day, or a bad meal and be just fine. Your system won’t really even notice if you gorge yourself one time. Its the general patterns over time that have the real effects. Losing ½ to 1 lb per week is about where the safe limits are to sustainable weight loss. Anything more and you will likely just gain it all back as soon as you finish your perceived diet or cave to that dessert.
“Fruit juices. Full of nutrients but relatively high in calories per ounce. I make a 50-50 mix of orange juice with sparkling water to cut calories and get some good nutrition.”
This is a great idea to cut the calories in fruit juice but still get the nutrition. It would be like having a sparkling orange juice or cranberry. Maybe in the evening, throw in a bit of vodka (low cal)!
My new favorite drink is Efusjon- the all natural energy drink with no caffeine or chemicals. Can’t find it in stores only online: https://www.myefusjon.com/CraigRS
Sorry but Vodka is not low cal – it has about 98 calories in 1.5 oz serving size.
Personally I’d rather run a little extra on the weekends and enjoy a good hearty Belgium beer than drink the low carb version of beer.
And I agree with what MANGLER said. Very many people over estimate how many calories they burn through exercise and under estimate what they eat and drink.
I am trying to understand the true measurements for sports bras. I have friends who are new to running and trying to find a bra, yet they are not sure how to measure themselves (I’m a runner but wear an A cup so that is less of a concern for me), so I was helping them research what’s out there. But I realize that a lot of them are wearing the completely wrong size, compensating in the cup for the band, or vice versa, or are still bouncing in the right fit. I saw ultimate support bra at http://www.heartandcore.com and it seems to fit in your compression/encapsulation category for C through DD. Just a thought for women looking for a bra that can minimize this bounce!
I quite drinking diet sodas and lost weight, plus my memory came back due to the effects of Splenda. I like drinking H2O with a splash of lemon or orange juice.
having issues right now, have a family history of depression, many drugs have not worked for me, i took paxil for about six years, it helped tremendously, but i didnt like the effects i would have if i missed a dose (dizziness, lightheadedness) plus it was horrible to get off of. havent taken anything in two years but having the same issues again, dr, just put me on celexa. is celexa the same as lexapro? because my dad has been taking lexapro and it hasnt worked for him. i felt almost immediate relief from the paxil, i started taking the celexa a few days ago and am feeling very lightheaded and miserable.
Inactivity is related to poor air quality… clean up this air and kids (and adults) will exercise more. When you want to calm bees down, you smoke them.. same principle hold for humans… when the air quality is poor, we have a biiological instinct to be inactive. : ) S
AIDS and HIV is going on increasing at an alarming rate and is a big problem. Many new approaches have been adopted to create potent anti aids vaccine, with an estimated 2.7 million HIV infections constantly cropping up globally every year. Miniature versions of the HIV virus are taken and modified in laboratories to develop synthetic copies. The vaccine being tested will have the ability to effectively produce either cytotoxic T cells or antibodies that will aid in combating the infection. To know more on it, refer http://www.zippy-health.com/potential-anti-aids-vaccine-in-horizon/
The greatest challenge is to get parents and children to recognise the issue. We all suffer from a habitual lifestyle and once the mould has been set it is a far greater problem to get out of the rut. Educational games that encourage rather than ridicule or shock could hold the answer
I think that this is a problem with multiple causes:
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Georgia has a high obesity rate among adults, too.
Some of it comes down to over-scheduled kids. There isn’t enough time for nutritious family dinners, so parents grab Happy Meals and they eat in the car on the way to soccer practice. Occasionally, this wouldn’t be so bad but when it becomes the rule rather than the exception, the waistline grows.
There is also an incredible amount of denial on parents’ part. They fool themselves into thinking that it’s just “baby fat” or that it makes their child cute. They are not looking through objective eyes.
Steve, you have got to be kidding me! Air quality is not what makes the kids stay inside or what makes them inactive. Growing up we went outside because we didn’t have anything to do inside. TV was limited to an hour or so a day unless it rained. Parents just need to make the kids stay active and not be couch potatoes. Instead of giving the kid an xbox give them a bike.
I try to drink mostly water. On occasion I will drink diet soda but it always gives me a headache. I like buying those 10 cal Crystal Light packets and adding them to my water because there are so many flovers.
Cindy and Shaggy are just uneducated about the issue just like Scientologist Tom Cruise who believes aliens populate earth. Chemical imbalances exist and are real regardless of what ignorant people believe. Luckily I’ve had the ability to recognize this and have sought help as a result. I’ve had a chemical imbalance since I was a teenager and have had depression / anger episodes which resulted in the hospitalization of other people that I beat to a pulp because I have neglected to take medication. Back then I didn’t care because I was chemically imbalanced. Nowadays, I would much rather be even-keeled than run the risk of hurting someone. Furthermore, I’m doing things that make me happy, counterpoint to these people who think doing things that make you happy are the cure-all, they’re not. Moreover, I credit my position in life as an executive in a fortune 500 company to taking this medication. Some people need help and to back up the other Cindy’s point, be glad you are blessed with healthy seratonin levels and leave the people that are in true need to find the answers they seek.
for all you beer haters – yes it has calories in it, miller lite my beer of choice about 105 per 12 oz. I drink atleast a 12 pk or more a week. Yet I maintain my weight and a low body fat % ( around 8% 4 weeks ago). How? I run between 4 and 7 miles a day. It’s all about moving your body. You can drink what the hell you want to drink, you just can’t be a fat a$$ and sit around!!!!! heck you can get fat eating fruit if you never move your body…I’m just saying.
[...] children to balloon to the point their health is drastically affected. Who is to blame? And do people really understand how much bigger this issue is than a few extra pounds. Let’s put it this way – 20 years ago, the “fat kid” [...]
Very helpful information. I would like to check with the Graedons in regard to using Melatonin 3mg at night to sleep. I take Cardizem 180mg, Lisinopril 20mg in the morning and Lipitor 40mg at night with the Melatonin 2 hrs later. I don’t see my doctor for another month and would appreciate any help you may be able to give. Thank you. (I am 73 5′8″ l73 lbs white and active)
Apples and almond really do not help with heartburn, or help very little. A more reliable remedy is fresh ginger, which has been used for this purpose for centuries in China. I’ve verified its effect many times on myself and for family and friends, and I’m no freaky alternative medicine type. When you wake up in the morning, an hour before you drink any solid food, chew on a piece of ginger (about half of a square inch or so; no need to peel it), discarding the pulp it only after all the juice is sucked out. The juice is quite strong, so it’s not the most pleasant thing to drink, although you get used to it after several times. The ginger juice will coat your esophagus and calm the stomach. Do this every day until the symptoms of heartburn go away. Ginger also helps in getting rid of heartburn symptoms whenever they occur, so you can take it at other times as well, but make sure to do so at least once a day for several weeks. Ginger not only alleviates the symptoms of heartburn but also builds up the body’s natural defenses thereafter. Do NOT take those anti-heartburn medications prescribed by doctors, because they only weaken your body’s own defenses against these intestinal problems and put you in a permanent state of dependency on medications that ultimately only damage your digestive system. The story of heartburn medications is one of the saddest dimensions of the pharmaceutical obsession of our current medical system. Also, solving heartburn over the long term should involve a change of diet as well. You need to reduce over-consumption of sugar and carbohydrates if you’re really serious about regaining a healthy digestive tract. You also need to find good stress management techniques (exercise, some form of meditation, relaxing, breathing exercises, and just taking time off without TV), since heartburn is both a result of diet as well as a result of stress. But if you take ginger, even if you /don’t/ do these stress management techniques you should be able to keep heartburn reasonably under control.
I should have added a link to an expert to gives this advice. It’s from Dr. Stoll. He’s a retired physician who gives good advice on non-traditional cures. He’s not an eco-freak, but a responsible source of advice. I don’t follow everything he says, but he’s dead right about heartburn. Note: he tells you to run the ginger through a juicer and then drink a teaspoonfull; but since not all of us have electric juicers, it’s much easier just to chew whole ginger in the mouth; same effect, much less hassle. Here’s the link:
I think my first time reading Joe Graedon. Man I hope you didn’t hurt yourself researching your answer. What a dip. A new low for the AJC, a paper that has set records.
What do you call a college grad at the AJC? King.
Just wanted to point about your statistics. Abut 6% people taking medication die. I am ot sure of that is true but here is another stat. In the hospitals, about 1 million get injured adn 100 K die for thngs that could have been avoided.
And even more interesting stat is that about 80% of diseases, you do not need medication.they cure in time. Of course if you go to doctor they will give you medicine.
I’ve often heard the 4:1 or 5:1 payoff figure cited in support of prevention programs. My impression is that these figures address employment-based health care costs, and thus do not account for post-retirement costs. Given the fact that many of the prevention efforts will not only reduce short-term expenses but increase longevity, it seems that there would likely be a spike in expenses later in life and/or as a result of increased lifespan. Have the employment-based health expense studies accounted for or addressed this issue in any way?
When I snore neither my husband nor myself sleep, I will snore gasp, which sometimes will continue after I wake my self snoring. Sometime I wake up feeling like I have not been asleep.
[...] Hey everyone, I decided it would be a great idea to post up the latest news from Google so here it is… THINNER YOU: Moderation in all things – how to avoid the diet blues [...]
Liz sounds like you have sleep apnea. I have sleep apnea and gasp for air in my sleep. The doctor told me that breathing slows down or completely stops one minute. Sometimes, when I wake up, it fills as if you have the world’s worst hangover, even though you hadn’t a drop of alcohol. I recommend going to the doctor about it. I was given a CPAP machine(continous positive airway pressure, or something like that) and it made a world of difference. Unfortunately, my mask and parts of the machine have been messed up and I haven’t replaced them.
Sorry Liz – I’m half asleep typing this – here’s the comment with the corrections.
Liz sounds like you have sleep apnea. I have sleep apnea and gasp for air in my sleep. The doctor told me that my breathing slows down or completely stops one minute. Sometimes, when I wake up, it feels as if I have the world’s worst hangover, even though I hadn’t a drop of alcohol. I recommend going to the doctor about it. I was given a CPAP machine(continous positive airway pressure, or something like that) and it made a world of difference. Unfortunately, my mask and parts of the machine have been messed up and I haven’t replaced them.
I used to snore, wake up tired every morning. My wife finally had enough and I went to an ENT. He took one look and determined that I had a deviated septum. After a 1 hour surgical repair and about a couple of weeks for the internal swelling to go down, I could see a marked improvement in my sleep and how I felt the next morning. Now my snoring is almost nonexistant. Only happens if I am extremely tired when I go to bed. Wife is happier now.
Smoking and being overweight are the primary factors that cause the snoring/apnea problems. I used to have it….was diagnosed and given a CPAP…honestly, the inconvenience and discomfort of wearing the mask probably offset any benefits it provided. But after stopping smoking and losing nearly 100 lbs, I now sleep like a kitten. But there’s no money to be made in that solution, so the doctors will continue to try and convince you that you need space-age machinery to solve the problem. Just stop eating so much, stop smoking, and get into the gym and this will cure about 99% of what ails ya.
My husband was studied for sleep disorders, the good news was he was the soundest sleeper they group had ever studied, the bad news, he just snores really loud!! I’ve learned to make it work, when he wakes me up, I journey else where, it’s best to do that than keep rolling him all night, thus neither of us sleep. lol
Sorry to say this, Pot is not the answer, but it is alot of fun. it has a lot of negitive affects to the human body as well. My depression is often amplified while smoking pot which throws my body into a lifeless state now i have just taken the first half of cipralex no more the 22 min ago so i will come back here in a mnth and give you guys the real answer on that medication.
My wife was alwayscomplaining about my snoring. I’ll admit that sometimes my snoring would wake me up (That’s pretty bad). I finally went and had a sleep study. In the six hours that I was asleep under medication, I stopped breathing 189 times, one time for as long 26 seconds. I used to wake up and go to the bathroom 2 to 3 times a night. The doctor prescribed a CPAP machine. Now, I never wake up to go the bathroom and I don’t snore anymore. I also feel more rested when I wake up in the mornings. I used to sleep in on the weekends but now hardly ever sleep pass 7:00. By the way, my gets her rest now.
I used to snore and got diagnosed with sleep apnea. Getting the CPAP was one of the best things to happen to me. I was always tired prior to that, and it has improved my life drammatically. Yes, the mask is uncomfortable, but I feel a lot better now. I would always quit working out before because I would be too tired. I lost 40 pounds in the months after that because I wasn’t too tired to work out and I had energy to do more active things.
If you snore, are always tired, and/or have headaches after waking up, don’t wait for years like I did to go to the Doctor.
I love my CPAP! No mask. Just a soft nosebud kind of thing. I don’t have to sleep just on my back. I can also sleep on my sides. I’ve had the machine for 2 plus years. The first morning after the first night it was, “Holy Toledo! THIS is how I’ve supposed to be feeling THE LAST 20 YEARS?!” My wife was practically in tears of joyful relief. It ain’t just the snoring either. If your mate says, “You quit breathing and it scares me.”—-Get to the doctor ASAP. A little inconvenience is better than DEAD. PS. My sleep doc told me that 90percent of the people who Think they have sleep apnea DO NOT.
My wife kicked me out of the bedroom shortly after we were married three years ago. She has called my cellphone in the middle of the night and left my snoring on my voicemail so I can “enjoy” it the following morning. She sleeps great and I suppose I do too. Wish there was a way to stop snoring w/o wearing a mask. Man I bet that’s sexy!!
20 years ago I received old school radiation. In other words… A boat load. The long term side effects include: neuropathy from spinal stenosis, pulmonary fibrosis, post herpetic neurogia… Vicodin has provided me with a quality of life that has helped me survive all these years. Removing this access would greatly decrease my chances of continuing my survival. Many of us that are users of these meds are not abusers. I guess, if you want to quickly euthanize a large group of people, this would certainly work… REMOVE THEM FROM THEIR SURVIVAL MECHANISM.
Hey ZZZZZs. My husband of 5 years wears a cpap–he sleeps and I do too. I find that much sexier than his snoring and neither of us sleeping. The cpap comes off at a moment’s notice when we feel frisky. What’s sexy about separate bedrooms? We cuddle anytime even with the cpap. Meanhwile, I wear ear plugs while I sleep so the machine’s noise doesn’t disturb me.
Got married February 2007. My wife endured almost two years of my snoring– and I endured the sharp jabs of her elbow.
Tried sleeping on my side, using different pillows, quitting smoking, cutting back on drinking. Wasn’t overweight so losing weight wasn’t an option. Nothing worked consistently.
Then I went to a pulmonary specialist, took a sleep study, and found I have sleep apnea. He recommended a CPAP machine, which I started using the beginning of this year.
As other CPAP users have commented, both my wife and I now sleep well, I wake up refreshed, and have more energy for the day. Fortunately I am able to use the nose pillow, so it’s not as cumbersome as the full mask.
I fought with my wife about going to the doctor initially. Told her my snoring was genetic. I’m glad she was persistent!
ok, so for about 3 years had been on cipralex for a combination of post-natal depression and the fact that I found out that my husband was having an affair. The drug itself was amazing and the only side-effect that I had was about 28lbs of weight gain which is a bit of a bummer for someone that has always been able to eat whatever she wants……anyway, I read about Wellbutrin on the internet (marketed as Zyban in the UK) and read that it caused weight loss, was an ani-depressant and also stopped you from smoking. Perfect.
I went to my doctor who prescribed me Zyban (to do all 3 things in one!!) and we also talked about weaning me off cipralex in the process. I had been keeping a diary and had no problms at all until around day 30 when I had not taken cipralex for around 7 days. Previous to that I had been taking 150mg Zyban every day and 5mg of cipralex every 3 days. Now I have had around 9 days with no cipralex at all and i feel awful. I am snappy, I have a strange buzzing feeling in my ears and brain and I can’t stop crying. I am also blushing when talking to people and I just don’t feel like “me”. The problem is that I don’t know if it’s the side effects of not having cipralex for so long or the side effects of having zyban.
I have just taken 5mg of cipralex and am going to see how I feel tomorrow. THis is so horrible at the moment though. Ifeel as though I am in a cloud and am very detached. Would love to hear if anyone else has ever felt like this X
My husband had sleep apnea, was overweight and had high blood pressure. Sometimes he would stop breathing so long I would have to shake him to make sure he was still alive. Nothing was done to correct his health problems. He’s been dead for 13 years now at the age of 51.
Comments by “Shawon” are right on the money. Sleep apena is no joke.
My wife and I have been in seperate bedrooms for about 2 years now due to my snoring. I’m only 30 so I don’t know what the issue could be as I’ve always been big from weight-lifting. I guess it’s about time to figure it out.
12years ago i had sleep apena surgery.it literally saved my life,due weight loss and the treatment i recieved for all the conditions caused by the snoring
My husband kept me awake for 20 years and now he wears a C Pap at night…he sleeps, I sleep.
He is not overweight and has had the sleep apnea surgery and it didn’t work for him…there are anatomical reasons for sleep apnea, such as an oversized tongue for instance.
People, mostly men, with short thick necks tend to have sleep apnea…it is sometimes anatomical and has nothing to do with weight or lack of exercise…he plays tennis almost everyday.
There are many who will tell you that all impotence sufferers need to do is take part in a daily workout and their sexual health problems will disappear as if by magic. Sure the loss of weight that should result will help, assuming you have weight to lose. As will the extra energy experienced after establishing a regular exercise routine and of course you need to be able to find the time in your schedule to take part in regular exercise to gain any benefits. But exercise does not reverse the ageing process nor will it re open the tiny blood vessels that surround the erogenous zones which become clogged and often close-up with age. Without good blood flow into the groin area both men and women will find enjoying full sexual relations problematic.
As we get older no matter how hard we try our body starts to falter. Until recently the only successful treatment for impotency or erectile dysfunction as it is medically referred to, has been the little blue pill available on prescription from your doctor. Not anymore, recent clinical trials have revealed a little known herb- Butea Superba has exactly the same effect of the body as the blue pill. Butea however is completely natural. In fact the success rate with Butea was actually higher than with prescription drugs. While clinical trials on prescription blue pill show sexual arousal improvement in around 50% of those tested. Butea Superba improved the sexual function of over 80% of all patients taking part in the clinical trials.
The big secret behind these pills is an enzyme we all create naturally in our bodies called PDE5. Butea Superba inhibits the bodies production of PDE’s and in doing so increases the blood flow into the sex organs. As blood flows more freely into the erogenous zones you are more able to achieve full arousal. The additional upside for many of those tested on Butea Superba is that when PDE5 is not being produced arousal lasts longer, many patients reported achieving sufficient arousal levels to enjoy full sex two and three times.
Available online under the brand name HealthyED Butea Superba is taken as a supplement each morning, unlike the little blue pill which has to be taken a specific time before any sexual encounter. There was unanimous agreement amongst those tested that taking Butea as a supplement rather than ‘on demand’, not only gave added confidence it also relieved performance induced stress.
I hope this is helpful to anyone who may be suffering from any form of sexual performance anxiety.
Here we go, once again the federal government has decided to outlaw pain medications that have been improving the quality of cronic pain suffers lives. This countries quality of healthcare is going to s**t. What next processed foods? All the crap they use to preserve foods is far more dangerous that Vicoden or Percocet. I guess I should move to California and become a pothead. Better yet maybe its time to move to another country, its seems to me that the land of the free are no longer free. Let the people who have to deal with these issues decide what’s best for them and focus more on illegal drugs. Take my money, take our freedoms, and now you want to take my relief. Wow you just got to love America.
Great article. The thing is, better technology in these businesses have fueled this problem. I’ve been an ‘at the desk’ type of guy before. But luckily i have both a highly active lifestyle and metabolism. I’ve have recently written about this and ways to increase metabolism, not lose weight. But this is a more in depth version on what individuals should do in the ‘job’ scenario’.
Thank you for all of that Andrew. As much knowledge as i do currently have, some of what you stated is new to me (The big secret). I will look it up and definitely keep it in mind for the current and near future.
Emory University Institute for Advanced Policy Solutions/Center for Entitlement Reform
July 24th, 2009 11:09 am
The return on investment estimates from The Trust for America’s Health are not limited to working-age populations covered by employer sponsored health insurance. The estimates include only direct costs (spending for health care, no matter your age or employment). Indirect cost savings – such as reductions in absenteeism and presenteeism and increases in productivity, which are gained mostly by employers – aren’t included. The ROI estimates are conservative and understated because indirect costs aren’t included. Indirect costs may be as much as four times higher for the most prevalent chronic diseases (cancers, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, pulmonary conditions and mental disorders).
Many prevention efforts will actually increase short-term health spending, as diseases are found and treated appropriately. But, over the longer term, increased life span does not automatically lead to increased health care costs. People who enter Medicare healthy have lower lifetime and end-of-life spending than people who don’t. Several studies substantiate this, for example:
Daviglus ML, Liu K, Greenland P, Dyer AR, Garside DB, Manheim L, et al. Benefit of a Favorable Cardiovascular Risk-Factor Profile in Middle Age with Respect to Medicare Costs. N Engl J Med. 1998 October 15, 1998;339(16):1122-9.
Daviglus ML, Liu K, Pirzada A, Yan LL, Garside DB, Greenland P, et al. Cardiovascular Risk Profile Earlier in Life and Medicare Costs in the Last Year of Life. Arch Intern Med. 2005 May 9, 2005;165(9):1028-34.
Daviglus ML, Liu K, Yan LL, Pirzada A, Manheim L, Manning W, et al. Relation of Body Mass Index in Young Adulthood and Middle Ageto Medicare Expenditures in Older Age. JAMA. 2004;43(3):849-68.
Lakdawalla DN, Goldman DP, Shang B. The Health And Cost Consequences Of Obesity Among The Future Elderly. Health Aff Web Exclusive. 2005 September 26, 2005:hlthaff.w5.r30.
Yang Z, Hall AG. Financial Burden of Overweight and Obesity among Elderly Americans: The Dynamics of Weight, Longevity,and Health Care Cost. Health Services Research. 2008 2008:849-68.
It’s expensive to be sick and die in America. The more disease we can prevent or mitigate, the less spending will grow over the long-term, even if more people live longer.
I have a computer job that keeps me sitting for around 6 hours every day. I found power yoga to be very useful, both as a means of staying energetic, and as a way of keeping away that excess weight. I use the chair and the desk to the hilt. I do simple stretches on the chair every once in a while (when no one’s watching) and take a walk every evening. I found these very useful
It is a fact that even without altering my lifestyle even for a bit, I had gained about 5 pounds in a month, simply by sitting at my job. That’s when I decided to change my lifestyle. Believe me; it made me a better worker also!
Learn more at http://www.aafter.com
Interesting article. I forgot all about these. I’m into my home and hotel workouts quite often as i just can’t keep up the gym routine at times. I’ll let everyone know how well i do with them
RA — it is quite obvious how you feel. I’m not going to put my opinion down about this topic, and I’m not disagreeing or agreeing with you about the vaccine. However, I think that once your opinion has been stated, it is often a good idea not to beat everyone over the head with your opinion. We get it. It has been said. Now please move over so that others can comment. This is a comment section, not a message board. And so I don’t act hypocritical, this is the only message I’m leaving on this health topic.
sir,
good day
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You didn’t mention that IBS sufferers often suffer from chronic heartburn as well, and that some heartburn treatments (prevacid, prilosec) also seem to lessen the IBS symptoms.
I guess this is nit-picking, but considering I got to this article by Googling “calories in black coffee,” tell me how exactly is it possible to have “black coffee with skim milk”? that’s not what i’d call black coffee.
If you suffer from these symptoms, I would also recommend exploring the foods you are eating. I was diagnosed with IBS and went to several gastros who prescribed drugs and fiber. It took my internist and my own internet searching to find that it was a combo of h. pylori (treated by antibiotics) and fructose malabsorption disorder. Feeling great now and not on drugs!
Also be aware of possible gluten intolerance / celiac disease. It is easily controlled by diet but a LOT of people with IBS are misdiagnosed. It is a simple blood test for gluten allergy.
Been a suffer for years. Stress pays BIG part. I have just started Gluten free diet just to see how my body reacts. There is a difference. All this talk about fiber, well if I eat too much, I get diarrhea, heart burn etc. I am trying to strike some kind of balance in my diet. It is not easy. Trial and error.
I wonder if you are aware that there are 20 years of clinical research that shows that hypnosis reduces IBS symptoms by 70%. A new study released in July by gastroenterologist Dr. Whorwell reports that hypnosis not only reduces the symptoms but also positively affects the quality of life issues that many IBS sufferers experience. FYI the Mayo clinic published a review of the effectiveness of hypnosis that includes some of the studies that were completed regarding IBS.
I should have noticed that when my dad casually told me he’d cancelled his health insurance that something was wrong. It took about two more years for me to pay attention to his forgetfulness, falling and forgetting to eat before we said OK, he needs evaluation by his doctor. We did not ask him, we told him it was time to go to assisted living, with his doctor’s help— and he loved the place after a few months. Now he is in a nursing home and says it is the safest place for him. He did not know it, but he needed support and we had to tune in to the clues.
I agree about the chronic heartburn and the stress. My IBS has been terrible the last few weeks, AND I had shingles, both of which are caused/aggravated by stress. I have noticed that Beano helps some with the bloating. My doctor said that gas-x and things like that don’t usually work in the intestines, but Beano is an enzyme and will work a lot better. I was also advised to eat more fiber, and I kept running to the bathroom over and over, and I finally found a physician who told me to stop eating so much fiber, and take 1/2 tablet of immodium twice per day, and it has helped so much. People with IBS-C might benefit from additional fiber, but people with IBS-D may find themselves running to the bathroom even more!
thank u ,for the all the helpful sugggestions. my dr has none….i have ibs/d and have tryed a lot of things,,,fiber, imodeum, ,and now trying probiotics….nothing really last ..but thanks for beano …
I been studying myself for 3 yrs. I have the constipation (ibs side) It is definetly all stress and lack of fiber. I been going to theraphy and i realized that my thoughts were controling my stomache. Once i relax symptons vanish. My diet improved but its not the best. i practice yoga and exercise regularly for yrs so this was not a real solution. When I was little i had panic attacks. My ibs attacks are quite similar to panic attacks. its all related.basically we are not digestine our thoughts, our lifes, accepting our present….i’ve learned to talk to my stomache and i only get attacks 3 a yr when I eat the wrong foods (like red sauce or meat). Before I accepted that it was my anxiety and worry my ibs attacks were 3 times a month. Th esmall intestine is attached to your nervous system (as clear as water) so, don’t worry, love yourself and tell urself that you’ll find a way and it will cease.
I have suffered for years with IBS and have found great success using probiotics. But you have to make sure you find the kind that work for you – I take Natural Factors Acidophilus & Bifidus., and that you take enough of them. I take 10 billion cfu each night on an empty stomach. I also take digestive enzymes after each meal. The combination of the two have changed my life, and I can eat what I want again. I still have the off day of course, but nowhere near what I used to deal with.
I’ve had IBS for 20 plus years. Stress and anxiety made it worse. I tried everything – diet, exercise, probiotics. My doctor put me on Cymbalta. It has worked wonders for me.
I have had IBS constipation type for many years. I have been to many Gastro Doctors, they tell me to take laxatives. They also have told me that I will always be very bloated. They have also given me every test possible.
Please be careful taking only potassium. Especially with diuretics. You can get an imbalance of salts vs potassium vs calcium vs magnesium (the mineral that regulates the electrical impulse of the heartbeat). My mother nearly died of this when 1: first both her magnesium and potassium levels were too low, and 2: when her potassium levels were too high and she had next to no sodium levels after limiting her salt intake to almost nil and taking potassium.
There’s a very fine balance between all of these minerals for the maintenance of your health.
This does affect everyone, regardless of what it may be. Getting that gold medal, that promotion or pay rise but in context with this ‘Great physique and Health’ one must keep going. Not easy and the direction won’t always be clear. So you must wake up every day and scream out to yourself GET UP, GET UP, GET UP!!!!! louder with each succession.
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i have had ibs for many years. combo of diarreah & constipation.my gastro dr. suggested ‘MIRALAX” AND IT HAS WORKED MIRACLES!! BEST OF COURSE FOR CONSTIPATION. I REALLY BELIEVE IT IS THE “MIRACLE DRUG” FOR ME. ASK YOUR DOCTOR! I ACTUALLY TAKE IT EVERY DAY, BUT SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT ONLY NEED IT OCCASSIONALLY.
I JUST MADE A COMMENT ABOVE THIS, BUT I FORGOT TO ADD I ALSO DRINK A LOT OF WATER AND WALK!!
GOOD LUCK. I ALSO HAVE ACID REFLUX AND TAKE ACIPHEX.
I ALSO NEEDED SOMETHING TO HELP RELAX MY TENSE STOMACH MUSCLES AND IT TAKE THE EQUIVELENT TO LEVSIN SL (CANT REMEMBER THE EXACT NAME). THAT HELPS TOO. I ONLY TAKE IT BEFORE I GO TO BED BUT IT SAYS I CAN TAKE IT UP TO 4 X DAY. NEED A GOOD GASTRO DOCTOR – GO SEE DR. DAVID FISHKIN IN MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA. HE REALLY CARES ABOUT HIS PATIENTS.
I have had IBS all my life (45yrs) and it stinks, literally. The bloating is the worst. I have had 2 bowel obstructions and what my drs call a nervous stomach. I know it for IBS, but the bloating is bad. I too had the eat more fiber talk and I tell ya it doesn’t work. I must have the IBS-D. A friend suggested taking colestid and I tell you it worked great for a couple of years. It is a med for colesterol but the side effect is it slows down your intestines. I would eat and not be half way through and have to go and then when we were done, go again. That stopped completely. I think my problem now is due to the surgeries. Has anyone else out there had this problem? One of my biggest fears now is that colon cancer runs in the family (Dad and granddad plus a couple of uncles) so I don’t have a good outlook. Also my mom passed away from ulcerative colitis, she perforated and bled to death. nt a good outlook.
Taking precautions should be a regular part of the flu season. Understanding the nature of the threat and what you can do to protect yourself is just good sense. The precautions for H1N1 are the same as regular and by educating ourselves to avoid the flu in essence is protecting us.
The difference between the threats is the potential of the H1N1 to mutate into something that is a greater health threat to a different population that the regular flu bug.
I would like to congratulate Dr. Christie for such a balanced 1½ page article covering almost every symptom and treatment I have had for the last 20 years. I hope you can transmit my comments to her?
I have always known that there is a link in my IBS (which has been a combination of constipation, diarrhea and psychological depression due to some life dilemmas difficult to resolve. These dilemmas were causing me a lot of anxiety as wellas depression, which made me susceptible to IBS. All of these are different-anxiety leads to worry which leads to fear or flight pschological syndrome, which leads to a partial resolution of the dilemma, leaving you depressed and suffering from IBS. I had to get different treatments for each of these conditions from a gastroenterologist and a psychatrist. I also had to resolve the life’s problem dilemmas. Now at the age of 66, very soon 67, I have all these dilemmas resolved and all of the symptoms under control, but addicted to two antidepressers, one anti-anxiety medication, one IBS medication, two medications for diabetes, and one medication for lowering the bad cholesterol, one medication to control arthritis, a strict diet regime and a strict exercise regime, but surviving with an mysterious smile. As my gastroenterologist said 19 years ago, “your colon is your colon, we can give all we can, but we can’t give you another colon” Any sufferer from IBS wishing to get in touch me for guidance can do so by writing to: mbeaudestin@gmail.com
In October 2008, I had a revision to my gastric bypass, which shorted the intestines even further from my stomach to my colon…very similar to short gut. Since then I have had horrible diarrhea. My bariatric surgeon has had no other patients with my symptoms. In April, I had a colonoscopy to rule out anything (everything okay). GI doc treating me as if I have IBS, but not officially diagnosed with it. No celiac disease. First we tried Imodium (8 pills a day–didn’t work), then Questran (didn’t work) and am now on nortryptoline (helps me sleep, but doesn’t seem to be slowing things down). I have diarrhea between 8-9 times a day…very violent, runny, smelly. Also very smelly gas…usually take Gas X but will try Beano based on above suggestion. Good news is that I’ve lost 70 lbs, but the side effects from the diarrhea—hemmoroids, anal fissures, just generally uncomfortable have been awful. I’m in the bathtub as hot as I can stand it, 3-4 times a day. Ughh.
All of a sudden that ugly Homeland Security woman is really concerned about this Illegal Alien Swine Flu so that tells me as a citizen this is yet another non-event labeled as an EMERGENCY in order to justify printing and spending tax payer money.
Yes, it is scary…I’m scared for my 2.5 year old. But, what’s scarier is the school-age children and pregnant women. I work with an Atlanta company that produces a cleanser that you wash with like soap and it kills germs including swine flu (it was tested) for up to six hours. My famliy is bathing in it, so is my friend who is 8 months pregnant. I hope everyone takes this seriously and understands it’s not just washing your hands once a day. It’s after anything you touch! Or use something like I mentioned, it’s called Hibiclens and available in drug stores. Good luck to everyone this flu season!
I work in health insurance, and this article is very simple. I use the same logic in dealing with my ISP and any other financial transaction I make.
As for the letter of Medical Necessity written by the doctor, have the doctor also relate the previous treatment options. Many times ‘experimental’ treatments are denied due to lack of evidence of other procedures not being tried first. Have the doctor produce copies of your medical records to support the letter of medical necessity.
As a note, skin tag removal will be denied. No matter what your doctor says about that wart or mole or blemish, they won’t pay for its removal. Accept this, pay for the cosmetic surgery and move on with your life.
Also, read your policy before you call the HMO. If there is a copayment, or a deductible, you will have to pay it. Just like you would have to pay a high way toll, you won’t get out of it. No matter what your great aunt mildred did once, you won’t get out of it. Don’t waste your time trying to.
I think it is a wonderful idea to teach kids CPR in school. But although some experts say we have unacceptably low rates of CPR in our country, they still claim that it’s more important to teach CPR to people between 65 and 75, those most likely to suffer cardiac arrest, than to teach children. It’s the victim’s spouses who need to know CPR, they say.
But I agree with Ethic Soup blog which says that the more people — both young and old — who know how to perform CPR, the better. “There could be a kid nearby who could perform CPR more effectively than an emotionally trumatized spouse,” Read more at:
This article doesn’t go nearly far enough and misses an important point. QUESTION your physician on the treatment he is prescribing, BEFORE the service is rendered.
Ask what medical evidence there is to support the success of the proposed treatment for your condition. Why does he think it will work best for you? Doctors have access to the information on whether your insurance company will likely find the service experimental, but we never ask. If a doctor recommends it, we have come to believe that means not only will it work, but it will work better than any other treatment that might be less invasive, or heaven forbid, less costly.
Find out how much experience the doctor has treating your specific condition. Has he performed your surgery 10 times or 1000 times?
Ask him to be specific about the codes he will use to bill your services and what his fees will be, and get it in writing. Then ask your insurance company to help you estimate what your costs will be BEFORE the service is rendered that way there are no surprises.
We would never buy a house or a car without asking any questions, but every day Americans accept their doctor’s word as gospel. It might be, but you won’t know that unless you ask the right questions.
When I try to talk with customer service for Aetna, I get somebody in the Philippines who doesn’t speak English as a first language. How on earth can I explain complicated issues or appeal with the CSR when they can hardly understand me? Asking for a supervisor doesn’t help because they won’t call a state side supervisor.
In addition to diet, it is never too early or late to start doing brain exercises, which are also said to help with the memory. Games like crossword puzzles or quick 60 second brain challenges are said to slow down/prevent memory loss.
The documentary “Sicko” describes the health care crisis in the united states. Mix it with the outsourcing of jobs and many people in their 50’s unemployed, no insurance, etc. and it is what it is. This country has a Facist government like Hitler. Facism is a government not controlled by the people. The US & our government is clearly controlled by corporations. As long as this continues, our country will continue to deteriorate to a rich and poor class of people only. The insurance companies have successfully controlled our government in the past 60 years, and the people in gov with their secure jobs, doing little until they are 80 or near dead get the best of health care, so why would they change that?
Forgot to state that the health care systems in England, Canada, France are FAR better than what is in the US and they are government controlled – socialism. WHAT’S WRONG WITH THAT???
You’ll hear all sorts of lies about not getting care or long waits of 3 months, etc. Most of it is propaganda from the insurance companies. Sure there is cases like this but OVERALL most canadians, britains are happy with the health care system they have. Most americans aren’t.
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Hey.
I have been on cipralex for about 3 months now. I noticed within the first couple of days I felt different and the drug has worked wonders for me and has made me more positive and stress free.
I have never been on anti-depressants before and never believed in them until I felt I was just fed up with the struggle.
I have managed to lose 10 llbs or more give or take because my hunger has decreased but other than that I havent experienced much side affecrs but am starting to become concerned.
I recently was in a crowd of ppl waiting in a line and experience dizziness, blindness and almost a panic atttack. Ive never had one so Im not sure. It was almost as if my blood sugar was really low or something and I could of fainted. I got my bf to take me outta there and felt better but is this because of the meds?
I also smoke a lot of pot and always have. Im wondering if Im doing more damage, and it’s obvious that pot isn’t the best thing for u but I love smoking it. Is it time to quit or is it that I need to eventually get off the cipralex? I don’t want to be dependant on this forever but i was always really sad or depressed before.
I appreciate the information presented in this article. But I am one of those people who purchase 100-calories snacks, usually Ritz Snack Mix. I keep a food diary so portion control is essential to my accounting of what I eat. Yes, once or twice, I have eaten 2 packs instead of one, but so what? Even if you ate the entire 6-serving box, you would consume less calories than if you ate a can of Pringles!
Secondly, some of the suggested “smart snack alternatives”, may i fact be low calories, but they are full of salt and/or loaded with carbs and (mostly good) fat.
My 100-calorie snack has just over 220 mg of sodium, that’s the biggest draw back of the deal, it’s not calories, or even .5mg of trans fat, it’s the salt! This article doesn’t even mention that, yet high blood pressure is on the rise in all ethnic groups.
Lastly, I never pay $3. Yesterday, I paid $2. When not on sale, the cost is around $2.50.
Tell me how three strains of influenza from three separate continents come into a hybrid form of a so called swine flu? The H1N1 is Avian from Asia, Human flu from Europe, and Swine from Mexico and the Americas! Looks like a biological or soft kill weapon developed in an Army Bio lab! Also look at your American history, last swine flu outbreak occured at and around Fort Dix Army base!
You all can have mine as well as my families vaccine, especially since it contains the same adjuviant as the vaccine given to the Gulf War vets that contributs to Gulf War syndrome! Yeah great idea Government, shoot it up in Pregnant women and kids! Since when do you vaccinate pregnant women? I think that shoot is a disaster especially since the new law passed in congress giving no liability to the Big Pharma conpanies for damages and death with this and any other vaccine!
Enjoy the free shots sheepies! They will have to kill me first to shoot me with that shot!
There is a lot of truth to what Mr. Government Conspiracy is espousing. I work for the CDC, and I can with 100% certainty tell you that the swine is not a virus, but it an advanced military weapon using the latest in nano technology. There are certain government entities that will use the latest in next-generation spy and military equipment to fight the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the growing threat of the mysterious Cobra organization to prevent them from plunging the world into chaos. So what ever you do don’t take that shot.
Very funny Larry, love the link between now the GI Joe movie! In all seriousness check this out:
As the anticipated July release date for Baxter’s A/H1N1 flu pandemic vaccine approaches, an Austrian investigative journalist is warning the world that the greatest crime in the history of humanity is underway. Jane Burgermeister has recently filed criminal charges with the FBI against the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN), and several of the highest ranking government and corporate officials concerning bioterrorism and attempts to commit mass murder. She has also prepared an injunction against forced vaccination which is being filed in America. These actions follow her charges filed in April against Baxter AG and Avir Green Hills Biotechnology of Austria for producing contaminated bird flu vaccine, alleging this was a deliberate act to cause and profit from a pandemic.
Summary of claims and allegations filed with FBI in Austria on June 10, 2009
In her charges, Burgermeister presents evidence of acts of bioterrorism that is in violation of U.S. law by a group operating within the U.S. under the direction of international bankers who control the Federal Reserve, as well as WHO, UN and NATO. This bioterrorism is for the purpose of carrying out a mass genocide against the U.S. population by use of a genetically engineered flu pandemic virus with the intent of causing death. This group has annexed high government offices in the U.S.
The charges contend that these defendants conspired with each other and others to devise, fund and participate in the final phase of the implementation of a covert international bioweapons program involving the pharmaceutical companies Baxter and Novartis. They did this by bioengineering and then releasing lethal biological agents, specifically the “bird flu” virus and the “swine flu virus” in order to have a pretext to implement a forced mass vaccination program which would be the means of administering a toxic biological agent to cause death and injury to the people of the U.S. This action is in direct violation of the Biological Weapons Anti-terrorism Act.
Burgermeister’s charges include evidence that Baxter AG, Austrian subsidiary of Baxter International, deliberately sent out 72 kilos of live bird flu virus, supplied by the WHO in the winter of 2009 to 16 laboratories in four counties. She claims this evidence offers clear proof that the pharmaceutical companies and international government agencies themselves are actively engaged in producing, developing, manufacturing and distributing biological agents classified as the most deadly bioweapons on earth in order to trigger a pandemic and cause mass death.
As someone who has suffered for years with joint pain from old sports injuries, I went online and bought some cherry juice from a company called fruitfast. The pain began to subside after a few days and now I can say that I no longer need to take painkillers. The fruitfast cherry juice has been a Godsend.
When did food stop being food? I’m not off my rocker; look at ingredients lists for most items found in grocery stores. Ingredients lists shouldn’t read like a science experiment; it should read like a recipe. Nutritional quality should be more important than quantity, meaning that 100 empty calories are less useful than 100 nutritious calories. I applaud this story. I’ll add that one ounce of almonds is deceiving if you have small hands like I do, but they sure are filling.
A great book to pick up is “Eat This, Not That.” It reveals a lot of facts surrounding healthy-sounding foods and meals.
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Some good points made honestly. I dont know much Julia Child to be fair, but she has an attitude that a lot of us could really benefit from adopting. Life is all about fun, taste and flavor. The reason dieting fails for many people is that they never reward themselves and cut out all exciting treats. One day that will lead to a break down and possibly binge eating.
We need to learn how to enjoy the food we love but in proper portions and at the right time.
A good way to avoid the Freshmen 15 is to not give your kids too much spending money. I avoided gaining weight because I didn’t have much cash to spend on food. My parents had me on the college meal plan and yes, there were unhealthy choices on the plan, but I was limited to what I could get on the plan (one meat entree in the cafeteria, instead of two hamburgers from a fast food joint). My parents also gave me a supply of food to keep in my room. You don’t eat as much knowing you have to walk down the hall to use the microwave (no ovens were allowed in the dorm rooms).
Stay away from the booze. Everyone knows underage drinking is prevalent at colleges everywhere and incoming students partake frequently. Drinking a few beers a week can really pack on the pounds!!
I have been using powered cinnamon from the grocery in my green tea to lower my blood sugar,it is not working for me.-Will taking a low cinnamon capsule[water soluble.my doctor said 1/4 to 1/2 was okay.-do they make capsules with that amount of cinnamon in them?-also what is cinnulin pf? I now take medication for my diabetes
After slowing gaining poundage for many years I was 6′3″ and 237. I got down to 187 in around 7 months by knowing the calorie content of every thing I ate. Then I would choose/plan to eat the nutritious foods that would cause the calories in to be ultimately less than the calories out. Calorie awareness and keeping it below or the same as the calories expended during the day is the key.
Here’s all you need to know to lose weight. Read the label of everything you eat..if it contains over 1.0 gram per serving of saturated fat..don’t eat it. Do eat good fats though, i.e, mono-unsaturated fats: almonds, avacados, and use olive oil where you would normally use butter. Eat when you are hungry..stop when you start to feel full.
Chain of events: More students are not receiving as much financial aid; thus parents have to pay more tuition; thus most parents opt for the basic meal plan and provide less money for entertainment and eating outside of the campus meal plan. The “Freshman 15″ may soon be known as the “Freshman -15″!
Just beer and drunk food will do it. Carbs, fat, calories and reduced metabolism won’t result in a net burn of that energy and will make you wish it was only a 15 pound gain.
Depression runs in my family. I have a strong mental stand & believe in mind over matter. Will power is everything.. unless you have true deep depression. Let me say a few things before getting my final point across.
Everyone deals w/ feelings/emotions/thoughts & physical reactions differently. I’ve had extreme anxiety since I was a kid. It manifested into different things as I was growing up. Finally, ending in panic attacks. I then learned to “control it” mentally. I feel relieved that I understand more about the disease as well as myself. However there is another “friend” I have to live with: Depression. I’ve tried to make it “go away”. All kinds of excersize, getting enough sun, being around positive people, experiencing a new awaking to my Lord & Savior Christ Jesus. Yes, so much I have done to manage it “Naturally”. But guess what?! All you who don’t have depression just do not have room to judge, or give advice. It’s something you are born with & I believe certain situations/circumstances trigger it* It varies in degress of how bad or how managable it can be. However, I believe once you have it you can’t get rid of it. Maybe for a few days, months or years. But overall, it comes back. That is when you have to accept it, learn from it & grow stronger & wiser to your own body, mind, soul & hopefully spirit. Realize you can’t grow alone.
Get help if you need it.
That’s what I finally have done. To sum it all up I am ‘dreadfully’ looking forward to trying a mood inhancer/antidepressant for the first time* wish me good decision making & I will keep you updated. Research has left me more confused than ever & Blogs aren’t much help. -mine probably wasn’t either* But for this moment I feel just that much better.
WMDs ? Usama, send your address care of this blog and I’ll send you some drawings. I think you will be impressed. You will see how I started with herpes zoster, and mutated it over time with simple radiation (it took about 8 months and a bit of luck) until the final mutation. The newly crafted virus can live (unlike shingles) an almost benign life in human Fallopian tubes. Causing, no pain or notice in any way except for: all ova passing through will be infected beyond any possibility of leaving enough DNA in tact for positive fertilization. And, very neatly, all of the by-product will slough off during normal periodic cycles. So cool. We students cooked this virus up at my University during the “free love” days, thinking this would be a great way to have unbridled sex without fear of unwanted pregnancies. I mean, back then, STDs were the least of our fears. However, once we realized there is no way to stop a newly minted, virus (e.g. HIV/AIDS) we all became very afraid and abandoned the project.
Today, thanks to you, I understand it is time to make way for the next dominate species; and, am therefore, re-starting the process. Together we can do it. The end of human suffering is nigh since the humans eliminated by the virus are never even born. Additionally, the virus is totally non-discriminating all humans are eliminated not just special groups and the virus will spread exponentially without much help. We will go down in history as the “Masters” of the “Ultimate Solution.” Only bad part for me is I will be famous for only one more generation. And, for you, sir, I’m afraid under these new circumstances, there just aren’t going to be 72 virgins for each of your guys. Some of your people are just going to have to sacrifice in the name of ending humanity. So, go ahead. Send that address and you can have the plan that will end all of humanities problems forever.
Wouldn’t kids around age 18 typically gain their last 15 or so pounds to reach their adult size? That’s about when they stop growing. Sure all of this is good advice, but it’s not all a result of their diet at that age. It’s just when they start losing their kids metabolism and reach their final adult size.
No, it’s kids eating and drinking calories, and then having to spend their sober time studying, not exercising. I’m guessing you are fat ugaaccountant. It’s like my mom saying I’m a growing boy (at 23) and I should eat all I want because I’m growing. You stop growing when you are 17-18.
I’m not surprised by Listerine’s multiple uses. Just this weekend, I desperately searched the Internet for something to get out the smell of dog urine and found a posting that recommended mouthwash. I used most of the Listerine I had on hand – and amazingly, the urine smell evaporated with the mouthwash smell.
This recommendation is absurd. Do you know that because of the chicken pox vaccine, children are getting shingles for the first time? It is the same virus that causes both. Only shingles can occur because of the vaccine AND the vaccine is not protecting a lot of children from chicken pox. We are all over vaccinated. The vaccines are the CAUSE of many cases of shingles.
I have some vague recollection of hearing about people using Listerine as a deodorant in the 1930s. This is very vague and I’m not sure I’m remembering it right.
Good News then about the Listerine. It was invented to be an disinfectant and not just a mouthwash.
Another thing to remember, and sorry the next quote, ‘you are what you eat’. If some one is suffering from acute body odor, a change of diet may well help. By all means keep using the Listerine, but try eliminating one food item from your diet for 36-48 hours and see what happens. It could be a meat or milk product.
thats great to know i will be trying it out on my teenager, i also read and tested out mouthwash and water is also a insect repellent keeps them away for a few hours, spray on outside furniture and yard grounds. you will be surprised.
My son is dignosed with Dengue fever two days back, his platelet count is 56000 , He is admitt in hospital and under close medical supervision. He had passed stool last night, rashes on body have been observed, what type of diete for him do you reccommend?
Morning,i’m a female aged 39 angolan by birth. Currently i’m studing Hiv mananagement wityb a private university,i got interested in this illness because i ve lost a lot of family members and i ve seen how stressful it is on a person.So i ve interest on research on the illness and vacine.I m asking for more new information partening new researches. Please help .
This is a very fine article. I’m a firm believer in enjoying a glass of wine with dinner (maybe two on the weekends:)). That has never had a negative impact on my weight. I’m 46, 6′1″ and hover around 150lbs. The important thing to remember is to generally have a healthy diet (you can definitely splurge on fatty and sugary foods on occasion…life is short, enjoy it!) and don’t forget to exercise daily! Take a walk after your meals to jump start the metabolism. Those calories you consume (whether healthy or not) have to be expended. Excess calories = added weight.
I NOW KNOW THAT SKIPPING MEALS IN ORDER TO DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IS NOT A GOOD THING. I’D LOST 50LBS ONLY TO PUT ON 75LBS AFTER I STOPPED DRINKING.WHAT A WAKE-UP CALL!!!
[...] health and calories than gaining weight. So I’d like to direct you to an excellent article, Thinner You: Alcohol and Weight Loss by Liz Noelcke. [Two of the subtitles are: "Alcohol is Metabolized Differently" and "Alcohol [...]
[...] Carolyn O’Neil reports on the new dining out data in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She interviewed registered dietitian and blogger Janice Bissex, co-author of The Moms Guide to Meal Makeovers. ”If eating out is a frequent occurrence, some ground rules should be set,” she said. She recommends limiting soft drink consumption and encouraging water, lowfat milk or juice as healthier beverage options. But what concerns Bissex most is not offered on kids’ menus. ”I’d like to see more whole-wheat bread for sandwiches, cut up fruit and baby carrots. And instead of pasta in butter, I’d prefer to see pasta and marinara sauce with broccoli.” [...]
One important factor that this article omits is that sometimes alcohol can help rid the body of unwanted calories. Sometimes, I find that if I drink enough, the alcohol helps me expel my previous meal (usually through the form of vomit), and if I really have a tough night, I won’t feel like eating anything the next day! What could be a better start to your diet than that?
I really love to read some articles that have great positive impacts on its reader and benefit by reading such article. I admire these writers in sharing their views and or opinions that can enlighten the mind of the readers. Great Job and continue inspiring readers.
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I really love to read articles which are very informative and the topics are based or concerned with the current issues in our society. I admire these writers in sharing their views and or opinions that can enlighten the mind of the readers. Great job!
Interesting read. stress as metaphor for a sandwich. it’s all to do with taking things step by step. Most good things won’t happen straight away. But when they do come… exhilaration! Hence the small steps that you mention. With the challenges..my approach is NO FEAR! Funny thing is, fear doesn’t even really exist, it’s only a human emotion, yet many suffer from it! But for now i’ll stick to a great diet and fitness to keep the stress…sandwiched!
I need a knee replacement, but can’t get it till next year, I have chronic knee pain and have a hard time walking. I started drinking a cup of regular old pure cherry juice and have not had any painful swelling since. This has been for about 2 months now. I’v never gone this long without swelling which leads to a bad limp.
When I eat out, I divide my dish, I stick to my normal consumption and request a to go box. I never over eat, and I have learned to enjoy walking and climbing Stone Mountain. I am over 50, the benefit is I can still wear a bikini and I always get compliments.
This is a great plan but I would like to suggest one more thing to the mix, add Xocai HEALTHY CHOCOLATE to your diet plan. Enjoy just one piece of Xocai 1/2 hour with a glass of water before eating meals will help curb your appetite. Or substitute a Xocai power bar with a piece of fruit for lunch. I did the power bar for lunch out of convenience, not because I wanted to lose weight, and lost 6 pounds in two months. Not only will you lose weight but improve your health with an abundance of antioxidants. For more information, see my web site. You have everything to gain but pounds!
Dixie, it’s pretty simple. Replace the processed foods with fruits and vegetables, Eat out of a saucer 4 or 5 times a day, Drink water, No more sodas, park farther away from the entrance (plenty of good parking).
Oh no!!! A page taken right out the Death Panel Book!! Better watch out Barbara Kate Repa & the AJC or the birthers/deathers/teabaggers/Lim-bots of the world will start screaming your name and drawing Nazi symbols on your image at the next Healthcare Town hall meeting!! Care for the elderly… thats socialism to them!! So sad…
Keeping the weight off requires more than just diligence…it requires complete reconditioning of your mind and thoughts, including updating your mind’s eye view of yourself to match the new outer view of yourself. The mind directs everything, EVERYTHING the body does, including what it weighs. If your internal view of yourself is overweight, the mind will direct you to do things that support that view, such as second helpings, choosing fatty foods and skipping exercise. (and then you think to yourself “why did I do that”…because your very powerful mind directed you to, that’s why) Likewise, if your mind’s eye view of yourself is of a slim person, the mind will direct you to do things that support that view, such as eating only to satisfaction, choosing healthy options, and wanting to exercise. (and this all happens without you having to have to convince yourself to to do it, it just happens.) Willpower will only carry you so far, and really becomes a battle of you against your mind, and like it or not, the mind will always win in the end. We’re human and that’s the way we’re built.
So how can you use your mind to work for you instead of against you? Like dieting, (re)training your mind takes dedication, time and some direction. Unlike dieting though, retraining your mind will produce permanent results, without you having to feel deprived. Once the retraining is done, it’s done, and you get to continually enjoy the benefits of that retraining without any effort at all. To learn how to do this, read a great book called “Why Are You Weighting? It’s Not the Food that’s Making You Fat!” which you can get at http://www.WhyAreYouWeighting.com Take the time to get your brain working for you instead of against you…it can be your best friend or your worst enemy…it’s up to you to decide how to use it.
Stacey, I have to agree with this article and your post to a point. I appreciate both, and would like to add that keeping weight off is about more than what you eat, or even how you train your mind to view yourself.
It’s about dealing with the reasons WHY you gained weight or got fat in the first place. I lost more than 100 pounds quite a few years ago simpply by exercising and changing nothing else. I only focused on what I would look like, and did not even look at the why of my fat, or learning coping or mangement skills for those.
Well, when I started hitting emotional bumps in the road, the things that I know now caused me to eat, my weight went right back up and brought a few friends along for the ride.
So I wish that all of these medical and phychiatric experts would deal with THAT…and ot just the food.
This is a STERILE, ICE COLD article. This author had/has NOTHING invested in this work. Did this author grow up in a Russian orphanage with no human contact for 20 or so years? If this an example of her “Caring”, she needs to get another job.
Good advice…I have lost 71 lbs in five months by following this method. Definitely use a calorie tracker…it definitely makes you realize what you are putting into your body.
“Combining lean protein, some healthy fat, and complex carbohydrates will help you feel fuller longer.” This is absolutely true for anyone. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes two years ago and got my blood sugar under control within 4 months using that formula for all of my meals and snacks: snacks 100-200 calories, meals 300-400 calories with half the plate green vegetables or salad. This allows for energy release over time to keep me going with no sugar high, no crashes, and no binging when I get home from work. I avoid processed foods with white flour, added sugars (especially high fructose sugar), and high fat. I walk every day. Caloriecount.com is a great resource I use to see how many calories, fat, carbs and protein is in any food. Track your calories to really see where you add unhealthy foods and eat too much. My advice in the grocery store is to totally avoid the aisles with sweet bakery goods, crackers & chips, soft drinks, and frozen prepared meals. Choose fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats, low-fat or no-fat dairy products, and canned goods with low sugar, salt and fat. Wean yourself from sugar, fat and salt and you will feel better and you will find you don’t even like fatty and sugary foods any more.
The suggestions are great and I really try to do that, although I don’t need to loose any weight, I just want to stay healthy.
My problem is to find food for real meals without sugar or sweeteners. It’s nearly impossible! Sauces, dressings, breads, potato chips, yogurt, whatever, contains sugar or some kind of fructose/sweetener. This is terribly annoying. I wish the food industry would think of their customers health…
The best way to lose weight and keep it off, is by gradually implementing lifestyle changes and healthy eating habits. Here are some tips:
1. Eat regularly (5 small meals instead of 3 large ones)
2. Switch to healthy fats such as olive oil.
3. Eat low glycemic load carbohydrates like whole grains, and cut back sugary foods
Dr. Wulkan,
Your article is correct. I work in the Healthcare IT industry. The EMR adoption has been slow, but the industry needs more Physicians like you, to embrace this technology.
What about patient privacy? Has anyone here ever been to the doctor about something somewhat embarrassing that you don’t want people reading about years from now? Seriously. How can the fact that someone got a tampon stuck up them and had to have it removed have any bearing on their health years down the road? How many of you know someone who works at a hospital or doctor’s office and all these records will now be available for them to read. Don’t kid yourself people. There will be no privacy once everyone’s medical record becomes available for people to read.
Being a mesamorph i train and eat 7 times a day… out of those 3 would be snacks, but i never do know how to follow and what to eat. But this article reminded me that it is still crucial to watch my diet when snacking. I will share the knowledge with readers for sure.
What type of privacy does one have with their financial records? Is that information readily available to anyone with an internet connection? I think not. Those that work in hospitals already have access to the records in your paper file. Get Real, this is much needed. I once dropped off a prescription at the pharmacy for my asthma, and received the wrong medication because the pharmacist couldn’t read the doctor’s handwriting. EMR’s would take care of that. Your assumptions are eerily similar to ‘death panels’. Don’t listen to everything Rush and Hannity tell you.
i was wondering if anyone has ever tried probiotics. i take them everyday and do not have my problem anymore, as soon as i stop taking them for a week it flare’s back up so i just keep taking them and no more ibs.
I work in the field. I use EMR records every single day. I don’t know about the financial end of it, but I do know about the medical end. Any time you see a doctor for any reason, there will be a notation of it. From then on, anyone who access to your EMR record will be able to see a note from that visit. Like I said earlier, any embarrassing thing that you might want to put behind you will now be available for future doctors, nurses, office personnel, hospital personnel to see.
People who work in a hospital now do not have access to the paperwork from every single doctor visit you ever had. I really don’t think you know enough about EMRs to be commenting on this. Sorry.
Paxil (paroxetine) has had a very bad press over the years but can be highly effective for certain individuals. I’ve witnessed patients’ lives literally being turned around in a matter of weeks. Is it the panacea to all their ills? No of course not. But it’s a start in the right direction and can enable very ill people to gradually get their life back. I’m not specifically promoting Paxil as there are numerous antidepressants available and it’s not possible to determine in advance how a particular drug will affect a particular individual.
As for those who talk about exercise, the power of prayer etc. please go and educate yourselves. Try reading the relevant sections of DSM-IV or ICD10 and then maybe you might have something worthwhile to contribute…
This may not be in the exact group discussed here, but maleria from the Anopheles mosquito is very wide-spread throughout the world, particularly in the tropics, and kills as many as 50 million people each year, I have read. My father went to the Belgian Congo as an M.D. many years ago so we had some experience with Maleria!!
First off, Dr. Wulkan, I think this is a great article. EMR adoption has been slow, but as more facilities and physicians adopt it, and as more patients are introduced to it, I think that it will help change the overall way we approach healthcare, making it more of a team, or partnership, effort. I would like to see greater conversation between doctors and patients, which requires interoperability. I use HealthVault to record my family’s visits, innoculations and other medical information. It would be outstanding if I could share that information with all of our various doctors instead of the paperwork process I currently go through. And it would be easier, I have to believe, on the various doctors, for them to be able to see in a glance what doctors a family member has seen, and what medications they are on (how many times do we not know the dosage or the actual name of the medicine). As for the privacy issues that have been brought up, perhaps there will be a way to tab specific visits that are non-essential for an overall diagnosis. I for one thought it to be hysterical when I went into an urgent care recently, having sliced my finger nicely. Specifically, the date of my last menstrual cycle or pap smear have absolutely nothing to do with suturing my finger. It’s perhaps a matter of better “filing” of necessary data.
This is a very practical and useful article. It apparently seemed a little callous to some of those who commented however there are so many aspects of death and dying which are simply “housekeeping” and need to be taken care of so that the process of life and death can go on in a peaceful manner. Pre need funeral arrangements, for instance, insure that the deceased’s desires are carried out. One can see and understand the funeral process ahead of time and take the apprehension out of the act of making funeral arrangements. What a caring act, to make pre-need arrangements in order to take that burden off your family. Plus you get the opportunity to be presented for your friends and family in the way that you choose for them to remember you!
I started developing arthritis about a year ago in my hands. Two months ago my husband bought me some pure cherry juice (very sour!) and I started drinking 2 Tablespoons in a glass of water every day. After about 3 weeks, I haven’t had any pain. I was sure this was some type of scam, but it is really wonderful. It has made me really start looking at the nutritional benefits of different foods.
Thnks for the good advice! However African Americans need more access to fresh fruits & vegatables We need more urban community gardens.http://www.blackunitedsuccess.com
I first heard about tart cherries from my doctor. At first, I didn’t feel much difference and told my doctor. She said to just be patient since it takes time to build up on the my body. It wasn’t until I stopped drinking the tart cherry juice did I feel the difference. I was on vacation and didn’t take any cherry juice with me. I was in such pain and none of the local stores carried the cherry juice, but I found a local store selling the cherry capsules. I started taking them a within a few days I felt better. I told my doctor about the Fruit advantage tart cherry capsules when I returned and she looked into them and said they would work great for me. I also just recently learned she is now recommending these cherry capsules to her other patients. I liked the juice but the capsules are some muc easy to take and are more convenient.
Hey check this out… I just downloaded and started reading a free downloadable ebook called Tart Cherry Health report from Traverse Bay Farms. It is really good information on the cherries and it also has some cherry recipes that sound really good.
Actually it is a statitical fact that it is over diagnosed. This “condition” is diagnosed solely on a perceived variation from the norm. Assuming 2 standard deviations only 5% of any given population could be considered outside the norm. Of course that is 2.5% on either side. Based on the good doctors numbers the 4.4M of kids diagnosed with this is 4.4M or 7% of the population. There is a strong statiscal argument that is diagnosed at more thatn twice and close to 3 times the actual possiblility of occurance. That would be 2.8M misdiagnosis. If there are truly 4.4M people with the set of traits or characteristics accepted to be ADHD, then that set of traits, whether disirable or not, is normal. That is a fact not opinion.
Lift with your legs is all so important here. Neglect that rule and your back will suffer in pain as early as 30 years old! For a good back when working out, then one should work the upper back muscles. That improves good posture. This article applies to all of us though, not just school kids
The 15% of your body weight rule is a good rule and all but try telling that to the 6 different teachers who don’t coordinate with each other when assigning homework and my child has to bring 4 schoolbooks home everyday along with workbooks, lunchbox, glasscase, etc. and then my 6th grade, 70lb. child is carrying way more than 15% of her body weight. Some of these smaller middle-school and high-school children are already suffering back problems a mere 4 weeks in to the school year. And a lot of us cannot afford a second set of books at home – especially when we have more than one child in school.
Arrange with the school to maintain a second set of books at home if possible. This will minimize the main source of weight (amazingly large and heavy textbooks). If this isn’t possible, request that the teacher photocopy pages required for the homework. This is legal as long as there are enough textbooks for every student in the class (at least according to the teacher I spoke to).
I think you should be able to buy the pill because more than 80% of teenagers have sex before they are 18 and if you are able to be responsible enough to have sex, then you should be responsible enough to take care of a problem if it occurs.
I am a 17 year old girl and I think it would be a good idea to at least be able to buy the pill, because that means you are responsible enough to think about taking away another life who didn’t even have a say in anything.
And by the way, some people do not care whether you graduated college with a 3.8 GPA or not.. keep that stuff to yourself, we’re talking about birth control not your college experience!!!
[...] Carolyn O’Neil wrote about the new dining-out data in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She interviewed registered dietitian and blogger Janice Bissex, co-author of The Moms Guide to Meal Makeovers. ”If eating out is a frequent occurrence, some ground rules should be set,” she said. She recommends limiting soft drink consumption and encouraging water, lowfat milk or juice as healthier beverage options. But what concerns Bissex most is not offered on kids’ menus. ”I’d like to see more whole-wheat bread for sandwiches, cut up fruit and baby carrots. And instead of pasta in butter, I’d prefer to see pasta and marinara sauce with broccoli.” [...]
Enter your comments hereregarding the H1N1 swine flu. Results showed that physicians are taking a more precautionary approach to protect against the H1N1 virus, including washing their hands more frequently and avoiding crowded events.. For more in-dept results, please visit http://www.mediacurves.com/HealthCare/J7540-H1N1/Index.cfm
Thanks,
Ben
My son had a fever last Friday of 101, I picked him up from school and his fever never went higher than this, therefore I did not take him to the doctor. Over the holiday and weekend he has since recovered, but he still has a cough and sneeze. I received a letter from my son’s elementary school saying that if a swine flu outbreak occurs be prepared to stay home with your kids from 4 to 12 weeks??? I asked specifically were there any documented cases of swine flu and they will not give me a straight answer. I can surely understand their concern, but I sure hope that if this were to occur that their is some form of mandates in place for employers as well. I mean, both my husband and I work outside the home, I cannot see my employer being this flexible unless they are mandated to do so.
I take a capful of cinnergen in the am. It didn’t do too much for my blood sugar. I also take Natures Bounty 2000 okus chromium (2 tablets) after my evening meal. I also had a retinal occulsion and lost the sight of my right eye. This combination seems to be beneficial ( it even controls my weight) but I am worried about bleeding. Do you think that I am taking too much cinnamon? Lynn Azzolina
Thanks Carolyn, great tips!
All this stuff corresponds with the Facebook movement that’s fighting for a healthier lifestyle and kicking junk out of our system: Facebook.com/Healthy.Food
Thanks Carolyn, great tips!
All this stuff corresponds with the Facebook movement that’s fighting for a healthier lifestyle and kicking junk out of our system: Facebook.com/Healthy.Food
Please do not call 911 and request an ambulance if you think you have the flu. That in itself is NOT an emergency! You do not need to go to an emergency room nor do you need to be tested for the flu. Stay home and rest, drink plenty of liquids, take OTC medications for pain and fever and let it run its course.
H1N1 is a virus. Viruses are only “killed” by viricides. Viricides differ on their effects on different strains of viruses. There is presently NO viricide for H1N1.
Hand washing protects you and others whom you touch by diluting the viruses on your hands. Even soap and water produces this effect. However, antibacterial and antimicrobial soaps have NO effect on viruses other than diluting them.
I have noticed advertisements for hand cleansers that claim to be effective against influenza. They cite proof of their effectiveness. But are they more effective than washing with your favorite hand soap? Probably not!
Why spend money on falsely advertised products? You can buy snake oil a lot cheaper!
My question is: I take a daily multivitamin, if I don’t remember if I already took one after I ate, will it harm me, if I take another one on the same day? I do not take any medications. I eat three meals a day. Try to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.
I agree! As a professional Health and Wellness Coach, I see these issues in client’s everyday and we look for little solutions together. They all add up! from Tatiana Abend, Health and Wellness Coach, founder, owner, BodyVision SL
I enjoyed reading your article! You write with great insight and we share many similar ideas. You can read what I wrote about nutrition and learning at : http://www.learningsolutionsathome.com. Thanks and take care, Lucy Barlow
If you really want to get fit do like me, get on a strictly BBQ diet. My dad makes the world’s best BBQ that and his vinegar based sauce added to it just fills a void in my soul. I truly feel that being so happy from eating the perfection that is his BBQ is what keeps me as thin as I am. Lets put it this way, I’ve been wearing the same 3 pairs of denim shorts for the past 10 years.
This article ignores an extremely important factor: genetic disposition. There are folks such as myself who can go on a very strict diet, are lean, and still have continually rising cholesterol. However, don’t go straight for medication that has bad side effects before trying natural cholesterol-reducing supplements. I won’t name any brands as I’m not an advertiser, but I use something that has phytosterols from soy, and my cholesterol has dropped 20 points in the last 7 months since I started it. This should improve even more over time. Nothing else has worked, including diet, so I’ll gladly take them the rest of my life!
This article is so elementary I’m surprised AJC actually wasted the space for it. There’s not a thing said here that a 6-year old doesn’t know about cholesterol and how to consume less fat. Your cholesterol numbers can be as much as 70% hereditary and there’s not a thing you can do about that part except treat it with medicine and/or supplements. My cholesterol was around 1200 and triglycerides in the neighborhood of 1600 about 15 years ago. Medicine has them down to each around 125 – 150. Do you want to write a good article? Do as T.G. suggests and write about those of us who are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol instead of telling us to use low-fat spreads instead of butter. Duh…
Despite what others have said, everything mentioned here is still very relevant, especially to a high metabolism type lie myself. Even just recently i have been warned that although i can eat what i want and not get fat, I still gotta watch what i eat!
Only 20% of your cholesterol comes from food, so it will help eating right but will not fix the problem. My cholesterol went from 200 to 300 and my Dr put me on all kids of statins that caused several side effects. Finally I researched cholesterol and why the body creates it and it is created to keep your veins and arteries from leaking when the body isn’t getting what is needs and I was needing water. I was dehydrated which caused my liver to produce cholesterol to repair my arteries and when I started drinking a gallon of water a day it went back to normal. I also take red yeast rice which is OTC and it doesn’t have the side effects of prescription drugs.
Patients can access their electronic medical records online with MRI: https://www.medicalrecordsinternational.com and even get 30 days free trial. They can control what to share and what not to share with doctors.
Wow! I didn’t know water would help. I dehydrate very easily, so that is a great piece of information! My natural supplement includes red yeast extract also, among other things. I’ll really work on the water, too. Thanks for the helpful info!
this is nothing more than propaganda created by this inedible food industry there is nothing healthy at these places and the idea that healthy food is ore expensive is another BS i can find cheap healthy food in asian restaurants which cost the same and cheaper than filth in fast food joints
I’m gonna throw the BS flag on #1. After a pile of pulled pork, ribs, or brisket, or any other smoked meat, I am totally done for the day. I sleep like a baby with a tummy full of Similac. I try not to do it regularly for the heart attack factor, but a large quantity of smoked meat is a fantastic sleep aid for me.
I believe it must depend on the individual. I can eat/drink all of the above except energy drinks, and sleep for hours without waking. Usually, I have both feet off the floor before I fall asleep and don’t wake up until the morning. And I am a 58 year old male!
DAWG-look at the link by the name-not a staff writer. In fact, I’m wondering if Caring.com paid to get this on the site. If so, the AJC should mark it as such. Content like this (from a provider with a service to offer) should always raise a red flag.
i have extreme anxiety and Depression runs in my family and there has been a lot of things that have made me what iam today i can not eat solid food most of the time my chest becomes tight and i start to think am going to choke if i eat this i have to push myslfe day after day just to eat and not give up because i dont want to give in to the everyday pain that anxiety and depression give you i tryed so hard to go on without the drugs iam only 21 years old but it got to the point where it was just to much to deal with i would cry everday to the point where my body was tired from crying i could not work at a job i once loved any more life use to not be so bad people that live a every day happy life and not to have the feelings of what people with anxiety and depression have then just be thankful of your everday joy and do not put down people like us with it it hurts i just want my life back i want it more then anything not to be able to love food like i use to sucks so every time you pick up something you just love to eat like pizza just love every bit of it and just be lucky you dont have what i have i would love to eat pizza i try hard to eat it but the fear comes over me and it hurts a lot that i cant do it like everyone els all i can say i hope to hell cipralex works for me and good luck to all to a happy life
All of this is true with me. If I drink coffee, it has to be early in the morning, before 9am. If I drink a diet soda with lunch at noon, I am sure to be up until after midnight, before sleep comes. I used to drink beer after 11pm, and it put me to sleep right away, but I had to keep getting up to go to the bathroom, and feeling like heck the next morning. But it did relax me after a long hard day in the factory. I can’t sleep if I am hungry, so I get up and eat anything that is available, and sleep like a baby.
HIFU is a leading technology treatment for prostate cancer. Its a viable option already across the waters and should be looked at here as well. Its curently under FDA trials in the US.
Gosh! I’ve been talking about and answering questions about this stuff for weeks!!! But this is a good take on what one must do after a workout. But i’ll leave a tip,
A very good snack to have after a workout is a peanut butter and jam/ jelly sandwich (brown bread). That packs enough carbs and protein to replace those that you would have lost while working out.
As we all know, there is no one answer to obtaining optimum fitness and nutrition, so i’ll be bookmarking this for sure.
dear question writer:
i have had thyroid problems for years and years that were not caught by my GP because my hormone levels fell in the normal range. go to an endocrinologist who will be able to give you more thorough testing. sometimes you’ll have things show up that are not looked for in baseline thyroid testing.
also, if you are able, if you don’t get good results with the first endocrinologist keep looking until you find one that is receptive to your symptoms. i’m still not all better – i was outrageously tired all the time and have several of the other symptoms you mentioned as well as joint problems and more, but i’m a little better. it takes a while to get the dosage correct, so be patient and make sure to find a doctor who doesn’t dismiss you.
I wake up if I hear my dog snoring in another room. I usually wake up every two or three hours, depending on how long my dreams last. The one thing that actually puts me out for the night is fish. If I have broiled fish with a little lemon and seasoning on it, doesn’t matter what side dish I have, I can truly sleep soundly!
Wine seems to promote sleep deprivation for me. It helps me fall asleep fast, but a couple of hours later I can count on restless sleeping pattern the rest of the night. It’s not just the alcohol that gives you the hangover.. Lack of sleep gives you almost the same affect.
The one about energy drinks is probably the most valid to me. But I always eat food like pizza, or ham sandwiches near to me bed time. I just ate a curry. I still sleep ok. Bad things to eat at night that I’ve been told about are peanuts or apples, they are hard to digest and its disturbing at night if you find it hard to sleep already. I usually smoke a fat spliff anyway so that helps too.
[...] Never bring the entire container with you in front of the television or computer. Enjoy your snack without distraction and you won”t be tempted to reach for more.more [...]
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I had heard that chocolate milk was a great post workout snack but was wondering if sugar free chocolate syrup or powder was as effective as regular chocolate in replenishing energy. Any one have any info on this?
This article is absolutely incorrect and misleading. Carbohydrates are about the WORST thing you can have post-workout. It’s no wonder America is more obese than ever. Even when they DO get off their butts and get to the gym, they sabotage what they just did by listening to bunk like this.
Chocolate milk? First of all milk, is not something a weened mammal should drink. Especially the processed crap that is available in Atlanta, Georgia. Add a bunch of sugared chocolate to it? This is typical of the infantile diets I see people eating around here.
After a anaerobic wo, within 30 mins, 45 tops, eat some tuna, or a quality protein mix. Depending on if you want to gain weight, add some carbs.
From Cooking Light: Fluid: Replace what’s lost through sweat. Use foods that are full of fluids (fruits, salads, soups) or fluid alone. Ideally you should drink before and during exercise, too.
Carbs: The American College of Sports Medicine recommends refueling muscles with 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate in the first 30 minutes after an hourlong workout. “If you wait more than 30 minutes, it will take the body longer (about 24 to 36 hours) to refuel muscles,” says sports nutritionist Jackie Berning.
Protein: Contrary to popular belief, the amount of exercise you perform during a normal lunch break doesn’t increase protein requirements. But protein is satisfying, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, who recommends that exercisers include a little protein at each meal.
Carbs will be used by your body to restore muscle glycogen (some call it muscle fuel for a reason). If your post workout meal doesn’t contain any carbs, your body may actually instead break down muscle tissue to meet its needs.
All Protein before, Protein and Carbs after. Never any Saturated Fat, ever. For weight training. Milk and Beef are staples for building muscle. Carbs are so important afterwards, whoever said they’re not is a moron.
I workout first thing in the morning and always drink plenty of water post-workout, have never thought about drinking milk. I also eat a scrambled egg/cheese/pepper whole-wheat burrito (also add hot sauce for extra kick!) for breakfast. This always seems to do the trick for me. If I find I’m still hungry within an hour or so, I’ll eat a piece of PB toast.
Good grief, BIOMASS, what do you suggest I eat? Some brussels sprouts, some 15-grain bran muffins and some diet water with carrot chips?
There are multiple benefits to both dairy AND beef… in excess, and to the exclusion of other foods, yes, they can be bad… but both milk and lean protein like beef are important to your body.
If you do everything in MODERATION — eating, exercise, etc., then you will be fine. I have lost 10 to 15 pounds over the last few years simply by eating a few more fruits and vegetables, walking my dog every day for about 3/4 of a mile, and playing some occasional tennis or basketball. I’m not but a few pounds away from my high school weight, when i was super fit. And guess what? I can still enjoy an occasional pizza or cheeseburger without stressing out!
So, don’t be so critical on an article that provides some good advice. No one source of info (even YOU Biomass!) can be relied upon as perfect and flawless. Each person should research and find a plan that works best for them.
Wow! Lot’s of opinions not based on research. First of all, you’re body does indeed need both carbohydrates and protein after a workout and yes you should have more carbohydrates than protein. Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of fuel and are not the reason that obesity has increased in the last decade. Sedentary lifestyles, over processed foods and supersized meals are among the culprits for the increase in obesity.
Also, milk itself has sugar – lactose – so if you want to use sugar free chocolate syrup because you’re cutting back on sugar or you’re a diabetic and need to watch your sugar intake then it’s a perfectly acceptable choice.
Diet combined with exercise is the key to weight loss and maintenance and as Jeff said…all things in moderation.
Jeff, what’s wrong with brussels? Just had a bowl. I’ll pass on the vitamin water, though. I’m saying take a look at what is in your food. Beef and dairy are full of hormones and are directly connected to diseases like cancer. If you are a slave to taste, then that’s your problem.
BIOMASS is correct. There is a lot of bad stuff in food such as hormones and just the way food is processed in general that makes it bad, although milk was never meant for human consumption which is why so many cannot process.
There is a new documentary out called Food Inc. I have not seen it but heard it is an eye opener re: the food industry and why what we eat is sabotaging our efforts to remain healthy.
Sorry to get off topic but I believe anyone interested enuf to respond to this article would want to be enlightened about America’s food industry.
a-belle, your quote “milk was never meant for human consumption which is why so many cannot process”. So I don’t get that. Why do human mothers lactate then?
there’s a lot of hormones and pesticides in most of the foods sold at most of the grocery stores, so it’s not just beef and milk that is polluted, but also those brussel sprouts – if their not organic!
Stick with whole foods, the less processed the better. Shop the outside of the grocery store and keep to the foods in season and local, they are more nutritious because they are usually picked at the peak of ripeness and are on the shelves and your table sooner after picking, since the fruits and vegetables tend to degrade once picked from the plant.
Bob, a-belle was likely referring to cow’s milk which was and always will be meant for cows not humans. Yes, mothers lactate to be able to give their babies human-produced milk. And if you look closer at the dangers of human consumption of cow’s milk, you’ll find that milk produced naturally from any species includes antibodies designed to internally kill off anything that is not of that species in order to promote healthy and proper growth. And we are (haven’t totally confirmed this, but I believe it’s true) the only species that continues to drink milk after we have been “weaned” from it, and it is not even our own. Hence, some of the problems and illnesses we experience, in especially our young children, can be directly attributed to the use of cow’s milk and or milk related products i.e dairy. Many say that milk/dairy is essential for things like Calcium and Vitamin D,etc. But while there may be some “so-called” benefits to milk/dairy, they are severly outwieghed by the adverse effects and consequences. The same may be said of the consumption of meat and/or meat products. Milk, along with animal flesh, has never been the best for humans, and in recent years has largely been responsible for many types of cancers, and other diseases because the animals themselves are diseased. So many, even as I write this are dying needlessly as a result of years of an incorrect diet. Even very young people are falling victim. All of the nutrients essential to man, and their life-giving benefits, can be found in fruits, nuts, vegetables and grains and/or some combination of them. This is not at all to bash those who do use animal products. It is simply to educate, and hopefully promote healthier lifestyles, esp. here in America where we could use them. I hope I was able to help! God Bless!
BIOMASS, Thank you for sharing the truth. You are oh so right. Most people just don’t get it. They either don’t want to accept the truth about beef and dairy or they are sadly misinformed. We can live without beef and dairy. What happens to babies once you introduce table food? They start getting colds, stomach aches, etc. Beef is bad for your colon and lymphatic system and dairy is mucus-forming. Beef and dairy harden in the body and attract parasites if transit time is poor. Explains the rise in so many diseases. Most people don’t want to agree with that because they don’t want to give it up the bad stuff. They are addicted to it like some people are addicted to aspartame-laced diet soft drinks and light beer.
I gave up red meat about 10 years ago. But I still consume skim milk in my cereal. I’ve never been sick and I love yougurt/ice cream/milshakes. Why is milk so harmful…isn’t true that we weren’t meant to consume milk or is it simply some people aren’t? Is soy or almond milk a better choice?
E, your health will be even better in the LONG RUN if you give up the milk altogether. You might not be sick now, but problems can show up later, semmingly out of the blue. Try vanilla coconut milk by So Delicious, or something similar, for your cereal and shakes. It took a while for me to give up the milk and the wrong kinds of yogurts because they are in the comfort foods category. But they give you a false sense of security. You’ll feel so good after you give it up, you won’t miss it. I’m not trying to be difficult, just trying to help. I’ve seen what ill health looks like and it’s a horrible thing.
Yeah, I’ve been eyeing soy milk for awhile now. I’m very picky, so I’m reluctant to try new foods. But your point about health issues occuring in the long run is well taken. I gave up red meat/pork years ago and don’t miss either, so I suppose the same can be done with milk products.
Pretty extensive list. But how did you forget to add fish to the list. That is the ultimate brain food. Older adults in developing countries who regularly eat fish seem to have a lower risk of dementia.
Omega-3 fats have a number of properties that could help stave off dementia too, including actions that protect nerve cells, limit inflammation and help prevent the build-up of the amyloid proteins seen in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
Teenage boys who it fish score better in school too. FISH people!
These are great suggestions for keeping your mind sharp, touching on the key components of physical exercise, healthy diet, emotional engagement and mental fitness.
Idea #6 references research that supports the impact of brain training … the study was conducted using Posit Science’s Brain Fitness Program. There are now over 30 published clinical studies from institutions like the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins showing that our technology can have a range of benefits from improved memory to lowered health care costs.
I am CEO and Dr. Mike Merzenich is founder and chief scientist here at Posit Science and we make scientifically-validated software programs that can help you think faster, focus better and remember more. For more information and to try free exercises, please visit http://www.positscience.com
I consider being severely lactose-intolerant one of the best things that could have ever happened to me. I’ve never missed dairy. Soy and rice milk are wonderful. I use soy for cooking (very creamy consistency – great for “cream” sauces) and I drink rice milk. I don’t usually catch colds or the flu at all, have no stomach problems, have always had low blood pressure, and have no signs of cancer or heart disease (despite a horrible family history of both). Not touching the beef thing though – I do love my porterhouse and burgers LOL
I’d like to add that it’s never too soon to start brain training. It’s easy to consign the idea of brain training to the “something I don’t need to worry about yet” category. In fact, at any stage of life we can benefit from a program designed to improve our core cognitive skills. Students can boost their test scores and perform better academically. Those in a career can use brain training as part of a career enhancement plan. And yes, as we age, we can turn back the adverse effects on the brain.
My company has a program that trains working memory as a way to increase fluid intelligence. This training program uses a protocol designed and proven by academics under stringent research conditions, and the results of following the program are remarkable.
A distinction needs to be made between synthetic vitamins and natural ones StarGate Nutrition. THe natural ones will not harm you the chemicals will. Natural look like the earth brown the chemicals ones are white. http://www.stargatenutritionvitamin.com
Play chess! It’s a great game for your brain, offering continuous variety and challenge. My brother and I play email chess at an excellent site, gameknot.com. Get a chess set and play over-the-board chess, too.
1. Swine flu vaccines are thought to be safe and effective as the initial symptom is mild.
2. Folks need to stay vigilant on refraining form the in-take of pork, just in case of the mutation.
(( Genes included in the new swine flu have been circulating undetected in pigs for at least a decade, according to researchers who have sequenced the genomes of more than 50 samples of the virus. The findings suggest that in the future, pig populations will need to be monitored more closely for emerging influenza viruses, reported a team led by Rebecca Garten of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a report released by the journal Science.))
3. Additionally, a simple action like brushing teeth following each and every meal could make a big difference in our immune system, let alone workout, I believe.
Given that the percentage of persons (blood samples) showing immune response was negligibly different between, say, persons 63 years old and persons 67 years old, and little different between persons 50 years old and persons 75 years old, with the percentage going over 40 percent only in the very elderly, those alive in the few years immediately after 1918, and given that up to 22 percent of younger persons’s blood showed immune response, why the cut-off age of 65 for vaccine? Especially as elderly persons have a high risk of complications. Sounds like agism is dangerously at work here.
Why is there someone named “hudson rouse” on here asking us to call one of his “experts” ? He cannot even write a proper sentence! Is anyone dumb enough to just land on a blog and call a number like that, belonging to someone who can’t capitalize or use punctuation? Why is advertising allowed on here? This is a serious topic! That is tacky, very tacky. Now we know who to NOT call !
I have contact with, several parents in America, who’s daughters died after getting Gardasil, the American Cervarix. The product is the same.I also have contacts with many, many parents around the wolrd who’s daughters are very, very sick due to either Cervarix or Gardasil. P.e.: Asleigh Cave, a 14 yesr old Englisch girl, paralysed due to Cervarix.
The most shocking facts are, that her mother Cheryl is beiing acused of Munchaussen by Proxy, because she kept saying Asleigh is paralised due to Cervarix. Ashleigh is still in the hospital for nearly a year now and placed in custody of the gouverment.
What does this mean?
The gouverment does’nt want to be acused of giving dangerous vaccine’s to young girls ? Apperently so. But they do !!
The most extreme information I got the past few month’s, about Gardasil, Cervarix and the up-comming Mex.flu vaccine: Farmaceutical company’s are no longer responsible for, adverse reactions or death due to the vaccine. I beg you’re pardon?
This means, that when you’re little girl becomes sick, paralysed or even end’s up death, nobody is responsible.
In the Netherlands our Min. of Health is completly silent about the absolute adverse reactions of Cervarix.
We have sued our Min. of Health last Friday on the up-comming very , very dangerous Mex.flu vaccine. Belgium and France did so too.
The Cervarix-programme is expelled for now. ( That gives us more time to spread the information).
We are working international about Gardasil, Cervarix and now the very, very dangerous Mex.flu vaccine. Google: Thimerosal, polysorbate 80, Triton X100, and most of all MF59, and search for a Nano-supplement as named in both Baxter and Novartis patent-applications for their Mex. Flu vaccine.
I won’t tell you because I want you to learn for yourself. People only believe what they see for themselve’s ; I gave you the clue’s.
Dr. Edupuganti, if you know of any serological or epidemiologic studies that definitely contradict my points in the previous post, I’d vastly appreciate the information. (I base my arguments on the May study cited in CDC’s July 30 MMWR (n8) and the late-summer study reported in NEJM Sept 10. Also, one U. Melbourne study this summer concluded the new flu’s epidemiology was like that of any type-A flus, and Dr. Marc Lipsitch (Harvard PH) reported to the IOM recently that what statistical evidence there so far was showed the same epidemiology as other (type-A?) flus. Note too that seniors tend to high rates of seasonal flu shots–and so if the Canada results turn out valid many, many seniors will be at considerably higher risk of infection than those 10 or 20 or 30 years younger. Yet seniors “over 65″ and even if at high risk of complications for other reasons too (and most are) must wait until the 24-64-years group are inoculated? Why?
They Try to Change the Set Times: Swine & Seasonal Flu Vaccine Alert
They try to change the set times. The Swine Flu (H1N1) vaccine and apparently regular flu vaccine (Evidence of Thimerosal, H1N1 Virus in Seasonal Vaccine) are being used in an attempt to abruptly kill significant numbers of population, to bring the population numbers (blood types A, B, O – those who do not belong to them) well below 200 million. This is the purpose of forced vaccinations, to kill many all at once and cause debilitating chronic symptoms in the blood types A, B and O, which have damaged DNA/proteins and weakened immune system. The number of these blood types is quickly approaching 200 million. By abruptly bringing the population numbers below 200 million, they believe they can change the set times and have victory over their Creator. But, their end will still come at the appointed time – at that very hour and day predetermined long ago.
Vaccines were developed under the cover (lie) they will protect from harmful viruses and bacteria, and were never needed and are another fraud perpetrated on the people. Harmful viruses and bacteria thrive and replicate in the blood types A, B & O, which have blood pH that has deviated away from a neutral pH of 7.00. A neutral blood pH of 7.00 destroys/removes harmful bacteria and viruses. The blood type AB is the normal healthy blood type with a neutral pH of 7.00 and has normal DNA and immune system.
Vaccination is in fact the most effective and efficient method to transport poisons more directly into the liver, to displace and deplete copper from that location. The liver is where much of the blood proteins (and other proteins) are synthesized and is where the greatest percentage of copper is stored. Copper is vital in protein synthesis. Vaccine poisons settle and accumulate in the liver depleting and displacing copper, thereby causing a mineral imbalance and deviation from a 7.00 pH, resulting in near-immediate massive DNA damage, by disrupting normal protein synthesis. This aberration in protein synthesis is indicated in malformed and missing proteins, reflected in acidic blood (type B) or alkaline blood (types A & O), depending on individual propensity of the mineral imbalance, i.e., toward acidic or alkaline. As of 2005, the blood pH of blood types A/O was set up to average pH of 7.54 and the blood type B was set up to a higher acidity level (lower pH). The blood pH (blood types A,B & O) has been carefully managed through methodical, intentional poisoning, to reach the current life-critical levels specifically targeting this point in time. The vaccines, planned long ago for this period in time, are formulated to push the blood pH past the critical points, in order to kill and disable many.
For explanation see: http://www.unveilingthem.com/PoisoningOfMankindCopperDeficiency.htm
for all the people saying depression is somebody’s fault and something that can be treated with vitamins/exercise etc- i would dare you to say that to a rape survivor such as myself. at 21 years of age i am the editor in chief of a magazine, 3.6 gpa, published journalist and i have been through many episodes previously in my life such as the divorce of my parents and deaths of friends and family which i was able to cope with and deal with. sometimes it is NOT a matter of exercising and rewiring your thinking. in my situation i was TOLD by a therapist that i was suffering from depression- i didn’t even realize how much my life was affected my sexual assault. so before you start spouting off about how people on antidepressants just need to learn to cope, i suggest you put yourself in my shoes and the 1/4 of women who are raped and ask them to get over their depression alone or just ‘deal’ with it.
[...] treadmill? A forty-six year old mother of three recently confronted this problem and developed a three-part strategy to help busy moms stay in shape on a busy [...]
all these lice stories make me itchy, i just used what the CDC Center for Disease Control recommended in a way. they say heat kills the lice and eggs just as you mentioned by using a blow dryer, but you can not get with 6 mm of the scalp it burns! so i found this company called head lice heros they use this lice safe wand that does that. it gets 6 mm of the scalp without burning you only destroying the lice and the eggs/ nits. it’s pretty wild when i had my daughter treated. found them on http://www.licecentersofamerica.org. good luck, Julie
Hmmm… never though about food in terms of seasons. But i guess it makes sense. Out of that list i think i’ll take sweet potatoes as my favorite. That gives you good skin!
Is is good that you are informing us about the small ingredients inside the common foods that we eat, and the bad stuff that might be in them (In this case contaminated mercury). But i think we need some badness in our foods. Eating onlyhealthy food isnt a good thing, as the body needs to taste the bad to know how to fight it when it sees it again
No mercury or mercury-based technology is used in the production of high fructose corn syrup in North America.
The American public can rest assured that high fructose corn syrup is safe. Safety is the highest priority for our industry, which is why we immediately commissioned external testing as well as independent expert review of claims concerning mercury and our corn sweetener.
Woodhall Stopford, MD, MSPH, of Duke University Medical Center, one of the nation’s leading experts in mercury contamination, reviewed the results of total mercury testing of samples of high fructose corn syrup conducted by Eurofins Central Analytical Laboratory (Metairie, LA) in February and March 2009. Dr. Stopford concluded:
•No quantifiable mercury was detected in any of the samples analyzed.
•High fructose corn syrup does not appear to be a measureable contributor to mercury in foods.
Click here for more information or visit http://www.Duketox.mc.duke.edu.
Audrae Erickson
President
Corn Refiners Association
The secret of mayo is that the oil smothers the lice, while the vinegar loosens the nits. Vinegar is an old method to dissolve nit glue, but plain vinegar is runny, irritating, and doesn’t “soak” the hair as well as the vinegar in thick mayo.
Never heard of using salt but the easiest way to wash out the mayo is to use hand dishwashing soap (like Dawn). It’s surprisingly gentle on the skin (remember “you’re soaking in it”)?
I’m reading some of these posts, and you can CLEARLY tell the ones who are on here bashing anti-depressants, haven’t the slightest clue what they are talking about. You people have no business talking about something you know nothing about. I have a wonderful life, I am a youth leader at my church, have the best family in the world, a good job, nothing to be “depressed” about. But I was DIAGNOSED with manic depression at a very young age, and will always have to take them. They are not addictive, and when I stop taking them, everyone can tell a HUGE difference….myseld included. No one “chooses” depression….it is a serious medical condition. So yes, pray, exercise, whatever helps….but without anti-depressants NOTHING will help when you are depressed. I take Pristiq now and it is by far the best one i’ve taken, and i’ve taken them all. No side effects…just simply the best anti-depressant i’ve ever taken and I highly recommend it to anyone suffering from mild to manic depression.
I had my birthday lunch at Seasons 52 in Buckhead last week and had the Harvest Vegetable Plate. It was delicious! It is elegant dining with excellent service. We are planning to have a little family reunion there over the holidays.
I know of this company I used call “Family Lice Removal” whom has done such a wonderful job in removing lice and nits from my kids head. 2 treatments needed and your done. I am so glad I found this company in Atlanta they are the best!
They use an all natural product which is awesome… I recommend this company to anyone who really want to get rid of head lice…
This is what Fitness magazines have been doing for years. Duping people into buying products (which are now in the 000’s). The thing about this is, that only a few of these products work, whether they are muscle building supplements, protein shakes, energy drinks or bars.
With the busy world that we now live in this won’t ease up either. Just follow those in fitness that you trust and use what they recommend. Even then, still do your research.
Good that you are looking out for us Doc, and keep forcing the message out to the masses
You can’t discipline a kid with ADHD into behaving normally. They just can’t help it. You can try to beat them or punish them but either they start looking furtive and scared or they become defiant and rebellious, but they still have ADHD. They behave differently at home and in one-on-one situations than they do in a classroom – they cannot handle the distractions and believe me, just about everything around them is a distraction!
Surely you had a classmate or two while you were in school who fit this criteria? These were the ones who got sent to the principal a lot, made to sit apart from the other students (if they were lucky and had an observant teacher)or made to sit out recess or stand in a corner or humiliated in front of the class. Maybe you didn’t understand why they got this treatment and wondered about it. Those were the worst cases and there’s a whole range of severity.
What do you think it’s like to have this to deal with every day as a parent? You know your child is wonderful, smart, creative and eager to connect with the world and just cannot channel that into acceptable classroom behavior.
I know what can help my child perform better, stay focused and on task, and he seems to be growing out of this problem. I am not going to stand by and let society reject him because of an issue that can be corrected. If he had a problem with walking or talking you would allow him to receive treatment – but if it’s something that takes effort to analyse and diagnose, something not so obvious, you’re going to take the stance that it doesn’t exist?
You can talk all you want and extrapolate numbers from someone’s staistics, guess what? Your argument doesn’t exist for me.
Who the heck would give their kids energy drinks to begin with?! We need to stop pumping our kids full of crap. Quicker & easier doesn’t always mean better.
it must be a food day today as i’ve been talking about it a lot with readers. I do agree that vegetarian recipes are more fun to cook, but I’m not a vegetarian so i can’t appreciate as much. I have been there though and it gets surely praises from me!
[...] “‘The big surprise when we introduced the new vegetarian menus was the number of nonvegetarians who signed up to receive the meals,’ said Elston Collins of Good Measure Meals” more >> [...]
Julie, same thing here, getting all itchy just THINKING about the creepy crawlers. My daughter got it a few years ago too, and I tell you we tore apart the stores looking for something to work. I never heard of the Family Lice Removal…thats interesting. We used http://www.licetokill.com and it did the trick.
But I like all the places popping up that actually get right in there and nitpick them out for you. I forget their name, but thats QUITE the service, right?
An excellent article that is all encompassing. I can not emphasize the impotance of getting a good physician and seeing a specialist that works with AD victims. It is important to candidly ask you doctor what his or her philosophy is on treating the disease. AD is a medical and a social problem. There are many varying attitudes and philosophys amongst physicians on treating the disease. They range from apathy to all out gung-ho aggressive treatment. This is important to know since there is not a cure for the disease yet. The best treatments currently available can only and often slow the progression of the disease, but it still progresses. Most good doctors want to meet and help the family with wherever they are at emotionally and philosophically, and help guide them through the process.
You want a doctor who is well-versed on the current treatments and the latest research. You want the doctor to partner with you through a difficult journey. It is a process that is not very pleasant or comfortbale but you want to be as open and confortable with your doctor as possible and have a sense that you understand their feelings on the disease. If you have this comfort and trust in your doctor it can sometimes make the process a bit less arduous.
Joseph J. Sivak MD http://alzheimmers.blogspot.com
Eating less meat is simple if you have the right tools. For some great meatless recipes visit http://www.meatlessmonday.com. There are bunch of really great easy to cook recipes as well as some great articles about the benefits of going meatless.
It is so good to see more information out about this topic- many adult children fear addressing this until it a crisis occurs. Lots of tears could be avoided if families discussed this when parents are healthy! Lisa- Geriatric Care Manager
It is important for patients and families affected by diseases such as Alzheimer’s to consider participating in clinical studies. One such study is the ICARA Study (www.icarastudy.com), whose goal is to explore if an investigational drug, called Bapineuzumab, can help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. Clinical studies that test new treatments are the best chance we have for fighting this disease. Current therapies for Alzheimer’s treat the symptoms associated with it, not the disease itself.
Wish restaurants had to post their scores on the front door, sometimes you have to search for their health scores. I walked out of a chinese place other day because they had a 80 but it was hidden behind a potted plant behind a door.
These are good tips for sure and yes, we cannot eliminate the risk…only reduce it. But in general i think that these foods will affect different people differently. If you have a pretty good immune system most of these things won’t affect you.
It is only when it is intentional such as with bodybuilders who do raw eggs for when you maybe affected. Personally I have only been affected by seafood, which was raw on an island in Thailand. But I learned my lesson. That goes back to what i mentioned about all of this affecting different people differently. A Thai person can stomach what I ate with ease.
Shaun – that’s not really true. If you ingest food that is contaminated with harmful bacteria you are not going to fight it off simply because your immune system is “pretty good.” If you are 25 versus 85 you may recover more quickly simply because your body is younger and stronger, but if you eat a bad oyster or undercooked chicken, you are going to be counting the tiles on the bathroom floor just like everyone else. Please don’t confuse people.
I can attest to what Drew said. I am a runner, healthy eater and have never had an illness more serious than a cold and I once ate a bad oyster and I spent the night laying on the bathroom floor praying that my misery would end. I will not eat unpasteurized oysters ever again.
A little common sense. If the space looks, smells, and transports your mind to a side street in Tijuana you might want to reconsider. Bathrooms are a direct refection of the restaurant. Look for that almighty framed monthly score displayed near the entrance. Be aware before you bite.
Does Burger King use gloves now? I haven’t been there in a year, except for the Whopper Bar at Universal Studios. The reason why we avoid it is because they didn’t use gloves. I went to two different Burger Kings where I lived and both times… no gloves. And I haven’t been back since.
Did this change? Do they wear gloves now?(By the way, I live in Kennesaw)
Manny, I’m not trying to be a wise ass, but what practical difference do gloves make, other than to cover up an exposed sore? I mean, if I’m rubbing my nose, ears, or hair…or picking up a food scrap off a dirty floor, will wearing gloves make you feel better? I’ve worked in ‘clean and safe’ restaurants where I saw the kitchen help take out the trash with gloves on, then go right back to cooking or preparing food with those same gloves.
None of the trials of the H1N1 shots included sqaline or therimisol. This according the the CDC.gov website. Thus they cannot be considered to be safe.
Shaun: I’m not sure what you mean by “It is only when it is intentional such as with bodybuilders who do raw eggs for when you maybe affected.” Most people don’t think of sunny side up eggs as giving them salmonella, but there is still a risk. Also, people really don’t expect to get sick from their salads. There is a lot out of the individuals control like how the plants are raised (which should change). However, there are steps we can take to avoid cross contamination and food borne illness, such as washing hands thoroughly, fully cooking vegetables, and using pasteurized liquid or shell eggs.
I have refused food from fast-food restaurants after seeing the order taker leave the cash register and go glove-less to prepare my order. Granted, this doesn’t happen often, but does happen and happened to me recently, At the drive-thru, you never know. Handling food after handling money gags me.
Good point Drew, and sorry for your experience with oysters (My bad- it made me chuckle). But I was talking about extreme cases mainly. But what about my example with Thai people and food? What would be your personal explanation on that?
All these people talking about smoked meats and pep pizza putting the sleep are obviously fat. I am totally healthy and tyramine can really disturb my sleep. You full dude thats what happens.
I work in the restaurant cleaning business and I see alot of nasty kitchens, my first rule of eating out is look at the front door glass, is it clean? If they do not clean the front door glass the first thing you see when going in a restaurant, they do not clean were you can’t see.
I read the restaurant scores on line before eating there. The reasons are posted too. No paper towels or out of soap in the bathroom are not as serious as hot and cold temps of food. I always check that score before I sit down in case of a new score or an error on line.
Only got sick once, raw oysters at the old Marriott downtown in the late 70s. Only eat East Coast ones and ask to see the tag/bag when eating them at a restaurant. Same when buying them. Rare sandwich–only bison at Ted’s Montana Grill.
Health score must be current ( 30 days old or less ) and must be above a 96, posted in plain sight ( as required by law ) or I’m outta there. Restaurants with consistant scores of 99-100 are my favorites regardless of their cuisine. I make a point to THANK the staff for theit high health score. If they care that much about my health, I care doubly about their tip and their feeling appreciated. I really hate that the new scoring system awards the grade A to a score of 90. What a deception!!
Women of all ages and ethnicities should know and be aware of the very subtle warning signs of ovarian cancer. And if you should symptoms such as bloating, pelvic, or abdominal pain, difficulty eating, feeling full quickly, feeling a frequent or urgent need to urinate, you should seek immediate medical attention. A PAP TEST DETECTS CERVICAL CANCER BUT NOT OVARIAN CANCER. There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer and until one is discovered, remember you are your best advocate. Becoming better educated regarding the facts about ovarian cancer and its correct treatments are very important. So that unnecessary risks are avoided take immediate action – know your body, save your life!
I sense a fair amount of food paranoia around this article.
Rightly enough, cheese doesn’t seem to feature too strongly.
Natural (raw milk) cheeses, particularly Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano & the like are extremely easily digested and can I say ‘completely safe’ for folk of all ages and conditions. They have been so for centuries.
These cheeses contain no lactose (zero carbohydrate in fact), fats and proteins are predigested and the making process, inhibits pathogens to humans.
Oysters, eggs, pates, on the other hand are much less well protected……if at all.
Read “The man who ate everything” by Jeffrey Steingarten, particularly the chapter entitled something like “so why aren’t the French dropping like flies”
Where do you get the impression that restaurants are inspected monthly? This is usually done once or maybe twice a year. it may be more often if the restaurant scored poorly.
This may be my own personal gross-out, but does it bother anyone else when the server pulls the check folder out of the back (or front) of their pants, and tosses it down on your table?
Let’s see, if they stuck their HAND down their pants, that would be bad, correct?
Yet it’s okay to stick this thing down there, then pull it out, toss it on a table, and go handle someone’s food or silverware?
I eat at a local Blimpies that the owner takes a huge amount of pride in. He almost got a 99 the other day, after the inspector found a loose screw in the ice machine. (not in the ice, still screwed in, just loose). Never mind that the guy had to stick his nasty long haired head right down in the ice compartment to see it, they were still going to gig him for it. The guy fixed it on the spot though, and continued his perfect run-never less than 100.
where do you eat Jimm that they pull the check book out of their pants! Yuck! I have seen them pull the check book out of their apron or just hand it to you without it entering an apron, but never out of their pants! lol tell the manager that you are offended by this practice and that you would ask that they change this process! even though it is the end of your meal process, it is still uncalled for!
Jazzy, it is not required by law for a server to wear gloves when delivering your food. I work in a restuarant and have worn gloves to deliever food to customers just to be asked if I was sick. When I stated that I was not ill, the customer said that by wearing gloves he assumed I was sick or had a skin problem. It seems we can’t win for losing sometimes in trying to keep guests healthy and happy.
In California restaurant scores must be posted on the front door so they may be seen from the street. The scores are A, B, C, etc. If it’s less than a B stay away. Georgia is so far behind the curve it’s almost laughable.
Manny, when I complained to Arby’s managment that the sandwich preparer did not have gloves on, I was told that clean bare hands are more sanitary. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I haven’t been back to Arby’s since. Are they even around anymore? Also, never ever buy anything from a flea market food vendor on Friday. Too often it is left from the previous Sunday.
There used to be a “Greasy Spoon” cafe at the streetcar stop on McDonough Street on the Decatur square. I got sick every time I went in there, but wow – they had great chili!
inou- I have also heard that clean, bare hands are more sanitary. The reasoning is that with gloves, the cooks are more likely to wash their hands after touching something non food related. They think the gloves are still clean. With bare hands, they HAVE to wash their hands again if they touch something else. It supposedly makes them more conscious of keeping their hands clean. True or not…dunno.
I get a good laugh at the “fussy eaters” that fret about whether the person receiving minimum wage that just cooked their whopper was wearing gloves. Assume they are not, and if you are really that concerned about what you eat, why in the world are you eating at a burger joint? Sounds like you need to go home a have momma cut the crust off your PB&J.
Ey yo…I don’t eat dem raw eggs anymore, ya know? I got sick as a dog one time, and Mickey got really ticked off at me for missing a training session ’cause I wuz sick. Now I gotta cook dem eggs, ya know?
I ate dorm food in college for four years, so my stomach is lined with an inch-thick layer of concrete after eating all of that crappy food. As a result, I don’t get sick from food. Giggity!
Stacy, that’s not all! I saw Greasy Shapiro on a plane less than 6 months ago. In mid flight, he took his shoes and socks off, picked the toe jam from between his stinky three toe’d feet with his finger nail, and eat that followed by nose jelly. He’s a walking Bio-Hazard!
Try Chef Hymie Grande BBQ Sauces – No HFCS, No Processed sugars, vegan friendly & American Diabetes Association on the label. http://www.chefhymiegrande.com
Those injuries are right on. I played for a legendary lacrosse coach in my young days who used to run us all day – bless him for that. But I do remember having bad shin splints before I knew what they were and had that heal-growth plate injury (very painful). Haha my little frail body would break down every once in a while I guess.
How could twins know if they had different fathers if the father has been long dead(over 40 years) and also the man or men who might be the father have been long dead?
Wearing gloves in a restaurant is less sanitary. I worked in restaurants as a server, bartender, and management for years and took many safe food classes. Saying you won’t eat in an establishment that uses bare hands is about as smart as saying that you are gonna drive rather than flying cause it is realistically safer. People change their gloves less often than they wash their hands (hell, i have even seen people at subway take gloves off and then re-use them for the next customer). Gloves may give the wearer a FALSE sense of good hygiene. For example, after preparing food, the handler may carry out the trash (which involves touching contaminated objects) and then return to food preparation – all the time wearing the same set of gloves. Gloves provide a moist warm environment between the glove and hand for pathogens to multiply if the hands are not washed and gloves changed regularly. Gloves can harbor pathogens. The surfaces of gloves are not smooth, and tiny wrinkles act as storage areas for contamination which can be transferred to food, food preparation surfaces and utensils if gloves are dirty. Pathogens on hands can get through gloves. Most gloves used for food preparation are permeable which means that pathogens from the wearer’s dirty hands can escape through the gloves on to food.
Also, the biggest threat, in my opinion, is that restaurants don’t take care of their employees and require them to work when they are sick. I can’t tell you how many times it was either work with a cold and fever, or lose my job. This is compounded by the fact that most restaurants don’t offer any kind of health insurance.
Josh is absolutely right. Gloves give you the illusion of sanitation, not the real thing. I can’t tell you how many times a customer has complained about someone handling raw meat with bare hands, but they’ll have no problem with someone preparing a sandwich with gloves they just used to handle raw, contaminated meat. The law in Georgia does NOT require gloves. The law clearly states no bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.
As well, you can’t go by health inspection scores. I’ve worked in restaurants in four different counties and can tell you that there is no consistency in the inspection process. Certain counties are tougher(Henry) than others(Clayton). A 90 in Riverdale is worse than and 85 in Stockbridge. If you don’t believe me, take a look around and you’ll see.
The most impportant things to look at are the personal appearance of the staff and the overall santitation of the restrooms and dining rooms. If this looks good, you’re probably going to be okay. And don’t forget, the majority of all foodborne ilnesses occur as a result of food prepared in the home.
Not all Asian or students from india are great in math and science – mostly those who are prepared from early childhood. The rest of the students are just like any other student who has not been prepared from early childhood. If we are to compare our students – then we need to prepare our students, the exact same way these students are prepared.
Al lthis food safety talk has me hankering for a little sushi, Eggs Benedict, and a plate full of Komomoto and Hog Island oysters and a tall glass of champagne…..ahhhhhhhhh
seriously, we have made it this far. I have seen so many use gloves and not clean ones. I wash my hands all the time and they are cleaner then those in the kitchen with the gloves.
okay, this is all very interesting, I’m actually doing an essay for my 11th grade english class. I am trying to write an persuassive essay on why it is in fact over diagnosed.
Now, some of these people jump down other people’s throats, i would first like to say that I was diagnosed with ADHD in kindergarten, but my mom didn’t want to put me on medication, until I got into 5th grade i lived without it. In 5th grade at the beginning of the year I weighed about 96 pounds, I was put on Adderall, and now as a junior in high school, I have barely grown, and now I weigh 88 pounds.
I agree, meds do work, then i can concentrate, but whenever I don’t take my pill, I am so bubbly, and am not constantly worried what others think of me. When I take my pill, I put homework before eating and I can pay attention in class. But just today i was still not paying as much attention as I should of in Chemistry.
Whenever I was put on the meds, my father was in Iraq, my parents had gotten divorced when I was 7. My mother and my step dad were all for it, but when my dad came back from Iraq he hated it and often cursed my mother for thinking it was the right thing to do.
I’m not really sure, maybe I shouldn’t be doing this topic, because I’m at a loss. Meds help, no doubt, but are very risky, I am addicted to them now, and often get so very nervous whenever I am out or don’t have any left. Also though I do think it is over diagnosed, some people have it mildly and will probably grow out of it sooner. I have it severely. And when I don’t take my pill all my friends love it, because I’m not hiding back in my shell, but i also say things I don’t mean, which is embarassing or say hurtfull things to people I love.
The one day I did have homework, and I usually waste alot of my time on facebook, but I knew I had to get it done, and so I finally made myself. and I did it. but it could be, because I’m growing more mature.
So there you have it, straight from the mouth of someone you have been talking about, my opinion.
I eat a cup of Natural Apple Sauce, which is yummy, and drink sum water and 100% juice. U guys r 2 funny. A Big Mac on the treadmill sounds interesting, lol
“One in four women will experience some kind of domestic violence during her lifetime.”
If one in four women will experience some kind of domestic violence during her lifetime than according to numerous comprehensive studies that show women are at least as violent as men in intimate relations, one in four MEN will ALSO experience some kind of domestic violence during HIS lifetime as well!
I challenge, MELISSA KOTTKE, MD, MPH, the author of this piece to refute my assertion or anyone else for that matter. I also challenge the author to honestly and without any bias write to include men as victims of DV in any future material. I am utterly perplexed and in dismay that everyone talks about DV against women while men who are subject to the same amount of DV are conveniently ignored and allowed to silently suffer. Why? Are men not worthy of the same consideration as women?
Why does Malisa Kottke not write “One in four men and women will suffer some type of DV etc…?” That would be truthfully unbiassed. Why ignore the suffering men experience at the hands of women in DV situations just the same as women do?
This piece is cleverly written to make it seem that it is men who are the aggressors and women who are the sole victims, save one blurb to the mild contrary; “slapped or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend..” This kind of slant and skewed reporting is not limited to this piece. It is rampant!
Men not only suffer the same amount of DV abuse as women they also suffer an insurmountable false claims of DV and rape against men by unscrupulous women with an agenda to destroy their male partner or get a leg up on custody and equalisation matters in divorce proceedings. Some women will even make false claims of rape and DV simply out of spite. When they are caught they spend no time in jail or very little such as the recent case with Rebecca Vaughn who was sentenced to 20 days in jail for destroying her husband who spent TWELVE MONTHS IN JAIL after her malicious false allegation against him!!!
I am a victim and a survivor of severe DV, although I was never physically struck the tole on my body at the hands of my extremely vindictive ex-wife is horrific. I had called the police not less than 7 times and they NEVER took my situation seriously. On the contrary after being taunted by my ex-father-in-law who then attempted to remove our children from our home against my wishes, the police actually asked ME to leave the home??? I refused!
Here are some examples of what my ex-wife would say and do;
1. “I feel so empowered I could chew you up and spit you out!”
2. “If you mention anything about my drinking to CAS/CPS, I will have you out of this house the next day!”
3. “I am going to have you put in jail!” This was said over and over again.
4. A false allegation within a perjured affidavit that I sexually aroused my son was made against me.
5. Made to feel useless, worthless, stupid, unkind, uncaring no matter how I was to the contrary!
She has NEVER been held accountable for her actions!
Had I not had 35 years of martial arts training to condition my body and mind, I surely would have ended up insane or dead. Thankfully that never happened and I persevered, unlike a client of mine Stan Muir who took his life as his wife drove him out of his mind. That is just ONE example of DV against a man by a woman that ended in death which was never reported as such.
If DV is not dealt with equally for men and women than funding (in the hundreds of millions of dollars each year) is not warranted which is enjoyed by women exclusively. That is a travesty, a gross misappropriation of public funds and gender discrimination in the highest degree!
When I realized I needed help there was absolutely NOTHING for me a male, but pages for women to tap into in the phone book. Even the police who are there to serve and protect failed me miserably. This is simply unacceptable and I will see to it tirelessly that it is changed forthwith!!!
Respectfully,
Attila L. Vinczer
Supporter of: Canada Court Watch and
Glenn Sacks and Fathers & Families
Great tips for busy moms-especially the time-saving ideas!
Moms (and dads, as well as kids) have less time, more pressure and societal elements, such as crime, stressing them.
We at http://www.familyfitnesspath.com see this trend increasing.
Anything to bring the family together and encourage health is a necessity.
I highly recommend sampling the Amy’s Kitchen products. The frozen meals in particular taste fantastic, my 6 year old LOVES the gluten free mac and cheese and pesto tortellini!
Morbid obesity is a disability. I am a victim of it and I can’t get any help. My doctor told me that I’m going to die within 10 years if I don’t get gastric bypass operation. I don’t have $25,000.00 cash to get it. I see a lot of people are really cruel in this website and they don’t understand what we are going through. I am 415 pounds and a diabetic suffer severe high blood pressure and sleep apnea. How can I work with these conditions. I have tried everything in the book. I will tell you what the real truth of the matter is. It’s all about the MONEY. That’s right, the government knows that people are dying from this condition including the insurance companies out there know it too. The governent does not want to give social security disability all because of a stupid Bart Simpson show that scared the hell out of social security and where afraid about obesed people applying for disability. Well I can’t work anymore because I am disabled. I’m dying in a slow manner and I can’t pay for barriatic surgery. I’m on 12 different kind of medications a day, but they say we obesed people are not disabled. It’s all about politics and MONEY. The government has time to waste billions of our tax dollars on the Iraqi war, People that hate us stipid Americans, but no money to spend on it’s own citizens that needs help the most. why is it the skinny guy or the female Chinese doctor working in our emergency room that look down on us being over weight? I don’t want to be like this, but I am. I had to hire a lawyer to fight the dam social security system cause they deny 75% of the people that apply for it. I worked hard all my life and paid into the system like a good American should pay. Now I feel that social security needs to pay back what I put in and not write me off since they misused our tax dollars. Tell that to AMA,Social Security, and Obama.
Oh goodness, NEVER ever use Kerosene. I heard of a young girl who had lice, and was too afraid to tell her family, so she took Kerosene and dumped it on her hair, and it caught fire because she was SMOKING too…at the same time…anyway, she lost her hair and had lots of burns on her scalp. NEVER use that…there are better ways. Our family used http://www.licetokill.com and it worked. Try more natural items, and avoid the pesticides in the lice shampoos.
-Sheila
On Nov. 1, Taiwan’s health authorities launched a vaccination campaign against influenza A (H1N1) at 14 shelters housing victims of Typhoon Morakot, with 884 disaster survivors receiving shots on the first day of the campaign. Taiwan’s Department of Health estimates that 12 million doses of vaccines will be administered before the Lunar New Year Holiday of February 14, with vaccinations for students beginning on November 16.
Taiwan’s DOH will dispense vaccines from domestic company Addimune Corp. And Swiss drug maker Novartis AG.
Nice, another article about a food with positive health aspects that the news media just couldn’t help but slam. People have to eat and all foods have calories. Not every food is evil.
if only they were more affordable. a can of pistachios without the shell cost $10 and a bag in the shell cost $5. a bag of almonds is also nearly $5. i love nuts myself, but financially when you’re on a budget, they can set you back.
Malika, I am a nuts about nuts. I buy usually buy almonds (Blue Diamond—The best) at Target. A small tin runs about 2.50 on sale. They do sell large bags which do run about $5, but the 2.50 size is fine. Other nuts are on sale about every other week. Another favorite for affordable nuts (my favorite is lightly salted whole cashews and pecans) is Trader Joe’s. Just about all the nut varieties are affordable though some more than others.
When i was a young medical student (many years ago) i visited with my hometown hero, a family practitioner who allowed me to follow him around on occasion. A gentleman came in the office wearing a copper bracelet and immediately I began motioning for the doctor to look at the bracelet. The medical school professors had actually made patients remove the copper,,after lecturing them about their being ineffective,,no science etc. I wanted the doctor to make him take off he silly bracelet. Still nothing was said but as the patient started to leave I stepped forward and asked if he wasn’t going to say something about the bracelet.
He looked at it for a moment and then asked the patient what it was for.
“It’s for my rheumatism.”
“Does it help?”
“Oh,,yes sir it shore does.”
“Then don’t you let anybody tell you to take it off.”
Better than any lesson I had received atr the Medical center.
Yes I have also tried coconut water for leg cramps. It is the best remedy. You can find more such herbal remedies for skin and hair at International Drug Mart. Best natural way no side effects.
Only a fool pays attention to what the government tells them to eat. I can remember when eggs were forbidden until the egg industry paid off their congressmen. Common sense tells you that nuts are a good naturally producted snack but your are better off without all the salt added during processing.
The best drink is probably Yoli (10 cal.). It is the next best thing to drinking plain water. Better than juices, and those unhealthy energy drinks. Take a look at the ingredients and tell me there’s something better. Yoli is definitely the drink for me and my kids. I have had enough of the price war on these high energy drinks, to include the new fad, Efusjon.
Ingredients
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 TRUTH™ Blast Cap® (5.7g)
(Add water, prepare as directed)
Servings Per Container: 1
% Daily
Value
Amount Per
Serving
Calories 10
Total Carbohydrate 2g <1%**
Vitamin C (as Ascorbic acid) 130 mg 217%
Proprietary Antioxidant Blend 425 mg †
Pomegranate fruit, Acai (Euterpe oleracea) fruit 4:1 extract,
I retired from AT&T in ‘89 with the understanding that health ins. would be paid for as part of the retirement pkg. Recently, Alcatel-Lucent has re-written the health ins. with United Health Care to the effect that if I don’t have medicare part B, they wouldnot be paying anything toward my med. bills, in effect leaving me without any ins. coverage for Dr. bills, tests, & other fees usually associated with health care coverage. It’s the health ins. that isn’t!
Re thank you — I know what you mean about nuts and IBS. For me, a daily serving of mixed nuts, a slice of 12-grain bread and a small lettuce salad are key.
Excellent advice. Medication disposal is rarely covered in the doctor’s office/visit and who doesn’t think flushing them down the toilet is a good idea. I’m glad I read this column.
Amy’s Kitchen stuff is too expensive. Buy ingredients and make the stuff yourself. You can make a crock pot full of chili that will last a week for less than $6.
With so many various stevia brands out there why does it seem that Truvia gets all the credit? (Especially when considering that Truvia may have GMOs in it, hardly making it the poster brand for stevia)
Not all stevia brands are created equal. Most use chemicals, solvents, and alcohols during extraction, which can cause that bitter aftertaste. Some are now adding masking agents to cover up that taste, so they are even less natural. Contrary to what some may believe, generally, the more natural the stevia brand, the better tasting it is! SweetLeaf is the only brand that uses only pure water during extraction, so the taste of the leaf remains. SweetLeaf was the first to receive GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status from the FDA and the ok to market it as a sweetener in March 2008. Its founder and CEO, dubbed “The Father of Stevia” ws the first to bring stevia to the U.S. back in 1982. Truvia did not receive GRAS status for its sweetener until December of 2008.
I use SweetLeaf and I love it! In fact, I made some great chocolate chip cookies with it just the other day!
this breakdown is helpful. i’ve long wondered about the various types and brands of artificial sweetners. but why no mention of agave? it is an excellent liquid alternative to sugar and has no aftertaste like some honeys do.
sorry i guess i should have added that agave (or agave nectar or agave syrup) is another natural alternative to sugar as it comes from the agave plant,the same plant that tequila is made from.
I think the article needs to focus a little bit more on how controversial and harmful some of the artificial sweeteners actually are. Ever wonder why they are just now being approved by the FDA? While artificial sweeteners may be one way to cut calories; I would highly recommend everyone to do your research on these type of sweeteners and figure out what is best for you. For example, does this following sentence talking about the sweetener Splenda seem like a huge red flag to anyone else except me? “…it’s made from sugar but has no calories because it’s not digested.” … it’s not digested??? So Splenda essentially is an indigestible material going into our bodies. How can that be healthy? I’m just trying to advise people to do just a little bit of research on these products before using them. I would recommend the book, Skinny Bitch, I know this is an extreme book about food but it has some really great facts and will provide you with a lot more information about what you are eating. Just a thought.
I was told (can’t verify) that the chemicals in many artificial sweeteners are processed through the liver rather than the digestive system. This individual strongly implied that this must be bad for humans.
Left out of the Stevia section was an important note that it has long been used as a sweetener and diet aid in other countries. It’s only “new” in the US. It also has reported side benefits of lowering blood pressure. Very promising stuff. But not all Stevia is created the same, as another commenter noted.
Some of the other artificial sweeteners have a side effect of lowering metabolism which results in sleepiness in some cases or even weight gain. Sugar, after all, is energy. Energy powers the body. Aspartame does not contribute energy, it may even slow down the body’s ability to digest food and the longer your body takes to do that, the more of the food is absorbed and converted to energy or fat. So in a sense, drinking a diet coke will cause you to have more weight gain from a meal than if you drank a sugar coke and ate the same meal.
It is also important to note that Sugar is not the same as Corn Sweetener. In the body, sugar is easily processed and turned into energy for most people. Corn Syrup takes much more effort to burn and like Aspartame, it causes the body to slow down and digest more of the food you are eating. This would be useful if food was scarce but causes a disaster in a country where plates are full and meals come in super-sizes.
I’m very disappointed that there still isn’t a calorie-free sugar substitute that truly tastes like sugar. Whatever I use in, for example, coffee — Equal, Splenda, whatever — never does the trick. The coffee always tastes different compared to if real sugar is used in it.
Same goes for diet soft drinks — no matter which one I’ve tried, none of them taste as good as sugared soda.
I cannot wait for the day — if it ever comes during my lifetime — when I’ll be able to drink a diet soda that tastes like sugared soda, when I’ll be able to put a sugar substitute in coffee and not tell the difference from having sugar in it.
I agree with those here who say the article wasn’t very helpful. It lists the various types of sweeteners, but doesn’t list the pro’s and cons. What are the risks of taking each, such as the headaches often associated with Equal? Why didn’t it discuss how people generally think each sweetener tastes? Why not discuss the Glycemic Index difference between sweeteners that otherwise have the same calories? G.I. is important for folks with diabetes as well as people just watching their health. And I too am a bit disappointed that Truvia is the standard for stevia, when many other brands exist, that stevia is called “new” (i first used it at least ten years ago) and that agave nectar–another lower G.I. food–was ignored. The article seems to be more something written by someone who just went shopping at a typical grocery store, and never has set foot inside a health food store.
I think the big thing here is the variety of sweeteners now available. There are so many of them, each with their own taste and side effects, that it gives some of us who can’t have sugar an alternative. Being diabetic for 20 years, I have had only SnL (the Pink stuff) and = (the blue stuff) for most of my life. These non-natural sweeteners actually increase the cravings for sweet foods which is not good. Some of the “new” sweeteners, Stevia based, agave nectar, etc. are more natural and I have found them to not increase the craving/urges towards more sweet foods. I always agree that the more natural a product is, the better for the body.
Unfortunately, this article doesn’t even begin to do justice to educating the reader on the differences between true stevia and truvia.
For starters truvia hasn’t been thoroughly tested, yet it’s been called GRAS. Any chance it’s because it’s being pushed by Cargill and the Coca-Cola company? Funny how the FDA for years has refused to give GRAS status to stevia, but when the mightly conglomerates push it, it’s suddenly GRAS.
Added to the insult to the consumer, Truvia claims it doesn’t need to undergo as through a testing as other products, because stevia has been shown to be safe. While truvia, according to consumer advocates in most likely a safer bet that artificial sweeteners, the reality is that Truvia is an extract of stevia, and there is no 100% guarantee that it reacts in the body the same way as stevia, so Truvia’s claim that more testing isn’t needed because it’s already been done on stevia is disingenuous at best.
This is at best, a very superficial treatment by the registered dietitian. At the least the dietitian should have encouraged the reader to research some of the various studies comparing stevia to Truvia, so that the uneducated consumer doesn’t fall prey to the marketing hype.
Pathology.org is awarding you as top resource and if you would like to get the banner, please email me back with the subject line as your URL to avoid Spam and also to make sure that you only get the banner.
In April, 2009, when I started my journey, I was at 10 pounds shy of 300 pounds and only 5′0. I was ready for a change, but I didn’t think I could do it, really. After an abusive marriage, a nasty divorce, and emotional eating that kept me up eating night after night, I had lost who I once was. Well, it’s November, 2009, and I have lost 84 pounds. I have gotten the most positive response from friends, family, and even my pastors. I have inspired several friends to start losing weight and working out. I have officially said goodbye to the super-plus stores that had clothes large enough to actually fit me. I am wearing heels again and feel so much better about life. Weight loss works when the mindset is there, even if one does not think they CAN do it… If the desire is there, the support teams put in place, and the DESIRE to regain one’s life is present, then anything can be achieved!
I am still on my journey and I have all the confidence in the world that I WILL get to my goal weight… sooner than later!
I agree with More Details Needed. Under current FDA regulations, Truvia [and all artificial sweeteners] may even have small amounts of the mega-aspartame, 13,000 times sweeter than sugar, called Neotame added without being labeled. It’s the aspartame formula, with toxic 3-dimethylbutyl added. Seems FDA caved in under pressure from the NutraSweet people to approve Neotame as safe and no labeling reuqirements. Neotame is even being added to Domino sugar to make it sweeter, without increasing caloric content. This will be the unfortunate wave of the future of natural and artificial sweeteners if the consumers [all of us] do not protest this toxic chemical pollution of our food supply.
One natural sweetener that wasn’t mentioned is Xylitol. It’s endorsed by the ADA and is actually the only thing granulated and white, I’ve tasted, that’s aftertaste free and pleasing to my palate. And folks research, research, research! Lastly, I’d avoid aspartame and anything containing it period.
I wish comments were numbered,because I agree strongly with several,esp the lack of helpful info in the article,and the deception in products such as Truvia. I also am a big fan of Xylitol,for the same reasons as search for self.There is one big unfortunate effect,though,especially for people with any kind of intestinal problem,which is extreme diarrhea if you aren’t moderate in your intake.
Sweeteners dull your tastebuds and make you crave real sugar even more. If you cannot detect the sweetness of a granny smith apple, your tastebuds are ruined by all these chemical sweeteners.
Splenda was developed as an insecticide. It’s role as a sweetener is accidental.
What worked for me was understanding that I’m a true drug addict in every sense and that I can no more take a puff of nicotine and avoid relapse than can an alcoholic take a sip. It takes a maximium of 72 hours purge nicotine from the bloodstream and reach peak withdrawal. But just one puff we have to do nicotine detox all over again. We’re simply not that strong. Drink plenty of natural fruit juice the first three days. It’ll help purge nicotine from the body. Also don’t skip meals. The next few minutes are all that matter and each is do-able. Baby steps! Yes you can! John
My challenge was finding someone to do a flu test! For something that is supposed to be such a big concern, it’s actually not that easy to get a diagnosis. My daughhter showed classic symptoms we’ve been told to look for – sore throat, cough, fatigue etc. so I called her doctor to ask for a flu test as it was still early in her symptoms – I was told to try an ER – I called the ER and was told they also don’t do a flu test. I had to call around to find an urgent care that would do the test! How do you control it of you can’t diagnose it??? Rather than worry about distributing the vaccine, worry about distributing the flu test!!!
Last week, I woke up feeling completely terrible. So I called my doctor’s office where they ran through the checklist. Due to my asthma I had to go in, otherwise they were going to just calling a prescription. At the office, they did a swab where I tested positive for Type A. Since I’d had a (standard) flu shot a month prior, I was told I “probably” had swine flu. I was also told that they are not running actual tests (i.e,. sending to state lab) unless you are hospitalized and they draw blood.
I sought medical care the next day of symptoms. After being on Tamiflu, various asthma meds including steroids, and an antibiotic (to prevent pneumonia), I started feeling better within a day or so.
My advice, if you have insurance and a good doctor, don’t hesitate to use them. It’s that simple.
No, no I haven’t. Has anybody seen this commercial with the young boy and he says something like “Next week I am going to break my leg and then my parents are going to lose their house because they don’t have healthcare?” B.S. What a disgrace for using a young kid to put their propaganda lies out there for the idiots to believe. Change we can believe in.
Funny, every time I try to post any links to sites that offer real health education or alternative viewpoints on the swine flu propaganda scam, they don’t get posted. I wonder why that is?
I am told I have it. I had Type B vaccine. I was out 3+ days. Had flu test, told had Type A most likely H1N1. Got Tamiflu @ Walgreens. Highest temp 102.0. Glad I made it thru!
I’m here to let everyone know about this company in Atlanta, GA they are very professional and knows exactly what there doing. My child was treated immediately upon a call for help. Natural Lice Removal is the best. Thank you Natural Lice Removal for your help, we could not have done this without you.
My daughter had diagnosis of h1n1 in Sept. With Tamiflu was back 2 school in 3 days. Negative flu test 2 weeks ago. Symptoms exactly the same…except higher temp. 104 everyday for 6 days! Now she has pneumonia…hasn’t been back to school for 2 weeks! I am thankful for the Thanksgiving break to get her caught up…and hopefully back to school after!
I was sick for 2 weeks, one in bed at home, and the other at work. I had a bad cold that had symptoms of the flu, but I didn’t go to the doctor, or the ER. I just used my old home remedies , and within 3 days of the initial outbreak, I started to feel better. My home remedy was, Nyquil, hot lemon tea with honey, lots of water and juices, and plenty of rest. It worked. My fever left, the congestion in my chest went away, the aches and pain left, and I was good to go.
Two months ago my usually healthy 26 year old nephew came down with the flu – classic flu symptoms of fever, aches, chills, fever, cough, etc. After a trip to the emergency room on a weekend he was put on antibiotics. He continued to worsen and by Tuesday he was blue around the lips and disoriented. He was rushed to the hospital where he was treated for pneumonia for two weeks before he lost his life. The doctors suspected swine flu and tested for it several times. Although the tests were negative, the doctors still could not definitively say whether H1N1 caused his initial flu. Because of the severity of the disease and the course it took, they still feel that it is a possibility. However he is not included in official H1N1 death statistics. But either way, we have lost him in the prime of his life to a flu virus of some sort that turned into pneumonia.
Check out Brainwave Sculptures at http://www.brainwavesculptures.com to experience an extraordinary collection of meditative brainwave entrainment audio. Enjoy!
Don’t know about the onion but if you hang a dead skunk on your front door instead of a Christmas wreath, people with the flu are less likely to visit you. Thus, lessoning your exposure to the virus.
Cod liver oil contains massive amounts of vitamin A which can deactivate vitamin D. Research has found that more than 6000 i.u. per day of vitamin A causes problems in the body. You are much better off getting your vitamin D from a supplement with only this as an active ingredient. Vitamin D is available everywhere for a few dollars a bottle.
For somebody’s sin, everybody has to pay the price. Air travel used
to be a great fun, but now it has turned like passing through the
many turns before a military recruitment. Besides, having extra
package of meals with everybody simply for survival is making the
plane trip like a greyhound bus trip with only one difference that we
are up in the sky without any wheel touching the ground.
You are right about that Fresh Squeeze Orange Juice, It taste like nothing I have tried before. Everytime I am at the Atlanta Airport I stop there just to get a glass of that juice…
I have been using Fitday.com with very good results. I just enter the food I eat and it will keep track of the calories and my nutritional intake. I have lost 20 pounds, am much more educated on the foods I eat, and best of all…it’s free!!
Eat, drink and be merry! Improving our diets would go a long way toward reducing our health care costs. It’s amazing what bad food hospitals serve. Shouldn’t organic be the norm instead of the exception? Nutriion, nutrition, nutrition!
If you eat well you don’t need to worry about dieting, and good food is really tasty if you know how to prepare it. It’s also cheaper than prepared junk food.
Via Meanwhile,college human sound limited egg to heart steal considerable therefore compare season cause admit count easily consider solicitor because thus window glass student home cold capital world keep until shoot rate either right though herself course observation say side knee know enjoy library number describe move income somewhere try add little reason shut market person minute observation neighbour notion listen match road their cause elsewhere care front system examine ring give appeal busy amount seat market offer display station empty mechanism throughout distance appropriate church limit bedroom less colleague trial associate deal recall central substantial practical staff emphasis
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Celia is right. You should never worry about dieting… be a free spirit and eat how you wish. Eat well and you are good. Got a few loose fat ends… just work it off a little. No need for a diet.
Underarm body odor is caused by bacteria growing in the warm, moist area under the arms. Wash the armpits with a strong anti-bacterial solution twice a week. The solution should remain on the skin for at least one minute to be effective. It will eliminate the odor for up to three days. Use Betadine, Hybercleanse, or some other hospital-strength anti-bacterial solution. I’ve been doing this for 20 years and never any body odor.
Alcohol also eliminates bacteria. I put some in a spray bottle and spray the armpits before I shower and after. I’ve been doing this for 25 years. Also works on foot odor so long as it’s bacteria and not caused by mildew in the shoes.
I can’t imagine putting mild of magnesia under my arms.
There are different levels of commitment to change eating habits and most people eating the SAD (standard american diet) are not ready for the optimum level of eating for health, which includes organics, juicing, limiting meats, calorie intake, large amounts of organic vegetables and fruits and non processed foods. For most, the best place to start is by teaching the principals of calories in and calories out and once that concept is learned the next higher level of commitment can be addressed and made. Starting with small steps and educating along the way leads to greater success in the long run. For more information I suggest to your readers to consider purchasing my newly published book, Eden’s Way: The Garden’s Path to Wellness, that will help them discover what level they are ready to commit to, educate them with the facts they need to understand how to affect change, tools that will help them design a health eating and exercise plan specific to their goals, and valid measurements to help them gauge their success. The book can be purchased at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com and from the publisher at my website http:///www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/EdensWay.html
The correct name of the tour group is “North End Market Tours” which is owned by Michele Topor. Jim works for/with Michele. A tour with any of the guides iwould great but a tour with Michele would be a real treat.
Ultrasuede said “I’m very disappointed that there still isn’t a calorie-free sugar substitute that truly tastes like sugar.”
There is: cyclamate. It’s sweeter than sugar but tastes very much like it in low concentrations. Unfortunately it was banned in the US in 1969 but is still available in many countries. (Personally, I have long suspected that the ban was the result of efforts by the sugar industry.)
I came to this site from the Coca Cola website. I sure wish Coke would abandon high fructose corn syrup and go back to sucrose. I find fructose entirely too sweet.
I’ve always enjoyed shopping in the North End, with the one exception of my two visits to Salumeria Italiana – it is the most unfriendly shop I’ve ever been in. Very surly staff, even though I was polite and purchased items both times. They acted like they were doing me a favor to take my money. I’ll never shop there again.
I have been using opcon A for 15 years and in the last two years my eyes have become increasingly worse. I recently saw an eye specialist who believes I have become addicted to the eye drops and may have even developed an allergy to the preservatives in them.
I started using preservative free systane eye drops during the day and genteal severe dry eye ointment at night and periodically during the day. After just one week not using opcon a, my eyes are 90-95% better. It has been a very rough week of itching and redness, but I am so glad I am withdrawing from the redness relieving drops. Hopefully in another week I will be completely fine and will never put anything like that in my eyes again. I do use patanol drops prescribed by my doc and they are wonderful. My eyes were so bad in recent months on opcon a that my eyes barely looked clear even while using the drops. My eyes always looked red and irritated and in just one week, I can finally see the whites of my eyes again. If you use a redness reliever, STOP and if you are thinking of using one, DON’T.
>>>I find your answer quite useful. I am though, more interested in labeling of expiration date for Generic drugs on the dispensing bottle by the pharmacist in NY state. Also may time I find different manufacturer’s generic equivalent of the same brand medicine mixed together with different shape and size in the same dispensing bottle. What’s your take on this and is there any law in NY state that would prohibit it. I hope you are able to help with your experience and knowledge.Thanks.
Informative article. I have been drinking cherry juice because my doctor recommended it to me for my gout. All I can say is it has cured my gout. I can walk without pain but I still need to watch my diet. Maybe its the type of concentrate that works. She recommended the Fruit Advantage cherry juice concentrate to me and she said she is recommending it to all of her patients. Here is a link to the Fruit Advantage website if you are interested. http://www.traversebayfarms.com Hope this input helps.
It is not about being hungry nor completely eliminating your favorite foods. It is about portion control, nutrition, package labels, several small meals per day, weighing, and some modest exercise. But most of all, it is about intentional living and priorities.
I lost my ultimate goal from 199 down to 159 lbs from May to September and no longer have to spent $100 copay each month on cholesterol reducing drugs!
I’ve been off and on using Cipralex for the last three years. Anxiety, with the odd panic tack and then a long lasting depression were my symptoms – I suppose like many of you. During the summer I found that 10mg seemed to be sufficient to maintain a balance that would allow me to maintain some sense of normality – In the winter months and increase to 20mg was necessary as I wasn’t out exercising as much (which is absolutely key for the depression). The toughest side effect seems to be drowsiness and feeling out of energy at points during the day. Again, any cardio-exercise that can be done inside or out has had a tremendous impact on my energy levels. Libido, does get effected, but fortunately I can still get to where I need to with a little patience. Other, than that, I haven’t had to contend with any other serious issues – My family is at ease and I can actually look forward to each day, rather than dreading every waking moment. I highly recommend Cipralex for anyone suffering similar difficulties who may go through serious complications with other medications. Patience is key as it actually takes about 3 weeks to a month before the positive effect start to kick in. For me it’s been a life saver…
Well, now I am completely confused. Guess I will go to a health food store. I drink at least a 12 pack of caffeine free diet coke per week. Wow, I’ve been worried about the aspartame in it and tried Diet Pepsi but they don’t make a drink that is caffeine free so stuck with coke. I really enjoy it but I notice lately my appetite is off. I don’t need to eat as much but I don’t think it’s because of the drink. I don’t know. I heard that Aspartame is harmful to the liver. Does anyone know for sure?? Would love to know.
I am using Truvia now on cereal but now I’m confused about that too. WHY CAN’T THE GOVERNMENT JUST BE HONEST.
Enhance your likelihood of sticking to your New Year resolutions with incentives. Healthywage, http://www.healthywage.com pays you $100 to lose weight in 2010. You only have to weigh-in once a week on the website and lose the weight.
I have shopped at Salumeria Italiana for 20 years. The staff is friendly and not in the least bit surly, even when people ask to sample every thing and ask a bizillion questions and then do not buy anything. The place is busy all the time. The owner would NOT put up with unfriendly surly employees.
[...] weight. It’s one of the top New Year’s resolutions made each year. An article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution confirms what most of us already know. At this time of year [...]
[...] is the original post: HEALTHY EATING: Set realistic goals to lose weight | Better Health Categories: Uncategorized Tags: ajc, carolyn, lives, new-commitment, the-new, year-brings [...]
[...] These are all great points to keep in mind as you try to stick to that News Years resolution to lose weight. You can read the full article here [...]
I know where you’re coming from. Sometimes during the summer I go up to 4 days with no sleep at all. By that time, I barely know who I am. My doctor just doles out Lunesta but since my insurance won’t cover it, that’s a hundred bucks per refill. The drugs just mask the problem. I run a fan next to the bed which drowns out the sound of my heartbeat and various other things. A bowl of cereal usually helps and if I’m not asleep in a couple of hours, I get up and watch TV for a half hour or so (if you can find anything to watch at 2AM) and I frequently doze off after that. Good luck. I sure sympathize.
I and others I know use diphenhydramine hydrochloride. A common brand name for this is Benedryl. Department stores also sell it in generic form, which may be less expensive than Benedryl. I try not to use it unless absolutely necessary because it can take up to an hour after I awaken in the morning to lose the grogginess. But it seems to give me healthful sleep, including REM-stage sleep. All the best to you in your efforts to get healthy sleep. It’s vital.
Being a driven, goal oriented person, I never had problems achieving goals except this one…weight loss. Setting realistic goals is a must but as importantly is ensuring you have a group of (at least one) champions/cheerleaders. Having just lost 50 lbs and I’ve kept it off for 5 months, I know that in addition to diet and exercise goals, the support of my fitness coach (Dan McGrath of Body Solutions Atlanta), co-workers, friends and family are what really made the difference for me. Dan checked in with me in between our sessions (via text) to see how I was doing, check on my progress and mental state of mind. His support and encouragement was and is so important to me. I’m ready for 2010 and wish everyone the best in the New Year!
It takes -3500 calories to loose a pound, which means you need to both burn calories by working out & take less calories in by eating in order to loose weight.
Eat fruits & veggies of course. It’s typical to eat a small breakfast and a big dinner, but my health teacher said you actually want to do the opposite. And never skip breakfast, it helps you loose weight. I stopped drinking pop and lost 50 pounds in 1 year!! Don’t drink juice. You’d think fruit juice is good for you, but its not. It has alot of sugar and extra calories. People say dont eat carbs’ not true, 60% of your diet is supposed to be from some type of carbs… just make sure you eat whole grain or whole wheat bread. And drink only skim milk, all others aren’t so great for you. Just watch what you eat and pay attention to nutrition labels!
Make sure you do some weight bearing activities along with cardio, it’ll help build muscle and burn fat! If you cant buy a gym membership try going for a walk or run outside, doing jumping jacks, jump rope, running up & down your stairs, lifting weights, doings situps & pushups.. those are just some ideas that’ll help! http://howtoloseweightfast9.blogspot.com/
Here is some additional information about the “genetics” of this condition that was written by our Genetic Counselor and other genetic professionals: http://www.accessdna.com/condition/Fragile_X_Syndrome/153. I hope it helps. Thanks, AccessDNA
The consideration of banning waxing in New Jersey did not even last 24 hours. After making national news- New Jersey Consumer Affairs Director David Szuchman effectively killed the plan. In a letter to the board, Szuchman says he won’t support the ban, and since his office oversees the board, the ban would never be approved. “The procedure can be safely performed. I, therefore, believe that there are alternate means to address any public health issues identified by the board,” It turns out this was actually started be lobbyists for expensive laser hair removal! No other state is known to explicitly ban the procedure, according to cosmetology experts. Georgia considered this 2 years ago, but determined it was covered under “bikini area” in the current law. (no pun intended) Go to waxingatlanta.com to find the most experienced Brazilian professionals for safe hair removal- for only $35. Voted best in Atlanta 6 years in a row!
If you’re serious, get personalized nutrition program and calibrated meals through the Trump Network. Also, healthy kid snacks. http://www.trumpnetwork.com/pricefutrell. Potential to make thousand$$ helping others to do the same. Change the way you look and the way you feel at the same time. 2010, here we come, ready or not…Be ready!!
I have tried Yoga with some measure of success. I use the meditations and breathing exercises..sometimes I manage to fall asleep as early as 4 am but mostly 5 or 6. So, that’s one to three hours, just enough to drive to work and be moderately productive. I still have no short term memory and I still get some words mixed up.
+1 to Mike, -1 to Sara. You don’t need a fitness coach. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight.
Different things will work for different folks, but I will share what works for me.
Contrary to what many experts say, weigh yourself every day. Buy a good scale accurate to 1/10th of a pound. I have a flat bathroom scale that has four load cells on the feet and a digital read-out. Cost was about $50. I can step on and off it several times and get the same weight. Every morning, before I get in the shower, I weigh and remember the weight. I record the weight in a spreadsheet every day and compare it against my goal. Set a goal of 1, 1.5, or 2 pounds a week. Some days you will be up 2 or 3 pounds, but some days you will be down 2.1, 3.1 pounds.
You didn’t gain that weight in a month and you won’t lose it in a month.
At the bookstore there are racks and racks of diet books. If I wrote one, it would be 1 page, 3 sentences long.
Don’t eat so much.
Get off your a**.
Stick with it.
Hello. I am Christine of Las Lomas High School so I am wondering if you can help me in my senior project about insomnia. Please do reply. I live in Walnut Creek. An expert that knows a lot of stuff and a person that I can meet is helpful. Please reply. Here’s my email address christine.sallo@yahoo.com. Thank you very much.
I had an MTBI as the result of an automobile accident, in 1995, When I was broughte to the hospital via ambulance, I did not know if I had been unconscious or not. My cheif complaint was numbness in my hands and feet mostly on one side (right). I was sent home with a soft collar and some pain medication. In a few weeks I started having word finding difficulties, and developed a stutter. One day while at the grocery store check out, I could not remember what denominations of currency to use to pay the cashier. Thankfully, I knew her and she took what she needed. I went for treatment with a neurophycologist, and after a while things started to adjust. I have had tinisis ever since, and severe erectile dysfunction that Cialis and Viagra do not help. The insurance company completely dismissed my claim as “vodoo-ism” and that my doctor was nothing short of a “gun slinger”,.to the point where even my attorney started to think I was “gold bricking”.
Even today, some fifteen years later, when I get over tired, I
have profound speech problems, and some cognative ticks. I hope this is not a sign of something worse in the future. I can remember in exacting detail things that I did forty to fifty years ago, but many times have difficulty remembering things of a year ago. but will eventually recall when prompted. Thank you for allowing me to tell my mtbi experience with you.
I am a mom of a child with a very serious food allergy. Partnering up with other moms, we developed a Food Allergy-Band. The bands were created to raise awareness for kids with food allergies. We have 3 styles of bands: Food, Nut, and Dairy. Our website is http://www.assureproducts.com. With over 3 million kids, or 1 in 26 affected by food allergies, this is a great way for you to let teachers, baby-sitters, and friends know about the allergy without having your child stand out. I think this is a product that would appeal to your readers and other mothers that are in the food allergy community. Please let us know what you think! .
Thank you, Amber
I am happy to see that the chef’s are willing to make food healthier. I will certainly continue to look for and order healthier items on the menu when available. I am a borderline diabetic (no medication) and eat out at least once a week, so this information is very encouraging.
Would this work on feet, as well? I really need something for feet, so I can wear boots and shoes that are not sandels. Very cold feet during winter – would be great if this would work on feet.
I just read an article about football coaches and stress. Suddenly they are different from the common man who doesn’t get paid millions and doesn’t get to do what he or she wants. Dooley was saying he didn’t spend much time with his children, guess what my dad wasn’t a coach, and I never saw him. Many children in my generation will say the same. I can remember seeing Dooley on several golf courses in my time, my dad was a national ranked senior tennis player. Bill Curry was quoted also and I always feel stress when I have to listen to people that are never wrong giving me advise. My thought is these men are the problem not the jobs. They are prideful self centered perfectionist for their own causes. If they think they feel stress I can promise it is not near the stress they give others around them having to live with their self importance. There are a few women that fit this mold too. If you look around and find yourself on scholarship at someone else’s expense be real with yourself you are either loving it or you can make a change.
I’d like to hear more about the 17th century Russian Special Ops team.
I’ve been swinging the iron for 5 years now, and it’s my favorite workout. Economical when compared to most gym memberships, Workouts themselves are transportable to the great outdoors, however with the recent cold snap, I’ve been doing them in the kitchen before work. The versatility of the kb’s is the most amazing thing about them. They have a sick cardio component as well as a wicked strength training aspect to them. Is there a fad-ish thing about using them? Probably. But it’s like when my kid discovered Jimi Hendrix a couple of years ago. He acted like he discovered Jimi all on his own, that no one had ever heard him before. The difference between him and the nay-sayers here is, he was a lot more gracious about something new than the trendies here seem to be.
In re Ginko Bilboa: I find that if you crush the Ginko pills up into a fine powder (~250 microns), and ingest them per inhaling via the nostrils, it has a much better effect on the memory.
When ingested in that format, there reaches a level of alertness and consciousness previously unattainable. In this condition, it remains difficult to forget anything.
It’s good to see some practical suggestions for reducing sodium.
People in general need more education on what makes for healthy eating habits. Personally, though, I do not feel we need government intervention to make this happen.
Health and fitness businesses, professionals, and organizations are stakeholders in advocating good health in their communities. It can make a tremendous difference when they join forces with the restaurants to create and co-promote healthy dining choices.
Health-minded people win with more and better healthy choices in restaurants. The restaurants win by getting more of this type of customer (who in many cases would otherwise shy from eating out). The health pros win by getting the exposure as health leaders in their communities.
Chris McNeil, founder
FitMenu Restaurant Nutrition and Healthy Dining
These are great suggestions. Avoiding packaged snacks that are high in sodium is easy if you plan. My favorite place for healthy snack suggestions is http://www.snack-girl.com/
These are great tips! Particularly having a plan – that’s probably the biggest key to each day whether you’re just trying to eat more healthily or lose weight and get fit. Good to find your blog!
httP;//reconstructingthirty.wordpress.com
Don’t worry about what Beve Phillips said. God made animals for us to eat. Animals don’t have a soul, like humans, so it’s not a sin to eat an animal. Sorry, Beve. I live on meat. And I’m not an animal hater. My family has horses, dogs, cats, chickens, etc. and I don’t mind eating the chickens we once held or cuddled. That’s why God made animals – for man’s use – to use to assist man in working and to provide nutrients. And it’s not disgusting! Lamb is rather delicious!
Most sincerely,
16 year old country girl
Great post! I wrote a blog post of my own just a few days ago that explains what I’ve been doing with eating out. It’s a big part of my life, even though I’m on a weight loss journey. I’ve actually been working with Rachel Brandeis, quoted in this article, and you’ll see her advice reflected in my post, too.
Your blog is awe-inspiring. I have found many new things. Your way of staging is also fascinating. You have elected very incredible topic. I appreciated it.
Here’s a novel idea. Just go to a restaurant, sit down, look at the menu, then order what you want. Exercise when you can, try not to order the most fattening thing on the menu, and don’t overeat. Life is far too short for all this anal behavior. No offense to them, but the fact that dieticians are even able to make a living shows a problem in and of itself. Just use common sense people!
I agree with Ron. Eat out once a week…get whatever you want and cook the rest of your meals at home. No matter where you go to eat, it’s going to have a lot more calories than if you made the same thing at home. Be good the whole week and reward yourself by splurging on one meal.
Ron, Js – exactly. Splurge on a normal meal when eating out, and save money by not eating out all the time. I eat light at lunch at work – a low cal frozen entree and I don’t snack on junk. I run 4 days a week.
If you are stuck eating out all the time on business, force yourself to use the treadmill in the hotel. Have a healthy/low cal breakfast and lunch (light sandwich, or soup/salad) and splurge more at dinner.
I also agree with Ron—but I AM tired of reading the SAME OLD suggestions from WHOEVER about how and what I should eat. Do something besides getting involved in other people’s business.
Enjoyed the article. I try to be a mindful of my eating most of the time and dining out can really be a challenge. I’ll be watching for more tips. My daughters gave me a juicer for Christmas and I’ve started having a glass of green juice every evening. If you have any tips in that category, would love to hear them.
Try telling all these people who dont live with pain that question….. sound stupid huh… Try telling people that cant get out of bed because of such bad fibro or arthritis or back surgery… think before you type ..or maybe your mother, grandma, sister has some disease that has to live with pain all day. Think about it stupid..
Wow- I thought that I was pretty much alone when it can to really severe insomnia. I have gone about 3.5 days with zero sleep once. It’s been pretty bad for a year, averaging 4 hours per night (range 0-9). A few months ago, I felt that I reached my breaking point. My words would get mixed up on occassion, and I’d usually feel weak at work. I would have bouts of recovery for a few hours during the day in which I could processes my thoughts as usually and feel good, but then I would crash. I am on my second couch therapist and have been prescribed many drugs-yes, which work for a while then quit. I am afraid that my next step will be to take a leave from my job to deal with this.
Just read that ginger tea is supposed to help. Take some fresh ginger and pour boiling water over it and steep until the water is golden brown. Add honey to taste.
First of all, Cindy, What part of Chemical Imbalance do you not get? Yes, exercise outside is great if you can do it. Fresh air is wonderful and does help you feel better if you have the blues..NOT Clinical Depression. For those of you who know what Clinical Depression is, I have a question.
Recently I tried Cipralex. Almost immediately I could feel the weight of the world rising. I couldn’t cry any more (an ok thing as I was waking up crying) but I viewed the world entirely differently and was happy. I got… not a normal symptom…but a very rare one…. muscle rigidity. My shoulders would suddenly be up around my ears..so I would try to relax then, then find that my head was being held an inch or so up from the pillow, or my feet were turned up ot my leg pulled up into my hip socket. NOT a muscle spasm but a constant tenseness which is exhausting. I told the doctor and she had me drop my dosage for a week and then last week she switched me over to Zoloft which does not make me as happy, but unfortunately there has been no change in the rigidity. I am seeing my Dr on Thursday and am afraid she will probably wean me off the Zoloft and see if I still have the problem.
Have any of you ever had this muscle tenseness? I am achy and so tired from holding my muscles like that all the time.
I know that Cipralex and Zoloft are from the same family of SSRI’s and that there are many other types of antidepressants to try. most of them are not covered by my medical plan.
This is a great article. Children that learn to eat healthy at an early age will take that with them for the rest of their lives. Nutrition is also key to a good learning experience at school
I have never had bed bugs and, obviously, do not want any. However, I am under the impression that if you have them, you can see them and further, they are chewing on you at night because they are sucking your blood, as in they are parasites akin to FLEAS!!! Have I got it all wrong? Ugh…what a dreadful subject.
If you think you may have bed bugs, you can definitely try the dry ice monitor, but be careful handling the dry ice, use heavy duty gloves as it can burn. You can watch videos on how to inspect your bed and room at http://www.bedbugsnorthwest.com. Bed bug sniffing dogs are 90% or more accurate in detecting bed bugs, but if the dog alerts positive, be sure the inspector conducts a physical inspection to find the results of the dog’s alert.
I breastfed all four of my kids! It was a wonderful experience with all of them. My middle two are twins, which added a lot of extra time, as I fed them separately. It also gave me special bonding time with each twin. I lost my pregnancy weight immediately, however gain back some after I stop breast feeding. It is hard to adjust to eating less after two years of a healthy appetite.
ok – we’re both traveling consultants so the likelihood of bringing home tiny livestock via suitcases is probably higher. Where is the best place to set this trap? Where we keep the suitcases in the closet or by the bed?
I have had the unfortuate experience of having bed bugs 2x. I am a frequent traveler for work and pleasure. The little creatures have infested my whole building. A new thing out there for detecting bedbugs are bed bug dogs. They are really good and can detect if there are bugs in the wall. I highly recommend having a profession treat your place and do not try to do it on your own as you will only spread them.
I am living proof that early detection is key to survival. Ten years ago, during a routine ultrasound to diagnose the cause of pain on my right abdominal area, a tumor was detected on my left kidney. I had my left kidney and my gall bladder (the source of the pain on the right side) removed at the same time and didn’t have to have any follow-up treatment. Eight years later, my annual chest x-ray showed a tumor on my right lung. Thinking that it may be related to my previous cancer, a PET scan was done which led to the removal of the lower lobe of the lung – again no follow-up treatment was necessary. The malignant tumor was totally unrelated to the kidney cancer. It is interesting to note that I have never been a smoker and have not engaged in any of the “risky behaviors” that traditionally cause cancer. I am just in a rare percentage of the population that is susceptable to certain cancers. Thank God for early detection and the health plans that approve them!!!
My dog , Shadow, had to be euthanized-due to the ravages of T-Cell Lymphoma. After six months of chemotherapy, wherein she was in & out of remission several times, the horror of cancer came back. Jan. 18th , 2010 was her last day with me, and I will forever hold her in my heart. Her love was boundless, even while cancer was consuming her.
My sister-in-law died last week of breast cancer. It started underneath a rib, so she couldn’t feel a lump and the mammogram couldn’t pick it up. It spread to her bones, liver, and bowels. She found out 4 days after Christmas that she had it. They gave her three years. but in two weeks time, it went from stage 2 to stage 4. Her doctor couldn’t do anything, and she had three weeks after that.
She was one of four people in my life who died within the last two months. Three of the four died of cancer (all three different type of cancerss).
Since the age of 4, I’ve watched people in my family die from cancer. It’s not any easier after 40 years. I’m not expecting it will.
Thank you for the article and advice. Great things to keep in mind, especially now that the pediatricians are asking how often we dine out with our kids… I was really surprised at my daughter’s check up that this was part of the standard questions!
This was a great read. I’ve been trying to encourage a friend of mine to feed her children better…as it currently stands, their main sources of nourishment are chips, fruit snacks, french fries and juice boxes. The kids WILL eat and actually LOVE fruits and veggies but their mom doesn’t bother buying them. How do you help in a situation like this?
My girlfriend died in 40 days after diagnostic tests showed she had metastatic cancer. An autopsy revealed she had hemagiosarcoma which is more common in dogs than people. She was 43 years old.
I have greatly been affected by Cancer. I have lost 2 aunts and an uncle to this deadly disease. I also have a favorite aunt who is a breast cancer survivor. It is getting harder to cope with the losses, but I continue to stay prayerful that a cure is in site within my lifetime.
Cancer creeped into my family and tried to claim the spirits of my love ones. They are both gone on to be with the Creator. We want to let Cancer know that you did not win the Battle…. you may have affected thier bodies but you did not harm thier Spirits. You see, thier Spirits are gone to be with the Lord and he has given them a Glorified Body…..Their Spirit was never harmed by you because the Joy of the Lord was thier Strength…
So then the joke was on you Cancer to make your next move….what…you think you got something because you did harm to the bodies….please…come on with something else. Sure we miss them but the Lord just told them not to fight it…let thE body go and come on home with me.
So my family knows that Benny and Maryann Combs are at home with the Lord. They are Resting in the arms of the almighty. Thier Spirits live on inside of us.
To other survivors and familes affected by this disease….just know that.It ain’t over till God says it’s over….
Be Blessed.
Thanks AJC
“You never get used to a world without your mother in it.” How true.
My mother died of cancer almost 44 years ago. She was 58 years old, and I was 25. I turn 70 this year, and even now I think of my mother every day. She never met the man I married over 40 years ago; she never knew her only grandchild, who favors her grandmother in both looks and mannerisms.
My mother missed so much, and we missed so much more by not having her with us as we grew as a family.
While I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, people who have never had cancer should pause to think….what would it be like to have faced death and survived? what would it be like going through life knowing that nothing is a bad as it seems? what would it be like to no longer live in fear of death? what would it be like to know for sure that you lived your life right? and, lastly, what would it be like to be ready to die every day because you know in your heart that you sqeezed as much life into the days that came before and lead a happy life? Welcome to the life of a fifteen year cancer survivor.
Having suffered breast cancer then secondary cancer for 16 years plus – I can honestly say we should all treat each day as if it was our last.My Best Friend was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in the past week.We have a lot of enjoyment to get through over the next few weeks.No one know what time any of us have left.Enjoy every minute.
I lost my right kidney to Cancer 3 1/2 years ago. No Chemo, No radiation. I’ve since adopted a very healthy life style. Lots of fresh fruit and veggies and I exercise daily.
I live each day like it might be the last. I take time to truly focus on and enjoy the people in my life.
Diagnosed in Winter of 2007. You will never believe how strong you can be for yourself and your child until you are pushed beyond limits. Make every day count. Trust your instincts. Don’t let a day go by without telling those you love how you feel about them.
-A week ago, my mother-in-law died of lung cancer.
-My favorite aunt died 3 years ago of pancreatic cancer.
-My father died of leukemia and kidney cancer 7 years ago.
-My grandmother fought and won the battle with breast cancer quite a few years before she died of natural causes.
-Most of my great aunts and uncles died of cancer also.
My sister passed away ten months ago from ovarian cancer, she was only 38. She fought so bravely for five years. Although various members of my family are now active in the fight against this disease, our family is permanently broken because my sister was the glue.
In July of 2008 I was diagnosed with Anal Cancer. This cam 2 days after the funeralof my sister-in-law that passed away with cancer. Surgerey was not an option. I went thru 10 treatmenst of Chemo and 30 radiation treatments. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to face and the worst months of my life. But I can say today I have been in remisson for 1 year and 3 months now. I have life changing affects from the radiation but what a small price to pay. Enjoy every moment of life as you are never sure what the next day will hold in store for you.
I am a cancer patient since 2001. I am Stage III with melanoma. I have also had renal cell carcinoma with left kidney removed and was diagnosed a year ago with adenocarcinoma (lung cancer…non-smoker) with upper left lobe of lung removed. I have had 10 surgeries due to cancer; been through chemo, radiation, a vaccine and now take immune boosting shots each month. In spite of all of this, I remain hopeful and know that I am in God’s hands. The little flame of HOPE that burns deep within my heart has not yet been extinguished even though the cold winds of fear and despair have tried mightily. I remain thankful and humbled that I have made it this far when so many of my friends have lost their battles with the beast.
I, too, am living proof that early detection is a lifesaver. I went for my annual mammogram and was told that I had some abnormal cells. A second mammogram was scheduled. The first and second mammograms were identical. Because the abnormal cells were close to the chest walls a surgical biopsy was necessary to determine if the abnormal cells were cancerous. True enough the biopsy showed cancerous cells. A week later I had a lumpectomy one week later. The blessing is the breast cancer was in its very early stages and required radiation only. I have been in remission 3.5 years. Being a survior has changed my outlook and attitude about life. In the words of Elizabeth Lucas, I’ve learned the following:
What Cancer Cannot Do:
It cannot cripple Love
It cannot shatter Hope
It cannot coordoe Faith
It cannot destroy Peace
It cannot kill Friendshiip
It cannot suppress Memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade teh Soul
It cannot steal eternal Life
It cannot conquer the Spirit.
My daughter is a cancer patient. She was first diagnoised with cervical cancer in 2004, then in 2008 it reaccured and she has been battleing it ever since. Chemo is the only treatment she can receive and it continues to spread. It is all in God’s hands now and we continue to fast and pray. Please remember her in your prays. her name is Tina. Also I would love to do something special for her, like having people send cards and letters of encouragement to her. Will someone please let me know whether to submit my address for her to receive these cards and letters from all over the united states. She also has 3 kids that are effected by what she is going through.
My son died of osteogenic sarcoma at the age of 17. I miss him, but have peace because I know I’ll see him in heaven. It’s been almost 11 years since he died and I think of him every day. His life had an impact on everyone who knew him. He is the only family member to die of cancer. My father-in-law had an easily treated prostate cancer several years ago and is cancer-free.
Sandy, I am sorry for the loss of your girlfriend. My son had a Canine Assistant dog that died of a tumor in his heart–likely hemangiosarcoma. It was heartbreaking.
I AM a survivor, and one who thrives among the presence and strength generated from a roomful of those who also survive and thrive! I had a mastectomy 3-1/2 years ago. I do not have BRCA-1 or BRCA-2, the breast cancer gene but my baby sister just had a bilateral mastectomy two days before Christmas. We are under the care of great doctors and are empowered to take charge and manage our own health from a collaborative team effort. I believe that once diagnosed, one should consider the big “C” as a chronic condition. I’m constantly being checked for recurrence issues.
After my wife was nearly killed, not from breast cancer, but the approved “treatment,” I started reading up on this disease. I found that the prejudiced cancer generals have obstructed the prime cause of cancer discovered before 1923 in animals and proved for humans about 1960 by the genius in Germany Otto Warburg, M.D., Ph.D.; oxygen deficiency to living cells over a long time or respiratory impairment or the wrong energy supply to cells. I also read a book describing how the war on cancer has been corrupted. This book is documented with over 500 references. “The Cancer Industry” by Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D., Equinox Press, N.Y. 1996 first published 1980. Also read
“The Hidden Story of Cancer” by Brian Peskin and Amid Habib, M.D., Pinnacle Press, Houston, 2006-2008. Oh, and did you know that vitamin C at high doses also kills cancer cells without harming normal cells, a fact proved in 1969 two years before the war on cancer was even begun?
Otto Warburg M.D., Ph.D. was nominated for 3 Nobel Prizes; 1926 for the cancer work; 1931 awarded for the cell respiration work and again in 1944 for different work but denied by Hitler’s decree. Three of his pupils won Nobel prizes in medicine: Hans Krebs, M.D., Otto Meyerhof, M.D. and Hugo Theorell, M.D. Dr. Warburg invented the tissue slice technique and ;mostly used real live tissue for experiments. He invented a special machine to measure oxygen uptake in living cells.
The cancer generals have obstructed and lied about his work and sought to mislead the public about him. They also were not intelligent or competent enough to understand and reproduce his results. They have been engaged in scientific misconduct, medical fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity and are largely responsible for much of the suffering mentioned in the above posts. They should be prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice but due to corruption they won’t be. Over 105 billion dollars have been squandered on failed cancer research. This is the biggest medical failure of our time. Orthodox cancer treatment is the biggest scam of our time.
All approved cancer treatments in the U.S. are life threatening. This means that if one dies while under treatment for cancer, they may die of cancer, treatment or both; usually they die of treatment but it is falsely reported as death from cancer. Many other less toxic treatments are available but have been obstructed by the cancer generals and the corrupt American Cancer Society which influences the direction of most failed cancer research. Everyone should read these references:
“American Cancer Society America’s Wealthiest ‘Non-Profit’ Institution” by Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., International Journal of Health Services, 1999 available at http://www.preventcancer.com.
“Cancer and Vitamin C Therapy for Patients” by Reagan Houston, Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, August/Sept., 2007, pp. 92-96. This information has also been obstructed by the cancer generals.
Everyone should understand that mammograms which are recommended by the doctors, are providing high energy radiation into the body which can cause cancer. Also, they press very hard on breasts. It has been known in the medical literature since 1928 that this pressure can cause existing cancer to spread around. Therefore mammograms are a bad procedure but they make good money for those who own the machines.
Also everyone should read the article “The Truth About Hydrazine Sulfate-Dr. Gold Speaks” by Joseph Gold, M.D. It is available at http://www.hydrazinesulfate.org. Dr. Gold is a distinguished medical doctor at the Syracuse Research Institute in Syracuse, N.Y. The NIH and NCI and FDA have told lies to the public about a cheap and inexpensive drug, hydrazine sulfate which he has developed for many years and which has been tested from the Soviet Union to UCLA. This article is basically a criminal indictment of these criminal government enterprises. Yes, people with Ph.D. degrees will lie to unwitting citizens. This is why the war on cancer is a dismal failure. This effective drug has negligently been denied approval by these outlaw organizations paid for by public tax money.
I am battling bladder cancer. Chemo has turned me into a person I don’t even recognize. I have had 2 surgeries thus far. One of them landed me in ICU, unable to breathe on my own. I live at doctors offices and drug stores. I spend my days battling insurance companies.My biggest disappointment through all of this is my family’s attitude- I have always been the strong one and am expected to continue to be so. They are not here for me. Early detection and excellent doctors have given me an excellent chance of beating this. My advice- If you smoke, STOP ! Try quitting when you are going through chemo. Now that is very miserable.
Diagnosed Jan 19, 2010 with early stage breast cancer at the age of 39. I will have surgery next week and radiation treatments in the future. It makes me so angry to read articles saying how cancer can be ‘avoided’ if we followed ‘insert advice here Cancer is random. I am very healthy, organic diet, children before age 30, breastfed my kids forever and yet here I am with breast cancer. It sucks.
My lovely and wonderful wife died of breast cancer. She was diagnosed at 30 with stage 3 breast cancer. We had many good years following a bone marrow transplant. She was gone at 45. She had no risk factors; breastfed both of our children, exercised, did not smoke, no family history, children before 30… Nothing good comes of cancer. If cancer never came, life would have been so much different and and so much better. New rounds of chemotherapy would buy us a couple of years of no symptoms. These good years between the bad were great, those bad years between the good were… Well, nothing good comes of cancer.
With serious cancers, fear is a constant companion. Denial would be a relief. It can be pushed out of the way for a while but always knocks on the door with a slight pain in the bones, a headache, or a cough…probably nothing to worry about….. Waiting for results of scans, fear. All that I can say is that nothing is gained by being afraid and that fear exacts a terrible price.
In the end, although she was dying of cancer at the time, it was not cancer that actually caused her death but an injury. Very advanced cancer made treatment of this new crisis almost impossible. We thought she would die of cancer; no one really knows when their time will come. Live life to the fullest possible.
Cancer has transformed our lives and left a lasting impression on it. We lost Janifer, my oldest sister April 10, 2009, ironically Good Friday to a Malignant Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. She was diagnosed in June 2007 at the ripe age of 33 and wrestled the wicked foe with the best fight of faith we all had collectively. Final diagnosis- the cancer evolved into a rare subtype called primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. She perished at age 35.
It all started with her having ’shortness of breath’. She would walk from the kitchen to her car and be completely out of breath. Initially doctors thought she had pneumonia, but didn’t rule out the possibility of a mass. Several x-rays, tests were done and it was confirmed she did indeed had a mass. The mass was so large, her oncologist began treatments immediately. Over the course of 2 years, Janifer experienced typical symptoms of a cancer patient- loss of hair, appetite, blood clots and a host of other complications in addition to that of being a cancer patient.
We made so many trips to the ER, the personnel knew us on a first name basis. We came to a crossroad & the first oncologist told us there was nothing else he could do. Chemotherapy & radiation combined didn’t shrink the tumor. In fact, it gave it awkward characteristics. The tumor would shrink, only to grow back & re-locate to another part of her body. So, we consulted with another oncologist who treated Janifer with another combination of chemotherapy & radiation regimens. The treatments worked for awhile, but the disease had taken it’s toll. Her body developed chemo refractory disease, so she wasn’t responding to anything. Transplanting her would help her perish at onset.
She got weaker, her breaths got shorter and it was devastating to us to watch her endure such a wretched disease. Her speech became impaired, slurred, but thru it all, her faith never wavered. She went into cardiac arrest April 8th, respite arrest on April 9th, never made it out of the MICU and our family decided to take her off the respirator on April 10th as all of her organs had collapsed.
We all miss her dearly, but we know she’s in a better place where there’s no more cancer. Some days are better than others, but yet we still make our best efforts to see other patients live and have a better quality of life. Our family & friends fundraised last year with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ‘Light the Night’ campaign and raised $1515. Collectively, the Columbia chapter raised over $100,000!!!
Now, our family has joined forces with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to establish a memorial fund in Janifer’s honor. Our goal is to raise proceeds to fund research efforts for all patients who have the aggressive, subtype of Malignant Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma called primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. This type of lymphoma is not widely studied and more research is needed. So, if you’re interested in making a contribution towards this worthy cause in the smallest or largest amount please email me at tgaillar@mailbox.sc.edu or call Paul Jeter, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at 803.731.4060. -or- if you know of an oncologist investigating this type of lymphoma and is okay with joining our faculty experts list, also, please contact myself or Paul Jeter. Thanks very much.
To all those who lost a loved one from any type of cancer, please know that my heart and thoughts are with you. Cancer will either make you bitter or make a good person become a great person. If you can, in your own time, celebrate the life of your loved one by helping other patients. Even if it’s not thru fundraising, if you can, become a volunteer at a hospital. Share your experience, give them encouraging words. If you know how to knit, knit cancer patients a blanket and give it to them. Oftentimes, they toggle between being cold and hot, but Janifer received a beautiful blanket someone made for her.
My Mom has been fighting Stage IV liver, lung and colon cancer for the past 5 years. I thank God every day that she is till with us! I know that the cancer will take her away from my family much too soon, but I’m thankful that it isn’t happening today!
My wife of 39 years is a 12 year breast cancer survivor. My brother passed away in 2004 from esophageal cancer after having recovered from Hodgkins. My 22 year old son was diagnosed with leukemia in February of 2004 while being treated for what we thought to be the sniffles. The disease claimed him in February of 2005. In late 2005, we started a not-for-profit 501(c)3 charitable foundation for leukemia research, http://www.wheneveryonesurvives.org . In three funding cycles, we have directly funded $400,000 internationally to leukemia research initiatives. As well, in October of 2009, a book I wrote about our struggles, people we met along the way and the overwhelming support of family, friends and faith, entitled “Later” was released on barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, booksamillion.com and xulonpress.com. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the book have been directed to the foundation. It is our mission and prayer to find the day when everyone survives.
I lost my father, George Bush, Sr. in August 2009 to lung cancer. He fought the disease for 1 1/2 years. I watched this strong man become weakened by a disease that seemed like a villian. Cancer robs you of everything. The chemo is no better because that made him sicker. It hurt me to see him in so much pain, but I know he does not have to suffer anymore. Before it was over, cancer had spread to his right eye and he lost his vision for some time. He had to have radiation to the eye. My Dad went through a lot. This has affected me in so many ways. I am not the same. Cancer and its treatments shorten life too soon. I miss you Dad
My heart breaks for all of you as I read your stories. I lost my wonderful brother to multiple myeloma 3 years ago. He was 39 years old. To this day I can’t talk or think about his illness without loosing my breath. It is the most painful thing I had ever gone through. He had a very dangerous job before he got sick and that is what we all feared would take his life. In the end it would have been better to die in the line of duty rather than perishing and suffering the way he did. Human beings should not die this way!
Last June i lost my dad to Brain and Lung cancer, not trying to sound selfish but its hard for me now im in foster care with no other family and each and every day i wonder what life would be like if he was still here we had are ups and downs but he was a good man that only wanted the best for me . R.I.P 6/13/09
Last May my mother was diagnosed with “Kidney Cancer”, two weeks later my father was diagnosed with Lung & Brain cancer, fortunately enough my mother’s kidney was removed and she’s doing great, however we lost our father August 13, 2009. This is a very unfortunate disease, and I pray that in future research and technologies, that they are able to find a cure to rid this awful misfortune. Tears stream down my face as I type this comment, because I miss my “daddy” so very much. I LUV YA “Ole Man”.
Thank God I have never had Cancer but my life has been impacted by parents, in-laws, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins all suffering from cancer. This is in additional to countless friends that have endured the suffering of cancer.
A wise friend of mine, living with cancer for ten years now, put it to me this way. “Everyone dies. I just have a better idea of the cause and the time frame than most people.”
Work hard,
Play hard,
Love hard,
Pray hard.
From the richest to the poorest, the smartest to the least, we only get one shot at this. Make every day count like it’s the only day you get.
1 – father to lung cancer
2 – mother-in-law to breast cancer
3 – father-in-law to non-hodgkins lymphoma
4 – best friend to cervical cancer (she was only 41)
5 – (sister-in-law is 20-year breast cancer survivor)
6 – grandmother to colon cancer
7 – grandmother to lung cancer
Cancer is devastating no matter what kind it is. I truly hope to see a cure in my lifetime.
Every day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer. Their median survival rate is 60%. Some types, such as certain pediatric brain tumors, cannot be biopsied (such as DIPG because it is a diffuse tumor that spreads throughout the brain stem) and radiation is the only option. Chemotherapy may or may not extend life, but the median survival is 6 – 9 months post diagnosis. It affects children ages 4 – 10 on average. Brain tumors are the #1 cancer killer of children. Less than 3% of the NIH budget goes toward pediatric cancer research, and of that, more than 80% goes to leukemia. There has not been progress in treating pediatric brain tumors in over 50 years. We’ve put men on the moon, developed the internet, made microchips that carry mounds of data. But we still don’t know how to fix a tumor in a little child’s brain. THE ONLY RISK FACTOR FOR GETTING PEDIATRIC CANCER IS BEING A CHILD. To learn more about children battling brain tumors, visit icouldbeyourchild.org It can happen to anyone’s child, and they need a voice.
In June of 2008 my Mom was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma (Kidney Cancer) after having excessive pain in her abdominal area with no other symptons. In July of 08 her kidney was removed and of course as we waited for the results to see if it was just confined to her kidney it was certainly a true test of faith. We received the news that it was confined to the kidney and she then had a clean bill of health. However, the person that gave me the most encouragement during our test lost her battle to Breadt Cancer on January 1, of this year and wow was this a blow to me. This is such a mysterious disease, and for the life of me I can not figure out why a cure has not been detected…….OR HAS IT? I know that there’s a lot of money to be made in the Pharmecutical industry so who really knows? Makes me wonder……….. God Bless to everyone that has been affected either directly or indirectly!
A distinguished professor of medical physics and physiology and expert at medical statistics at UC Berkeley once proved that those cancer victims who refused the orthodox treatments of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy lived up to four times longer than those who accepted those treatments.
His name was Hardin Jones, Ph.D. Little has changed today. Can you imagine what our society would be like if the failure rate for buildings or automobiles or airplanes were about 90% or more? But that is what the failed war on cancer has provided after squandering multi billions of public and private dollars. Obviously the cancer generals do not know what they are doing. The many moving personal tragedies described above are magnified a million times over around the country with over half a million victims dying every year mostly from the toxic effects of cancer treatment rather than the cancer itself but falsely reported as from cancer to protect the doctors from prosecution. People must turn this heart felt sympathy into anger at the negligent non scientists of the NHI, NCI and FDA and the good for nothing Congress who appoints their corrupt leaders who have failed and failed and failed… for years now. What happened in America that we reward failure instead of success? Everyone touched by this disease should be demonstrating in front the the White House. It is not a question of more money. It is a question of removing the corrupt cancer generals who have violated all the rules of science for so long; they have lied, obstructed study of promising less toxic treatments, and generally committed fraud and medical quackery with impunity against an unwitting public. They must be prosecuted for scientific misconduct, fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity. Wake up citizens and demand their removal today.
Winfield J. Abbe, Ph.D., Physics
I am 56, no risk factors except babies after 30. I teach yoga and have been a vegetarian for 20 years. This Nov. I was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer, arising from a tiny lump I had when I was 20- went away and then came back this past year. Negative mammograms every time.I had a lumpectomy, am half way through radiation and have refused chemo. I still teach my yoga classes and feel great. Am debating the tamoxifin/femera regime.After exploring alternative treatments I have changed my diet and have removed sugar. I was given some very good advice at the beginning of all this-trust your instincts. You know your body better than anyone and if something doesn’t feel right at your deepest level, it isn’t. Finally, we’ve all been given our expiration date. We can spend our shelf life in fear or with joy and thanksgiving.
I lost my mom June 2009 after her 10 month battle with breast cancer
it had spread to her spine – I watched her endure so much
very thankful she is not in any pain any longer.
I miss her everyday and think about her everyday
I love you mom
I just lost my step-mother to breast cancer/brain cancer last Friday. She was a fighter….she had 3 brain surgeries over the last 3 years. She will be missed. My dad lost the love of his life.
Xibrom is a prescription sold in a 5ml plastic dispenser. Cost is $250+ or – a few $. At that price it is more expensive than gold. Why is that? It is steril water with a little bit of medicine. We are old and can’t afford the medicine, but what are we to do?
I lost my 5 year old grandson to DIPG…brain stem cancer…He did not have a chance…their is NO cure. No progress to cure DIPG in over 50 years!!! A totally happy, carefree little boy, taken from his family, he did nothing to deserve this. Diagnosed and gone within 14 months. Some children don’t make it past 4 or 6 month.
I also lost my mother when I was 30, she was 57…ovarian cancer.
I also lost my father…lung cancer.
I also lost my favorite aunt…pancantric cancer.
I also lost my beloved poodle to lung cancer.
My husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year.
We need more awareness to curing DIPG and all childhood cancers
My life has been destroyed due to my spouses addiction to percocet these doctors hand out these prescription drugs to freely and they get into the hands of people who sell them right out of their convienence store, literally, that’s where my husband buys his right across from a grammar school.
I’ve reported it numerous times, no one cares.
Everyone needs to realize that reading articles online about “getting thinner” never works.You need to find your own balance with food,everyone is different.All you need to do is watch what your eating,portion your meals,and you do NOT need a “yummy snack” everyday.It should not be hard for you to balance out your own meals.Eat whats healthy and don’t eat constantly.Exercising,is boring and makes you think to much about your body.Join a sport,clean,take a walk with friends,just be up and about all day.This helps you stay in shape and keep your mental health up.Working out can actually make you go crazy,but its still important to do some cardio and weight training.Some foods are bad for you,but if your used to eating them daily,then cut back slowly because if you just shut yourself out from them like crazy,you’ll fall right back into them.
I will always remember March 28,2008….on this day I sat at the Dr.s office with my Dad as they told him”We think you may have a cancerous mass on your lung”. Everything the Dr. said after that was a complete blur as I tried to conceal my hurt,confusion,tears and pain and be strong for my Dad. He was diagnosed with SC lung cancer and although the statistics were grim in regards to this form of cancer, we had hope until the day he took his last breath. He fought this horrible disease for over a year and to see such a strong man weakened in such a horrible way was devastating. I yearn to hear his voice everyday, every second and I can’t because of this disease. In my heart, I feel as if the chemo and radiation did more damage to him and his overall wellbeing than the cancer itself…in the last few months of his life, our Dad was not the same person. Cancer and chemo robbed us of our parent, our only parent and I wil never be the same again. I find comfort knowing that he is no longer suffering and in pain….no more long days at chemo, no more sleepless nights, he finally has peace. I’m hurt, sad,confused,angry and frustrated but at the end of the day, God knew best…I am praying for strength for my siblings and myself because we are lost without our Dad…I cry myself to sleep most nights as I ask “why my Dad”….
May 14, 1979 and December 30, 2008 are etched in my memory forever. May 14 my grandmother was called to heaven at the of 52 of thyroid cancer that metastisized her lungs. On December 30, my daddy went to heaven due to prostate cancer; this was also his 66th birthday. So glad their pain is gone. But I miss them them dearly.
Be weary of anyone who refers to commonly consumed foods as “poison”. Really, milk wasn’t meant for human consumption? Cus I think the humans beg to differ.
P.S. Who here loves a good milksteak?? Haaaa. Cmon, it was a little funny!
I think liquid calories, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic, are a really easy thing to cut from one’s diet and make into an occasional treat – hether wine, beer, or soft drinks.
Learn the facts about Alcohol Dependence. For evidence-based information on Alcohol Dependence (Alcoholism) and Alcohol Abuse, please visit us at AlcoholAnswers.org
There are comprehensive sections for the Alcohol Dependent and the Families and Friends along with information on evidence-based treatment modalities – including medicated-assisted treatment – Resources, an extensive Alcohol & Health section, and Discussion Communities for support and information at AddictionSurvivors.org
It wwould be useful to refer people to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, which has a new address this lastg year, 355 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10017-6603, 800-541-5454, mgfa@myasthenia.org, http://www.myasthenia.org. MGFA also has state chapters and local support groups. (We have an Ohio Chapter with five regional support groups.) MGFA advocates for sesearch funding and greater recognition of MG so that those who have it can be more quickly and correctly diagnosed and treated.
I read your article regarding the Vaseline on the nose, possibly causing problems in some people. My daughter uses it every night on her nose and does not get nose bleeds but now we are concerned it may be building up in her system. We have tried humidifiers but they have made her room too moist, with the possibility of increasing the mold in her room. You suggested jVaseline can be used rarely. What is your definition of rarely and what other options are there beside saline (does not work) and KY Jelly? Someone suggested vegetable shortening.
Nice post. It is necessary to have strategies for not being totally on plan ahead of time, so that you can confine the splurge and not let it get you off track. I wouldn’t call this cheating, it’s just learning how to eat sensibly, and build splurge foods into your diet in a reasonable way. Here are some techniques and tips that have helped me stay motivated on my weight loss journey:
I am 53 years old today.. when I was 13 I had spent the previous 6 years seeing my mother’shealth decline from cancer. After a long week visiting with her, we were home. I was in my bed and awoke at 1am with a vision of my Mom’s face overhead.she said everything would be alright. At 1:10am the phone rang and a distant voice told me Mom had passed at 1:am.
Later when I was 19 coming home from a long weekend of partying in Panama City with a friend from Auburn University , we stopped at a small store to get some smokes and a coke.We got back into the mid size car with Ralph driving and me in the passenger seat. We started out and for some reason I said Ralph “We should put on our seatbelts.” Up to this point I had never worn a seatbelt.
Less than a mile from the store with us traveling at 55MPH on a two lane road near Opp,Ala destiny met with us via a headon collision with a pickup Truck. I remember saying Ralph what is happening.?
What occured in a split second was the truck heading south sideswiped the vehicle in front of us, ran off the road and then hit us headon. At the point of impact,I was thrown forward at the same time the front hood of our car sheared the top of our vehicle off passing over my head by inches.
I only found this out a month later.My recollection was as follows. A loud bang then blackness.
suddenly I was aware of a floating sensation and then quiet. I observed the scene of desolation below with 2 smoldering wrecks of 3 cars. People were milling about on the road and one person was under a sheet along the side of the road. i felt no pain only peace and relaxation. My attention was turned to a bright light above me and I began to drift in this direction. Everything seemed so intensely bright and comforting. As I ascended, I heard a voice state, “You must go back it is not your time. I hesitated and then the light dimmed and my mind suddenly screamed out in pain and anguish. I opened my eyes and raised up from under a red cloth on my body. I screamed in pain as I felt sharp pricks against my back which were the prickles from a thorn bush I was laid on earlier.
My screams brought me rushing back into a world where I spent the next month in a hospital in Montgomery ,Al, underwent facial reconstruction, stomach operations for intense internal bleeding and painful recuperation..After the wreck the rumour had swept back to Auburn University that 2 students had been killed that afternoon and fraternity brtohers congregated at the Lambda Chi House to see if the worst was to be realized, Freind visited me in the hospital later and I always thought how the few decision we made saved us.
My life chagned and i dropped smoking drinkign excessivly and became involved in leadership and becoming the best student I could be. I married in my mid 20’s raised with my wife 3 lovely kids .. now all in their mid 20’s and recently at the age of 53 had my first Grandchild presented ,a sparkling little boy.
I am so thankful for my life and know that the experience I went through was real and life changing!!
Different people see different things. Some see light, some see a ladder. Some see old friends. As to religious sightings, it’s been said that Christians see Christ, Muslims see Mohammad, The Chinese see Buddah. Basically, we see images that are we made up in our mind at an early age, things that we’re brought up with and taught, not things that everyone sees.
I had a serious illness and operation in my late twenties. The doctor that operated on me was a quack and basically didn’t seal up my intestines properly. After being discharged from the hospital I stayed at home with peritonitis (ie. a ‘leaky gut’). One night I was very near death. The pain was unreal and hard to understand unless you’ve actually experienced something like that. I’m talking serious pain – even morphine didn’t help it later. I hope to never experience anything like that ever again. While it may be a cliche, I found myself in a tunnel with a very bright light at the end – not blinding, but very bright. As I went down the tunnel I finally saw it was a person with a seriously bright halo. Others seemed to be around as disciples / angels and hang on every word or action by ‘the bright one’. I’ve never been as calm in my life (and believe me, with the pain I was in I wasn’t exactly calm before that). It was the most calming and serene place I’ve ever been. The being (who I wholeheartedly believe was Jesus or God) said in a very calming voice “Don’t worry, everything will work out in the end”. That was all that was said. It was said in such a way as to be unquestionable. It just was. I was in a totally aware state. It wasn’t like a dream. You have to understand that while not an atheist, I had never been a particularly religious person. There is no doubt in my mind I saw a glimpse of heaven that night. Everything WILL work out in the end, no matter what.
I was 5 yrs old and went into a swimming pool during the summer in upstate NY. I remember going down with my behind up deeper in the pool at one point [I was a child and didn't understand what was happening] saw myself drifting down deeper. I enjoyed the feeling of watching myself. Suddenly I heard my Fathers voice and others calling me. I knew I had to go back to my body, though I didn’t want to because I was feeling good. I went back and then I kept hearing my father calling me . He told me to put up my hand and as I did, I felt his grabbing my hand and pulling me out. The water soon came out of my lungs. I don’t honestly remember if I was on my back or stomach. This happened in 1948 and the underwater part is fresh in my mind today as if it happened recently. I think that Mr. Thompson recalling his experience with “peace and relaxation” is a very good way of expressing it.
I tend to stay away from the word diet and use the term “adjusting my calorie selection”. To me, the very definition of a diet is temporary change. It’s like admitting I’m not going to stick to it but just see how far I can get “this time”. Now, I don’t have the same goals as a lot of people in this food-ballpark, but my goals are important to me just as everyone’s is important to them. Just my experience.
I was 22 when my mother passed away from kidney failure (this was in 1969). The night after she passed, I experienced a “dream” vision of her face where she looked very young and radiant. Though she didn’t speak, I felt she was happy where she was. I told my family about it and we were all comforted.
Every experience is unique. There was a time long ago when I was expecting with my first daughter. A month earlier my Aunt had given a baby shower for me. All my sisters were there. My sister later told me that this was unusual and my Aunt Marion rarely did things like that. One night as I lay in bed ready to drift asleep, I saw my Aunt standing in the doorway. This puzzled me. The next day, my sister called to tell me my Aunt died suddenly the day before. I wasn’t afraid when I saw her but had the sense that she was watching over me and my unborn child.
I’m a local here in Atlanta. I had an NDE 35 years ago and it still effects my life. I just released my 5th book on my experience and the experiences of the 100s of people my colleagues and I interviewed at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. For more info please go to http://www.barbarawhitfield.com
And my new book is called The Natural Soul. That’s who we were when we “died.” And that’s what we are yearning for now — not the place we went to but who we were in that place and IT is available now — not just for near-death experiencers but for all of us.
My father died last month of a massive heart attact. The day of his death, I went to my parents house to be with my Mother. That night, I slept in his bed. I turned the lights off and got in the bed and about a minute later someone sat down on the foot of the bed (The bed actually sunk as if a heavy weight had sat on it). I sat up because I thought my Mom had come into the room to talk to me. However, I didn’t see anyone and I called out to my Mom to ask if she’d been in the room. She han’t, she was in the bedroom next door and in bed. I truly believe that it was my Father letting me know that everything was ok.
Hear, Hear for “S!” I, too, had the same NDE and it was a toss up as to whether I stayed “dead” or came back. I came back and know I made a mistake!
JPC
If someone has more than 75 lbs to lose. There cant be cheating some foods have to out of their lives forever.Trigger foods have to be avoided forever. The first 20 days are the hardest then its smooth sailing.For something to be gained something has to be sacrificed. http://www.heavy2healthy.com
Be careful about “experiences”, as Satan comes as an angel of light to decieve. The only ones who will make into Heaven are those who have accepted Christ, and whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of Life.
Please, for your own sake, do not believe every spirit/angel/light that tells you it is from God. Jesus is the Only way to Heaven…He is the Door, all others are robbers.”I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”John 14:6
I drown when I was 9 yrs old, having a full near death experience. I have dreams that come true all the time. I have been involved with IANDS now for several years and have come to accept these things. We are simple humans, we do not know the answers to everything. For those of you who chose to make silly political comments…get over yourselves…
Here is an important question. Will you go to Heaven or Hell when you die? Do you consider yourself to be a good person? Here is a quick test to see if you truly are a good person:
How many lies have you told in your life? Have you ever stolen anything? (The value of the item is irrelevant). Have you ever used God’s Name in vain? (The same God whose heaven you expect to go to when you die). Jesus said, “Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Have you ever looked with lust? Will you be guilty or innocent on the Day of Judgment? Will you to go Heaven or Hell?
If you have done those things, God see you as a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer at heart. That means you’ll be found guilty. The Bible warns that if you are guilty you will end up in Hell. God, who the Bible says is “rich in mercy” sent His Son to suffer and die on the cross for us guilty sinners. We broke God’s Law, but Jesus paid our fine (what we owed for breaking His Law). That means that God can legally dismiss our case. He can commute our death sentence.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Then He rose from the dead and defeated death.
God doesn’t want you to go to Hell. He can forgive you. Please, repent (turn from sin) today and God will grant everlasting life to all who trust in Jesus. Then read your Bible daily and obey it. We will all die in time. When will your turn come? Please don’t put off your eternal salvation. Get right with God today. http://www.livingwaters.com
The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.” Psalm 53:1
“…That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’” Romans 10:9-11
Yes, I experienced a near death experience. When I was 15, I was in the backyard smoking. My mom walked around the corner and caught me, and yep, I had a near death experience.
I was in the midst of natural child birth, when I started to slide out of this world. I saw light and a tunnel leading towards it. I started to go in that direction, but then heard the nurse say “stay with us here.” Several years later, I had the same experience, but that time I decided not to go towards that light because I couldn’t leave my children without a mother.
I have no doubt that three people close to me that passed away came by after death to check on me. It was wonderful.
My husband is in absolute agony with gout in his foot. After reading the comments, I am going to try and get him some cherry juice or cherry juice capsules.
Back in 1984, I had a premonition dream that my Great Aunt would die of a heart attack three days later. I dreamt that my sister would try to perform CPR on her, but she would die anyway. I told my sister, but she didn’t believe me. Three days later, it happened exactly as I had dreamed.
HT- I have also had the experience of someone sitting on my bed. The mattress depresses.
This has happened to me 3 times.
I also believe it is either someone in my life who has passed or an angelic being and is there to let me know they are there and are with me.
My seven year old son was diagnosed about two years ago with abdominal migraines. They are widely misdiagnosed, or just missed altogether. We are grateful to have gone to a pediatric GI specialist who recognized the problem right away. He now takes Periactin (an old school antihistamine) each night, and only suffers recurrences when he eats MSG.
My oldest daughter was diagnosed with this….after countless doc appts and a surgery when she was 9. She is 13 now and has them only occassionally as opposed to the weekly issues she had 3 years ago. Thank you for bringing this to light. It is a very real, scary and superbly frustrating ailment.
Good information here. I am baffled as to what to eat to lose weight. One book, trend says this is bad another says its good…. and so on. I recently almost jumped on the gluten free bandwagon, until I found myself eating GF granola at 250 calories per 3/4 cup! I plan on linking this article to my site http://www.muffintopmama.com. I think my readers will find this helpful!
A good article which highlights how people think that they need to be on a “diet” to achieve their health goals! But you don’t need to be on a diet but a lifelong healthy eating program which involves plenty of fresh foods, a balance of protein, good fats and carbohydrates which suits your lifestyle. I have written a lot more on this topic at http://www.planetnaturopath.com it’s important that people get guidance from a professional rather than magazines if they are having trouble reaching their health goals
I am a alcoholic and if the Sinclair Method works for other alcoholics then good for them. Anything that can help an alcoholic drank successfully is wonderful. I want to say that Alcoholic Anonymous is my method. The ONLY requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. AA is also “anonymous” . There are no membership rosters. I do not know if I can not drink for the rest of my life, but I do know I don’t have to drink TODAY. I wish the best to Alcoholics who try the Sinclair Method but this Alcoholic abstaining just one day at a time has kept me sober for a while now.
Isn’t the WHOLE POINT in trying to get alchoholics to stop drinking is because of the damage alcohol does to the body. Well then, how does this method help anything?
Roo,
Usually , getting people to stop drinking is to stop damaging not just the body, but the ones they love as well as their lives in general. Anything that might help, people should try.
She standing in that doorway like a dream , cause she knows that it kills me
February 24th, 2010 3:36 pm
Decided to quit drinkin four days ago. 48 years old , drinkin hard since 1980. No kids, never miss a day of work, but this 4 day dry spell is a record for me. Love craft beer- love whiskey more.
I can finsh a half gallon of Beame in three-four days. Thats bad. Just decided I was too old and tired of beer belly, and worried about liver.
Gave up drugs in the eightys, pot in the 90s, cigs three years ago. This one is gonna hurt tho , DANG I love booze .
Enough life story, the best way for me-and most- is to completley quit. Not even a little yellow beer water on Friday night-just quit.
AA requires a belief in a higher power. That higher power can be anything – for some it’s a god of their choosing, for others it’s the group itself. The idea is that it’s not you. That being said, the AA groups I’ve attended in the area are very religious and say the lord’s prayer after the meeting, something I find a bit off-putting. In fact I’ve been asked not to voice my atheism at meetings, which is actually against AA principals in general.
As for the Naltrexone, it can be a very good treatment and I know several people for which that has worked well. The AA mantra is that a pill won’t cure you of alchoholism, and for those with severe underlying issues for which they are “self medicating” that’s probably true, but many people only hear the words.
For myself, AA was there for me and it worked for 12 years, but the real work was with a counselor and that was where it really happened for me. I relapsed but AA didn’t work for me any longer because really I just made a decision to start drinking, it got out of hand, I went back to AA but realized that I just made a bad decision and stopped. That’s about it. Problem solved. Your mileage may vary.
This treatment sounds an awful lot like Antabuse, which has been around forever and is effective on other substances besides alcohol. How exactly this Sinclair Method different or better?
No, AA is *not* a religious program. It’s a spiritual program. Hence the inclusion of “as we understood him” after the mention of God in the third step. “God” is different for different people. i choose Higher Power. Some people have religious connotations associated with their interpretation of “God”, others do not. And when the Lords Prayer is used at the end of the meeting I have never once said it. No one ever looked at me sideways – AA and Alanon (based on AA) are not about religion or about judgment, they’re about getting healthy, finding a balance – in all aspects of your life. I don’t think a pill can help you with your unhappiness. I don’t think a pill can help you with WHAT you’re covering in your life with alcohol – anxiety, depression, selfishness, defects of character. My ex thought just being sober was enough, he was incredibly unhappy – worse, because he wasn’t learning the tools to be able to DEAL with the emotions and stressors of every day life that he used to cover up with booze. Stopping drinking is just the beginning.
From the Big Book:
“We feel a man is unthinking when he says that sobriety is enough. He is like the farmer who came up out of his cyclone cellar to find his home ruined. To his wife, he remarked, “Don’t see anything the matter here, Ma. Ain’t it grand the wind stopped blowin’?”
If it helps even one person, great. But I don’t see how taking a drug to deal with taking another drug could equal Recovery.
Like anonymous coward said, reliance on a higher power is stressed but you are free to define that higher power however you want. Since our society is predominantly Christian, most people around here go with the obvious choice. Atheists, Agnostics, Buddhists, etc are welcome and can be found in 12 step meetings.
As far as naltrexone goes, my experience has been that it’s nearly impossible to get an active alcoholic to take a pill 3 times a day consistently. Especially if the pill is responsible for killing your buzz. A while back there was talk of making a slow release implant that would last for 30 days or more. I could see that working much better than the pills.
I am a recovering alcoholic on my 69th day sober. I drank almost a quart of vodka every day for the past two years and less heavily before that. I had become so dependant on alcohol that I had to drink 4 “normal” sized drinks in the morning just to stop shaking enough that I could feed myself. I’ll spare you the rest of the details.
I went to a 6 day detox to have medical professionals manage my physical withdrawal with medication…Suddenly stopping years of heavy drinking can lead to seisures, delerium tremens, and death, it is not like giving up chocolate…it can kill you so it has to be done right.
I then went to 3 weeks of rehab which is a mix of being secluded from the “real” world so that there are no temptations or opportunities to drink, medical management including medications as required, and AA meetings.
I currently use Naltrexone and have for two months now, no alcohol cravings at all for me and no drinking. I also regularly attend AA meetings which is the biggest suprise to me. I actually like them. We’re just a bunch of former drunks being there for each other and helping each other stay sober Today…We’ll deal with tomorrow when and if it gets here.
I am strongly anti formal religion. I grew up in Atlanta in a Southern Baptist Evangelical household, and to my mind hate filled condeming and condecending environment, so I was VERY leery of AA’s “higher power” schtick. It ain’t there. The thrust of it is you aren’t alone and don’t have to deal with this alone..you can use “god” if that works for you, you can rely on the group if that works for you, you can use the company of your animals if that works for you…what you use doesn’t matter, and noone will ask you or judge you if you tell them what you rely on. You may get the occasional whack job who wants to “convert/save” you, but they snuk in..they in NO way represent the AA way.
As we say at the end of the meeting…Keep coming..it works if you work it!!
Sane Jane…Antabuse makes you sick if you drink, Naltrexone just blocks the cravings for, and the buzz from booze. If you do drink on naltrexone you still get physically drunk..slower reactions, slurred speech, loss of balance, hangover etc, you just don’t enjoy it.
Until you are completely ready to stop drinking, drugging and wallowing in your own pile of crap, you will never change, no drug is the answer, freedom from alcohol and drugs comes from within, I know many a dry drunk who hasn’t changed anything but the alcohol. A whole new world awaits those who really want to change, and its free….It’s called the rooms of AA, NA, and CA
I don’t get a thrill from gambling or eating, but I get a thrill out of almost everything else that can ultimately lead to the slippery slope of obsession and the shaky hands and pounding pulse of addiction. At one time or another, I have put everything important to me second to following that high, and one after another, I’ve lost it all. I’ve given it up, thought I was cured and tried it again. One time went very well, two times were fun, three times I got a bit nervous, four times I knew I was in trouble, five times I was crying for help again. I’ve been clean, sober and honest for a few years now. I don’t take chances today. I hope I won’t tomorrow. I have a wonderful life and the love of my family back again. Nothing could be worth taking that chance again.
If this helps people make their lives manageable, great. I tend to think alcohol abuse, or any kind of self-abuse, is part of a larger problem from childhood, or stress, or any other challenge that is difficult. We all cope in different ways and boozers cope by boozing it up.
This drug may cure the boozing but it won’t cure the underlying problems. BUT at least it cures the boozing which often means the underlying problem can be healed. Boozing gets in the way of the healing.
Bottom line: Sounds like good stuff to me. To all those who are struggling with dependency, be of good cheer. There is always hope, particularly when you look for it rather than dwelling on the horror.
There was a lady some years ago in the Washington State area that preached MODIFICATION. I believe she was involved in an auto accident that resulted in the loss of life, while practicing MODIFICATION. I got help almost 18 years ago and still go to two or three meeting a week. Life sure is better and I am much happier. Good luck on the NEW drug……
I was in AA for more than 10 years and never had sobriety for more than a year at a time. One day I said to my self today I am not only going to quit AA and their ONE DAY AT A TIME motto…..I said to MYSELF, I am never going to drink again. Now I have never been happier and havent had a drink in 6 years. I dont need to sit around and listen to a bunch of moaning and groaning and listening to a bunch a drunk-a-logs. I used to drink because I chose to. I DIDNT have a disease; I wasnt in denial, I had a desire to drink and I drank because I CHOSE to. When I chose to stop, I did. I didnt need a sponsor, 12 steps, Promises, 12 traditions…or other cruthes
With that said, AA is great for those if it works for them…but as the Big Book wil tell you, it is not for everyone. I applaud anyone going to AA or thru any format of recovery. As long as you find what works for you. Dont let your mamma, daddy, wife or judge tell you how to stop drinking. If you want to drink, drink. If you WANT to stop YOU can stop. Only you can stop whether thru this method mentioned in this artcle, AA, Higher Power…etc…
Just remember….NO ONE but YOU is pouring the stuff down your throat.
Good luck with whatever leads you to sobriety and a joyous, free life. Myself, I have been in AA for 17+ yrs. and have no desire at all to go back to the hell I used to live in. Modern methods may work for some folks, but good old-fashioned AA works if you want it. I stress the “want it” part. Half-measures will not work. AA is not, I repeat, not a religous program. It is based on spiritual enlightnment and helping others. Not very exciting for some modern thinkers, but I can guarantee you it works if you work it.
AA is absolutely religious and is based on Christianity. It was inspired by the Oxford Group (google this for sources). Now, AA fundamentalists will say your higher power “could be a doorknob”. How can an artifact be any sort of power? Your higher power should be God, I think they cite him in their steps.
The best description of AA is that it is a cult. Notice how AA members often say the same things, almost verbatim.
The 35% success rate is off-mark, it is closer to 5% which is less than cold turkey.
…I’ve been sober since ‘79 and have seen a lot of this kind of thing come and go…mostly go….good luck to the Sinclair Method enthusiasts…. but as for me I’m putting my money on AA.
All else in the article notwithstanding, there is no study, AA or otherwise, from 1992 or any other year, that gives AA a 35% 5-year efficacy. All indications are that after five years, about 2.5% of all those who begin attending AA will still be present, sober or otherwise. AA apologists and revisionists have reviled, denied, and tried to re-interpret AA retention rates, but its own surveys, and membership claims, indicate very low retention rates. As for naltrexone, sub-q one year implants are available. Google it.
I was in AA for 7 years and was very naive/depedent at first. I never got the God (Higher Power) thing down. I has been my AA experience YOU HAVE TO HAVE FAITH and work the (again me) nonsensical steps. There seems to be a lie or misspeak when they say take what you want and leave the rest within AA-there is definite pressure (at lest I felt) to be a prayerful Christian. And that’s okay – it works very well for some…but in my experience again it is more like a 5% rate of success (and I went to a lot of mtg in 7 yrs!).
Also, a few more points I’d like to make. And I am not “ranting” nor “bashing” AA.
AA seems to require lifelong membership. But for me AA is not an alternative to drinking (for me) because it made me just as dependent on mtgs and AA, as I was on drugs and alcohol, and that is unacceptable.
The article brushes the topic of mental/physical health- if i were newly in seeking a solution to a drinking problem I would FIRST thing go t a medical professional (well verse in the field of addiction) and get a complete mental/physical evaluation!
That’s what I did and that almost required me to leave AA-my AA sponsor had me shred my dentist prescription for pain killer even though i told him I wasn’t going to fill it. This is something i felt in AA to “work the steps, read the Big Book and get on your knees (pray) in the morning and at night.” My doctor basically gave me a prescription for anxiety and trazadone and that’s were i’m at now. I was told not to mention these thing at mtgs.
Working with http://www.SMARTrecovery.org online and trained professionals, read some at http://www.orange-papers.org and that’s where I am at now. Basically i believe its a choice and not a spiritual disease as AA puts it, IMHO. And there’s basically no steps other than don’t drink.
I say find what works for you and stick with, after years of effort otherwise…LOL
But mainly be AWARE of the choices, there’s good and bad people in AA and everywhere-be AWARE especially if you’re a female i would suggest attending a Women’s Only mtg.
AA was sorta great at first but I have seen statistic (harvard) which suggest one is more likely to binge drink if you fall outta AA. Been there-done-that.
Best of luck to all and thanks for hearing my input…rant on me all you like too- find tat amusing and sometimes enlightening.
How do they get statistics from a program that is pretty deeply rooted in anonymity?!
BIG difference between *religion* and *spiritual*. I am strongly anti-religion, definitely not Christian and have been blessed with a major positive life change by result of a 12 step program. Not because of the program itself but by making better choices from what i’ve learned about myself.
That said, if there’s another program out there that helps save people from addiction then please, let it be used! I’m a firm believer that there is no generic recipe for everyone, we all must walk our own paths. What works for me may not work for you. But if you’re an addict and self-will hasn’t kept you clean/sober… then it’s time to realize that you can’t solve a problem with the same thinking that brought you to it in the first place.
GTBMED, AA is not a cult (see below) but, unfortunately, I have heard of a hardcore group that broke off and is like fundamentalist crazy people. They tried to get a friend of mine in with their group. Luckily he was smart enough to notice the fact that he was being “recruited” (AA does NOT recruit) and he called around, found out AA doesn’t even recognize them as an AA group. They are really out there and more Oxford Group, tell you not to go to any other meetings but theirs, tell you what to do, detox people (WHAT?!) and … bluntly, they’re nucking futs. But that is not indicative of a real AA group… As for the generalized “cult” label:
CULT: The group is focused on a living leader to whom members display excessively zealous, unquestioning commitment.
AA: Come and go as you please with no one to answer to
CULT: The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members and/or making money.
AA: Tradition 11 states: “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion” (i.e. ya don’t go out and recruit people). AND you’re never asked for money but can drop a buck in a basket to help pay for rent/literature if you *want* to.
CULT: Mind-numbing techniques (ex: meditation, chanting, denunciation sessions, or debilitating work routines) are used to suppress members’ doubts.
AA: None of the above
CULT: The group’s leadership dictates how members should think, act, and feel
AA: Uh…. NEVER. Sponsors don’t tell you what to do in your life! There are *suggested* steps. There are people there for years who don’t have a sponsor, don’t work the steps, etc. Although I will say, you don’t work the program and it’s not going to work for you. Kind of like if you don’t do the work in aviation school, you’re more than likely gonna crash the plane.
CULT: The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, it’s leader(s), and members.
AA: HA! (no). Though some in the rooms without recovery do think the world revolves around them. Hence part of the reason they’re in the rooms. lol
CULT: The group has a polarized we-they mentality that causes conflict with the wider society.
AA: Nope.
CULT: The group’s leader is not accountable to any authorities (ex: military commanders and ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream denominations).
AA: There is no “leader” and opinions of such things don’t come into play
CULT: The group teaches or implies that its “superior” ends justify means that members would have considered unethical before joining the group (ex: collecting $$ for bogus charities).
AA: Not even applicable.
CULT: The group’s leadership induces guilt feelings in members in order to control them
AA: Acceptance, Non-judgement, detachment
CULT: Members’ subservience to the group causes them to give up previous personal goals and interests while devoting inordinate amounts of time to the groups.
AA: Again, you come and go as you please. Meetings last approximately one hour. There’s no roll call or guest list or attendance sheet. You work it the way you work it. Self care is supported.
CULT: Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
AA: Members are strongly encouraged to support ANONYMITY, so no.
AA is not a cult. It is not a religious program. It is what it is. Take what you want and leave the rest.
AA is a rigorous Christian program that tries to cure your addiction to alcohol. Often these cult members will ask if you are “in AA” or “around AA” which is this cult-speak for how serious are you about the “program”. These people are brain-washed morons. They might tell you that your brain might need a washing, I’m serious.
It is a deadly cult. You are better off cold turkey.
Different nationalities / ethnicities break down alcohol differently. Broadly speaking this cure will be more likely to work with Asians, for example, than with North Americans. That said, why would alcoholics take this cure (and continue with it) if they want to drink? I wish there were a “magic bullet” that would work with this phenomenal success rate, but these things come along periodically and only AA is still around. Time will tell…
Wow! I feel sorry for you, man. You sound like someone who skimmed through it and left with the same disdainful attitude you came in with. Close your mouth and open your ears, babe.
It’s commonly misperceived that addiction is a result of trauma or stress. Not true. There are chemical responses in the brain of an addict when exposed to mind-altering substances that are different. Many such people with happy “normal” childhoods have this disease and subsequent problems. Happily, addicts can also choose to stop, most successfully with the help of support groups.
Roo: My father was an alcoholic and anything that could have curbed his cravings and, thus, his behavior would have been welcomed. Unfortunately, Antabuse, AA, rehab, two children (and a wife), and even a stint in jail (for non-payment of child support, one of my mom’s attempt to sober him) didn’t work. He died of a heart attack at 39. He drank himself to death but long before he died, he had no life — he’s lost his job, all of his friends, his family. I wonder if the increased understanding of addiction, use of antidepressants, openness of society and willingness of people to get help in combination with new medications like Naltexone and Vivitrol would have helped him get to a place where he could fight his demons?
Joop: Individuals who have difficulty maintaining their daily dose of Naltrexone now have the option of receiving a monthly injection of Vivitrol. The time-released formula works the same as the oral Naltrexone, and is simply another, more powerful safeguard against relapse.
But please don’t insult people. It’s not nice. If you have a problem with a program or method, it’s cool to express your opinion, but it’s not necessary to kick people when they are down. You know what that feels like — we all do. It sucks.
And in this case, it may have stopped a conversation on a subject that affects more than 17.5 million people plus their families and friends. Actually, all of us are affected by alcoholism when one takes into account the effects of it on our national economy (productivity is down when you’re hung over or too drunk to work or you’ve been beaten by a drunk person and land in the hospital) and health care costs (it costs a lot of money to care for the damage caused to an alcoholic’s body and people who are involved in drunk driving incidents, fights, domestic violence, etc.).
GTB-headcase: So sad to be a bitter and hateful you. What do you believe in when you’re not spewing bitterness? Have you ever considered counseling for yourself? Life can be sweet.
My now ex-husband is an alcoholic. Everyone else sees it but he does not. My child lost her dad and I lost a husband due to his alcoholism and refusing to get help other than his “self help”. Its been a recovery process for me too to realize that life outside living with a alcoholic is “normal” and what I was living in was pure hell. Good luck with whatever drug or program is needed to fight the battle. As for me, I don’t have to live with that battle anymore and what a great life!!!
Thats right Kelly C. You dont have to and should not. The people (as I used to be) who CHOOSE drink over family is doing just that…until they realize it…they will not stop. Stand firm and congrats on not raising your child in that environment.
As an alcoholic, I’m fortunate to have a sponsor who gives very practical advice. There is always a way within the program, it’s the first 3 steps that get you sober.
He advised that if overwhelming obsession occurs, to find a brick and hurl it through the plate glass window of the police precinct.
You will accomplish the following:
You will develop a personal relationship with a power greater than yourself.
That newly dicovered power greater than yourself will keep you from drinking for at least 24hrs.
If necessary, repeat.
Survivors of the Holocaust have reportedly said that many in the camps were so beaten down they simply gave up all hope. When they lost hope, it was over.
AA is simply not a living option for a lot of people. It would be like asking a committed Christian to consider converting wholesale to atheism–it’s a wasted mental exercise.
I’ve been to several different 12-step programs, and none were free of heavily Christian notions of sin, redemption, atonement and leaps of faith in a higher power. Even if these philosophic notions were not based on the programs, those involved always brought them in.
People who self-medicate — whether to cover trauma, tamp down generalized stress and anxiety, etc. — do not need redemption. They may not even need solidarity, if it is to be purchased through conversion. There is not always enough time or money in our remaining days to contextualize and understand alcoholism away.
I believe many success stories in treating alcoholism will involve other drugs, ones that are less dangerous to the liver. I also hope people will drop this notion of sinful addiction, or of some failure to be truly whole, simply because a cure might involve using other drugs.
Why are more boys diagnosed with ADHD (and the family of letters) than girls? Add to it that schoold are run mostly by women. Is it so the female teachers can “drug” the boys to slow them down from doing boy stuff? Hey, this boy is acting up, let’s put him on meds to slow him down.
I was an alcoholic and now I just drink occationally.(about 3 times a year). You really have to sit down and make a list of why you are drinking. List out the good and bad about it and pray. Make up your mind that it taste horrible and you have to give it up. It drives your cholestorl up, adds belly fat, makes your breath stink, makes a fool out of you, cost WAY too much money and sets a bad example for your kids. Try having someone video tape you while you’re really drunk, then watch it when you’re sober. Now that’s reality.
Absolutely a terrible idea. Alcholics can never safely drink again. As a recovering alcoholic we learn that the bottles are just a symbol. Working the 12 steps of A.A. relieves us of the obsession to drink and we learn to have a relationship with the higher power of our understanding which enables us to live a life that is happy, joyous and free. People that need to stop drinking are always looking for a way to KEEP DRINKING! A.A. has a high success rate for those that continue to attend meetings no matter how long they have been sober. IT WORKS IF YOU WORK IT.
This is very interesting to read. My son had these symptoms and after many months of tests, specialists and medication was told that he would just have to live with the pain. NO ONE even hinted at the diagnosis of abdominal migraines. I will pass along this article.
Don’t change the way you are!!! Your beautiful either way. Just because people may say you fat, it doesnt matter what they say. It’s what matters on the inside!!!! Live your life, not somebody elses!!!
Love to see the steppers here. Folks, AA is a belief system, if it works for you great. However, it isn’t the only way. And, worse, I can find no credible study that even shows it works. Anecdotal evidence yes, however, nothing scientific. Did they measure the people who were sent to AA by courts? Did they count the ones who showed up once or twice and left? A true scientific study would include those folks. Not just the true believers.
If we found a drug that would help half of smokers quit at five years, there would be rejoicing in the streets. However, because of this odd belief that AA is the ONLY way, we have nothing but condemnation for a regime that reports a 75% success rate. What gives? Want people to quit or not? Either attack the underlying study and disprove the method or find a better way.
It is a shame that food allergies are really on the rise. Our son had a terrible time with food allergies/intolerances and severe Eczema. We tried so many things to find relief for him without anything really helping until we were told of Belly Boost probiotics for kids! It was amazing – not only was he happy to take them (yummy) but they began to clear his skin rapidly! He also was able to eat so many foods that we never thought possible! The one thing it really gave us was an appreciation for eating whole and healthy foods. We do spend the majority of our shopping money on the outside of the aisles though
@Jeff, unfortunately in this day and age… society has painted their picture of what “normal” boys and girls should act like. So see, when you discipline your child, you work with that child, you take away privelages, you make a list of responsibilites for them to follow, and yet they still cannot seem to do it right, then you have a problem. My daughter was diagnosed with ADD in Kindergarden, and not because I suggested it, but her teacher did. The teacher felt as if my daughter was extremely intelligent buy she just couldn’t focus no matter what we tried. We did cognitive behavioral theraphy for 2 years. She still has problems at home, as far as chores, but at the moment, the condition does not interfere with her academics.
Now my son, that’s another story. The boy can’t sit still for two second. He is 4 and still pees on himself sometimes. He jumps off counter and shelved onto the floor, he climbs trees… ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP!!! He has a hard time going to sleep because it takes him no less than an hour to wind down. He is constantly moving and making noises. He blurts out profanities, gets upset sometimes and kicks people. During center time at school, he cannot sit still and walks around the room. However… he STILL retains EVERYTHING he hears. So even though he is walking around the room working with things in his hand he is still learning. The problem will be when he gets in Kindergarden and they tell me he won’t sit still, he is always talking he can’t stay seated… blah blah blah. It is at that point where medication comes in. And you know what.. sd’s posted back on March 18, 2009 at 1:08 pm, I sort of feel the same way when it comes to my boy. When he is outside with his dump truck shovling dirt and digging holes, and climbing trees he is the WAY more focused. Unfortunately in this day and age most good labor positions are being filled by immigrants legal or otherwise, and people should have a backup plan. Now that I think about it, my son LOVES to cook and has been since he was 2. Now there is something he can do with his hands AND move around!
I’m thankful for the awareness and positive comments. However, I eat and purge regularly. I don’t care who hears me or knows either. Even in public–no body says anything. I think it is almost …understandable.
After 11 years the urge to me is the same as going #1 or #2. People close to me call it #5.
I love food. I just don’t want to be close to 300 lbs like my mama. So, who cares?
hi im from philippines ive beenn diagnosed with mg last 2009 and i have also lupus for 20years now i struggling these disease . im a single mom with a special child. i have no one to talk to about my finacial especially my medicine, ive been taking these drugs, but is not making me ok. its there any medicine that is herbal can help ease the sypmtoms especially the dropping of eye. please help me.
I agree, an eating disorder is a mental illness. Since it’s trend is growing, primarily amoung women, we should have them declared mentally unstable until they can demonstrate otherwise.
I almost died from being bulimic. You can love food and eat it without being fat or it controlling your life. It takes time but its worth it. Bulimia is not a weight loss or weight management tool – in fact, studies show its doesn’t “keep the weight down” at all. You may not believe purging is “bad” for you or you may believe purging is not any worse than being fat — but it is. It’s not a choice between being bulimic and being fat. I actually lost weight after getting control of my bulimia. I hope you’ll consider this post and my experience with near-death from purging …. and if you’re skeptical, I didn’t almost die from purging “too often” or even every day — its cumulative. Please, at least consider this. I care.
I don’t think the Sinclair method is a good one. The fact that alcoholics still be allowed to drink during this treatment is bizarre. Even though this medication reduces cravings what about long term effect. What the effect of alcohol in the brain , the digestive system, stimulation the nervous system causing more depression, stomach ulcers or cancer. This treatment set them for a failure later on in life without excercising their self control and their will power to overcome this habit. What arer the side effect of naltresone? is the alcoholics will continue taking it after the treatment over. What happen to the repeated relapses? People need to learn how to deal with their habits naturally with lifestyle changes which will have a better connotation to the long term health.
Why do so many of these eating disorder articles have an inherent bias toward anorexia and bulimia? Just as many (and perhaps more) women are losing their lives to binge-eating disorder, and the obesity that results from BED without purging can create tremendous social pressure and ostracization. And please don’t say that BED is just a simple case of overeating. It’s a psychologically complex condition that deserves heightened public awareness, too.
I love words like “relapse.” I also love when no facts are discussed, and normative statements about what others should do are made. Having read some more information about this, I find it noteworthy that, once again, the “abstinence is the only way” and “you have to go to meetings” proponents are saying no. Again, if it gives a better outcome, why is everyone against it? These are good odds and the study was done by NIH. Here is a link: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may2006/niaaa-02.htm
I find the one year mark where counseling doesn’t work interesting. Highlights below:
COMBINE FINDINGS: HIGHLIGHTS
At 16 weeks
• All groups substantially reduced drinking during treatment. Overall percent days abstinent tripled, from 25 to 73 percent, and alcohol consumption per week decreased from 66 to 13 drinks, a decrease of 80 percent.
• Patients who received medical management plus either naltrexone or specialized counseling showed similarly improved outcomes (PDA= 80.6 percent and 79.2 percent, respectively), compared with patients who received medical management and placebo pills (PDA=75.1 percent).
• Patients who received naltrexone reported less craving for alcohol.
• The odds of a good composite clinical outcome relative to patients who received medical management and placebo were 1.82 for patients who received MM plus CBI (but no naltrexone), 1.92 for patients who received MM, CBI, and naltrexone, and 2.16 for patients who received MM and naltrexone (but no CBI). That is, adding either naltrexone or specialized alcohol counseling to medical management almost doubled the chance to do well.
• About 6 to 7 patients need to be treated with medical management and either specialized alcohol counseling or naltrexone for one additional patient to have a good clinical outcome. This “number needed to treat” is similar to that for other chronic conditions such as depression, Crohn disease, or type 2 diabetes.
At 16 weeks + 1 year:
• Naltrexone continued to show a small advantage of less relapse to heavy drinking, most markedly in patients who received medical management only but not in those who received specialized alcohol counseling.
• Although a return to at least one heavy drinking day was common during the 1-year follow-up period, overall abstinence was still significantly improved after 1 year (59 to 68 percent PDA) compared with study entry (25 percent PDA). Good composite clinical outcomes at 1 year were observed in 38 to 50 percent of patients, with the worst outcomes in patients who received medical management plus placebo and better outcomes in those who received medical management plus either naltrexone or specialized alcohol counseling.
@Elle–Thanks for joining. I’m interested in your experience. If you almost died, then you probably got some stuck coming up, right? How else could you die?
Plus, you lost weight when you stopped? How? You prolly stopped eating what you want. You are also right that it does not work by itself because you still digest some of the fatty food and sodas. You have to work out too. But I’m saying what’s the damage if you do an awesome workout, hit the Wendy’s and purge so you don’t undo all your hard work? I still eat healthy. Celebrities do it all the time–Men and women. I guess I need to see the real harm in it. I have a toddler now, too. I’m sort of afraid she’ll try to copy me soon. It’s not psychological for me. It’s just like…another bodily function.
I was a fifth day vodka drinker. I could not stop and I’m small 5′3 120lbs. My anxiety was bad, I would wake up in the middle of the night in sheer panic and drink myself back to sleep. I sought out help through inpatient treatment. After inpatient treatment I went to AA because that is what they suggested. AA worked for me for a little bit, but the problem that still continues for me with AA is that it is a religious program predicated upon a christian god. We can all sit here and say its a spiritual program, but if you read the big book and the 12 by 12, why is higher power and God interchangeable? Why do they tell me to pray?
After being in the program, I stopped gaining what I needed from it. It seems that for some people AA becomes in and of itself an addiction. AA is supposed to teach you how to live sober, but I know many people for which the only thing they do is AA.
AA is also a sexist program. The big book didn’t even mention female alcoholics till the 70s. To me this is problematic. If you are a white male, you should do fine in AA, but I am not.
I do take it a day at a time and if I really feel like I need to go to a meeting I will, but to sit in those rooms with people who have over 20 years of sobriety, but haven’t figured out how to live sober yet is unsettling.
I am living today.
Some of these comments illustrate what a problem this topic really is. First, it doesn’t matter if you’re fat? Sure, looks don’t matter, but what about the health risks?
Second, “declared mentally unstable”? I hope that was sarcastic; otherwise you are living in the dark ages.
Third…where to begin? Nita, Elle said she almost died. Not because something “got stuck,” I presume. If you are going to continue your pattern, you better do your research. Bulimia can cause cardiac arrest via low potassium or an electrolyte imbalance. It can also cause a ruptured esophagus. If you want to be in denial and take those risks with your body, that’s your choice, but don’t get on here and tell people there’s no harm in it. Hopefully you will be ready for help soon.
P.S.: Thanks, Elle, for your honesty and encouragement. Sounds like you are healthier physically and emotionally. And thanks to Frustrated for bringing the binge issue to the forefront as well.
Nita, I respect that everyone has to do it on their own timetable, so take care of yourself and do what you need when you need to. Eating disorders revolve around control, so utterly forcing someone to do something only makes it worse, unless it’s a life threatening situation. It doesn’t help that people stigmatize it and refer to sufferers as mentally unstable.
It is stories like Scarlett’s that bother me. How can the “program” work if it never cures? The answer is to go listen to drunkalogs? Really? I thought we lived in an age of enlightenment and science. Yet, when a scientific approach to addiction treatment is proposed, folks whip out their ouja boards. It just doesn’t make sense.
My experience with AA is that it is not just religious, but a religion in and of itself. It is also the most dishonest organization I have ever been a part of. Manipulative sponsors, 13th stepping, ineffectiveness of the program (people failed right and left, and when they did, it was attributed to the fact that they didn’t properly work the program). Well over ninety percent of those I have seen walk through the doors leave in a short time. AAs believe that the program cannot fail, but can only be failed. The most unbalanced people I have ever known are AA people, and they represent a high percentage of the groups I have seen.
It is absolute brainwashing, and when I questioned this, the response was “sometimes a brain needs washing”. That is just one of the slogans I heard ad nauseum. There is a thought stopping slogan for every eventually, and over time people learn not to think. Reading the responses in this comment section, I see the AAs repeating these slogans without even thinking. I becomes second nature. Not thinking is looked highly upon in AA, and is encouraged. “Your best thinking got you here” is the line often used. There is nothing worse – nothing – than trying to have a rational conversation about the program with an AAer who drinks the kool-aid.
If you want membership in a whacked out cult, do AA. It took me some time to get deprogrammed from AA. I would try this or any other method of sobriety before I ever set foot in an AA meeting.
OMG! I’ve read through all the posts and am astonished at the amount of misinformation and just wrong information is out there about AA and other sobriety programs! I’m Jewish, and the 12 Steps have worked for me for more than 20 years. I have no problem with the “Christian” orientation that people are talking about here. It’s not Christian, it encompasses all religions — even Zen and others like it. You decide who/what your higher power is going to be for yourself; no one asks you to believe in theirs. it’s your own deal. I have never been asked to believe anything I disagreed with, nor have I even been pressured into doing anything at all, actually. These are suggestions, not commands. Also, as far as AA being a cult, I’m personally very happy to be a member. It’s absurd to me to compare AA with the typical cult around these days.
Also, for the person who said that AA is sexist, you’re wrong about your facts. In the first edition of the Big Book of AA, published in April, 1939, there were at least three stories written by recovering women. AA was initially representative of its era, and has changed a lot since then.
I personally don’t believe that relying on a drug to keep me sober would work for me. As has been mentioned, compliance would have been a problem for me definitely. I also don’t want to have to take a drug for the rest of my life in order to stay sober. I can do that drug-free by using the 12 Steps in all areas of my life, not only for drinking. We talk about practicing these “principles” in all our affairs, and that’s why I still go to AA meetings and continue to change myself to meet conditions in my life.
Why so much anger and resentment, people? Perhaps you were too into your own heads to be open to any concept that required you to leave your ego at home? And someone else put it so well: you have to want to get sober in AA. AA’s not for people who need it; it’s for people who want it. Folks who come into AA and pick it apart rather than use it to create a happier life just don’t really want what we have. AA is NOT for everyone, that’s for sure. But it works for me. It’s sad that many of you are so judgmental about this; resentment is an ugly thing.
To be honest I think that mild eating disorders can be fun. Why? As long as you have control over it. I have been an on and off bulimic for about 5 years. It is my coping mechanism and I love it because I actually can control my binges and purges. It is my secret – I own it all to myself. Why not have something so uniquely yours, all yours? I love my part time bulimia and I love how I OWN IT. Bulimia you are my toy in life.
This drug could never get down to causes and conditions, that require’s some work I didnt read anything about addressing these issues. My impression is there could be alot of suicides with this medicine. When your best friend (King Alcohol)dosent work anymore is where AA starts. Merly stopping the recovery is incomplete. We call this a dry drunk in the program. If drinking was the problem we wouldnt need AA. Before comparing this pill to 12 step recovery, come to 90 meetings in 90 days get a sponsor and read the Big Book, you might agree there is alot more to this disease than drinking. And why would I take a pill and waste good booze? Put a little whoopie in the pill and now you got something. Oops that might be switching substances. Basically we come to AA because drinking has stopped working for us and we need to stop throwing up and start growing up. Actually this to me is a outside issue it deals with the drinking part we in AA dont have anything to say if a person would like to drink its none of our business, now if you want to stop one day at a time thats our business and we do offer permanent recovery. Read the Book before you snap a judgment on us. I dont believe the writer of this article has done an in depth reasearch on this wreckless comparison.
Hannah, what you said really makes me scared for you. Why is this something you feel you need to own? Do you not have control of other aspects in your life that this is the only thing you have control over? Help me understand.
Hello, Who the hell is the moderator here? These women need serious help and they seem to think that your little blog is a place to trade barfing tips. Any comments?
For those that are concerned, this blog is moderated. While we can’t control a reader’s desire to continue engaging in an eating disorder instead of seeking help, any further posts providing eating disorder “tips” will be removed.
As others have pointed out, there are many slogans in AA. In your post, almost all the popular ones are used. From my point of view, it is trading one addiction for another. Even more to the point, your post is truthful on how AA views the problem – it is a moral failing. Not a disease. Which makes the “steps” illogical. In one, “powerless over a disease” in another, addressing “moral failings.” If it is a disease, it is not a moral failing. If it is a moral failing, then it is not a disease. Simple. A+B=C.
AA has never produced a credible study that shows efficacy of the “program.” There was no random sampling and following up for five years. I can very safely judge the “program” without reading the “Big Book” and 90 hours of listening to drunkalogs and how “grateful” everyone is. No hard evidence, means not credible. Anecdotal stories are not evidence.
Again, the best part of the Sinclair Method is that of the 75% who control themselves, for some reason, 25% of the ones who controlled their drinking COMPLETELY quit. For five years. Isn’t that what AA is about? A group of “people with the desire to quit drinking?” In terms of complete abstinence 19% of people who used this method in the study quit permanently. Can AA say that? Oh, ”it works if you work it.” But no evidence to back it up. And a way to discount the massive failure rate – “some cannot follow our simple method.” It isn’t a “snap judgement,” it is a rational scientific method applied to a problem. The results can be quantified.
Another great idea to take from many restaurant chefs (that I guess is part and parcel of the “field to table” concept) is using seasonal ingredients. While so much produce can be shipped in from warm climates or grown in a greenhouse, if you choose the items that are truly in season, you can really enjoy your fruit and vegetable selections so much more.
hi
i am from pakistan dr i have fungule infaction( nailfungule) sometime feel pain and it has 6 to 8 months plz
tell me any home remedy i am from pakistan
plz help me about fungule
thanx
Surely you’re joking, doc: you can’t verify the safety of putting Vicks Vaporub on toenails? Come on….
I CAN verify that its safe and effective. I can also verify that using a 50-50 solution of water and hydrogen peroxide works. But the process is slow regardless of which one you use. You’ve got to be as tenacious and consistent as the fungus itself is, so prepare for many months of treatment. But they DO work.
Seriously, I laughed at one of my son’s wrestling tournaments when a dad on our team did this for his son. But then I was stunned when it stopped the bleeding. I seriously do not understand why this would work. I thought it was one of those old wive’s tales like all the hooey about how to stop the hiccups.
In my previous note, I forgot to point out something else you neglected to mention, doc: that people who use Lamasil and Sporanox may suffer serious side effects, from liver damage to irregular heartbeats and even death. While admittedly rare, these are serious considerations — as is the cost of the drugs. One estimate I saw put the cost of using Lamasil at $700.
You can take control of your addiction, without shame, without blame
Despite what the 12-step philosophy will tell you, you have options for taking control of your addiction. You can look at the differences in your options through the eyes of a ship’s captain.
* Ideally, you are the captain of your ship. It is your hand on the wheel. You decide how to address the perils of the sea.
* With addiction, your control is lost. Your elixir steers your ship.
* The 12 step path tells you to take your hand off the rudder and leave the steering to a “higher power.” http://www.huntsvillepr.com
It also works if you shove the shoe up there real tight. Seriously, I put this up there with Granny clampett’s cold remedy…take a swig and in 3 to 5 days the cold is gone.
Consider tea tree oil. It is a great natural medicine. Apply it to your nails. It’s also great for cleaning your house – put a few drops in water, and wash baseboards, windowframes, etc., in order to get rid of mold. Do some research on it and make your own decisions.
A person I know has been heating food that has medication in it in the microwave. I told him do not do that because the medication will lose its potency. Is this true? Please let me know so I can give a hard copy tp him about that subject. Thanks
jwc – Thanks for the input !!
Another point… that $700… According to my Doc, that is per month, however long it takes and “most” insurance plans will not cover it, calling it an “elective” cosmetic issue as opposed to a medical one… Go Figure !!
Lady Bee Waxing Salon is an excellent place for Brazilian Wax, Massage treatment and Facial treatment. they are located in Sandy Springs. http://www.ladybeewaxing.com
I have 2 sons, 1 doctors debated for 4 years on ‘what his problems’ were. They finally decided ADD/adhd and started pumping drugs to him. He spent more time asleep than awake- Now, they have added autism to the mix and he takes 5 different prescriptions. My 2nd son, Marcus Institute insisted that ‘male anatomy equals ritalin’[I did paraphrase]. I am convinced that the ADHD claim is bulls==t and the medical community has not convinced me otherwise, though my wife and folks are eager to buy anything said ‘by a doctor’. My 2nd son is not on any drugs and is working on starting his on business, my first son, still does not speak, and for all intents and purposes should be labeled a vegetable.
Tryptophan and niacinimide. The niacinimide prevents the Tryptophan from being converted into Niacin and thus into Serotonin from which Melatonin is made. Works great! You’ll also find you have a new outlook on life! Do not take if you take antidepressants.
I started drinking regularly at 16, heavily at 21. Up until about five(5)or six years ago, I can’t remember a single day I didn’t consume at least a quart of Whiskey. The last ten years of my drinking a consumed an average of half gallon/day. I worked at home and started drinking a 8 am and slowly drank all the way around the clock till 3 or 4 am. My weekly garbage cart dumping into the truck sounded like the morning after at a busy bar.
Nothing stopped me. Not the courts, not the mandatory AA, which made me want to drink as soon as I got back home. For me, AA was just a social club for old drunks. Sorry, just my experience. If it works for you, so be it. I was never a joiner of any clubs anyway.
I only quit, at 50 yrs old, when I made up my own mind to quit without anyone telling me I had too quit. I had already lost too many relationships with women. It was strictly a personal thing with myself. I had my last drink emptying my last bottle of VO at 4 am and went to sleep. When I woke up three hours later, I did not drink, or even be able to keep anything down including water for almost exactly 72 hours. Not even a piece of bread. I should have gone to the ER on the third day but didn’t. Its was the hardest thing I ever did and probably almost killed me. I don’t recommend it. I could barely stand up. I could barely lie down. After the 72 hours I could finally keep a sip of water on my stomach. I was dizzy for days, but I have yet to even have a single craving for a drink. Its still amazing I made it through the three days and probably is not believed by many. But, Its true. I have my life back, whats left of it. And apparently, no long term physical damage.
You just have to make your own mind up to quit. No one, can force you to quit but yourself.
If you depend on someone or something to stay sober, you will always be a ticking time bomb.
And no, I don’t have to consider myself an alcoholic to stay sober.
Wonderful, wonderful post!!! It’s so important to be able to navigate a restaurant menu on one’s own. For me, it’s been a true key to success with weight loss.
There’s an interesting post over at the Health Journal Club that makes the case that people should just not eat anything that wasn’t a food 100 years ago. Gets rid of the aspartame, bleached GM flour, high fructose corn syrup garbage they try to pass off as food these days. If interested you can read on it here, http://healthjournalclub.blogspot.com/2010/01/100-year-diet.html
Learn the facts about Alcohol Dependence. For evidence-based information on Alcohol Dependence (Alcoholism) and Alcohol Abuse, please visit us at AlcoholAnswers.org
There are comprehensive sections for the Alcohol Dependent and the Families and Friends along with information on evidence-based treatment modalities – including medicated-assisted treatment – Resources, an extensive Alcohol & Health section, and Discussion Communities for support and information at AddictionSurvivors.org
VICKS WORKS!! Doctors are pathetic. The “safety” of Vicks??? How about the mile long list of warnings on the drugs they write scripts for by the millions every single day!!??? It really is enough to make a person sick!
I read where Milk of Magnesia is good for Deodorant. It works. I started using it because my skin is so sensative and deodorant breaks out my armpits. Try it.
Plain rubbing alcohol applied once a day works great also. No aluminum or other metallic components (which may be linked to Alzheimer’s and other diseases) and a bottle of it costs about 70 cents and lasts for months.
This is sooooo True!!!! Lemon juice is a natural antibiotic as well, there is just a wealth of knowledge of what you can do with lemon juice. Also great houshold cleaner!!!
[...] Better Health has a great post today about planning out your own diet and what to focus on. Even though these are core concepts, they are very solid and should be the foundation of any diet plan. [...]
Deodorant has aluminum sulfate to block sweat. The sulfate after time causes more body odor than most peoples body chemistry does. The key is personal hygiene, powder and understanding how your diet affects your body odor. Oh, and all you smokers not only have bad breath, teeth and gums, you’ve also got really bad body odor.
It is true that if ou don’t take care of yourself no one else will. Before going to the restaurant and choosing meals from their ‘healthy menu’ section you have to learn the basics of healthy nutrition to make sure your restaurant meal complies with the healthy rules.
Steve Martin, in one of his old comedy routines, said he used Tuna Fish Sandwiches:
“Tunafish Sandwich! I put a tunafish sandwich under each arm, one or two behind the ears… I don’t smell like any other guy! And it’s economical too, because the smell lasts for four or five days.”
Teaman is right. I use whole lemons under my arms all day, then stir them into my tea at night. I also use apples, oranges, cantelopes, figs, pears, grapefruits, apricots, and ocassioanly asparagus or brocoli. My wife does too. She thinks persimmons are the best thought.
When I was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago, one of the first things my alternative medicine “doctor” did was to take me off all deodorants and shampoos and especially deodorant soaps. For a week or so, I did smell; however, that was my body being allowed to purge the poisons in it. From that point, the smell stopped. Also, there are alternative deodorants at Whole Foods that do not contain aluminum. My diagnosis was a deadly agressive type of cancer of the lymph nodes. I declined radiation and chemo. I am thankful I have been free for 10 years in April 2010! Also, avoid using the microwave for anything. It kills any life in the food. As I understand it, hospitals know this and do not use the microwave to thaw blood as an example.
I’m all for recycling but are you folks saying that you use the lemon for your tea ‘after’ using it under your armpits? If so, thanks for sharing (your story…not the tea).
Some people are so arrogant in their ingnorance! Lemons work! So many health issues can be solved right in the kitchen if people took the time to truly understand the relationship between food and thier bodies. I’ve never heard of using milk of magn, I’ll have to try it along with using alcohol. Thanks!
This is a good link also about a series of books that list good things to eat instead of bad. Lots of free info. Happens to be in a womans magazine but works just as well for the men.
I think I will try lemon juice. Does it have to be fresh lemons or is bottled lemon juice just as effective? We really do need to be concerned about the contents of deodorant.
How do we know that the magnesium in the milk of magnesia isn’t just as bad as aluminum? I note that Magnesium is number 12 on the periodic table and Aluminum is number 13.
True Story: I once put a lemon under my arms for about an hour, then squeezed as hard as I could with a glass underneath to catch the juice. Then I added some sugar and water, a little ice and served it to my Ex-wife when she came over to pick up her alimony check!!!!
Sweat does not smell. The smell is caused by bacteria that eats the sweat and excretes waste that has a strong odor. The alcohol remedy probably works by killing the bacteria. I’ve heard about using Milk of Magnesia before and will probably try it.
Agree with jj, but the images still have me laughing! Mineral salts are the cheapest way to stay fresh smelling, and you can use it on your armpits and your feet! It may look expensive in the store, but one “stick” will last over a year.
What about the anti-perspirant aspect of regular deodorant? I would like to use a more natural deodorant, but I can’t stand being sweaty. This doesn’t address that problem, worse for some of us than others.
Thanks for the article. Once you get the hang of it – dieting – it actually is very easy. The one thing I learned is that it’s all about health. Losing weight and maintaining the weight-loss is great, but the health aspect of it is much more important.
I like to say: “Invest in your body and it will pay daily dividends.”
@JMoore… of course they don’t microwave the blood in hospitals- they don’t want to cook it! That has nothing to do with whether microwaves are an acceptable way to cook food.
Benadryl or its generic equivalent might help. The chemical name is diphenhydramine hydrochloride. It’s the sleep aid in Tylenol PM. Most nights I can refrain from using it if have gotten robust exercise that day, and if I stop the caffeine consumption at least 6 or 7 hours before bedtime, and don’t eat at least 3 hours before bedtime. I’m 57 years old. For what it’s worth.
Simply place the plate beneath your pillow & thats all for insomnia.
Tesla purple energy plates, india, are Trans-receivers of Universal Free Energy & are a perfect Natural Pain Reliever.It is designed for life long use on HUMANS, ANIMALS & PLANTS.
You wouldn’t have to rush to HOSPITAL for a sudden Migraine, Back Pain, Sprain BURN, Spondalities, Fibromyalgia,,Headache,Stomach ache,toothache ,stress,fatigue,trauma,depression.For chronic pains use it daily two times a day & experience the LESSENING of the intensity of pain from day one.
Use it for Meditation & much much more.
These Plates also guards against the Electro Magnetic Radiation from computers, cells, etc. which is generally responsible for all pain, stress, depression, etc.
Two million or so have Celiac disease, 95% or more are undiagnosed. Therefore, many of you have Celiac and do not have a clue. I no longer eat white or refined flours, only gluten free crackers or breads. I was anemic, doctor was watching me as pre-leukemia, I lost 13 lbs in two weeks by no longer eating flour, wheat, and such products. I eat pasta made from corn or rice. Plain vegetables, fresh fruits, meats with out coatings (grilled, backed, broiled meats) can be eaten, there are plenty of food choices. I do wish the fast food places would be more aware of this disease. I have lost 30 lbs without any effort except watching my diet.
I had two cycles of oral Lamisil both of which eliminated my toenail fungus. But each time it returned. The first time I was careless and kept my old (infected) shoes. But after the second regimen I got new shoes, changed socks daily, sometimes twice daily, and daily used fungicides on my cuticles and nail tips. But the fungus is returning a third time. Are repeated regimens of Lamisil cumulatively harmful healthwise? I am ready for a third cycle but concerned about side effects.
In Sept of 2009, Dannon settled rather than going to court – a lawsuit for 300 million dollars over whether or not yogurt possess the qualities you ascribe here.
So, apparently no so, or not enough real evidence to make this claim.
I like what the dietitian states and wish more people would eat fruits and vegetables rather than junk. I enjoy a spinach salad with a little bit of salad dressing for dinner. I like to eat an apple as dessert for lunch every day.
I eat the oatmeal recipe that is in the Flat Belly Diet book every weekday morning. Oatmeal, 1/4c. strawberries, 1/2 banana, 2T walnuts, 2T dark chocolate chips. I haven’t noticed my belly getting flatter, but it sure is good! and, yeah, I am regular as Old Faithful!
I have a little girl who is 9 years old that was diagnosed with ADHD in 2nd grade. We knew there was something not quite the same with her in pre-school but didn’t quite know what to do. The teacher was not helpful. She couldn’t sit still and had a hard time concentrating. She went onto Kindergarten and the teacher said that she was having problems concentrating and sitting like the other kids. Nothing was said other than that. Again the teacher was not helpful. She went onto 1st and she had a teacher that should have retired years ago and just wanted to put her on drugs. My husband and I were against it so we fought the school system and told them they have to help her. That we were not backing down or going away. 1st grade teacher wouldn’t help. We didn’t know what to do. We want to help my child but didn’t know how. So we enrolled her in Sylvan. They helped her to concentrate on her reading since it was one on one, gave us tips on what to do as parents to help, and it started getting better. The issue was we couldn’t afford to continue Sylvan so we had to stop that since the economy went down hill. She moved onto 2nd grade and got a great teacher. We started working with the teacher to help our daughter. At this point, my daughter is a grade behind on reading. She would come home at night and start crying because she knew she was different then the other kids. She couldn’t sit still and concentrate like the other kids. She kept telling us that she was dumb and she couldn’t control her words. The teacher gave us books to read that talk about diet and drugs. She said there are many parents that don’t want to drug their children and find other ways to help. So we started sitting with my daughter at night doing homework with a different view on things, some nights she can do the homework on her own with no issues, then there are other nights that we spend 3 hours doing one paper. Its so fustrating to see her desire to learn, to sit still, and concentrate but can’t. Some nights we just sit and cry together. We have tried flash cards, objects to assist with learning, and mind mapping to help her. The one thing that seems to help us is using the senses to help her learn. I read quite a few books about the brain and learning. Each child whether they have ADD, ADHD or no issues learn differently and use three major senses; Audio, Visual, and Touch/Feel. No one child is part of a cookie cutter mold. You just need to find the way your child learns. My daughter for reading; is Touch/Feel, Audio, and Visual. The first two get you 90% of the way to learning and the last one just seals it. For math on the other hand; she is Touch/Feel, Visual, and then Audio. So when she was learning the states, we had her trace the state, say it, and then read it. She aced the test each and every time as she was learning them. She was soo happy that she couldn’t wait to tell us how well she did. We give 5 minute breaks between homework assignments so she can move around. We allow her to stand or sit when doing her homework. And we always make sure she has a snack before the homework starts. She is on a high protein and fat diet and still hasn’t really gained any weight because of her high activity. But after saying all that, we don’t know what child will show up for class the next day or for homework at night. We have to prepare ourselves to accept both. Now she is still a good year behind in class. We will be visiting the doctor again this year to see what else we can do and to re-evaluate if we should give her drugs. So far we haven’t. But either way she may have to stay back a year to catch up on her learning. Not sure yet. We live each day a day at a time. Sometimes hour by hour. But we love her and will not give up trying to help her.
Fiber does another amazing thing . . . it creates the feeling of satiety and thus assists in the effort to lose weight. While it’s not a secret, tons-o-people do not know about the magic of fiber.
I’ve had insomnia since I was an infant. Newborns should sleep more than five hours a day. It just got worse as I got older.
I’ve been on every over the counter medication. Herbal suppliments do nothing. Every prescribed medication does nothing, including benzodiazepines, barbituates and narcotics. I’ve doubled or tripled the dose on them, mixed them, mixed and overdosed on them, added alcohol for kicks, and still cannot fall asleep.
I had surgery less than a week ago. Even the anesthesiologist was unable to put me under. The pain was numbed, so I was able to force myself to ignore what was going on.
I’ve found myself missing days at a time with no memory of what I’ve done. In college, a roommate swears that I was awake for 17 days straight. After I started walking into walls and talking to people that weren’t there, she managed to get me to drink over a liter of vodka and pass out. During that time, I attended class, took notes, and even went so far as cooking. Luckily, my roommate hid my car keys at the time.
So far, I have found no solution. I can binge drink to pass out, but society frowns upon that simply for smelling like alcohol the next day. I do not drive once I’ve started the routine and I have never once suffered a hangover.
I have a rare tolerance to alcohol, and I do not suggest that anyone else take this route. Even though it is the only thing I have found to date that allows me to sleep, I have lost several jobs simply due to my morning breath. I find this unfair since no one has yet to fire a smoker for a similar excuse.
If anyone can find a real cure, I kindly ask you to post it.
I’m wondering. The people that are having a huge laugh at all this…have you ever tried it? If not then you’re one of those that see someone overweight, then holler out “whale on beach!” Very small minded….I’d like to be the fly on the wall to see what you would do to not die from cancer! Of course I’m sure you would smack me with a book or flapper since it’s ok for others to die from whatever…
I use lemon juice from real lemons, (not the fake lemon juice) I squeeze a little juice from one half of a lemon every morning and let dry and im fresh all day! I cannot tell you how long I have been looking for a remedy, as an adult I have come to be allergic to everything, I used secret all my life and in an instant couldnt use it anymore, I used drysol wich is very uncomfortable, I even tried mens deodorant but nothing worked I read about using lemons and went for it! IT WORKS GREAT!! I am so happy!! not stinky anymore!! lol
just Me, for your oatmeal recipe I would reduce the dark chocolate chips to every other day. Dark chocolate does have good qualities but every day might be a bit too much?
I was saddened to read “Not So Apparently” comment about yogurt. Dannon yogurt is full of sugar. Read the label. Last time I checked around a quarter of a cup. The amount of sugar in the yogurt pretty much negates the probiotic effectiveness of yogurt. Plain LOW FAT yogurt, not FAT FREE which usually has added sugar, can be very healthy. If eating plain low fat yogurt is not pleasant then it may be dressed up with honey or a teaspoon of all fruit jam or vanilla with nuts — other delicious ways to keep the product health promoting. The probiotic bacteria don’t do well with sugar. Such microorganisms do well with Fructooligosaccharides (FOS).
Connie, it is getting easier all the time to watch what you eat. We at Edgemaster Mobile Sharpening eat out a lot because we sharpen knives for so many restaurants, we can see what happens in the kitchen and get to know the chefs/cooks very well. Have you ever written anything about knife sharpening in restaurants? Would like to hear from you or anyone who can help us reach more kitchens in the U.S. Thanks, Jon at Edgemaster Mobile Sharpening.
A common cause of insomnia is sleep apnea. My son had a sleep study done and we found out he was awakening from his sleep on an average of 43 times per hour. Now he has a C-Pap machine to aid in the proper breathing while he sleeps. He is still trying to get adjusted to the machine, but at least we know what is causing his insomnia. BTW, the reason why he couldn’t go to sleep is that as he was trying to go to sleep, he was being awakened by the sleep apnea. My best advice for insomnia….Get a sleep study done!
I have had sleep issues every time I have tried to get off hormones. I tried for a year a few years back when the big controversy came up over the hormones…..to no avail! Miserable life to not be able to sleep! I tried everything in the book! NO, I did not have a sleep Apnea test done! Although I have friends who have! I am back off the hormones, trying one more time. I have to get up at 5:30am for work so if I do not sleep for at least two hours during the night it is needless to say a nightmare for me! I have been taking 1/2 Ambien, which I hate to do…..but what else can I do! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Every women except a handful that I talk to who are in there 50’s or 60’s are experiencing sleep problems. When I was on the hormones, no problem, slept like a baby! What a nightmare!
Yes and I think it’s HILARIOUS when skinny people are blue and shivering……har har.
My husband is very lean – works out every day, eats right, etc. He is always HOT, can’t wear sweaters at all, wears shorts in the winter and hates having a blanket on him at night. I think it’s his metabolism being all revved up. Whatever – it’s great having that furnace to cozy up to at night!
If you eat 3 times a day, you should poop 3 times a day. If you are not, you need to do something about it. Probiotics, enzymes, vitamins, and other supplements should be taken every day because those who consume cooked food lack the viable enzymes necessary for proper digestion and the vitamins that are all destroyed in the cooking process. Processed and dead cooked food all contribute to the death of the literally trillions of healthy digestive tract bacteria that we need, not just for good digestion, but for sound immune systems.
Eating the “right” things is only the beginning. Those things need to be raw and only plants. Anything else just robs your body of good health.
Amazing… all the people who have bad things to say about kettlebells who have never used them. Ignorance is apparently still very rampant in the good ol’ U.S. of A. Fad? Trend? The uninformed, parroting, cynical naysayers do so without ANY knowledge whatsoever of what a kettlebell is or its effectiveness. I have to wonder what the physiques are like of these big talkers. Anyone who has worked with a kettlebell (unlike you idiots who say it’s just a fad) will attest to the effectiveness of it. No, it is not the cure-all, end-all. It is simply another piece of equipment that will dramatically increase one’s fitness conditions and performance. But whatever… you guys who shoot down the kettlebell with ZERO knowledge about or experience with it are obviously either “larger than life” couch potatoes, or bulky can’t-scratch-my-back-to-save-my-life, water-logged (and maybe roids?) sarcoplasmic muscle heads who still do the same goofy workouts you did back in high school. Go back to your sissy, useless bicep curls. We gireviks (I bet you have no idea what that word means… go ahead… google it and fake it, like your workouts) will run circles around you in terms of real life functional strength and endurance. Don’t get me wrong… if you’re laying on your back and a car falls on you, I’m sure that bench press will really come in handy. I’m glad you guys think it’s a useless, trendy fad… then we don’t have to worry about you sissies ever coming anywhere NEAR our levels of physical fitness.
Well, hey. At least you’ll look real good with no neck and huge muscles that are build on sarcoplasm. (Go ahead. Google it. You know you want to. Well… I guess I shouldn’t assume that… you probably enjoy being ignorant and being part of the shallow club of followers.)
@Kat: Per the caption, “Kirk Scheiwe (left) and John Moore (right) were treated at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for broken limbs after being in a car accident.” The photo is from 2003. Thanks for your inquiry.
After over 20 years of suffering with autoimmune problems and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, I was finally diagnosed with Celiac disease a couple of years ago. The long-term damage to my system was so pronounced that I have also developed allergies to casein and nuts. Needless to say, I’ve been desperate to find something that will help me “normalize” my system (to the greatest extent it can be), and cleanse it as well.
The Dr Max Powers 15 Day Cleanse was EXACTLY what I was looking for. Excellent, effective, and allergen-free. Two-a-day along with an allergen-free diet and my IBS is a thing of the past. Best of all–no prescription medication needed now! The price is pretty great, too.
Don’t forget to also suggest adding Rice Bran Oil. Rice Oil has more antioxidants and vitamin E than olive and canola oils. Rice Oil contains Oryzanol, not found in other oils, which is a more powerful than vitamin E in fighting free radicals and can help lower cholesterol.
Alice Louise Karow, Author of Cook from Your Heart
April 1st, 2010 3:58 am
It’s great to see such a collaboration between medicine and culinary arts! When I cooked for clients as a personal chef, I was amazed at how many people didn’t know how to cook – I wondered how they survived to adulthood! I’m happy to see the trend toward eating healthier which I’m hoping also means a trend toward more people truly enjoying cooking.
Interesting. Never thought to ask about that though they’ve done blood workups for most of those things anyways and found none.
I’m not on the thin side, but I even keep a blanket at work – below about 73 and I start shivering, under 70 and my fingers are blue. Perhaps I should be moving to Florida or Texas. :-/
There’s at least one study of NYC’s law that shows these things don’t have an impact, however, I tend to think more information is a good thing so that we as consumers/diners can make informed choices. I blogged about this recently:
The government likes it when more people grovel for handouts. It helps them validate expansion AND it helps keep them in control. Helping people who actually need help is tertiary to politicians… hell, maybe not even that.
“why not just give the kids some beer to calm them down? it helps me to think clearer. it should help them.”
I do that to, a little bit, if I need a nap and can’t go to sleep.
In Europe I’m sure it’s not a big deal but over here someone would probably have the SWAT team at your door for “child abuse” or “drugging your child.”
What you can eat, what you can smoke, what you can watch and listen to, what insurance you have to buy…inching closer and closer to a government run society. Why doesnt the government just turn to communism so that we have no choices at all and we eat, buy, and do exactly what the government wants us to do.
Rob – this doesn’t specify what people can and can not eat. It provides more information. Perhaps if we have a better educated society people will make better food choices. There is no down side to this and Uncle Sam will not replace Ronald McDonald.
Rob, What Derek said. We have a right to know what’s in what we’re eating – no one is stopping you from gorging on a Hardee’s triple death bacon burger – the FDA just wants people who seem to think this is a good health choice to at least have access to the facts, even if they opt to ignore them.
You also can pretty much watch and listen to whatever you want – I don’t see there being a lot of censorship on TV, in film, or on the radio – the ‘free speech’ your pals Rush and Glenn offer up is proof of that, wouldn’t you say?
Derek and Tommy, your “argument” is as weak as the Baptist one for prayer in school. See, they don’t want their children to pray, they want YOURS too whether you want them to or not. Same thing.
The calorie count of EVERY fast food place is easy to find. Every joint has a website and every website has a section called “Nutritional information.” If you are so worried, YOU go to the website and lok it up for YOURSELF. Don’t force the fast food places to buy new signs inside and out for every store they own because YOU are worried some fat chick doesn’t know that those super sized fries are going straight to her ass. She knows, she has seen her reflection. (or fat dude, same thing). Us fat people are fat because we WANT to be fat. When I’m on a diet I don’t head for a Super Slop burger with Monster sized fries dipped in extra grease and wash it down with a 5 gallon cup of sugar, I mean soft drink. here really is NOTHING healthy at a fast food restaurant, not even the salads. Don’t believe me? Go check any fast food places’ website and look how they glop the calories onto their salads………..
Also Tommy, where did we get this so called “right” to know what we are eating? YOU buy the crap don’t you? It’s not MY responsibility to inform YOU of the crap YOU choose to eat. Eat a dirty diaper for all I care…………….. THAT is your “right.” If you are too stupid and lazy to research the food that YOU put in YOUR body, how is that MY problem? And if i want to eat a super fat filled globular meal deal, why should I have to pay more because the company serving it has to put some stupid calorie count that if I cared about I would find out myself on every menu?
Man, I wish I had the sign concession for all these places though lol………..
Are people actually still arguing and picking at this issue?
The solution always has been and always will be the same.
***Ronald McDonald to start offering healthy food without letting people know that it’s actually ‘healthy’.***
We already know that people don’t like change in the U.S. Look what’s happening to that British Chef right now (Jamie Oliver). He’s getting grilled and ripped to shreds by Americans for telling them to change their game up. All of the above solutions will not work. Anit or Pro Government.
Hail to healthy McD’s
Like that that meer-Kat from the advert states ”SIMPLES!!’
Have you seen “Demolition Man”? In one part, the characters are eating at a restaurant and the main character (who was frozen years before and thawed recently) asks for salt. The reply . . . “No. Salt has been deemed bad for you, hence it’s illegal.” We’re getting there. Beth
THE FACT THAT MANY ADULTs look favorably on a NANNY STATE…is frightening….More gov’t in their lives don’t bother some Americans…FRIGHTENING…..very frightening
Peachcare is wonderful……unless you actually work for the state. The insurance offered by the state is wonderful…if you can afford it.. My ex-husband is responsible for the insurance for our child but becuase I work for the state ( making 14 dollars an hour) he can not be covered by Peachcare. I am SO SURE that OBAMA CARE WILL BE SO MUCH BETTER. You probably wont qualify if you voted Republican!!!
I’ve tried lots of low-fat diets for a couple of years but none of them made me feel satisfied. Although, there are lots of diets,like Atkins diet but it’s making me feel weak and unhealthy. But when I tried Medifast Diet,i feel like I’m on the right kind of diet plan. It doesn’t make me feel weak.
The caloric intake is around 800-1000 calories.It’s a bit pricey, but there are lots of coupons available on the internet
Even if you don’t pay full price.You just have to choose a diet plan which your body reacts positively.No one knows your body better than you do…
I think it is great to get these nanny state arguments out on the table for all to see. I certainly agree that the role of government in our lives is something to be concerned about. Finding the right balance certainly involves some trial and error. Let’s consider the record, though. Requiring seat belts–mistake? Requiring passports for international travel–mistake? Banning smoking from restaurants–mistake? Traffic lights–mistake? Requiring car insurance–mistake? Grades in school–mistake? Electrical standards for homes–mistake? Food inspection–mistake? License plates on cars–mistake? State licenses for medical doctors–mistake? Lemon laws–mistake? Compatibility standards for the Internet, cell phones, wireless, etc.–mistake? Near as I can understand these arguments, Haiti is seen as a conservative paradise. Give us one country out of all those on earth that we can use as a model of the ideal conservative society? Again, I am not suggesting that mistakes are never made or that vigilance is not needed, but in most cases I look back and ask why government did not act quicker. The idea that children (and adults) would go into public places filled with known cancer causing tobacco smoke…why did we live that way? Sadly, we need protection from ourselves and each other. I welcome more on the conservative view. What past regulations were grievous errors not undone? What other nation gives us even a partial sense of the vast benefits of less government? What about our day-to-day lives convinces you that we would not promptly die without proper oversight?
Iam glad to see my tax dollars go to hard working Americans that need it,rt now for they have paid in the same as everyone else that worked.I would think some of you should be thankful you have a job with the goverment since a lot of tax dollars have kept your jobs going,is that not spanking the hand that feeds you.
If we the people made sure that others had food, clothing, and housing then the state wouldn’t need to help these people. As long as we are willing to sit by and not help then the state will step in.
Something to be mindful of is to encourage communities to not discard their cultural significance in their foodways and diet. Making modifications to the unhealthful aspects of their diet (i.e. fried foods, etc) will encourage adoption of these changes and recognize the value of their life experience and cultural fingerprint.
Government subsidies and other manipulations of the agriculture market are one of the prime reasons for the lower cost of most junk food. Massive corn subsidies combined with tarrifs on imported sugar are the key reason for the replacement of natural sugar with toxic, diabetes-causing high fructose corn syrup and other refined corn products.
Government actions fixing problems they caused. Never happened, never will.
Hm… i think there are too many contributing factors
when determining a bra size for this chart to be accurate.
I have been measured multiple times as a D cup, sometimes even a DD depending on the make of bra, yet this chart suggests i am a B?
The rest of the information was very helpful thankyou.
Gautama Buddha is the founder of the Vipassana (mindful meditation); that really helps to overcome physical and mental sufferings, specially, sorrow, lamentation peace and harmony,and much more. There are many resources to learn and practice of Mindful meditation, the best recommendation to learn of Mindful meditation is “Satipatthana Sutta” In Majjima Nikyaka.
Faced with a health issue five years ago, I did extensive research and learned about good fats/bad fats, good carbs/bad carbs, etc. The biggest factor was Omega-3s. When it comes to farm raised vs. wild on any fish, here’s what I found — farm raised are given “feed” that diminishes the impact of Omega-3 whereas wild is extremely high. If at all possible, go for the wild! As for mercury contamination, my research showed that the larger the fish, the higher the risk — whether wild or farm raised. Just my two cents.
So, with such important info….we now need some quick, easy tasty recipes and menus built around this, and helping us incorprate them into our busy lives so we can become healthier!
Pan-sear both sides of a salmon (season with olive oil, sea salt, pepper) filet for 2-3 min and bake in the oven for 10 for a perfect fish. I also grill it on a cedar plank. Perfect every time and guests love it.
How about mentioning the health benefits gained by eating grass fed beef which is also naturally high in omega 3 and low in saturated fats? My understanding is grass fed beef is actually higher in omega 3 than farmed fish. That could be the next article regarding this fatty acid.
Since I had a health problem (heart) in 2005 we have made grilled salmon and grilled vegetables a staple in our home for at least one meal a week. Salmon is now my “steak” and I love it. It also seems to improve blood sugar levels for my wife and myself. I usually season it with olive oil, thyme, and crushed red pepper but also like it with cajun seasoning and lemon. Perfect every time.
As they say, everything in moderation. I personally am a Vegan, so eggs are not a question for me, though I feel as long as you are not eating 3+ per meal, they are probably healthy. It’s all a matter of being in touch with your body.
It’s wonderful that the AJC, and public-oriented folks such as Ms. O’Neil, write excellent articles like this. However, I personally believe the vast majority of folks out there are simply too damn lazy to even, well, give a damn…the masses, in spite of well-meaning messages, are more-intent on their candidacy for the Darwin Award.
That being said…thank you, Ms. O’Neil, for an excellent article.
One continues to marvel at the fact that mankind has somehow managed to survive without garnering so much “interest” from the government…that entity which was Our Government. When we were hungry, we ate, when thirsty, we drank. Meanwhile, OUR GOVERNMENT had the time and inclination to go about the business of governing. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?
why is all this from feb 09 it is april 2010. wondering if anyone out there uses effexor and cipralex or some other combo that works, i used prozac and it worked well but i stopped it due to side affects and now effexor takes the edge off but i need something else, i hike swim walk work listen to music socialize but still need something else what???
There is not a salt shaker in my house but it is none of the federal goverments buisness what anyone eats. Cut off the funds to these idiots and save a lot money. This is one thing tax dollare should not even get close to.
If the government wants to do something to truly help the health of our country,then they need to ban cigarettes. But they’re not ABOUT to do that, because we’ve got too many politicians who are in the tobaco industry’s back pocket.
The government needs to stay out of my business. If my blood pressure starts to rise, then I’ll get rid of my salt. But until then, they can kiss my patootie.
I totally support the efforts as part of the Health Care Reform Act to require restaurants to disclose their nutritional information. I think making sure consumers have information to make a good decision is great. Regulating how much of an ingredient a restaurant or food manufacturer can put into a particular food is very different, though. I say make sure people have the information on what they’re eating, but let them choose what goes into their body and what doesn’t.
100% behind this. This should have been done over a decade ago.
Now, if they will just take the salt shakers off every table in the US then it will get even better. At the very least I won’t have to worry about the addicts that want to add MORE salt to tortilla chips without asking eveyrone else at the table. Maybe I should start pouring ketchup over the chips without asking them and see if they like it.
There is a big difference betweening being able to police the salt restrictions and being able to ban cigs by the way. Cigs will just go underground and become like alcohol in the past, or other drugs now. That would be costly to police, and very costly in human lives when it becomes a black market issue. A cheaper idea would probably be to hit every person caught smoking with a stay in jail until they pay off a fine. It would fund our roads, schools, police and fire forces for decades.
[...] week advisors to the FDA recommended that they regulate salt in our diets. You’d think the government would have better things to do than to tell us fatties what to eat. [...]
Sure, why not? If I have to pay for some else’s health care, I will support the salt police, the soda police, the fast food police, the obesity police, the anti-smoking police, the seat belt police and all the other “big brothers” that will make sure your “bad habits” don’t cost me money to pay for your health care.
If they really want to do something to improve people’s health, get rid of all the pharmaceutical drugs that people are snarfing down like candy and get the FDA out of bed with the drug companies. I’m sick of big gov worrying about my salt shaker while they turn a blind eye to the multi-billion dollar drug industry. If people are concerned about salt content, read the food labels and refuse to buy high salt food (if that’s what floats your boat). Personally, I want to keep big Daddy out of my pantry.
I thought we were all eligible for Medicaid now that health reform has passed? Isn’t it true that 15 million of the 30 million uninsured who will now be insured will be insured by Medicaid? I hope I am in that group.
John’s Creek Resident makes my point for me. This is exactly what happens when you allow the government to steal your money and take over control of medical care. Bloomberg too is using the excuse that NYC has to pay too much in medical care costs so they are going to ban added salt in all restaurants. I assume that his comments are tongue in cheek on the creep of totalitarianism under the guise of forced socialism, but this is the inevitable result.
Steve of course is just a totalitarian and obviously has little enough to worry about in his own life that now he wants to spend time worrying about everyone else’s. He of course fails to understand both economics and human nature but certainly has little respect for freedom, liberty, or anything else that used to be valued in this country. Why he is not living in China or other such repressive regime is a mystery. Maybe he gets off on watching people’s rights be violated and a society that has been lacking in rights for so long just isn’t as amuzing.
If the government stopped subsidizing the food industry, stopped promoting the agenda’s of every food industry lobbyiest, etc. then real food might better be able to compete on price at the market and the natural trend might be away from these unhealty products. The free market and liberty are much better problem solvers than totalitarianism and resulting black markets.
Salt was once money it is so imporant to life itself. I guess as the dollar gets destroyed by the Federal Reserve, it is only natural that government go after gold, silver, salt, and anything else with more intrinsic value than a worthless piece of green printed paper.
I agree with most everyone here. This is starting to get to be the “fad” of the month. This month salt, next month ice chewing, where does it stop? And has anyone ever noticed that the people who are telling you how to stay healthy are the 30-40 year old doctors and the people who live to be 100 smoke, drink and eat salt?
Lindy…the point is that people don’t read the labels. When “bid daddy” is kept out of your pantry it leads to a nation where a third of its citizens are either obese or morbidly obese, and more than half are overweight. People make terrible decisions about their health because they’re allowed to. Fat people should be taxed, or sent to a gulag and forced to perform manual labor until they shrink down to a suitable weight.
I don’t think the government has any right telling what you can do with your body. If you want to screw your body up that should be your business but you also need to take personel responsibility for your doctor bills. We have too many people in this country that thinks the government should control our lives from cradle to grave. That’s kind of like slavery isn’t it? Take responsibility for your own lives and not let someone else tell how to live your life.
I drink ice water all day and the doc said I need to consume more salt. Sure you can add salt with a shaker but as any chef will tell you, it’s not the same when it’s seasoned into the food in stages.
The FDA has no damn business telling anyone how much salt can be used. It’s the consumers decision.
YOU CAN TAKE OUR SALT, BUT YOU’LL NEVER TAKE OUR FREEDOM!!
Maybe the govt will start with the Kosher salt, since the regime seems to have beef with Israel. Then they can get the rock salt to combat climate change. Finally, they will ban the ocean, since it is salty, too. Don’t forget salt licks, since cow flatulence causes global warming!
What happens when the sex police feel you’ve had too much sex for a month? Do they take the offending organ away? That’s the epitome of gov’t intervention !!
I think it’s a good idea if they regulate the amount of salt in processed foods. Some people are forced to feed their families 4 for a $1 canned fruits and vegetables from the Value Mart due to their budget. And, if you read the label on canned foods, you’ll see that they are high in sodium. The gov’t isn’t going to take away your salt shakers, so you can season your foods as you want. However, it will help millions of people that don’t have a lot of dietary choices reduce their risk of hypertension and heart-related ailments.
I completely agree with you, G.L. Most are missing the point here, if they actually think Big Gov is going to take away their salt shakers. Hyperbole? Or just poor reading comprehension? My father had a stroke and can only have a tiny amount of salt, and we have the HARDEST time finding foods that aren’t completely over the top with their salt content. You want the poorer population to be healthier so you don’t have to pay for their healthcare? Then make the only food they can afford a little better for them. Geez, people sure are crabby about their sodium.
I say a big “NO” to big brother. I am already personally aware of health issues and a health conscious person however education would be a nice touch. Spend a few dollars on advertising but stay the heck out of my personal business. Ultimately the decision should rest with me.
It is completely inane, and anyone having a hard time finding food with out salt is either full of it or an idiot, there are options everywhere! and I don’t want to hear about expensive “fresh food” go to the farmers market or by frozen which is just as cheap as canned. It is called LAZY when folks complain about it
I agree, G.L. It is incredibly difficult to find low-sodium foods, and they are often considered “special diet” foods and are more expensive. And so often there is NO reason for these foods to be so heavily salted, especially vegetables. It’s sad when the healthy food is just as bad for you as the junk food … and everyone wonders why so many people are fat!
Dan, I think you’re a little out of touch with the reality of food cost and availability. Just because those options are available to you does not mean they are available to everyone.
In a word…No. This is more big progressive government trying to tell me how to live my life for the greater good of society, or some form of social justice. The only thing I ask from my government is to keep me safe from foreign attacking enemies, and then to let me live my life, raise my kids, run my business, worship, travel, and pretty much anything under the sun — as I see fit and without government interference.
Of course they should step in. Right now only a handful of profit makers taking the easy way out to make flavor in their product and who take no responsibility for the effects should not be left in control. Of salt is regulated then people’s appetite and intake of salt will drop. If the food processors still want to compete on flavor then maybe they will improve the quality of their products.
Mark Twain once said, “Most people can’t read the handwriting on the wall until their backs are up against it.” People with bad habits such as eating the wrong foods, smoking, lack of exercise, et al, are not going to change just because the government legislates against poor behaviors. We should not waste not even one dime of taxpayer dollars on “salt” legislation regardless of the government’s good intentions. People who eat healthy do not need the aggravation; people who abuse salt will someday read the handwriting on the wall. The consequences of their poor choices might (small chance) incent them to influence the loved ones they leave behind. But government intervention – we might as well start a “cash for salt shakers” program.
Methinks Steve woke up in the wrong country this morning. Sure, we need to eat less salt, less fat, fewer carbs. But it’s a personal choice. And as a country we’re making progress. We need less government intervention, not more.
Salt is a huge issue in American diest. It leads to increased blood pressure, increased occirence of strokes and heart attacks; however the governments job is not to police the public on how much salt they should eat. The belts in Washington are tight from not only salt, and increased fat intake but from their wads of cash they are making off fat Americans with health problems. Its just another way to meddle in peoples lives. If they want to solve some eating habits lets start feeding our kids in public schools less processed foods and increase fresh produce and whole grains. Oh wait…that would cost too much money right? Better to try to change grown adults who can make their own decisions than set the standard early for our future leaders by teaching them how to eat healthy early on.
I think that this is a very good idea. we really need to start eating right and this will definitely increase that chance……. all th people that are against this idea are probably FAT!!!!
It’s SALT!!!! So would the govt just regulate sodium chloride (table salt), or would they go after some other fun salts too, such as sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), calcium carbonate (chalk), or calcium chloride (road salt)? Next thing you know, the govt will try to regulate carbon dioxide and make us wear CO2 breathalyzers.
Fed govt (congress) should just function for 3 months out of the year like the GA assembly. Maybe that would keep them focused and out of my salt shaker.
Salt? I workout almost every day and sweat like a fountain. I love salt. It is a natural cleansing agent and sweating is a great way to remove impurities from the body.
Limiting salt intake is just the beginning of the government controlling you. When the health care plan kicks in, your personal choice freedoms will be ripped away. Every part of your life will be dictated to by the federal government. American’s voted for change, here it is.
Cali native, 48 and in great shape. Why is it the more we have forced on us as far as labeling of foods, the more fat people we have. Fast food outlets list calories and so do many others but when fatass kids play video games instead of playing outside and we pay people to sit around their homes through welfare, people get fat. This is another area that responsible people are being dictated to because of lazy slobs. The gov distributes and taxes tobacco and alcohol and turns a blind eye to the effects of those because of the revenue generated. If gov wants to take away bad things, lets start with the things that kill the fastest. I can go to dinner, drink booze and drive home possibly killing someone and liberals are whining about salt. How many hwy deaths are the result of someone consuming to much salt ? How about forcing gov aid recipients to eat well and take drug tests then weigh in every three months. Liberals say that poor people are only fat because eating healthy is expensive and that is bull. That is the group that has plenty of time to go for a walk.
Nobody is arguing that eating less salt is a bad idea. The disagreement is a fundamental difference in what people feel is the appropriate role of the federal government. Where do we stop when it comes to government regulating our lifestyle? If you don’t like the salt content in a can of food, then buy something else.
Salt is just too familiar. We would howl for fines, prison sentences, and FDA regulation if we caught a food processor adding a flavor enhancing chemical with an unpronounceable name to their products that would cause heart disease in a quarter of their consumers.
I think that it’s neccessary unfortunately due to the wide-spread over application of salt in almost every food service/production area.
Basically it’s almost impossible to have a low sodium diet eating processed foods. The hidden sodium count invalidate even so called “health food” stores for healthy options.
For restaurants it’s especially hard because unlike grocery shopping, you don’t have the knowledge to make decisions. Frankly, I’ve also found high sodium to often be the result of lazy chefs and lazy palates.
Of course you still have the option to pour half a salt shaker on your food if you want, but it’s impossible to take it out if it’s already there. Just as you have the option not to eat meat, gluten or fatty foods. However, when you can’t even find frozen or canned veggies without a high sodium content, it’s indicative of the consumer not having much choice.
Absa-freakin-lutely. If you go to the web sites of restaurants who post their nutritional info, you’ll be floored by the amount of salt or sodium listed. The FDA says about 2300 mg’s per day is okay, but most restaurants have more than that in a lot of their meals. It doesn’t have as much to do with how much salt you shake on to your food at the table, it is mostly about how much is used in the preparation of the food. How else could a salad with chicken added have over 1000 mg’s?
Being a Libertarian, I’m for keeping the government out of everything, but I will make an exception in this case with the FDA because restaurants and chefs don’t seem to be able to make those cuts on their own…same with the food processing companies who make grocery items.
I’ve decided to cut all fast food out, not because of fat, but because of the high salt counts. Only one ‘fast food’ chain had decent numbers (low numbers) of salt use…Steak N Shake…go figure.
Consumers need to exercise their power of the purse, their direct feedback to owners and the like. There is absolutely NO role for government in this except to address fraud or force. If someone is claiming a certain amount of salt and is inaccurate, that is fraud. If there are no claims or they will not tell you and you are concerned, either demand an answer or don’t patronize the business.
Maybe you need to improve your education on what a libertarian actually believes before you claim to be one.
First lets review how the market is supposed to work. You do NOT have a right to any specific product or service. Producers of products and services have as their goal to meet your needs and obtain money in return for that exchange. To the extent that they can meet your needs, they win. When your needs are met, you win.
Virtually everyone on this blog acknowledges that packaged, processed, and restaurant food is too high in salt. So why are you buying any of it? There is an entire produce section of the market with outstanding fruits and vegetables in their native form the way god/mother nature made them. They have all the sodium, potassium, trace minerals, etc. that they need and you can add other stuff if you like when you prepare them (although eating them raw would be the best for you). If the consumption of processed, packaged, and restaurant food plummetted because everyone stopped buying it until the salt content was reduced, these businesses would get the message. Many companies currently offer reduced salt versions of their products. This was in response to customer demand.
Instead of being good consumers, you are good whiners. You demand that government violate the rights and freedoms of others because you are unwilling to sit down at your computer or desk and write a letter to the owners of the companies that don’t serve your needs. You won’t even give up your favorite restaurant or packaged food product in favor of a healthier alternative because it is easier to demand that the government force these businesses to change on YOUR behalf. How unbelievably selfish of you all.
By not exercising your rights and your responsibilities as consumers, you have allowed the government and even demanded that the government stick its nose into virtually every aspect of everything in all of our lives.
A funny thing happens if you voluntarily reduce your salt intake. After a few weeks, you can taste the heavy dose of salt that is in processed food and at restaurants. Recently, I was at a national steak restaurant and found it difficult to eat the entree…it was loaded with salt.
So, you don’t need the government to assist with this. Just take it out of your diet for a few weeks and you won’t miss it.
Your body needs sodium to function. Cut back some, but never ban salt. Sodium and Potassium is important to our bodys, especially when it’s hot and you sweat.
Yes. I haven’t used for anything for many years since starting on Blood Pressure meds. You lose your taste for it – it ruins food for me now. Also, a nurse told me you can carry up to 20 pounds of waterweight, so cutting out salt will most likely cause an immediate and permanent weight loss, which is better for your health anyway. All that pressure on your system is not good. I can tell that some people I know are just in the habit of “reaching for the salt shaker.” It’s good to be aware of it in chips, etc., and eat those things minimally too.
Waaaah waaaaah, sniff sniff! The government is taking your salt away! Well, too bad, whiners. How about they start charging all you unhealthy fools a premium on health care instead, so that the rest of us don’t have to subsidize your poor choices? If you don’t like it, add more salt at your dinner table. The real down side is that the rest of us may have to listen to you whiners for a few more years as you live longer–boo hoo for us!
It shouldn’t take the government to tell people that they are making unhealthy food choices. We need to be more responsible for what we consume. If they government wants to help, regulate the cost of healthy food choices (fruit, vegetables) so that people can afford to buy what’s better for them. There are many people struggling financially and all they can afford is high-sodium canned goods, fast food, etc.
David S does sum it up nicely, it’s actually quite sad that people think so little of theirself and others that they feel it necessary for the government to step in and dictate what can be remedied by a little self control.
Well…it would be a benefit to me since I’m limited on the amount of salt I should consume. However, as one reader said, are they going to ban cigarettes too…or anything else that is detrimental to one’s health? At the end of the day, we are responsible for eating right and exercising. (But thans gov’t for helping me! LOL)
I rarely use salt, but considering that some studies say that only ten percent of the population are affected to start with, it would seem to me that the administration’s money and attention could be better spent in helping folks that actually need it!
I want to add…whoever thinks that eating ‘healthy’ is cheaper…you are sadly mistaken. It cost MORE to purchase food in the grocery story that is ‘better’ for you. Cheap food, full of preservatives is dang near 3/$1.00. This is know is true!!!
Duchess it is very possible to buy good food almost as cheap, the main problem is you have to do more than toss it in the microwave. But even so, the price difference can more than be made up for with a few less premium cable channels and wearing keds instead of Nikes, to blame bad eating on cost is 100% cop out.
This is a bad idea!! Since when is it the Governments responsibility to slap my hand at the dinner table when I reach for the salt shaker? I personally couldn’t care less if there is a salt shaker available or not. Pepper is a different story. Try to take my pepper and the government will pull back a nub. We live in a society where we allow perverts to post where little kids are having functions and people can sell videos of dogs fighting, but salt is the hot button topic? Too much government is never a good thing.
The dose makes the poison. There are many substances included in the products that everyday Americans consume that can be dangerous to a person’s health. That’s why we monitor the toxicity levels of products in this country. Botulism in canned food can kill you if you eat it, but a low concentration of the same toxin (Botox) can smooth away your wrinkles.
The issue with salt is no different. Salt isn’t ALL-good or ALL-bad, but a lifetime spent overdosing on salt will be markedly shorter than a lifetime spent wisely monitoring it.
If you want the Big Government to leave you alone, get ready for your childrens’ toys to be painted with lead paint and laced with arsenic. Poisons are everywhere, they just vary in terms of their lethal dose.
Excess sodium greatly increases the chance of developing hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. Research shows most Americans consume two to three times the amount of sodium that is healthy, with about three quarters or it coming from processed and restaurant foods. With stats like that it’s no wonder cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death in the U.S. The AMA has urged a reduction in the amount of sodium in processed foods since 2006. Lowering the amount of sodium in processed foods is an important step toward a healthier America.
I’m with Bridget. Let’s change the government. If people want to shorten their life span, they have that right. The government needs to stay out of my business. That is how the framers of the constitution intended it to be.
All the big brother comments are totally correct. BUT I’d like to ask about BIG CORP America. The American people have been sold a false bill of goods that life is better in a drive through window. That everything needs to be fast and easy. We have learned that the fast and easy lifestyle is a killer.
If we still had any morals and ethics left in corporate America when we wouldn’t need the salt police. That just isn’t the case and we need someone – even big brother – to step in and stop a few really bad people from killing everyone else and lying about it.
No I don’t support anyone who trys to tell or control people how to eat, live, act, believe, or whatever regardless of how noble it might seem. If I want to set myself on fire and dance around my back yard, then I’m going to do it. If people want to dictate my life, you might as well go ahead and kill me, because I will fight to the death to be free from Tyranny. So if I want to overload my body and have a massive heart attack so be it, it’s better than living to 90 when I’ll have to wear diapers again and having to have someone change it.
We regulate lead in water, BPA in bottles, why not this? When markets fail (i.e. Americans have some of the worst health in the industrialized world), its time for someone to help us out, becuase we are not doing it on our own.
This is not a move to ban salt. It is an attempt to gradually reduce the amount of salt that processors/manufacturers ADD to “food.” Anyone is free to add as much salt when they cook or eat these prcessed or manufactured foods as they wish. Consumers cannot, however, remove salt from these products and MANY people, for health or taste reasons, do not want salty food.
Lead, BPA, PCB’s and other similar things are toxins. Their presence in stuff like drinking water generally represents a violation of someone else’s property rights (pollution). Salt voluntarily added and voluntarily consumed is a choice. Where did you go to school. This is not LOGIC, it is absurdity. There is no comparison. As well, it should not be up to the government to decide what is an acceptable level of pollution. Any pollution is a violation and the person who’s rights have been violated should be the decider as to what is acceptable, including ZERO.
As for it will never happen, while salt may be necessary for life, sodium is available from other sources to sustain life, just like other minerals. Table salt could easily be banned. Nobody every could have conceived of alcohol prohibition but that stupidity passed 3/4ths of the state houses to become a constitutional amendment. So please don’t trust the government to not go that far.
As for the AMA, they also supported the use of cannabis/hemp up until it was taken from the market with the stroke of a pen. Now they oppose its use. Take their political agenda with a grain of salt (couldn’t resist the pun).
Plenty of wonderful, helpful, beneficial substances are not longer available to the general public even if they wish to use them only on themselves and harm nobody else. That’s the way our so-called free society now works.
The fight for freedom is in every moment. Freedom lost, can almost never be regained. Trust me, banning salt is on somebody’s agenda.
We are all indoctrinated into the food pyramid. It has changed over the years from being almost exclusively full of vegetables and fruits with little or no animal products to the meat and dairy heavy pyramid of my youth to the crazy but slightly better thing it is today. It is designed by the USDA to reflect the political agenda of the industries the agency “regulates.” To even suggest that what we have is a failed free market is to suggest that we have a free market in food. Ever since the Supreme court decided during the Roosevelt administration that a farmer growing grain on his own land for his own family’s consumption could be regulated by the federal government (this was the flood gate moment for you folks who wonder just how the Commerce Clause was taken this far)there has been no freedom in food in this country.
If american’s were forced to be responsible for their own health and the costs of maintaining it, we would see a change. Until then, things like these will be used as just another excuse to control the population and promote the political agendas of special interests.
Also to another point. Processed food is “cheaper” because many of its worst ingredients are subsidized by the federal government with your tax dollars. So assuming you pay taxes, you are paying more for much of that than you see at the checkout stand. The biggest receiver of subsidies is the horrible corn sweetener and refined corn products industry. High Fructose corn syrup benefits both from direct subsidies to corn producers but also by extremely high taxes and tarrifs on sugar that make the use of HFCS cheaper than the use of sugar. While sugar is no prize, your body knows what to do with it, while the unrecognizable HFCS is being found to be responsible for diabetes and other metabolic conditions due to its foreign nature in your body.
Government at work again. First they cause a problem then propose another failure of a solution to address the first problem then another for the next problem etc. all justifying their existence and their continued taxation and spending on their “solutions” to problems they caused in the first place.
Love to see how much crime and blackmarket activity results from this assault on salt (again, couldnt’ resist the sort-of pun).
Oh my. I have had the same symptons on and off. I do take vitamin B-6 (100mm)I would sometimes take 3 a day in addition to a multi-vitamin. I did find that vit B-6 would help me to not feel moody. I could not explan why I was having the numbness in my hands, neck pain and shoulder and back as well as numbness in my feet. The B-6 vitamin I would take perdiodically and these symptoms do appear periodically. The pain and numbness was really starting to worry me. I will stop taking it immediately.
I have also noticed that everytime I take calcium, I suffer from the weirdest feeling in my head. My head feels really clouded and a lot of dizziness. I had stopped taking calcium a long time ago. I will see my doctor about getting the blood test. Thank you so much.
Looking at some of these responses, it is not hard to understand why there is no personal responsibility and an ever dimishing amount of freedom in this country. Some people just can’t handle either, and certainly don’t want their fellow citizens to have any.
Yet one more way that the government wants to regulate our lives. It is not up to the government to dictate the amount of sodium we can ingest. The government does not want people to be responsible for their own lives.
Ban the salt shakers in restaurants. Then ban the chairs so fat folks have less time to eat. Move on to the parking lots and ban them as well, make those folks walk to and from restaurants. While you’ve opened the doors to the government nannies, ban inefficient wait staff, create regulations for restaurant hours, ratios of restaurants to persons in specific areas, ban alcohol sales in restaurants since alcohol is a health detriment, and maybe through in a ban of children under the age of 12 in all eating establishments just for good measure. Give your life over to government for those that have no desire to make good decisions for yourself.
This is a riot to read! For those esposing individual liberty, I share it! And in fact, always have a vegetable garden and yep determine how much salt ( not much) and how much pepper ( a whole lot ) I put on it.
However when you talk about the grocery store – you talk about lies and deceit in labeling what is healthy – and in fact it is getting tougher to find healthy items – so I don’t think we have the freedom of choice that everyone thinks we have.
Therefore Government should provide oversight and guidelines – we can pull our salt shaker out and dump a load more on any food that we feel is less salty due to government regulation. Let your hearts thump wildly.
One that does that irritate though – I sometimes would like a bottle of wine to compliment a meal and being a busy person, sometimes find myself on Sunday truly without options – Jesus drank wine on Saturday and Sunday why can’t we?
Absolutely. And the sex police, and the cola police, and the light bulb police, and the water police, and the television police, and the refrigerator police, and the sugar police, and the police police, etc.
If people want to eat salty foods and smoke nasty cigarettes, let them. The government should not tell them what they can or cannot do with their personal health issues. However, make them PAY for it. Tax cigarettes to the nth degree. Somehow, find a way to tax the salty items.
No, I don’t support this. I salt everything and have always had low blood pressure, low everything on medical tests. What a joke to target salt when legal activities like smoking and drinking alcohol contribute to so many serious health issues.
Leave my Salt alone – the government has no business in the kitchen. they have already ruined most of the foods in the grocery store anyway by removing the Trans Fats, adding hormones, radiating them, etc.- have you noticed that food doesn’t taste like anything now. It’s totally bland. I cook a lot, but for those who can’t because of illness, age, lack of knowledge or they just don’t like to cook, etc. leave us alone – my tax money is already being spent on too much stuff that I don’t agree with and this is one of them. By the way, I’m not overweight, no high blood pressure and am in good shape, so leave me alone…..
To You only think you have a choice –
Actually, the sodium content, along with its percent of daily value, is one of the first items shown in the nutrition charts on food labels. The nutrition charts provide the serving size, the servings per container and the nutritional information. So there already are guidelines.
I would rather the Government re-haul the FDA, rewrite the farm bills that support Farm Industry (corn!), and end food gene patents. Watch Food INC and tell me you feel comfortable eating any kind of food anymore.
It is a fact that too much salt in a diet contributes to kidney disease which increases health care costs for EVERYONE, but I don’t think it matters if government regulates salt intake when people aren’t educated about whats in their food, where it comes from and why its become so dangerous.
Our deregulated capitalism has endangered every american in the name of profits. Even the army is nervous about all the fat kids not being recruitable.
Democrats (Clinton) and Republicans (Bush) are both to blame on this one.
Normally, Id say its big brother…HOWEVER, since the national security of our nation is at risk because of the health of its citizens, then I strongly support this measure. Some people dont relate this, but I lost 10 lbs just by cutting salt from my diet. Aside from the weight factor though, federal regulation on salt will also help every time we stop somewhere to eat since most restaurants dont use fresh fruit and veggies anymore. I think its a good thing, just not sure what enforcement is going to look like.
I’m gonna put some salt on my big fat joint and suck that smoke down in to my bloodstream followed by a swig of cold beer on my own private property whenever the he!! I please.
And as I do so, I’ll day-dream about pummeling The Totalitarian blowhards for threatening my liberty, as if they have the natural right to do so.
A change for the better be a comin’. The pendulum is swinging. Can I get an Amen!!!
M – “Our deregulated capitalism has endangered every american in the name of profits.”
We do not have “deregulated capitalism” what we have and what you described in your first couple of paragraphs is “crony capitalism” or what used to be called merchantilism. That is the partnership between government power and business. This is not free market capitalism. A free market, with no government influence, and no regulations aside from laws against force or fraud would not allow government subsidies to certain industries (paid for by the force of taxation) or protective regulations (the force of government action against competition) that have allowed certain industries to dominate resources, distribution, advertising, and the like.
The complaint is against government as always. This salt crap is just another government solution to a problem they created. Your enthusiasm for more totalitarian controls is misplaced. You are just giving more power to the source of the problem.
I watched some of Food, Inc. last night and the film supports my arguments completely. They documented that the biggest problem foods in this country – corn, wheat, and soy (I would throw in animal products too) are all subsidized by the government so they are cheaper than their healthy food competitors. Nuff said.
Absolutley NOT! The government needs to step back and out of our personal lives as much as possible. We should be responsible for regulating our own salt intake and any other “intake” for that matter.
This is what is wrong with our society today. We have been so “dumbed” down by the government we are now too lazy to even make simple decisions for ourselve.
If any of you folks want a really sound education on the free market, issues related to subsidies and agriculture and the like and how government intervention in the marketplace distorts outcomes in favor of special interests, go to www(dot)mises(dot)org and do a search on thes topics or any other. There is no cost and every item, even books, are available free online.
You are not getting a fair or true assessment of this situation from the people in power or the news media that benefits from the advertising dollars of these huge agrobusiness conglomerates. You own it to yourself to understand these important issues.
Absolutely, I support regulating sodium content in prepared foods. It is very difficult to find prepared foods that have a reasonable sodium content and many of us have to monitor our sodium intake (mine due to hereditary reasons). If someone wants more salt, they can just shake some extra salt on their food. It is a lot easier for a consumer to add more salt than to take it out of a dish.
David S., Independent, Mr. Liberty, I must say thank you. You have concisely put into words what the liberals and democrats can’t see. No, the government isn’t banning our salt shakers, but they sure are trying to regulate every thing we do. What’s next? That’s what scares me about this slippery slope.. so banning salt is no big deal. The German’s in the 30’s saw nothing wrong with having Hitler come to power. What may not start out bad, can end bad. Because if you ban salt, what’s next? Soda? Everything taken out of moderation is bad for you and you cannot regulate what people eat, drink, where they live or how they live. This is just another step towards big government and socialism.
If you can read, you can control your own sodium intake. If you choose to eat processed food where one mouthful supplies your sodium intake for the day, I really don’t care. If you numbskulls really wanted processed food to change, just quit buying it. I promise it will go away. Does everything have to be so easy for the idiots? Wah! It’s so hard to find low salt processed foods! Wah! I have to cook something with actual heat, instead of nukeing it! Wah! The gubment must act! Wah! I’m gonna die from this bag of pork skins that I (voluntarily and can read) just bought, so I need the gubment to protect me from ME! Wah!Wah!Wah!
Sheesh! Next up: There is a movement to have the gubment regulate the regulations at the regulatory agency in charge of regulating.
I absolutely support this! The government is not trying to take away salt shakers. Can you people actually read and comprehend simple ideas or is your blood pressure already so high you can’t think straight?
Jen,
Since you can type, I will assume you can read, so READ THE BOX! If you put it back, I will then assume you have exercised your right NOT to eat it. On the other hand, if you buy it, which enriches the company that made it, I will assume you exercised your right to eat it.
Why is that so hard to comphrehend? Why must it be regulated? Is it so YOU won’t buy it, knowing full well that its bad for you. Sheesh! Double Sheesh!
NO! I do not believe the government has any business in this matter. Read the box, bag or can and make your own choice. Most restaurants already offer low-salt, low-fat and health-conscious items on their menus. I eat little to no salt on a daily basis. I eat an essentially raw organic diet as a rule. However, when I order a five-cheese pizza with hot-red peppers, you’d better believe I want it salty. When I eat pretzels and popcorn, I want them salty. Second-hand cigarette smoke is one thing, removing sugary drinks and candy from schools is one thing, demanding that adults eat what the FDA thinks “is for my own good” is taking away my right to choose. What’s next – flavored water instead of soft drinks, carob instead of chocolate, soy “milk” instead of cow’s milk? The list of food that “might be bad for you” is endless. STOP NOW.
Amen CPT! I don’t want the government telling me what to do. I don’t care if it’s bad for me. And California Native, not everyone who is against the government regulating salt is fat. I am 39, I have low blood pressure, low cholesterol. I weigh under 110, and there is nothing labeled “no fat”, “low fat”, “low sodium” or anything like that in my house. I eat in moderation. That’s they key people. Moderation. I don’t stuff myself, I exercise control when I eat. I eat balanced meals, and I exercise. I also eat out and eat processed foods. Just because YOU cannot take care of yourself is no reason to force government regulations on me. That’s the real issue here… the government running our lives.
My question is exactly where does this “beneficial” regulation stop? Do we stop at processed grocery food, or do we move on to restaurants, with a total prohibition on salt use in food preparation as has been proposed in New York City (a prohibition, of course, which would wipe out all of the city’s famous delis and pizzerias because it is nearly impossible to bake many breads without salt).
And once we’ve rid salt from processed foods and restaurants, and we’re all piling it on thick at home, do the feds then come for your salt shaker? Do you have to go to the counter and show your id and be approved to buy your Morton’s? Or do they just fine you on your taxes if your blood pressure is too high? I mean, we’re going to fine $4 billion out of people, most of whom make less tahn $60,000, for failing to have health insurance under Obamacare .. why not add a few billion more for being too salty? After all, the American taxpayer is picking up more than half the bill for health care now,right? It’s only … faaaiiiirrrr after all.
And, ludicrous as it sounds, does someday the government just issue us little food kits carefully calibrated for caloric and nutritional needs, and makes it illegal to eat anything beyond what the government provides?
Of course this is all extreme and silly, but it’s all on along the veyr same path we’re heading down.
Freedom of choice does not include making bad personal decisions. OK?
If you want to make a bad decision and put something in your body that might not be good for you (drugs, lard, salt, corn syrup), that should be your business. However the governments – federal to city – all protect us from ourselves at every level now and most of us are happy with it.
To illustrate, we lock many of our young men up for significant periods simply for having drugs in their possession. I presume the premise is that the drugs will be ingested at some point and harm will flow from illegal ones (other than death). It’s ironic that so few actually die from using illegal drugs. But ignore that. The real danger from illegal drugs is that people don’t realize how dangerous they are. Can’t argue with that logic.
Yet some of you are fussing about salt, one more bad thing for you, which is unlikely to include criminal sanctions if regulated. So when they say use less salt, you can overdo it on purpose and ignore the police stopping you with those extra boxes of sodium chloride.
SO, if you already don’t really believe every decision about your adult body is yours to make, then buck up! Learn to like what you’re told.
Most of us don’t do what we already know is best for us anyway. Look around. Do we exercise? Do we eat mostly vegetables? Do we save our money? If that’s all no, then must realize you simply cannot be trusted to make all your personal decisions.
Jen on blog 1 is on target. Yes you can read the label and put the item back on the shelve. However as the number of actual food suppliers continues to dwindle and are possibly already monopolies by groups of food. Then tell me how you have choice and how you as an individual will choose if society as a whole is trending to be larger and larger and larger based on those food choices – democracy at work those growing larger rule. Representative government on the other hand can and should force a balance so those in the minority – wanting to remain thin through good eats and excercise always have that option.
There is way too much histeria today about government control – much like the Pigs in Animal Farm, rantings spew from one side and the rest of the farm animals follow, screaming we need a resolution. None of the rantings I hear offer solutions they only attack. Greet the new boss, same as the old boss.
I totally support this! This does not prevent any of us from picking up a salt shaker and salting away. It just limits the amount that can go into the food before it is on the table in front of us. After learning my Cholesterol levels needed monitoring I began to read labels more carefully and have been more startled by the salt content then the fat content!
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Screw them, I can regulate my own salt intake within healthy limits. If I want I nice salty slice of pizza, I’m perfectly capable of cutting down elsewhere to balance it out. Why the HELL should I be denied my salty slice because “the majority” is too stupid to take care of themselves.
You only think you have choice:
I think you are really Jen complimenting youself, which is sad.
I am quite sure that I have a choice, because I think for myself and use knowledge to make decisions. I favor that over being “managed” like a dull sheep (you) headed off to slaughter because the farmer (gub’ment) says I need to. Why is processed food so important to you that you HAVE to buy it in the first place. Have you forgotten (or never learned) how to use actual heat to cook, or maybe you are a fast food addict, who slugs down a couple of Big Macs a day and want them less salty.
Me, I will retain my skills with kitchen tools like knives, spoons, and ovens to REVOLT against more gub’ment intervention. My REVOLUTION will be, like it has always been, fought with my ability to choose. Too bad you don’t have that ability, or the courage.
My statement stands and is further merited by the rantings and untruths- I concur with only the two first sentences of your second paragraph and in live a continual revolution in such fashion. In the rest of your note you sound like Sarah Palin – no substance just wild and false accusations.
You only think you have choice – Jen:
Frankly, I couldn’t care less about what you “concur” with. I choose my own way, based on rational, objective decisions. I need no more regulation, only the ability to make a choice. I am comfortable with that, and challenge you to finally, and objectively, state why you think regulating something like salt in processed foods is anything but needless gub’ment intervention. I will check back to see if you dare, but livestock are never too objective.
Sarah Palin? Is that the best you have?
The government should set guidlines on salt within processed foods so that we the people can use our salt shakers and determine the amount of salt we would like.
Further America recommend you stay away from fast foods and processed foods…..grow a garden,
Shag a much better objective post with exception of the first line – no right wing republican Palinisim’s
You only think you have choice -Jen:
“The government should set guidlines on salt within processed foods so that we the people can use our salt shakers and determine the amount of salt we would like” Why do you HAVE to buy it in the first place? If things are not purchased from companies, those companies have a way of going extinct. On the flip side of that logic, is the creation of a market for companies to sell lower sodium foods, because it becomes profitable.
“Further America recommend you stay away from fast foods and processed foods…..grow a garden,”
What???? I am sorry, but I see no way this statement supports any argument for gub’ment regulation of sodium in processed foods. In fact, I can’t really make any sense of it.
Again, why are you fixated on Sarah Palin? Do you need some enemy to validate an argument?
Here’s the thing: for 99% of the population, all that extra salt is expelled every time you urinate. For a health individual, salt is not a problem. It is only a problem for a statistically small number of people who have no idea that they even have a problem. So why are we setting standards based on a fraction of a percentage of the population?
I have eaten between 3-12 eggs most weeks in my life. I’m 50 years old and 125lbs. My annual blood tests show the correct amount of HD/LD levels. More important is what else goes into your body. It’s always the total picture, not just a snapshot. I love eggs and will eat them regularly until the day I die.
Kiss off you gov’t idiots. All you dumb arses can do is run up deficits and grease your friends and relatives, and you have the nerve to tell us what we can and cannot eat.
This is about long-term COSTLY medical care caused by a chemical and reducing the need for some of that care (your tax dollars). The food companies that shove their food full of salt because otherwise it’s just full of things you wouldn’t eat do not give a damm about you, they’re just out to sell their product and they don’t have to pay the long term consequences, we do. Or better maybe, just start really loading up your food with salt every meal and then we won’t have to listen to you for long anyway. Get a life.
What’s happened to this country? What happened to FREEDOM ?? What about Freedom of Choice ?? Freedom to do what you want as long as you aren’t hurting another ?? I’ve been avoiding salt as a personal choice for 25 years, but it was MY CHOICE to do so. The government (local, state or federal) has no business being in my business as long as it isn’t illegal.
Leave me & mine alone…do what the Constitutions of the US & GA tell you to do & stop overstepping your authority. We have no need for a Nanny Government nor do we need massive amounts of Entitlements in order to herd the masses.
“The food companies that shove their food full of salt because otherwise it’s just full of things you wouldn’t eat do not give a damm about you, they’re just out to sell their product and they don’t have to pay the long term consequences, we do.”
Question – Can you read well enough to make a choice NOT to buy that food you rant about? If the answer is yes, Why would you buy it anyway?
jdl2:
One little small question that is sure to make your head hurt.
“Get a life.”
Where can you get one of those life things? Is there a retailer, or do you need to by them by wholesale lots? Where did you get yours? What about trade ins, will they accept high mileage lives for trade in?
if you don’t like others salting your food, then eat at home! Forcing eating establishments to pay to have their food content analyzed is a waste of money. Grow up and learn to make decisions on your own with out the gov having to do it for you! example – i ate a Checkers once, didn’t like their salt burgers, haven’t been back – my choice!
SALT REDUCTION IS LONG OVERDUE.
ALL PROCESSED FOODS, FAST FOODS , CANNED FOODS SHOULD HAVE THEIR SODIUM CONTENT REDUCED BY 50% IMMEDIATELY.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE , STROKE AND HEART ATTACKS WOULD SEE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION
RAYA DILBECK:
Dang, keep it down, and stop yelling. Anger WILL significantly increase your blood pressure. Plus, being a whining robot doesn’t help either. I am sure it never occurred to a rocket scientist like you to just not buy processed foods, did it? Guess if you thought hard enough for your immense brain to squeeze right out of your ear, even you could figure that out. It has a simple name that a simpleton like you can understand, well maybe not, so I will spell it just for you. F.R.E.E.D.O.M
No wonder we have a deficit. The government obviously paid someone a ton of money to do a study showing the down side of salt. Seems I remember hearing this in 9th grade health… what a waste of money.
Hey Shaggy, I think you need to lay off the SALT it seems to have affected your ability to understand
common sense and reason and causes you to make really stupid illogical comments.
I have salt sensitive hypertension. I read labels and buy food accordingly. If you want me to buy your product put less sodium in it for the same price. Otherwise I buy frozen or raw and cook it. I keep a salt shaker for guests (though some foods aaren’t the same unless salted when cooking). My specific problem is not the next persons. So why be so absurd (CONTROL FREAKS) as to require health concerns by legislation for a very diverse, heterogenious popilation as America?
Legalize Marijuana and tax it. It’ll be in the ballot in California come this November and I sense a domino effect for many states. I’m sure it will take Georgia a while, but once they see how this tax can bail out California, more states will be permissive toward these policies.
And food intake should not be regulated by the federal government.
I think all fast food restaurants should serve french fries without salt. If a customer requests salt on their fries McDonalds, Wendys Burger King and Sonic can give the customer a hand full of salt packets for their sodium addiction.
Salt is murdering people! it’s true! i know it sounds crazy, but sodium intake is directly related to heart function whereby water retention (caused by excessive sodium intake) makes it more and more difficult for the heart to function at it’s normal rate… this is ONE government regulation i’d have to agree with even though it will take 5-10 years to actually do anything positive for the country’s overall health… people should take responsibility for their own lives regardless…
By enforcing this law on processed and pre-packaged food, consumers are actually given MORE, not LESS, choice. Individuals who want more can simply add it with a salt shaker. Individuals who wanted less never had much of any choice, unless there was a rare low sodium option. Government is actually giving us more options. On a related note, I’d like to see an FCC regulation that allows us choice in our cable channels instead of paying for a package that contains channels we never view.
If “Big Brother” is going to mandate this disasterous health care plan and mandate thate we have insurance or be fined then they should just go ahead and tell us how to eat and fine us if we don’t do it. There are to many fat, out of shape slobs in super market lines and in the hospitals getting free potatoe chips and cokes on food stamps and free medical services but they are to lazy to exercise or eat right. Fine them $100 for every pound they are over weight and try to collect it. That would be interesting. Before we do anything else we should FORCE Obama to give up his cigs and cocaine and have the FBI go to bed with him and live in the White House with him to be sure he behaves. Is that going to happen? All these mandates are about one thing – creating more government jobs for people to live off the government pig trough and to appease the Labor Unions. I say set a madatory target of REDUCING government mandates and employees by 5% a year over the next 3 years and save us a whole lot of money.
I say keep the government out of my personal life. What I eat is absolutely NO business of theirs. Neither is my health! I have never gotten a penny from the government for either of those things and don’t feel they have the right to tell me how to live it. Obesity is NOT caused by salt, it is caused by eating too much! Good God people, moderate AMOUNTS of food the fast food is serving and you will cut obesity in half! It is not a matter of what is on the food, it is how much you eat! You can eat salt and fattening foods every day as long as you do it in small portions!
Rob:
“causes you to make really stupid illogical comments.”
Yes, freedom seems stupid and illogical to morons like you. You must be another robot wanna be that can’t make decisions for yourself, but make no mistake there are those of us who can. My BP is 118/85, just checked this morning.
More and more socialism! The USSA is the final goal of these idiots! We must vote them all outof office and fire the government’s entrenched workers that are not elected, but, force rules and laws on us to satisfy their liberal agenda! E N O U G H!!!!!!!
I often wonder why everything has to be so overblown? The obvious solution is to require restaurants to post the salt levels in their dishes. That way people know what the risk is and can make their own decisions. Simple
Those who would support banning salt, support the destruction of freedom and liberty. To think you would be willing to give some entity this much power and control over your life is mind blowing. If you give the government control over this, there will be absolutely no end to the power grab that will follow.
I’m glad to see the response to this defining of what government’s regulating powers should be in our lives. That is probably the most important thing, if not the healthiest thing that will come out of this blog.
We as a people, as Americans, have a very unhealthy self-imposed lifestyle presently that should be taken into account when discussions like these take place which too few of us are willing to admit exists: Our over consumption of BIG GOVERNMENT.
The real failure in all of this regulation business is that we as consumers should be the REGULATORS and not our government.
Should the FDA regulate the salt sodium content of food products sold and consumed in the United States?
The correct answer should be NO.
The role of government via the FDA(including probably five other near worthless government agencies) should be one limited to information and product labeling mandates.
It would satisfy me personally if on the front of every package that meets the recommended health standards a bold ensign in the form of a heart encapsulated three pieces of content information fat, sugar and sodium. Products NOT meeting these recommended health standards shall have no ensign on the front of the product.
It will not take long to change the amount of sodium the food processors pump into the foods we buy, if this suggestion became a government labeling mandate.
Remember the golden rule folks(he who holds the gold, rules). You can bet every food processor in this country hasn’t forgotten it and we the consumers still hold the gold that writes the rules.
For the record, I’m on a self-imposed low sodium diet and I buy food products that have low sodium content. If you want my money Mr. Grocer, you best have plenty of low sodium products to sell me.
I’m calling for a new revolution. This government is out of control and needs to be abolished, obliterated and banned from any further public “service”. Let’s wipe the slate clean in November of ‘10 and ‘12.
You’re having the hardest time finding low or no salt items? Are you kidding me. Shop the perimeter of your grocery store folks! If your Dr says you need to lower your sodium intake then, duh, buy fresh vegetables and eat them raw or cook them yourself. This is not rocket science and you don’t have to be a Julia/Martha to select and prepare healthy foods! The people on here are not missing the POINT they just don’t want gov becoming big brother. You really think they are missing the point? JEN- one word…pitiful!
When are the people of this country going to wake up and think foe thenselves. They want the goverment to rule every thing in their life. Well one of these days, that is going to happen if things don’t change in Washington. obama said he was going to rule us and then he hired the most liberal behaveralscientist he could find. Their job was to find the things that they thought obama should decide about our lives. I think he has a slavemaster inveny about him and he want us to be his slaves so he can tell us what to do each second of our lives. He pushed obamacare on us and that is going to be the downfall of this country. (don’t go talking about how good it is untill you read it, I have all 445,000 words of it, it will take your breath away at all the things he is going to control with it. When are you liberals going to wake up and breath for yourself. I do not need the goverment in my house telling me how I eat. And the ones that are against everything else. live with it or get the hell out of it. Just don’t tell someone to regulate it from me.
It is funny that the goverment wants to do something to extend our lives. They say health care is costing to much, socical security is broke, medicar is out of control, now they want to take benifits from military people that have been hurt in war. The obamacare is going to take care of a lot of the people. You will not be able to get the care you need with all the cuts of doctors and hospital rooms that is going to happen. Doctors will not be able to own any part of hospitals or doctors office, 25% cut in rooms and 25% more rooms per nurse. That is going to help us all. The next thing they will want is to raise the age limit on socical security and medicare. ) all the youg ones out there are saying, that’s what we need, make them old folks work longer so we can get more free stuff from them) This country is going into a slave type nation and obama will be poping the whip telling us how to live.
I suppose the people who don’t think the government should not regulate added salt and sugar are fine with ever increasing health costs and deaths due to the epidemic. Figures. Speaking without thinking.
The Real Politico:
“the epidemic” Are you referring to Swine Flu or the freedom to choose? As for the freedom epidemic, it’s high time for a freedom epidemic.
Also, you refer to “costs & deaths”. Oh, you mean from people choosing to eat too much salt. Yes, I agree that those that made that choice might ultimately die for it, however the costs associated end when they die, so we as a society, experience a net gain. They chose and they died early. Plus, the gene pool is a little cleaner.
I know that your head must be hurting as you read this, however you had better be careful. Your blood pressure might rise, bursting a blood vessel in your thick head, and you wouldn’t have any more costs associated with you. Get it?
This is not some snake oil product. It really works. I can work out longer and harder now that I take this. the website has a address: http://www.webmd.max4u.com (just copy and paste it into your browser)
IMHO, such regulation is very necessary and overdue. As it now is, when you eat prepared or restaurant foods, you lose complete control of your salt intake. The vendor will then add salt to suit his own interests, not yours. (I have heard it said that some upscale restaurants will deliberately oversalt their foods to make their patrons thirsty so they will order more drinks.) Although I am ordinarily not a fan of government regulation, I must support it in this case to redress this imbalance of power.
The only thing this would do would be to decrease the cost of smoking. People would walk in and ask for the cheapest one. Soon, all ‘brands’ would cost the same.
Chances are, more people would smoke due to the lower price.
Who cares! We have free healthcare now. Smoke all you want. Roll your own. If something happens the nanny state will take care of you. AS Pelosi says,”Amerian people have the right to healthcare”. I mean you can still skii. Oh that kills people too not to mention the injuries.
So,its apparent that australia doesnt have freedom of speech rights any longer………..that the government can and will limit and censor what ever they want……..well done nazis.
Last I checked, tobacco was a LEGAL product, that one could consume, or nor, based on one’s personal decision, and one accepted its consequences. Jeepers, what’s next, carbonated beverages? We’re on the slippery slope, and it won’t be long untill we’re rolling downhill like a snowball headed for ….
“Recent surveys indicate that brands may account for 50 to 70 per cent of the total value of a company . . . that means they can be worth billions of dollars.” – Stephen P Smith, Chairman, Superbrands
Whether you agree with the Governments move to regulate cigarette packaging or not, it’s an intelligent move to remove the “glamour” factor. McDonalds recruits kids from a young age through their branding, so that as an older person it’s familiar and exciting when you see their product. Cigarette companies do it too.
I absolutely agree with this move, only the font should be something real sh*#tty like comic sans or something like that further cheapening the product!
I have a hard enough time finding Pall Mall non-filters as it is. How am I going to get them if I can only tell the clerk that “its the white package with black writing?”
I started smoking when I was 15. My best friend and I would go to parties, and we both took drags off our friends who had their own packets. Eventually, we would bring our own packets to parties. Now, we’re both daily smokers. We’re 17 and in year 12. Seriously, whether they keep raising the price, change the packets to a completely plain design, or both; neither will do anything to help me quit. Once you’re addicted, you’re addicted. And I doubt plain packages will keep people from taking up smoking. I never took one look at a packet until it got to the point where I went to buy my own cigarettes, after I asked someone what brand they had because it was my favourite to smoke out of any other cigarette I’d tried. Honestly, it comes down to the choice a person makes.
“And I doubt plain packages will keep people from taking up smoking” Mel what do you base this upon?
The billions of dollars cigarette companies spend upon targeted psychological marketing / demographic profiling and wrapping themselves up in sexy graphics would tend to disagree with you there.
Only if we ban Logos on Fast Food, Cars, Alcohol, etc. They all kill just as many, yet only cigarettes get this type of scrutiny. Either let everyone sell and advertise products, or make the rules apply to EVERYTHING for sale.
Just put Mrs. Obama’s smirking, hideous mug (or an image of her in a bikini shot) on cigarette packs sold here in Georgia, and that will almost eliminate smoking entirely….
….at least in areas of the State that are NORTH of I-20.
Results from several clinical studies suggest that such graphic & disturbing packaging may also help cure sex offenders.
let’s be honest here..how seriously are governments willing to ban smoking? What is going to replace the revenue from taxes? Yeah, it’s bad for you. So is drinking, driving fast, eating poorly, the list goes on. It’s a personal choice. You make not like it, but do you want a total stranger dictating what you can or cannot do? The more we advocate government interference, the deeper they will reach to control every aspect of your life. You don’t like smokers? Don’t associate with them.
Why not just ban smoking instead. Seems smarter to me. Why anyone would do something that causes that much harm to their bodies (and their families bodies – and don’t pretend smoking doesn’t affect your kids) is beyond me. Smoking is disgusting and stupid. I can only surmise that people who smoke must also be stupid.
For all the smokers here who keep screaming about ‘personal choice’, have you considered the people around you who don’t smoke and hate breathing your polluted, cancer-inducing air?
In addition, there are people here who adamantly insist packaging changes won’t cut incidences of people adopting smoking… If that really is the case, then who cares what the cigarette cartons look like?
This is a big win for improving the health of the wider community.
At this point everyone knows what smoking does to your health- its a personal choice. So why go thru regulating what the carton or pack looks like? I don’t smoke, but I don’t want the government saying what should be on a package. What’s next? Does McDonalds need to put big macs in plain white boxes and bags? What about alcohol? Just as addictive and damaging- do we make all beer bottles look the same?
Keep the smokers out of buildings and away from kids while doing their nasty habit. If they want to puff their life away let them do it. Personal choice comes with responsibility and consequences.
I oppose all forms of moral legislation. The moral majority/minority are much more hideous than all the smokers on the planet. Freedom is a precious thing to give away.
For all the smokers here who keep screaming about ‘personal choice’, have you considered the people around you who don’t smoke and hate breathing your polluted, cancer-inducing air?
In addition, there are people here who adamantly insist packaging changes won’t cut incidences of people adopting smoking… If that really is the case, then who cares what the cigarette cartons look like?”
I CANNOT smoke anywhere in public, so why don’t you leave whoever’s freaking house it is your at then Jay. You show me one place besides an over 21 bar where I can smoke inside. Jesus, some people will whine about anything and lie about it too because they don’t personally agree with something. How bout this, I don’t like whiney d-bags, can we ban those too?
I think it is time we also worry aboujt drinking and the alchol business. I had rather meet a person driving and smoking than I had one driving and drinking. Smokers are not the worse people in the world. People are also allergic to perfume, dogs, cats, so don’t label smokers as freaks.
I agree, smokers are not the worst people in the world.
Just some of the most selfish and disrespectful.
Finished with that butt? No problem just throw it out the window of your car. Anywhere, anytime. Hell go ahead and empty your overflowing ashtray anywhere you’d like! The earth is your big ashtray!
Feeling edgy? Light up! Anywhere anytime. Who gives a damn that your nasty smoke is drifting into the faces of children and innocent bystanders? Until Uncle Sam and others fortunately stepped in and said, “NO. Not here. Not on this plane, not in this place of business, not in this public venue.”
I guess these types of anti-social behavior are just the consequences of being addicted to the only legal product made, that when used as promoted can and will kill you.
Removing corporate logos from tobacco products is interfering with a legal business and removes the identity built by that company. For those that want tobacco banned it will not work, all you have to do is look at probation of alcohol in the 1920s. If you want to keep kids from smoking enforce the laws on sale and possession of tobacco we already have. If you do not know the dangers you place on your health with smoking you deserve the “nanny state”. I quit cigarettes 30+ years ago and glad I did.
TO Obama=New Hitler — You’re supposed to be posting about the subject – logos on cigarette packs – not cramming your scary politics down our throats.
(By the way, “North of I-20″?? You’re going to have to be a little clearer on your racism. I and hundreds of my friends in the city of Atlanta north of I-20 are fans of the Obamas.We have multiple degrees and high six figure incomes. Oh yeah, and we’re white and married with children. Don’t try to include us in your sick demographics!)
Then we have to ban Pepsi and Coke logos…McDonalds, Burger King and Taco Bell. Sorry Ford…people die in cars. No more logos for you AND…Budweiser? Put your Clydesdales out to pasture for dog food. You see…..Obama will want to do anything to make things all the same. No more branding of things that are bad for you. Idiots……
The government should stop attempting to legislate “good decisions”. Let people smoke if thats what they want to do. Everyone knows the health consequences, if people still choose to smoke then let them kill themselves. Natural selection is how we evolved to this point and its the only we will continue to evolve.
We should just ban everything that is bad for us: Chocolate, Coke, Cherry Pie. Instead we can all live in our proletarian communes and eat millet and soy!
Everyday I think I’ve heard the dumbest thing ever, and then another really dumb thing comes along. Everyone knows how bad smoking is for you -changing cigarette packaging isn’t going to change very much! Maybe if we started expecting and requiring more personal responsibility from people across the board then “treat ‘em all like a bunch of dumb cows” ideas like this one would go away forever.
I’ve been smoking for about 20 years, and I would be in favor of this becoming law because there’s no doubt that I got started because characters like Joe Camel were routinely used to attract gullible teenagers (which I definitely was) to their death sticks. Now that I’m a full-fledged addict, I’d love to see the taxes go up another $10 per pack so I couldn’t afford to smoke even if I wanted to.
DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP THE NEXT 15-YEAR-OLD KID FROM TAKING THAT FIRST DRAG!
I also found out that almonds helped relieve my heartburn. Stumbled across this after eating a piece of chocolate with almonds after having heartburn that day. Almost immediately after eating it my heartburn was almost completely gone.
We have had near-100% success treating Breast Cancer by first TOTALLY ELIMINATING ALL DAIRY INTAKE. No milk, cheese, ice cream or butter saturated fats.
And dramatically increasing intake of Cruciferous foods such as Broccoli, Sprouts, Cabbage, Kale, Spinach and our naturopathic formulas to support this such as Indole-2 Carbinol and high dosage Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2.
I know more facts about breast cancer than I do about prostate or testicular cancer. Are any of you willing to do for me what you’re asking me to do for you?
It’s not exactly a bad thing that you know more about breast cancer than prostate cancer, just an opportunity for improvement. Start a movement. Educate others. Donate to the cause you are passionate about.
I think we can safely say that the AJC does a great job of pushing the agenda of the allopathic medicine industry. The alternative or naturopathic/homeopathic industry has much better success at actually curing and preventing the disease however.
Thank you , Kim. And I do that. I want the same thing everyone-else wants. But I don’t see women stepping up to the plate to support issues that affects their husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles the same way they want us to step up on breast cancer, wear red for women day, HPV awareness, cervical cancer, uteran cancer, etc, etc.
One year breast cancer survivor. I found the lump myself doing a quick self-exam. I hadn’t done one for awhile and was very surprised to actually find something. Ladies, regular self-exams are so important! I’m happy and healthy and have moved on with my life, but want to encourage everyone to be vigilant. I had NO risk factors other than being female and “middle-aged.”
Comment to Mary: YES, Juice Plus is a good supplement after a mastectomy and while taking radiation and/or chemo. I am a 4-year survivor and I took Juice Plus beginning as soon as I was diagnosed. Good luck.
Absolutely agree with all the comments on natural foods. Do not forget water, we are over 70% water and there is not a good source of clean, nontoxic water. I am a 2 year survivor (stage 3b) and will do anything to prevent going through that barbaric treatment again. I only drink Kangen Water fresh from my machine every day; eat a lot of fresh, organic raw veggies, fish, chicken and exercise…that’s the real prevention. The cure is barbaric and horrific to live through.
I had BC in 1999 and matastisized BC in 2007. I am doing great. The main thing is to have faith in God. Have a positive attitude and live, laugh, and love. That is what I try to live by.
It is well known that high energy radiation like x-rays cause cancer. Certain chemicals even like some of those approved by the FDA to treat cancer also cause cancer. The drug tamoxifen to “prevent” cancer also causes cancer. The prime cause of cancer has been known for decades and is the replacement of oxygen in the respiratory chemistry of cells with the fermentation of sugar or anerobic glycolysis or the wrong energy supply to living cells or respiratory impairment of living cells. The genius in Germany Otto Warburg, M.D., Ph.D. discovered this decades ago, first for animals in about 1923 and by about 1960 for humans. Normal cells metabolize and obtain their energy from oxygen; but all cancer cells primarily metabolize from the fermentation of glucose like the lowest forms of life. All higher life forms originated from oxygen; all cancer is is the reversal of this back to the primitive life form which existed before the appearence of oxygen on the planet. See the book “The Hidden Story of Cancer” by Brian Peskin and Amid Habib, M.D., Pinnacle press, Houston, 2006-2008. These statements have been proved by experiments and facts in the laboratory, not unproved speculations by the failed medical orthodoxy which has squandered multi billions of public and private dollars on cancer but cannot even tell you what cancer is, let alone how to cure and prevent the disease.
The statement above about mammograms is false and misleading. First, x-rays can cause cancer so a single x-ray could initiate the cancer process. However it would be impossible to prove this and obtain damages from the doctor making money from this quack treatment. Also, when mammograms are given, they press very hard on the breast tissue as anyone who has had one will confirm. It has been known since about 1928 in the medical literature that this foolish procedure also can spread any cancer cells around. Much safer and more effective methods are available to diagnose cancer of the breast tissue. See articles by Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., et al at http://www.preventcancer.com. Mammograpy is a billion dollar industry and good and safe money maker for doctors since it is virtually impossible for them to be sued if harm is done to patients from these machines. Many of these machines are very dangerous and give off high and dangerous doses of radiation without proper disclosure and informed consent of unwitting patients. All women and some men should question their doctors very closely about this issue. Even though the chance of getting cancer from a mammogram is small, that does not mean it cannot happen. After all, unlikely events happen every day. For example it is unlikely to win the lottery but people win every day don’t they. Well, patients also get cancer from mammgrams but never even know it. And most doctors do not know much about the mathematical area of statistics. The falsely imply to women and men that just because something is of small probability in a statistical sample, that it is also of small probability for a particular patient which is false.
The medical orthodoxy is a dismal failure. Despite the expendature of over 100 billion dollars on cancer research, over half a million victims will die this year either from cancer, treatment or both, usually treatment. Years ago, a distinguished professor of physiology, medical physics and expert in medical statistics at UC Berkeley, professor Dr. Hardin Jones, Ph.D., proved that cancer victims who refused the orthodox treatments of radiation, chemicals an surgery lived up to four times longer than those who accepted those failed quack treatments. Nothing has changed today.
The cancer generals should be fired and charged with scientific misconduct, fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity.
There exists a cheap and effective drug to prevent the disease of cachexia, the wasting disease suffered by all advanced cancer patients due to the recycling of glucose and lactic acid; it is called hydrogen sulfate and was discovered by Joseph Gold, M.D. of Syracuse, New York. It has been tested and proved effective in tests from the Soviet Union to UCLA, but the cancer generals have lied and misrepresented it to the public and have fraudulently failed to approve the drug because it won’t make any money for the corrupt drug companies. This is all documented in this article:
“The Truth About Hydrazine Sulfate-Dr. Gold Speaks” at http://www.hydrazinesulfate.org. The cancer generals are nothing but garden variety criminals protected by the lunatics running our government.
The entire concept of government intervention, on issues which are “for our own good”, is wrought with fallacy. Never mind the fact that govt portends to know, better than we, what’s good for us…if our esteemed legislators, both at Fed and state levels, could focus on the real issues of state while telling us what’s good for us, well and good. One could just as easily ignore their “advice”. However, they have proven, time and again, to disregard the important issues, particularly in the weeks/months prior to elections, for fear of disenfranchising a voter block. They, instead, stick to the safe issues…those which are not likely to create any appreciable animosity among the constituency. Consequently, by “playing it safe”, they fail to take care of the real business at hand…they become overpaid, underachieving “public servants” who, in reality, become the served.
When are thermagrams going to get the coverage they deserve???? Mammagrams DO cause cancer – I believe that they are the single greatest cause of breast cancer today – especially milk duct cancer. Think about it – radiating your breasts on an ongoing basis (yes, the effects of radiation are cumulative), and squashing any tumors during the mammagram to ensure that any cancer cells spread. If they think they “see something” they will give you one or two more mammagrams just to make sure you are thoroughly radiated. Thermagrams are heat maps of your breasts, there is no radiation, the breasts are not squashed or even touched by the camera, and they can detect breast cancer up to six years before mammagrams. It is a no brainer. It seems to me that breast cancer is a big business and a lot of people are making too much money for things to improve. Ladies, protect yourselves. Stop radiating your breasts and get a thermagram, and nourish your bodies with proper nutrition and supplements. The rate of breast cancer will drop dramatically.
Good news / bad news: Cortisol, a stress hormone, has been shown to play a key role in breast cancer [Ohio State University, Breast Cancer Project]. The good news, though, is that there are simple techniques that can be practiced in every day life that lower harmful levels. It’s worth a look. Studies show improved treatment outcome with healthy [not high] stress hormone levels. Diaphragmatic breathing [belly breathing] is a highly effective way of lowering levels even when life is hurling curve balls in every direction. We teach this, among other methods, at our 6-week class on optimal immunity [offered free of charge at RC Cancer Centers]. Also free of charge is a 5-minute stress reducing audio using a technology of sound called psychoacoustics [see my website to download]. If it’s of interest, we did finally put the program in book form. Midwest book review wrote, “You Can Beat the Odds [Stockdale] is a tested, inspirational must for any health collection.” As far as supplements go, medical oncologist, Gerry Goldklang, only recommended Juice Plus since it is food-based and doesn’t interfere with treatment. The research on their site is impressive as well. All best to each of you on this journey!
I’d like to tell a story about my sister, Gene, who died of breast cancer. She had regular mammograms and did monthly breast exams. However, she discovered her cancer in a different way. She was changing clothes in a room that had a different light than her bathroom – and she noticed a shadow on the underside of her breast. She then felt a slight indentation that she had never felt – the light cast a shadow. So, now I’m asking all my friends and acquaintances to check – when you go to a conference or on vacation and are in a motel or condo, or in the dressing room at Dillards, or at a friends house and run in the bathroom – pull your shirt and bra up and look – just to make sure. This is not a prevention, but it might make you become more aware of the different ways cancer can occur. Thanks.
Having a Her2 Neu positive gene or a BRCA1 or BRCA@ gene is also a risk. Most women diagnosed with breast cancer do NOT have a relative with breast cancer, although having a relative puts one at a higher risk. High estrogen levels are also a risk, as well as never having children. Those are the risks that no one ever lists. I rarely drank and was not fit and trim when diagnosed. Many healthy women get breast cancer because of their genes and because of very high estrogen levels. That was the case with me. Listing drinking and being overweight is fine, but when that’s all you list then people will think that I was a fat drunk. I was neither. Either give details or don’t write an article at all.
As a 7 1/2 year breast cancer survivor, the # 1 reason I am alive today is because I had a general doctor who cared about ME. Don’t settle for a doctor who is busy, inattentive or casual about your health. Your doc should do everything to help you maintain your health, including listening to you and caring. He/She has resources available to provide immediate actions when warranted. How about 9 days from initial general doctor’s visit to surgery? That’s what saved my life. Thx Dr. Coleman, in the little town of Abilene, Kansas.
Despite the general failure of the war on cancer any cancer victim has a better chance at a major cancer center than a local doctor and local hospital. Be prepared to move to Houston, Texas to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and live there for a year or more for treatment. Your insurance will also likely pay there. Every doctor there is a top specialist, not just a routine surgeon. Do not accept the local propaganda that it doesn’t matter where you are treated. It does matter. At top places every detail counts. Every part of cancer treatment is life threatening so you want to be where every doctor is a top person in the field since they may end up killing you unbeknownst to you. My wife was nearly killed, not from breast cancer, but treatment, at a local hospital in Athens, Georgia. She moved to Houston and lived there for over a year. This was over a decade ago.
M.D. Anderson is just as good as Harvard but cheaper to live there. Do not even assume that Emory is as good as M.D. Anderson; it isn’t.
In 1983 at outstanding research scientist by the name of John P. Dobbins, Sc.D., gave a lecture to nursing students at Merced College in California sponsored by the American Cancer Society. It was published in the Swiss medical journal Cytobiologische Revue, No. 3, pp. 123-135, 1985. Here are 5 easy do’s and 5 easy don’ts to help prevent cancer in the first place:
Five easy do’s:
“1. Drink pure water–bottled or boiled. Maybe some of you have your own wells. Good–but know what’s in your water; avoid chlorine, fluorine, and too much sodium.”
“2. Eat clean fresh fruits and vegetables, at least 70% raw-for roughage and clean colon as well as minerals and enzymes.”
“3. Replace the sugar and salt on your table. The difference to your health is extreme…”
“4. Get more oxygen into your system.”
“5. Take some vitamin and mineral supplements each day, according to your individiual needs. Take at least 3 grams of Vitamin C daily.”
Five easy don’ts:
” 1. Avoid x-rays and radiation exposure–all but emergency or the most essential. Sit farther away from your color TV; consume protective anti-oxifdant or SOD (super-oxide dismutase) tablets whenever you watch for hours at a time. Children are ten times more susceptible than adults.”
“2. Eliminate drugs, or at least cut down on them including such favorites as nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol. If you need medication, there is often a safe natural substitute for the harmful drug prescribed. But ;you must find it, or consult an orthomolecular medical specialist.”
“3. Avoid all known carcinogens, such as nitrites, asbestos, coal-tars, etc.,”
“4. Throw out all aluminum cooking utensils and avoid foods that come wrapped with aluminum in direct contact with the food-buy those with a paper protective layer between the aluminum and the food. Also watch out for aluminum consumption in most of your antacids.”
“5. Cut down on meat consumption, especially beef and chicken.”
“The “don’t’s are often more difficult to abide by than the “do’s”"
Partial Qualifications of the author: A.B., physical chemistry, UC Berkeley, M.S. electro chemistry Saxon Institute of Technology, Dresden, Germany, Sc.D., Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich. Author of numerous books and articles and holder of numerous patents and nominated for the Nobel Prize in medicine.
Here is a reference to document to dismal failure of the war on cancer: “The Cancer Industry” by Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D., Equinox Press, Houston, 1996, first published as “The Cancer Syndrome” in 1980. This book contains about 500 pages and about 500 references. There is also a 1989 editon.
Dr. Moss, who is originally from New York, holds a Ph.D. degree in classics from Stanford University in California. He has written about a dozen books and humdreds of articles on cancer.
He was once assistant director of public affairs at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York during the period of the 1970’s. He was fired from that job for refusing to lie to the public about cancer research on Laetrile. His book above describes horrible unconscionable, fraudulent, improper and even illegal conduct by the cancer generals of the failed war on cancer over a long period of time. Here are a few reviews from the experts:
“The revelations in this book about the ways in which the American people have been betrayed by the cancer establishment, the medical profession, and the government are shocking. Everyone should know that the “war on cancer” is largely a fraud and that the National Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society are derelict in their dutires to the people who support them.”
Linus Pauling, Ph.D., Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1954 and Peace, 1962.
“This is a shocking, disturbing book, a muckraking book in the best sense, which should be widely read.” Baltimore Evening Sun
“Moss brings heavy guns to bear against the cancer medical establishment as he details the dismal record of their orthodox forms of treatment…He carefully cites sourcews as he assembles documentation that adds up to a blistering attack.” Publishers Weekly
“Moss is a very tough act. He delivers his artument with low-keyed logic and a slow, careful building-up of facts. It is this very calmness, ultimately, that gives his words their ring of commanding urgency. Riveting!” The Denver Post
“Exceptionally well written….Highly recommended.” The LIbrary Journal
If taking off smoking logos off cigarette packs were enough, fewer folks would smoke. Stll,the magazines, billboards,grocery store circulars-Krogers especially-still advertise even if out tv’s don’t. A young,pregnant woman at the bus stop was smoking;she said she had a little boy at home. To me, smoking aroun\d your babies should almost be regarded as child abuse. If we remember the folks who died of cancer as a result of smoking,like Yul Bryner (who pleaded for smokers to quit),maybe we wouldn’t want to end up like them-dead. What does it take?
Great read! As a new mother I’ve been learning more and more about healthy eating for babies and children. It’s so important for the parents to be educated as much as the children – they are the ones setting the precedent.
Americans have not learned how to take time off seriously-they just keep working. Europeans have considerably more vacation time-take it seriously-and are less materialistic. We complain about illness and health care costs but both employer and employee should realize that overdoing it is precipitating the problem. It is a proven fact that employees perform better and faster if they are on a reduced week, take regular breaks and vacations. When all is said and done, health before money results in a better payoff for both parties.
No overtime for me! Life is too short and I enjoy my life outside the office. When I do have to work OT I can feel a difference in my energy levels the next day. I usually require a day off or good night sleep to recuperate. I am lucky to be a hourly employee instead of salary, they don’t want to pay overtime!
Companies (executives)require that you work a minimum of 50 hours at your job, especially if you are a salaried employee. You are expected to get more done with less help. Work until the jobs are done, which never seems to have an end. You are never expected to get sick and take off time to recouperate. And when you put in for vacation (for a week at a time),the company does not take a good view on this. They would like you to take one or two days at a time spead thoughout the year. This is a sound of the times!! Either do what they expect from you or get out. Not a good trend for the US salaried worker.
@Bob. Right you are. And with digital cell phones and aircards the company gets to pay a few hundred bucks a month for the pleasure of keeping you connected all the time. I used to work in the office from around 8-9am until 6-7pm M-F. Now that I am a single mom, I have no choice but to leave by 5pm and then my fingers are busy with e-mails on the cell and by 9pm I am back on the laptop and actually working until around midnight-1am. In order to get the accrual off the books my company has mandatory vacation days…the problem is that real-life steps in and there is always something happening so the best I can get in return for them charging me a vacation day is that I get to put in my 8-10 hours that day from home. Vacation, to me, is just somewhere new to set up my laptop. When I make hotel reservations I ask about wireless, not views.
All great points. Eating “real food” is truly important. So many people include processed foods in their healthy eating plans. It’s great to see tips like these shared.
We all know what this is leading too. The socialist among us don’t want to work the extra to get extra. So, they force us that are willing to work extra stop. I would like to see the other factors in the studying. Instead of just a one page article saying what the study says.
I used to work a lot of overtime, but now very minimum. I sat down with a pen and paper, and looked at ways to cut back. I found over $1000, that I was wasting per month. I feel a lot better that I don’t
have to rely on working so hard anymore.
According to Susan G. Coleman and KFC, eating fried chicken will help cure breast cancer!
If that kind of absurdity doesn’t convince you that those in the business of cancer really aren’t interested in finding a cure, then nothing should. Write and tell the foundation and KFC that you know better.
I used to work a TON of overtime in my previous job. I traveled all the time and worked at least 12 hours a day for weeks-on-end. On one occasion, I was out of town for an entire month and never got to come home — even on weekends. At some point I had to face the fact that I was cheating my husband and kids by never being around to spend time with them. I quit that job and took some time off. Now, I am working again, but I have found a job that does not require as many hours. While my schedule is still crazy at times, it is much more managable. I am so thankful that I changed jobs — there is so much more to life that work. I am healthier and happier today because I do not have to work as many hours.
It’s worse than salt. The government is currently defending a case in a federal court in Iowa and contends that Americans have no rights about what they want to eat or what they eat. Incredible? Conspiracy theory? No, it’s true …
Why the federal government wants to control what you eat
I think it is over-diagnosed. However, some of the people commenting seem to not understand the difference between over-diagnosed and just diagnosed. I’m not a doctor, but I’m sure there are some children that have ADHD. Some children do suffer from the symptoms of ADHD, but not all children who want to run and play instead of listen to authority should be diagnosed with ADHD. When this becomes the case (as through the 90s and 2000s it has), it is “over-diagnosis”. I just thought this should be made clear to some people. Also, the original article was to talk about over-diagnosis, and not to talk about whether it is an actual disorder. So please, if you could leave those comments to a different article.
I paid for a quite extensive food evaluation that is based on the reaction of blood cells to the foods/allergins in question. I don’t remember the exact lab test name, but I know that RAST is one kind that is quite similar.
This test is not as crude as the food challenge or skin prick tests and reveals cellular reactions on a scale of 1 to 4. In this manner, those sensitivities that might be adding up to other physical problems can be idientified and mitigated against (by following the recommendations to limit consumption of the high numbers to very infrequently and not worrying abou the low numbers, etc.).
Doctors are idiots when it come to anything food related. All they know about is the kind of allergies that send you to the hospital and are dealt with with epinephrine. Otherwise, their nutrition training and the like is pathetic. If you are very sensitive to certain foods, but don’t show an obvious reaction – like with shell fish, etc. – but you eat those things all the time, you are going to have symptoms that will be difficult to diagnose but may cause you grave problems.
The actor James Coburn had a massive cumulative reaction to numerous foods and almost died. He underwent this kind of testing, identified his issues, limited their consumption, and no longer has any problems.
I myself have seen major changes since limiting some of the items that showed the most cellular reactions. Cooincidentally, they were also some of the items I consumed a lot of – big surprise.
As well, your body is a giant food processor unit. It takes in all the goodies, but only uses what it can and must dispose of the waste. Any waste that can’t leave, will cause issues. If you smoke, you limit the waste that your lungs and skin can remove effectively. If you aren’t having at least as many bowel movements as number of meals you eat each day, then waste is piling up there. The more preservatives, additives, cooked food, etc. that you consume, the more you burden your liver and its ability to process wastes, and similarly with your kidneys.
Its all about keeping your system flushed out and free to eliminate its waste. I found that a major change in diet, colon hydrotherapy, liver cleansings and the like all worked to actually eliminate an allergy I had to avocados. My throat would swell and make it difficult to swallow and breathe. Since eating more raw food and other changes, I know longer am allergic and eat them with reckless abandon.
There is way more to know about allergies and food, but don’t ever think you will get the information from the traditional western medicine crowd. They are getting all their training from big Pharma.
If there isn’t a drug or a shot, or a surgery for your problem, your doctor won’t know a thing.
Additives such as benzoate, benzalkonium chloride can cause asthmatics to gasp for air, before a meal is done. If you notice your nose stuffing up after consuming food or drink you could be hypersensitive to preservatives.
Sufites commonly found in wine and dried fruits (they are added to keep the color) are also a big contender for allergies. Generally fruits that have a dark color are processed without them, but read the label. There are plenty of wines made without sulfites, but they are required to put them on the label if present.
Dave, you hit the nail on the head, when it comes to the doctors, massive lack of nutritional training. Over the past 6 months, I have had some sensitivities regarding certain foods (tomatoes, brown rice, whole oats, chicken, pineapple), and have had swallowing challenges. So much so, that I will be getting a endoscapy scheduled for tomorrow. Obviously going to check for intestinal damage. I did go to a allergist and got a environmental allergy test and food allergy test and there were no food allergies. I would like to find some natural remedies to cure the throat challenges.
I developed a severe food allergy two years ago. I have done all the test, the prick test, the food challenge, all of them. All the results the same. There is no cure, you just have to be careful. I have done everything acupuncture, cleanses, all sorts of different things and I just have come to the conclusion, that I must be extremely careful and embrace this life style. Last week was National Food Allergy Awareness Week (only recognized in 22 states) and I did a week long blog on my food allergy. I have had a great response, so I will link it to here if anyone wants to read it!
Given our research(or effort to fight?) over the past one hundred years, and the little progress we have made, it is time to look for options. My research on cosmic flows has shown cosmic energy cycle having significant input on allergy.
Victims is better off to check out their energy and learn how to read the calendars on cosmic energy cycle. A book provides the procedure and the calendars:
Cont.
the book on finding personal cosmic energy and the calendars on cosmic flows is THE TRUTH OF UPS AND DOWN, COSMIC INEQUALITY. If we want to get some insight beofre reading the book, read the article: Allergy and Cosmic Energy in Womensradio.com.
My dad suffered from Non-Tropical Sprue, an auto-immune gluten intolerence. Unfortunately it was not diagnosed correctly until he was 77, shortly before his death. Physically, he had a miserablr life. I have been tested as have my children because it is supposed to be hereditary and, although we have auto-immune issues, gluten intolerance is not one of them.
I would like to start by explaining that I have no medical training. I am just a parent and my advice is just based on personal experience. Our son was diagnosed with severe, potentially life threatening food allergies at approximately 1 year of age. He was allergic to milk, eggs, shellfish and tree nuts. These were true food allergies, not food tolerances. I know this because he was tested every year, sometimes 2x a year, since he was a toddler. He was tested with the skin prick method, CAP RAST blood test, and later in life, with food challenges. He is now a college student. My advice for those navigating this challenging journey:
1) Seek a specialist. We chose an allergist and he has been our partner on this journey for almost 19 years. He understood not only the diagnostic issues, but also the lifestyle, social and emotional issues surrounding food allergies.
2) Join the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network and any other network to gain knowledge and coping skills. This website truly changed our life.
3) Develop a consistent game plan for your child to keep them safe. Given the fact that our child was allergic to so many foods, we felt it important to keep the plan simple, especially when our child was young. In our situation, if the food did not come out of our child’s backpack, he was not to eat it. This avoided the stress of wondering if he could have the cupcake or birthday cake brought by someone else, etc. It also kept the responsibility within our family, not relying or asking a teacher or other caregiver to figure this out.
4) Accurate and Appropriate Communication is key. Be clear with caregivers about the seriousness of the food allergies and what to do in the event of an emergency. This should be spelled out in writing with a game plan approved by your physician. It is a good idea to meet with teachers BEFORE the school year starts to discuss this situation and provide med bags. Also, be clear with your child and make sure they understand the situation and what to do in an emergency or if they think they have ingested an allergen.
5) Teach your child to always carry meds. Our child still carries a med bag, which includes epipens, inhaler, Benadryl. When he was in elementary, middle and high school, we had several med bags located throughout the school. Nurses office, PE teacher, with coaches, etc.
6) Advocate and Be Positive. Not everyone will understand. Be positive and raise awareness one person at a time. Teach your child to be their own advocate as they get older. They will take their cues from you.
8)Stay current on food allergy testing, medication prescriptions and meet with your physician annually.
I used to lie awake at night wondering how we would be able to send our child to college and how he would navigate this situation all by himself. He just completed his first year in college (he does not attend locally). He navigated all of this beautifully. Over the past 3 years, through testing, we have learned that he has outgrown several of his food allergies.
I know this email was long, I just wanted to give hope to anyone out there with a small child who may be newly diagnosed. It is overwhelming, we wish you the best and they can live a wonderful, full life.
My 2-year old was just recently diagnosed with Eosinophillic Esophagitis (EE). It is a rare disorder where food intolerance causes inflammation of the esophagus, severe heart burn, nausea, vomitting and chest pain, eczema and asthma. It affects 1 in every 10,000 people. It is commonly misdiagnosed due to the similarity of reflux disease symptoms.
I’ve spent much of my childhood sick all the time with colds, viruses and earaches. As an adult, I’d get sick headaches, my skin would be clear and then breakout inside an hour, significant water retention, nausea and would feel awful for ~24 hours. The symptoms never last and by the time I got to a dr. they would be gone. 7 years ago I had an IgG-4 Blood test (not to be confused by the standard allergists IgE test) and tested high for Casein (milk protein) and eggs. I stopped eating both and I feel great – better than I’ve ever felt in my life.
Your health food store will have a product called ‘Egg Replacer’ and I’ve used it in many recipes that call for eggs. Also, I use a bread machine. You can’t be sure that store made bread hasn’t been contaminated by the previous product they made. I take probiotics to improve my digestive system. I am VERY HAPPY to have a solution and my health back!
I’ve heard of others who were diagnosed with Chron’s Disease and IBD to completely resolve their symptoms by avoiding foods the IgG-4 blood test identified! Dr.’s, for the most part, don’t seem to like this test because the solution has nothing to do with having you come in for repeat visits and prescriptions!
With IgG-4 food allergy (intolerance?), your immune system is on high alert fighting the allergen every time you consume it. That means there’s less immune system strength to fight other things I was exposed to which is why I would get sick all the time. Work with your body to restore it’s nutrition and health – ignore those that try to minimize this problem and the solution!
my husband had the ige and igg tests and the only thing he didn’t come back with a problem with is fish and rye bread. everything else is a problem – milk, meat, eggs, bread, fruits and veges. so all he eats is fish and that is horrid as i don’t eat seafood and he is eating herrings, oysters, i wish he would eat tuna instead of the herrings.
my nephew is supposed to have a milk allergy but has no problems when he is with his grandmother – not sure about the reality of the milk problem – his father has it and there is a lactose free milk here in australia that i mentioned to his mother.
we need to get a better word for real life threatening problems – nuts, eggs, fish given they can be life threatening/require a trip to the hospital for that jab. here in australia, kids and adults are encouraged to carry around their jab so that it can be admitted if there is something served to them that causes a reaction – nuts that weren’t meant to be in a food. we all need to get identifications for people with lifethreatening products.
We are the only species on earth that consumes the milk of another species and the only species that consumes milk past infancy/early childhood. It is just not natural and really no surprise that so many people have problems with dairy products.
I recently remembered that certain nuts make me swell up. I went and got some and it’s come in handy since they’re a heck of a sight cheaper than Viagra.
David S – you are correct and it is called effective marketing. Half of the world is malnourished and has less osteoporosis and thinning bones than people in the US. That is called turbo marketing.
Not sure if it’s a nature thing, Dave. We are also the only species that has hands to milk another animal!!!
I thankfully don’t have any life-threatening allergies, but I do have quite a few intolerances. My doctor has no clue at all. The best defense is just to know your own body (unfortunately this sometimes takes years of trial and error). Once you know what bothers you, just quit eating it.
while ron may truly have a point… theres an overload of over-eating in america. not only that but sometimes common sense choices for eating aren’t enough to keep you healthy. like for someone with night-eating syndrome(a eating/mood/sleep disorder wher ppl starve all day and then eat too much at dinner, binge all night, are depressed, and have insomnia) just eating regularly isnt enough. you have to choose your diet wisely with proteins, fruits, veggies and good carbs. yes it would be nice if everyone could sit at a restaurant and order what they want within reason, but reality is, sometimes that doesnt make a difference in the persons weight gain and doesnt make them any healthier. and dieticians are licensed to help stop over-eating, control under-eating, and help you have a balanced diet
Slappy Harlock – there is a difference between eating what is in front of you and choosing to get it yourself. How many cats have you seen suckling off a cow or any other species for that matter after their infancy. What a stupid response to the FACTS that I presented.
As for the only species with hands to do this, I would defer to chimps and other primates, none of whom milk another animal for their sustenance despite the same ability.
If you wish to justify your milk consumption based on the ability to stuff it down your throat, then the skies the limit on what we COULD eat. The question is what SHOULD we eat. Milk is high in fat, made from protein not designed for human consumption, designed to fatten young calves, not humans, etc. The case against it is strong. There are far superior sources of more absorbable calcium, vitamin D is a human additive, all milk produced by the big industrial farms must be pasturized due to its high levels of bacterial contamination (so you are just drinking dead bacteria, they are not filtered out), and so many dairies use antibiotics and bovine growth hormone to increase milk production. Add to that the fact that the majority of the world’s population lacks the enzyme to digest lactose and milk comes up way short on the list of great foods to consume.
robyn – I find it hard to believe that your husband has severe food reactions to everything but fish. Every vegetable? Every fruit? Maybe you should do another test to confirm.
Generally the way these tests work is a scale of reactivity. Its all about balance. Again I get to keeping the body, skin, colon, lungs, liver, etc. all cleansed and working well to eliminate toxins (start with the colon). Personally I found that even the more severe reactions diminished or even went away when I eliminated the #4’s, cut way back on the 3’s, did a few good cleanses, started eating more RAW fruits and vegetables (cooking only destroys the vitamins and enzymes in the food – which means your body must now make its own enzymes to digest and process the items thus depleting your body rather than nourishing it) and the problems got a whole lot better overall.
Don’t let your husband give up, and certainly a life of just sea food is not the answer. Vegetables and fruit should be the bulk of what everyone eats.
I have just been diagnosed with food intolerances within the last year. Since I have been eliminating those foods (corn, wheat, dairy, and eggs),and doing a lot of my own research on why this happens I have been feeling betterb. I also have been meditating and reevaluating myself spiritually. This has helped me also. I do feel that the doctors are not up to par on knowledge about this subject and you have to research it for yourself.
Has anyone ever heard of Nambudraped’s Allergy Elimination Technique? It is a permanent allergy treatment, gentle enough for babies. You can find information at NAET.com. I have been treated with it and have had excellant results. My husband has been treated also. He used to take 30 zertec a month. Now he takes about 30 Zertec a year. Consult with a practitioner for more personal information. It could be a life saver for you or some one you love. It’s cost affective, paying for it’s self in about 18 months in medical costs and lost time at work. Plus, major reduction in misery.
Check it out.
Discrimination is not even an issue. That is irrelevant! Anyone that is participating in high risk sexual behaviors should not be allowed to donate blood. Where is a persons’ moral values if one knows that they are engaging in such activity; why would one even want to donate blood with the likelihood that it may be contaminated and put another human at risk, in the event the blood falls through the crack of the current testing system? I vote no.
There are gay men out there, like myself, who have only ever had 2 sexual partners and gets tested every six months. People like myself are unable to donate blood for the rest of my life. I am O Positive, which means my blood is universal and everyone can use it. I believe I should be able to donate blood that could save someone’s life. I don’t think it is discrimination to forbid me to, I would just like to do my part to help others.
Label the source of the blood, as they do the type of blood and let the recipient preselect from what pool(s) of blood they’re comfortable in receiving and in what order of preference. Just like a donor card, this could be listed on their license and/or known by their PCP. If not available, then any source of blood matching their blood type that’s required to save their lives could be used, unless they’re specifically against it. This method with satisfy both the donor’s willingness to give and the recipient’s choice to receive. Discrimination is a non-issue as the donor’s motivation should be primarily out of help/love and not out of forcing their blood upon someone in the name of “equality.”
“Anyone that is participating in high risk sexual behaviors should not be allowed to donate blood.” – that should be straight married men — you are the ones on the down low and sleeping around. Not gay men.
Any ban should focus exclusively on high risk behavior, not on the orientation of the donor. Under the current rules, a heterosexual man who has sex with 1,000 women in a year is apparently welcome to donate while a gay man who has had sex once since 1977 is not. This makes no sense.
Wait until another break out of HIV from blood donated by gays. I can not give blood because of a blood thinner I have to take. Am I a target of discrimination?
Negative.
It’s not just the idea of gay men giving blood. It’s the reality that there are weaknesses in the system–sloppy technicians, nurses–that can allow something bad to slip through the cracks.
When in doubt, vote no.
so as a gay man who uses condoms, is hiv neg and practices safe sex, I can’t give blood…yet a married who could potentially be hiring prostitutes or sleeping with multiple women or guys (and there are a lot of them who do meet up with men) and not using protection can give blood just because he didn’t self identify as “gay?” sorry, but that’s a flawed system
For those who are saying hetero men might sleep around more than homo men is not the issue. The article states that HIV/AIDS is more prevelant in the homosexual community. That is why this is an issue. Not a debate on the number of partners. Re-read the article. I agree with dtboy. If this turns out to be yet another issue of “equal rights” in the gay community I will barf. Just be gay and stop trying to force it down everyone else’s throat who is not. Its sexual prefernce. It doesnt need to be a civil rights issue. Im sick of it. And, no, I would not want homosexual blood.
We live in a state where abstinence is taught rather than teaching students appropriate safe sex practices. At least once a year there are blood drives held at many local area high schools. There is a pretty good chance that these under-educated, sexed-up teens are providing lower quality blood than the gay population would if they were given their chance. (By the way, probably a handful of these teens are closeted gays, but as long as they are closeted it’s o.k., right?) Healthy adults that practice safe sex, no matter their sexual preference, should be allowed, AND thanked, for donating such a precious resource.
Yes. The ban should be lifted and more scrutiny placed on high-risk sexual activity. If you don’t think that you are discriminating based upon sexual orientation, ask yourself if you have a problem that gay women are not excluded from donating blood. Gay women have an even lower risk for HIV than heterosexual women.
“Something bad” can “slip through the cracks” with any donor at risk for any disease; that’s the reality of it. One hopes that people who donate blood are doing so out of a sense of altruism. Gay men who are at a low risk for transmitting blood-borne diseases should be allowed to donate blood just like everyone else who passes the screening criteria.
All of you with your garters in a knot over this please read the article. It includes about 7 specific and very good reasons explaining why homosexual men are excluded from donating blood and they are all risk based. We all know there are monogamous homosexual men and very promiscuous heterosexual men but you cannot dwell on individual cases. The reality is, as stated by the article, blood donated by homosexual men is 60 times more likely to test positive for HIV than any other group. Homosexual men are also more likely to carry other blood borne diseases such as hepatitis. There is also a certain number of cases, usually because of timing of infection, that get through the testing safety net. Thus there is a very good reason to exclude this group. If it were discriminatory there would be a similar ban for lesbians but there is not. So let’s get off the soapbox shall we..
Made mistakes in my past and i am no longer living that lifestyle. No way I am a danger, is a *lifetime* ban really necessary? I can definitely get behind a waiting period, like all the other hazardous activities.
The fastest growing group of new infections is among black straight women. Around the world, heterosexuals are more likely to have HIV than gay people. And yet gay people are disallowed from giving if they had protected sex one time in their life?
The root of this is that people just feel icky about gay blood. News flash homophobes: you can’t catch gay from gay blood.
To hell with that. I don’t think anyone in their right mind is going to risk HIV contamination to be politically correct. Allowing homosexuals to serve in the military is one thing but taking the chance of getting contaminated blood is something else.
Risky behavior is indeed the issue, not the identity or orientation of the donor. Many communities of color also have high rates of HIV/AIDS and yet there is no blanket ban on blacks or latinos donating blood. Your statement “HIV/AIDS is more prevalent in the homosexual community” is more accurately put as: “HIV/AIDS is more prevalent among men who engage in unsafe sexual practices with other men.” That’s why a monogamous gay couple who have been together for years are less of a threat to the blood supply than a single heterosexual man who engages in multiple unprotected sexual encounters. And yet the latter is allowed to donate all he wants. Banning gay men from donating only creates a false sense of security. Screening should be based on risky behavior only. I’d feel much safer with screening questions along the lines of “Have you engaged in unprotected sex in the past 6-12 months?,” “Are you unaware of your HIV status?” I’d be happy to see these questions get very specific in terms of types of acts, fluid exchange, etc.
This isn’t an attempt to be politically correct at the expense of endangering blood recipients. It’s a more sensible, and more secure, way of evaluating the screening process. Focusing on behavior is safer than focusing on identity. Allowing HIV negative gay men to donate when the need for blood is so great will result in a net benefit to public health.
How Many DL men yes MEN who sleep with other man and have wives and girlfriends are going to donate blood and say sheeesh! dont tell no body but although I am married I also sleep with men on the side. I dont give a RATS a#! how much you THINK that gay men should not donate. You should TREAT ALL BLOOD AS IF IT HAS HIV DUHHHHHH! There are people who steal and say they dont, people who use DRUGs(yet denie it) WTF? You damn idiots on here claming you dont want homosexual blood you damn air head how do you KNOW somebody is gay if they dont tell you? What about those who have no money or job and LIE just to get that money. ME personally I dont want NO damn body blood..gay or straight. Infact If I needed a blood transfusion..i would prefer them to store My own Blood..I dont want ANYBODY else damn blood Period..GAY or Straight. There are a lot of Strait folks whos blood is NO good either you damn idiots make me laugh..its the same rule..when you have sex. I dont care if the person is made out of gold..still put on a damn condom and treat everyone and I do Mean EVERYONE like they got something wrong with them or tainted blood..that includes Doctors nurses and medical staff..No one is exempt! Bad blood will take you out..gay straight in between.No exceptions.
Emily… i doubt if you are ever in need of a transfusion you would turn down the blood. And I find it confusing that you believe that only gay people with multiple partners are the risk. That is just dumb and myopic thinking. But your comment “it’s a sexual preference” proves just how dumb you are. Being gay is biological. However being stupid is a choice.
Were any of you adults in the early 80″s? Reading about hemophilliacs and others , Arthur Ashe comes to mind, that died because of the tainted blood supply, assures me that I will never want to see the ban lifted.
I know there are plenty of gay men that will be discriminated against due to the lack of ethics of those that came before. I am sorry for that but I do not want to hear of unsuspecting people dying as they were then.
Yes. No one thinks its the government’s business until the stroke or heart attack. Then its our business to care for the disabled, Medicare/Medicaid recipients and the catastrophic bills. This is simple, effective prevention.
Why not allow gays to donate, but just keep that blood supply separate? If a person who needs a transfusion wants to use the blood in that particular supply they can opt in, otherwise they can use the supply of blood from non-gays.
The ignorance on here is appalling. Yes, Marie, there were issues in the 80s, but that was 20-30 years ago…glad to see you are still living in the past. Technology (i.e. testing processes) are completely different now than then, and ALL blood needs to be thoroughly screened for the reasons pointed out by the smart folks on here, i.e. “straight” men sleeping with other men on the DL and/or prostitutes, or even just multiple sexual partners. As to ‘Yo Mama’, you’re an idiot…it was another idiot like you who, a few years back, was spreading the false rumor that the lifespan of gay men was mid-40s, which was based on a statistically invalid sample and proved by many to be a lie. Get a clue!
I always wanted to give blood… I tried when I was 18 years of age and that was many, many moons ago…However, they told me then that I didn’t have enough to give. Hence…low iron, low blood count. A lifetime medical situation for me. May God bless everyone that is able to give blood. I wish I could store my own, but I don’t have enough to even do that. LOL Oh Well. I wish everyone good health.
To those saying things about gay rights being tired of gay rights being a civil rights issue I have this to say. If my right to live as I choose and marry who I choose, and live how I choose is not a civil right then neither is your right to religion. They are both in your mind (though science & common sense say otherwise for homosexuality) a “choice” and if one is not protected neither is the other.
Put simply, I will stop “cramming down your throat” my civil rights when your people stop cramming our religious morals and demands down everyone else!
As to the blood, do it on risky behavior, not who you are. I know plenty of straight men who have sex with hookers.. and the HIV rate with hookers is higher than gas. Same for black women, more of them are getting HIV than gay men? Are we going to blanked ban black women and guys who sleep with hookers for life? I doubt it. All I ask is that they base it on science and not “ewwww ick gay people”.
Let me ask you this, would you take blood from a known intravenous drug user who shoots up herion,didn’t think so.Since hiv is prevalent in the gay community then those who practice this lifestyle should be banned from giving blood. How many people would accept blood from a known gay person? You chose your lifestyle and I can accept that, but don’t think that I should expose myself to the consequences of your choices.
I donate platelets every two weeks and blood every 56 days. The Red Cross has never looked up my skirt to see what flavor I am. It’s based on a questionnaire on a computer screen. Who’s to say I’m being truthful when I fill it out? I’ve donated over 125 units in my lifetime and I figure I have another 120 in me before I’m done. I’d like to think my blood or platelets or plasma, makes some of you ignorant, trailer dwelling jesus freaks a little smarter should you ever need it.
HIV is also more prevalent in the African American community, but I don’t hear anyone calling out to ban African Americans. I’d rather receive blood or blood products from a gay man who practices safe sex and gets tested than some straight guy who has sex indiscriminantly and thinks he’s not at risk because he thinks HIV is still a “gay disease”
I think the health of the patient is the most important thing, not the orientation of the doner, anyone who has high risk sex should not consider donating regardless of their orientation, There is a shortage of blood and it seems stupid to ban a gay man because he’s gay, if he sleeps around ban him but I know plenty of gay men who have never considered having unprotected sex. More research on testing methods should be done, and Emily, If you needed blood and the only blood available was from a healthy homosexual you would be right not to take it, your better off being sick and ignorant rather than growing a brain and getting a life
Steve, did you really just blame the government for your obesity? Seriously? Did someone from the Secret Service come to your house and hold a gun to your head, making you eat until you stretched your stomache to the point that only surgery can make it not huge? Grow some willpower, lower your caloric intake and take a walk. And if you refuse to do this than I do not feel an ounce of sympathy for the fact that you will be dead soon. One less fatty to be on disability.
I have three children with adhd and 2 of which have been on medication. My youngest was diagnosed at an early age my 16 year was diagnosed later on and it was too late to keep it and try to get it under control because she refuses to take the medication on a regular and choose other illegal medication to try and calm her self and try to focus and stay on one task. I fell that if the doctors would have listen to me early on she would not be so far gone at such an early age.
Soy milk is no better than cow’s milk. Soy protein is highly processed under chemical extraction. It mimics estrogen and has been linked to breast cancer, menstrual cycle disturbances, abnormal sexual development in children , breast develoment in boys, and the list goes on and on. Soy protein is in most vegetarian products and many other products you wouldn’t expect. I guess it comes down to deciding which is the lesser of two evils.
No, not overdiagnosed, IMO, since I know 2 people who went through school and life with undiagnosed ADHD – my father and myself. 42 years apart in age, and I experienced all the problems he did, including being labeled “bad,” “lazy,” “spoiled,” “dumb,” or “in need of a good strapping.” Just knowing that it’s not a rare or isolated condition has done wonders in helping to overcome it. My dad was brilliant and a lover of life, but he dropped out of school in 11th grade and was never able to make much money as a result. He always just assumed he was a no-good loser. No one to blame here; there’s just a huge gap in how these things are understood. But we should NEVER write off a kid’s chances just because s/he can’t fit into an educational mold.
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Soon to be a #1 Best Seller! Simon’s remarkable journey from tragedy to triumph following a horrific accident is testimony to the power of love, hope against all odds, and resiliency. As a fellow survivor of multiple serious injuries and an extended recovery, I cried, winced, shook my head and laughed through each loving page of this book. It is an important account of the many issues and challenges injured individuals and their families must endure in addition to, and at the same time they are striving to recover (a modern crime against humanity in some respects). This coupled with the complexities of brain injury and how it affects our physical ability to heal, demonstrates the importance of self advocacy and continuous, caring support to help survivors succeed in their quest to become whole again. This is an important book – it should be read by survivors of trauma and their families, the medical community and care givers alike, our leaders and legislators, plaintiff Attorneys and members of the insurance industry. Additionally, this is also a book about spiritual enlightenment, mystery and the beauty that is life. I’d recommend Simon’s book to those seeking answers to our existence as well. Thank you Simon for sharing your story :~)
My daughter experienced some of the worst castrophies of medical care.She was a childhood survivor of Hodgkin’s Disease. But, she developed renal cell carcinoma and radiation fibrosis. You want to talk about a killer? Four major surgeries including an open wound, collapsed intestinal walls and major pain and suffering. I don’t think I will ever recover.If the book provides any insight I am in. My daughter was writing a book too before she died.
Her book was a fictionalized account of her life. She is/was the bravest person I have ever known. Not brief encounters from people who didn’t live it for many years. But, a young person who fought and fought her entire life.Not a 5 year old view nor an 80 year old view but a comfortable 40 year old view. She died at 43.
I have started a book called 49 dsys at Grady several times. In 1987, I was in a one truck wreck getting off I-20 and the old Asby exit. I lost my breaks and hit the trees behind the station there. I guess it was not my time to go, because the right people was on the right vehicle to save my life. It took three hours to cut the old Datsun truck away from me at midnight March 14.
My family was told to come in and tell me bye. I laid there while my three young boys was trying to figure where I was going.I was awake throught the whole thing, chest tubes in both sides, tubes to breath, tubes down my nose. tubes everywhere. I had crushed my chest into my heart. Broke my false teeth and was trying to push all the broke parts through the tape that was holding my mouth shut.
When my boys, my wife, mother and daddy all told me bye and they loved me.I told my self that I would walk out of there alive. Fourty nine days later, I walked out the door and made it to my van to take me to a hospital closer to home and away from all the fools that roamed the halls of Grady.
Let me explain, SIC save my life, they have the best doctors for trama aand the best caring staff you could get in the world. Step down is not to bad, get you ready to go to a regular room. The regular room is another story. They put me in a room with ten beds. Nine of the people had chains on their legs, grards at the doors, bed checks every time someone left the room. Could not get the to put me in any other room. Had been on oxygen for 45 days and the people were openly smoking pot in the room when the guards was not looking, the nurses would bring it in for them. My wife had to get the law involved to get me out. I was insured for up to $1,000,000 and when My wife got home, the sheriff delivered a lein on my house for the bill. We wonder why grady get a bad name from time to time, This was the week before the guy shot upp the ICU, the very room I was in for 45 days. Grady saved my life, I had to have surgury four times to fix their messups, But I am still alive to write about it. Thank you Grady Trama unit for my life.
Back in March 2000, My GYN Doctor during a hystercomy sewed thru my urter going to my left kidney and after 1 year I lost that kidney, THe doctor works at Eagles Landing in Stockbridge, Ga a never called to see about me never even offer anything. I went thru several Lawyers and 13 surgeries and try to get two different Doctors to back me up in different states but nothing work. The mistake has caused me pain and now my right kidney is going bad now. The State of Georgia protects there Doctors a lot and now I am the one suffering.
Don Piper wrote 90 minutes in Heaven, a New York Times Bestseller a few years ago. He too was declared dead, his body tarped over. An amazing book detailing God’s plan for our lives, we have a purpose in life, we’re not here randomly. Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? Read the Bible and get the answers. Hint: you do have a choice where you spend eternity, we are only in this world for a little while. Working in public safety, I know just how short some lives can be. Be ready to meet your Maker, it could happen at any time.
Forgot to add that my daughter had a catastrophic illness that nearly ended her life due to peritonitis. She walked away with her life, minus one ovary at the age of 12. Egleston nearly killed her by saying her symptoms were just an intestinal upset, they wouldn’t even do an ultrasound and discharged her from the ER. Her pain was so terrible I took her back to a local hospital where they saved her life. God has used her in a mighty way the past 8 years, she is living for Christ and serving those among us who have the least. Every day should be unwrapped like the precious gift that it is for tomorrow is not promised. We are not promised a pain free existence, either for those who might say “where is God” when we are suffering. Our reward is eternal, not temporary as the things of this world are. I have also lost a child and have a third one who is severely asthmatic so I do know about suffering. I still give God the glory and praise, my circumstances do not change that. For all who are going through trials, be blessed today and encouraged.
I have had three teriffic acidents in my life that cost the insurance many thousands of dollors. One was a auto acident and the other two was work related. I have always had the insurance to pay for my care with little out of my pocket. But i have also wondered how many people have had to psy their payments to cover the care I recieved.
The new Obamacare is going to cost us all our insurance compaines. There is no way the big compaines will survive this thing. They are being forced to take pre-existing conditions and pay for them from day one. Most people that will be covered will use the insurance from day one.The goverment has not told us what the cost of their action is going to be. They say there is 2,000,000 people that will get coverage that have pre-existing problems. If the 2,000,000 people start paying their payments and do not use any benifits for the first year, the insurance will make as estmate of $5,000,000,000 for the first year. On the second year if half of people use the insurance for treatment average cost of $10,000 that is going to be $ 10,000,000,000 paid out. What if half of them used $100,000 a year or more. How long are the insurance going to stay in business doing this.How many people has to pay their payments to cover just on persons bill? Think about it. The insurance compaaines are there to make money for their stock holders.
I woke up in morgue, the doctors were waiting for me to die from a severe beating so they could harvest my organs. No joke, they (the doctors) were discussing what they were going to bye with the money from my organ harvest. I have the scars where they were starting to skin me, that’s what I woke up to.
The Simon Lewis story epitomizes one man’s depth of courage; believing, beyond the scope of our worldly imagination; and a perseverance that redefines “Iron Man”. After each reading session, my residual sensation was one of being humbled to his approach to an apparently dismal, future existence. Most of us have our times of despair when we wonder, “What can happen next”? Without a word spoken or another thought, the “lesson” from Simon’s book will live with you, “Don’t ask what can happen next!” “Do not despair about your situation!” Yours is not a plight, but an offering – one that was given to you – it is your gift…you may not like the replacement if you chose to exchange it. Resolve your remorse and invest every resource you have, to realize where the journey takes you. You may be surprised how your story might read if you make the effort exemplified in Simon’s “lesson”.
I see fat people everywhere and I conclude Americans are just sick. There’s something in the food. They’re not all a bunch of lazy gluttons. The hormones etc. that they put in food are getting stuck in the humans and making them grow, too. “To Serve Man — It’s a cookbook, it’s a cookbook”
Sorry, Michael, but you are full of it. The food is not the problem. It’s the people who eat it. Have you ever gone to a Golden Corral or even a neighborhood Chinese buffet? Fatties fill the place and they will literally knock you down to get to the fried chicken and other fatty stuff. Their plates are so full food is falling off of them and then they go back two or three more times. Fast food places — those burgers and fries consist of literally thousands of calories and it’s almost all fat.
People don’t seem to care that they are killing themselves. That means kids with no parents and lots of widows and widowers. Obesity is one of the primary reasons our health care costs are so outasight.
And let’s not even talk about lazy. Nobody walks anywhere and people will kill you to get the closest parking spaces so they don’t have to walk an extra 30 yards.
Get fit, lose the fat, or die early. It’s really that simple.
Sorry Rocky, but it IS in the food–as well as personal responsibility. Food manufacturers spend a lot of time and research studying just the right components that make it hard to eat just one Dorito. The salt content, the fat content, the glycemic index of processed foods aren’t by accident. That said, we have a personal responsiblity to shun processed foods, exercise, and turn away from the unhealthy stuff that is on every corner.
As someone that took 15 years to finally get control of my weight and stop yo yoing, I agree whole heartedly with Michael and Rocky. I wanted to blame anything else but my eating habits.
You can have the fatty foods, but stay away from them for five days before you eat them again. Drink water. You dont have to be an exercise machine, but do walk for 30 minutes a day.
Your weight problems WILL disappear.
Michael is right. All the processed crap that people eat these days is definitely a contributing factor in the fat epidemic. It is loaded with so many hormones, chemicals, preservatives, and other nasty ungodly stuff that most people would vomit if they really knew how awful it was. If you don’t have to make the food yourself, stay away from it. That’s my rule of thumb.
Eating healthy can be cheap too if you educate yourself about it and make the effort. There is nothing healthier than some grilled chicken and vegtables for dinner. How much do you think that costs? Not much. If your fat butt doesn’t want to eat that then fine, but don’t hide behind the “I can’t afford to eat healthy” excuse. That’s one of the biggest myths out there. Its simply not true.
“I had a breast cancer last year which made me fall into a huge panic. After several doctor visits, I was almost assured that there was no real remedy for me. I was referred to Sergei Djava with my last hope to heal my problem and it worked. I am now cancer free and living my life. God Bless Sergei & AN-DI Wellness.”
Please let my message get out there! There is a FIRM SOLUTION to CANCER & TUMOR.
“I had a breast cancer last year which made me fall into a huge panic. After several doctor visits, I was almost assured that there was no real remedy for me. I was referred to Sergei Djava with my last hope to heal my problem and it worked. I am now cancer free and living my life. God Bless Sergei & AN-DI Wellness.”
Please let my message get out there! There is a FIRM SOLUTION to CANCER & TUMOR.
The processed food is crap. I help a friend work his beef herd. The cows get steriods, hormones, antibotics, and wormer that is poison to humans. Steak, it’s what’s for dinner…….. However, anyone who blames food for making them fat migh just have fat on the brain.
Just don’t buy it, or lift your arm to put it in your mouth. It’s that simple. Now that I shared that secret the millions and billions spend on diets schemes can be used to cure cancer or clean up oil.
The first time I went to Weight Watchers, I was 5′2, and weighed 135 lbs. There was a 21 year old there who had lost what I weighed(135) I was shocked that she could have allowed herself to get that fat in such a short time. I was 30 and had gained 10 lbs, that is why I was there. I have always watched my weight and what I eat. I know when I start to gain because my clothes no longer fit the same, so I cut back and not let it get the best of me. I don’t eat fast foods, I cook my own in the oven, and I limit my intake of pork and beef. It isn’t easy at all because I love food and I love to eat, but the end results are not what I want for my body.
Stop every 1 to 2 hours and walk around for a few minutes. We usually stop at every rest stop along the expressway just to stretch our legs and walk a little bit. This might extend an 8 hour trip into 9 hours or so, but its well worth it.
Ali always has been a big influence. It takes dedication, hard work, and most of all giving up things we like. It’s called self discipline the hardest thing in the world to do. I am 60 yrs old, with arthritis throughout my body, both hips replaced, and back surgery 1 yr ago. I live in a small country town and the gym here doesn’t want to help us. Their afraid we will get hurt. Iam 30 lbs overweight and know it would benefit me to get on a program, learn what I can and can’t do, what exercises to do and so forth. This is hoping that someone will help me find the solution to this. faith levister
Glad to hear the suggestions….There’s something about a long stretch of highway that almost lulls me to sleep everytime I embark on a journey..the only thing that helps me is good sing along music, frequent stops and a Red Bull or Monster energy drink. Hate sunflower seeds so I hope to hear other suggestions…
I too have suffered from this for some time. I find that sugar and caffeine help. Although I try to omit coffee during the afternoon commute as it can cause insomnia later in the evening. Keep a bag of Jolly Ranchers in the glove box, or stop by a fast food joint for a bite of food or sweet treat. It is extra calories, yes, but far better than crashing into a ditch or oncoming traffic.
Cold air conditioning straight to the face and loud radio. Either talk radio on something that interests you, country music if it irks you or rock out to whatever you listened to in high school.
Or pop in a book on tape and see if an engrossing mystery keeps your mind engaged.
I’m with Big George, except for me it’s usually Peanut M&Ms with my Mountain Dew. Also, I sing along with the radio or my iPod to fast and upbeat music (nothing soft or sleepy).
I actually need diversity…I mix it up with eating my favorite nuts, skittles and/or fruit I have cut up for ease of handling. I listen to my favorite sing-along music (oldies but goodies for me), a good mystery or adventure audio book, maybe talk radio and cruise on down the road. I also use the cruise control because when I am engrossed in whatever I am listening to, I have a tendency to drive faster than I need to and definitely want to be safe and not get a ticket. I always allow enough travel time so I am never is a rush to get to my destination.
When my daughter was 3 yrs old we took her to a neurologist who diagnosed her with Hereditary migraines. My son never had a headach in his life, but had frequent stomach aches with no known medical cause. Both children are in their early 30’s now. I can’t help but wonder if my son was having stomach migraines back then and no one correctly diagnosed him.
My husband has had this problem for years and scares me to death at times. The only thing that seems to help him is strong coffee, the radio turned up loud and me talking to him. It is the one time that my talking doesn’t get on his nerves. But, the best solution that I have found is for me to do the driving, especially if we are in the mountains.
I have worked for the STate for 20 years, and learned early that I was expected to work many extra hours until the work was finished, usually with no extra pay, if I wanted to keep my job and get good performance reviews. Now that we are computerized in every aspect of life, it just means more work to me, but I keep telling myself to be thankful for a good paycheck twice a month. I figure I will just fall over dead one day at work, and annoy who ever has to finish whatever I am working on at the time.
cold 100% grapefruit juice (sweet & tart helps) and anything crunchy (pretzels, nuts, etc.) or mints are good but then so is PROVIGAL (Rx created originally for military pilots) for those of us with extreme sleep issues…
A mere twenty years old in the military, I used to leave home, 82 East bound, Sunday evening about 11:00 for Savannah Georgia, Hunter Army Airfield; sleepy when departing and sleepy arriving. I stayed alert applying most of the remedies mentioned, coffee, juices, eating, air conditioning, and stops. For over two years, those things worked.
Waycross Georgia changed everything. I was cruising toward the middle of town around midnight, air conditioner blasting, eating, drinking, and singing. The traffic light could be seen at a distance. But at some point, reality lapsed into a dream. Dreaming, eating, drinking, singing etc…
By the grace of God, something awakened me. I slammed on the brakes screeching and sliding. My car had gone through the intersection and almost crashed into a building. 82 East had abruptly ended; you had make a right or left turn. I had missed my left turn and no one had been injured or killed..
A lesson learned. Today my wife and I travel long distances together. And after a good night’s sleep, we depart early in the morning. If she feels sleepy or hypnotic on our journey, I take the wheel… We have periodic stops. If night approaches, we find the best inn until day breaks.
I was once hypnotized, and the post-hypnotic suggestion was that I would not get drowsy while sleeping. I can drive for hours and hours on I-16, I-20 or any other insanely boring stretch of road and never get tired.
The reason my husband was sleepy while driving was sleep apnea. I can’t eat pancakes or I’ll get drowsy while driving. I drink water while driving; I have to make more pit stops, but it gives me a chance to stretch my legs.
Sing!!! Turn off your radio and SING! I do this every night as I commute back and forth from Ga to Al for work. Along my journey there is nothing but, miles and miles of country roads and woods…therefore, I don’t worry about who can hear me!:) No one can hear my tunes, and I SING as loud as I can. Otherwise, someone would find me wrapped around a tree or tilted in a ditch! I often dance in my seat as well if I’m really feeling the groove! lol! I know it sounds crazy but I have to do what I can to stay alert! And most of all pray before you start your journey! That’s the real lifesaver! Be safe everyone!
Crunching ice is the only thing that keeps me from falling asleep behind the wheel. The best kind is the soft ice that is easy to crunch and doesn’t hurt your teeth. I have been known fall asleep and drive off the road when going only 10 miles from home to work, so it is a real problem for me and this is the only thing that really seems to help. It also keeps me awake when I am a passenger in the car.
Curiously, in a supposed anti-incumbent year, most of the departing are not retiring but seeking higher office. We may recycle more than we replace. The bad news is that a frustrating 114 seats still have but one contestant. Two of them aren’t even incumbents, meaning they will affect state policy without being vetted by voters. And I have to think that we’d be better off if many had run instead for the Legislature — and cut down on the number running unopposed. Georgia’s problems are numerous. They aren’t going away. There’s too much stale thinking at the Capitol, on both sides of the aisle. New voices would be welcome.
Another healthy option….an apple. Works like a charm for me every single time! Try to keep an apple or bring it in with your lunch and have it on the way home or for long hauls.
I have also noticed that since I changed my diet and reduced my carb intake this has started to happen a little less.
Thank goodness for this article (and user comments and suggestions)! I’ve tried explaining to my husband that this is what happens to me when I’m driving long distances at night. He thinks I’m making it up to get out of driving!!!!!!!!!!!! Which is not true – I like driving (just hate parking lots on Atlanta highways!!!!!)
Lately on the way home from work I’m exhausted! Cold A/C blasting and the windows rolled down seem to help. Once I’m out of the car I’m good, it’s just the boring, sloooow commute out of the perimeter area.
Talking to someone on my cell phone is the only thing that keeps me awake when I get sleepy on a long drive. Looks like I’ll have to start using bluetooth soon with all these new cell phone laws that are being passed.
For long hauls, eating a handful of Altoids, stopping and stretching your limbs, chewing gum and blowing bubbles (you look like a ten year old, but who cares, better than being in a ditch). Also, having great conversation with your ride partner. For summer riding, washing your feet, only if your wearing flip flops….sounds weird but has worked and helped me stay fresh and alert through many of road trips!! HAPPY RIDING!!
I just want everyone to be very careful when taking cipralex, with other medication.
I was given cipralex for anxiety and torodol for pain after a car accident.
I suffered from extreme mucles shaking and twitching, convulsions,and sezures.
I became incoherant, and hallucinated.
I sought help from my doctor, two trips to the Emerg, and a neurologist.
No one could figure out what was wrong with me.
I knew in my gut that something was terribly wrong, and I was losing total control over my body and mind.
Once they ruled out all the big stuff, they thought well it’s got to be in her head.
I knew I couldn’t possibly be doing this to myself, and a shrink agreed!
Then when I was close to giving up hope my doctor said when don’t you try going off the medication, we’ve tried everything else.
Wow 12 months of hell, and no one thought,”hey it could be her medication”.
With in a few days I noticed a huge difference.
Within a month I felt fantastic.
So I lost a year of my life, but I learned a very big lesson.
Only you know your body best.
Listen to your gut, and keep hounding the doctor’s until you are better.
If this can help just one person, it will justify what I had to go through.
Hi friends,
Your style of presentation is very impressive. The meaningful contribution of your mind reflects on those people who are looking for better health. I would like to tweet on it and keep spying at every moment you blogging.
In 1983 I had a precognitive dream of a NDE. I was in a hospital for minor surgery at the time. Doctors wanted to use a general anesthetic and I agreed. A series of dreams began the evening I signed the authorization for the general anesthetic and continued right up to the night before surgery.
In one of these dreams I was standing at the foot of my hospital bed looking at my corpse and thinking to myself that I had stopped breathing in my sleep. In this dream I was filled with a great sense of compassion and viewed the corpse as something akin to a friend. Some of the other dreams during the three nights prior to surgery troubled me. In one of them I was gripped by terror and helplessness as I pounded my fists frantically upon an impenetrable wall screaming I’m not dead. They made a mistake. I was full of forgiveness for the doctors but knew nobody would ever know the truth about what had happened to me. I awoke from this dream surrounded by a sense of claustrophobia which continued for a few moments after I awoke. This dream and the emotions attached to it forced me to try and think of a solution to what I viewed as an impending future. The only dream that contained any useful information was the dream where I was looking at my corpse realizing I had stopped breathing in my sleep.
In the morning after the dream of pounding on the impenetrable wall I started to ask the doctors what it meant when someone stopped breathing in their sleep. The answer I received was that it was a possible side effect of a general anesthetic. So, I asked the doctors to use a local for the sugery. They used a local anesthetic. Shortly after the operation, while back in my hospital room an unexpected complication developed. I had to get out of my hospital bed and find someone to bring it to their attention.
For days after this complication I was hooked up to a machine that removed water and blood from my lung. I went into respritory distress twice. Today I have the lung capacity of someone with only one lung due to scarring.
I believe if I had not changed the choice of anesthetic to be used and had the surgery under general anesthetic instead of a local I would not have been able to bring my distress to the attention of the doctors who would later place one of two chest tubes in my side to save my life.
In the years since this event I was troubled by the emotions attached to the dream of pounding on the impenetrable wall and the distress attached to being buried with the truth. I tried to write about it once on a discussion board about life after death. If anyone is interested in reading it Google Fatal Medical Error. You’ll find it under the heading Fatal Medical Error and Non-Disclosure.
Generally, I use the sleeve on the inside of my left elbow. If I’m wearing a t-shirt, I’ll just lift the collar over my mouth and nose and sneeze inside the shirt.
I alway sneeze into my elbow-learned that at an early age. There are two things that creep me out though.
First is not washing your hands in a public restroom, especially one that still has flush handles. Let’s see, you just handled your private parts, then grabbed a handle that has been held by who knows how many other people who have also just handled their privates, and you’re now going to go back out into the world without even a rinse?
The second is one that may just be a bit of a pet peeve of mine, but I still have to wonder how sanitary it is. Restaurants have all kinds of rules about how the kitchen staff has to wear hair nets, gloves, use sanitizer, etc, but they still let the wiat staff stick the folder with your check in it down the back of their britches, walk to your table with it, pull it out, and toss it on the table.
I’d just as soon not handle something that someone else has been sticking down their pants all day long, thank you.
I’m ol’ skool; I cough into my hand and go about my business. What does it matter?!! Also, probably about 70% of men don’t wash our hands after we use the restroom. We’re super germy/ nasty.
For most of my life, I’ve covered my mouth with my hands, but now that my kids are being taught to sneeze/cough into their elbows (and it makes sense!), I’ve started to do that also. When I’m holding something, I try to sneeze into my shoulder.
That is *nasty*, Decatur Taliban! And it’s nothing to be proud of either…
At LifeSouth Community Blood Centers we train our lifeSouth team AND OUR BLOOD DONORS to use the DRACULA method…appropriate, yes? We ARE in the blood business!
I am all about the “Dracula” cough or sneeze. Love that the schools are teaching it as protocol. It’s gotta start early. To go along w/Jimmyz’s gross outs, what about the driver who won’t let go of the steering wheel and sneezes all over it and the windshield. Or in a restaurant when the straw comes to your table already “peeled” and sticking out of your drink. Who did that? Where have they been? Only problem about “Dracula” approach to sneezing/coughing for ladies is that just applied perfect lipstick goes on a sleeve—-even if it’s a little bit, it’s still hard to get out of fabric.
“That is *nasty*, Decatur Taliban! And it’s nothing to be proud of either”
Just telling you what happens in the real world. If you guys and girls want to march to the government’s mandated politically correct beat that’s your business and only your business, not mine.
[...] the right and wrong technique for covering up whilst sneezing and coughing we came across this article from Joy Johnston from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Hope you find it [...]
So, what do you do? Walk around with dried-up boogers and snot on your sleeve all day? That’s attractive. Just the thing for an important business meeting.
It was extremely interesting for me to read this post. Thank you for it. I like such topics and everything that is connected to this matter. I definitely want to read more soon.
I haven’t tried the once-a-week application listed above, but I’ve applied fresh lemon juice using a cotton ball after showering and I have absolutely no BO. I’m amazed because I’ve tried all sorts of natural deodorants and nothing kept me odor-free for long. Hope this keeps working without any irritation …
Choose whole foods instead of processed and packaged ones whenever you can
By “whole,” we mean they should exist in nature and have just one primary ingredient (for example, bananas, broccoli, chicken, brown rice, milk). Ninty percent of the time, these goods are the healthiest, and eating mostly whole foods makes it more likely that you’ll get enough protein, fiber and whole grains . And eating fewer packaged foods should help you avoid excess sodium, sugar and calories.
It’s really simple folks. ADHD drugs are PEDs. Think about it. I wish my 5 kids could have taken these while in school. They would have aced a lot more tests! lol But, I believe a child should not be drugged no matter what age. It helps you CONCENTRATE better, which someone diagnosed with ADHD can’t handle. Therefore, bottom line, it is an unfair advantage to children who do listen and are not disruptive and can pay attention. Trust me, I’m a doctor. To the majority of parents who’s children fall in the category of possible ADHD candidates they are relieved and personally “excited” when they see this drug can calm down their unruly children. Teachers too. Deep down inside you/they want this drug for your child. As Bill said, Parents who won’t and teachers who can’t. It is the sole reason it is diagnosed so much in today’s “modern” world. An easy cop-out and solution to parents of hyper and non-attentive kids.
I have been experiencing pain in my lower left leg for a couple of years. The pain ran down the front of my leg along either side of the bone. It was present daily and was worse at night. I was taking Ibuprofen every day and night for the pain. I went to see an Orthopedic Surgeon, who made x-rays and even had a bone scan done of my leg, but couldn’t find the source of the pain. He suggested I have an MRI, and I was ready to do that, but before I called to set it up, I read an article on vitamins and it stated that B-6 vitamins could cause leg pain. I have been taking a 100 mg B-6 vitamin every day for about 7 years, after my gynecologist recommended that I start taking it. I also take a multi-vitamin every morning. After reading the article about the B-6 vitamin, I stopped taking it, about 3 weeks ago, and in 3 or 4 days, the leg pain was gone and hasn’t reoccurred. Do you think the B-6 vitamin could have been causing the pain all of this time?
We abuse the drugs and the drug companies abuse us. Pharmaceuticals are a lose-lose proposition. Eat healthy, exercise, go outside some and you’ll feel better.
My mother and grandmother both lost a breast to breast cancer. I have not read any real helpful suggestions here. My mother was diagnosed at the age of 36. I do regular breast exams and have taught my daughter and sons to do so also. I eat well balanced meals with lots of fruits and veggies. Any more suggestions? They started doing mammograms on me at age 21 every year since my mother was diagnosed. Alexis Reed you need to go jump off a cliff. Unless you have a significant other that has been through it.
No. 1 Doc’s need to take more time with patients. You can walk into an ER and tell them what is wrong and what you need and they will prescribe it for you.
No. 2 Listen to the parents. We know our children. Most of us are not there to get meds, we really want to know what is wrong with our child. Stop treating the symptoms and start treating the problem.
Rodney is correct! There is a pill for everything today…and our society believes pills make us better. What happened to just eating right, exerrcising and enjoying life without being “numb” on painkillers and meds. I am worried about our future generations!
IT’S NOT THE PARENTS FAULT THAT THESE PILLS ARE ON THE STREETS, THERE EVERYWHERE AND NOT ONLY AFFECTING OUR CHILDREN BUT ADULTS ALSO, AND I DON’T BELIVE THAT DRS. REALLY CARE ANY MORE, I BELIEVE IT HAS COME DOWN TO A MONEY MAKING THING.. IF PEOPLE REALLY NEEDED THESE MEDS THEY WOULDN’T BE SELLING THEM AND INSURANCE CO. ARE STUPID TO KEEP PAYING FOR THEM WHILE THE DRUG DEALERS AND DRS. ARE GETTING RICH! IT’S ALL OUT OF CONTROLL
Keep watching those wonderful glossy wonderful scenes from the pill popping wonderfully happy people on the TV commercials from those wonderful drug companies that tell you to ’see your doctor.’ I’m 53 and never go see any doctor. Hells bells, I could have cancer–highly doubt it though–or some other problem, but my philosophy (exercise, no smoking or drinking or drugs) has worked pretty well so far. My insurance premiums pay for all you whiny pill poppers who seem to always be sick.
I lost my wife to perscription pain medicine. She was forging her own scripts and getting them filled at an all night pharmacy where they did not care to check on the scripts. They had a quota to meet and could care less. The bad thing is she was also getting Suboxone (same as methadone, but for narcotic addicts) from the same pharmacy, same pharmacist. She spent thousands there and got large quantities, no one ever questioned it. She eventually took her own life, but since it was not directly and overdose the big pharmacy was not liable. She did take enough pills to knock herself out in our garage while the car was running. I won’t mention the name of the Pharmacy, but the letters are SCV. My life will never be the same.
Sorry to hear your story, really. But how did you wife get started with these things? Did it start innocently enough with a legit prescription for a legit problem, then spiral? And I wouldn’t walk into a CVS to buy anything if I had to drive 30 miles to get it somewhere else. They have some of the most anti-Christmas Christmas ads ever. Then again, I rarely go into any drug store.
Sorry for your loss. I would like to state that Suboxone is not the same as Methadone. Suboxone does not give the user a “high” feeling it attached to the same recepors as an opiate so that the user will go into withdraw. Suboxone is not an opiate and It contains an opiate blocker so the user will not get the affects if they use opiates.
Some of the blame nees to be on the MD’s who are writing the scipts. Drugs such as xannax,valium, clonezapam and other benzodiapams should not be perscribed for more than 14 days yet I know several people who have been taking them for years. In Europe these drugs are not prescibed for more than 10 days.
First I would like to say that I am sorry to hear about anyone losing a Family Member, Friend or anyone else due to pain meds. Second, I take some hard-core medications everyday due to diabetic neuropathy. Do I like to take these medications? No I do not and I can tell you that with this pain, you are not able to get out and walk, excercise or do to much because your legs swell up and the pain will just about leave you in tears. I eat right and do what I am suppose to do but I am still affected by this. A 10-15 day limit does not cut it for me or anyone else that I know of that has this problem. Some of us are stricken with health issues that force us to use medications that others see as a “sin”. For one day I wish that all of the people that think we can get by without these meds, live in my shoes and then you might re-think what you are saying.
I am not asking for pity or sympathy for anyone. If me living with this and going through the pains that I go through every waking minute of my life, changes just one person’s way of living, then maybe this is what God put me on earth for.
I know that pain med addiction is a growing problem on this earth. To get this type of medication, you must go see a pain specialist or have a very good friend that is a pain specialist. A normal doctor cannot write these types of precriptions. To prevent people from getting into your medication bottles, take the pills with you and when you are at home, lock them up or put them in a place that no one knows but you. This is what I do and yet to this day has anyone taken any of my pills from me.
Maybe one day someone will take them all from me and the only person that I see doing that is my God in Heaven!!!!
To Renda:
The only treatment method your son needs is abstinence.
This can be accomplished by one minute at a time, then 10 minutes at a time, then one hour at a time, two hours at a time, one day at a time, one week at a time. When soberity becomes the normal feeling you are just beginning the healing process. I wish you the very best.
When traveling with luggage the safest place is in the tub and NOT on the luggage rack. It’s recommended not to put clothes in drawers (yeah, I know life is different than it used to be, sigh) and I personally carry XL Ziplocks – the giant ones for blankets, and keep my clothes zipped in them. One for dirty one for clean, and into the tub they go. I HAVE seen a bed bug in a hotel ironically during a treatment when i had them 1.5 years ago. Sometimes it was easier to stay in a hotel so my house was prepped for chemical treatment the night before. It’s a studio so not much room to move with preparation going on. Then I remembered that “hipster” hotel had been a crack hotel before it’s renovation. I killed the little muther and reported it and of course the desk folks said they’d never had an insect report. Funny that, with the white powder along the entire carpet along the baseboards of that room. Didn’t come from my ziplock, so there ya go.
CVS sux:Your wife sounds like she was very sensitive, both to medication and to life in general. I am sorry for your loss.
Renda: There are support groups for people coping with addictions. He could try that. I would disagree with ‘citizen’. Depending on what drug he is using abrupt withdrawal could be very dangerous. Look the drug up on the internet (a reliable site) for more information. He could ease himself off. Good luck.
It works really well! I recently got hooked into a heavy curry food and for some reason it affected my body and I smelled almost horribly at the end of the day and I tried the remedy that my mom taught me which is LEMON. Since then I felt pretty cleanse and never had odor problem ever. I simply slice a lemon each morning and apply it on my underarms and it gives me a refreshing feeling all day long. I even went camping for days in the middle of the wilderness and of course no showering involved but felt and smelled fresh! Thank GOD for the LEMON!!!
I have used Zoloft on and off since 1995 and I have been very pleased with the results. I really didn’t experience a significant weight gain until I took 100 mg. Then it was only about a 15 pd increase in body weight. It is worth mentioning that I have taken this medicine consistenly for over 5 years. My maintance dose seems to be aprox. 50 mg. This medicine has helped me overcome an eating disorder, social anxieties, and depression. I considered changing medicines just to see what else is out there and based on the research I found, zoloft is one of the best anti-depres. on the market. I did read that Lexapro is an excellent choice as well. Good luck to anyone considering a medication- I hope my review helps.
Of course I’m honest with medical professionals; they’re going to weigh me anyway, and there’s no benefit in lying about it. It’s nobody else’s business, however.
I have no clue how much I weigh, although it’s more than I should weigh. I don’t obsess about weight. If my physician says “lose weight,” I might try, but it’s my choice. I figure it’s better to not stress about it… I eat healthy food, have no diabetic, cholestrol, or any other problems so I figure “why look for trouble?”
@ Greg, REALLY? You must be part of the circus act to guess one’s weight by just looking at them!! You should use that skill to get rich.
@ Valstake, I TOTALLY agree with everything you just posted. My Dr. wants me back at my HS weight and I’m just as healthy now as I was as a stick figure!!
Keep in mind all physicians are not up to speed either, I am 46 and have about 21% body fat (average of calipers and one of those hand held electronic devices) yet my physician says I am obese because my BMI is 29.5. sure I could lose a few pounds but I am far from obese and regularly run 2-3 miles at an 8 min pace. Needless to say a new doctor is in order
I probably wouldn’t tell the truth if someone asked, but they really never do. By the BMI standards, I am considered overweight at 5′6″ and 172. However, I wear size 10, run 2 miles 6 days a week and really don’t look very much overweight. I actually had the doctor take me to different scales because she thought something must be wrong. I think the BMI measurements just aren’t totally accurate.
I don’t know my weight. When I go to the doctor I refuse to get on the scale. They can see that I do not have a weight problem, and if I knew the exact weight I would obsess about it. I wear a Size 2 in slacks, but I have a 34 DD chest — you can just guess that 15 to 20 pounds is riding up there and I can assure that no amount of working out or dieting has ever reduced those suckers. I swim and bike pretty regularly. I don’t eat animals. I go by how I feel and look in clothes — if things get snug, I reduce my intake and increase my output until I feel better again. Weight…bah.
A person’s weight is between them and thier doctor, and maybe family members. I wish people would lose weight, the thing I hate the most is sitting beside a fat person on a plane.
I cannot believe how many people disregard their physician’s advice to lose weight! If you feel comfortable with the increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other problems which will not manifest until LATER in life, keep in mind that our acceptance of obesity and being overweight is one of the reasons our health care and insurance costs are soaring. It takes real work and commitment to get to a healthy weight, but the immediate health rewards and increased comfort are worth it.
No, they aren’t going to weigh me. I won’t let them. Sure, I’d be happy at 50 pounds lighter, or half-happy at 25 pounds less. Gleeful, if anorexic, at 70 pounds lost. Yes, they can tell me to shed a few pounds. But they won’t weight me and pin it to a number.
It is nobody’s business but mine, unless I were obese, in which case it might be the taxpayer’s business because they have to pick up the tab for my diabetes, high blood pressure and all the other attendant miseries I would have inflicted on myself. But I am a great weight, and I have worked at staying at a great weight. Why? Because I value myself enough to care how I look and how I feel. For those who don’t, for goodness sake, please wear pants that fit and don’t show your big butt cheeks.
[...] problem. Australian researchers have found that a man who sits at a desk six or more hours a day is almost twice as likely to be overweight as someone who sits just 45 minutes a [...]
Just because a person is overweight doesn’t mean they automatically have diabetes, high blood pressure, etc etc etc. I am well overweight for my height, I know this and I’m working toward fixing it. But I have never, and I do mean, NEVER had high blood pressure, diabetes or any other illness related to my weight. Right now I’m in the process of loving me for how I am, whatever stage I’m at. I want to be comfortable in my own skin and that’s what I’m working toward. Will I tell people my weight? Probably not because I am ashamed of it. I shouldn’t be this heavy. I will tell you I am much heavier than I look though. And most don’t believe me. My concern is getting my flexibilty back, my range of motion, and to not feel tired all the time. If I happen to lose weight in the process, then great. And here’s the kicker, those who are overweight sometimes have a low self esteem, so picking on them for being fat won’t help them lose weight. Just FYI
380 million Eggs are recalled for fear,
Somella may eggsist; its unclear.
With infections eggceeding,
Eggspectations, they’re ceding,
An eggsistential threat may be near.
For more, google “LimRickNews”.
Going “organic” means nothing in this sense and is foolishly used. The term “organic” would be growing a product without antibiotics, which would inherently increase the risk of bacterial outbreaks with food. Please be educated before using the term “organic”.
On a separate note, it is not necessarily the “mismanaging of eggs” that is responsible here. That would imply mixing up known contaminated eggs into the otherwise safe food supply. As an example, it would be like dropping a tooth brush in the toilet at a retail store and putting it back in with all the others and acting like nothing happened.
That is simply not the case with eggs. Eggs are thorughly washed and cleaned before they ever arrive to stores for sale. This form of bacteria is passed from hen to egg in a process known as vertical transmission. There is considerable effort to reduce this threat and has been ongoing for decades. Eggs are completely safe and are like just any other meat product that you need to COOK before eating.
Appreciate the info. Of course I’m aware of salmonella and I always treat fresh meats, esp. pork, and eggs with extra care. Put them in bottom basket at grocery store, place them last on the rolling check out belt,and ask that they be put in separate store shopping bags.I have seen people not mind when the baggers place fresh chicken – in leaking pastic, yet – on top of fresh strawberries packed in containers iwth open airholes.
At home I store these iffy products, well wrapped up, in a separate refigerator.
Even so, I had a bout of illnes last week which correspondens with the salmonella symptoms. Now blame that on a softboiled egg.
Of coures I will, because I am not scared of everything and do not run around shrieking like a little girl.
If you want to be scared of something, be scared to driving on GA 400. Now, that’s REAL danger.
You are an idiot that needs to learn about bacterial infections. Then, you might actually learn the bacteria can and do infect your precious organic, well….everything.
@apple Could you provide links to these studies? I do know that there are no studies that conclusively show any health benefit to eating organic foods. You are suggesting there are studies that show there ar
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Herb T. Kornfeld
January 30th, 2009
6:41 pm
This is truly a dumb question. Of course eating dirt is both, good for kids and healthy too. Dirt provides many nutrients, essential vitamins and minerals that otherwise they would never get. Quality dirt, mixed with some clay can make a fine meal for any child.
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Lynda
January 30th, 2009
6:56 pm
Yes we ate dirt as children and I think our immune systems are much better than the children of today. They frequently get sick and get antibotics from the doctor.As children we rarely went to the doctor.
I thinks we built up an immunity to germs that kids today get sick from. My mother used to say the “You have to eat a peck of dirt before you die” and I think we were much healthier for it. Children who are so sheltered usually get sick all the time because they never have a chance to build up immunites.
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Dianne
January 30th, 2009
8:55 pm
As a child, 54 years ago, I ate dirt. I craved it! My grandmother told me my body was craving minerals it lacked. My parents went to the river bank and hauled back a foot-tub of ‘clean’ dirt. Yes, it was clean back then…before we polluted it.
When I was pregnant with my first child, that craving returned. Believe it or not, my OB/GYN told me the same thing! Of course, he adjusted vitamins and that helped. Every once in a while, when it just starts to rain and the dirt is barely damp, the craving returns! Never made me sick!
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dan w
January 30th, 2009
9:14 pm
Yes I do beleave we have become too clean for our own bodies good, but unfortunatly our dirt (earth) isn’t much good for worm’s anymore:/
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katie alexander
January 30th, 2009
9:33 pm
what how is eating dirt good for kids???????
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M.B.
February 1st, 2009
3:42 am
Eating dirt when I was a kid never hurt me. I dont think. Some might say different.
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D Adams
February 1st, 2009
9:26 am
I first heard this theory in the early 90’s when anti-bacterial products were the new rage. Soon after I read about how dangerous anti-bacterial products were, ie; creating “super” germs and even containing carcinogens. This information wasn’t publicized because it wasn’t good for “business” and didn’t sell products. Over the years I’ve had to seek out the info to share with my friends and have wondered how long it would take to actually receive widespread attention. I didn’t suspect it would take almost 20 years and untold illnesses and deaths as well as an entire generation of immune suppressed children facing lifelong chronic and debilitating diseases.
Again, this information was virtually hidden from the public for only one reason, it wasn’t good for “business”.
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Gary
February 1st, 2009
9:36 am
I agree. Eat more dirt!
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kellie
February 1st, 2009
7:25 pm
i think this is 100% true. i’ve taken my son everywhere with me pretty much since birth. he’s 6 years old now and has had one fever in his whole life .. he’s hardly ever sick. on the other hand, my neighbor is a germaphobe and is always keeping her kids sheltered. they’re sick every other week .. the same with my sister-in-law and nieces. you need to expose your kids to germs for them to build immunities to them.
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Charlie
February 2nd, 2009
2:56 pm
My wife used Paxil for 10 years and it has destroyed her adrenal gland and is wreaking havoc on her thyroid. She has lost 40 pounds, hair falling out, can’t sleep etc. And this is after being off it for 4 years. Breaking the addiction to this crap is worse than pain killers. To anyone even thinking of using these drugs, DON’T! Depression can be controlled through many natural holistic ways. Accupunture, herbs, tea, vitamins etc. And you don’t get the “side effect” of wanting to kill yourself like these SSR’s do. Go natural!!!!!! The FDA is lying to you. Antidepressents ARE NOT SAFE FOR ANYONE!
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Brad
February 2nd, 2009
8:53 pm
Charlie, quit talking out of your rear end. Antidepressants work for millions of people with little to no side effects.
I used Remeron for a few weeks when first diagnosed with major depressive disorder. While it did help me gain back some of the weight I had lost (it does make you voraciously hungry at times), it didn’t do much for my depression. I was then switched to Prozac, and it worked wonders. Plus, Prozac gradually expels itself from your body, so it is easier to quit when therapy is no longer needed.
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Rayna
February 2nd, 2009
9:09 pm
I’ve been on Lexapro for 6 months and started the process to wean myself off due to side effects. My doctor started me on it to help me sleep. Instead of helping, I’m actually sleeping less, I’ve gained 20 pounds in 6 months, my hair is falling out, and my mouth is always dry.
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Mike D
February 2nd, 2009
9:18 pm
Vodka tonics until I don’t feel anything have always worked for me.
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Tom
February 2nd, 2009
9:37 pm
Drugs have helped me in the past, but aerobic exercise, in particular long-distance bicycling, has always been the best way for me to deal with my depression. A 2-hour or longer ride will help me for 2-3 days, during the summer when I ride at least 1 hour a day, I’m doing great. Winter, I tend towards depression and weight gain.
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Sally
February 2nd, 2009
9:58 pm
Charlie is right… Paxil is toxic!! I was on it for six months and I was going crazy! I laughed all the time for no reason, I was moody and I started drinking. When I stopped taking the pill the withdrawal was so bad that I have to be under a watchful eye because I wanted to kill myself. My head hurt a lot. It felt like I was going through shock therepy. It took me two months to get back to myself. I will never ever taking another pill for depression again. Now I just excercise,hang out with my friends and family and cry when needed. Pills don’t work for everyone so I won’t tell anyone not take them. I just won’t be taking them again…
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CC
February 2nd, 2009
10:26 pm
to be effective you must decide if the drug is worth the side affects.
i believe that there are a lot of people who can benefit from the correct usage of the antidepressants; however, not everyone will respond the same way- so, thank goodness there are more than one option. i do not know what’s worse: knowing there is a drug out there that might help or living in the dark ages and being deprived of hope.
my suggestions… find a good doctor, who listens to you. this might prove to be more difficult than finding a pill but in the long run will serve you better.
best hopes to everyone looking for a solution or just for hope.
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Keith
February 2nd, 2009
10:30 pm
No question. Regular sex, preferably with a partner.
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Vince
February 2nd, 2009
10:39 pm
Just smoke some pot like Phelps. It’s all natural, and the pharmaceutical companies don’t get any money!
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Antonio
February 2nd, 2009
10:41 pm
CC…good points, all drugs react differently to all types of people. not to mention, you’re depressed. addiction is when you start doing something that normally you would never do while not on drugs; if you’re depressed and can handle it, then find safe means to relieve stress and depression ( talking to friends or loved ones, exercise, hobbies,etc)
if you feel that you’re at the end of the road, then medication can be suitable if you know what you’re getting yourself into ( drug addiction, adverse moods and effects, sleeping all the time, etc)
i would change my perception, environment, or lifestyle before i would get involved in the corporate, and government legal drug trade.
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Kat
February 3rd, 2009
12:06 am
I get the feeling that a lot of responders to this article have the last name of Cruise.
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chief
February 3rd, 2009
12:31 am
Weed is the all-natural painkiller. There are so many reasons why it should be legal.
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Karen Lei Provo
February 3rd, 2009
2:21 am
I have been suffering with major depression for 49 years. I have been on and off many of the medications over the years. For me, I have found only a couple of them that really work for me. Well actually three. I have experienced weight gain with the medications however they have helped me very much with my illness. I personally cannot get by without the medications, believe me I have tried. But that is me and I think everyone is different. I think it is hard, at least it was for me to find the right medication to do the trick. I have had a long struggle with the illness. I believe like others have mentioned, it is important to have a positive enviornment, interests, support of friends, good relationships, pets help me and lots of light (sun) helps tremendously I have found. Avoid stress, get plenty of sleep, exercise, eat a healthy diet and stay hydrated. Most of all, stay in close touch with our Higher Power!
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Peachy
February 3rd, 2009
5:57 am
Zoloft saved my life and I have no side effects. Sometimes I quit taking it for a couple of months and have no withdrawal symptoms at all. I could not work without my Zoloft.
On the other hand, my daughter took Paxil, slept nearly 24/7, lost the HOPE grant because of it. I was 400 miles away and had no idea this was going on. She is off everything now and doing fine, thank goodness.
Someone mentioned Tom Cruise? What an idiot–genuine, 100% idiot.
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Tom
February 3rd, 2009
7:02 am
you didn’t mention Wellbutrin or Zyban (generically known as bupropion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellbutrin) which are norepinephrine and dopamine agents as opposed to serotonin. they work well for some people (myself among them) and don’t have the sexual side effects that SSRIs do (most of what the detractors above have said about them is BS/clueless idiocy but unfortunately this one is fairly common though not universal either).
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Better
February 3rd, 2009
7:07 am
I suffer mild depression. I use St. Johns Wort twice per day. It keeps me off of that slippery slope that would make me crash before.
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jm
February 3rd, 2009
7:30 am
I am on Cymbalata. Which has helped me tremendously! I had a major depressive event – also known as a nervous breakdown – about a yr ago. The side effects for me getting on this was nausea and drowsiness. So I take this at night so I can sleep and the nausea went away after a few days. The only thing is that when I haven’t taken it in a few days – I know bad patient – I get this “aura” around me. Kind of like a little dizzy spell. I would love to get off of this stuff but I won’t do it w/out a Dr. I suffer from S.A.D. and am just waiting for Spring to come around so that I can try that and get out in the sun and exercise. I personally think that Tom Cruise is an idiot. But…to each it’s own.
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brolaw
February 3rd, 2009
7:36 am
All of these drugs are garbage. Have never taken any of them. Exercise is key, a good hobby helps too, like golf.
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Michelle
February 3rd, 2009
7:50 am
All these people saying drugs are garbage have obviously never suffered enough to take medication. I exercise every day and nothing can compare to what medication has done for me. My doctor actually put me on Prozac for major PMS symptoms and it has been a miracle drug for me. I feel fantastic and I am always smiling – something that I have never experienced. It has made the world of difference in not only how I feel inside, but my marriage and my relationship with my children has just gotten better and better every day. I LOVE Prozac. It has literally saved my life!
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CM
February 3rd, 2009
8:08 am
Just an FYI for you folks out there who think “exercise” or a good book is the answer to severe depression as a solution have obviously been blessed by NOT experiencing depression. It has been scientifically proven that depression is in fact a chemical imbalance in the brain. Sever depression is a chronic disorder and is no different then diabetes. If you do not take insulin as a diabetic you will get sick and eventually end up in the hospital if you do not take depression medication you end up in the hospital if you are fortunate enough to make it to the hospital. To many people end up dying too young because of have a “label” attached to them and they do not seek help! You would think living in the year 2009 that label would have gone away but due to the ignorance of society it has not. Before you pass judgment on someone who is in fact suffering from depression DO YOUR HOMEWORK you might just save a life instead of pushing that person closer to the edge! AS an FYI I have suffered from depression for many years and there are many safe drugs available. It is in fact trial and error however it does make your quality of life so much better.
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Cindy
February 3rd, 2009
8:29 am
A good long walk with the dogs does it for me. Watching those tails wag, and seeing how excited they are just to get outside. Exercise is the best cure for depression.
I don’t buy the depression crap. You choose how you feel each and every day.
I work with people who choose to be depressed. They choose to be nasty and hateful to those around them. I don’t know how anyone can live like that. There is so much to be thankful and grateful for. Just walk outside. Look at what you HAVE, not what you don’t have. Don’t worry about what others have that you don’t, just be thankful you wake up every day and have a chance to start fresh……..
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Steve
February 3rd, 2009
8:33 am
I like all the comments from people that don’t have depression and have absolutely no idea what their talking about, but are more than willing to act like Tom Cruise and some wacked out scientologist who declare nobody needs anti-depressants. The great suggestions are to drink yourself to sleep or “just smoke pot”. How pathetic. While exercise helps and a good diet, it’s imperative I take an anti-depressant and it can sometimes take years to find the right “coctail” that works for you and that’s not even getting into the milligram of the particular drug or the frequency. Every body is different and every drug may effect each individual differently. There are horror stories for every drug and wonderful sucess stories for the same drug. Most people want to have this miracle drug that will take away all of their problems. It’s the same as going on a diet. You may need to take a “pill” to help lose the weight but that in and of itself is the not all you will need to do. You’ll need to exercise, sleep right, figure out the frequency of your meals and how much of it depending on your physical condition, etc. Nothing is ever as simple as it may appear to be. If your taking an anti-depressant and you don’t feel it’s working, then tell your doctor. That part of it is not that difficult. I guess I’ll just go down a bottle of Jim Beam and smoke a bunch of weed and I’ll be alright. Stay classy all you drinkers and pot heads.
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Mary
February 3rd, 2009
8:46 am
I agree with others about staying away from Paxil – the major problems with it are well-documented. My doctor put me on in back in ‘04 for anxiety and mild depression. While the drug worked ok while I was on it, getting off of it was a NIGHTMARE – constant nausea, head “zings”… I was sick for months. I’m not on anything and would be hesitant to try any anti-depressants after that. Right now yoga helps.
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sd
February 3rd, 2009
8:49 am
I know that many people have genuine chemical imbalances in their minds and that drugs do help.
However, I think that many, perhaps even the majority, of people suffering depression are depressed simply because they are trying to fit where they don’t belong. They are trying to live in cubicle farms and little apartments and row houses, spending hours in traffic, worrying over Christmas gifts, popularity, and climbing a corporate ladder. These people were not born to do this. They should be working manual labor, outside. They should not be trying to be something they aren’t. Its a hard pill to swallow when you first realize that your ideas are no more profound than anyone elses. You have been told by your parents and teachers that you were special from an early age, and when you find out that you are just another person trying to find happiness in life, it can be devestating. But eventually you can accept that you are free to do whatever you want for a living, you don’t need the things that you’ve been told you need.
Live simple, be happy.
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sd
February 3rd, 2009
9:03 am
Steve,
I don’t understand why taking one drug, A pill, is any better than another drug. I am not saying that pills are bad, but it seems odd to think that if one takes a drug to deal with depression, than he is better than someone else who takes a drug to deal with depression, simply because one is legal and one is not.
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hildymac
February 3rd, 2009
9:31 am
To all of you armchair psychiatrists out there… depression is a clinical state. Don’t believe me? Fine. Believe the psychology textbook I teach out of – read the mood disorder section:
http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/myers8e/content/cat_570/PDFs/Chapter%2016.pdf
And yes, while exercise, sunlight, and a positive outlook can snap you out of being down in the dumps, nothing like that can snap you out of being in a major depressive state. That is an issue with the seratonin in your brain being re-uptaken faster than it can be absorbed by it’s receptors, causing depression.
If it weren’t a clinical psychological disorder, it wouldn’t be in the DSM-IV. It’s a shame stupidity isn’t in there too.
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inBallGround
February 3rd, 2009
9:32 am
Best anti-depressant ? — prayer and reading scripture.
Doest it work ? yes it does, very well might I add.
Has it changed my life ? — yes and for the better, thanks to the grace of God.
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Pamela
February 3rd, 2009
9:33 am
Government legal drug trade…..NO THANKS!!!!….My body, my decision….LOVE MY DEALER!!!!!….Side effects-NONE!!!!!..
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Reg
February 3rd, 2009
9:34 am
Prayer and exercise. I tell Jesus my problems and get moving. It has worked for almost 50 years.
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sharon
February 3rd, 2009
9:38 am
Cindy an sd, one does not choose to be depressed. It’s not all in the mind. It does not occur because “you’re hateful and mean” or “trying to live in cubicle farms”. I do not suffer from depression but I know of people who do. Trust me, there is no reaching these people when they feel dispair. It is a very real illness. No one wakes up in the morning and say “I’m going to be sad today”. There are chemical imbalances going on. When a person loses their job and decides to kill the whole family nine times out of ten it is linked to some MAJOR FORM OF DEPRESSION. Please do some research and until then please have some compassion and thank God that you are mentally fit.
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Kristy
February 3rd, 2009
9:49 am
***CINDY*** You sound like a major b*^%h. Have you not ever heard of Bipolar II Disorder? Believe it or not it is a legitimate disorder that contains long bouts of severe depression. You should not make fun of other peoples illness’. I work in the psychology field and your nasty comments say LOADS about you. I would love to clue you in them but you probably could not afford my hourly rate..
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Cindy
February 3rd, 2009
9:49 am
I’m sorry, I have NO compassion for someone who “chooses” to be depressed. I work with such a person and he just can’t find happiness at all, because he CHOOSES to wallow in self pity. I don’t buy that mental illness crap at all.
You decide each and every morning if its going to be a good day or a bad day. Power of positive thinking.
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Rhonda
February 3rd, 2009
9:52 am
I use Wellbutrin and it works pretty well. There are side effects such as dry mouth and weight gain. I attempted to come off of it and each time I gained about 6 lbs; normally lose about 3 lbs once I get back on the drug. This drug has helped me tremendously with my mood swings and paranoid behavior. It helps me to calm down and put things in perspective. The only thing I do not like about the drug is trying to gaining the weight. I exercise everyday; normally running for a total of 5 miles per day and I go to the gym for weight training. The exercise does not alleviate the anxiety, but Wellbutrin helps a lot. For those who criticize others about depression, you are totally clueless. Try being a female, and working in a man’s world. I have friends that take some type of drug and they need the help as well. I have other friends that do not take any type of antidepressant because they are just too good for them or they have tried the wrong type and the side effects are bad for them. These friends are throwing objects, distrusting everyone, and talking about how they are not loved. They definitely need to visit a doctor soon. Life for them could be so much better.
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hildymac
February 3rd, 2009
9:55 am
Cindy, I guess you didn’t bother to read the post where I cited professional studies that state that depression is a clinical psychological disorder. The power of positive thought can’t control neurotransmitters. Go read Lewinsohn’s studies on depression and go look at PET scans of people with depression and then tell me it’s all about the power of positive thought. Yes, the Social‐Cognitive Perspective impacts depression, but depression is caused by NEUROTRANSMITTERS.
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shaggy
February 3rd, 2009
10:12 am
Cindy,
You hit the nail squarely on the head. To you depressed, heavily addicted/medicated individuals: Quit whining and look around you. If you can’t find any beauty in life, maybe you should check out. Life is not pretty all of the time, and those times take a little courage and toughness. Exercise just for the sake of moving something is not the answer. Challenging your mind and body together will set you free, make you feel truly alive. Go and do something. Get off of the couch, out of the house, and stop feeling sorry for yourself.
No, I am not a scientologist and think them to be weak minded as well. Anyone that believes in Zenu, like they do, are just idiots, who might as well believe Lord of the Rings is true.
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Wanda
February 3rd, 2009
10:15 am
I was diagnosed with cancer in 1999 and again in 2007. I have been on antidepressant since 2000. I do exercise and I also have a strong faith in God. Until you walk in my shoes or someone else that has a chemical inbalance you don’t even need to be commenting.
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G Natural
February 3rd, 2009
10:17 am
Cannibis + music = instant “state” change! Natural, and one of the oldest known anti-depressants!
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cyoo
February 3rd, 2009
10:18 am
Folks, I know this is an open forum, and we’re discussing an interesting topic here. But, please be mindful and a bit courteous. Comments like “Maybe you should check out” is not helping. Thanks.
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Denise
February 3rd, 2009
10:20 am
Some of these responses really make me angry. The reason is that some folks assume that people who are depressed choose it (why would anyone choose depression?) and that positive thoughts, exercise, and diet can cure it all. Sure, maybe some people will be “healed” with these 3 and other suggestions, but a lot of us won’t. I am currently taking Wellbutrin and Lamictal (mood stabilizer – I have bipolar disorder) and I have a very, very good, successful and full life. I probably wouldn’t if I had refused medication. Regardless of how you personally feel about depression, be careful of giving the “get over it” kind of advice to people who want nothing more than an excuse not to get treatment. Also, ask yourself: would I tell a diabetic not to take insulin but just exercise? Would I tell a cancer patient not to take chemo because all he/she needs to do is exercise? If you wouldn’t say that to folks with physical illnesses, then don’t say that to people who have mental illnesses.
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Lynnette
February 3rd, 2009
10:28 am
I was always a happy, positive person…still am, for the most part. However, after a major life storm (divorce after 30+ years of marriage, loss of friends, and upheaval from life as I knew it), I was an emotional, crying, sad wreck and couldn’t find my way back to the person I was before. I tried Cymbalta for a while but it wasn’t for me, and coming off of it was a nightmare. My head felt as if fireworks were going off all the time. At the urging of concerned friends and family, I finally tried a low dose of Zoloft and it has helped me feel more positive about my life. I don’t plan to be on it forever. For those of you who have the attitude that “anyone who needs a pill to be happy is a weak person”, I just hope that if are faced with a life-altering tragedy that you just can’t get past, that there is someone willing to help you, even with a little pill for a little while.
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KB
February 3rd, 2009
10:28 am
Cindy that was a horrible remark to make to someone who is suffering from depression, and there is a difference between self pity and depression. Shame on you. You have the compassion of an ant.
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Ken
February 3rd, 2009
10:29 am
The ignorance expressed here is amazing. People still confuse depression with being in a bad mood. This is why thousands of Americans commit suicide each year and and others suffer and never seek help.
A little exercise, playing with the dogs, taking up a hobby and “talking to Jesus about it” are all great ideas. These things are not cures for depression.
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sonny
February 3rd, 2009
10:30 am
Shaggy and Cindy almost make me laugh with their ignorant comments, until I realize how sad it is that they really have no clue what they’re talking about. Good luck practicing medicine without a license.
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dkjones3
February 3rd, 2009
10:40 am
Shaggy, If you suffer from depression getting out of bed each morning is a task. Excerise is not possible. As for you comment about killing yourself, you must have not had a family member that has killed his self. The ones that actuall do it without any warning are the ones that are depressed and you do not know about it.
I take Wellbutrin use to take Lexapro but the side effects were bad. With Wellbutrin I dont have as many side effects. Also, I can excerise now and enjoy life.
My husband did not know I was taking any thing until I had been on it for over a year. When he did find out if I said anything to him about something he did not like it was “Have you taken you med. today”.
Being a mother of four and caring for a parent, plus having a full time job is hard.
My husband thinks I have been off my meds for six months now. What he does not know wont hurt him.
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cyoo
February 3rd, 2009
10:46 am
Shaggy, thank you for your response. I’d like to clarify that this is our forum, everyone’s, actually. All I’m hoping is that we share our opinions with passion, but also with a bit of respect. Yes, Kristy’s name-calling is not considered an ideal example, to say the least. Thanks, everyone.
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Lynn
February 3rd, 2009
10:58 am
Enter your comments here
Cindy and Shaggy – it is obvious you have no idea what you are talking about. in fact, Cindy, your co-worker is probably further depressed just having to work with you. Depression is a chemical imbalance that can be further affected by issues of spousal addiction, issues with elderly parents, issues raising teenage grandchildren, and issues from your past that add to all of the above – all coming at you all at once when your neurotransmitters are already out of sync. You are not feeling sorry for yourself! Trust me, you are just trying to deal with your everyday circumstances and not take that first drink after 17 years! I have been on depression medication for many years and have tried many of them – most without any success. I currently take 80mg of prozac and 300mg of welbutrin a day and lately that hasn’t been doing enough. There are side effects but so far they’ve outweighed suicide or homocide.
So, Cindy and Shaggy and all you other non-believers, until you’ve walked in depressed shoes, you don’t have a CLUE. Consider yourselves damn lucky.
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sd
February 3rd, 2009
11:21 am
You can call me names if you’d like, but I do believe that SOME people choose to be depressed. Obviously, some people are actually mentally ill, but others choose it. Not on a conscious level like, “Ok, I am really going to be sad now”, but rather in their lifestyle choices.
Maybe someone is generally depressed because they have chosen to live a lifestyle that is not conducive to the actual person they are.
I know a guy who chose to be depressed and one day chose not to be. He had gone to an Ivy League School, and got a big time job on Wall Street. He was making millions of dollars within a few years in his career. Up late all the time working. The depression got so bad that he decided to take a month off of work for his health. He went to Montana and he never came back. He now takes tourists fly fishing and he makes a fraction of what he once made. But he is happy. Truly happy.
Thats not for everyone, and some people are truly unbalanced chemically. But many of you just need to quit your job, sell your house and car, move out of the city, and live a minimalist life away from all of this race.
I’ve been to tiny villages in Kenya where people struggle to get enough to eat and drink, but the people are happy. No one is depressed.
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CM
February 3rd, 2009
11:38 am
Yes some people do choose the “WOO IS ME SYNDROME” However before you judge someone PLEASE remember there are three others judging you!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you never have to deal with depression OR ever have to deal with a loved one with depression!
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rl
February 3rd, 2009
12:16 pm
I think we’ve all gotten a little off track, here. Isn’t this forum about which drugs work best for you, not is depression real? So, let’s assume depression is real and start discussing the drugs used to treat it. For those of you who don’t believe depression is real, start your own blog somewhere else.
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shaggy
February 3rd, 2009
12:56 pm
sd,
Kudos to you. I am glad some people actually get it.
Life is tough, with no guarantees, Life is also short, too short to wander around in a paxil, prozac, etc… daze, a daze that addicts your mind just the same or more than heroin.
I can’t imagine an existence where I can’t feel, because a drug won’t let me. If I had to live like that, I would rather not exist.
I just pulled out my summer climbing pictures and kissed them, thanking my parents for giving me this life and the ability to experience beauty practically everywhere. I believe most everyone else can do the same if they will just open their eyes.
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rl
February 3rd, 2009
1:03 pm
Oh, this is easy. I just lay in the tanning bed!
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Cindy
February 3rd, 2009
3:38 pm
Well, I won’t buy it. I have been through a horrible divorce, raised a kid by myself, the loss of more than one job, and the death of a parent. I’m still here, and I’m not depressed. Don’t need medication to make me “right”. I make myself right.
I have been through just about everything posted on this blog, and I’m not depressed.
IT’S A CHOICE!!! And some of you chose to cry “Oh poor me”.
I don’t buy it!
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cyoo
February 3rd, 2009
3:57 pm
Hi, Cindy. Thanks for your responses. I’m trying to better understand your point here. Are you saying that we tend to over-medicate ourselves? Or that depression is not actually a medical condition? What about people whom doctors say are clinically depressed? Should they not be treated with anti-depressants? I’m trying to further our debate. Thanks, everyone.
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shaggy
February 3rd, 2009
4:08 pm
Cyoo – Not Cindy, but one more from shaggy.
I think clinical depression exists is a very small percentage of people, not the millions that drink the cool aid, while needlessly medicating themselves and their children. The doctors and pharm companies set the stage and the media that forces this down the public’s throat are the profiteers in this game. Like my previous post said. It’s the same with ADD ADHD.
Where were all of these millions of “patients” 50 years ago? Why did they mysteriously appear everywhere once a drug(s) was advertised and the BIG story plastered on the news?
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Denise
February 3rd, 2009
5:37 pm
I can answer the “where were all these millions of patients 50 years ago” question. They were somewhere not getting treatment and causing hell in their homes. My grandmother suffered from anxiety disorder – undiagnosed and untreated – and she was so jittery that she would actually sweat all day just from the anxiety of something happening. She snapped all the time. She was always looking out the window to see if anything was going on. She was depressed a lot. She was mean as a snake sometimes. “Should” she have had any issues with depression or anxiety? Nope…not based on what some of you say. She didn’t work outside the home, unless you count helping my granddaddy clean offices. She didn’t have to go to the grocery store, pump her own gas, take the car for an oil change. She lived farrrrrr from the ‘rat race’ that is supposedly causing people depression. She kept the house, which of course is not easy, but she was her own boss (and my granddaddy’s) and did as she pleased. But still had issues that could have at least been mitigated, in my opinion, with medication and/or talk therapy. I use both and, as I said before, my life is d@mn good because I am stable.
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shaggy
February 3rd, 2009
7:56 pm
Denise,
I’ll bet if you asked your grandmother if she wanted to feel numb instead of truly feeling emotion, she would have bit you like the snake you describe. That generation delt with their lives differently, with courage and respect. That is something I rarely see today.
Something tells me that you would have forcebly medicated grandma, for her own good, so she would smile and be easier to mansge. What did YOU do to make grandma happy? Did you spend time doing what she wanted to do, or did you remain consumed in your own unhappiness, watching her and giving up hope for your own happiness because of her? It’s just a cop out to blame unhappiness on others, even direct family. Your life starts and ends with you.
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LC
February 3rd, 2009
8:01 pm
Shaggy and Cindy, if you don’t believe depression exists, why are you getting involved in a forum about treatments for it? I don’t see what purpose it serves to try to antagonize people who are at the very least acknowledging that they are struggling.
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shaggy
February 3rd, 2009
8:19 pm
LC,
Learn to read posts. It is healthy to understand a point before you attempt to make your own. Why do you think it is antagonization to disagree?
Let me break it down for you:
Too much heavy, addictive, personality altering drugs prescribed by an industry that makes a lot of money on these drugs that suddenly appeared for a much ballyhooed condition shoved down the public’s gullible throat by a profiteering, advertising media.
Signed, “those of us that find beauty everywhere and nowhere at the same time.”
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LC
February 3rd, 2009
10:32 pm
Minimizing someone else’s illness by calling them a “whiner” and suggesting they kill themselves is antagonizing. And not very constructive behavior for someone who claims to see beauty everywhere.
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shaggy
February 4th, 2009
7:07 am
LC,
Sorry for the check out thing. However, I firmly believe that unless someone or something has control over your life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, you are in control of your happiness. Living addicted to dubiously approved, costly, and personality changing drugs does not, in my opinion, equate happiness, and yes, I would rather not exist than live like that.
I once loved a woman, a very beautiful, energetic, engaging woman, who went through some life challenges. She thought she needed to see a doctor, because her peers convinced her that she needed help.(not me. I thought she was fine, just going through some tough times) The doctor promptly put her on prozac, one visit, here’s your script. The change in her otherwise vibrant personality was profound and chilling. She was a different person, one who smiled on the outside and was numb on the inside. It was like a high spirited horse that had suddenly been beaten into submission. Yes you could ride it, but it really was only a shadow of its former self. Thankfully, she allowed me to persuade her to see a different doctor (mine), with me there. (it will help this story for you to know that she is my wife) This is an older doctor, who can tell you stories of delivering babies in peoples homes. Old School. Once he found out the whole story, including the hurry up prozac prescription, he first recommended she wean herself off of it. During that time period, his recommendation was to identify things SHE really wanted to do in her life and make achievable plans to do them. It took 9 months for her to get off of that crap, however she ended up clean and is today, doing the things that make HER happy. That energetic, beautiful, intelligent woman was returned to me by her own hand.
So, please excuse my opinionated writing. I have seen this and yes, I was forced to further research it and take action, because I wanted my wife back, not the medicated woman that woke up beside me.
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Cindy
February 4th, 2009
7:35 am
Shaggy very well written. And congrats!!!
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taxpayer
February 4th, 2009
8:55 am
How many of those who choose not to afford health care choose to afford cell phones, cable/satelitte TV, lap top computers, blue ray technology, and other “necessities” in our creature-comfort driven culture?
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Sugar
February 4th, 2009
8:58 am
To me, insurance of any kind, is a legalized scam. You pay and pay and pay for coverage, then when you need it, suddenly you are a high risk and your rates go skyrocketing.
I know ALOT of people, due to the cost, that do not have health insurance. Thankfully, my company pays 100% of our employee health insurance, not just for us, but for our entire family!!!!
I am very thankful to be employed full time, with 100% of my insurance paid for.
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Doris
February 4th, 2009
10:07 am
You people who think the free market is going to take care of this situation, forget it!!! This is an issue that has to be addressed!! Taxpayer, someone faced with 1000+ per month premium is not gonna be able to pay it if they forgo a 100 cable and cell phone bill. Most people I now without health insurance don’t have “blue ray technology”. I think cable is a total rip off and would never pay for it, however, I don’t see how forgoing it is gonna get anyone health insruance.
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hudson rouse
February 4th, 2009
10:22 am
Yes. the attrition rate of uninsureds in Georgia does not help our premiums either. if you would like to talk to on of our experts please call 404-378-0015
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reservoirDAWG
February 4th, 2009
10:38 am
Sugar, “insurance of any kind is a scam.” That may be the most uneducated statement I’ve ever read. If you own a home and it burns down have fun sleeping in a tent next to the remains. As far as healthcare, which is not my field, it is the uninsured that are causing premiums to increase.
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sue
February 4th, 2009
11:07 am
Why are people on this blog. that don’t have depression or believe in taking medicine for mental illness.. yet spewing judgment and negative energy about those that seek treatment. Are you lonely, full of pent up rage, and tired of not being heard? Perhaps, you have a mental illness but are too ignorant to get help for it.
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bellle
February 4th, 2009
11:21 am
I can’t ever remeber my father making real $$$$. We never went hungry, but when we went shopping for clothes, it was K-mart or the thrift store. I do know that health insurance was never an issue. When we got sick, we went to the doctor and occassionally the emergency room. What can I say, growing up in a family with 4 kids means somebody is going to get hurt.
I was the first one in my father’s family to graduate from college. I have a technical back ground, military experience and skills that I’ve been told are needed. Unfortunately, I can’t say that I am doing better than my parents. In fact, my standard of living and my wages have decreased in the last decade. Last year I was laid off, a first for me, along with everone else in by department. I took the first job I could get and by the time I passed the probationary period, group health indyrance was no longer available. Funny how they never tell you that during the interview. I now have a private policy that doesn’t cover any pre-existing conditions.
Do you know anybody over 40 who doesn’t have a pre-existing condition? I now find myself not going to the doctor because insurance won’t cover it. My prescriptions which I only took when I could afford them have expired and since I can’t afford to see the doctor………..
BTW I paid cash for my car. I have one television that cost $200 when it was bought 2 years ago.
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droz35
February 4th, 2009
11:24 am
I agree the health insurance market is rough..Going without should be a last resort. The reason the rates go up every year is due to medical costs, and when the uninsured go to the hospital, taxpayers pay for those costs. If you have a condition going on before you get individual coverage, most likely it will be excluded. If someone has credit card debt with visa, they can’t expect mastercard to pay for it if they get a new mastercard. The government needs to step in on pre existing conditions, and not make the insurance companies take the wrap like they are trying to do now. If they are successful, we are looking at almost every carrier folding, more job cuts, and a socialized health care system. Being we are Americans, I don’t think anyone will stand waiting 6 months for a surgery like they do in other countries, then we will be going to Mexico for treatment just like Canadians come here for theirs in many cases. It’s 30 years of mismanagement catching up to us in a big way now, unfortunately.
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Eric
February 4th, 2009
11:37 am
To Taxpayer: the reality is that computers are now a necessity in order to get a job. rarely can you talk to or meet with anyone in person. As for myself, I do not buy other “luxuries” nor can I afford health insurance. So much of my paycheck goes to keep in car in order. I worked at Kroger full-time recently and was told I would not be offered health insurance until after 7 months of employment. outrageous! so much for taking care of the employee. why should I be a dedicated worker to that?
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Sharon
February 4th, 2009
11:47 am
Complain all you want but to let the government take over healthcare is a big mistake we will all learn to hate quickly. It will turn right into the VA mess and the Medicare problems. Government is not equiped to take care of this and it will ruin the medical care this country has so long enjoyed.
People need to take resonsibility for themselves. Medical savings accounts have been available for ever. One can put money in and if something happens that your are out of work for a time you still have this to fall back on. Nope people would rather complain and take trips and call for the government to help. I for one am tired of helping the lazy welfare bums or even the workers who spend every penny they make and then when trouble hits its my fault and I should help you. Get off your buts and help yourself. Its your problem to take care of yourself not mine.
I do not make 100K per year, not even close. I have car payment that I make and a mortgage every month. I dont have a expensive cell phone nor headphones for it. What I do have is a bank account set so that if I lose my job I have one years payments put away. Yes one year. And I have a little over 6K in a health savings plan. It will stay there and if I lose my job due to economy I can go to the doctor and pay for prescriptions out of it. Yes for a hospital stay I am out, but you know what? I am trying and doing the best I can. Not like a lot of you who are now crying that your bluetooth cant be paid for. Give me a break.
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Pamela
February 4th, 2009
11:55 am
**Insurance Companies (both dental and health) are a big rip off! It’s like some other bloggers already pointed out..you pay into them for years on-end, but when you need them they want to bail out on you! Dental coverage is the REAL SCAM!!!** Insurance coverage should be free for everyone in the U.S.A. that’s an American Citizen!
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droz35
February 4th, 2009
11:56 am
Sharon is right. With u there.
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shaggy
February 4th, 2009
12:58 pm
sue,
How can you type when your hands are shaking uncontrollably and spittle is getting on the keyboard from gritting your teeth while hissing?
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droz35
February 4th, 2009
1:10 pm
If we want free insurance, then be ready to pay 55-60% taxes, nothing is free! Taxes would double in the next 2-5 years! No one thinks of that.
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married to it
February 4th, 2009
1:21 pm
Yes, there are some people on anti-depressants who don’t really need it just like any other medication. But this should not minimize the people who truly have a chemical imbalance and do require meds to give them a better life. My husband recently went back on meds after being on and off for the last 10 years or so. He did not want to go back on them but got to the point where everyday he would try to convince himself to be happy, focusing on his family, his job, how fortunate he was in every way, but still the depression sank in. He exercises every day, is fit, has a hobby that he finds great emotional release in yet, nothing helped like the meds. He did have issues with a doctor prescribing a dosage that was too high, causing that numb feeling, and was lucky enough to find another doctor who cut the dose in half. He still feels sadness and anger, but these no longer dominate his each and every day.
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married to it
February 4th, 2009
1:29 pm
oh, and he hated paxil. zoloft has worked much better with minimal side effects.
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Rick
February 4th, 2009
1:41 pm
The key thing is regular sex and not just because of the chemicals that’re produced.No one seems to have brought that subject up. It’s right after Air, water, food and shelter. Back down that Maslow ladder until you’re skipping something. 9 times out of 10 there’s no sex in your life. If I don’t get it I’m depressed as all get out–with it I can tackle anything.
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bellle
February 4th, 2009
4:09 pm
Perhaps they do the math and calculate that with what were are paying for insurance and co-pays/deductibles it makes financial sense.
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maybe
February 4th, 2009
4:12 pm
The Cost of State-Based Universal Health Care Coverage.
Waters T, Budetti P, Perloff L; AcademyHealth. Meeting (2004 : San Diego, Calif.).
Abstr AcademyHealth Meet. 2004; 21: abstract no. 985.
University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Center for Health Services Research & Dept. of Preventive Medicine, 66 N. Pauline Street, Suite 463, Memphis, TN 38163 Tel. 901.448.5826 Fax 901.448.8009
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: To analyze costs and cost savings associated with various state-level options for universal health care coverage. STUDY DESIGN: Data for the state of Illinois are used to examine reform options. A model of current state health expenditures was developed as a baseline. Four general reform options were postulated and the financial impacts of these changes derived using existing data and databases. POPULATION STUDIED: The population and expenditure patterns of individuals in Illinois. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using decision analysis models, we find that expanding coverage to all residents of Illinois would cost between $2.2 and $4.5 billion in the first year, but that incremental costs would diminish in subsequent years under the single payer approaches, principally due to savings in insurance overhead and administrative costs. By the 5th year of implementation, single payer models providing universal coverage would cost less than the current health care system with 1.7 million uninsured. Using probabilistic sensitivity analyses to allow key parameters to vary simultaneously, we find that single payer reforms are a least-cost strategy in more than 90 % of Monte Carlo iterations by the 8th year of implementation. CONCLUSIONS: State-level reforms appear to be a financially-viable option for attaining universal health care coverage. IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY, DELIVERY OR PRACTICE: The cost savings associated with single payer models are too significant to be ignored. Policies and programs that seek to capture these savings could significantly curb health care cost inflation and produce sufficient additional funding to provide coverage for the uninsured.
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Asha Mulchan
February 4th, 2009
8:46 pm
I do a daily program of breathing techniques which I learnt in the Art of Living stress management/health promotion program almost 11 years ago – it is my daily medicine, it has no unwanted side-effects, but many fringe benefits. I have very low stress levels, an improved immune system, peace of mind and a general positive and uplifting attitude. My children and I (yes, they do the breathing, too!) very seldom get sick. Research of the program has shown reduced levels of stress; improved immune system; reduced cholesterol; decreased anxiety and depression (mild, moderate and severe); increase in anti-oxidant protection; increase in natural killer cells, and enhanced well-being and peace of mind. I’ve gone through many traumatic events (e.g., a horrible divorce, a difficult move back to the US from Europe, the murder of my daughter’s fiancé and her intense suffering, losing two jobs due to budget cuts and downsizing). I moved through all of these without therapy and without meds and that is a real miracle to me.
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texasian
February 6th, 2009
11:17 am
as my dad always told me (in chinese) “big germs eat little germs”
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JO LEWIS
February 8th, 2009
4:12 pm
I KNOW THAT THE TOPIC IS DEPRESSION, LIKE ME SOME PEOPLE HAVE DEPRESSION AND PANIC DISORDER, I WAS HAVING PANIC ATTACKS DAILY. I FEEL THAT I HAVE DIED A THOUSAND TIMES, THATS WHAT A PANIC ATTACK FEELS LIKE…I WAS DIAGNOSED IN 1989 BUT REFUSED TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS IN MY “MIND”…IT FELT SO PHYSICAL…I AM CURRENTLY ON KLONIPIN 3 MG A DAY AND ZOLOFT 200 MG A DAY…I THINK THESE ARE DAILY MAX DOSAGES
FOR THE COMBINATION OF DEPRESSION AND PANIC DISORDER WHICH I AM DOING WELL ON AT THE TIME BUT THAT COULD CHANGE. THEN BACK TO THE PSYCH HOSPITAL FOR MED EVALUATION AND POSSIBLE CHANGE IN MEDS AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN ON SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY SINCE 2000 FOR THE DEBILITATING PANIC ATTACKS. THEY JUST HAPPEN, NO RHYME OR REASON EXCEPT FOR THE CHEMICAL INBALANCE THAT I WAS TOLD CAUSES THEM, OHYEAH, THERE IS ALSO NO CURE. WHO WOULD “CHOOSE” TO LIVE WITH THIS?
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JO LEWIS
February 8th, 2009
4:16 pm
PLEASE GIVE ME SOME FEED BACK. NOTHING UGLY, HURTFUL OR NASTY PLEASE???
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joey
February 8th, 2009
8:09 pm
Jo,
I don’t want to upset you or scare you into a panic, but step away from the caps lock key on your computer. After you stop cyber yelling, you might get some feedback.
Why do people do this anyway? When any post is in caps lock, I usually read about one line and give it up.
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MShea
February 10th, 2009
12:30 pm
Prior to living with a diabetic spouse I would’ve questioned this proposal. After living the cycle of monitoring, testing, watching, testing, waiting, testing. Watching spikes and valleys even on days/weeks where you’ve done everything ‘right’. Where do we sign up?
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Dan
February 10th, 2009
1:55 pm
Maybe the group that was stressed were stressed because they didn’t know the material and knew they would struggle. They clearly have transposed cause and effect here. I would hope someone who has to work in life and death situations would be able to manage stress.
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Randy Terrell
February 10th, 2009
3:16 pm
I am diabetic and would love to stop the needles, but there is this fear that I might have the sudden urge to go out and root around the yard, or invade the trash can. Seriously, it is a bit disquieting and may not work for those like me who are severely insulin resistant.
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Dr. Marks
February 12th, 2009
12:53 pm
Great! Now can we just get back to injecting babies with levels of organic mercury 100’s of times higher than all safety standards. Our profits have started to slip.
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Jerry
February 12th, 2009
12:57 pm
Who would have ever guessed that the U.S. goverment would rule in favor of the drug companies, the CDC, IOM, FDA, HHS, AAP, AMA, NIH and all the other suspects in the case. We’re on our own folks.
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MNmommy
February 12th, 2009
1:06 pm
It should, but it won’t.
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Tom
February 12th, 2009
1:32 pm
Hannah Poling’s case is a red herring; she has a mitochondrial disorder. Mito experts universally recommend vaccination because the diseases they prevent can overwhelm someone w/ a mito defect.
The recent investigation that found Andrew Wakefield falsified data and the omnibus decision are the death nell for the MMR hyopthesis. Also, today’s omnibus decision telegraphs how the court will rule in the thimersol cases as today’s decision considered thimerosal as a component in the causation.
There is a small but committed group of parents who sadly lack scientific literacy and mistake a temporal event for a causal factor. They need to consider that they are mistaken, swallow some pride, and turn their anger toward all those charlatan quacks who have taken advantage of their children. Andrew Wakefield should be enemy #1
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ZDNet Healthcare mobile edition
February 12th, 2009
1:52 pm
[...] has now been charged with faking his study in concert with plaintiffs’ attorneys. Does this end the matter? It should. After all Keith Olbermann has already called Wakefield his “worst person in the world.” [...]
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RA
February 12th, 2009
1:52 pm
Is Maurice Hilleman a quack? He’s the world famouse vaccine inventor who wrote the internal memo to Merck executives warning about high levels of mercury.
This isn’t a scientific issue at all. It’s an ethics issue. It’s an issue of true informed consent. Not fear tactics and arrogance like Tommy Boy uses. I know he doesn’t know the science because. Come back with some numbers. I’ll come back with more numbers. You’ll come back with some different ones and we’ll go round and round until you say the benefits outweighs the risk. And I’ll say to whom.Public health officials. Vaccine Makers? Individual parents. You’ll talk about disease, I’ll talk about informed consent. Unfortunately, you can’t scientifically say that vaccines are healthy for children. You can only infer from statistics.
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RA
February 12th, 2009
2:01 pm
Just like the pro-vaccine community would not concede the Hannah Poling case. This doesn’t settle the issue. We don’t even know what was said. What was the evidence? I don’t have a problem with someone vaccinating their child. I have a problem when the state says you have to vaccinate because a bunch of misinformed parents, the pro-vaccine community, and a judge says you have to. And they will not take responsibility if something happens. Are vaccines 100% safe? NO way! So what happens to those who fall in the gap between whatever percentage on 100%. They get dismissed and stonewalled. they say it was your fault you had a genetic condition. Don’t dare say it was my beloved vaccines.
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Jerry
February 12th, 2009
2:07 pm
“After all Keith Olbermann has already called Wakefield his “worst person in the world.” Actually he retracted this statement and apologized last night after reading this;
“What the Sunday Times did not report was that the GMC investigation into Wakefield was triggered by a complaint from… Brian Deer, who furnished the allegations against him four years ago. He has thus been reporting upon the hearing into his own complaint. Since when has a reputable paper published a story by a reporter who is actually part of that story himself — without saying so – and who uses information arising from the disciplinary hearing which he himself has instigated and which is investigating allegations he himself made in the first place?”
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David
February 12th, 2009
2:08 pm
All I know is that my son is Autistic and no one can tell me why he is. No one can say Vaccines were the cause but no one can say they are not the cause. I and my wife must alone make a gut decision of what is best for our son. I am no suing anyone but I do require the right to raise him the way we feel is best.
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Tom
February 12th, 2009
2:17 pm
RA is a great spokesperson for anti-vaccinationists.
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concerned parent
February 12th, 2009
2:17 pm
RA, your logic is absolutely correct. This often gets reduced to a numbers game. Informed consent is not what happens in most states and Dr. offices b/c the medical community practices to the lowest common denominator. As you said, and science would agree, there is always a risk when a benefit exists but only the most insistant, informed and borderline compulsive parents are given the opportunity to make a true choice.
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Tom
February 12th, 2009
2:32 pm
I have a question below about autism. But first, infants who sleep on their backs compared to infants who sleep on their stomachs have increased rates of:
- Social skills delays at 6 months (Dewey, Fleming, et al, 1998)
- Motor skills delays at 6 months (Dewey, Fleming, et al, 1998)
- Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) (Corvaglia, 2007)
- Milestone delays (Davis, Moon, et al., 1998)
- Plagiocephaly, torticollis, strabismus, etc. etc. etc…
My question is:
If a doctor was presented with a baby that had social skills delays, motor skills delays, and gastroesophageal reflux what would a doctor say if a child had these three things but not too bad. The doctor might tell the parent to be patient and that different kids develop differently. But, what if the case was more severe – what if the kids social skills were worse? The doctor might diagnose him with ADHD. But, what if the kids delays were really far behind – that is the kid had very large delays in social skills and motor skills? The doctor might diagnose him with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I think part (if not all) of the Autism Epidemic is caused by the SIDS Back to Sleep campaign.
BTW, the theoretical reason why back sleep prevents SIDS is because back sleep (aka supine sleep) does not allow an infant to get Deep Sleep (Stage 3/4 NREM sleep) which is when Babies primarily die of SIDS. Stage 3/4 NREM sleep is also when much of a babies plasticity and memory consolidation takes place. This interference with Slow Wave Sleep (SWS) may be the reason why so many infants today have social skills delays and motor skills delays.
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RA
February 12th, 2009
2:37 pm
Not anti-vaccination. Pro information. Pro choice. Pro science. Pro life.
And… my spouse works for a pharmaceutical company. I didn’t want to get into this debate. I used to despise those vaccine activists. I thought they were a bunch of liberal, hippy, troublemakers that spread disease. I didn’t have any kids. What did I care? But one day I stumbled onto the CDC mortality statistics for the flu and my life and view towards public health authorities changed. I thought something is not right here. This is all one big charade. If they are doing this with the flu vaccine, are pharmaceutical companies and doctors doing the same with childhood vaccines?The answer I discovered was Yes!
You can get vaccinated if you want to. But don’t try to use propaganda to persuade the public that we are too stupid to look at the facts and make a value judgement. Public: don’t give up your right to informed consent. It just may save your life.
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peter syms
February 12th, 2009
2:57 pm
this isn’t a debate. A debate is two rational, reasoned arguments comparing the merits of their case, i.e free market vs govt regulation. This is a BELIEF contending with contradicting FACTS.
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Jerry
February 12th, 2009
3:53 pm
The special master is right. Vaccines do not cause autism. Autism is simply a term from the psychiatric DSM-IV manual. It’s nothing but a smokescreen. It provides an alibi for the drug companies who added mercury to vaccines at levels 250 times higher than hazardous waste levels (based on toxicity characteristics). It provides an alibi for the CDC, FDA, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the other drug company cronies who are responsible for the safety of our children. It provides an alibi for the people who administered this poison. It provides an alibi for health insurance companies so they don’t have to pay for treatment for these sick kids. It provides an alibi for psychiatrists so they can force powerfull anti-psychotic drugs on these kids who are already terribly confused.
There will never be an identifiable cause for autism. There are though 11 published papers which identify the underlying medical condition of autism as neuroinflammatory disease. My favorite is ‘ Neuroglial activation and Neuroinflammation in the Brain of Patients with Autism’. This was published by John Hopkins University. Now, do you want to debate whether mercury, a known neurotoxin, added to childhood vaccines at levels 250 times higher than what the EPA identifies as hazardous waste, causes neuroinflammatory disease? Do you want to debate whether brain damaged kids behave in a way so that some psychiatrist can label them as somewhere on the ’spectrum’?
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RA
February 12th, 2009
4:07 pm
The facts are the same. The a priori is different. The same as with political ideology.
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Dr. Cottingham
February 12th, 2009
9:48 pm
Vaccines will never be shown to be the cause of autism, as long as researchers work in silos without communicating. Mercury alone is not the cause of autism… when babies have high levels of lead (obtained inutero) the synergistic effect of lead and mercury renders the mercury more toxic by 100 X. The government and the pharmaceutical companies are correct: “Mercury” is not the cause. LEAD + mercury, however, is a completely different story. It also explains why some babies are born autistic, and others become autistic after a vaccine. Vaccines are not the only source of mercury that unborn and new born babies are exposed to.
Interestingly, another potentiating agent is testosterone… the explanation of why males are disproportionately represented not only in autism popualtions, but in other lead-related neurological damage, such as learning disabilities, ADHD, etc.
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Dr. Profit
February 12th, 2009
10:16 pm
Is it time we question if mercury really is toxic? Come on! The EPA says mercury in liquids exceeding 200 ppb is hazardous waste. Today the “special masters” say its alright to inject infants with a solution that contains 50,000 ppb mercury 10 times or more. We need to re-think the mercury toxicity question.
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RA
February 13th, 2009
10:41 am
Researcher Corinne Zoli from Syracuse wrote an article in the journal Pediactics about the vaccine issue. The title of the article is “Vaccine Debate as Cultural Symptom of Public Distrust in Medical Institutions.” There is a bigger picture here. People don’t trust Pharmaceutical companies and their motives. Doctors are a major part of the pharmaceutical industry. The majority of their education is influenced by them. Most experts in any medical area have an incestous relationship with pharma companies. They use their presitge and power to shape the standard of practice.
On top of that, their are 2 pharma lobbyist for every congressman. They have never lost in congress. With the wave of conflicts of interest and medically induced deaths that have been surfacing its know wonder that people are skeptical of the medical knowledge base. It won’t change until doctors divorce themselves from industry and stop listening to industry sponsored doctors. Not going to happen though. So… the debate will continue.
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Concerned
February 14th, 2009
8:20 am
Let’s suppose there is a group of people known as the National Planetary Information Center or NPIC that believe the world is flat. Study after study says otherwise. The government has spent millions of dollars, NASA regularly tells people our Earth is indeed round. All the geographers agree. But the NPIC keeps saying the “the earth is flat. It is conspiracy. “Big Travel” wants you to believe the earth is round so they can sell you plane tickets. And the cruise lines and pilots are in on it too. Don’t believe NASA either. People are dying falling off the ends of the earth. ”
This is a weak attempt at humor, and I apologize to all those whose children suffer from autism. But it is also so very sad. There is no link between autism and vaccination. Continuing to argue about it only wastes precious medical resources that could be used to find the true cause of autism and treat these children. Time to move on.
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RA
February 14th, 2009
11:07 pm
Dear concerned,
Unfortunately your argument doesn’t solve or end any debate, it just fuels it. This is precisely the one Paul Offit and his lady friend, Dr. Nancy Snyderman use and want the public to use. It’s the authoritarian equivalent of “Because I said so!” Consensus doesn’t always equal truth. It may be the truth. But it doesn’t necessarily equal the truth.
The analogy you used is great because it’s essentially the flat earth analogy. But it’s been taken out of context. A long time ago people thought the earth was flat. Intellectuals said it was flat, Scientist type said it was flat, business people said it was flat. Essentially anyone with any type of “education” said it was flat. Even the evidence said it was flat. Anyone could look at the horizon and determine that was the truth. But someone came along and said that it was round. The majority said it was flat. So it continued to be flat. Eventually the flat earthers died off. They were never persuaeded.
If you study the history of medicine, this is the overlying theme. Some of the Giants of medicine were considered heretics. Mark twain said “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.” The Mass vaccination program should be able to stand up to open scientific questions. Instead of answering the debate, it says “it’s over because I said so!” Not very scientific at all.
Why don’t the pro information and freedom (the ones that are called anti-vaccination by the pro-vacciners) concede to the court rulings? The same reason the AAP, AMA, CDC, Paul Offit and his philosophic followers didn’t concede to the Hannah Poling case.
There are some crucial questions that need to be answered scientifically. Until they are, I’m afraid that no debate will end. Because the truth will be out there. But…science itself will not be able to end this debate because it is an ethical debate just like the Eugenics program. Does anyone remember when Eugenics was actually called a science? It was approved by the AMA and the National Academy of Science. Not until the public rose up and cried did these people crawl back and stop hiding behind the name of science.
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catlady
February 15th, 2009
9:21 am
I don’t think there is a link between autism and vaccination. This is not scientific; it is merely based on 36 years as a teacher and the observations I have made. The children I see with autism, most I have been around since they were babies, were already showing signs of problems before they had injections (folks around here rarely give their kids the shots at the recommended times). I think the causes of autism are much more varied (as the problem is varied in its manifestation) and much more complex than some folks want to think.
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Still Concerned
February 15th, 2009
9:54 am
The court ruled that the “crucial questions that need to be answered scientifically” has already happened. Study after study after study shows no link between autism and vaccination. These studies have been published in journals like the New England Journal of Medcine etc etc.
Of course you don’t have to believe the New England Journal or even your own doctor. Just go ask your parents or grandparents. My mom was in high school in the early 1950s and dreaded the first day of school every year because she knew some of her friends would have died over the summer of polio. In the 1960s there tens of thousands of babies born with congential rubella syndrome, which includes deafness and heart defects. My mother in law told me she would bang pans together the first day home with her new baby to be sure that they did not have this problem. It has been several years since a case of this disease has been seen in the United States. And just a month ago a seven month baby died of Hib, a vaccine preventable disease. That seven month had not received any recommended vaccinations. It was the first death from Hib in Minnesota since 1991, about the time vaccine was introduced.
The point about the flat earth is certainly valid – of course everyone believed the earth was flat. Just look at the window, you don’t see the curve of the earth. But to continue to hold that belief after the time of Columbus and John Glenn is not very realistic. And that is the point about autism and vaccination, we need to move on. There are a limited number of tax dollars for medical research and they need to be spent on the true cause and better treatments for the horrible disease of autism.
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Mercury and vaccines
February 15th, 2009
11:56 am
mercury is not in vaccines anymore…. autism rates continue to go up.
unbiased information at http://www.immunizationinfo.org/thimerosal_mercury_issues.cfm
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RA
February 15th, 2009
12:36 pm
Let’s look at what the Merck manual says:
Measles: Before widespread immunization, measles epidemics occurred every 2 to 3yr, with small localized outbreaks during intervening years. In recent years in the USA, outbreaks have occurred most commonly in PREVIOUSLY IMMUNIZED adolescents and young adults and SOMETIMES in unimmunized preschool aged children. An infant whose mother has had measles receives transplacental passive immunity lasting most of the first year of life , thereafter susceptiblity is high. One attack of measles confers lifelong immunity.
Atypical measles syndrome usually occurs in persons PREVIOUSLY immunized with the original killed virus measles vaccine…atypical syndrome may also follow immunization with live, attenuated measles vaccine…
Prognosis: In healthy, well-nourished children, measles has a low mortality rate unless complications ensue. {Where are all the deaths? Typically in third world type conditions. The question is: should I be allowed to uses this information and make an educated decision about my child’s health? Or will other parent’s tell the govn’t to force me to make a decision based on their fears. If that’s the case, then I don’t need to know any statistics because the CDC, AAP, and DFACS will decide for me.
Polio: According to the PBS special that ran last week there were 20,000 cases of polio per year in 1950. A deadly and paralyzing disease. It then showed people in iron lungs and crippled. By 1960 the cases were down to 3000. (I’m going off memory so correct me if I’m wrong). This clever statement didn’t lie, but it was deceitful. Less than 2% of polio cases were paralytic and permanent. Not 20,000. The Cutter Labs incident caused 40,000 cases of polio from the vaccine. More people die from hospital infections than this. Where’s the outrage on that?
If vaccines were 100% safe, this would be a no-brainer. Everyone should get vaccines. No harm in trying. But, when you inject people with 76 vaccines and ingredients, something bad, known or unknown, is going to happen. Parents should be a part of the decision process and they deserve to know all the facts.
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RA
February 16th, 2009
8:04 pm
“The court ruled that the “crucial questions that need to be answered scientifically” has already happened. Study after study after study shows no link between autism and vaccination. These studies have been published in journals like the New England Journal of Medcine etc etc.”
I’m still waiting for the controlled trial that compares vaccinated against un-vaccinated complications. Until that trial is done, then how can anyone say that this has been settled scientifically? What’s the problem? The Pro-vacciners say that would be an unethical experiment.
When someone says that a debate is over because they say so is just bullying.
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Concerned
February 17th, 2009
7:28 am
that study has already been done and published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2002. It involved > 500,000 Danish children and compared vaccinated to unvaccinated. Their conclusion was “this study provides strong evidence against the hypothesis that MMR vaccination causes autism.”
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RA
February 17th, 2009
8:05 am
Thanks. I’ll check it out. I haven’t heard of any study that compared the two.
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RA
February 17th, 2009
2:45 pm
I’ll get back to this study later. Its far from definitive. But let’s suppose it is “hard” science. It’s the scientific consensus. And their conclusion is the truth, not just a scientific opinion (whatever that is).
How dangerous are vaccines? Paul Offit says they are so safe that you could inject a child with 10,000 of them (presumably with mercury because he said that should’t be taken out).
Why not make them over-the-counter. Look at all the benefits and virtually no draw backs. Tylenol has a known track record with liver failure and deaths. Aspirin deaths are much higher than Tylenol. These have never stopped a disease by the millions like vaccines. Besides, according to these experts the only side effects from vaccines are anectdotal and coincidental. VAERS reports are scientifically useless. The only immediate danger would be a flesh wound with a small gauge syringe. Maybe you could poke an eye out. But you could do that with a pencil. Plus the benefits would outweigh the risks anyway.
We need to be more aggressive in our fight to eradicate these killer diseases. I would hate to see a dangerous and vaccine preventable disease like chicken pox come back because of the ignorant and selfish few. If it mutates, we would have no recourse against the Avian Chickenpox. The epidemic would come back and wipe out millions. (Show black and white film of children with sores screaming and running out of school buildings.) What are the draw backs? None, if the vaccines are as safe as the pure in heart doctors are saying. If we don’t do this, we risk millions of lives around the world.
There, you convinced me. I’m on your side now. Let’s campaign for OTC vaccines. Let’s not let doctors stand in the way of science and our children’s health.
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Isabelle
February 18th, 2009
6:21 am
I can completely understand why Cindy & Shaggy are expressing their concerns w.r.t. using medication to treat depression in this forum, as I was once felling exactly the same way they do…that was until I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder – commonly treated with the same anti depressant medications to control neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain…
All I can say is… No, one cannot “think” youselve out of depression or anxiety. Attitude is important, but only if one acts responsibly and use these medications in cases where “mind over matter” won’t “fix things”…
I’ve been on Cipralex for almost 5 months now, and for the first time feel “normal” – the way I used to before my chemicals have gone “haywire”…
Too all those using these medications, well done & good luck with finding the right one.
People always look for “miracles” that would instantly cure their conditions, but never stop to think that these medications are our modern “miracle”, inspired by the knowledge that God has instilled in each and every one of us. Why not use what HE’s been giving us and stop seeing it as the DEVIL…
Only my humble opinion, but I thank GOD everyday for the lessons I’ve learned through this experience. Not judging people who are suffering with depression and/or anxiety. Unless you are in their shoes, do not give advise…
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Kurtis G Dirtblower
February 19th, 2009
4:32 pm
Yeah….feed em dirt…it cheaper than veggies….little rug rats gonna get dirty anyway…might as well get something out of it.
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Christine
February 19th, 2009
5:00 pm
As a type I diabetic of 24 years… I am all for it!!! If this worked, it could potentially save thousands of lives. I was allergic to pork insulin (way back in the day – I am telling my age here!) so I doubt this option would work for me, though. Anyone want to donate a pancreas???
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Mary
February 20th, 2009
9:56 am
Husband had cancerous tumor removed from sinus cavities almost 5 years ago. Yesterday, during routine checkup, his Dr. said he could see granulation in the sinus cavities? What is granulation? Should we worry?
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Anne
February 20th, 2009
10:02 am
I’m 100lbs over weight. I’ve tried many diets. I’m ready to explore studies, diet pills. I have HBP and Diabetics Type II for which I’m taking medication for both. I have no known heart conditions (evlauated within the last year.) Can you suggest any weight loss studies, pills, that I may try outside of gastric bypass. Process is too time consuming (all the steps you have to go through) which I’ve gone through before with the exception of pysch evaluation. Please help. I’m desparate.
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Kate
February 20th, 2009
11:45 am
My heart rate and blood pressure fluctuate depending on my position. For example, my standing heart rate is about 20 points higher and BP is 10-15 points higher as well. I also experience tachycardia when lying flat. What could cause this variance? Is that a common problem? Thank you.
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Rebecca
February 20th, 2009
12:34 pm
I have 3 older children with ADD. They are in college in Atlanta and some are having a rough time. They are all smart but two are struggling. The one who is not struggling is taking medication. He was on Adderall and has switched to Vyvanse. He has great grades but the meds have bad side effects (loss of appetite, acne, depression). These go away when he is off the meds. The other two do not want to take medicine because of the way it makes them feel. They just cannot seem to focus and their grades have been poor. I realize that this is not a problem that you can fix, but what I’m looking for is some ideas and maybe a referral in the Atlanta area for someone who specializes in ADD. We are just using their family doctor for now and we live outside Atlanta. Please realize that we are struggling financially as I have 3 in college and my husband is unemployed. Thanks for any advice that you can offer.
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Melanie
February 24th, 2009
8:27 am
Yes! I would love to see calories, fat grams, carbs and everything else printed on menus. There are so many hidden calories in some of the food…even those that seem “healthy.” I know that home-cooking is best but with a full-time job, full time school and traveling every weekend it’s hard. I wish they would pass this law in Georgia too!
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Lisa Stillman
February 24th, 2009
8:31 am
Of course! However, restaurants don’t want this because sales would go down. I work as a dietitian helping people lose weight. I always direct them to the website http://www.dwlz.com. This is a website that has compiled nutrition information on almost 600 restaurants. People are always shocked by the calories in their choices.
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Andrea
February 24th, 2009
8:31 am
There are so many times I have wondered how many calories I was consuming at a meal in a restaurant. I would love to see this! Why hide the calories and fat and not put it on the menu? Even if they don’t put it on the menu, it should always be offered online.
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Fuggedaboudit
February 24th, 2009
8:49 am
So much “touchy-feely” s–t here! “Ooohh, I want to see calories on my restaurant menu so I know how much I’m consuming” – bulls–t on that. Go to a restaurant, treat yourself to a good meal, and forget about stressing out for awhile. Next day – eat your granola bar and drink soy milk in the privacy of your home.
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sd
February 24th, 2009
8:54 am
I think its a ridiculous thing to require restaurants to do. Its not easy to calculate calories on complex dishes and is asking too much of the owners.
I do think that if a chain restaurant did this on their own, that it might improve sales, but don’t make it a law.
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shahsi
February 24th, 2009
8:54 am
YES! YES! YES!
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Dan
February 24th, 2009
8:58 am
First of all let me say it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have the information avaiable, what is the height of foolishness is to believe passing a law to compel restaurants to do so will do anything more than create another bureaucracy, and another opportunity where people simply want to blame others for their problems and seek compensation. Operationally it would be nearly impossible for a real restaurant (not fast food) to do this accurately and consistently for food made to order. Lisa’s ref in the 831 post is a good idea, though I would like to know who monitors the accuracy of this site, I would bet that another unbiased source visiting the same restaurants would come up with many different results. The fact is government intervention nearly always worsens a situation, if this is a good idea, some restaurants will do it (some already do Seasons 54) and people will go there. Most people don’t look at the labels on grocery store items anyway (and half the people that say they do don’t really make a decision based on it they just make a mental note of which items they need to justify!)
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DM
February 24th, 2009
9:19 am
What right does the government have to do this??? If you want the info ask them for it. If they can’t give it to you GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. People need to take responsibility for themselves.
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Russell
February 24th, 2009
9:43 am
I would love to see calorie info on restaurant menus, but the government should stay out of private business. Let the restaurants decide what they want to put on their menus. Places like Seasons 52 already put the information on the menu and is packed everytime I visit.
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Lori
February 24th, 2009
10:16 am
I don’t think they should require it. People aren’t stupid. I know that my favorite meal at my favorite Italian restaurant is absolutely terrible for me. That’s why I don’t eat it too often. It’s called moderation!!! I would hope that some restaurants would consider putting the information up on their website for people to view if they choose, but I don’t think that should be required either.
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Kiddo
February 24th, 2009
10:52 am
I think that this is a great idea. I look online before I eat at any fast food restaurant and was horrified to find that things like a Market Fresh sandwich from Arby’s is over 700 calories. How can people help themselves if they don’t know. I would love to see sit down restaurants offer calories online, but I don’t think it should be mandated. I would pick a restaurant that willingly offers calories over one that does not.
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kristin
February 24th, 2009
10:52 am
“a reasonable attempt to curb obesity”
Fast Food Chains, Soft Drinks, Corn Syrup, etc have been around for decades if not longer, but it’s only NOW that we have an epidemic. For those of you at work today look around at your co workers and just watch how many times they snack on “healthy treats” or scarf down a 500 calorie latte. My cube mate is on her 2nd granola bar of the day and it’s not even lunch time and she doesn’t know why she is gaining weight (believes it’s a thyroid issue). It’s not restaurants who are causing obesity; we are “grazing” our way into an early grave.
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Politically Correct
February 24th, 2009
10:53 am
Happy “weight-challenged” Tuesday, everybody! Laissez les bon temps rouler.
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CommonSenseRules
February 24th, 2009
11:04 am
For crying out loud. Do your homework, people! By definition, fast food (mostly) = unhealthy! At other establishements, caveat emptor. Nutrition info is on products in the grocery stores. The best way to know — apart from growing one’s own food — what’s in it? EAT AT HOME!
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Koz
February 24th, 2009
11:14 am
I’m not usually for any government involvement in our lives but this is one thing I would like to see happen.
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Rchard
February 24th, 2009
11:15 am
Enter your comments here
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Oh please!!!
February 24th, 2009
11:18 am
It would be a beneficial customer service tactic if restaurants were to publish the calorie-content of their various menu items, but don’t make it a law. (We have way too much regulation and govermental interference in our lives already!) Blame your obesity on yourself – not on the restaurants or anyone else. Take personal responsibility for your health – it doesn’t require a doctoral degree to figure out that a cheeseburger has way more calories than a salad.
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Kiddo
February 24th, 2009
11:31 am
Lol, Kristin so true. After reading your post I did look around and everyone was snacking on something. It is funny how people will sit and eat all day and then blame gaining weight on thyroid problems and what not.
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F&B Guy
February 24th, 2009
12:09 pm
Having the calorie and carb count on the menu would greatly help the people who have diseases affected by diet, most notably diabetes. Regulating this will be an incredible logistical NIGHTMARE. Our health department cannot even keep up with the inspections that are needed to monitor food safety in a restaurant, can you imagine how far behind they will be with monitoring the calorie content of a restaurant that changes its menu daily/weekly/monthly even seasonally?
Probably not a good thing to put into legislation….
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DM
February 24th, 2009
12:46 pm
CommonSenseRules, you would be surprised. You can eat a lot healthier at most fast food places than a sit down place. You can’t get the jumbo drink and the jumbo fries but a sandwich or wrap is frequently better for you than the chicken ceaser salad or pasta dish at a sit down place.
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RK
February 24th, 2009
12:51 pm
Heck no. Restaurants have a hard enough time becoming successful. This would only hurt the little guy, who doesn’t have the resources to do this. You would never have a “Special of the Day” if this came to pass. Try to educate yourself, first, and ask questions.
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Peter
February 24th, 2009
1:09 pm
OH MAN….This is bad. Let food be food! Please don’t kill the enjoyable experience of a delicious meal by breaking everything on a menu into a list of nutritional statistics! Food is so much more than that. We’ve had this “data” on what every bit of what we eat is comprised of, and we are no healthier for it as a country. In my opinion, this is a completely ineffective and unappetizing initiative.
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Nixon
February 24th, 2009
1:10 pm
Yes, my sister in law and her kids go out to eat every single meal, every single day/night. She NEVER cooks, uses her stove as a laundry center. I think if she saw what was going into her body, and the kids’ bodies, she might think twice about going out to eat.
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James
February 24th, 2009
1:22 pm
PLEASE HELP ME Government.The restaurants are making me fat! Make them quit ! Help me Barrack and Nancy ! Help !
Don’t let the free market decide to post calories if they want to. Protect me and make them do it. Do it for the children.
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Jason
February 24th, 2009
1:40 pm
This is another example of over-legislation by our government. The law in NY applies to chains only (5 or more locations or something like that), so mom and pop’s and independant restaurants are not included.
The crazy thing is that is that chains are already required to have the nutritional information available in the restaurant. They have leaflets available with all the info. Requiring restaurents to post calorie info on their menu boards and menus is redundant – and costs the restaurants tons of money to do so. Who ultimately pays, we do!
It’s about personal resposibility. People know that a Whopper is not too good for them, but they eat them anyway. If you eat one every day, then your health will suffer. Every now and then though, it’s no big deal. Let’s think and make decisions for ourselves and keep the government out of it.
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Ykcir
February 24th, 2009
2:14 pm
How rediculous. Once you start forcing them to print the nutritional stats then what’s next? Forcing the restaurants to have “healthy” options or a more healthly menu altogether. Going out to eat is a treat. If you don’t know ahead of time that it may not be low in calories you have your head in the sand. It is supposed to be an endulgence. Yikes, less government is always better.
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thaDeetz
February 24th, 2009
2:20 pm
Let me interject a little bit of fact into this debate so as to dispense with faulty, lofty intent. As a wholesale baker, I must maintain up to date nutritional information on all of my products. Any change in formulation requires the accompanying label change which requires intense scientific analysis to acquire that difficult to obtain information. There is quite a bit of science involved. This laboratory process is lengthy and on average $7000 to $10000 PER item analyzed. As a wholesaler, this price is figured as CODB. In my operation, there is volume so as to easier absorb this premium cost. In one or two location restaurants, there is not the same volume and business patterns can fluctuate wildly. Many of your favorite spots will not find it worthwhile to deal with such onerous regulation. For those remaining brave few, this will kill the ability to regularly rotate the menu and keep their customer base happy. It will be the unmitigated death of the creative chef culture. If you want to see the individual restaurant business dry up with the remaining few being prohibitively expensive for the middle class, go ahead and support this subdued socialism. This is just more nanny-statism run amock, all disguised for ‘the common good.’
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Lynette
February 24th, 2009
2:47 pm
I left Atlanta last Spring and moved to NYC (but thankfully am moving back in 16 days!)
Every coffee shop and restaurant has the calories posted and it’s definitely made me change my way of eating. However, what Jason said about how it’s only for chains is correct. I’ve only seen this at places like Starbucks, Applebees, McDonalds etc.
When you see that one entree is 1600 calories and one is 900, It really makes you think. The South is the fattest section of the country. We drive everywhere even if it’s down the street and we eat like crap. Maybe if the calories were posted, it would make people think twice about what they eat. I know people who eat out every single meal and maybe if they saw that they were eating double the calories they should, they would think twice about what they are eating.
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reservoirDAWG
February 24th, 2009
2:53 pm
Here is an idea for all the fat people. Stop eating bacon cheeseburgers and fries everyday. Try a salad and going on a walk, maybe even a brisk one. I think the states are having enough budget crises without you worry worts trying to cram more expensive regulation down everyone’s throats. As the baker stated earlier, this would knock a whole lot of independant restaurants out of business.
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Janie
February 24th, 2009
3:04 pm
I don’t need the government to tell me what’s bad for me. I already know. I also know that if I eat a fast food burger, I’m going to have to work extra hard on the walk that evening. I will have to walk 4 miles, instead of the usual 3. My poor doggies.
This is why I grow my own veggies, and do my own cooking. I don’t like to go out to eat. Ok, maybe once every third blue moon. I do love a good mexican meal, even if it is not as healthy as eating at home. And once in a while I like to treat myself and be waited on and have someone else clean the dishes. Not often, but once in a while…….
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JimBob
February 24th, 2009
3:14 pm
Yes, that and the amount of Carbs.
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Caroline
February 24th, 2009
3:20 pm
Yes please! This would be so helpful (although I realize cumbersome for the restaurant owner)to ensure that the healthy meal you think you are consuming is actually healthy. Perhaps they could have nutriton facts for the regular printed menu but waive the requirement for the “daily special” as this would be incredibly difficult.
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diane
February 25th, 2009
5:29 am
Please don’t waste this space in such general info that says lose weight and exercise for a good heart. Be a little more specific because we all know we need to lose weight and eat correctly. What we need from a medical doctor is information to help us save a trip to see our physician. Things we can do at home. There are so many people in doctor offices now that do not need to be taking up the doctors time that the people that do need to see the doctor have to wait weeks for appointments.
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Gail
February 25th, 2009
9:09 am
I agree totally with diane. This article did not tell us anything we don’t already know. We need information on new medical reatments/procedures and where to go to get the best care.
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Rob
February 25th, 2009
12:18 pm
I am 40 years old, 185 lbs 6.2. Dont drink, smoke. I do exercise. I take cholestrol medicine lipitor
My blood pressure id 150/100. Is it time for me to go to medication or I can try bringing it down by diet
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KC
February 25th, 2009
12:27 pm
3 years ago I started feeling a numbness in both feet. A few months ago this feeling or lack there of moved to my waist. I was numb from the waist down. That lasted a couple of weeks or so. Now it’s back to the feet. Several MRI’s & CATSCAN’s show nothing out the norm. The feeling becomes intense at times. Tested for MS & diabetes both negative. Any ideas?
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B. J.
February 25th, 2009
12:30 pm
To: Anne
There is a new product called SENSA. Check it out on the internet. I have been using it for two weeks and it works.
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CB
February 25th, 2009
1:20 pm
I am a 29 year old male. I recently had bloodwork done and it reported that my bad cholesterol was high, and my good cholesterol was low. My family has a history of heart disease and diabetes, and I have poor dieting habits, I smoke occasionally, and I do not exercise much. Also, I’m not overweight.
My doctor suggested and prescribed Zocor and come back again in two months to see him. Would this be the best diagnosis? I’m willing to change my diet, and try to make the time to exercise. As hard as this would be to make those changes, I have full support and help from my family. Would I still need to go on medication?
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Sandra
February 25th, 2009
1:34 pm
I have non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and my doctor at Emory is just watching it as this time. My question is, is it okay for me to use a natural hair color on my hair? Thanks!
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cheryl
February 25th, 2009
2:31 pm
My husband has high blood pressure and sleep apena was recently had an echo cariogram performed, it showed that the right chamber of his heart was damaged and enlarged,and was given medication to slow down his heart rate or there any webisites I can visit to find out more information
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mystery poster
February 25th, 2009
2:56 pm
Oh, Please!!!
Your comment is exactly why this information needs to be made publicly available:
…”it doesn’t require a doctoral degree to figure out that a cheeseburger has way more calories than a salad.”
McDonald’s Southwest Salad: 400 calories
McDonald’s Cheeseburger: 310 calories
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mark jones
March 3rd, 2009
1:18 am
Im 52 and need to find a doctor to have a phyical at a reason cost. can you help
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Mike Stempek
March 3rd, 2009
5:44 pm
Enter your comments here
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Cindy
March 3rd, 2009
9:13 pm
As someone who has tried ALL the natural remedies from exercise to positive thinking to fish oil to St. John’s Wort, to meditation, I can tell you that nothing has pulled me out of major depression like Paxil. I took it for 20 months with few side affects. Went off because of weight gain and despite my best efforts fell into another major depression. Paxil didn’t work the second time and now I am in process of finding something else.
I was devastated when I realized that my strong spiritual life and healthy living wouldn’t cure my depression. Then I realized that that is as silly as expecting prayer and exercise to “cure” my husband’s Type I diabetes. Prayer and exercise are extremely important in helping him stay healthy, but they are no substitute for his insulin. Major depression isn’t “feeling sorry for yourself” or being a little blue. It is a very real, very physical illness. Be grateful every day if you have never experienced it.
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Cindy
March 3rd, 2009
9:21 pm
Oh, let me add, obviously I’m a different Cindy from the one who doesn’t believe in depression as an illness. Just because you go through terrible things in life and don’t get depressed doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist for others. Some people smoke all their long lives and don’t get lung cancer. Does that mean smoking doesn’t cause cancer? Some people are blessed with more serotonin than others. If you are be grateful.
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anonymous
March 4th, 2009
7:28 pm
After many months of Salmonella in the news, now you publish the symptoms?
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KNF
March 6th, 2009
9:28 am
anonymous – did you ask before now?
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KC
March 10th, 2009
9:09 am
I thought that there would be answers to the questions posted here. If not, this may be a missed opportunity.
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Charles Yoo
March 10th, 2009
9:25 am
Hello, readers. I’m the online Health editor for ajc.com. First, thank you for your questions. Please keep them coming. The writers are reading all your inquiries and choosing the best topic to blog on each week. Some of the inquiries might be too personal and too specific for the medical professionals to respond to. However, they’ll blog on the topics to which you’re bringing our attention. Some of the blog posts were published because of the sheer time element. Breaking news matters. For example, the Salmonella outbreak is very crucial for us to discuss right now. Please be patient, and keep the questions coming. Thank you.
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Fran
March 11th, 2009
8:40 am
Great Post. A friend just spent me a link for a free sleep report. It has a bunch of great information about getting a great night’s sleep without drugs. Here is link if you are interested http://www.traversebayfarms.com/sleepreport.htm
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What's sleep?
March 11th, 2009
11:46 am
Falling asleep isn’t my problem. Waking up between 3:30a-4:30a everyday. Now THAT’S a problem.
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Ronald
March 11th, 2009
12:05 pm
I’ve had insomnia since I was a little boy. My mom will testify to that. It has gotten worse over the past year. I’ve seen a sleep doctor and he says there is no reason for me not to sleep well. My primary doctor wants to do a narcolepsy study. I’ve done everything – no tv, exercise regularly, don’t drink caffeine, go to bed at the same time every night, etc. Nothing seems to work. I also have a prescription for the highest dose of Ambien. I always wake up after about three or four hours anyway and can’t go back to sleep. I seem to wake up at night no matter how tired I seem. I’ve tried other sleep aids and they don’t work either. I’m getting very tired of being tired all the time. Also, I have Crohn’s Disease but no one has ever said anthything about the two being related or about the medications as all the side effects are drowsiness and so on and so forth. Any alternate ideas?
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MV
March 11th, 2009
12:43 pm
Is having a premature infant hereditary? I had a 24 weeker and my baby sister had a 32 weeker; however, my middle sister had a full-term baby. Are we, myself and baby sister, genetically predisposed to having premature babies?
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Sherri
March 11th, 2009
12:45 pm
You’d have to be a fool to put any faith in online reviews of doctors. Having worked in a doctor’s office and in the insurance claims field, I know there is just no pleasing some people. The chronic complainers are the ones most likely to post a review. They don’t get the diagnosis they need to inflate a liability claim or the drug they are shopping for just sets them off.
How about the ex girlfriend of wife who wants revenge and posts negative comments?
Do your homework.
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Mac
March 11th, 2009
12:50 pm
My wife and I do not sleep in the same room (or spend much time at all in any room together for most of the past decade for that matter, but that’s another story.) She sleeps with the lights on and the television playing. Apparently, she is warding away the bogey man.
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Kim
March 11th, 2009
2:07 pm
I’m in my mid-40’s and I’ve found if I get 4 hours of sleep a night that’s great. I can’t sleep during a full moon. I know it’s in my head, but I haven’t been able to for years. Last night I got a lot of work done!
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Ronald
March 11th, 2009
2:40 pm
I’ve had insomnia since I was a little boy. My mom will testify to that. It has gotten worse over the past year. I’ve seen a sleep doctor and he says there is no reason for me not to sleep well. My primary doctor wants to do a narcolepsy study. I’ve done everything – no tv, exercise regularly, don’t drink caffeine, go to bed at the same time every night, etc. Nothing seems to work. I also have a prescription for the highest dose of Ambien. I always wake up after about three or four hours anyway and can’t go back to sleep. I seem to wake up at night no matter how tired I seem. I’ve tried other sleep aids and they don’t work either. I’m getting very tired of being tired all the time. Also, I have Crohn’s Disease but no one has ever said anthything about the two being related or about the medications as all the side effects are drowsiness and so on and so forth. Any alternate ideas?
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JS
March 11th, 2009
4:46 pm
I blame not being able to sleep on the time change, as soon as I get used to it, the freakin time changes again. When are the powers that be going to do away with this? My dog whining every morning to go out when the sun comes up doesn’t help either. Also, I have a Tempur Pedic and it’s highly overrated. “Oasis” my a$$! My mom says the same about her sleep number bed also.
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Stephen Shapiro
March 11th, 2009
6:20 pm
Dear David, Your dad sent me your Blog…most impressive…
Maybe you or someone you know may be able to HELP ME. I suffer fom chronic pain due to iddypathic periphial neuropthy in both my feet, lehs, hands and arms. Carol and my son , Robbie got my meds whay down, but Im still on 3 50 MGH Fentanyl patches every 2 days; 3 10MG Methidone daily; and now only 1 0r 2 8MG Dilaudid as needed for break through pain. I had also been taking .25MG of Halcion when I really needed it for sleep.
Since we have been down here in Florida for the winter, I don’t think I have had two nights of good sleep in a row. I’m aware of everything..all the twitchig and shooting pain in my legs and arms, pain in my neck and shoulders. The room is usually uit and cool and I generally go to bed a half hour to an hour after Carol, o she can get some needed sleep. Most nights I’m NOT there long….and go back out to atch TV, read, go onto the computer, ec, until I’m ready to fall down with fatigue…and many nights NOT at all.
We eat early, and quite light…I may have a snack and something to drink at about 10P.M.,,,NO Excercise or MEALS.
ANY SUGGESTIONSD or IDEAS? Not only with the insomnia and sleep apnia, but equally important for the Perphial Neurapathy and constant PAIN. Oh yes, I forgot t tell you I also ITCH ALL OVER from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet most days and nights..ALL the time. HELP PLEASE!
Thanks so much… I hope there may be something you might suggest or do for me…I’m at the end of my rope…and Carol is too.
Please give Kim and your beautiful and big children a kiss for me. Our fondest regards to ALL. We’re so proud of YOU!
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RTM
March 12th, 2009
2:15 pm
Hi,
I am 49 years old with a 5 1/2 and a 8 year old little princess. Yes, I started late in life and have been blessed so much. I have been having these hot flashes for about 3 years now about 3 or 4 times a week in the middle of the night. I really don’t have night sweats on my chest but on my back and my palms get really hot sometimes late at night. It may last up to an hour sometimes. I still have my monthly cycle and it is regular. So, they seem more severe around that time of the month. I also had a test done 3 years ago at my doctors office to see if I was going thru menepause. It came back normal. How long can these hot flashes go on and could it be something else?
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Brandy
March 17th, 2009
2:57 pm
Shaggy and cindy are morons….don’t know how they wandered to this page, and wonder why they don’t have anything better to do than talk smack to depressed people….i have been on paxil for 5 years, excercise every day, and take time to breath…works for me
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ADHD Strategies Dr. Phil Looking For ADHD Couples to Film Show - Immediately … «
March 17th, 2009
7:07 pm
[...] DOCTOR IS IN: ADHD over-diagnosed? | Better Health By Fran Jeffries By Thomas G. Burns, Psy.D., ABPP First, consider these startling facts about the Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The rates of diagnosis for. Better Health – http://blogs.ajc.com/better-health/ [...]
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Bill
March 18th, 2009
10:48 am
A made up illness for parents who won’t and teachers who can’t.
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Tralee
March 18th, 2009
10:54 am
BIll- that is a very ignorant statement. I for one want to learn as much as I can, look for any possible treatment besides medication. I have a nephew that has this condition, I see what it does-
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db
March 18th, 2009
10:57 am
All my life I have had sleeping problems. Tried prescription medicine as well as over the counter nothing worked so I just got use to sleepless nights. A co-worked suggested I try Melatonin which is over the counter. I take it 30 minutes before I want to fall asleep. Worked for me. I may not sleep more then 4 or 5 hours but I do not have to fight anymore with getting to fall asleep.
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Me
March 18th, 2009
11:01 am
Take two lashings and call me in the morning. It’s bureaucratic nonesense, doctors, drug makers and insurance carriers are all out to make money. As much as we really want to believe that our moral/values system in in tact we are so far from that!! Tralee your nephew needs an a$$ whipping!
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Cranberry
March 18th, 2009
11:04 am
No doubt ignorance would keep Bill from successfully raising a child who actually has this condition. It is obvious that God has not granted him one, or he would never have posted this comment!
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Mama Cass
March 18th, 2009
11:06 am
I strongly recommend reading the book “Scattered” by Gabor Mate, MD. The doctor himself has ADD, was only diagnosed a few years ago, and used his medical training and knowledge of the scientific literature to investigate the potential causes of impairment. It’s the best book on ADD I have ever read, and as an adult with this condition, I have read a lot. Mate also talks about how parents can re-frame their relationship with their ADD child so that the dynamics are less confrontational and “get this done now!” and more about reassuring the child that they will be loved no matter what their performance is, so that the child feels secure in the parent’s love. It’s a very thoughtful, insightful piece of work. “Scattered: How ADD Originates and What You Can Do about It”, Gabor Mate M.D., 2000
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Me
March 18th, 2009
11:09 am
We are all making these statements but has anyone ever looked at the efficacy rate or meds vs. the placebo effect? I willing to put my drug rep job on the line and say you will be blown away by the results!
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ManOfTeal
March 18th, 2009
11:24 am
I will say this as I was diagnosed with ADD in second grade, I am now 31 years old. Without medication I never would have made it through school….or college for that matter. I do not have the behavior problems commonly associated with this condition I really only have the attention problems….but I know for a fact that it is much more difficult for me to concentrate and stay on task without any kind of medication than it is when I am on a medication.
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bigEdoggy
March 18th, 2009
11:27 am
This is nothing more than an attempt to drug our children into submission because all the touchy-feelies have systematically removed any sort of order or discipline in the school. Teachers no longer have any powers to enforce rules so what better way to get the children to behave then to drug them. Nowadays a child could be stabbing their classmate and all the parent will say is something asinine like, “Oh look…my little Johnnie is expressing himself.” Parents who take this “head in the sand” approach to parenting should not be allowed to contribute to the gene pool ever again.
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QueDogTeaching
March 18th, 2009
11:32 am
ADHD is over reported at very high rates in school systems. I don’t think it is to sell meds, I think it is because parents lack the ability, or wherewithal to discipline their children. I have students in my class who are very intelligent, who know right from wrong, and still get away with extreme amounts of disobedience because of one mis-diagnosis they had in kindergarten. I have students on BIP’s (Behavior Intervention Plans) because of this Mis-diagnosis. The fact is that all these students really need, is just one parent in the household who is not afraid to discipline their child.
I have had a true ADHD student in my class, and with out his medication it was very sad. He honestly could not stop, and you could see on his face that he wanted to. So to see him, and then see an undisciplined child, with the same diagnosis, it was disheartening.
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Gary
March 18th, 2009
11:33 am
I had a step granddaughter before that was supposedly diagnosed with this. Ya know what’s really amazing, when you take the time to sit down with the child and help her with homework from school etc. Amazingly it gets done and it didn’t take hours, and she wasn’t trying to get up and run around the room or do 20 other things at once. It was easy, you just need to have patience and the time to spend with her. I think this is a partially convoluted “disease” for parents that don’t want to have to put any effort into taking care of their kids. I know, I have an ex daughter in law that’s like that and ya know her own kids recognize that and they do get resentful, restless, angry that Mommy doesn’t spend alot of time with them. Not to mention that children need ways to expend their energy besides sitting in front of a game console for hours or TV. My sister was given custody of our 2 great nieces 3 years ago. They were terribly misbehaved, one of them diagnosed with ADD, no manners, rude I could go on. Long story short, she literally makes them go outside when the weather permits and makes them to play and do activities outside. Not just sit in the house and do nothing. She has worked with them on their homework to the pint of printing off school work worksheets and having them do them at home. Well guess what 3 years later, the teachers can’t believe it’s the same kids, one of them is on the Honor roll with a 3.5 GPA the other is right behind her. No ADD Medication or anything else other then good old fashioned time patience and understanding and discipline! So please don’t tell me this is always the case with every child diagnosed with it because I’ll tell you you’re full of it!
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Dan
March 18th, 2009
11:36 am
Its a mathamatical certainty that ADHD is over diagnosed. This is a “condition” that is only diagnosed based on a behavioral comparison to what is considered “normal”. Using standard deviation methodology items within 2 std dev or 95% of the population (are generally considered “normal” the outliers being the remaining 5% (2.5% on either side)The last census says there are 53.2M children between 4-17 yrs, the 4.4M diagnosis represents 8.3% of that population! assuming ADHD is on one side of the distributuion curve, statistically speaking there should be no more than 2.5% of the population diagnosed as outside the normal range not 8.3% Now I realize stats don’t answer everything and real people are involved, but stats also don’t lie and it is a very strong argument that at least half if not more are misdiagnosed. They are probably at one end of the “normal” range. If 8% of individuals really do display these similar characteristics, then quite frankly it is “normal” and nothing to be treated
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Laura
March 18th, 2009
11:36 am
Bill- WOW.. as a teacher and a parent, I am just amazed at how ignorant some people can be!!
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mom-2-ADHD
March 18th, 2009
11:44 am
to the comments that “Gary” made. Successful treatment of ADHD can be done outside of meds. “good old fashioned time patience and understanding and discipline” which is what you said worked, as well as playing outside, will, in fact, work. Dealing with ADHD , behavior therapy is very necessary, and a calm, structured environment is important. Medication should supplement this. THe problem is, that many parents lack the ability,understanding and time needed to let behavior modification work. In the meantime, many kids fall behind in school. The ideal situation is to work on behavior modification while using medication at the same time, with, in many cases, the end result being that the medication is not always necessary anymore.
So the child could still have ADHD, but congrats to your sister for having the patience to deal with it in a non medicated way!
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Considering
March 18th, 2009
11:44 am
I have to think this is way over-diagnosed. Why hasn’t this been an issue until the last 20 years? How did people deal with it the previous 6000 years of human existence? Corrective methods that include threats, talking to’s, loving advice and yes, spankings. Kids were more polite and respectful. I have 4 very active children ages 3-8. They have done quite a few things that make great stories now but were diffult at the time. They know they are loved but when they start “acting like children” they know there will be consequences for bad behaviour. That doesn’t stop everything, of course, but they can sit still in church for 2 hours without making noise, so I know they can behave in school. However, there was a progression. At 8 months when they start squealing in delight at the discovery of their voice you can’t punish them, but by 18 months they have an idea of when to be quiet and at least understand “shhh” when they made noise. By age 2 they were thumped on the leg for too much noise and by 2.5 were taken back to “the bathroom” for crying or talking. Now my most difficult child the current 3 year old is quiet as a mouse except when she whispers “I have to go potty”. I have witnessed plenty of children at restaurants and playgrounds that their behaviour is out of control and their parents don’t correct them. I suspect they are eventually put on medication because if they act this way in front of parents they are probably worse at school without them.
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CC
March 18th, 2009
11:48 am
It takes a parent to truly know if their child has ADHD. It is easy to say all the child needs is a spanking or some time spent with them and thier ADHD will go away. It is like any other medical diagnosis they have good days and bad bays. I do believe that children can learn to ways to cope without meds especially when they are older. Is ADHD overly diagnosed? Yes, I think it is but to argue that it does not exist is another topic.
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Mama Cass
March 18th, 2009
11:48 am
Gary, that’s wonderful news that your nieces have gotten into a supportive, loving environment and have been able to turn things around without resorting to medication. They sound very lucky to have family members who care so much. Every child diagnosed with ADD deserves that kind of structured assistance; and for children who still don’t improve within a year or so, then perhaps medication might be indicated. Behavioral approaches should always be tried first – however these are much more labor-intensive and from what I have seen, many people would prefer to take the ‘easy’ way out and just pop some meds. Personally speaking, I went on medication only as an adult, in order to be able to work in an office environment (talk about distraction!). But my parents always stood very firm when I was a child and said they didn’t want me on medications (I suspect the only reason the teachers were okay with that is because I was a good student and didn’t require extra work on their part).
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Jacqueline
March 18th, 2009
11:49 am
I do agree with Bill to a certain extent. I do think stimulant drugs are needed in some cases. As mentioned above there has been a 400% increase in drug usage over 50 years. Times have changed since then.Kids are more exposed to what is going on in the world and it does effect them. There are more divorces and more television watching on now then 50 years ago. There are more children that take stimulant drugs in public schools than private schools (if any kids take stimulant drugs in private schools). There is something wrong with the diagnosing method. There is no neurological evidence to support ADHD/ADD. There needs to be more studies and definitely more behavioral therapy for children.The process of elimination should be applied in the childs situation, it works.
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Larry
March 18th, 2009
11:51 am
Beyond question, along with another excuse medication, antidepressants, one the most over prescribed and thus abusive medications. Ever wonder why other mammals don’t require these to function all over the planet?
Please take not of the author’s degree–psychology. This profession also consists of some the most bizarre and cerebrally challenged individuals on the planet at 95% of those who choose this course of study are in fact themselves kooks!
Of course there is the rare clinically correct diagnosis, but about 98% of the time it boils down to lazy, worthless parents who rely on the medication to do their job for them so their brat will be quiet and still as they watch soap operas and eat pizza and ice cream!
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Mama Cass
March 18th, 2009
12:05 pm
To all the geniuses who are recommending beating a child as a method of behavior modification:
CHILD ABUSE CAUSES BRAIN DAMAGE
And that has been proven.
Abuse Leaves Its Mark on the Brain
(http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/223/1)
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Larry
March 18th, 2009
12:16 pm
Mama,
No one’s suggesting a beating. It’s called discipline, obedience and structure. Ever heard of this as a proven alternative to drugs?
Let me guess, a liberal!
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Gary
March 18th, 2009
12:18 pm
So Mama Cass are you saying that any physical discipline is “Child Abuse” ? Or just outright beating which I would agree that “Beating” would be abusive.
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Donna
March 18th, 2009
12:22 pm
I have a son, 8, who has ADHD. He was uncontrollable in Kindergarten until he was tested for ADHD. He is in Gifted Program at school, 2nd Grade, now. This is NOT nonsense. You have NO ideas what it is like when your child is not on medicine the problems, behavior issues, etc. Without medication and therapy, my son would be lost. ADHD is a problem that usually exist in Highly intelligent individuals and genetic. Anyone who does not review information about ADHD and does not pay close attention to your child actions, behaviors at home, school, and everywhere else, I would be concern about your parenting skills etc.
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Mel
March 18th, 2009
12:26 pm
I am 49 years old and I was diagnosed with a attention disorder 9 years ago. If I had the medication when I was younger, college might have been a choice. If you don’t have a problem or have a child with a problem, you have no clue what you are talking about..
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Bill
March 18th, 2009
12:29 pm
Mama I would say to you that medicating a child into a desired behaviour is the real child abuse. Yes I do and have used physical discipline on my children but have never beat them. A beating is abuse and is different than physical discipline. The main problem I have with ADHD is that there is no “Test” to say you have it…it is a guess based upon observed behaviour and that there have been no long tetm studies on the long term impacts to the people who get teh meds. Besides show me a teen who goes on a rampage and I bet s/he is on some sort of med for ADHD or Depression. My original statement was meant to be over the top because there are always people who have learning issues but this whole ADHD is nonsense due to a lack of discipline and routine…
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Mama Cass
March 18th, 2009
12:30 pm
Gary,
I am referring to outright beating, not briefly spanking a child.
Interestingly, similar patterns of brain damage have also been found in adults who were subjected to severe verbal abuse as children.
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Ronnie
March 18th, 2009
12:37 pm
I am a mother of an ADHD daughter. I refused to medicate for YEARS. What those of you without a child with this condition fail to understand is that it goes way beyond getting homework done or cleaning their room. My daughter has the impulsive variety: she cut through a lamp cord while it was plugged in. When asked why she did it she said she didn’t know – with all sincerity. She’s set a stick of deorderant on fire. She’s flashed her schoolbus. And a ton of other things ‘normal’ children don’t do. And before you go attacking my parenting – exactly HOW would you stop a child from flashing their schoolbus? Staple their pants to their hips? I have done my best to raise her with love, values, and morals. This is not a ‘made up’ condition…
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Ken
March 18th, 2009
12:40 pm
ADHD is a made up “illness”..Learn to discipline your children. Just another way for doctors to make a buck as well as medicine manufacturers.
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Dan
March 18th, 2009
12:42 pm
Ronnie, I don’t have children but was raised in a household with 6 children (I am the oldest) and all children do things like you describe and worse. All of which is quite a normal part of learning and growing up. You never really believe the stove is hot until you find out for your self.
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Chris
March 18th, 2009
12:45 pm
Dan
I agree with your sentiments, but not your analysis. Like most statistical arguments, it begins with the assumption of a normal distribution. We have no basis to assume that ADD follows the normal distribution. In fact, If ADD were not a medical condition, and was merely “outlying” behavior, it would be expected to have a normal distribution. However, if it is a medical condition there is no reason to expect a normal distribution. That would be like assuming a normal distribution of US households being hit by a hurricane, when it is clear that individual circumstances (coastal location, brain chemistry) dictate the probabilities rather than random chance.
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Mary
March 18th, 2009
12:46 pm
Researchers have found genes associated with ADHD behaviors;it’s a real disorder. ADHD may be beneficial for hunter/gatherer hunters.
In a fascinating study done on homogenous tribesmen in Africa, half of whom had settled down and half of whom still lived as hunters, researchers found that those with the ADHD-associated genes did much better as hunters than those without these genes, but the reverse was true with the settled population. In the settled group, having ADHD-associated genes was a liability.
ADHD can be seen on brain scans. However, it also appears to be over-diagnosed. From what I’ve read, only about 10% of kids diagnosed with ADHD actually have it.
Overdiagnosis not only hurts the kids who are misdiagnosed but also those with the problem because their situations and needs are not taken seriously.
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Diane
March 18th, 2009
12:49 pm
Those who are against medication or diagnosis, that’s fine, that’s your opinion. But to call people “liberal” (which is not a bad thing!) or to assume that teenagers who commit crimes are on ADHD medication is ignorant at best. It’s that mentality of “just spank ‘em” and they’ll behave that is detrimental to these kids who DO actually have the disorder. Everyday with my son is a challenge. You have NO IDEA what it is like. And unlike other kids with behavioral or developemental issues, we are treated like bad parents with unruly children. I teach 6th grade. I have many, many slow minded students. Let’s say I just beat ‘em, then they’ll learn. Lazy bums. They just have no discipline….
Some of you are so uninformed that you’re scary.
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Diane
March 18th, 2009
12:52 pm
And Mary, you’re insightful research is too much for some of these posters. It probably reads like Sanskrit to them.
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Greg
March 18th, 2009
12:52 pm
Amen Bill! I have a child that has been “diagnosed” with this bs. There is nothing wrong with him except he is a normal boy that sometimes does not pay attention and sometimes does stupid things. That’s what kids do, their kids. But my wife (a teacher) decided that he should see a doctor and told the doc she wanted him checked for adhd and what treatments she wanted. The doc told me he had been dealing with this stuff all years because the middle school had hired a new “Counselor” who was telling parents that their children were adhd every time they were in trouble for talking in class. It is a joke. Get the counselors out of the schools and the kids off the meds!! The real problem here is MBPS (Munchausen’s By Proxy Syndrome) and a bunch of “doctor wanna be” counselors trying to justify their salaries.
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Larry
March 18th, 2009
12:59 pm
Mary,
Touche!
Daine,
Let me guess, you teach in a government school, correct? And “liberal” more often than not IS a bad thing! Who do you think relies on more on using medications and a parenting alternative, liberals or consertives?
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sd
March 18th, 2009
1:07 pm
At the risk of being ridiculed, I believe that we are trying to fit square pegs in round holes. Some people just aren’t cut out for school. I’d rather my child be uneducated in academics and off of drugs, than on drugs and well educated. There will always be labor jobs where high levels of attention are not required. There is nothing wrong with labor jobs. When we decided that EVERYONE should go to college, we started looking for ways to make sure the hyper kids with no attention span could get there too. So we drugged them. In turn, they do graduate, but they are not themselves. Their true selves are wonderfully hyper people who can’t hold the attention to read a book, but they can hammer, and dig, and find happiness in the work of their hands.
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ADHD MOM
March 18th, 2009
1:18 pm
Wow! I guess ignorance is bliss! My child was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago. We knew something was wrong and decided to see the pediatrician first. She recommended a child psychiatrist and we learned of his problem. It was never recommended that he receive medication, so that theory is gone for those of you that think that’s the issue. We were given a lot of support and provided a number of strategies to help him.
Yes, we spanked this child many times just as we did the others. It didn’t work. Today she still struggles, but without meds. It’s a hard job but I think it’s something that she has to deal with. She has a therapist and that’s been really helpful. It’s a real problem that has always existed. If you haven’t lived it, you have no idea.
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ADHD MOM
March 18th, 2009
1:19 pm
Ooops! I first referred to my daugher as a “he”! She’s definitely a girl!!
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Rik
March 18th, 2009
1:23 pm
Dr. Amen has done significant work using brain scans and has been able to demonstrate brain activity that is different in a child with ADHD and one without. He also has some interesting theories on why ADD is increasing in our population. These have mostly to do with genetics and the fact that women with ADD reproduce more often and at a younger age. There are always the ignorant that will believe this is just bad parenting. I have three kids – one with ADD and two without- I do not raise them differently and have not spared the rod. My son was on meds for several years and now manages without, as do I. Also, I wonder how much diabetes medications have increased over the same span. It makes sense that medication usage would increase as new meds are discovered.
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Mark
March 18th, 2009
1:43 pm
I am a conservative and have an almost ten year old son who IS well-disciplined at home, but had attention and hyperactivity problems. ADHD medication has done wonders for him. Until you’ve walked a mile in the shoes of a parent with an ADHD child, don’t judge.
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Bill
March 18th, 2009
3:16 pm
What were we talking about….
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Dan
March 18th, 2009
3:43 pm
Chris first of all good discussion
But the question on the table is over diagnosis, not necessarily the existence of the condition. (although I realize that is also a hot issue)
You can count hurricanes and there is a definitive measure (xxmph winds)
you don’t simply compare two storms and say the stronger one is a hurricane, which is how a comparitive diagnosis would work
This is why I believe a normal distribution is appropriate (if over simplified), primarily because it is not definitive that it is a medical condition. It is a behavioral one, and medical or not (which is subjective), the method of diagnosis is 100% based on comparing the patients behavior to the “norm”. If the % of people diagnosed was 2 or 3 or even 4 maybe, but 8% clearly suggests some people whos behavior is within normal parameters are being diagnosed with an issue. Wheter it is poor Dr’s or lazy parents or both. Ronnies example is a great illustration of normal behavior being blamed on a condition. If you were at a PTA meeting and asked the group have any of your kids cut a lamp cord, set fire to something in the house, or shed cloths in public
you would have 95% of hands go up and the others would be lying LOL
Yet Ronnie thinks they are indications of a problem, I am not picking on Ronnie maybe her child does have a problem, but the examples she chose to use are clearly normal growing up behavior
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Bill
March 18th, 2009
4:01 pm
I have a combo disorder….ASHDOCD…I forgot what I am compulsive about….
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Greg
March 18th, 2009
5:52 pm
Exactly Dan. The problem lies in society’s attributing normal behaviors to a “Syndrome”, and then using hearsay interpretations of the behavior as a diagnosis.
This “disorder” is most often diagnosed and treated based on what the parent or teacher/counselor tells the physician. So if the parent thinks the child is adhd, then most likely the doctor will respond accordingly. My child was given meds based on what my wife told the doctor. He never saw one trait or tendency of adhd from my son directly, only what my wife described. My wife was convinced by one person in a school system that had seen my son a couple of times that he was adhd, then she talked to the doctor, now he is “diagnosed” adhd and on meds for little more than not paying attention in class. I have to laugh every time I go to his school and see the sigh out front that says “This school is a “Drug Free Zone.” Percentage wise, their counselors and teachers have now become far worse pushers than any of the street corner thugs ever were. What a joke.
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John
March 18th, 2009
8:34 pm
Those who cant….teach
Those who cant teach…administrate
Those who cant administrate have tenure….
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Raymond Brusstar
March 18th, 2009
8:42 pm
Did they operate? She was sent to three hospitals and still died so since all this is known about the head injury why wasn’t the pressure relieved?
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Patricia
March 18th, 2009
8:43 pm
This is very sad and unexpected. I really feel for this family.
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Ann
March 18th, 2009
9:35 pm
As a mother of 2 daughters and 2 step-daughters, who has had one of each diagnosed with ADHD (before my husband and I met), I KNOW that this condition is over diagnosed AND over medicated. My daughters were raised and disciplined the same yet at 15 months I told the doctors that there was something wrong with my second daughter. She was 14 when she was diagnosed! I still do not believe that ADHD is the problem! The medication has made a world of difference in her behaviour, when she takes it. I can sure tell, within half an hour of her waking up whether or not she has taken her medication. She will be 26 in a month and still has behavioural and mood problems. I have had a psychologist suggest that she is ADHD, but that it is the root of a more serious condition known as Bi-Polar disorder. This I believe. I truly believe that she is Bi-Polar, although she will not seek a positive diagnosis nor treatment for it as she feels this will label her a “freak”. I feel that if she were to seek treatment, whether it be medication or behavioural therapy, that people would see her for the person I know she can be as I have seen that side of her. As it is, most people do consider her a “freak”, or a “waste of space” and she does not realize this. She wastes her time with “friends” who are into drugs and get into trouble with the law. Both of which she has been involved in. In fact, she served 20 months in a prison in Trinidad for trying to transport cocaine back to Toronto. She believes these people are truly her friends, and cannot see that they are just using her (not one of her “friends” returned calls to Foreign Affairs although she was sure they would come to her rescue when she was in Trinidad because they told her they would). She is still “hanging” around with these type of people and has a 23 month old with another on the way. She denies that she has a problem and refuses to help herself, lying to counsellors and doctors about how she is doing.
On the other hand, my step-daughter who has been diagnosed with ADHD, to my belief, does not have the condition. Medication does nothing for her and she complains that it makes her feel ill, so she does not take it. She has had problems in school for years and that is why her father persued the possibility of her having ADHD. I discovered, some time after my husband and I met, that her mother is a huge part of the problem. When my husband would phone to ask why assignments hadn’t been handed in her mother’s reply would be “Well if she doesn’t want to do it, why should she?”. Their younger daughter doesn’t like coming over to our house because when she asked for a video game console for Christmas one year, I said no until she pulled up her grades at school. Her mother bought her one for Christmas and her grades and attendance dropped dramatically. I even had her teachers telling me that they could sure tell by her homework and school work, when she had been at our place or at her mother’s. Luckily, although it took a few years, she realized herself that my requiring her to do her homework was not such a bad thing. At one point, her father wanted her tested for ADHD and I disagreed that it was necessary. This is around the time that she started seeing for herself that her mother’s lack of discipline with her sister was a problem and began to discipline herself. She is now in high school with good grades and the discipline to do her school work without anybody having to tell her.
Again, I do believe that this condition exists and I also believe that it is over diagnosed and over medicated. I also believe that ADHD is an underlying condition for something more serious, or at least that ADHD is part in parcel with other problems. Most people diagnosed with ADHD either are diagnosed with other “behavioural” or “attentive” conditions later in life, or are just plain lazy and have not had the proper discipline to know how to discipline themselves.
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Jessica
March 18th, 2009
10:21 pm
Raymond, I wonder the same thing. And why did they have to send her to three hospitals? Was she not getting the treatment she needed at the hospital in Montreal? If not, why not? And with all that pressure building up in her head from the injury, was it safe to put her on a plane??
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marilynn
March 18th, 2009
10:58 pm
I think she was brain dead before they put her on the plane so it did not matter by then. She was sent home to have goodbyes and pull the plug. What I don’t understand is how you can suffer such a hard head injury from a bunny slope? I thought maybe she had an aneurism and the fall triggered the bleeding which led to a ruptured blood vessel. We will find out eventually. Really sad and tragic.
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Makda
March 18th, 2009
11:11 pm
WOW! people r so stupid these days.
I mean, if she stayed in the london hospital, they might of helped her there.
I acuse the people that put here on the plane.
Here on the plane ride gave the blood time to do what it was doing and kill her.
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Cng
March 18th, 2009
11:36 pm
Makada, You are so stupid. What medical training have you had?
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lth
March 19th, 2009
12:02 am
She wasn’t IN London. She was skiing in Canada !!!!
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Susan
March 19th, 2009
12:56 am
I used to be indifferent about helmets and skiing because I only skied Nordic style whenever I did. But the more I think about it, the more I think people should consider wearing helmets on the slope, even if it’s just a bunny slope. Up until today I probably wouldn’t have worn a helmet if I started skiing downhill — but now I probably would. How very sad for Natasha and her family. Bless their hearts.
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TLF
March 19th, 2009
1:02 am
Hey, so you all know, The CNN medical expert must have also suffered from a brain injury, an epidural bleed is between the dura and the skull, as stated above, however once the bleed breaks the dura,if thats possible, it’s no longer an epiduarl bleed but considered a subduarl bleed. Which would make more sense since subdural account for about 35% for sever brain bleeds. It’s also consistent with Diffuse Axon Injuries or brainstem injuries which is what the doctors apparently are referring to, i just wish they would come out and just say what it is, rather then try and dumb it down. -T
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Trapshooter
March 19th, 2009
1:15 am
Thank TFL tho for actually correcting some genuises. Don’t get me worng they are but the don’t need to act like were all dumb. But other then that I feel very bad fpr the family and what they’re all going through.
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Trapshooter
March 19th, 2009
1:16 am
TLF* my bad.
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Gerhard
March 19th, 2009
1:42 am
She was likely brain dead before she left Montreal: not much point in moving her if there is any hope of survival.
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Willie
March 19th, 2009
4:32 am
Actually ths is a classic epidural bleed presentation, I mean a text book presentation. The only question left in this regard is did she have a seizure too. The reality of medicine in Canada is that they do not have neurosurgical accomodations, equipment and surgeons at each and every hospital like we do here in the USA. This is a classic socailized medicine scenario that happens there weekly. We will also have this scenario here soon as the government will cut out each hospital from having every speacialty and you will have to go to specific hospitals for specific care. This is considered a cost saving move and more of us will die and suffer as a result. That is why she was taken from hospital to hospital.
By the way the treament for this is usually a CAT scan or MRI of the brain for accurate diagnosis. The CT is much faster followed by placement of a wel positioned bore hole to allow drainage of the blood and relieve pressure followed by cautery of the epidural vessel as needed, usually a small vein partially torn, to tamponade the bleeding and it takes less than 30 minutes. This is truly bad and a waste of a life
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sharon
March 19th, 2009
7:13 am
My heart aches for her family, especially her children. Life is so fragile. I’m so shaken by the fact that she was alert and talking after the fall and then suddenly slipped into a coma. We should pay special attention when small children and the elderly take a fall.
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Jessica
March 19th, 2009
7:36 am
Thank you Willie. I, too, am concerned that with socialized medicine many will die needlessly because they can’t get the care they need. If in fact the hospital in Montreal didn’t have neurosurgical accomodations, equipment and surgeons to help Natasha, it must have been a terrible frustration for her family, and my heart goes out to them. I wonder if anyone knows the name of the hospital in Montreal.
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BirdLady
March 19th, 2009
8:35 am
I do believe that ADD exsits. And I know that there are parents that are “too busy” to get a hold on their child but theter are teachers who are also pushing for the meds to be given to childern with “problems”. My son is just about deaf now. He has had hearing problems since birth. From pre-k till 2nd grade I had teachers telling me, in fact insisting that he was ADD. An yes he showed classic signs for ADD when in fact he was losing his hearing. I kept telling his teachers that he could not hear them properly but they kept at it until they had me convinced that he had ADD when he did not.
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Jonas
March 19th, 2009
10:19 am
Willie, you must be a Republican, because it’s standard Republican policy to use personal medical tragedies to further their political agenda — witness the Terry Schiavo case in Florida last year.
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Tee
March 19th, 2009
10:31 am
Jessica: to answer your question, the Montreal hospital was Sacre Coeur de Montreal. It is associated with the Universite de Montreal.
Many Americans have been speculating that the hospital did not have the necessary CT scans, etc, to properly diagnose Ms. Richardson, blaming the Canadian universal health care system for not equipping all hospitals with adequate technology. I’ve lived in Montreal and also in very small Canadian cities, and I can assure you that there are CT and MRI capabilities in all Canadian hospitals, with the possible exception of VERY small towns, in which case patients would be airlifted to the nearest large hospital with these technologies. Montreal is a city with a 3.6 million population. Rest assured, Sacre Coeur has CT scans.
From what I’ve read, Ms. Richardson denied initial medical help, and it wasn’t until she developed a severe headache that she allowed for medical attention. She was already brain dead by the time she arrived at Sacre Coeur and the family moved her to New York so that family and friends could see her one last time.
A terrible shame, no doubt. Wear helmets, people. It may not have prevented this tragedy, but it wouldn’t have hurt, either.
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Trey
March 19th, 2009
10:49 am
Actually I think the best time to bring these things up is when there is proof ot the results of socialized medicine. Simply put it results in longer lines and a drop in quality of care. He stated a fact and you don’t like it, deal with it. Its truly sad to see someone die when they might have been fine with the proper care. Doesn’t this make you think what if that was me I know I would want the best medical care available if this happened to one of my family members.
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Troy
March 19th, 2009
12:00 pm
Willie is your classic ignorant American spouting off about things they have no clue about. Question, Would you stand up in a room full of educated individuals and make a fool out of yourself? Why do it on the internet?
Why don’t you take a trip through Georgia and tell me how many small towns have a Hospital, let alone a trauma unit with a surgical neurologist on staff. I’ve been through more po dunk towns in your state than I care to remember. I would have swore I was in some 3rd world sh*thole in half of them if I didn’t know how to read a map.
Oh, interesting that our health care system give us the same outcomes when it comes to treating diseases as yours; some better, some worse, statistically insignificant differences in all from heart disease to cancer. We live longer up here as well. You pay twice as much for the same standard of care. You can’t even cover everyone and the leading cause of bankruptcy is from medical bills. Yeah, you have the better system.
You guys are always the best even when all evidence slapping you in the head points otherwise. Keep chirping its good for a laugh.
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Brad Steel
March 19th, 2009
12:00 pm
What will I do for throw rugs?
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Bubba
March 19th, 2009
12:00 pm
Hey, Bubba here……as a georgia peanut farmer, I gotta admit that I do not wax, and most of the other farmers I know think it’s wrong to send our American dollars to those Brazilians. Most other farmers I know dont wear those thong bikinis…they say they get all chapped from the tractor seat. Cept for my buddy Luke, who says he likes getting all chapped….course Luke was never the same after that mishap involving those sheep and some milking-machine contraption he invented.
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kim
March 19th, 2009
12:02 pm
Really? Longer than I wait in the emergency room already? Longer than the 6 hours it took for my girlfriend’s father to be seen when he was in the throws of COPD? I experienced socialized medicine in England as an American visitor. I waited less time and was treated no differently than if I had been here in the US. You people need to watch Sicko…it will change your minds on socialized medicine.
As for Ms. Richardson, this is a terrible tragedy, and to use something like this as “proof” socialized medicine doesn’t work, without knowing all of the facts, is typical scare tactics. How about some human sympathy for her family? Leave the politics out of it.
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Rudy
March 19th, 2009
12:28 pm
Yeeeeeeowwwwww! That’s gotta hurt!!
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JP
March 19th, 2009
12:40 pm
I do believe that this condition exists. But, I also believe that about 90% of these are wrongly diagnosed. First of all, there are the drug reps, who recommend a particular medication to the doctor they are meeting with. Many times the drug reps with get some sort of compensation for pushing a certain drug. The doctors themselves don’t know that much about the drugs, they are just relying on the drug reps to tell them which one is best. Lots of times the doctors will also get some sort of compensation from the drug companies for prescribing a particular medication. It all comes down to greed. People just want to get paid and they don’t really care who they have to hurt to get their money. So, I believe it is overdiagnosed because the pharmaceutical companies are pushing it on the doctors and they are in turn pushing it on the patients. All about marketing…sell, sell, sell…it doesn’t matter if you don’t need it, take it anyways…
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Harold
March 19th, 2009
12:42 pm
I have no idea what a Brazilian wax is. Is that like a Turtle wax? The article could have included a picture. Like we really know what Brazilian wax is!!! This is GEORGIA USA!!!
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Chris
March 19th, 2009
12:48 pm
I would have expected this from a state like Oregon, where they like their girls earthy. Brazilian waxing is a fine art, but perhaps the duct-tape-tied-to-the-bumper method is not sound. Please see a professional.
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Tracy
March 19th, 2009
12:55 pm
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Brazilian+Wax+Image
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Millwood
March 19th, 2009
1:05 pm
If you outlaw genital waxing, only outlaws will have waxed genitals.
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Raymond Brusstar
March 19th, 2009
1:07 pm
Interesting comments. My mother and my wife’s grandmother were both treated in a hospital in London (different times) and raved about the care and the medical professionals in attendance. I believe the comments referring to our system over their system is off the mark and not going to get to the answers these comments were suppose to be about. Does anyone know for sure (haven’t checked the news yet) that she was brain dead at the first hospital? The second? Seems to me a couple of you know what you are talking about and it comes down to the timing of her first hospital visit. If she was already brain dead then everything after is personal for the family and a tragedy.
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twoboys
March 19th, 2009
1:07 pm
As a former special education teacher in public schools, I definitely feel this condition is over-diagnosed. So many of my students who were labeled ADD/ADHD came from very chaotic homes. However, I also believe it is a real condition. I still think of one student with wonderful, supportive parents. It was truly painful to watch this poor child struggle to take in what was being instructed-you could see on his face and in his eyes how much he wanted to concentrate and participate in the classroom. As a mother of two preschool boys, I am very concerned about the 15-20 minutes of playground time in the public schools. I just do not feel that is enough physical activity for children, especially boys. I wonder how much lack of physical activity affects behavior in the classroom setting.
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NoHairDownThere
March 19th, 2009
1:45 pm
Nothing says sexy like a hairless pubic portion!!! Wifey and I stay lean and clean!! Get with the program people!!
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Allan J Krueger
March 19th, 2009
1:48 pm
The SOCIALIZED MEDICINE comments always come from individuals who have top notch coverage and do not pay one dime for it. FUBAR!
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Janet
March 19th, 2009
1:52 pm
People, stop blabbing about socialized medicine being the cause of her death. Before you come out with your indoctrinated opinions, travel around the world a bit and get the full perspective. Just thinking that the US is the non plus ultra actually means it is. Furthermore, you ALL have no clue what happened so stop blabbing about that , too. If you do not know the facts keep your mouth shut. This was a tragedy, but that is part of life.
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Spud
March 19th, 2009
1:58 pm
People die every day through lack of medical care, I am sure docs and nurses do their best with limited resources. I am a victim of medical mishap, but just have to get on with life. Whether the person is famous or not, sympathies to the family, her 2 boys, Kirsty Macall, died in similar circumstances, y does someone famous v to die before issues are raised regarding health care, helmets etc. Enough is enough, people are starving, rest in peace all who died today.
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Ka'ai
March 19th, 2009
2:24 pm
I was thinking the same thing. Couldn’t they have done something quick?!
My thoughts and prayers to Liam Neeson and sons. Much Aloha!!
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LA
March 19th, 2009
2:27 pm
Seriously, the things people put themselves through nowadays to be “sexy” is just beyond me. Nowadays, I see women getting their entire face waxed…where does it stop? A trim here and there is one thing….but bald areas like that is for pre-pubescent stages of life…not adulthood.
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les
March 19th, 2009
2:55 pm
Why is everyone here trying to lump everyone into one category? The fact is, there is not a “one-size fits all” for these kids. Everyone is different, and that is why some things work for some kids and others don’t. That is also why this is so difficult to accurately diagnose. For some, medication may work well, but for others, the road may be longer, with a combo of intense meds and therapy, some kids may just need regular therapy and learn some behavior modification. So for everyone here to argue this as if it has to be a black or white solution, is just silly. Each parent needs to seek out and do the research themselves, and discover what is going to be the right method of treatment for their child, if in fact they are ADD/ADHD.
Just a side note, my cousin was diagnosed with ADHA, and when his mother took him off sweet cereals, snacks, etc and drastically changed his diet, he was able to go off his meds, and continue with regular behavior therapy, and is much more manageable and pleasant to be around.
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New Jersey May Ban Bikini Waxing | Guanabee
March 19th, 2009
2:57 pm
[...] A ban on ‘Brazilian’ bikini waxing? [AJC] [...]
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Marcel
March 19th, 2009
3:04 pm
The first hospital that Richardson went to was located in a small town (Population 9000) near Mont Tremblant where the accident occurred. They examined her, gave her initial treatment, and then decided to evacuate her via ambulance to Sacre-Coeur Hospital in Montreal (about 65 miles away). This decision was made because Sacre-Coeur has an excellent neurological department and it’s located in one of Canada’s largest cities. It was while she was in Montreal that she was declared to be brain dead.
She wasn’t transferred to New York for medical treatment. The took her to New York for the benefit of her sons and other family members. They wanted to keep her on life support in order for them to be able to give her a final goodbye.
When she left Montreal they knew she wasn’t going to survive.
Apparently, she was told to see a doctor immediately after the accident occurred, and a short time later by her hotel staff, but she declined to go. It was several hours later, when symptoms started to appear that she decided to go to the hospital. Who knows whether she would have survived if she had gone to the hospital right away.
In the end, she probably would not have survived regardless of where the accident occurred.
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Dan
March 19th, 2009
3:17 pm
Les you make some good points every child is different, which also means straying from the norm is not a condition, rather a normal differnce. Your example is perfect! If the “treatment” is not having sweets. THEN IT ISNT A CONDITION! Lots of kids get hopped up on sweets. Good parents take the sweets away, lazy ones call it a condition so it is not their fault
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Mei2
March 19th, 2009
3:38 pm
If a Brazilian bikini wax ‘breaks bad’, you could always get a merkin…
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tCOM
March 19th, 2009
3:52 pm
Oh noes! wut will i do now?
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Snipes25
March 19th, 2009
3:54 pm
I agree with this. Open genital sores is how I contracted the HIV.
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RightToLifeHomer
March 19th, 2009
4:02 pm
It is responsibility of gov’t to protect those that would be endangered by this cruel act.
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RightToCleanPieHomer
March 19th, 2009
4:06 pm
RightToLifeHomer you suck:
I think it should be the WOMAN’S CHOICE!! The gov’t doesn’t need to get involved in EVERYTHING!!
:koolaidman
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JohnnyMack
March 19th, 2009
4:17 pm
They turned away paramedics on the actual ski hill. If the paramedics had seen her, no doubt she would still be alive. This was walk and die syndrome. Has nothing to do with medical care in Canada which is top notch.
I was watching “Extreme Sports” on cable an watched a woman tumble an entire mile down an extremely steep hill, hitting jutting rocks along the way, hitting her head at least 50 times as she pinwheeled down the embankment. She blacked out half way down.
She ended up with a bruised arm.
Natasha has a mild fall on the bunny hill. All that tells you is that when it’s your time, it’s your time. Period
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Pat
March 19th, 2009
4:21 pm
It’s annoying how ideologues are using this to scare clueless Americans about “socialized medicine.” Yeah, like Canada is such a backwards, 3rd world country. Try visiting other countries and learning about them before making such moronic statements. Canadians wouldn’t put up with our craptastic health care system for two seconds. Richardson got transferred the first time because it was a small town hospital – they took her to a large hospital with a prestigious neurology department for further evaluation, but by then it was too late. She was sent home to NY to die surrounded by her family.
Trust me, you don’t want to have an aneurysm in BumF_k, Georgia and get sent to their little hospital – you’d better pray you’re life-flighted to a major trauma center in time … actually, you’d better pray it happens in the ER with you scrubbed up for surgery. There’s almost NO time in this situation for any delay. This isn’t about socialized medicine, it’s about a freak accident, a tragic treatment delay and possibly, a tragedy that even if everything after the fall had “gone right” – could STILL have ended in her death. Just very sad.
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Magenta
March 19th, 2009
4:33 pm
Wax any part of YOUR body you like. But come near me with that stuff, you better pray.
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NJYM
March 19th, 2009
5:07 pm
The only reason she wasn’t operated on is unfortunately because of LAW SUITS.
I used to work at a neurosurgical equipment company and learned alot about neurosurgery around
the world. In some countries…albeit rough…a burr hole would have been made to relieve the pressure
and wait-n-see without fear of a lawsuit. BUT here in the US we have conditioned everyone to proceed
much more cautiously due to legal costs. She DIED because of MONEY and GREED.
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G Natural
March 19th, 2009
5:07 pm
Tax the Wax! Seriously…a few pictures for illustration purposes would have been educational.
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Marcusan
March 19th, 2009
5:07 pm
Don’t forget: The US health insurance industry has approximately 2 millions employees who can act as foot soldiers to beat back attempts at health reform. They’re scared to death of losing their jobs and have a self-interest in painting socialized healthcare as evil, substandard, overpriced, etc.etc.
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JJennifer
March 19th, 2009
5:34 pm
Nowhere in the US is anyone turned away from a hospital whether they can pay or not. With socialized medicine, you will have rationing of care and what no one is telling you is that socialized medicine will have to be subsidized by the taxpayers. Nothing is free, period.
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Greg
March 19th, 2009
5:39 pm
Exactly Dan. What is most sad about this epidemic of over diagnosis and over medicating is what we’re doing to our children, their budding young minds and potential future inspirations. Had Einstein and Mozart grown up in modern American schools, they would have been diagnosed adhd and drugged with ever-increasing doses until they were lethargic and “normal”. With a school system geared toward parroted rote learning as opposed to actual thinking, it is not surprising that medicated zombies are preferred to spirited individuals.
I also fear the liable state the schools are placing themselves in. In a few years when some objectionable side effect becomes know, it will not only be the drug companies the class action lawyers go after, it will be the schools and their counselors recommending that these children be drugged.
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Brazil
March 19th, 2009
5:55 pm
Well, first of all I would to say that who ever wrote this article has a steriotype about brazilians wearing thongs, know their culture frist before you write something like this. They wax the genital areas not to wear a “skimpy thong” like you said; but for them “brazilians” is all about hygiene! If they banned that in New Jersey let it be, let the people rule. I’ll say that whom ever waxed that lady didn’t know what was doing.It’s optional wax if you want to! However to answer your question I say NO! They should not ban Brazilian Wax in GA!
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kim
March 19th, 2009
6:23 pm
NJYM — She didn’t die from money and greed, she died in a country that treats EVERYONE that walks through the door. It was a tragic delay in treatment, and a tragic outcome that had nothing to do with money or greed. Now, if she had died in the US, I might agree with you.
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marley
March 19th, 2009
6:41 pm
This wax is essential in achieving the proper shine on Brazilian wood (banisters)
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Cheryl
March 19th, 2009
8:22 pm
Get a grip people stop blaming the health care when she was already unconcious and in a coma when arriving at the hospital. Canadian health care is just as good as USA healthcare. If you think social medicine is poor medicine then you are SICK. Listening to too many politicians that don’t know what they are talking about. I have social medicine and it is wonderful and I get all the treatments I need and I pay for it through my taxes instead of going bankrupt. GIVE ME A BREAK. Unless you live in it or experience it then you don’t have a right to say something you don’t know anything about.
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Cheryl
March 19th, 2009
8:31 pm
I also would like to add as I got carried away. My thought and prayers go to her and her family. So sorry.
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Astraea
March 19th, 2009
8:49 pm
I am so proud to be a Georgian after reading these comments. Seriously. Maybe instead of the government getting involved, though, people could try not being stupid.
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Cur
March 19th, 2009
10:09 pm
Reagan once said, “If the Senators from New Jersey are so worried about the wolves in Yellowstone, maybe we should let a bunch of wolves loose in New Jersey.” It’s a shame he was kidding as clearly the herd of politicians in New Jersey needs thinning.
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DB
March 19th, 2009
10:19 pm
Wax on, wax off, now they will want a bailout.
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inagalaxy_faraway
March 19th, 2009
10:23 pm
Uh oh. Does this mean I can no longer wear thong bathing suits? I am a guy.
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GaTechStudent
March 19th, 2009
10:37 pm
Girls have hair down there? Really? I never knew…
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Thogwummpy
March 19th, 2009
11:31 pm
The Brazilian wax makes a woman look like a little girl down there (hey, I had sisters growing up!)…and for me, it’s kind of a turn off—because I have no pedaphillia inclinations. Girls, I ain’t the only guy that thinks so—more men than you realize say it’s no hot. Trim it yes, shave/wax it…no. Besides, when the stubble starts growing back, it is like sandpaper….which scratchs during intimate activity. Did you know that pubic hair actually functions as a form of dry skin lubricant for sex?
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Theresa
March 20th, 2009
1:12 am
Willie you are an idiot!!! Not every hospital in America has specialists, people do need to be transferred alot, hello not every hospital is located in a metropolis!!!
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BrazilianwaxNJ
March 20th, 2009
1:30 am
The Ban is not for just full removal of pubic hair as the Brazilian Waxing suggests but it is illegal to even do a trim. If you wax or not, the state should not be dicating if you can or not get groomed. Help us petition to the AG office to overturn this ban.
http://www.jairasbrazilianwax.org
Big gathering event on Monday 3/23
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Jen
March 20th, 2009
1:41 am
I live in Canada, and believe that our healthcare system is in a horrible crisis and will only get worse. Compared to European countries we are number 23 out of 30 in terms of quality of healthcare. That’s nothing to write home about.
According to ER physicians and trauma surgeons, Montreal lacks the capacity to offer an emergency helicopter service. One would think that a city the size of Montreal, dealing with very ill and injured persons would provide an emergency helicopter. Such a service can get someone from a smaller, more remote hospital to one offering trauma service, much more quickly. Longer ambulance rides, can indeed increase fatality rates, in the case of life threatening injury or illness.
Montreal lacks emergency helicopter system
http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090318/mtl_helicopter_090318/20090318/?hub=MontrealHome
Montreal lacks emergency helicopter system
Updated: Wed Mar. 18 2009 6:43:21 PM
ctvmontreal.ca
Montreal is lacking an emergency helicopter system, according to Dr. Tarek Razek, head of the trauma team at the Montreal General Hospital.
“We have no medical helicopter transport system in this region or in western Quebec at all. And it’s the only region I’ve been able to find in the western world,” he said.
He notes that Nova Scotia, which is not a wealthy province, has a medical helicopter.
It is a problem that is frustrating for some of Montreal’s trauma professionals.
“I have a child and I think about what happens if we’re driving in the beautiful countryside and we have a car crash. He can’t– or I won’t be able to– get him to definitive care,” said Dr. Paola Fata, a trauma surgeon at the MUHC.
The problem has come to light after actress Natasha Richardson suffered a tumble on a beginner ski hill at Mont Tremblant on Monday. The fall resulted in a serious brain injury. She was not wearing a helmet.
“If you have a ski crash at Mont Tremblant or in Sutton, I cannot get you to my centre fast enough to have those reductions in mortality. I just can’t. Because we don’t have the mechanisms and the systems in this region to get you there. So– wear a helmet when you ski– because you’re not going to come to me,” said Razek.
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Willie
March 20th, 2009
2:55 am
I want the people Americans and Canadians who like the Canadian system to see what Canadians are saying about their socialized health care system :
(AP) A letter from the Moncton Hospital to a New Brunswick heart patient in need of an electrocardiogram said the appointment would be in three months. It added: “If the person named on this computer-generated letter is deceased, please accept our sincere apologies.” Americans who flock to Canada for cheap flu shots often come away impressed at the free and first-class medical care available to Canadians, rich or poor. But tell that to hospital administrators constantly having to cut staff for lack of funds, or to the mother whose teenager was advised she would have to wait up to three years for surgery to repair a torn knee ligament.
“It’s like somebody’s telling you that you can buy this car, and you’ve paid for the car, but you can’t have it right now,” said Jane Pelton. Rather than leave daughter Emily in pain and a knee brace, the Ottawa family opted to pay $3,300 for arthroscopic surgery at a private clinic in Vancouver, with no help from the government.
“Every day we’re paying for health care, yet when we go to access it, it’s just not there,” said Pelton.
The average Canadian family pays about 48 percent of its income in taxes each year, partly to fund the health care system. Rates vary from province to province, but Ontario, the most populous, spends roughly 40 percent of every tax dollar on health care, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
The system is going broke, says the federation, which campaigns for tax reform and private enterprise in health care.
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Willie
March 20th, 2009
2:56 am
What about the availability of healthcare here are the stats
An estimated 4 million of Canada’s 33 million people don’t have family physicians and more than 1 million are on waiting lists for treatment, according to the Canadian Medical Association. Meanwhile, some 200 physicians head to the United States each year, attracted by lower taxes and better working conditions. Canada has 2.1 physicians per 1,000 people, while Belgium has 3.9, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
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Willie
March 20th, 2009
2:59 am
What about rationing health care does the Canadian system ration? Yes they call it queuing and here it what the Canadian doctors think of it
Queuing
Queuing is a controversial measurement, not least because there may be many explanations for the queuing, many of them medically justifiable, so that aggregate queuing figures may conflate those whose waiting poses no health or other risk with those whose health may be impaired or may suffer pain while waiting.
That being said, in a system in which health services are free at the point of consumption, queuing is the most common form of rationing scarce medical resources. And since patient satisfaction plays no part in determining incomes or other economic rewards for health care providers and administrators in the public system, patients’ time is treated as if it has no value. There are no penalties in the system for making people wait
All of this is due, as I argued in a major paper I co-authored in 2002,10 to the conflict of interest at the heart of Medicare, in which the people who are the ultimate providers of health care services in Canada are also the people charged with regulating the system and quality assurance. Since no one is a competent judge of his or her own performance, and no one likes to be held accountable for his or her work, the result is that the health care system simply does not set tough standards or collect the information that would allow us to hold the system’s administrators accountable for their stewardship of our health care and the billions of dollars that they spend. The people who would collect the information are also the people whose performance would be assessed if useful information were made available. There appears to be no legal obligation on governments actually to supply the services they have promised to the population as their monopoly supplier of health insurance. This is an appalling double standard, as no responsible regulator would permit a private supplier of insurance to behave in this way, as a recent background paper for my Institute makes clear.11
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Willie
March 20th, 2009
3:02 am
There is more on Queuing and the lack of statistics
“I would also like to point out that while we talk a lot about queuing in the Canadian health care system, and we talk as if we know how many people are waiting and how long they wait, in fact we do not know this at all. Ironically for the largest single program expenditure of governments in Canada, we know astonishingly little about what we get for our money. As my colleague David Zitner, Director of Medical Informatics at Dalhousie University in Halifax and Health Policy Fellow at my Institute, likes to say, no health care institution in Canada can tell you how many people got better, how many people got worse, and how many people’s condition was left unchanged by their contact with their institution. None of them can give you an answer. No one knows how many people died while waiting for needed surgery. No one knows how many people are queuing for any particular procedure or how many people cannot find a family doctor. Mostly we have guesswork, anecdote, and subjective measures, not objective ones (such as the Fraser Institute reports mentioned earlier). We do not even know how long someone has to wait before he or she has waited “too long,” because the health care system does not establish official standards for timely care–although presumably even Mr. Romanow would agree that someone who died while waiting for care may have waited a tad too long.
Natasha would be the person that waited “a tad too long”
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Willie
March 20th, 2009
3:04 am
What are Canadians saying about MRI’s and CT scans and technology?
Medical technology
With respect to medical technology, Canada’s performance is also unimpressive. In a study12 comparing Canadians’ access to four specific medical technologies (computed tomography [CT] scanners, radiation equipment, lithotriptors, and magnetic resonance imagers [MRI]), with access by citizens of other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, Canadians’ access was significantly poorer in three of the four. Despite spending a full 1.6 percent of GDP more on health care than the OECD average, Canadians were well down the league tables in access to CT scanners (21st of 28), lithotriptors (19th out of 22), and MRIs (19th out of 27). Moreover, access to several of these technologies worsened relative to access in other countries over the last decade.
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Willie
March 20th, 2009
3:09 am
Anything that is free is usually SH#$ Canadians on free health care
“Free” Health Care Empowers the Poor
Everything I want to say about this is summed up in a story that happened to my partner Shelley. Shelley and I are partners in a restaurant, and she actually runs it. She was given an appointment at the hospital for a procedure, and she duly showed up at the appointed time. Two hours later she was still sitting there waiting to be called. Now she was only able to get a two-hour parking meter, and so she approached the desk and asked if she could go and put money in the meter. She was curtly told that she was free to go and put the money in, but that if her name were called while she was away, that her name would fall back to the bottom of the queue. So she just decided that she would take the parking ticket as part of the price of getting the medical service she needed. Another two hours passed, and still she was not called, so she again approached the counter, and very patiently and politely explained (as only Shelley can, because she is the soul of graciousness) that she actually had a small business to run; that she was there at the appointed time for her appointment; that she had waited four hours, which is far longer than she had been led to expect the whole thing would take; that she had other commitments because of the business; and could they possibly at least give her some idea of how much longer she might have to wait?
Well, the woman behind the counter got on her dignity, drew herself up to her full height, glared at Shelley and said, “You’re talking as if you’re some kind of customer!”
There you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the essence of the problem: When the government supplies you with “free” health care, you are not a powerful customer who must be satisfied. They are doing you a favor and you owe the state gratitude and servility in return for this awesome generosity. They can give you the worst service in the world, but because it is free, you are totally disempowered. One of the most important lessons I have learned from my contact with the Canadian Medicare system is that payment makes you powerful. And its absence makes you risible if not invisible.
Anything that is “Free” is usually SH#$
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Willie
March 20th, 2009
3:12 am
Will Canadians ever go back to private healthcare? Yes if they can check out below
CMA Head Says Canada’s Health-Care System in Crisis, Needs Change
Posted on: Wednesday, 22 August 2007, 21:15 CDT
By CAMILLE BAINS
VANCOUVER (CP) – The incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says the country’s public health-care system is headed for crisis, but a greater role for private health care could be the right prescription.
Dr. Brian Day said in his inaugural speech to Canada’s medical establishment Wednesday that contracting out health services isn’t new and has helped slash wait lists.
“Let’s be clear: Canadians should have the right to private medical insurance when timely access is not available in the public system,” he said to applause from about 270 delegates at the annual convention
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Willie
March 20th, 2009
3:30 am
What does the Canadian who created the Canadian health care sytem 40 years ago say about it today? Ladies and Gentleman I give you Claude Castonguay
Back in the 1960s, Castonguay chaired a Canadian government committee studying health reform and recommended that his home province of Quebec — then the largest and most affluent in the country — adopt government-administered health care, covering all citizens through tax levies.
The government followed his advice, leading to his modern-day moniker: “the father of Quebec medicare.” Even this title seems modest; Castonguay’s work triggered a domino effect across the country, until eventually his ideas were implemented from coast to coast.
Four decades later, as the chairman of a government committee reviewing Quebec health care this year, Castonguay concluded that the system is in “crisis.”
“We thought we could resolve the system’s problems by rationing services or injecting massive amounts of new money into it,” says Castonguay. But now he prescribes a radical overhaul: “We are proposing to give a greater role to the private sector so that people can exercise freedom of choice.”
Castonguay advocates contracting out services to the private sector, going so far as suggesting that public hospitals rent space during off-hours to entrepreneurial doctors. He supports co-pays for patients who want to see physicians. Castonguay, the man who championed public health insurance in Canada, now urges for the legalization of private health insurance.
What would drive this champion of socialism to the private sector?
Try a health care system so overburdened that hundreds of thousands in need of medical attention wait for care, any care; a system where people in towns like Norwalk, Ontario, participate in lotteries to win appointments with the local family doctor.
Years ago, Canadians touted their health care system as the best in the world; today, Canadian health care stands in ruinous shape.
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Willie
March 20th, 2009
3:35 am
What about the women and children?
Sick with ovarian cancer, Sylvia de Vires, an Ontario woman afflicted with a 13-inch, fluid-filled tumor weighing 40 pounds, was unable to get timely care in Canada. She crossed the American border to Pontiac, Mich., where a surgeon removed the tumor, estimating she could not have lived longer than a few weeks more.
The Canadian government pays for U.S. medical care in some circumstances, but it declined to do so in de Vires’ case for a bureaucratically perfect, but inhumane, reason: She hadn’t properly filled out a form. At death’s door, de Vires should have done her paperwork better.
De Vires is far from unusual in seeking medical treatment in the U.S. Even Canadian government officials send patients across the border, increasingly looking to American medicine to deal with their overload of patients and chronic shortage of care.
Critics say these border crossings highlight the dangers of a government-run health care system.
“The Canadian healthcare system has used the United States as a safety net for years,” said Michael Turner of the Cato Institute. “In fact, overall about one out of every seven Canadian physicians sends someone to the United States every year for treatment.”
Neonatal intensive care units in Alberta and Ontario have also been stretched to capacity, she said.
The cost of these airlifts and treatments, paid to U.S. hospitals by the province under Canada’s universal health care system, runs upwards of $1,000 a child.
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Willie
March 20th, 2009
4:10 am
Well since I started this at least part of it anyway I will add to my previous comments albeit to the chagrin of some of my Canadian brethren. I did tell you exactly what her diagnosis was prior to her autopsy coming out because as I stated earlier this is a textbook case, textbook. I am a physician and surgeon and I do know the Canadian system well and many of your physicians as they all leave as fast as they can from Canada to come down to the U.S. so they can make a living here in the U.S.. I am sorry that you are upset over your socialized system the only other bad news is the people that neglected to take care of Natasha will not be sued into oblivion like they would here for this neglect. That is right neglect this lady is dead and YOUR health care system is at least partly responsible and as you can see a lot of people know all about it and so do I. You see I lived in Michigan and Washington State and Buffalo during my training to be an orthopedic and spinal surgeon, about a total of 19 years including college and research, residency and fellowship years. All of those cities had programs set up to take care of the more affluent Canadians that did not want to wait 8 months to two years for a total joint or an organ transplant. To not have a hospital prepared to take care of serious injuries in proximity to a ski resort is laughable. By the way people who wear helmets get epidural bleeds and concussions too and wearing helmets is no excuse for not having adequate medical facilities. Governments (that includes the USA) cannot manage large sums or even moderate sums of money and they have proven that over and over but the hard core idiots cannot seem to get that through their heads. For example we just gave AIG bailout money to pay off bonuses to people that do not even work there anymore!! How STUPID is that?!?
I truly feel bad for Natasha and her family as this was a useless loss of life and the medical system is mostly to blame. DO NOT BLAME NATASHA ONLY COWARDS BLAME THE VICTIM. All patients when they feel better walk and talk and try to go about their business. The diagnostic period although short and unforgiving is there and she had it, she complained of headaches etc. but no one could act on it because they simply do not have the accommodations and they really should as they are at a ski resort where hundreds and thousands of people will fall every year and they should be prepared to take care of business and they are not and that is it. Typically there are protocols set up for these kinds of disasters because although not very common they do happen and the system should be prepared and clearly it is not. Had she gone to a clinic near the ski resort immediately they still could not have done anything as they plainly do not have the facilities and she would had to been flown somewhere and that takes time and you do not have that much time it has to be done on the timetable of the disease not some failed socialized half baked medical timetable
As far as me getting up in a room and telling people who are “educated” how bad this system is, I can assure you that I have absolutely no qualms or trepidations about telling the truth to anybody, anytime anywhere as there is no fear in my heart, none. The truth is what it is
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Maria
March 20th, 2009
10:13 am
Willie, I’m asking this with the wide-eyed curiosity of a 2nd-year medical student. I was sucked in to this debate first by my curiosity about the Richardson case, as well as the interesting comments here. As intelligent and experienced as you are, with 19 years of medical training, why would you choose this forum to express your views? I agree with you on most of what you say, and it’s clear you feel very strongly about your beliefs – why then would you spend over an hour commenting on an article that not many people will read? I’m sure you’re an extremely busy person who understands the difference between activity and productivity. Do more productive means exist out there for physicians to express their concerns about our healthcare system? Without us, no one would have any healthcare in the first place. I suppose I’m just wondering… if this is your only place to vent your views and attempt to affect some change, what will practicing medicine be like for my generation?
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JATL
March 20th, 2009
11:25 am
I completely agree that it is overdiagnosed! I ALSO agree that the condition exists and those with it need help and possibly medication, but faaaaarrrrr too many children are being pumped full of pills and labeled when all they need is some discipline and RECESS!!!!! Does anyone else think it’s insane and inhumane to expect a bunch of elementary school children to sit in a desk all day and behave? When I was in school we got two recesses until 4th grade and then 1 through 6th grade. Kids today need to be outside running off some steam and moving their little lard a$$e$!
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tony
March 20th, 2009
12:00 pm
This is so unbelievably sad. She and Liam Neeson have been so classy with the way they have handled their careers and raised their children. Besides being an uncommonly talented actress, she was above all a beautiful and caring human being. She will be missed.
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Willie
March 20th, 2009
1:21 pm
Maria what you say is somewhat correct but you have to have a real passion for this profession and as you will learn sometimes you just have to dialogue with people especially when your voracity is being challenged by uneducated lay people. There is nothing wrong with having an opinion even a wrong one and the internet is hit and miss for sure but people use it for education and you should add your voice to the discussion as you are educated. Right now you are studying the second year med school load and you seem to not have enough time and that is normal. However never be too busy to talk to people when you are in practice people especially patients as they need reassurance and just knowing that they can talk to their doctor is huge. I talk to patients all day about surgery and success and failure of treatment. All patients have my cell phone and home phone I am never unavailable to them. I have had seven spinal operations myself 4 on my neck and three on my back, I come from a family of seven physicians and surgeons and I have grown up around medicine my whole entire life. I went to U of M in Ann Arbor played football for Bo Schembechler and then went to Wayne State med school, I was a linebacker in college (part of the cause of the seven spine surgeries later in life) I have always been a fighter and stood up for what was right. The American people are being lied to, again, about health care. I have worked in all types of medical systems city hospitals at Detroit Receiving, County hospitals like LA County USC and LA County Martin Luther King, VA hospitals, and private hospitals well run and not well run.
A well run private hospital with academically oriented leadership is the best health care in the world period. They are provide great health care, they are profitable and provide jobs and a sense of pride for the entire community. By the way there is nothing wrong with making a good living while providing good care and do not let anyone tell you that there is something wrong with you making a good living that is total BS. Everybody wants to have first class health care from a committed physician and surgeon and those people cost money. Bright dedicated hard working people are not free, most of them had to borrow money to go to school and the people they borrowed money from want their money back plus interest.
I did my spine fellowship at William Beaumont in Royal Oak Michigan that is a great hospital and it does all of those things. As far as venting goes I am not venting I am teaching and if I saved just 1 life I did a good job and that is how I see it. The evidence i presented did not require that much time I am an experienced researcher I have written scientific papers, the evidence of this bad health care scenario is overwhelming and this was just a smidgeon of it.
On a personal side learn not to argue with people that know a lot more about something than you do and never insist that you are right when you are clearly wrong in addition to looking like a clown as a physician you will kill somebody. READ the literature most of these people do not read and they just listen to people tell lies and because it sounds good and because it supports their own political and social position they back it up. The Canadian health care system although well intentioned is a huge failure the man who invented it, Claude Castonguay said so himself!!! I mean how much more verification do you need? Now the system represents socialist hypocrisy because it cannot meet the BASIC needs of the people and emergency services are basic needs, and the system failed because it does not require what medicine compels the most RESPONSIBILITY. That is correct no one in the system has to be responsible and they do not want to be responsible because that would mean looking at what they have wrought on the Canadian people.
Finally it is my intention to pursue a law degree. I will do it over the internet. You do not know the depth of the depravity in health care. There is tremendous waste and abuse and I am talking about right here in the U.S. The politics of healthcare revolves around the love of money not truly earned and lies and the people are truly secondary and the physicians are considered as pest, people in the way of the “agenda”. I am just practicing my skills on the internet jury “presenting my case” as it were. When people see my real name I want them to tremble if they have mistreated a patient or a physician. I want their attorneys to tell their clients that “we need to settle if we can because this guy is the real deal and he means it. “
Good Luck Maria I am sure you will do fine just remember always be honest no matter how difficult it is and always be available and people will love you and respect you and you will feel great about your work and yourself.
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Jacqui
March 20th, 2009
2:29 pm
Anyone on here who denies the existence of depression, has obviously NOT suffered from it. I have been on anti-depressants since the end of 1999, because these things happened to me: I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and underwent emergency surgery during which I nearly died. I was in hospital for 8 weeks. The following year I had further surgery. I have an ileostomy bag for the rest of my life (I’m now 36). I’ve had endless financial problems, my mother died in 2002 and now I’m a full-time carer for my father who has vascular dementia. Depression is an ILLNESS which is caused by problems with neurotransmitters in the brain. Research has shown that people who inherit a certain version of the serotonin transporter gene are susceptible to depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and autism spectrum disorders. Serotinin, dopamine, noradrenaline etc are chemicals in the brain and the body, just as insulin is a chemical.Some of the posters on here really need to think about the rubbish they are coming out with, or they need to experience the same feelings that I’ve experienced: feeling suicidal, not being able to think, not being able to concentrate, feeling overwhelmed with fear which you think you’ll never get over…..paradoxically, a feeling that you really are about to die yet you don’t want to, or that you are falling further and further down a dark pit which you can’t get out of. To anyone who stills refuses to believe in depression: try living my life and THEN see how you feel.
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Clark
March 21st, 2009
10:18 am
we are now seeing reports that Quebec does not have emergency helicopters …. is this deficit a result of having a nationalized health care system?
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Jessica
March 22nd, 2009
2:31 pm
Willie, as a passionate person myself, I appreciate the courage and drive you express in your willingness to take on controversial subjects. Today, many people are afraid to question the wisdom of socialized medicine (or the quality of our health care in the U.S.) for fear of being ridiculed. The practice browbeating others into silence is as old as civilization. Beautiful Natasha has indeed shed light on questions that must be asked – for everyone’s health and well being.
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Barney Strickland
March 25th, 2009
8:08 am
Pity the poor doctors !! What means will people have to be warned of a crappy MD or surgeon? Yeah, it’s always the oddball who complains….. nobody ever posts a legitimate claim/complaint on these sites. I’m just glad we have tort attorneys to protect us from jerks like Jeffrey Segal. Sniff, sniff, boo-hoo !! I guess we should all depend upon the AMA to provide us negative information against self interest !! Yep, that’s the ticket!
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Paul D. Fowler
March 25th, 2009
9:09 am
I am now 77 and in good health for my age, but concerned to know that my father and his father both
developed dementia at or around age 80. I have experienced intermittent depression since about age 10, and presently take 10 mg of paroxetine. I was hospitalized at VA in Augusta for about 30 days in
1982 for major depression. I am a retired professor from Georgia Southern University, living in Statesboro. I have had some difficulty remembering names for the last 2 or 3 years. I am physically active and play singles tennis once a week. I would be interested in any clinical trials that you under-take.
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Trish Gates
March 25th, 2009
9:54 am
I would love to be in a trail or test. My dad died of early alzheimer’s. It was diagnosed prior to age 62. I was told to take two ibupron per day. I have not been doing so.
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Earl
March 25th, 2009
10:06 am
My mother in law is currently undergoing therapy at UAB in Alabama for Alzheimers, she is 80. Bother her parents and all four of her siblings that reached adulthood suffered from the disease. She is the only surviving child of her parents. She can recmember most family members but we know this will end soon. Before long we’ll be strangers to her. She is on a blind study medication now, I don’t see the good effects that my wife seems to see with her mom. My wife has undergone early test for the plaque that builds up in the brain and she was told she has a greater than sixty per-cent chance of developing the disease. Good luck
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Earl
March 25th, 2009
10:08 am
I intended to say good luck Mr.Fowler, I hope the best for you. I am 55 and I forget names and I have no history of this disease in my family that I am aware of, only by marriage.
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Dave
March 25th, 2009
11:16 am
I think most of us fear contracting this disease the most. It causes such a huge burden on caregivers who become as almost trapped as those who get this horrible disease with probably the most guilt and frustration it causes to all involved. If there is one disease we should probably work on in finding a cure this might be the one as it taxes both our health care system and families in such huge ways. Give me cancer or heart disease, but absolutely don’t give me Alzheimers.
Not remembering names is not Alzheimers it is when you can’t remember you car key will start your car or forgetting how to get home when you go to your local mall and have done it a many times.
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kay
March 25th, 2009
11:22 am
My mom passed last year at 82, with congestive heart failure and pneumonia. However, she had a stroke seven years earlier and suffered some dementia a few years before she died, which according to her physician, was stroke related; regardless it was still hard to see her decline, but thankfully she still knew my sister and I, we were her caregivers. I don’t know the differences between stroke related dementia and alzheimer’s but I wish the mental decline of both types could be treated successfully.
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Big Juicy
March 25th, 2009
11:28 am
Don’t know; I seem to have forgotten —
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D
March 25th, 2009
12:07 pm
What was the question?
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Dennis Fortier
March 25th, 2009
12:17 pm
This is the most cogent argument for the importance of early detection that I have see. Thank you Dr. Lah for constructing it. I am directing readers here from http://braintoday.blogspot.com.
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Jeff
March 25th, 2009
12:19 pm
I lost my dad to Alzheimers. While the disease slowly took him away from us my mother fought and lost a battle with colon cancer. My family and I were the caregivers and watched them both suffer daily. By far Alzheimers is the most devastating disease in so many respects. I worry daily about my risks and I cringe every time I hear someone say that a friend or love one is afflicted with Alzheimers. From personal experience, Alzheimer’s is devastating to the core!
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Steve
March 25th, 2009
12:32 pm
There is a link between vaccines and Alzheimer’s. Why don’t they publish that?
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Elaine
March 25th, 2009
1:25 pm
My father passed away almost 3 years ago from the effects of Alzheimers but we lost him long before that. He no longer knew his family and friends and didn’t even remember who he was. He lost a lifetime of memories before he lost his life. So I guess that’s what it’s like to have your life taken away from you before you die. Very sad.
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Jo Ann
March 25th, 2009
2:11 pm
My father died from alzheimers in 93……………my sister just turned 60 yesterday and has for the past few years been experiencing memory loss……………….I expressed my concern to her husband and her daughter……………………I took matters into my own hands and flew up myself and drove her to the daughter……….long story short I wasn’t pleased with the dr…………..I flew back home………………another 2 weeks her husband took her to another doctore…………………..blood tests were done and she was told to come back in 3 months!! My plan is to go back up and request that further testing be done because her memory is horrible! Any testing that I should request would be appreciated………………..I am not exaggerating the memory………you have to take your health in your own hands, but if you aren’t capable or you’re scared, then a family member must step in !
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Kathy Bruce
March 25th, 2009
5:41 pm
Absolutely! If they can be treated like adults in criminal matters, why shouldn’t they be able to correct a mistake with a product that they could buy in less than a year’s time?
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Nona
March 25th, 2009
5:45 pm
Kudos to this judge! It’s a great decision! Teens who purchase this product are making a much more responsible decision than having a baby before they’re financially and emotionally responsible enough to raise it. Ideally, they wouldn’t be having sex, but attempts to regulate sexual behavior has never been effective. Teens need access to this drug as well as to abortion without parental consent. This is a great decision.
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Carolyn J.
March 25th, 2009
5:52 pm
May be good – May be bad, 17 year olds are very irresponsible and might try to use it as a form of birth control since they are obviously to laze to pop a birth control and/or use contraceptives. I don’t think it is designed to be used as birth control – might be harmful long term.
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Carolyn J.
March 25th, 2009
5:53 pm
Before anyone says anything YES, I misspelled laze – I stand corrected. Should be “lazy”.
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EJ
March 25th, 2009
5:57 pm
Bad decision. Why not just take parents further out of the equation. Parents need to be more involved and not less involved. These same teens could use the pill, all they had to do was ask their parents to get it for them. Keeping parents involved is a key to raising kids who will be productive, responsible adults.
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Delta
March 25th, 2009
5:57 pm
Of course not. How would a 17 year old be wise enough to make a decision like that?
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Carolyn J.
March 25th, 2009
5:59 pm
Regarding Nona’s message I don’t think Teens should ever be allowed to have abortions without parental consent. I know some older young people who use abortion as a form of birth control and have had numerous abortions because they wouldn’t use birth control. Think of the damage that could possibly be done to your body later in life not to mention what if some medical emergency occurs during the abortion and the parents are not even aware of what is going on. That’s too big of a decision for a Teen to handle.
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Vic
March 25th, 2009
6:01 pm
Absolutely they should allow the morning after pill to be bought. By no stretch of the imagination does that “promote” sex. They are going to have sex regardless of what options are available. In the heat of the moment I highly doubt they think “Wait, I don’t have to worry, I can get the morning after pill!”
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Mike
March 25th, 2009
6:01 pm
This is one issue in which I cannot understand the Republican viewpoint on. As a Republican/conservative I want to prevent abortions and this pill does just that. A 17, even 16 year old child will abort a baby if it is allowed to develop. The pill stops that issue from taking place. We have to agree, at some point where or when to call a cell a baby, I don’t believe we can do that within 24 hours of actually having sex !
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TC
March 25th, 2009
6:02 pm
I do not think that it’s a good idea, because what if the child is allergic to something in the pill? It will be the “PARENTS” responsibility to take care of that childs medical bills if someting happens. I feel that if the government is passing this law, then when something happens they need to take care of the child if something goes wrong.
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sedimenjerry
March 25th, 2009
6:07 pm
Sure, go ahead. Lets just hope that some people don’t abuse this.
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Lucas
March 25th, 2009
6:10 pm
A 17-year old who was unfortunate – or misinformed – enough to require emergency contraception should be given access to it as immediately as possible. Particularly considering that they wouldn’t necessarily have time to get their parents involved.
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donna outlaw
March 25th, 2009
6:14 pm
YES!
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donna outlaw
March 25th, 2009
6:18 pm
I want to add another comment – a 17 year old is an adult in the eyes of the law as far as being arrested is concerned and as far as taking the parents further out of the equation? Most teens that have sex do not tell their parents and too many teens, while considered adults in some areas, are not responsible enough to remember to take the pill everyday and other birth control options, like Morena which my 20 year old daughter uses, are very expensive.
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Janis
March 25th, 2009
6:25 pm
Yes!
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Heather
March 25th, 2009
6:28 pm
how can a girl be too young and immature to know well enough about themselves and their futures to decide whether or not to take the morning after pill, and at the same time be mature enough to be a parent 9 months later?
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Brooke
March 25th, 2009
6:34 pm
As a young adult I have a very important newsflash:
A) Not necessary most, but a LARGE percentage of YOUR children will have had sex by the time they are 18
B) Even smart kids (like me who graduated with a 3.8 from college) have sex before they are 18; to this day the parents still think they are angels
C)If you are smart enough to know that it is not an intelligent decision to have a child while you are still growing up, more power to you. Parents aren’t consulted before the act of sex, they shouldn’t be forced into a situation afterwords. Has anybody considered the fact that sometimes the parents are CRAZY and bringing them in the situation would just make things a thousand times worse?
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MEB
March 25th, 2009
6:34 pm
Yes…this is a far better option than abortion and there are too many unwanted pregnancies already.
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bob
March 25th, 2009
6:46 pm
Good idea as long as the product can not advertise towards minors. I would prefer to see this product have the same advertising restrictions as cigarettes.
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null
March 25th, 2009
6:56 pm
Anybody who still thinks abstinence programs work need to retire to the beachfront property in Nebraska. If it helps curtail the number of illegitimate parents, I say go for it. Hell, I’d rather my tax money go towards the morning-after pill and abortions than Viagra, which is asinine that Medicare pays for.
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herbK
March 25th, 2009
7:01 pm
Oh, absolutely! Mustn’t have the little trollops birthing crotch fruit. We have enough trike motors as it is.
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Kiddo
March 25th, 2009
7:12 pm
I think parents should be more involved with their kids lives. Kids may not be responsible enough to take the pill every night or even have the money to pay for it but it only takes common sense to use a condom. I don’t think the morning after pill should be used as birth control like abortions have become. Ok, so we let 17 year olds get it, what next 11 year olds. As a parent would you want your 11 year old to get pregnant and you never know about it? Plus this pill I am sure is not meant to be used all the time and there may be severe side effcts if abused but kids are not going to think about things like that. If a teen has sex with no protection once and the consequences don’t exist then they are going to continue to do it and that puts the risk of AIDS and other STD higher. 17 is OK, but I don’t think they should let it go any further then that. I was having sex at 17 and was mature enough to use a condom.
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K.
March 25th, 2009
7:25 pm
I support this decision. If a 17 year old can make a decision to have sex, and then decide that she does not want to become pregnant, I think she is doing the most responsible thing she can do at that time – Not complete the pregnancy. Of course, she should have taken measures to prevent the pregnancy in the first place but that’s another subject. If a 17 year old doesn’t want a baby, why make her have it????
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Nono
March 25th, 2009
7:47 pm
Imagine…. you’ve had sex “in the heat of the moment” and weren’t on the pill…. or, your partner wore a condom that broke/failed… or you were raped… or you forgot to take your birth control pill that morning (or maybe you took it, but haven’t taken it regularly enough to be effective). Sound familiar to anyone?
These scenarios aren’t limited to teens, they happen to plenty of adults too–so why should the morning after pill to only be available to adults but exclude teens? You can’t legislate responsible behavior into law, but what you CAN do is give both teens and adults a responsible OPTION if they do make a mistake so that they can correct it. Plus if teens are as irresponsible as the media make them out to be, then shouldn’t they have MORE options than adults available to deal with their mistakes because they ARE immature, and consequently shouldn’t adults be the ones to haver fewer options (because if the argument is that adults are more responsible, then we should be able to have a much easier time avoiding these situations, right???)
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J
March 25th, 2009
8:22 pm
Yes absolutely! I would rather 17 year olds be able to end the pregnancy rather than become dependent on the medicaid/WIC system for the first five years of the unwanted child’s life.
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EJ
March 25th, 2009
8:27 pm
When I was in college I knew several girls that used an abortion as a form of birth control. One girl has three done in the two years I knew here. Would the morning after pill been better than an abortion? Yes. But she didn’t even bother with birth control because she knew she could go to the clinic and get it taken care of. Why should we make it easier for teens to be irresponsible? We should make them own up to their mistakes and learn from them– not make it easier for them to cover up mistakes.
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B
March 25th, 2009
8:42 pm
How many that agree with it are against the death penalty?
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Lulu
March 25th, 2009
8:45 pm
Allowed? How ’bout requiring it?
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Deepdiver
March 25th, 2009
8:52 pm
EJ, your response is not very well thought out or intelligent. Why not just ban abortions? That seems to be what you are saying. Only problem is women and girls will turn to back alley abortions and coat hangers. Great, not only will the fetus (not yet a baby) die, but the mother might as well. Great job. You just want to control all women.
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RN
March 25th, 2009
9:02 pm
So a recurring theme here is ‘what if it is misused, abused, or the user not smart enough use it right or to make a good decision on when to use something like this’. How about we get on the boat and finally decide that COMPREHENSIVE sex education is missing here in GA. How about a curriculum that includes abstinence, sex, birth control, relationships, pregnancy, STD’s and prevention (including condoms and other barriers), values and on and on… available to all teens in GA school, but maybe as an elective so that those who are just dead against it can opt out. I would love to see what happens to teen pregnancy rates 5 years after something like that was offered and delivered the right way. A labor and delivery RN can only dream…
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RN
March 25th, 2009
9:02 pm
Enter your comments here
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EJ
March 25th, 2009
9:18 pm
Deepdiver, I am not saying to ban abortions. I am saying that if someone who is old enough to be in college can’t be responsible enough to use proper birth control, how can we assume that teens will be responsible enough to only use the morning after pill only as a last resort?
Teens will see this as a free pass. They may not use another other form of birth control and rely on this instead.
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M
March 25th, 2009
9:20 pm
It hasn’t been said much (yet), but I just want to point out that the morning-after pill is NOT equivalent to abortion. Thank you.
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Jo
March 25th, 2009
9:26 pm
Well, here is yet again another clear indicator of the failing morals in this country. Perhaps these “Young” adults should be taught some morals and or ethics and more useful; some self control. Maybe they should be taught to take responsibility for their choices. Teach them it’s “Not all about them” and that some things are not ok.
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Phil
March 25th, 2009
10:07 pm
EJ That may be the most idiotic statement ever. Taking responsibility for ones own reproductive descisions is taking responsibility
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OPRAH C
March 25th, 2009
10:18 pm
If we could do away with abstinence only education across this state…then this might be less of an issue. Teaching kids that condoms are not being effective could be the reason they aren’t using them and are instead seeking the morning after pill. Why can’t we teach our children about their bodies at an early age? Why can’t we provide the necessary health services to keep them from certain poverty or….even to lift them out of poverty? This isn’t rocket science. I educated my children early on about their bodies and reproductive health. Unfortunately, many parents are not equipped to do the same. This is the issue. Whether a parent is in jail, believes sex ed goes against Jesus’teachings or sticks his head in the sand…the outcome is the same—kids are not getting the necessary tools to make good decisions, prevent pregnany and disease. Knowledge is power. There is a total lack of regard for health promotion and prevention in this state…THIS KIND OF THINKING MUST CHANGE IN ORDER FOR GEORGIA TO MOVE FORWARD AND ON TO OTHER ISSUES NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE OF THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES.
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M
March 25th, 2009
10:41 pm
EJ, responsible teens using proper birth control can have the same problems that responsible adults have. Condoms break. They can slip off. You can forget the pill. Let teens have the chance to correct a situation if a mistake is made, whether it’s their fault or not.
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Michael
March 25th, 2009
11:50 pm
Those saying that the morning after pill is not abortion need to examine the science a bit. It contains a lot of the same drugs that the birth control pill contains and, depending on your definition of abortion, both may actually cause abortions via interruption of the implantation process.
Those saying that buying the morning after pill is the responsible thing to do hear this. Unfortunately, society, largely influenced by secular-progressive liberals, has taught kids that they are not responsible for their actions. They can always blame somebody else for what happens to them. But you’re really telling me that they had no idea of the possible consequences of their actions? No amount of sex ed is ever going to stop kids from doing dumb things. The responsible thing to do would be to carry it to term. Take responsibility for your actions. If you have no means at all of taking care of the child, then put it up for adoption (everybody liked Juno, right?).
To those that would reflexively retort: Well then what are you views on the death penalty, huh? Even though there are obvious differences between a convicted killer and an unborn infant that render this argument useless, I would answer that I am not really for the death penalty. Believe me, I could really care less when it’s used. I just believe that there are punishments worse than death for monsters like Brian Nichols. If it was up to me, it would be solitary confinement to life. But what do you care, I’m just a crazy conservative.
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HSR0601
March 26th, 2009
12:14 am
The elderly are required to engage in some ’sporting activities’ to stay active and for ’soft landing’, and to consume more comfortable to digest diets such as fruits and veggies, which are instrumental for their metabolism and blood stream, from my perspective.
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deborahinAthens
March 26th, 2009
6:52 am
Michael, you need to examine the science. If a woman takes the pill the morning after, the egg hasn’t had a chance to implant, so, since it is an undifferentiated cell, it is not, cannot possibly, be a human by even the most ignorant religious conservative. Most people in the world don’t think you are a human until you’re born. So, don’t use your narrow-minded philosophy to dictate what any woman should or should not do with her body. No one has that right. And I have to say, your comments sort of smack of “let’s punish the slut for sinning by having her carry a baby nine months and then have to make the wrenching decision to keep the child or not”. When you are ready to adopt an illegitimate child, you can have an opinion, until then, keep your philosophy to yourself, and stop messing with the scientific facts. The morning after pill cannot possibly cause an abortion, because if the egg has implanted, it won’t work. ‘Nuff said. Now if you are one of the religious nut jobs that don’t believe in contraception, that is a whole other discussion. And again, it is not one that you are allowed to have an opinion on until you are able to get pregnant yourself.
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Children, please!
March 26th, 2009
7:58 am
Who is going to be responsible if the CHILD (yes, child) has an adverse or allergic reaction to this pill? The parents should know what the child has taken in order to tell EMS/doctors what was going on. It could save precious minutes/hours in saving the child’s life instead of them trying to figure out what the child took with tests, etc., which we all know can take HOURS in a hospital.
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Grammaw
March 26th, 2009
8:00 am
Instead of giving them a “easy out” (I guess killing a baby is an easy out) which will PROMOTE sex in teens, give them birth control and educate them…PARENTS.
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Mara
March 26th, 2009
8:07 am
the age of consent in Georgia is 16. If, by law, you are of legal age to have consensual sex…shouldn’t you ALSO be old enough to get emergency contraception?
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Deepdiver
March 26th, 2009
8:40 am
Children, please!,
Kids can already be treated with other drugs without the parent being around if a kid is found unconcious and they don’t know who the parents are. Your arguement is moronic. Plus there are plenty of irresponsible parents out there, not to mention kids are having sex no matter what their parents want to believe. Why make a second mistake by having a baby that probably can not be taken care of. That sounds like a stupid lesson that society will be paying instead of the kid who initially made the mistake of having sex without a condom or birth control.
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Timma
March 26th, 2009
10:26 am
I’d lay it on all the girls I sleep with night stand on the way out. I’m a love machine. skeet…skeet…skeet
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Timma
March 26th, 2009
10:30 am
If a girl tells me she’s pregnant I punch her in the stomach until she’s not.
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ObamaMama
March 26th, 2009
10:30 am
Yes of course they should, we treat them like adults for criminal matters, why not this?? I would make sure they require the minor to read the materials on HOW to use the pill and sign that they read it and understand HOW TO USE IT before giving it to them. Those names of who received the pill should not be released to anyone but a the pharmaceutical company, business establishment selling, and government officials. NOT PARENTS!
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Nan
March 26th, 2009
10:32 am
Yes. As other commentators have noted, if they’re considered adults when it comes to crime, they’re adults when it comes to sex.
Unfortunately, the ones smart enough to get the pills probably aren’t the ones out there doing the nasty and ending up possibly pregnant.
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Straight to the point
March 26th, 2009
10:32 am
Emphatically yes. When underage sex stops, i’ll stop agreeing……as long as there is underage sex, then better to let them not get unnecessarily pregnant.
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Jasmine
March 26th, 2009
10:34 am
Plan B should be available for 17 year old teens. How many people do you know who was comfortable about talking about sex with their parent at that age. At seventeren years of age, you would have wanted this pill. Mistakes happen. Condoms are 99.90%. However, there is a 17% chance that they make break! How about that statistic? Condoms are only effective when they do not break.
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Bob
March 26th, 2009
10:38 am
These pills cost like $40 a piece. I don’t think they’re going to be ‘overused’ they’re prohibitively expensive. The government should be giving these away for free to keep unwanted kids and abortions at bay.
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Tony
March 26th, 2009
10:38 am
Nan is right. Has anyone here noticed that stupid people seem to breed more than anyone else? I believe you should have a license to breed. Gotta have a license to drive, hunt, & fish. People need to be “fixed” at puberty & only when they have passed a certain age & a test that determins your mental capability of raising another human then you get your license. Most idiots I know have more kids than anybody & they can’t take care of themselves, much less the kids. They can’t seem to figure out what makes babies.
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Dan
March 26th, 2009
10:40 am
Absurd, you can’t have your teeth cleaned without parental consent, the ignorance of people who emphatically state that parents should not be informed is astounding (Obama mama) are you kidding me.
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Lauren
March 26th, 2009
10:45 am
YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The world does not need anymore unwanted babies!
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beverly
March 26th, 2009
10:48 am
absolutely!! I agree with the point about if they can be tried as adults while minors, why not let them buy the morning after pill. Plus, I’d much rather my daughter take the morning after pill behind my back then come home and announce that she is pregnant at 15 or 16. Finally, I don’t think it’s any more abortion than taking the pill regularly is. It’s a preventative.
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SusieQ
March 26th, 2009
10:55 am
Most definitely; you will hear good and bad about the morning after pill; there are responsible and irresponsible teens and adults, but that does not stop either from having sex. I was against giving my daughter birth control pills at 16, but as the female doctor said, “you can talk until you are blue in the face and that does not stop harmones from flowing and people from having sex, safe or not.” She told me about a 16 year old who had already had 3 abortions because her mom’s religion was getting in the way of the mom doing the right thing by giving her daughter birth control and counseling her about sex. As the doctor said, If something feels good, are you going to quit doing it?” Heck no, this applies to anything in life such as eating, sleeping and most of all sex. So people, wake up, get your head out of the sand, be real, think real. And yes, I realize some teen may die from the morning after pill, but sometimes teens die while having a botched abortion or an unwanted, un-prepared for baby too. That is life….
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MJG
March 26th, 2009
10:59 am
“Parents should be more involved with their children’s lives.”
“They might use it as their only birth control.”
“What if they’re allergic to it?”
“If we taught kids morals they wouldn’t have sex in the first place.”
In the end analysis, absolutely NONE of these “shoulds” and “what ifs” are sufficient to deny a teen access to this pill. We have irresponsible kids- we also have irresponsible adults–and what, pray tell, is the intellectual difference between a 17 year old and a 19 or 20 year old? It’s often not as much as we’re trying to make it.
For that matter, I think any female who faces an unwanted pregnancy at any age should be able to access this option. Yes, even 11, and I don’t think that parental consent is always the best way to go either. I would be satisfied if someone under the age of 16 had to seek out the assistance of any trusted adult- teacher, pastor, counselor, family friend. Why? Because, unfortunately, things like rape and incest exist, and unfortunately, some kids can’t just go to their parents. We can’t expect that an 11-year old would feel comfortable telling her mother, for instance, that Daddy got her pregnant. If you think it’s an outlandish example, think again- it happens far more often than we want to believe.
Moreover, this rhetoric about teen girls needing to accept the “consequences” of their mistakes? Are you really implying that it is better to force young women to birth and care for children that they are not financially/emotionally/otherwise unprepared to have than to head this tragedy off at the pass? It seems to me it would not even be so much a punishment to the mother than to the poor children whose physical and emotional well-being could be compromised because of our insistence on teaching the mother a “lesson.”
And, for what it’s worth, isn’t it interesting that no one has ever suggested that we try to develop a drug that might temporarily block teen boys from making sperm? I love how we villainize teen girls and their sexual “bad behavior” while letting the guys off the hook completely.
My two cents- take it or leave it.
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Barry
March 26th, 2009
10:59 am
Everyone under the age of 21 should be fitted with a chastity belt.
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Stan
March 26th, 2009
10:59 am
I love the argument that kids are going to have sex anyways so we should allow them to make the “responsible” decision of something like the morning after pill. Well Kids are going to lie too…so we should not even bother to tell them not to…Oh yeah they are going to drink, cheat, bully, and be disrespectful of others…so there is no need to tell them not to do those things, instead we need to educate them on their rights, on how many times they can get into trouble before “really getting into trouble’, on someone coming behind them to clean up there mess. Not saying I have all the answers but that argument holds no water either.
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Escapee
March 26th, 2009
11:00 am
There is no big difference between 17 and 18. None. And for all of the folks asking why these ‘girls’ aren’t smart enough to use condoms I have a news flash for you: this pill is for when your birth control FAILS. So you were smart enough to use birth control but something went wrong. But if young women are coerced into sex or their parents are too conservative to discuss sex with them then this is a great thing. A lot of young women CANNOT go to their parents when they start being sexually active. Unfortunately we do not live in a Utopian society where people will react the way we want them to. And for whoever said that there could be reactions to the medication that the parents will responsible for must think something magical happens when your 18th birthday rolls around. You will be just as allergic at 18 as you are at 17. And most 18 year olds I know would still be cared for by parents.
Oh, and BTW…abortions are NOT being used as a prominent form of birth control, especially by teens. The majority of abortions are for women in their mid 20-early 30s.
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Escapee
March 26th, 2009
11:02 am
And to MJG….Well said.
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Ronald Millsaps
March 26th, 2009
11:36 am
Heather–your comments symbolize all the nonsense of those who defend abortion, and yes, contrary to a lie from another poster, the morning-after pill is equivalent to abortion: Who SAYS a 17-year-old is ready to be a mother to begin with? That issue isn’t the point, anyway, at this juncture, which is something you and your pro-choice friends overlook, probably conveniently, as the mother in question already HAS a child.
What that mother does NOT have, contrary to judicial tyranny, is the right to terminate a pregnancy. This effort is just the latest attempt by pro-choice advocates and the Left in general to hide from consequences. They don’t want sexual abstinence taught in schools; they want contraceptives distributed, and they say that promoting a moral approach is somehow a violation of “Separation of Church and State”, which is untrue (not surprisingly, they totally misinterpret that phrase, probably conveniently again).
No woman has the right to an abortion or the morning-after pill, regardless of age, and we need people to stand up and speak out against all the lies we’re infested with in our culture. Take Planned Parenthood, for example: It infests young girls with so many lies that I don’t know where to start, such as the myth that abortion isn’t murder, the myth that there is no post-abortion guilt, etc.. One lie leads to another, and these people are nothing but a collective circle of dishonesty.
We don’t need the Left preaching its nonsense, promoting all the irresponsibility in the world, even to the point of blatantly attacking responsibility, and then acting as though those who oppose its tyrannical views are unconstitutional. What utter nonsense. Fact: If you’re going to get pregnant, you need to be responsible and see the pregnancy through, and if you’re not ready to support the child in question, give him up for adoption. I’m tired of all this nonsense where people get pregnant and act like they somehow have the right to terminate a pregnancy. (This “logic” is absolutely no different than saying, “Oh, I didn’t want to go to work last month. Therefore, I have the right to steal to pay my bills.”)
By the way, I posted a very-similar response last night, which ajc.com didn’t post. Not the first time this website has done so in regard to one of my posts. Gotta love the “objective” liberal media, huh? Perhaps I should make a phone call, and not to ajc.com, either.
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Escapee
March 26th, 2009
1:33 pm
Well Ronald, once you get pregnant and carry a baby to term you can tell people what the responsible thing to do is.
Until then, please understand that not all sex is consensual, especially when teens and young girls are concerned. And NO, the morning after pill is not abortion. It is IREESPONSIBLE to force a young woman to go through with a pregnancy based on some morality that not EVERYONE follows. Everyone has a different situation and pregnant women require a lot of care. And as soon as a baby comes into the picture who needs constant care because the mother was in no position to be a mother in the first place I know who will start complaining first about having to support that baby.
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Ronald Millsaps
March 26th, 2009
7:52 pm
“escapee”–What utter nonsense you just typed. Don’t misuse freedom of speech to type your babble, and don’t give me any misogynistic babble about abortion allegedly being a female issue (oh, the morning-after pill IS the same as abortion, whether in-denial folks like yourself will attest to this fact of not).
Keep your excuses to yourself. You pro-choice advocates have as many excuses as you do lunatical arguments, which is saying something. You try to justify abortion because the female in question isn’t the right age or doesn’t have enough income, etc.. The nonsense and lies go on and on and on, and the level of responsibility is in inverse correlation. All excuses aside, you promote not only murder but all the irresponsibility in the world, in an effort to promote more of the same for others.
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Escapee
March 27th, 2009
1:51 pm
Although I disagree with you completely I understand that everyone has his or her own opinion. And you should live by your convictions. That being said, your particular dogma should not be what governs the lives and bodies of everyone else.
If you disagree with something then by all means don’t do it. Abortion is bad? Don’t get one. Sex outside of wedlock is wrong? Don’t do it.
Let other folks worry about themselves.
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Kyle
March 29th, 2009
10:49 pm
I’m with QueDog on the overdiagnosis. A lack of proper parental discipline is a major factor in the behavior of many ADHD “diagnosed” kids! Also, in my opinion, a direct by-product of the “give them anything they want and they’ll grow up to be happy people” parental generation(s). (ie; No Discipline!)
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Ronald Millsaps
March 30th, 2009
1:50 am
“escapee”–Just now checking this blog again.
As for my “dogma”, every individual is dogmatic, my friend, so don’t pull that left-wing trick that I referred to earlier where you try to stigmatize falsely the Christian principles this nation was founded upon.
You can tell your pro-choice friends not to try to maintain their dogma into law.
You support, whether you realize your doing so or not, the myth that the individual decides what’s true. To say, for example, to abortion opponents, “…don’t have one.” is like saying the exact, same thing to opponents of drive-by shootings, whether you’d like to admit this fact or not.
As for the morning-after pill, no one should have access to it, and to no surprise, all it does is promote more and more of the irresponsibility I’ve referred to earlier, and “safe sex” isn’t the answer, either.
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Cal
April 1st, 2009
12:10 pm
“Given the magnitude of the impending threat, successful drugs are likely to become multibillion-dollar blockbusters for big pharma. I encourage, support, and participate in these efforts”, THIS STATEMENT IS A BIG CONCERN TO ME along with possible side effects of the drugs. We are well aware that pharmaceuticals are very profitiable – sometimes at the cost of health and wellness. If I’m “still kicking rear ends at bridge clubs”, I wouldn’t want to take anything that might hinder that “kickingness” even if it means a better quality of life later on. AND, if I’m 88 with few physical ailments, taking a drug that might decrease my physical condition would not be welcomed. I agree that the 3-minute MCI test is not enough. I experienced this first hand with my mother. I was even sent out of the room. It should be common knowledge that some cognitive impaired indiv. can answer some of those simple questions well enough to pass that test. I could have given them a more accurate picture of what was actually going on. AND this happened at a geriatric clinic. But, I’m sure we all agree, a lot needs to be done.
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Mike Edwards
April 2nd, 2009
10:24 am
Alpen, you doubtless keep up to date with allergy medication and air purification; have you seen a new development called a liquid Ioniser? It clears the air, even in remote corners of the room by spraying partially charged liquidions. It doesn’t need to move the air with a noisey fan and is as effective as many fan based air purifiers. One real benefit from the technology is that once it has knocked the allergen from the air it locks it out for good so it doesn’t re-enter the airspace even if you disturb the furnishings in your room. This also means that there is no need to carry our a major refit of your home to rid it of carpets and curtains.
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mrstarmoney@yahoo.com
April 2nd, 2009
12:07 pm
Tyler:
Interesting article! You might try a shower at night if your allergies get bad!
Love
Dad
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Steve
April 2nd, 2009
2:13 pm
I have terrible seasonal allergies, but this year I beat them. I started taking Zyrtek and Flonaise (spray) all through the winter. I also tried allergy shots for over three years and I believe that this helped me tremendously.
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Skeptic
April 2nd, 2009
10:57 pm
Leave it to the ENTs to claim that sublingual immunotherapy is as effective as traditional injection immunotherapy. If it were indeed equally good, safer, and more convenient, wouldn’t the FDA have approved a sublingual product for use in the US? Wouldn’t every allergist offer it in his/her office? The fact is, most sublingual studies have been conducted in Europe, where there are different populations with different genes exposed to different pollens, and study designs have used widely varying doses and in some cases no or poorly chosen controls. Not surprisingly there have been mixed and irreproducible results. There is a lack of data from rigorously designed clinical trials in US populations and until then it is irresponsible to claim that this therapy is equally efficacious.
But this is what you get when you see a surgeon for a medical problem. Dr. Patel’s profile on emoryhealthcare.org includes on his list of clinical interests epilepsy, facial paralysis, neck pain, parathyroid surgery, tongue malignancies, and trauma among many others. Consulting a physician like this for allergies is like taking your broken lawnmower to an auto mechanic.
Bottom line – if you are one of the many millions who suffer from allergic disease, you are far better off seeing a board certified allergist who spent 3 years in subspecialty training to actually understand how the immune system works.
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Megan
April 3rd, 2009
5:11 am
YES. I am 13 years old and cannot stand my period. its just more plumbing to be maintained. It is stupid that there is aquestion about it ! Some girls love it, i think.. and some girls like me hate it.
Or they could be of course buying it for sexual reasons. I think anyone that has their period should be allowed to take it.
That should become a loaw of some type!
No kidding ! ask any girll and i bet you they will not say they enjoy having their period!
ITS NOT FAIR!
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Anne
April 3rd, 2009
8:44 am
I suffer from what is called Night Time Easting Syndrom. It is where you get up in the middle of the night to eat, sometimes three or four times during the night. Does anyone have this problem??? It is causing a weight problem PLEASE HELP
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The explanation
April 4th, 2009
1:39 pm
The goal of socialized medicine is to reduce costs and deliver only the medical care that is needed. So they play a numbers game – if a treatment of disgnostic tool results in positive benefits a lot of the time then it will be considered – otherwise forget it. The facilities for expensive treatments are not available at as many hospitals as they are in the US because of this.
I used to live in Canada and I’ve had some experience of this – rather than go down the hall to get an x-ray (as would happen at my GP’s in Atlanta) I’ve had to go across town to a centralized facility.
SO my child had a concussion last fall here in Atlanta, was knocked out for a short while and very confused for several hours; he got a CT scan – which showed no internal bleeding. Because of the possbility of negative results of the CT scan, the Canadian medical plans would likely not have done this. And because of the complaints about “two-tier access to medicine” that came up in the past, I would not have been able to get to ANY facility in Canada and pay CASH to get the test. I would have had to wait until the damage was done before I could escalate treatment. In the majority of cases the injury would not cause death – it’s a numbers game.
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Sarah
April 6th, 2009
12:40 am
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
http://blanket.ws
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Sweet Samba
April 6th, 2009
1:56 am
Brazilian waxing is popular Atlanta, Georgia thanks to spa’s like Sweet Samba. http://www.sweetsamba.com
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Kristi
April 6th, 2009
9:22 am
So many experts, so little time. I don’t believe that it is overdiagnosed, I believe there is more of an awareness now. As a teacher and the parent of a child with ADD, if they truly are ADD-the meds work, if they aren’t-they don’t. You wouldn’t deny your child medication for any other condition, why do them this disservice? It’s not that the parents won’t and the teachers can’t, it’s that the child wants to (work, focus, finish a task) but can’t find a way. And John, I believe the saying is:
Those who can-teach, those who can’t- go into some insignificant line of work.
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Tina
April 6th, 2009
2:15 pm
I understand why you want to ban it, but I do not think you should. I am 11 and once bought a pack of the counter, they never asked for my age. I think that we should be able to buy it because you can actually get pregnant without sex. I dont know how but it happened tomy best friend and twin sister , Bella, and she tells me everything. I know that she never had sex, but she still got pregnant. We did not tell the press cos it would shame the family if we did,, but she did get pregnant without havihg sex, so it is possible people! Luckly I managed to buy the pills for her without any trouble or it would have becam a big thing.
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Name (required)
April 8th, 2009
8:24 am
How about we quit filling up the jails with petty crimes like marijuana possession and lock these jackholes up for a few years. Then when they get cranky they can pick a fight with a 300lb cellmate who hasn’t had any action in quite some time. That’ll make him think twice about being a big man who is so manly he only beats up women and children.
Why is it you need a license to drive, fish, hunt, own a gun, cut hair, be an accountant, get married, etc….but any idiot off the street can knock up some slut and pop out a kid 7-9 months later? There needs to be a process where people have to be approved to bring a child into the world. Crazy.
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catlady
April 8th, 2009
8:49 am
As a teacher I see a lot of neglect. When reported, I doubt it gets sent up to DFACS–someone deems it “not significant”. If it does go to DFACS, nothing seems to happen. I have been told “we cannot interfere with the way people raise their children”, like THAT is supposed to solve the child’s misery. Teachers are held accountable; I’d like to see others in the chain also held accountable TO THE TEACHERS who have reported.
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Jade
April 8th, 2009
9:20 am
Please please please consider volunteering with your local CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) groups. As the number of abuse cases go up, that means the number of volunteers needed to support these kids need to go up too. It doesn’t take much of your time and does a world of good for these kids that need a stable caring adult in their life. http://www.nationalcasa.org/
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Concerned
April 8th, 2009
9:33 am
It is unfortunate that many in the community are unaware of the procedures used by the Department of Family and Children Services. DFCS in and of itself can be a very intrusive process when a family becomes involved. There are no doubt times when one may think there should be involvement, however without that concrete proof there can be no more involvement. Many things that others may feel is neglect or maltreatment often times are due to the families economic level which may not be that of those around them. Unfortunately many people in the community may look down on others who are less fortunate and feel they are neglecting/abusing their children because those children have less than others. There is no doubt there are exceptions however, many times they may not have the perfect living situation but their basic needs are met (food, clothing, shelter). I wish that all could understand that DFCS is to help those in the community to ensure that the family can stay together whenever possible and not take away children. DFCS should never be involved with a family unless there is true risk or true abuse and neglect, not just because someone “thinks” that something is not right. Unfortunately it is impossible for any one agency to keep every child safe when there is so much negativity and education about what it is that DFCS does with the community. It would be very helpful that all who work with children get education about what child abuse and neglect looks like and how to identify without letting our own personal filters come into play.
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SAR
April 8th, 2009
9:53 am
Excuses, excuses. People who abuse kids don’t need an excuse, just an opportunity. What’s next, to blame Bush? Too bad we aren’t more pro-active in our laws and not allow some people to procreate. We all know that some people just aren’t fit to be a parent, period….no way, no how but my goodness can you imagine the ACLU and others who’d be on the pavement screaming about people’s rights. DFACS? You’d subject a child to that confederacy of dunces? That, in itself is child abuse.
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Sarah G
April 8th, 2009
10:06 am
I actually reported that a student was living in filth (there was dog feces in the house when I made a home visit). He would also be so hungry on Monday mornings that I kept crackers in my desk to feed him. I reported it to DFACS and they said it wasn’t enough neglect for them to investigate.
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Sarah G
April 8th, 2009
10:07 am
Also, I was sexually abused as a child by my father and some of his friends. This was in the ’60’s. We were not rich but we never hurt for money. What was his excuse?
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Bad economic times means more child abuse
April 8th, 2009
10:36 am
[...] mind you that the teacher and the child doctor also reported it – to date nothing has been done. DOCTOR IS IN: Bad economic times means more child abuse | Better Health __________________ Mahogany [...]
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Jason
April 8th, 2009
11:13 am
God help these poor children. As a proud parent of a young son, I hope any parent that neglects or abuses a child is severly repremanded. I’m going to check out the above mentioned websites/organizations and see how I can get involved.
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Doshanay
April 8th, 2009
12:29 pm
we need to help thes kids they need help..as sooon as possible
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Yvette Garrett
April 9th, 2009
12:51 pm
In response to all those people that think ADHD is crap. I have one question “What are your credentials and academic background?” I too once thought ADD/ ADHD was just an excuss for bad behavior. When decicding to become a parent I gave up a career in Radiation Therapy and became a full time mother. My son scores in the 98 percentile on achievement tests, and makes straight A’s at one of the most academically challenging schools in the country. Yet, the child can not sit still or follow more than one direction at a time. After musch reaserch it has been scientifically proven that a CT of a brain of an ADHD child is significantly different in the cerebral cortex area (area of attention and focus) than that of a child without ADHD. Explain that one Mr. Me.
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The Nerd
April 9th, 2009
8:42 pm
God help the young!
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Princess Runny
April 10th, 2009
8:50 pm
The literature supporting allergy drops is very impressive. There are more than 400 citations in Pub Med including 100 double blind studies and four meta-analysis. That sublingual immunotherapy works and is safe and cost effective is undeniable. There are important benefits such as a four-fold decrease in asthma as reported by Novembre et al. There is no medication that can do this. Sublingual immunotherapy has equivalent efficacy to injection therapy yet is safer, has better compliance and costs less.
The limitation on the use of sublingual immunotherapy is a lack of expertise. Tucker et al reported that less than 6% of Allergists have any experience with this form of immunotherapy. There are more ENTs prescribing allergy drops than Allergists and this gap in expertise will continue to grow. The Allergist’s approach of prescribing medications as first line treatment rather than prescribing a safe form of immunotherapy means that patients will go where they can get help.
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aaron
April 13th, 2009
4:47 pm
wooow
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Dr. Cottingham
April 14th, 2009
3:06 am
RE: Mercury and vaccines
February 15th, 2009
11:56 am
“mercury is not in vaccines anymore…. autism rates continue to go up.”
Actually, independent random checks on “Thimerosol-free” vaccines are turning up trace amounts in some samples. The manufacturers use it in the production process and the remove it.
But the bigger issue is that vaccines are one of many sources of mercury that newborns and young children are exposed to. And there are countless other ways an expectant mother can come in contact with it.
And then there is the synergistic effect ( AKA potentiation) between lead and mercury. It is a key piece of the autism puzzle that is being missed.
For the full story, you can read LEAD BABIES, a new book that ties mercury to autism, without being blown off course by the vaccination debate. http://www.nomoreleadbabies.com.
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LaVann
April 15th, 2009
1:53 pm
This is an important issue, and the good news is that awareness is increasing, and there are more resources than ever to address the problems of abuse. For anyone who wants to learn more or to get involved, consider being training in the Darkness to Light child sexual abuse prevention training, led in Georgia by the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. For $15 and 3 hours adults can learn how to prevent their children from becoming an easy target for pedophiles. People can also get involved by helping support organizations like the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy that respond to sexual and physical abuse by providing free services to child victims and education programs for adults. For more information, visit: http://www.GeorgiaCenterforChildAdvocacy.org.
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Marilyn Peavy
April 19th, 2009
8:22 am
I wanted to let everyone know as one of the Leaders at Spark Georgia-The Offical Team. Spark Georgia-The Official Team at SparkPeople is having their first Spark Rally across the entire state of Georgia. We have a little over 86,000 members at Spark Georgia. This will give some members the opportunity to meet the leaders and to gather together, maybe even get a spark buddy to team up with in their local area. We are coordinating these rallies in Lithia Springs at Sweet Water Park, Buford Dam, Augusta, St. Simon Island, and Valdosta. They are all being held on April 25th at 10:30 am. Please come to SparkPeople.come on the Spark Georgia Team for more details. We are also hoping that we can get coverage from AJC with this event.
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Ray From Connecticut
April 19th, 2009
8:27 am
I was a SLIT patient in Conn. for about a year, and it did help me. However, the cost $1200/year was too damn expensive. I know it can work because I was better able to cope with the symptoms.
I think the big hurdle to it in the USA is the FDA. Had it been approved by the FDA, my insurance would have picked it up, but why should the FDA approve it especially when they are controlled by the pharmaceutical companies who make tremendous profits from their pills. To me, that is corruption!
If anyone knows of a reasonable cost supplier of SLIT (for Tree Pollen), please let me know!
radpublishing@yahoo.com
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Laura
April 22nd, 2009
2:19 pm
Urmm Tina I’m sorry but that’s impossible, I think your friend has been lying to you or has got the wrong idea. It is a scientifically known fact that sexual intercourse is need to become pregnant. And Ronald it is rude to force your opinions up on other people, they have just as much right to their opinion as you do to yours. This is a DISCUSSION there is no right or wrong answer. However I think that young people aged 17 are just as much of an adult and just as mature and responsible as people aged one or two years older. The same problems happen to teenagers as they do to everyone else, why blame them and not the rest of the population who have experience unplanned pregnancies?
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MRS. M
April 22nd, 2009
7:00 pm
TC GREAT OBSERVATION!!!! THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT IF THE GOVERNMENT ALLOWS OUR CHILDREN TO PUT HANDS IN A PILL LIKE THE MORNING AFTER PILL, THEN, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BILLS TO PAID. THEY RULE AND WE “PARENTS” PAID! ALL PEOPLE DO IS SHOUT AT PARENTS FOR MORE RESPONSIBILITY OVER THEIR OWN CHILDREN, HOW CAN WE DO THAT? IF THEY ARE ALLOW TO EVERYTHING WITHOUT OUR CONSENT! THESE KIDS ARE CLAIMING CHILD SUPORT AND PROTECT FROM THE GOVERNMENT DCS, BUT THEY ARE ALLOW TO PURCHASE SUCH PILL, HAVE SEX AND ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN GET HANDS ON! ARE THEY CHILDREN OR ADULTS?! I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS THE MOST INNOCENT SYSTEM THAT IS OUT THERE TO BE! CHILDRENS ARE PROTECTED WHEN A PARENT PUT A HAND ON THEM AND CAN CLAIM CHILD SUPPORT, TO ME IF A CHILD IS HAVING SEX, YOU ARE NOT A CHILD ANYMORE!!! YOU ARE OLD ENOUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT CONDONS, SEX AND PLAN B PILLS, YOU ARE AN ADULT AND SHOULD BE STOP CLAIMING CHILD SUPPORT AND BE PROTECTED BY DCS BY BEING TREATED FULLY AS AN ADULT! PERIOD!
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Intown Suburbanite
April 24th, 2009
12:10 pm
Enter your comments here
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Sheri
April 25th, 2009
9:50 am
I have read multiple posts regarding this issue: Pros and Cons. Both valid points; however the one point that is assumed in the Pro side is that parental involvement is a given. Coming from an extremely disfunctional family w/absolutely NO parental involvement I had no “parent” to turn to. So, what was the solution? Where was/is the paretnal involvement when the sex act is being committed? Look at the “Palins”. Strong parental involvement after the fact. Kudos for them. My girlfriend, who got pregnant at 17 had “strong” parental involvement. Because she came from a VERY supportive family, she was able to keep her baby and live at home w/Kristy being brought up not only by my girlfriend, but by all family members. I wish the solution was black and white…but it isn’t.
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Rupali
April 27th, 2009
11:41 am
As a physician, I am very worried about the increasing loss of health insurance that my patients are enduring. They are avoiding necessary medications, treatments, and procedures. They are being admitted to the hospital instead of controlling chronic conditions as outpatients, leaving the hospitals and taxpayers to foot the (much higher) bills. Patients often must change their primary care provider when their insurance stops or changes, leading to redundant testing and increased costs. The government must be involved in shaping the health care coverage industry in the U.S., because if not, we leave ourselves to the mercy of profit-driven corporations. Many physicians in the U.S. support a public health insurance option and universal health coverage.
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John
April 27th, 2009
12:17 pm
I’m sick since Saturday… Maybe I have it. Georgia State student.
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Amoz
April 27th, 2009
12:20 pm
Going to Asia May 30th. Should I be concerned?
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Karmann
April 27th, 2009
12:33 pm
My best friend of 21 years left for Cancun Saturday morning. I am worried about her. I hate to say this and I know how it sounds but I won’t be going around her for a couple of weeks when she get’s back. If I was her, I would come home. But I know her and I’m sure she’s sitting on the Beach drinking her Corona and not worrying about it! For the comment from John; Maybe you need to go get tested & treated. I wouldn’t take any chances.
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Karmann
April 27th, 2009
12:35 pm
Amoz,
May 30th is a month away. I wouldn’t worry. We will know alot more by then.
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Brainstorm
April 27th, 2009
12:53 pm
I am not worried, but most people tend to panic when things like this come along. Remember Y2K and the Alar threat, just to name two?
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Laura
April 27th, 2009
2:02 pm
My family and I get our flu shots every year and we see the doctor if we are sick. Swine flu responds very well to anti-viral meds but you have to get them within the first 48 hours. If there is an outbreak we should quarantine. I am not worried about this but I am glad we got our shots. My doc says the shot will provide some protection. Also, this looks like a pretty weak strain that is hitting the US. Be cautious, take care of yourself, but don’t panic.
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just me
April 27th, 2009
2:48 pm
Don’t forget to wash your hands!
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Marsha
April 27th, 2009
3:25 pm
My poor mother gets panicked everytime this type of thing is reported. She is concerned we may have to cancel our trip to New York the end of May because she is convinced this one will go pandemic! She’s 81, so I cut her some slack. Everyone just needs to remain level-headed, take your vitamins, wash your hands and keep away from those displaying any flu-like symptoms. I will admit, videos I saw earlier of Mexico cities looked pretty dismal with no one on the streets.
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Nan
April 27th, 2009
3:41 pm
Less than 100 known cases in this country, most of them mild, out of a population of over 300 million people? I’m not worried at all.
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Pierce Randall
April 27th, 2009
3:48 pm
I bet as soon as someone in the U.S. dies from this, or at least if the death toll here is in the low 10’s, we’ll have mandatory vaccinations. Huh. All there is to do is hope for the best–for those in this country and elsewhere.
Amoz, Asian might worry about you as this is starting in the U.S. and Mexico, not the other way around–actually, maybe that’s what you’re asking. I dunno, hopefully this will fizzle out and turn out to be less of a big deal than the world fears, but just keep an eye out.
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Mama Cass
April 27th, 2009
4:11 pm
“I bet as soon as someone in the U.S. dies from this, or at least if the death toll here is in the low 10’s, we’ll have mandatory vaccinations. Huh.”
Um, vaccinated with what, exactly? THERE IS NO VACCINE. They’ve never seen this particular virus before. Any vaccine developed for this new virus will take six months to manufacture.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17031-us-taking-action-to-minimise-swine-flu-impact.html
“Besser said officials were already taking preliminary steps toward manufacturing a vaccine against the influenza strain responsible for swine flu. There is currently no vaccine that protects against it.
“We’ve created that seed stock, we’ve identified that virus, and discussions are underway so that should we decide to work on manufacturing a vaccine, we can work towards that goal very quickly,” Besser said.
This could mean incorporating a swine flu vaccine into the annual seasonal flu vaccine already in production, he said.”
The seasonal flu vaccine comes out in October, that is the EARLIEST that a vaccine will be available for this thing.
To the person who says that they will be avoiding their friend when she returns from Mexico: you are very smart. Stay away for about two weeks, which is how long it takes for symptoms to develop. Call her on the phone to say welcome back!
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Crystal
April 27th, 2009
4:45 pm
Why are we still letting flights land here from Mexico? If we know this is coming from Mexico, we should leave it there. Close the borders now.
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Karmann
April 27th, 2009
5:13 pm
Mama Cass,
Well, I’m glad someone didn’t think it was snobby of me to say I would stay away from my friend who is currently in Cancun. I don’t know how my friend will take it but she’ll get over it. I will be calling her, just not seeing her. I just can’t chance it. One question…..Does anyone know if she will have a hard time getting back to the US?
Thanks!
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Paolo
April 27th, 2009
6:37 pm
About .000006% of the U.S. population has contracted this “raging epidemic”…obviously that calls for mass hysteria all over the country, right?
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Larry
April 27th, 2009
7:13 pm
I think this was done intentional somehow…
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art
April 27th, 2009
9:16 pm
It’s Obama’s fault. He’s an idiot. Why hold a press conference to say “Don’t be alarmed?” The fact that he held a press conference about it is enough to create mass hysteria.
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CD
April 27th, 2009
9:34 pm
I hate shots, and I definitely do not trust new and experimental shots – which will be definitely offered door to door in the next year. I respect people who run out and get vaxed, but I wish they’d in turn respect those who’d rather wear face masks, self quarantine, and emergency home school who don’t believe in miracle cures. There’s no religious exemption to vaccination during a health emergency – only a doctor’s affidavit. What doctor’s going to sign an affidavit? They’re more worried about their medical license and believe EVERYTHING they read in a book without thinking of who wrote the book and why. Why does a doctor get to say what I can do with my body instead of me taking my own personal responsibility and reading my own medical materials and considering the risks and benefits of the 2 week old vaccine myself (why would a doctor know any more than me if the vaccine’s new and experimental? A doctor’s just more indoctrinated). I wish there was a religious exemption or a self quarantine exemption to the health emergency vaccination law. Last time I checked, my body’s not owned by the crown.
O.C.G.A. 31-12-3
(a) The department and all county boards of health are empowered to require, by appropriate rules and regulations, persons located within their respective jurisdictions to submit to vaccination against contagious or infectious disease where the particular disease may occur, whether or not the disease may be an active threat. The department may, in addition, require such other measures to prevent the conveyance of infectious matter from infected persons to other persons as may be necessary and appropriate. The department shall promulgate appropriate rules and regulations for the implementation of the provisions for the Code section in the case of a declaration of a public health emergency and shall include provisions permitting consideration of the opinion of a person’s personal physician as to whether the vaccination is medically appropriate or advisable for such person.
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SD
April 27th, 2009
10:48 pm
Art: You are trying to blame this on Obama? LOL Given all the media coverage and developing hysteria, getting on television and addressing these concerns was the responsible thing for him to do.
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GG
April 28th, 2009
1:25 pm
My 3 year old daughter is home with my husband sick today. Although her her fever is not that high, I am very concerned. I will see how it plays out and take her to the dr for screening if it gets any worse. The daycare that I take her to, has a bunch of Mexicans working there, I am hoping they did not contract anything from their relatives and bring it to the daycare center.
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LMS
April 28th, 2009
2:04 pm
GG: Unless they have been to Mexico in the last two months (which most of them don’t go back and forth on a regular basis as it costs too much especially in this day, age and economy), then you have nothing to worry about with your daughter. It’s probably just a cold or allergies.
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LMS
April 28th, 2009
2:05 pm
Amen SD! I couldn’t agree with you more.
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My Amazing Weight Loss Story
April 28th, 2009
10:27 pm
Great post! Just wanted to let you know you have a new subscriber- me!
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CL
April 29th, 2009
8:09 am
I was on a cruise last week and was in Cozumel on Thursday but I cannot find anywhere about any cases from Cozumel? Has anyone else?
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Troupcounty
April 29th, 2009
5:54 pm
Normally, 36,000 people die from the flu each year in the US. Just an interesting tidbit. In 1918, St. Louis shut down schools, theatres, outdoor festivals, etc, Philadelphia did not. Very impressive data suggests shutting down schools, etc works wonder. Hopefully, it won’t get to that point.
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Blaze
April 29th, 2009
8:25 pm
The vaccine in deadly! Go to infowars.com for the truth!
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Eric
April 30th, 2009
9:22 am
We get sick and die while O’Bumble fiddles. This unbelievably weak response by the Obamanation will make Katrina look like a week at the beach.. Change.. from bad.. to worse..
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Georgia Native
April 30th, 2009
10:04 am
Eric, don’t be an idiot. You cannot compare the two. Over 1,800 people died in Hurricane Katrina (not including the 705 that are still listed as “missing”) and 1 person (that was not even an American citizen, but was visiting here from Mexico where they contracted the disease) has died here. Plus Bush & Brown completely botched the whole response. Most people (with the exception of people like you who obviously voted for McCain and who is such a sore loser) believe that President Obama and his administration are doing at the very least a very good job of handling this. But then again you’re probably the type of person that would still find something negative to say about Obama even if killed Osama Bin Laden himself. Get over your petty vindictiveness.
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itsme
April 30th, 2009
10:38 am
Wash your hands. Keep your hands away from your face. Shield coughs and sneezes in your elbow. Avoid sick people. This should get you through the Swine Panic, as well as any other contagious disease. Just good practice.
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LMS
April 30th, 2009
10:44 am
A question for Eric: what exactly do you propose that President Obama, his administration, the CDC, the WHO, etc do that you don’t think they haven’t done already? I am curious to know what you think they have failed to do because from what I can tell they have done everything in their power already and are continuing to do it.
I was just over at CNN’s website and they did a survey (a report card actually) of his first 100 days and the people they surveyed gave him a grade of B+ on his handling of the swine flu outbreak.
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The Voice
April 30th, 2009
10:56 am
JEEEEEZZZZZ…just how many of you folks work at the CDC, are MDs, are RNs or work in infection control. I bet few if any. But here you are on a blog spouting your uneducated opinion. CD…yes the gov can force you to be vaccinated..IF THERE WERE A VACCINE…WHICH THERE ISN’T. So you folks just go ahead…scare the hell out of each other but try to remember…IT IS JUST THE FLU, JUST LIKE WE HAVE EVERY YEAR, JUST A DIFFERNET STRAIN AND IS PROBABLY WEAKER THAN THE ONES WE HAVE DELT WITH IN THE PAST…..
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lukhg
April 30th, 2009
10:57 am
we should be more woried about the swine running the government than the flu
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bob
April 30th, 2009
10:59 am
when will someone tell the truth and acknowledge that this is the fault of george bush
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Allyana
April 30th, 2009
11:02 am
As usual, the press is creating a panic. At any given point in time, X number of people have the flu. I don’t see as much press about women and children being raped and murdered around the world, and more suffer from that than are now suffering from the flu.
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sara
April 30th, 2009
11:14 am
just wondering.. how did george bush get invloved in this??
genius
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Wanda
April 30th, 2009
11:35 am
I don’t think we can blame Bush or Obama for this one. Please don’t make swine flu political.
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Alma
April 30th, 2009
12:29 pm
My grandson is in middle school and was thrown out of school today for wearing a surgical mask that his mother insisted he wear to protect himself after reading the CDC’s announcement that deaths are expected in Georgia from the swine flu. Not only did the school require that she take him home for wearing the mask (calling it a “distraction”), the personnel in the school office laughed at him and ridiculed him for wearing it, embarrassing him in front of teachers and classmates. This morning the CDC confirmed a case of swine flu in Georgia–the very day my grandson is thrown out of school for wearing a mask.
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Shannon
April 30th, 2009
3:56 pm
Very true, Wanda, very true! Neither our past President or our current President is to blame for this. And it should be said as a reminder that this started in Mexico, anyways and not in the U.S.
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SG
May 1st, 2009
8:18 pm
Hey Bob, shut the hell up. This isn’t a political issue at all, and your boy Obama, with the help of the Congress, now has every single American owing the government 37k….even the unborn, so get off your soapbox already. The fact is this. Only the weak will die from it, and with proper treatment, it can be knocked out with the proper meds. But like most recent events, it’s blown out of proportion by the media. 36,000 people die from influenza yearly….just imagine is the US had socialized medicine when this broke out….we’d be screwed.
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SG
May 1st, 2009
8:23 pm
is=if…sorry for the typo. Why on Earth are you people sending your kids and grandkids to school with masks on? Kids and adults catch the flu more often by not washing their hands. You don’t have to be OCD about it, but try and use some common sense.
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Goliath
May 2nd, 2009
2:19 am
To everyone that is freaking out: Listen, I’m not going to sit here and bash on all the people that are getting concerned about the new strain of the flu. Its human nature to be cautious when something happens we don’t quite understand. Yes, the flu sucks, and this new strain just means that your body is more prone to catch it. The majority of the time you get sick, you feel like !@#%, and you take the medicine in between.After a couple of days of your anti-bodies kicking the crap out of the virus, you get better. Sometimes, (generally in elderly folk, and newborns) it gets a little worse, and if the proper care isn’t taken, death could be a serious possibility. But you have to understand something, things like that happen all the time. Its a sad fact in the pages of history. But people are not dying off left and right from this, they are simply getting sick. In a couple of days, (God forbid someone dies, because like I said, it is a possibility) when the majority of the so called “outbreak” patients are returned to their homes, feeling better and ready to return to their every day lives, I hope everyone that freaked out just sits back and laughs, and thinks to themselves “Well, that wasn’t so bad. I should be more level-headed next time.”
But hey, if I’m wrong…
RUNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!
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Bikini Hair Dye
May 5th, 2009
12:30 pm
Go ahead and get all the waxing you want. Worse comes to worse you have waxing parties with friends. Me on the other hand…I just enjoy dying my bikini area. Don’t have to worry about the government banning that.
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RJ
May 7th, 2009
12:31 pm
Funny, I looked at an outfit that I bought 7 years ago and swore I would lose the weight to fit into it. It’s still sitting there with price tag on it!
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d chambers
May 7th, 2009
2:12 pm
no matter what the size is,it’s always refreshing especially for women to buy something new. realistically if you have children they don’t get any younger and neither do we. if people are still hanging on to yesterday then tomorrow is lost.
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James
May 7th, 2009
2:23 pm
Well, I agree with this artical. I can’t tell you how many women I see at work, or just out in public and there back (love handles) are not only struggling to get out of there super tight jeans but their shirts are too short as well and its like the skin is just sticking out. I’m like why would you want to wear such restrictive clothing? Secondly, do you not see that when you look in the mirror? It’s really something to see.
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Savvy
May 7th, 2009
4:49 pm
James, I feel your pain. Maybe these ‘fluffy’ women should invest in a full length mirror instead of skinny jeans.
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Wells
May 7th, 2009
6:15 pm
When will people understand that you look better (and slimmer) in clothes that fit properly.
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AtlantaFan
May 7th, 2009
6:48 pm
Funny, I have the opposite problem. I am losing the weight and have a closet full of clothes that don’t fit. I wish I had a few things from 10 years ago when I was my current weight, since it’s expensive to buy all new things.
I agree with many of the tenets of the article:
1. Losing weight doesn’t make you happy. You have to be happy with yourself whatever weight you are.
2. Get rid of the old clothes. If you do lose weight, they’ll probably be out-of-style anyway.
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Idefer
May 7th, 2009
7:39 pm
I like to keep a pair of skinny jeans around for the same reason that most people do. When you don’t fit in them anymore, it is time to hit the treadmill. Sometimes your loved ones (and you) have a hard time saying that you are getting a bit chunky. The ’skinny’ jeans, although harsh, speak without saying a word. They keep you in check. Isn’t there some advice out there about not weighing oneself everyday, but to instead judge your weight gain or loss by the clothes you wear? It is better to make sure that those ’skinny’ jeans are never truly labeled ’skinny’. Instead, label them ‘healthy’ jeans. Find a pair that fit you when you are in tip top shape and aim to wear them. The closer you are to them, the better.
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Dara Chadwick
May 8th, 2009
9:56 am
I love the idea behind this: Embracing and making the most of who you are and the body you have today. What’s most important is taking good care of your health.
Dara Chadwick
Author
You’d Be So Pretty If…: Teaching Our Daughters to Love Their Bodies — Even When We Don’t Love Our Own
http://www.youdbesoprettyif.com
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Sam
May 8th, 2009
5:07 pm
I think some of these comments have derailed from the intent of the article. This article is not about “people should wear clothes that fit,” it’s about how we set up unrealistic standards for our present and our future based on our past. Ms Howard makes the strong point that health is not directly proportionate to numbers on a scale, or the size tag on a piece of clothing.
Fred: comment boards are not the appropriete place to express your negativeity and dissatisfaction about your life.
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James Kurtz
May 9th, 2009
9:56 pm
The articles suggest that extensive therapy can help a child with Autism. Well these therapies are expensive and can drive the average family to the brink of bankrupcy as in my family’s case. These therapies were helping my son, but the money ran out. There was a bill before the Georgia Senate and House to force insurance companies to assist parents paying for these therapies. Our legislators table the bill for further study. South Carolina and Florida already have such bills, I guess they did not feel they could rely on their finding or are they protecting insurance company profits in this state.
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Maurice Larner
May 11th, 2009
6:35 am
The problem isn’t the Doctors! The problem is the Doctor is just an Specialist in his field. Most of the Doctors here Atlanta are great at what they do. It lack of the patient understanding of all the side effects that may occur during the operation. As a husband of wife who just had an operation on her knee. The Doctor who perform the operation was great and he did an excellent job and my wife can stand up and walk with the assit of an walker. But what happen to the patient after the operation at the hospital and at Rehabitation Center creates very confused public on the information provided by the Doctor.
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Tracee aka TiTi @ 47
May 12th, 2009
10:42 am
I breastfeed all three of my children. My first was breastfed until she was 23 months!! Needless to say breastfeeding is not good birth control because I was 5 months pregnant with the second before I even realized I was expecting. Which brings me to my comment about weight lose and breastfeeding. Other than the few pounds I lost after having my first child I never got back to my pre-prenancy weight of 115 lbs. I hovered around 135-140 and then I was pregnant again. Had my second child, nursed her and really watched what i ate and again, no real weight loss and the same with my son? So I’m not too convinced that breastfeeding really helps that much with weight loss UNLESS you really watch your diet because for some of us you just can’t go back to eating like you used to before you started having kids
In any event BREAST FEEDING IS THE BEST!!!!
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Tracee aka TiTi @ 47
May 12th, 2009
10:43 am
Oops! Typo. . . I should read “I breastfed (not feed) LOL!!!
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Cindy
May 12th, 2009
10:55 am
I shared an 8 month breastfeeding relationship with my first. Then six years later, I breastfed my daughter for over 2 years. Breastfeeding is good for Mom and baby both. It creates a bond that I cannot describe in words. It is that beautiful to me.
The biggest help with breastfeeding is to create a network of support. And do your research. If you are modest, there are aids to help you preserve your modesty. If you aren’t modest, well….as my husband always said – “If they stare, they have the problem!” If there are health issues or breast reduction, there are still ways that you can work around that problem. And if there are problems for the baby…well there are always pumps. My sister in law exclusively pumped for her special needs baby for over a year. So, my encouragement is to find a way to make it work…don’t just give up.
Join La Leche or another breastfeeding or mom’s support group that endorses breastfeeding. Surrounding yourself with positive makes all the difference in your ability to continue longterm. Society loves to tell us what rules we are supposed to “obey”. But society has often and continues to display a lot of ignorance regarding breastfeeding.
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Alice
May 12th, 2009
12:37 pm
I experienced a surprise pregnancy at age 42! So breastfeeding was my only option, as I was not even considering the cost of formula. I breastfed my daughter for 26 months. It was VERY difficult to ween her off. I thought I had done so when she was 19 months…but then she becam sick and I started producing milk again. (Someone referred to this as “mercy” milk…a new one on me). Anyway, she wouldn’t take anything but breast milk. She got well and sort of just weened herself off…Nature is really unexplainable…but my daughter has so few colds…She is now five! I am a true proponent of breastfeeding. (and I agree that weight loss is not something I EVER experienced LOL)
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Amy
May 12th, 2009
12:46 pm
Breastfeeding is extremely hard to do if you are working. I could not get as much milk out pumping as I needed to and eventually my milk just dried up. Not to mention, it was a battle at my company just to find a space to pump!
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Scarlett
May 12th, 2009
1:29 pm
Breastfeeding my children has been the best experience. I nursed my first son, now 12 years old, for 19 months. I am currently breastfeeding my 18 month old son. I found that breastfeeding was both economical and convenient.
Although I stay at home now, I worked for the phone company when nursing the first child. It was somewhat difficult securing a room to pump, but the benefits to my son far outweighed the struggle.
I just did not feel comfortable giving my children formula. I am proud to say that both of my children are very healthy. The most serious illness has been a cold.
Admittedly, I have and continue to struggle with my post-pregnancy weight. I guess my body did not get the memo about weight loss and breastfeeding.
I try my best to encourage new mothers to nurse their children. For so long breastfeeding has been seen as time consuming and somewhat obscene. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is what your breasts are intended to do.
Cindy, in the previous post, offered great advice. What is needed most is a good support system. Joining a group of other breastfeeding mom’s is a wonderful idea. She is right, anyone who complains about your decision to breastfeed has the problem.
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Mary
May 12th, 2009
1:46 pm
I have been breastfeeding for 10 years straight (4 children, NOT one for 10 years!), and I have to say that there is NOTHING better for both mom and baby. I wouldn’t trade that sweet, special time for anything in the world, and as my youngest (18 months) comes close to weaning I know I will be sad to be finally finished. It is most definitely a relationship, and nothing else will be similar to it later. My daughter, for example, who at 18 months loves her bottles of milk, will literally throw the bottle aside with flair in favor of brestfeeding when available. She knows my milk, but in addition, she knows the warmth and smell of my body and takes extreme comfort from closeness with me. Also, breastmilk is a living, organic substance. What I mean is that it actually responds to baby’s needs and changes throughout a feeding and as baby grows. We all know about supply and demand with BF– the more your baby drinks, the more milk you make. But also, the longer the baby drinks, the fattier and more protein-filled the milk is. In the early days, when baby cries you find milk leaking all over your shirt. I have filled with milk when she cried when I wasn’t even home– it was after filling with milk that I called home and found she was crying.
I will say that I never lost much weight breastfeeding, no matter how I’ve tried… and pumping is hard work, so it does take a lot of commitment for working moms. But the convenience and lack of cost cannot be emphasized enough– why pay for inferior food when God gives you the superior stuff for free? If you can BF, you should, for the health and happiness of both mother and baby. It is also designed to get your body ready for motherhood and recovered from birth (recovery of the uterus as well as hormonal regulation of moods). I would say it didn’t do much for birth control, since I was fertile again at 4 months, but the truth is maybe I would have been fertile at 2 without it… I’ll never know… I fully encourage mothers who are able to BF their babies, because I can’t imagine passing up on this special gift– for both of you.
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CartersMom
May 12th, 2009
1:57 pm
I breastfed my son for 11.5 months. I’m extremely proud of myself for hanging in that long. Although I luckily had a very cozy closet to pump in at work, it was definitely not fun having to lug all of that stuff back and forth daily. My son was (and still is) a voracious eater, so I will admit that it was tiring at times. But I loved the contact and bonding and will definitely do it again with #2.
However, we have not experienced all of the health benefits. He is in daycare and is very healthy, but he has continuously had colds and ear infections starting around 6 months of age. He even had tonsillitis around 10 months of age, which is almost unheard of. We just had tubes put in his ears last month. We just haven’t seen all of the “he’s never sick” benefits that supposedly occur. A friend of mine did not breastfeed her first who is now 2.5. He has never been sick. Her second baby is now 7 months and has been exclusively breastfed. Just like my son, she has already suffered numerous colds and ear infections. It is definitely an interesting observation.
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Elaina
May 12th, 2009
3:06 pm
Women who do not breast feed are stupid. Seriously. Think about it. The whole purpose of breasts is to produce milk for a baby. Why would you substitute some corporate chemical crap for what you are made to do?
This is akin to women who “insist” in C-Sections, because it is convenient. Idiots.
Sorry to sound beligerent, but I just can’t stand the ignorance of some.
And yes, I breast fed my children for more than one year each.
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Daddy Mark = yep, a guy
May 12th, 2009
3:18 pm
As a father of two beautiful little girls I want to lend my support to all mom’s who breastfeed. Not only does it do all the wonderful things you ladies state but it is impossible for a dad to help out in this role which means no getting up in the middle of the night, no formula budget and the relaxing joy of just sitting back and watching TV as the kid’s get fed. I promote breastfeeding to any prospective fathers and remind them of these facts.
My only regret is that there is no way to bottle the stuff and sell in on Ebay. My girls have had ZERO colds and by all accounts are the healthiest kids we know. Granted my 2 3/4 year old still indulges and that is beginning to wear on Mommy, but if it keeps us away from the ER then I say “suckle on.” God had the right idea when he gave women the ability to do this, if men had been given the responsibility the human race would have gone the route of the dinosaurs a loooong time ago.
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mystery poster
May 12th, 2009
7:49 pm
I breastfed my children (now 22 and 19) for nearly two years each, even though I worked full time.
I pumped until my oldest was about 11 months. I finally realized that even though our society pushes breastfeeding, we are still taught that the bottle is important, and many moms wean to a bottle. That didn’t make sense to me.
My daughter was eating food and drinking out of a cup during the day, so I realized there was no reason to give her bottles of expressed milk. My milk adjusted to produce less during the day, she continued to nurse when I was with her, and ate and drank normal food when I wasn’t.
I stayed home with my son until he was 6 months old. He was eating and drinking regular food during the day, and I continued to nurse him in the morning and evening. It worked out perfectly for us, he never had bottles. BTW, his teeth are perfect. No one believes me that he never had braces.
I really enjoyed that time right after work when my babies wanted to nurse. It forced me to put me feet up and reconnect with them and put everything else aside.
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Michelle
May 12th, 2009
7:57 pm
I have breastfed five children (still feeding the 19 month-old), and I realize that I have been breastfeeding babies for about 12 years total! (Oh my!)
I just wanted to say that breastfeeding is a very personal decision. I know there are some women who just can’t breastfeed, and I am not going to judge them or make them feel bad. You are the mom. Make the decisions, do what you need to do, and your child will be OK. For goodness sakes, a lot of us were fed with bottles and we survived. There are a lot of things to feel guilt about in this world. Don’t beat yourself up over this.
However . . .
If you want to breastfeed, you can, and it can be wonderful. I highly recommend going to a few months of Le Leche league meetings before you give birth the first time so that you can have their support from the start (by the way the meetings are about more than breastfeeding–they are also about how to cope with motherhood, common problems babies have like diaper rash and crying, how to deal with the stress of the in-laws telling you how to do everything, etc. It’s just nice to get to know people going through the same things you are going through–you don’t have to feel alone!!)
Good luck with whatever you do, be happy, and remember that the best piece of advice is to ignore everyone’s advice!
All the best!
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Justmy2cents
May 12th, 2009
7:59 pm
Elaina- I guess I’m just stupid (in your opinion). 2 children- 1 emergency c -section, the other induced to prevent possible seizure/death for both of us…and my poor “little” 40DDD’s…never produced milk-EVER. Perhaps tatas can be only for pleasure vs. functionality. Try not to be so narrow-minded. And no- they aren’t implants.
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neek
May 12th, 2009
10:16 pm
I am a strong proponent of breastfeeding. I exclusively breast fed(EBF) both of my children; my son(who is 5 now) for 8 months, and my daughter (14 mths.) for 7 months–not a drop of formula during that time. It was important for me to build up their immune systems as well as build that special bonding time between my children and myself. The other added perk was that I lost about 25 pds. after each pregnancy. After reading the article, I guess I’ve also gotten some additonal perks that will hopefully benefit me later in life! For you breastfeeding moms–”Keep it pumpin!”
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lfunnyfarm
May 13th, 2009
8:52 am
I breastfed my 2 sons for about 2 1/2 years each. I felt and still feel that breastfeeding is so very important. If I was able to do this with the problems I had, anyone can!
Studies have shown that breastfed babies are an average of 10 points more intelligent on IQ tests. For the most part, they are healthier. And the bond between baby and mother is just shy of magical!
My firstborn suckled incorrectly (put his tongue over the nipple) and rubbed holes in my nipples. We were both newbies and there was no La Leche League in my town so I didn’t catch it until the damage was done. So I pumped for a while so I could heal.
My second son didn’t have any problems. Everything was simple and easy.
My letdown reflex was so strong that I soaked everything pretty much all the way through nursing both times. I slept on a felted rubber-backed sheet because of leakage.
Even with the issues I have mentioned, issues that probably would cause many women to stop nursing, I continued. I’m not looking for a pat on the back, I simply think it is that important.
The posters are correct – Breastfeeding IS the most economical and the convenient (always the correct amount and temperature, no risk of food poisoning). It is the perfect food for infant humans. Even with all of the nutritional research, formula companies cannot make their product match exactly. You have a built in pacifier
First timers and women considering nursing, consider all of the advantages. Don’t be swayed by the popular “wisdom” that fathers and grandparents “need” to participate in the feeding of your baby. They don’t. They can bond at other times, through other activities. You, like every other nursing mom, can make it through nighttime feedings without daddy giving a bottle. And don’t be taken in by the “I just didn’t have enough milk” idea. This simply is not the case unless you are suffering from malnutrition or some catastrophic illness. The more the baby suckles, the more milk you produce. When a baby goes through a growth spurt, she/he will nurse hourly. This is not a signal that your milk supply is inadequate (in that you are doing harm to your child), the “problem” is being solved by the increased frequency of nursing. If you feel that you don’t have enough milk, do some research on ways to increase your supply. They can include greater fluid intake, more rest for mom, and increased frequency and duration of breastfeeding sessions.
Nature designed women for this job and privilege. Count your blessings!
Good luck.
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lfunnyfarm
May 13th, 2009
8:54 am
I forgot to mention that breastfed baby poop is much less foul than that of formula fed babies
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Amy in the ATL
May 13th, 2009
11:03 am
Without a doubt, breastfeeding is great for both mom and baby. However, it IS challenging for working moms. I breastfed my first daughter for 6 months, going back to work when she was 15 weeks. Although my company has a mother’s room and a special refrigerator for breastmilk, it was still a challenge to get to the room between meetings, various crisis, occassional travel, etc…so I didn’t make it a year. With my second daughter, I attempted to do the same, but my breastmilk ended up drying up at 4 months causing me to supplement with formula, and she started favoring the formula, causing the remaining milk to dry up, too. So I didn’t make it quite as long the second time around.
All that said, I think moms should be encouraged to breastfeed if they can (and not all can, Elaina—my cousin tried but ended up with a severe thrush problem which endangerd her health and her baby’s) and as long as they can. For many women, 12 months is tough to do if they return to work. So changing the message a bit to be less judgemental and more encouraging (breastfeeding is great-and cheap-so try it!)would probably get even more moms to give breastfeeding a try, which is good for everyone. Saying that if you don’t breastfeed for a year you’re doing a disservice to your baby isn’t particularly helpful, especially for those women with legitimate issues.
Also, Elaina, give the C section thing a break. I had two…and not by choice. And my babies were quite fine.
Basically, moms need to give each other a break. It’s tough being a mom, regardless of your circumstances. Rather than nitpick on who breastfed, who didn’t, who stays home, who doesn’t, we should all support each other and provide words of encouragement, not criticism.
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Lulline
May 13th, 2009
11:10 am
Losing my extra baby weight was the next best thing for me besides nursing both my children. As long as I kept the protein and calories intake up I did not have a problem nursing and I especially loved the closeness I had with the babies while doing so. The fact that my boobies got bigger was an extra bonus although I missed sleeping on my stomach at times. I’m not sure of all of the benefits but at my age, I don’t have joint or back problems and my bones are in pretty good shape. The women on my mother’s side had the worst diet in the world; i’m talking high fat, high cholesterol,I should take a Lipitor with that meal diet, and they lived to be in their 90’s. The jury is still out on a lot of things but overall, both my kids were preemies and they are surprisingly healthy. They do manage to dodge whatever the other kids have so that for me is th best benefit to breastfeeding. My son weaned at 20months after my daughter was born but she refused to to give it up and I nursed her until she was 2 1/2 until I reallized she was on the verge of milking me dry. I couldn’t keep up with her and my full time work schedule so I had to force her to wean. That was the worst part of breastfeeding.
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GB
May 13th, 2009
4:44 pm
I breastfed both my sons for a year (now 24 and 21)and the results have been great health for the both of them. They rarely even catch a cold. That was a blessing while they were growing up. I too have rarely had a cold and only wish breastfeeding would have prevented these hot flashes I am now dealing with.
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Caroline
May 14th, 2009
6:07 am
I eat healthy chocolate before I work out. I go harder, longer and stronger when I do this. It is all natural and since the sugars are not processed but are slow release natural sugars, you maintain your energy level. I eat it right before I work out. I also eat it before meals and have lost weight!! If you want to know how to get this, because you won’t find it on the shelves at the store, call 1-888-225-3008, ext 1316.
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CHRIS
May 14th, 2009
4:01 pm
DRINK A BEER BEFORE YOU START
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Valerie Billings
May 15th, 2009
7:56 am
Drink plenty of water.
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Sandy Billings
May 15th, 2009
9:17 am
I eat yogurt,1 banana and top it off with accelerade sport drink.
Post recovery I take Endurox R4 immediately after the workout. It has 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein. I started working out in June 08. My weight at that time was 218, today I am 178.
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jason
May 15th, 2009
9:54 am
mayfield lowfat chocolate milk has very close to a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein and it tastes a lot better than endurox
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Drago
May 16th, 2009
7:10 am
What about a fifth?
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jltmilaftw
May 16th, 2009
5:33 pm
I drive thru the Chik-Fil-A and grab a chicken burito before I go to the gym. yum yum.
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Mini Mite
May 17th, 2009
2:17 pm
I hop on the treadmill with a Big Mac. You won’t find them on store shelves but if you’re interested in getting hold of one call 1-800-IWatch2MuchRealityTV.
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Will Jones is an idiot
May 17th, 2009
5:52 pm
I usually hit one of the all you can eat buffets. Then I feel like I really am getting my
monies worth as well as a good workout.
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Kelster
May 17th, 2009
7:38 pm
You guys are hilarious.. But, I make sure I drink plenty of water through out the day and eat a banana about an hour before I workout.
Check out my new website at http://www.sharinglifexperiences.com Would love to hear from you.
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Mike T.
May 17th, 2009
7:55 pm
Today is May 16, Don’t eat another thing before June 1 and you will lose all the weight you want
and you won’t have to worry about working out.
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Holly
May 17th, 2009
9:41 pm
Like a Neil Diamond song, none of this writers thoughts or intentions were well sung, merely he mouthed canned statements. And by the way, the word, “hopefully”, should never start a sentence-
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angrymeatball
May 18th, 2009
2:52 pm
I go to Golden Corral and have me a Gwinnetian Big Gal’s meal before I work out. Includes two fried chicken breasts, taters, three yeast rolls, mac-n-cheese, veggies, and then I hit the dessert bar for one of those soft-serve sundaes and a slice of pie! All of this followed by a 2-hour nap. Makes me forget all about my workout.
Signed,
Type 2
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Marcella
May 18th, 2009
5:49 pm
Chris…LOL
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AeroNautica0909
May 18th, 2009
10:47 pm
Chris and Angrymeatball… LOL
Great information posted here.
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What are the benefits of breastfeeding to mom? | The Super Mom
May 19th, 2009
7:09 am
[...] bras and I loved that I never had to worry about feeding my baby, I always had food on tap By Ruth Simmons, RNC, and Melissa Kottke, MD Most experts agree that breast milk is the optimal source of nutrition for your baby’s health. [...]
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Couvade
May 19th, 2009
12:44 pm
Sick of the sanctimony. Do what works for you. My 3 sisters and I were only breastfed for a month and have become healthy adults. I will breastfeed my daughter until my milk dries up. Either way, it’s not the end of the world.
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christy
May 19th, 2009
4:23 pm
alheizmer’s runs in my family as my father passed away last fall as a result of this family gene. thank you for your work in the early detection of this disease. http://www.christyhulsey.wordpress.com
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kwill
May 19th, 2009
4:25 pm
Have any of you tried p90x?
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RGB
May 19th, 2009
4:54 pm
Agreed, Holly.
But take time to stop and smell the roses.
[I couldn't help it. Sorry.]
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Gina Ciagne, CLC
May 20th, 2009
2:37 pm
I breastfed and breastmilk fed (with pumping after returning to work after each) both of my children and while challenging at times, I made the decision based on the evidence about the benefits to them that last throughout their lifetime and the benefits to me that can also last a lifetime. Also, it was what breasts were made for and I was making milk specifically for my baby. Knowing I could seriously reduce the risk of illnesses and conditions (ear infections, RSV, overweight, diabetes, etc.) for them and knowing the reduction in risk for myself (reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers, etc.) was compelling enough for me to commit to it and stick with it through the trials and tribulations. I believe it is important to present the facts and to help so a mom can make a truly educated decision. I do not judge and I do not bully–it is not for everyone and it is not feasible for some. Do these benefits mean everyone will be the same whether in weight loss or protective benefits–no, but the risks are reduced and it should not diminish the overall public health benefit of breastfeeding.
Gina Ciagne, CLC
Director, Breastfeeding and Consumer Relations
Lansinoh Laboratories
http://www.bymomsformoms.net
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Scuba Steve
May 20th, 2009
5:11 pm
Wow, very inspirational piece. Very appreciated, I really needed that right now as I have hit a plateau on my way to losing 150lbs.
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ATLOshun
May 20th, 2009
11:12 pm
Kettlebells are a great workout. I was first introduced to them at FitZone Atlanta off of Howell Mill. Your whole body will hurt, meaning all of those muscles got a work out. Thanks, Lori!
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Whiskey Pete
May 21st, 2009
10:47 am
Looks like another goofy “trendy” gimmick to draw clients to fitness trainers.
I can wait to see all the idiots swinging these things around at my gym.
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Adittohead
May 21st, 2009
10:49 am
Oh my GOD…..How did we manage before this latest FAD came along.?????……How did I ever manage-??.
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Adittohead
May 21st, 2009
10:53 am
TODAY….Kettlebells…….Tomorrow,,,,what-????
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Northern Songs Ltd
May 21st, 2009
11:00 am
Amen Whiskey….
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sane jane
May 21st, 2009
11:16 am
The good news is, kettlebells are fun and effective. The bad news is… they actually hit their “fad zenith” about two years ago. Why this is being reported in 2009 as “the hottest fitness trend you’ve never heard of” (…”provided you are a shut-in.”) is beyond me.
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Delaine Ross
May 21st, 2009
2:39 pm
Great article. If you’re in the Atlanta area check out http://www.gymcondition.com for Atlanta’s only gym exclusively devoted to kettlebell training. And look for the RKC after your trainer’s name wherever you are. It is the original kettlebell certification in America.
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Delaine Ross
May 21st, 2009
2:47 pm
And they are no “fad” – they were invented in the 1600’s by the Russian Special Ops and just hadn’t caught on in America until the last 10 years. With strength, cardio, and flexibility in one super efficient workout, you are training your muscles together and training your nervous system. Kettlebells are hands down the most efficient workout I can imagine. I started with kettlebells in CA almost 4 years ago and havent done anything else since – although many athletes cross-train with them because they not only train the production of power, but the production, reduction, and redirection of power. They also train your nervous system to go from a state of tension to relaxation back to tension in split seconds – imagine the benefits of that ability for boxers who are fluid one minute and then have to deliver a hit and then are fluid again in a split second – all the while not gaining excess weight and packing on “cosmetic” that will put you in a different weight class. I have a giant kettlebell tattoo bc to me they are the end all be all and the only workout that just… makes… sense.
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DunwoodyDawg
May 21st, 2009
2:58 pm
I would hardly call fitness equipment that has been around for 200 to 300 years a “fad”. In any case, I use kettlebells on occasion, and they work as advertised.
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CHRISTOPHER
May 21st, 2009
2:59 pm
I HAVE A SALON ACROSS FROM THE GYM ON HOWELL MILL AND KNOW CROSSFIT ATLANTA THESE ARE GREAT WORKOUTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN OVER 28 U KNOW!!! MY WOMEN AND MEN WHO DO IT LOOK AND FEEL GREAT!!!! ATLANTA HAS THE ROCK N EST PEOPLE!
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Ms Ima Fatazz
May 21st, 2009
3:18 pm
OMG, I know this will melt the pounds off. I’ve tried weights, they were too heavy. I’ve tried treadmills, they made me sweat. I’ve tried dieting, it made me hungry.
I’m signing up next week at that new kettleball gym. Thank god for kettleballs. 20 minutes a day, three times a week and I will look like a greek goddess. Thank you ajc for informing me about these kettleballs.
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THE TRUTH - GOP BYE BYE
May 21st, 2009
3:20 pm
Atlanta blows as does the deep south.. can’t wait to move from dixie and get around progressive good hearted people in the west or up north.
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Stephen
May 21st, 2009
3:51 pm
If you like “gyms” full of shiny machines, mirrors, tvs, and wheels that go nowhere (like the one my hamster used to run on when i was in second grade), then kettlebells are not for you. Please consider them a fad, or don’t consider them at all, and please don’t try them. Just strap on your weightlighting gloves and keep doing the same lame “workouts” you’ve been doing for years without any real results . . . workouts, i’m sure, packed with lots lateral raises, leg extensions, and bicep-curls that you probably learned from some lazy personal trainer who doesn’t know the difference between strength training and body-building (and who probably is proficient in neither). And ladies, if you want a lean physique be sure to do lots of reps with low weight so you don’t “bulk-up” (complete B.S.). If, however, you’re not afraid of hard work and still have some functioning brain cells, then do 30 minutes worth of research and find out why people who count on strength to survive like the Navy SEALS and Marine Corps Force Recon, professional champion fighters like Randy Couture, B.J. Penn, and George St. Pierre train with kettebells, and why people with access to the best trainers in the world – athletes like Ladainian Tomlinson, and celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Penelope Cruz, and Catherine Hiegl train with kettlebells. Do yourself a favor and find a certified instructor near you (www.dragondoor.com / http://www.americankettlebellclub.com). Otherwise, just stay close to your lat-pull down machine and the mirror.
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zach
May 21st, 2009
4:04 pm
kettleballs are silly, unless incorporated into a good crossfit workout.
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Crossfit King
May 21st, 2009
4:22 pm
Kettlebells are for Anti-American Communists!!!!! The Navy SEALS, Marine and MMA fighters that use Kettlebells use them in TOTAL CROSSFIT WORKOUTS! People who do only Kettlebells workouts, talk about Kettlebells like a crazy religious cult….please don’t drink the kool-aid! For more information see Crossfit.com
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Dixie
May 21st, 2009
4:24 pm
To all you negative people – hop on I-85 north and don’t come back. Or better yet- Take I-20 a keep going until you hit Texas. You’ll fit right in with the jerks passing a law that says it’s OK for students carry guns on college campuses.
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Stefanie
May 21st, 2009
4:36 pm
Kettlebells have been around for hundreds of years, they are hardly a FAD, it’s just people are now hearing about them more now.
I’ve been going to a kettlebell gym in 4th ward called Gym Condition for the past year and I love working out with kettlebells. I have never been stronger in my life, my core strength is incredible, and it’s not hard on my knees like running is. Delaine Ross is an incredible instructor, I highly recommend her!
I do encourage anyone interested to seek out instruction from a professional though, swinging a 20 KG kettlebell is not a good DIY project. You could really hurt yourself if your form is off.
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braveswin
May 21st, 2009
4:38 pm
THE TRUTH, speaking for most of us here in the deep south…….what’s keeping you? We didn’t ask your sorry rear to come and we’ll help you pack if you promise not to come back. And by the way, how’s that change you can believe in working out for ya
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Kettlebell Advocate
May 21st, 2009
4:58 pm
I agree 100% with Delaine and just so you know, I’m not a member of her gym. But I am living proof of the benefit of kettlebell training. I am middle aged, was overweight and out of shape. Started using kettlebells a little over a year ago and am stonger and fitter now than in the last 30 years. Joint aches and pains are gone as is the excess weight. Oh and another great benefit…for those of us with a few years on them and a disposition for vascular and heart disease, my lipid panels are the best they have ever been since I began any kind of treatment. Gone from a ticking time bomb to a healthy example my doctors use for their other patients. Whether you combine with crossfit, bodyweight exersizes or just use kettlebells alone, get out and do something. Your body and your mind will thank you. No koolaid, just fact!
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GetOverIt
May 21st, 2009
4:58 pm
Hey “THE TRUTH GOP – BYE BYE,” Delta is ready when you are.
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TBizzle
May 21st, 2009
5:20 pm
I just ate a kettlebell. It was delicious.
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Vince
May 21st, 2009
5:51 pm
As an instructor to personal trainers at one of the top health clubs in the world, I can tell you that Kettlebells definitely have their place in the fitness world. Are they the end all be all? No. Are they great for achieving much of which they claim to achieve? yes. Should everyone quit what they are doing and go get kettlebells? No. If proper movement patterns do not occur, they are quite dangerous and will have little benefit. However, if a person has excellent movement patterns, they should definitely be incorported into a workout purely on the fact that they will be different than exercises they have tried in the past. The fitness world is moving away from the isolated machines more and more and heading toward a direction where ACTUAL strength and movement patterns are much more important. Machines still have their place for the most part and can still give certain benefits (hypertrophy amongst a few others) that some seek. However, you will see the next age of gyms cater to those who want to be able to move their own bodies and possess true “functional” strength. Mark my word. No one piece of equipment is THE answer, they all have their place in some way.
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Jesse
May 21st, 2009
6:27 pm
Kettlebells Rock, got two 35 lbs. and a great enjoyable workout routine, I get to enjoy the weather outside and get great body conditioning at the same time
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zach
May 21st, 2009
6:42 pm
Blasphemy, Vince! You. WILL. Drink. Your. Cool aid!
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Stephen
May 21st, 2009
9:40 pm
Vince, You’re on the right track, but just b/c someone does not have correct movement patterns is not a reason to shy away from kettlebells. It’s why everyone interested in trying them should find a qualified instructor. Kettlebells, when used properly, help people develop those correct, safe, and strong patterns. They are a great rehabilitative tool as “Kettlebell Advocate” and many others will attest.
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Return of the Kettlebell
May 21st, 2009
9:43 pm
“Crossfit King” you sound strangely like a fat troll I know who has been doing Crossfit for about 5 minutes. It’s a shame you still haven’t learned to think for yourself. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be paying extra $$ for a “brand” . . . and you might have been accepted to a decent law school.
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Vince
May 22nd, 2009
8:19 am
I agree Stephen, a qualified instructor is extremely important. My point is that if any Joe Blow walks into a gym and starts using kettlebells, he could be doing himself some serious harm by doing things incorrectly. Any time an explosive total body exercise is used, there is a greater risk-reward ratio. Kettlebells can be very rewarding but only with proper technique which most people DO NOT have. Most people do not realize they are spinal loaders instead of hip loaders until they are laid up in bed for a week. We have members at our facility asking to put kettlebells out on the floor for any and everyone to use, not a chance. The potential for bad things to happen is significantly greater with these types of exercises. The potential for great things is there too, its all just a matter of proper form and technique.
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Ben
May 22nd, 2009
8:55 am
The fitness movement may be moving towards non-isolation movements, but the rest of us, those doing powerlifting or olympic lifting, or just plain bothering to educate themselves beyond what the ignorant personal trainer at the Gold’s up the street says, never caught the 3 decade long fad of machines and isolation. Only the fools who don’t want to expend effort to learn anything on their own use machines and isolation exercises. And competitive bodybuilders, but that’s a different story altogether.
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FLETC Instructor
May 22nd, 2009
11:38 am
As an instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, I see just about every agency out here training with Kettlebell. As with any piece of equipment or program whether a rowing machine, Nautilus machine, free weights, medicine balls, Bosu balls or Kettlebell, improper form and technique can get you injured. Our agency is one of the largest at FLETC and we use Kettlebell, but we build from a basic foundation of form and technique before even handling a KB. The law enforcement officers in-training truly enjoy training with them, mainly because they see the benefits from training with them. Are Kettlebell for everyone? Is Yoga or Pilates or free weights for everyone? No, it is a choice for the individual to choose. But try it and if you don’t like it, then you know it is not right for you. I have drunk the Crossfit Kool-Aid and would do nothing but those workouts. There are 30 Crossfit certified instructors teaching thousands of law enforcement officers using Crossfit based workouts here and that should say something about the Crossfit workouts. Again, not for everyone but if you try it and stick with it, you will see results.
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kettlebiatch
May 22nd, 2009
6:54 pm
The fact of the matter is that most people don’t like doing difficult exercises. So, when it comes to exercise, I separate people into two groups; those that enjoy difficult compund movements and those that don’t. I won’t even address the latter. Ok, if you like doing the tough exercises, keep reading. I’m certainly not an authority on the subject and can’t tell you that Kettlebells are more effective than similar exercises performed with barbells or dumbells but I can tell you that its very liberating not to have to load and unload plates on a bar or find some remote corner of the gym where I can do compound dumbell exercises. Kettlebells may not be the “end all be all”, but for the level of fitness that 95% of the people are trying to achieve, Kettlebells will work…..if you’re not scared to do the work. Kettlebells are both effective and efficient. But then again, I suppose the eliptical machine is efficient too. I mean, any piece of equipment that allows you to read a magazine, talk on the phone, and change your ipod at the same time is a modern marvel if you ask me! Good luck and happy treading!
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DG
May 23rd, 2009
11:26 am
I have been using kettlebells myself for about two years now. I can say that I have seen the most change with kettlebell use as far as fat loss and functional strength than any other training that I’ve been exposed too. I work two jobs. One a cushy office job, and the second loading trucks for UPS. As many others have mentioned it isn’t for everyone, but it is highly effective. I love training with them because I have a tight schedule and I don’t belong to gym or have access to any other equipment as I am on a tight budget. I was in reasonably good shape before using kettlebells, but now I am pretty lean and have really improved my cardiovascular conditioning. I am a kettlebell advocate and I think a person should try it before knocking it. With proper technique(which applies to all forms of fitness) kettlebells are safe, effective, and actually kinda fun.
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Joey Porter
May 24th, 2009
6:30 pm
dumbells and free weights never get old and it works. This pos is for slackers.
regardless of what exercises you prefer your diet is the most important key to staying in shape.
Most of you have intestines filled with weeks of fecal matter. You should have at least one bowel movement per day. Ideally everytime you eat you should take a dump, this is how the human body works. However due to socialization folks have learned to hold their poop.
No Pain no gain.
this stupid gadget is an accident waiting to happen.
stay away from it.
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Valeria Romero
May 24th, 2009
8:49 pm
i’m traveling to Atlnata next week and i want to know if there is any posibility of the swine flu there, because i’ve been hearing on tv that they just found new cases there…could i have some information about it, otherwise i plan to cancel my trip
thanks
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Yohan
May 24th, 2009
11:16 pm
Too bad this article didn’t go into the history of these more instead of making it sound like a recent fad in the past 4-5 years. They could have at least explained why they come in weights that differ from traditional weight systems used in the U.S.
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Political Man
May 25th, 2009
5:31 am
I wonder how people got fit before the advent of kettle bells, and for that matter, personal trainers. Dumbbells and barbells will do the job. You can do any movement with dumbbells that can be done with kettlebells. Add in rowing, treadmills, cycles, running stadiums or hills, etc. Forget the gym, personal trainers, kettlebells.
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Edward
May 25th, 2009
11:42 am
Dead weight is dead weight no matter what shape it’s in. Just grab some and start working, who cares what it looks like. And for the guy who thinks Georgia is backward with no nice people, maybe you should travel alot more. I’m from Atlanta and have been all over the world via Uncle Sam, Georgia’s as good as it gets!
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frank191
May 25th, 2009
8:03 pm
Kettlebells have been used very commonly in Russia for ages. They will get you in better shape in 3 months than 3 years of lifting weights.
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The Sarge
May 26th, 2009
7:42 am
This all sounds wonderful…PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE! This is the way societies have functioned for, well, a long time. However, we have allowed ourselves to become the law suite-loving society where, in sad-but-true reality, we are affraid to step forward for fear of legal retribution. I know, there’s the Good Samaritan Law which, on paper, affords a protective shield for those who would actualy attempt to help another in distress. The intense laughter is coming from the lawyers and ambulance chasers who would beg to differ otherwise.
What with the stellar performance we have observed from our elected law bodies, both at State and Federal levels, perhaps those esteemed servants of the people might assume a proactive approach and work on this slippery slope so that we might once again become a society of PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE.
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Scott Shetler
May 26th, 2009
2:12 pm
Yohan,
To answer your question about the history of kettlebells I suggest you visit: http://caestuspalestra.wordpress.com/ I recently published a book on kettlebell training and used this blog as a reference regarding the history of kettlebells and how they became used as training implements.
The history of kettlebells is a little misunderstood. They were originally used as units of measure in farmers markets, a weight with a handle that could be easily lifted to balance a scale when weighing produce, the unit of measure was referred to as a “pood” which is equal to 16kg or about 35 lbs. Traditionally kettlebells jump in 4kg increments, although many manufacturers offer 5 lb increment kettlebells, similar to dumbbells. The kettlebells used in Russia and Eastern Europe, a similar style to the American Kettlebell Club kettlebell, are actually designed to specific dimensions for the sole purpose of being lifted, a little different then what some of the other companies are marketing.
As a student of Russian Weightlifting and Training methodology one thing that is quite apparent to me is that the Russians love to put weights overhead. Overtime these farmers began lifting kettlebells in loosly organized competitions, mainly the name of the game was who could put the weight overhead for the greatest number of repetitions. While kettlebells have been used for 100’s of years they actually developed into a sport form in the 1940’s-1960’s is when more organized competitions came to be.
I began using kettlebells both with my clients and myself beginning in 2003, and have seen great improvements in both general physical qualities and special/specific physical qualities. I have a national champion powerlifter I train who at 111 lbs. has deadlifted 455 lbs. squatted 405 lbs. and bench pressed 310 lbs. and a college linebacker I’m training who in 6-8 weeks, after identifying his lower back as a limiting factor in speed and power production, we were able to raise his vertical jump from 29″ to 39.5″ using kettlebell exercises in addition to his strength/power training regimin.
Then again, we don’t “work out” at my training center, we “train”. Kettlebells are highly effective and if you can’t see the potential benefits, you don’t understand how to properly implement them into a training program. For those that can’t there is always time to pick up that “flashy” lycra 1-piece with matching head and wrist bands!
Interesting discussion here though…
Scott Shetler
Extreme Conditioning & Fitness
Atlanta Barbell & Kettlebell Club
Duluth, GA
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baptistpreecher
May 26th, 2009
3:26 pm
Sure, if it endangers their life and well-being by all means, force it. You people are flip-floppin again. If you’re against abortion, then you must be against war, and the bombing and killing of women and children. You also mus t be against the death penalty. And if so then maybe you are against letting a minor die that could live after receiving proper treatment. That’s Pro-Life right? If you’re going to go Pro-Life, Go Pro-Life ALL the way. Show some consistency. Where are the bible-thumpers now… this blog is dead I hear crickets in here.
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William Burke
May 26th, 2009
3:44 pm
Absolutely not! Are we to believe that the state has a more profound desire for what is best for that child than the parents who gave him life? GET REAL!!! Chemotherapy (poisoning the patient) and radiation are some of the most pervasive forms of abuse and they are this childs future but for the sake of parents who have educated themselves and know better how to care for their child. In steps medicine when someone dares to stand against their forced abuses called “treatments” which are profoundly poor in providing long-term survivor rates. People need to wake up and learn the truth, that is, the Beautiful Truth from the DVD by the same name which you can learn more about here http://www.thebeautifultruthmovie.com/ or maybe Google “cancer cure” and for crying out loud stop giving your money to the cancer industry – they are lying to you.
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Coastal Cavalier
May 26th, 2009
3:44 pm
I don’t think the government has any right to be participating in this and forcing the treatment. I did not think the government had a role in Terry Schiavo. The government on any level should not be in the business of protecting us from ourselves. There is a matter of personal responsibility. This, along with seat belt rules and countless other examples are just proof the nanny state exists and a lot of people in this country covet the government taking care of them from cradle to grave.
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Fae
May 26th, 2009
3:48 pm
If those who cannot afford medical treatment are refused, treatment should not be forced on anyone.
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jct
May 26th, 2009
3:57 pm
Part of life is making hard choices on treatment options. The family made a decision. Many of us don’t like it. However, making everything a court case is wrong. The family will live the choices that they have prayerfully and carefully made.
Just because you don’t like their choice doesn’t mean that they don’t have the right to this choice.
That is what being pro-choice is about.
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Gary
May 26th, 2009
4:08 pm
Absolutely not. The government has no business in the lives of private citizens. This is the same situation as with Terry Schiavo, the government should not be forcing a belief onto a family, especially one who has every right to choose the care they desire for their children whether we agree with it or not. I am sick that this is taking place in our country.
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Jessica
May 26th, 2009
4:15 pm
This boy is old enough to have his own religious beliefs. If he is opposed to chemo for religious reasons of his own, then he should be allowed to refuse treatment. I don’t know what should happen in the case of a very young child, but this young man’s own religious convictions should be respected.
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Gregory A. Beamer
May 26th, 2009
4:52 pm
As the parent of a cancer survivor (one year post treatment), I cannot state strongly enough that parents should go with the evidence. As a parent, however, I believe that is our right.
The problem with arguing that alternative treatments have not been shown to work is alternative treatments, overall, have not been tested scientifically. There are plenty of reasons for it not being studied. On the negative side is the profitability (food cannot be patented, so we have to artificially create the molecules to have any chance of recouping research dollars). One would think the government might fund more alternative studies, but the evidence that they do not is found on clinicaltrials.gov.
Note that I am not against the doctors. I think they are wonderful. But until we can state definitively that the parents are abusing their child by refusing the injection of poisons into the body, I am not sure we have a legal basis for denying parental rights.
What is even scarier is they are talking about strapping Daniel down to stop him from taking the lines out when he is undergoing treatment. Being strapped down and poisoned does not seem like a humane option, even if the science states a 95% cure rate.
I am concerned that Daniel undergoing alternative treatment, and dying, will be seen as an indictment. If he undergoes treatment, and dies, he will just be seen as one of the 5% that did not make it. That is sad.
I personally went with the odds in my daughter’s cancer. Today, I would still do the same. But I cannot criticize a parent who chooses a non-quack type of alternative treatment, as there is anectdotal evidence that some alternatives work.
Peace and Grace,
Greg
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mirandabeamer
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Winfield J. Abbe
May 26th, 2009
5:02 pm
Most Americans, including parents, judges and yes, orthodox medical doctors, are extremely ignorant about cancer, and the dismal failure of orthdox cancer treatment over the years in the U.S. If any medical doctor seeks to deviate from the failed recommendations of the orthodoxy, they can have their license revoked. So why would any of them have the guts to speak up on this horror story of institutionalized American medical quackery? It is like a child telling a lie to his parents and then covering the lie with more lies, over and over again for almost 40 years now since 1971 when the failed war on cancer began. According to a recent NY Times article, over $105 billion has been squandered, yet about one person dies every minute either from cancer, treatment or both, usually treatment. Just because the false statistics claimed by the doctors are 90%, does not mean the boy, if treated, might not be in the other 10% failure and die. But if he did, they surely would find some other excuse for the death than the failed chemotherapy to blame it on. A proper and objective autopsy is rarely made of cancer patients who die while under treatment. So they often falsely blame the cancer rather than the treatment. The judge has legal immunity and cannot be held responsible if he is wrong and the boy dies after having chemotherapy.
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Winfield J. Abbe
May 26th, 2009
5:15 pm
Many years ago a distinguished professor medical physics, physiology and medical statistics at UC Berkeley, the late professor Hardin Jones, Ph.D., carefully studied the false statistics on cancer patients given the orthodox treatment of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. He found that patients that didn’t have any treatment at all, lived up to 4 times longer than those who received the failed treatment! Little has changed today. Here are some references to prove these statements:
“The truth about hydrazine sulfate-Dr. Gold Speaks” by Joseph Gold, M.D., http://www.hydrazinesulfate.org.
“American Cancer Society America’s Wealthiest ‘Non-Profit’ Institution” by Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., International Journal of Health Services, 1999, also available at http://www.preventcancer.com.
“The Hidden Story of Cancer” by Brian Peskin E.E. and Amid Habib, M.D., Pinnacle Press, Houston, 2006-2008.
“The Cancer Industry” by Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D., Equinox PRess, N.Y., 1996, first published in 1980 as “The Cancer Syndrome”.
“CancerGAte 2005″ by Samuel S. Epstein M.D., W.W. NOrton, N.Y., 2005.
“Cancer and the Search for SElective Biochemical Inhibitors” by E.J. HOffman, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2007, 2nd Ed.
“University FAils to Offer Another Viewpoint” by Winfield J. Abbe, Ph.D., http://www.annieappleseedproject.org.
“Cancer and Vitamin C Therapy for Patients” by Reagan Houston, M.S, P.E., Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients Aug./Sept., 2007
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Deb
May 27th, 2009
4:57 am
Whatever happened to the right to informed consent/refusal?????????
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Eric Payne
May 27th, 2009
11:21 pm
Since HIV is undetectable until such time as the retrovirus mutates within the host to adapt to and change the host’s DNA, is a virus feasible? Wouldn’t any vaccine be most effective on the host from which the virus was extracted for the vaccine, 50% as effective on those persons the host may have infected – as they’d have to be administered the vaccine after a presumed infection, but prior to their own seroconversion, as the RNA/DNA interchange of the HIV retrovirus would, at that point, be too substantially changed for the vaccine to have much effect? Then that original vaccine would be 25% effective on the person(s) this second host might have presumably infected… and so on down the line, each successive generation of infection, the vaccine becomes half as effective as it was in the previous generation?
The idea of an “HIV vaccine” also strikes me as more than a bit ironic, since the common thinking, now, is that the cross-over from simians (apes), who had long been infected with their own species-specific immunodeficiency virus to humans is due to the initial round of polio vaccines, where that vaccine was created, in Africa, using organs of simians… with the resulting vaccine then being used in humans, where the simian IV adapted to homo sapien’s DNA.
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Erica
May 27th, 2009
11:25 pm
Enter your comments here
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Often Disappointed/Never Surprised!
May 28th, 2009
10:44 am
Great article. We are a lot tougher on ourselves. We should remember to offer self encouragement, with the same sincerity that we use when encouraging a friend. Let us learn to love ourselves, and set realistic, achievable, attainable goals. Shame on use for trying to get from the gym what Hollywood gets from the plastic surgeon. Diets are not the final answer, Lifestyle Change is the Key. Be encouraged!
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ech2os
May 28th, 2009
11:44 am
I’m not a conpsiracy theorist by any means, but at this point you have to ask the question asked by Chris Rock in his stand up act a few years ago. When is the last time we cured something ? No money in the cure.
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Rudy
May 28th, 2009
12:35 pm
HIV AND AIDS will never be cured.. The Gov wont allow it! Too much money would be lost in medical bills. not many white peole have it.. minorities and gays are at bigger risk from HIV/AIDS..
The Gov wants to get rid of all all minorities and gays all around the world.. But what they got realize is not everybody gets from having sex. some get it at birth or some get it thru blood donors…
It sucks I hope one day someone cures it and wont be scared to come foward..
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Karen Lachey
May 28th, 2009
2:16 pm
Dr. Mulligan, like other vaccine researchers, is hopelessly deluded that vaccines can work for HIV. While conveniently left out of the article, the latest NIH/Merck HIV vaccine, V520, actually increased the odds that subjects would contract HIV. Not exactly successful. Vaccines, by design, evoke antibody production. This pulls immune activity away from what’s called cell-mediated immunity, which involves the hunt for body cells infected with viruses like HIV. Duke University professor Aaron White published an excellent article in Lancet about this a few months back. He argues that an immune molecule called “transfer factor” offers a far more reasonable means of preventing and fighting HIV. Unlike vaccines, published science indicates that transfer factors actually DO work against HIV!
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Ray-ray
May 28th, 2009
8:11 pm
I don’t think the law should make people take lethal meds and hope the person lives and the cancer dies. The parents are just looking for a less scary option. You cant blame them for that. My mother had breast cancer 10 years ago and did both mainstream and alternative routes. We can squabble about many issues all day but the most important question here should be why are we getting cancer so young? Are we eating Genetically Engineered foods, formaldehyde from walls/carpet/furniture/bedding, mercury in our fillings and or HFCS, MSG in are conventionally grown fruit, phthalates/pesticides in our drinking water, taking in growth hormones and antibiotics from meat dairy and fish, microwaving the nutrients out of our food, blocking the production of Vit. D thru our skin with toxic sunscreen and who can afford Organic food? Is it really organic if the air is polluted? But thats a topic for a different day. Or will the shareholders see that it isnt?
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SKL
May 28th, 2009
11:03 pm
I think the vac’s are nice, but they in combination with a CCR5 stem cell based therapy the way to go. Those who have full CCR5 are very lucky people.
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cliff zeider
May 29th, 2009
11:50 am
Hey, Hiv will never be cured, its the lords revenge. cz
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Sandy
June 1st, 2009
5:18 am
Great article, and so true! We own our brains, they don’t own us, and when we realize that and work with it, we can do the things we really want to do. There’s more information at thinkequalsthin.com and a few recipes, too.
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mejane
June 1st, 2009
7:04 am
Why must you always pair articles like this with pictures of people with perfect bodies?
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H.L.
June 1st, 2009
11:01 am
I agree with the courts ruling. His therapy is in his best interest. Blessings to you young man.
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Truth2009
June 1st, 2009
5:48 pm
Did you know AIDS is so bad in the black community because of all the black men on the DL…. see they dont consider themselves gay as long as there the ones poking other dudes in the butt…..
especially in prison, where 90% of the prison rapes are blacks ganging up on whites. Did you know the CDC now reports that 1 in every 15 black males will have HIV in their lifetime?
And that 70% of the infected dont even know they have it yet!
Wow what the media covers up to promote “diversity” huh!
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/03/magazine/double-lives-on-the-down-low.html
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Ethics Newsline® » News » Medicine and Life Sciences Prominent in Week’s Ethics News
June 1st, 2009
7:45 pm
[...] of our pills?” Sources: Los Angeles Times, June 1 — Los Angeles Times, June 1 — Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 29 — Christian Science Monitor, May 29 — BBC, May [...]
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Gerald
June 2nd, 2009
10:06 am
I’ve heard the comment…”there’s no money in cure” before. However, from an investors point of view, the company licensed to sell a working vaccine will have a stock explosion, creating wealth for all those smart enough to own shares!
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Maria
June 2nd, 2009
11:29 am
Great advice….if I wasn’t me how would I help this person?? I also use my food and activity diary, it’s been a life saver apowerfultool.com!!
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julie
June 2nd, 2009
4:46 pm
i beleive that it the debate will not end with the judges rules because you could never know if the vaccinations was the cause of autism because there is nothing saying that it wasent the cause because thers things that subject to change what if it happens to someone else they going to say the same thing that there is no eveidence they never know
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Ronda
June 2nd, 2009
6:00 pm
Listen to have a possible vaccines is a great thing…..there is hope if only we push towards it…..We need more people in these fields that want this to be a success for generation to come, No we may not cure everyone and some will fall by the waste side but that is with anything…So for those who have contracted keep your head up there is a possible cure plus we are advance enough to help people live thru with medications. God loves people hate the sin, so if they do have it it is not a curse it called LIFE……God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference…..
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Will the release an AIDS vaccine? | Street Therapy
June 3rd, 2009
10:24 am
[...] AIDS is too widespread and too devastating a disease to abandon the quest for a vaccine. Scientists have learned many important lessons from past vaccine trials, and there is no reason to give up now. more [...]
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Chris
June 3rd, 2009
3:31 pm
I agree with the earlier comment concerning revenue generated from treating a disease rather than curing it. As long as there is money in keeping people alive, but sick, I don’t think the concentration will ever be on finding a cure. “Money is the root of all evil” has never been more apparent than when discussing this topic.
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THE TRUTH - GOP BYE BYE
June 3rd, 2009
3:59 pm
Aids is a gay man’s disease. Straight black women, are the fastest growing population right now. Black women have so many babies, they are sleeping around quite a bit, and acquiring this disease. It is very sad, and people need to realize it comes with poor economic conditions and no education. There needs to be a cure ASAP.
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Chris
June 3rd, 2009
5:39 pm
To those saying AIDS is a black or gay disease, here’s some numbers to chew on:
Total AIDS/HIV cases by race/ethnicity:
38.7% White, 40.5% black, 19% hispanic, .7% asian
Sounds like some folks need to out of their silos and educate themselves to the true breadth of the problem. (I’d hate to see the worldwide percentage.)
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Tammy Andries
June 3rd, 2009
6:12 pm
Thank you Dr. Kooby, for getting some information out there about pancreatic cancer. I am currently a 3 year survivor and try every day to get information out to the public. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, http://www.pancan.org, is a non-profit that I volunteer with and they are helping to get increased federal funding for early dectection screening and better treatment. Again, thank you for spreading the word. T.
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Lisa
June 3rd, 2009
6:41 pm
Sounds good to me since I spent a total of 5-1/2 years breastfeeding (four children).
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John
June 3rd, 2009
9:23 pm
Congrats Tammy on beating the odds so far. Heres hoping for many more years for you.
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Rule .303
June 3rd, 2009
11:26 pm
I’m sorry, this article sheds no light on this cancer. In fact, Patrick Swayze encountered none of these risk factors…
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Kaly
June 4th, 2009
12:07 am
The article is somewhat a load of bull. I’ve lost several to pancreas cancer. Not one of ‘em had any of the risk factors.
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Winfield J. Abbe
June 4th, 2009
7:05 am
This article illustrates that although over $ 105 billion has been squandered on cancer “research” since 1971, even most medical doctors cannot provide an intelligent explanation of what cancer is, let alone how to treat it without killing the patient since all orthodox approved cancer treatments are life threatening. The genius in Germany Otto Warburg, M.D., Ph.D. (1883-1970) discovered the prime cause of cancer decades ago as published in 1923 for animals. If the oxygen is reduced for living tissue by about one third, the cells become cancerous and instead of running on oxygen metabolism, switch to running on glucose primarily in the absence of oxygen or fermentation. Hundreds of different organs and tissues were tested to prove this. It took roughly another 40 years to prove this for human cancer too. It takes time for the transformation from oxygen based metabolism to glucose based metabolish to occur, often decades in humans. Once it has made this transformation, the cancer is irreversible sort of like a fried egg is irreversible by removal of heat alone. Cancer is not hundreds of diseases as falsely claimed by the medical orthodoxy, but one disease, oxygen difficiency to living cells over a long period of time or respiratory impairment to living cells or the wrong energy supply. All cancer cells metabolize via anerobic glycolysis and this explains why those with diabetes have higher cancer rates since their systems do not properly process glucose. CAncer is also not genetically caused as falsely claimed by the cancer generals. These statements are based on experiments and facts and not genetic speculations. The cancer generals have denied this basic scientific information for decades and this explains why they do not know what they are doing and why their quack treatments all fail; they are guilty of scientific misconduct, fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity and must be fired immediately and prosecuted for medical quackery against unwitting cancer patients. When will the “sheeple” of America wake up to the fact that they have been fleeced by the cancer generals and the fools in Congress and the executive branch who appoint them?
References:
“The truth about hydrazine sulfate-Dr. Gold Speaks” by Joseph Gold, M.D., http://www.hydrazinesulfate.org.
“The Hidden Story of Cancer” by Brian Peskin, E.E. and Amid Habib, M.D., Pinnacle Press, Houston, 2006-2008.
“The Cancer Industry” by Ralph W. MOss, Ph.D., Equinox Press, N.Y., 1996, first published as “The Cancer Syndrome” 1980.
“Cancer, Its Cause, Prevention and Cure” by John P. Dobbins, Sc.D., Cytobiologische Revue, No. 3, pp. 123-134, 1985.
Winfield J. Abbe
A.B., Physics, UC Berkeley, 1961
Ph.D., Physics, UC Riverside, 1966
Athens, GA.
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Songbird
June 4th, 2009
9:15 am
My mother died from pancreatic cancer. She was 42, white, nonsmoker. None of the risk factors mentioned above can be correlated with her. I have always wondered why she got this cancer. She had 3 sisters who, two still alive in their 80’s. One who died at 86. No one else in the family has had this desease. This article does nothing to answer my question of why.
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Wanda
June 4th, 2009
9:54 am
Dr. Kooby,
You were my dad’s Dr. 3 years ago. Thank you for all you did for him. Our family really thought alot of you. We mailed you a CD of my dad’s band. He was a drummer. I hope you remembered him. His name was Walter Bryson. We miss him so much.
Sincerely, Wanda Bryson
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Wanda
June 4th, 2009
9:57 am
My dad had one of the symptoms. He had jaundice.
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sharon
June 4th, 2009
10:24 am
Rule .303, it’s been widely reported that Patrick Swayze was a heavy smoker and drinker.
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sharon
June 4th, 2009
10:29 am
I tend to look at cancer as the eeny meeny miny mo disease or tag you’re it because it happens to anybody whether they have risk factors or not. There are people who smoke that never get lung cancer, but yet there are many who don’t smoke get lung cancer. Vegeterians and highly active women are getting breast cancer. So, the bottom line is , you never know when it’s going to be your turn. The smerican cancer society tells us to avoid/limit alcohol. Again, there are a lot of alcoholics who do not get cancer. If you’ll notice people are dying younger from cancer.
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Annette
June 4th, 2009
2:04 pm
Pancreatic cancer took my father in 2003. When first diagnosed he was in stage 4 with “weeks” to live. We got Dad into a trial chemotherapy thru Johns Hopkins that gave him an additional year he may not have had. Our family has joined the pancreatic cancer family reseach program at Johns Hopkins and hope to help them in finding the cure, or at least an early detection. It is my understanding that there is a gene that can be isolated as a potential indicator. I hope in my lifetime, the test is perfected, and an early warning test available.
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Cheryl
June 4th, 2009
2:46 pm
I am a firm believer that what we eat and drink these days IS causing cancers in some. Many people may be more susceptible to some of the ingredients in what we eat and drink, and if you read labels, you’ll see there are a lot of UNnatural things in our foods and drinks, and I think these things are causing our cells to go crazy and reproduce rampantly. There are more people on average getting cancer these days and not just because there are more people in the world. Our foods are made differently today than they were 40-50 years ago. Think about it. We are what we eat (and drink). Be careful of artificial sweetners and preservative chemicals. Also, smoking IS a factor. I’ve known 2 people who had pancreatic cancer and were smokers.
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S. Conway
June 4th, 2009
4:20 pm
Get real! Dr. Kooby’s article appears to have been written for the lay public, NOT for those experienced in pancreatic cancer-personally or professionally. (BTW Rule.303, Patrick Swazye HAS smoked for many years!) And risk factors are just that; it doesn’t mean that you have to have one or more of those in order to get pancreatic cancer! No more so than you have to be a smoker to get lung cancer!
Mr. Abbe, I don’t know the “cancer generals” are to whom you refer, but it takes more than a long paragraph to describe the biology of cancer in general, and specifically the carcinogensis and chromosomal abnormalities in pancreatic ca. It’s people like the late Dr. Judah Folkman whose work on angiogenesis nearly 40 yrs ago has lead to better understanding and treatment of cancerous tumor growth, AND whose work has been widely replicated, validated, and augmented.
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GT1960
June 4th, 2009
8:30 pm
There’s really no need in being so abusive towards this article. If we understood everything about cancer it wouldn’t kill so many people every year. One thing is for certain, a diet high in antioxidents and eating more servings of fruits and vegetables will go a long way to warding off cancer. There is a new drink mix out, Macon based company, that provides 5 servings of fruits and vegetables along with 5000 units of antioxidents in ONE 16oz drink. Come get the scoop. http://www.zoelifestyle.com/gtomlin or email me at gtomlin1960@gmail.com Watching what you put into your body WILL make a difference in your health.
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allamerican
June 4th, 2009
8:36 pm
You are so right that what we put into our bodies causes these horrible cancers and that eating fruits and veggies and getting plenty of antioxidants can keep our cells healthy and keep the bad cancer cells away. I take many vitamins, etc. and feel great at 63.
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Margaret Woodard
June 4th, 2009
9:35 pm
So people have many symptoms. Treatment is typically chemo and radiation. Qulity of life goes down hill until mainstream conventional oncologist and docs say they can’t do anything else, “Time To Go Home and die.”
Anyone know if Patrick Swazye has been treated with targeted low dose chemotherapy, The Kinder, Gentler Cancer Treatment (Insulin Potentiation Therapy.)? It works! People should go with this first rather than try to kill their bodies first.
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Max
June 4th, 2009
10:34 pm
To all those passing negative comments about this article because of the fact that people you know had pancreatic cancer but none of the risk factors – firstly Dr. Kooby here is only listing the risk factors issued by the National Cancer Institute, he didn’t come up with them himself. Secondly, he himself mentions in this article that many people who get this type of factors have none of the risk factors. Nobody can tell for certain how a particular cancer came to be. Risk factors just make you statistically more likely to get the cancer.
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thank you
June 4th, 2009
10:55 pm
My mother died of pancreatic cancer. It is a horrible disease. We need more education. The more the better.
P.S. She loved sweets. I think it was the sugar and a stressed immune system.
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Holly
June 4th, 2009
10:56 pm
My sister was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was 60,a former smoker,Her symptom was jaundice. She had whipple procedure,showed she had stage 4 , she had 2 chemoembolizations, 5 rounds of different kinds of Chemo, and it spread to liver. She passed away in 18 months.No one else in the family has ever had this disease.
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Rule .303
June 4th, 2009
11:22 pm
I stand corrected, as several posters have pointed out, Swayze was a heavy smoker. My apologies.
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wilem
June 5th, 2009
9:07 am
the reason cancer is reaching younger people is because we keep saving the weak, thus polluting the gene pool and producing weaker people with every new generation. I have cancer now and i am 41 been getting screwed by it for 8 years.
the only treatment for cancer will be the discovery of how to turn the immune system on it and that is coming soon.
the eating of junk as we all do isnt helping matters either.
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Angela
June 5th, 2009
10:16 am
My mother had pancreatic cancer. She held on for 7 months. First through her 49th anniversary to Daddy, then Thanksgiving and Christmas and then past my daughter’s b-day in Jan. All out of shear determination. She had 2 of the risk factors. Had been smoking since she was 12, died at 69. Taught my children a very sad lesson. Thanks for all the attention to this vile disease, and more power to anyone facing it.
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Pat
June 5th, 2009
11:17 am
My sister lost her battle with this horrible disease just after her 52nd birthday and just 3 weeks after diagnosis. She had been ill for months with what she had been told was pancreatitis but not cancer and then finally accurate diagnosis and boom, 3 weeks later gone. I pray that research can provide better diagnostics because I feel like if my sis had been properly diagnosed in the beginning, treatment might at least have bought her a little more time with her family. It has been almost 5 years and I still grieve her loss!!!
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Renza
June 5th, 2009
11:22 am
One thing is for sure…….almost everyone has a cancer story. I am surrounded by it on all sides. Sometimes there is a risk factor and sometimes none. I agree that cancer can strike when there are no risk factors but I do believe that we could do so much to help ourselves with eliminating stress and poor eating.
I lost my dear,82 year old father-in-law to pancreatic cancer on he and my mother-in-law’s 50th anniversary. Dr.Kooby attempted the whipple proceedure but it was too late. That was March 1st and his first symptoms did not present until February. I look at pancreatic cancer as a silent, calculating thief that stole this precious man from us without warning. Dr. Kooby treated my father-in-law with such great respect and honor during his treatment. I believe that Dr.Kooby has a burden for families who are caught off-guard by this horrible disease and probably gets the question all time ” how could this be?” Take this article as it is. It is truly an attemp to cause awarness. I don’t believe he is trying to be a hero or know-it-all. He just wants to get people talking and sharing.
Cancer stinks! How can a 42 yr old woman be diagnosed with colon cancer when she is told she doesn’t need a colonoscopy until she is 50 and has no warning or risk? It just is. Don’t kill the messenger. Warn those that you love and care about.
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Kimberly
June 5th, 2009
11:53 am
Did Patrick Swaze smoke cigarettes? In Roadhouse, he was smoking.
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Tina
June 5th, 2009
3:54 pm
Yes, Patrick Swaze smokes…and still does smoke to this every day. That I just don’t understand. I have known a few people with this disease and they have not made it past 6 months after diagnosis. The fact that he is still here is really just short of remarkable!!!!
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Kelly
June 5th, 2009
4:38 pm
My father was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer at 56. He was diagnosed in Feb 2004 and died 04/04/04. He was a Vietnam Veteran and was treated through the Veteran’s Hospital. Although he was part of a study and was followed more closely because of that, he went very fast. He was having digestion problems in and had his gall bladder removed before they finally diagnosed him. He is with me every day.<3 William Edgar Herndon Jr. <3
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Michelle
June 5th, 2009
5:17 pm
I agree with many of you who feel that cancer is largely in part due to what we put into our bodies. If we would pay attention to what we put into our bodies and stop with the junk food and processed foods so much and replaced them with fresh fruits and veggies you would be amazed at how much better your health would be. I know that all cases are different but I know that you can’t go wrong by changing your diet. Everything I have read about cancer goes back to cancer can not live in an alkaline environment, only in an acidic environment. There are even chemotherapy treatments that are based on this. What this means in short is your body chemistry should be alkaline which means more oxygen in your body. Unfortunately in our fast paced lives today this is very hard to do as we eat so much fast food as well as processed foods and these things are very acidic. Also think about what we drink. Sodas as well as coffee, tea and lets not forget alcohol are all very acidic. We should have a make up of about 20% acidic foods and 80% alkaline foods to keep a healthy balance. Just read about an acidic PH and make up your own mind. This info is not mentioned much when people talk of health problems but I believe that when your PH is acidic that that is when you can set yourself up for health problems and believe you me, we are all too acidic.
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cr1ga
June 5th, 2009
6:13 pm
Stay at home and let my wife do the shopping.
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john
June 5th, 2009
6:35 pm
Yet when we go to the grocery store vegetable section and see stuff from China, Vietnam, guatemala, and whatever foreign country the USA can import from to save bucks for the greedy industry here. Now how safe can it possibly be to eat a piece of fruit imported from a foreign country when we know their quality control isn’t ANYTHING like ours? And even if it were, how long is the fruit enroute, where is it stored, how hot does it get when it’s stored, what does it endure while enroute, and etc, before we get it? And this is safe? I absolutely refuse to purchase fruit/veggies from a foreign country. It can rot in the bins for all I care because it is not healthy IMV.
Then think of the pesticides constantly sprayed on our fruits/veggies that are grown in this country. This is safe? Not IMO.
if you’re going to switch to fresh fruit/veggies, my suggestion is plow yourself a small garden and grow your own if you want to get truly safe, non-carcinogenic food to eat.
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Really
June 5th, 2009
7:23 pm
OK. To all those who are tyring to play doctor and push the latest UNPROVEN fads and diets and hypotheses, you are doing the general public a huge disfavor. Don’t you think that medical researchers WANT to cure this disease?–if not for altruistic reasons (mostly true), but for selfish reasons (Nobel prize, fame, money, etc). If there were any truth to any of these home remedies, then they will be tested. Once tested, the results will be published. Then other people will attempt to replicate these results. If these positive results holdup, then everyone will know that these treatments are real and effective. Please do not push untested treatments and let those who spend their lives finding a cure for cancer do what they do.
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BJo
June 5th, 2009
7:39 pm
My brother passed on early this morning. Not from pancreatic cancer but a malignant brain tumor that was brought on by years of heavy smoking. It started in his lung, which they successfully treated, but part broke off and ended up in his brain. He went through many sessions of chemo and radiation. Still the result was the same. Yes it added some more time to his life but at what cost. My question is this. Why, as one blogger pointed out, has research used $105 billion to fine a cure when almost on a regular basis you hear or read about some promising new treatment and then nothing after that. The one on 60 Minutes last year is one example. There are many more I’ve seen throughout the years. My point is if there is ever a cure for cancer, its going to put a lot of people out of business.
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db
June 5th, 2009
9:54 pm
the cancer treatment center of america has been successful in treating pancreatic cancer. it needs to get more recognition.
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RY
June 6th, 2009
8:58 am
Swayze got in to a legal mess a few years back when he crashed his private plane. Some construction workers nearby helped him unload opened bottles of alcohol and hide them. They told the FAA he appeared to be inebriated. During his subsequent interview with FAA officials a couple days later, he admitted to a 3 pack a day smoking habit which may have led to poor air quality in the plane’s cabin. You can find the official FAA report online.
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Winfield J. Abbe
June 6th, 2009
8:58 am
There are a number of secondary causes of cancer that all merge into one prime cause, oxygen deficiency to living cells over a long period of time. For example, certain chemicals cause cancer. It is well known that asbestos causes cancer. Even some chemotherapy chemicals cause cancer. Various chemicals in smoke also cause cancer.
High energy radiation causes cancer. When one has a mammogram, for example, this is using high energy radiation into the breasts. Squeezing the breasts hard, as they do in this procedure, can also spread any cancer around. This was first reported in the medical literature in about 1928, but has been disregarded by the negligent medical doctors performing mammograms. There is a non zero probability of initiating cancer from a single mammogram for example. Dr. Samuel Epstein, M.D. has published an article about other ways to self examine oneself for lumps that are not as dangerous as mammograms. But the ultimate effect of chemicals and radiation is to diminish the oxygen supply to living cells which then results in cancer as proved from experiments and facts in the laboratory by the genius in Germany Otto Warburg, M.D., Ph.D., decades ago. Some have mentioned the wrong foods. The FDA has betrayed the American Public by approving many foods that have been adulterated by chemicals and addititives and processes to extend shelf life, but which have had vital nutrients removed that are reponsible for efficient oxygen transfer across cell walls so the oxygen can do its job of providing the vital energy necessary for cell operation. For example, most “foods” today do not have the necessary essential fatty acids which, as Peskin and Habib have emphasized in the book above, are like “oxygen magnets” to aid the oxygen transfer into cells. When the oxygen transfer is inhibited for a long period of time by about one third, the cell becomes cancerous. This can happen to any cell in any organ of the body, from the skin to any internal organ like the breast, prostate or liver or pancreas, or even deep inside a bone. But in all cases, the cause is the same, respiratory impairment or oxygen deficiency to living cells, or the wrong energy supply. If all oxygen to the living body is removed, it dies very quickly (in minutes). If all oxygen is removed from any cell it dies very quickly too. It oxygen is deprived from living cells by about one third, some cells die for lack of energy, but those that survive switch to running on glucose in the absence of oxygen (anerobically). This process is called fermentation is the way all primitive life existed before the appearence of oxygen on the earth. Only after the appearence of oxygen did the higher living forms appear, man and the higher animals. Only oxygen energy is capable of differentiation of living cells as Dr. Warburg has emphasized over and over again. All cancer is is the manifestation of the reverse of cell metabolism when oxygen is removed or deprived, back to the primitive form; fermentation, where cells possess no intelligence but only useless, mindless, growth, like yeast cells for example. All this is so scientifically consistent and beatiful it is amazing how the medical orthodoxy has denied it all. Dr. Warburg published about 500 scientific papers in his lifetime, but most “scientists”, the cancer generals and medical doctors obviously have not read them. Instead, they have negligently obstructed and sought to misrepresent his scientific findings from experiments and facts, not genetic speculations. It is this scientific misconduct on their part, of course, why they have so miserably failed to solve the cancer problem despite the enormous amount of public and private dollars squandered by them on their non scientific “research” and quack treatments.
The cancer generals claim, without proof, that cancer is caused by mutated genes because they observe some mutated genes in tumor tissue. But genes can become mutated from the wrong energy supply. Therefore, the mutated genes observed by the cancer generals evidently are a result, not a cause of cancer, resulting from oxygen deficiency to living cells as observed by Dr. Warburg and his genius level associates in his laboratory decades ago. By the way Dr. Warburg was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1931 for his work on cell respiration and was nominated for two other Nobel prizes too, the first cancer prize in 1926 and another for different work in 1944, though the latter two were not awarded. Three of his pupils also were awarded the Nobel prize in medicine, Hans Krebs, Hugo Theorell and Otto Meyerhof, shared with others. Here is another reference:
“Otto Warburg Cell Physiologist Biochemist and Eccentric” by Hans Krebs, M.D. and Roswitha Schmid, Ph.D., Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1981.
Dr. Warburg was a genius level scientist far above any living today. He was at the level of Issac Newton, Galileo Galilei or Albert Einstein. In fact, he was a close friend of Einstein.
The cancer generals must not only be fired, but prosecuted for scientific misconduct, fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity.
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Winfield J. Abbe
June 6th, 2009
9:20 am
As a post script to the above comments, even cancer of the heart organ is possible but most people have never heard of it because it is very rare. You can confirm with any oncologist or surgeon how rare it is.
It is very rare because there is always plenty of oxygen in the heart from the highly oxygenated blood passing through it constantly, so there is almost no deprivation of oxygen to cells there, and therefore no tendency for them to be deprived of oxygen for any time and thus become cancerous. This is fully consistent with the fact that heart cancer is very rarely observed. One would have expected this.
Another point is that once the transformation from ordinary oxygen based metabolism has switched to glucose (sugar) based metabolism, fermentation, the change is irreversible. In other words, it is not possible to reverse cancer to “normal” by simply adding back oxygen to a cancerous cell as many medical doctors have falsely sought to misrepresent Dr. Warburg about. Obviously these doctors and cancer generals did not read the many papers of Dr. Warburg on this subject and, if they did read them, did not understand them. The only recourse when cancer has fully developed is to kill or remove the cancerous tissue. It is like trying to “unfry” an egg. Once heat is added to an egg to fry or scramble it, it is impossible to reverse the process, and by removal of heat alone, reestablish the state of the egg before it was fried. This is called an irreversible thermodynamic process in physics and chemistry. As Dr. Warburg stated and proved in his laboratory, called the “Palace of Cell Physiology” in Germany, fully established cancer runs on anerobic glycolysis, fermentation, and is irreversible (not reversible). However, it might be reversible during the transition between normal oxygen based metabolism and glucose based anerobic metabolism. Such cells have been observed and were called “sleeping cancer cells” by Dr. Warburg.
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marta
June 6th, 2009
10:30 am
yep
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Stop Addiction
June 6th, 2009
10:36 am
indeed
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Paddy
June 6th, 2009
12:12 pm
Just food shop at Wal-Mart and forget this fancy article. Have some guts for gosh sakes when you food shop. It is not that difficult just to buy what you need. People do it all the time.
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Obama, please beg the Saudis for lower gas prices....
June 6th, 2009
12:16 pm
Enter your comments here
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Andrea Owen
June 6th, 2009
3:35 pm
Thank you for this article. I am donating mine to NEDA for their display along with a goodbye letter to them. My skinny jeans are from a time that I struggled with an eating disorder and getting rid of them is for me, the final step to freedom. For some, the number on that little label meant a lot to us at one time. If you can be like the previous poster and use your skinny jeans to “keep you in check” than more power to you…but for many, too small clothing from the past represents something much bigger, something you couldn’t understand unless you have been there.
Again, thanks!
http://www.liveyourideallife.blogspot.com
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Jer
June 6th, 2009
4:10 pm
“The Beautiful Truth” is a movie with helpful information for those seeking to heal cancer. Check it out if you have time… http://www.netflix.com/Movie/The_Beautiful_Truth/70108390?lnkce=seRtLn&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=1961194725_0_0
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Jer
June 6th, 2009
4:14 pm
Actually, just in case that previous link doesn’t work, here is another reference to the documentary about health, diet, cancer and the food and health care business in the US: The Beautiful Truth http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1288553/
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Davis
June 6th, 2009
11:36 pm
Those hanging product displays that hang on shelves, are not placed willy-nilly. I have found them hiding less expensive items. Like the least expensive pure maple syrup.
I have also called a manager over to the bread isle to price more expensive loaves of bread with out shelve labels. I can’t always see the price and occasionally there isn’t one. It always seems to be the more expensive loaves that I can’t find a price on.
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Patty Prime
June 7th, 2009
1:01 am
My husband died 60 days after being given the bad news that he hAD STAGE 4 bILE DUCT CANCER. tHE DOCTORS GAVE HIM NO HELP WITH TREATMENT. ONE DAY HE WAS FINE AND THE NEXT DAY HE HAD A BACK ACHE. THE DOCTORS SAID THAT HE HAD CANCER FOR A LONG TIME. WHAT IS A LONG TIME. HOW LONG WAS THIS CANCER EATING AWAY AT HIM? HE WAS 55.
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Christina
June 7th, 2009
2:51 am
Winfield,
I think what you have brought up is very interesting. I’m still unsure of how to ‘treat’ cancer, despite the cause. You say to still remove it, so still chemo/radiation, etc?
Also, many people experience oxygen deprivation to the whole body or only one organ but do not develop cancer. Why do some develop cancer after oxygen deprivation and others don’t? Is there a way to prevent the oxygen deprivation that creates cancer cells?
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Winfield J. Abbe
June 7th, 2009
6:06 am
The scientific method that one assumes all “scientists” voluntarily comply with, involves a number of basic principles: Intellectual honesty, open mindedness, the ability to reproduce experimental results of others at different locations and different times, precision and accuracy in data calculations, the logical rules of mathematics, and following the laws of physics and chemistry and acknowledging the earlier experimental and theoretical work of others, lack of conflicts of interest, etc. There is no universal “police department” to force scientists to comply with the rules. Normally one would assume that no true scientists, especially one doing science for the benefit of mankind in medical research, would violate the rules. But when you read the referemces I have provided above, and many others, you find indeed some of them have been violating the rules, and that is why the war on cancer has failed so miserably. Space here does not permit a full elucidation and proof of how these scientists and “cancer generals” of the war on cancer have violated all the rules of science in the sqandering of trillions of public and private dollars for the past almost 40 years. All concerned citizens must read the above references and many others for the proof of this claim. I agree this type of reading is not much fun and not very inspiring of the human spirit.
Issac Newton and Galileo GAlilei were genius level scientists who lived almost 4 centuries ago. Galileo Galilei basically taught us and set the rules for the scientific method that all true scientists follow today. These great scientists made seminal discoveries in many areas of physics, especially, the laws of gravitation and the motions of bodies. Just because these dicoveries were made long ago does not make them any less valid than discoveries made yesterday or only one century ago. They are just as valid today as the day they were published. Suppose the engineers of today denied and failed to comply with them. Our planes would not fly, our buildings would collapse, the space shuttle would explode or crash, our ships would sink, etc. In short our civilization would not exist in the present form. One pays a heavy price when one denies the laws of physics and chemistry proved from experiments and facts following the scientific method in the laboratory as Galileo Galilei taught us to do, and Issac Newton taught us to do, and all the other subsequent great scientists too.
Again space does not permit a full elucidation here about why the war on cancer is such a dismal failure despite the expenditure of billions of public and private dollars. A large part of the problem is that the money of pharmaceutical companies has created enormous conflicts of interest between the dictum to follow the rules of science on the one hand, or follow the desires and whims of the pharmaceutical companies to make money through the patenting process of drugs. Pharmaceutical companies are larger than government. They can buy virtually anything and everything they want. While it is true they have provided many good things to our civilization, the war on cancer is not one of them.
After the squandering of multi billions of public and private dollars, still, about one person every minute dies in the U.S. either from cancer, treatment or both, usually treatment. Unfortunately or fortunately, as the case may be, there is usually no autopsy, let alone a true and objective one after a cancer patient dies while under “treatment”, to prove the exact and true cause of death. But all approved medical cancer treatments in the U.S. are life threatening. No patient will be treated without having first signed a waiver, expempting the doctor from legal liability. So one could have just as well died of the treatment rather than the disease and often do. But most doctors in charge will claim, and most newspapers will report, falsely, that a cancer patient under treatment who dies, died of the cancer rather than the treatment. They will usually say “sorry, we did our best”. But if you read the above references, you will realize that no, they did not do their best at all.
Many years ago a distinguished professor of medical physics and physiology and an expert in medical statistics at UC Berkeley, the late Hardin Jones, Ph.D., proved that cancer patients who did not receive the orthodox treament of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation lived up to 4 times longer than those who did receive such treatments! Little has changed today. The best way to fool people is with statistics. Do you remember what Mark Twain said about statistics: “There are lies, ….lies and statistics”. But after all is said and done, we all know the dismal failure of the cancer generals and the war on cancer. No other group in society would have been so indulged in failure as the cancer generals have been over the years. The time is long overdue that they be removed from their undeserved positions of power in the institutes of health of the United States, and replaced by some true scientists who are not conflicted and corrupted by the pharmaceutical companies and prejudice and failure to follow the scientific method.
When you read about cancer one thing becomes clear: Isn’t it better to prevent you house from burning down than to try to repair it after it has burned to the ground? “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. The problem is, that because the cancer generals have failed to follow the scientific method and denied the experiments and facts developed in Dr. Warburg’s and many other laboratories around the world, those in charge at the NIH, NCI and FCA do not or claim to not agree on the basic science of cancer, and therefore do not agree on how to prevent it. Suppose we did not agree on how to prevent houses from burning down? This is the core of the problem.
Furthermore, if these “scientists” called the cancer generals, many with Ph.D. degrees from “prestigious” institutions, cannot and do not accept the experiments and facts of Dr. WArburg about cancer, for whatever reason, honest or corrupt, they then cannot agree on a means to prevent and study the various ways to prevent and treat the disease once developed in the body. It seems so simple doesn’t it? If cancer is caused by oxygen deficiency to living cells, all we have to do is make sure there is plenty of oxygen to all cells don’t we? End of story and no money for the drug companies. Unfortunately it is not that simple. As any medical doctor will tell you, the system of the human body responsible for providing necessary oxygen to every one of the roughly 100 trillion cells of the human body is called the respiratory system. This system is responsible for distributing that oxygen breathed into your lungs and transferred to your red blood cells throughout all the arteries of your body, to every cell in every organ even down deep inside every bone! This is an enormously difficult and complex job. AFter all you don’t have a blood vessel next to every cell do you? Therefore, how does the oxygen get from a blood vessel to a remote cell in the prostate gland or the breast or the pancreas or the liver or the bone in your big toe? The oxygen molecules leave the blood at the arteries and move about inside your body by a physics process called diffusion. When those oxygen molecules get near certain living cells, they then must get through the cell wall which is usually made of materials including essentially fatty acids, fatty material that attracts oxygen very much like a dead fish attracts oxygen and quickly becomes rancid (smells bad). Once the oxygen is inside the cell, it then provides the energy for the cell to operate in a myriad of complex biochemical processes. This complex process continues continuously in time for the life of every human or living being. Without Mother oxygen, no life as we know it is possible. But suppose the cancer generals, in charge of the war on cancer, and who dole out the government money to study it, deny the experiments and facts proving that when inadequate amounts of oxygen are provided to any cell in your body, it becomes malignant? They won’t study this subject in the proper way and discover both how to prevent cancer and how to treat it when it develops into a clinical, observable disease. This is why the war on cancer is a dismal failure and why the prejudiced cancer generals must be fired and replaced by others who will read the experiments and facts reported in the 500 scientific papers of Otto Warburg and acknowledge them and act on that knowledge, rather than denying that knowledge. Much more emphasis must be placed on prevention since it is so difficult to prevent cancer once it has developed inside the human body. However, there is additional knowledge that the cancer generals have also denied and obstructed, that is useful for treating the disease, but it also has not been legitimately studied because the cancer generals have obstructed its study.
It has been known since about 1969 that vitamin C kills cancer cells at high doses. We even understand exactly how this process works; the vitamin C produces hydrogen peroxide inside the cancer cell which then kills the cancer cell. This was proved as early as 1957. This is really the “magic bullet” one has “searched” for for decades to treat cancer, but because of prejudice of the cancer generals against it, corrupted by the pharmaceutical companies agsinst it since they wouldn’t make any money since vitamin C is a natural substance, they have not studied this substance in the treatment of cancer in the proper scientific fashion. Indeed, it has been used to treat advanced cancer patients very successfully. A reference is provided below.
In summary then, first one must prevent cancer at all costs. This must be done in a variety of ways: Avoid all secondary causes of cancer as one avoids secondary causes of the plague, rats and filth. With cancer it means avoiding cancer causing chemicals, high energy radiation and poisons in our environment that cause cancer by in turn impairing oxygen to cells. It means taking into our bodies the “right” nutrients that aid in oxygen transfer into our cells, like eating foods that contain the essential fatty acids that aid in oxygen tranfer and taking vitamins and minerals that enhance the efficiency of the respiratory system. It means placing pressure on our government officials and elected officials to take their heads out of the sand and stop rewarding failure by the failed cancer generals of the war on cancer and replace them with others who will follow the true scientific method in the study of this horrible disease. One thing is certain. The cure is not around the next billion dollar corner as they would have us believe every spring at fund raising time, especially when no fundamental changes are made in the corrupt, failed non leadership by the non scientists running the NIH, NCI and FDA who have failed so miserably and dismally for so many years. Would you continue to pay a car mechanic over and over and over again for failure and then not even demand your money back? Have you ever heard of a medical doctor treating a patient with the only approved cancer treatment in the U.S., who may have even killed the patient from the treatment, offering to refund the money charged by that doctor and hospital for the quack treatment? I never have. People must wake up, read up and speak up or nothing will ever change. This is why I have said not only must the cancer generals be fired immediately, they must be prosecuted for scientific misconduct, fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity. If we had had 40 years of true scientific research on this subject, following the experiments and facts elucidated by Dr. Warburg, M.D., Ph.D., we would likely be on the fast trac to prevent this horrible disease today, and possibly even cure it too. However, we must put an end to the failed non science of the medical orthdoxy today.
Even if you don’t know or understand anything else, over half a million dead victims every year means FAILURE by any standard does it not?
“Cancer and Vitamin C Therapy for Patients” by Reagan Houston, M.S., P.E., Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Aug./SEpt., 2007.
“Cancer-Its Cause, Prevention and Cure” by John P. Dobbins, Sc.D., Cytobiologische Revue, No. 3, pp. 123-134, 1985.
Winfield J. Abbe, Ph.D., Physics
150 Raintree Ct.
Athens, GA 30607
Note: None of the criticisms made above are intended to apply to the medical doctor in the above article.
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Me
June 7th, 2009
8:39 am
Good article– lots of useful advice for Democrats, about taking responsibility for their actions. No mention of a “Grocery Store Czar” to help avoid the end-caps, as of yet. Obama’ll be back next week; maybe then.
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Jerry
June 7th, 2009
9:11 am
Read the “Made in”/”Country of Origin” labels. I don’t buy anything I can’t link to a country. If it doesn’t say it’s a product of the USA, I don’t buy it, period. And believe me this is tough. Supermarkets buy globally from the lowest bidder. No quality/safety control at all. Composite products don’t list the country of origin, so I don’t buy them.
Buy at local Farmers Markets and get better food at a better price.
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@Edw3rd
June 7th, 2009
9:22 am
I really can’t believe this is written by a journalist. Is this intended as humorous? We should now be at war with our grocery store for deceptive practices because they merchandize seasonal items? Should we really believe they are trying to steal our money? It sure would be easier if the government simply deliver an approved, prepared box of weekly staples for each and every family, wouldn’t it? Then we wouldn’t have to shop at all. And just think how much gas we’d save!
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Paddy
June 7th, 2009
12:00 pm
Don’t believe this article is getting the response that they expected. We don’t need to be told how to shop properly. It is not a course that is taught at MIT. We Americans are smart, regardless of what the politico’s might want you to believe. I, for one, will not dumb down. I do not need to be told how to lead a useful and productive life. This article is crap like so much else being shoved down our gullett. I will go now and be a productive and independent thinking American. Enough already. When will garbage like this stop being pounded on us. Spark People and Mr. Yoo can go pound salt.
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J. R.
June 7th, 2009
7:44 pm
What an idiot the writer is! Her headline “suckered” me into reading the stupid article. Boycott the writer and the AJC for even printing it.
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Katie
June 7th, 2009
9:21 pm
Make your own salad dressings-it is so much better and costs less-here’s an easy one…1/3 cup olive oil-1/3 cup rice bran oil(super healthy), 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, teaspoon dijon mustard, salt and pepper and a little garlic-very tasty!
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Peggy
June 7th, 2009
11:55 pm
My husband had pancreatic cancer; Dr. Kooby was his doctor. He was diagnosed on Jun 12, 2008 and died on June 19, 2008. He was 38 years old and had none of the known risk factors; in fact one month prior to his illness he was running 10 K races. Pancreatic cancer is a terrible, horrible disease. I think if we really want to beat pancreatic cancer we have to get the word out–to our friends, family, neighbors, etc and urge them to do what they can to increase research for diagnosis and treatment. There are ways to help at http://www.pancan.org.
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Jane
June 8th, 2009
2:34 am
What an interesting load of comments. I lost a cousin to this disease-pancreatic cancer. She was 62 and died exactly 6 months after the doctor said she had 6 months to live. Didn’t do my MS any good either -the knowledge. My brother has had pancreatitis a couple of times would this put him at risk?
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NavyMom
June 8th, 2009
3:11 am
OMG – I’m so pleased and shocked to see Dr. Kooby’s article as I have an appointment with him this week. He is THE BEST doctor I have ever met. He removed a non malignang tumor from my pancreas six years ago. He is the most caring and polite doctor / surgeon I have ever met.
Also I would like to add that I am 41 and when I was diagnosed I wasn’t overweight, a smoker or heavy drinker – PEOPLE PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUS. I am having another bout with pancreatitis now and I don’t meet any of the criteria other than being African American.
@Peggy so sorry to hear of your loss. I am praying all goes well with me this week and I don’t have another mass / cancer.
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stevew
June 8th, 2009
5:36 am
IS THAT WHAT MR. OBAMA SAYS WE SHOULD DO. HAS HE APPOINTED A CZAR OR AT LEAST A COMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER? AND IF I HAPPEN TO BUY THE MOST EXPENSIVE ITEM WILL HE SEND ME A CHECK TO COVER WHAT I COULD NOT AFFORD BUT WANTED??
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Turd Ferguson
June 8th, 2009
11:22 am
Agreed…we need Congress and Obama to investigate this matter. Unhealthy/Fat Americans need to be put on a diet.
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BITTER REPUBLICANS!!!
June 8th, 2009
12:36 pm
You know it’s so amazing to me how many of you BITTER REPUBLICANS still isn’t over the fact that Obama is now the President of the U.S.!!! THANK GOD BOTH BUSH AND THOSE RIP OFF REPUBLICANS ARE OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE!!!!
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J.D.
June 8th, 2009
1:25 pm
It’s a shame his employer took that attitude and fired him. Severing an employee due to illness is akin to filing for a divorce from an ailing spouse. It’s inappropriate and frowned upon when it becomes public knowledge. Congrats on the fresh start.
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JB
June 8th, 2009
2:34 pm
I expected the feedback to be more informative and more related to the article in a positive manner. I simply buy what I can afford and enjoy. Also, I do try generic and main brand items to compare taste–sometimes at the same meal. Then I feel my money is better spent next time. Some store brands have a better taste than the overly expensive ones. I do not enjoy wasting my time looking for a particular brand that has been separated from the main display.
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Charlotte
June 8th, 2009
3:27 pm
Why is it that we give so much money for cancer research and yet there is no absolute cure? We are giving millions and billions of dollars each year for cancer research and there is no cure! My father passed away of Pancreatic Cancer in 1999, and yet there is still no cure. Are we as Americans being duped by the scientists and BIG Pharma? Honestly, let’s really consider this issue. Think of the billions of dollars that are raised for breast cancer each year. Why hasn’t there been a cure yet for breast cancer? You mean to tell me that the most richest and most technological country on the face of the earth can’t find a cure for any cancer? Something is terribly wrong. Sir Winfield J. Abbe, THANK YOU! Thank You for your knowledge and wisdom regarding this subject matter.
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George
June 8th, 2009
4:35 pm
Since the medical aspect of this disease, why it happens, and what might prevent it, has already been blogged extensively by much smarter people than me, I felt I should give you my personal experience with the author, Dr. Kooby.
I was diagnosed with pancriatic cancer 13 months ago. Dr. Kooby performed a Whipple on me on July 16th of 2008. I had 12 sessions of chemo after that. Other than weight loss (40 lbs, from 165 to 125), and an extremely painful couple of months while my digestive system got used to it’s re-arrangement, everything is going fine.
I can, however, unequivocally say one thing. Dr. Kooby is an extremely talented surgeon and, in my opinion, and just as important, an extremely caring and dedicated individual (how many Doctors do you know would give you their cell phone number and tell you to call them any time). During my long surgery he and his staff kept my wife and our son well informed during their nerve racking wait, calling them several times with updates from the operating room. He was extremely compassionate with me, and more importantly, with my family. It made things a lot easier for all of us.
If you, or anyone you know gets this awful disease, make an appointment with Dr. Kooby.
By the way, tomorrow is my birthday. I made it to 63!, and thanks to Dr. Kooby, his staff,and the great people at Emory, plan on celebrating many, many, more.
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Brenda
June 8th, 2009
6:37 pm
I hope your health and good luck continue! You all look so happy together! I love photography also but am just a beginner! Good luck and may GOD continue to Bless you!
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Karen Martin
June 8th, 2009
7:21 pm
Your story inspired me and gave me hope. I am not battling cancer, but I am battling other health issues. He is a hero and what a wonderful wife you are to stand by him. I like that “he chose life” – So many people can learn and be encouraged. Jesus is the ultimate healer and I think it is great your husband is finally able to pursue his passion. Thank you for your story!
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Paddy
June 8th, 2009
8:56 pm
JB …it was not more positive because the writers of this article really ticked people off. And Iam brand loyal to only a few items. Would never use anything else but Hellmann’s mayo
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Clif Thorp
June 9th, 2009
10:37 am
I find your story truly inspirational… I was diagnosed with head and neck cancer this past February… although most of my family (on my mother’s side) have died of cancer ranging in age from 18 – 43… my reaction to my diagnosis surprised me. I was overcome with a feeling of selflessness… my reaction was not “how does this affect me” but “how is this going to affect my friends and family”… I finally realized that of all the people in my life… I was the least important to me!
Yesterday my youngest brother told me that in a conversation with a cousin he said that if I was asked what were the best 5 months out of my 53 years… I would say the last 5 months… he was right… best of luck… hope to meet you down the road… years from now…
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HEALTHY EATING Work with genes in making choices | Better Health
June 9th, 2009
10:44 am
[...] the original here: HEALTHY EATING Work with genes in making choices | Better Health Share and [...]
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Uncle Irving
June 9th, 2009
1:51 pm
I am pleased with your message and happy that my prayers were answered. I send much Love to all of you.
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Anne Weeks
June 9th, 2009
1:51 pm
What is head and neck cancer?
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C Timmons
June 9th, 2009
2:28 pm
I had a similar diagnosis, but a COMPLETELY different response from my employer. Like Herb, I was diagnosed in late 2007.
Unlike Herb, I had actually vacated by position only one month prior to my diagnosis. Not surprisingly, my new employer’s disability insurance company refused to offer me coverage. Upon hearing of my condition and challenges, my former employer offered me my former position and colleagues in my office came together and DONATED A YEAR OF SICK LEAVE! It was critical to my successful treatment and healing! H&N cancer treatment is a painful one and it completely wiped me out. I would have never paid the mortgage without the kindness and material support of my employer and colleagues. Their support saved my live.
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Zletr Blake
June 9th, 2009
3:20 pm
Thank you for your article. My story is so unlike yours but my husband of 4 years was diagnosed with prostrate cancer and subsequently did not make it. My reaction to the diagnoses was completely selfish because I turned to my husband and made him promise to beat this thing. He lived only 13 more months after the diagnose. I am happy that Herb made it and C Timmons, you work with a dynamic group of people. Its news like that that make me continue to believe in people at the workplace being just as human as I had prayed they would be. Very touching indeed.
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Phillie
June 9th, 2009
3:36 pm
Some of the best kettlebell prices I have found are at http://www.eSportsonline.com
Right now they are all 20% off too!
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AJ
June 9th, 2009
4:22 pm
My mother-in-law was just diagnosed yesterday (6/8) with Pancreatic Cancer at at age 77. She ate nothing but organic foods and did not smoke. Our family is in shock because she is so active and eats very healthy. We do not know what stage she is in because they are still running test. My heart and prayers are with everyone who has or knows any person with Pancreatic Cancer.
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Herve
June 9th, 2009
5:25 pm
touching and inspiring…
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Jerry
June 10th, 2009
2:11 am
Dr M has a major stake in GEOVAX, he is just selling his company. Will his vaccine work? That is the question. Should someone buy it just because a doctor tells you he believes in his work? I wouldn’t without more results and disclosure.
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Sherry
June 10th, 2009
1:18 pm
My mother died of Pancreatic Cancer Feb. 2008. 2 months after she started feeling symptoms, Abdominal pain, heartburn, back pain. She was a smoker for many years. She thought she had an ulcer. Catscan showed Pancreatic cancer, had spread to her liver and lymph nodes, 2 wks after official diagnosis she died. This was the hardest thing I have ever went though, so painfull to watch her painful suffering. This cancer is a nightmare.
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Sherry
June 10th, 2009
2:00 pm
I forgot to mention she was only 64.
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Sherry
June 10th, 2009
2:02 pm
I didn’t mention above that my mother was only 64.
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lovelyliz
June 10th, 2009
2:44 pm
My father went into the hospital on a Tuesday in April for what was to be a simple in and out in 2 days procedure. My mother was scheduled to have a mastectomy the following Wednesday long after Dad was supposed to be out of the hospital. Unfortunately his kidney shopped functioning and Dad was transferred around midnight, placed immediately into intensive care. He stabilized and Mom went ahead with the operation as scheduled because when she was first diagnosed, Dad said she was the priority. So Mom went in on Wednesday and out on Thursday. She stayed home for 2 days and then made the daily trips to see Dad who died a week later.
Can you imagine packing up your drains to attend your husband’s funeral? Luckily my brother who lives with Mom really stepped up. He’s always needed to be the knight in shining armor, which lead to so really bad relationships, but he been there for her ever since. And now Mom is going to live to see another grandchild born. One she’s convince was conceived after a year of trying because once in heaven, Dad had to find somethi9ng to do.
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AnnieR
June 10th, 2009
2:48 pm
Sparkpeople is great, I’ve been a member for a few months now. There are some great tools available for losing weight, working out and general overall heatlh, check it out!
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Rob
June 10th, 2009
2:59 pm
Part of the reason cancer hasn’t been cured is that there is too much money in keeping it around. Fact: the American Cancer Society is the largest medically related charity in the U.S. and it’s executives make a very comfortable living. It was reported on NPR a few years ago that former staff members have made the accusation that many promising cures researched by the ACS have been quashed before ever reaching large scale clinical trials. Why do you suppose that is? Add to that the money made by the pharmaceutical firms in supplying chemotherapy drugs and you have a pretty strong motive for making sure that cancer is never cured.
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Wanda
June 10th, 2009
3:40 pm
If you or a family member have recently been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer please make an appt. with Dr. Kooby. What a caring Dr. His staff was wonderful also.
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T
June 10th, 2009
4:35 pm
I really don’t get why people are so fired up over an article intended to help us make better informed decisions. They highlighted some common practices to make us aware of them… don’t see how that has anything to do w/ government or politics at all.
Anyhow, for me, the end caps are definitely the toughest to avoid in terms of impulse grabs!
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BOBBI
June 11th, 2009
12:44 pm
We lost a very loving friend of the family also, she never drank or smoked. She exercised and at the age of 60 could still wear a string bikini. In addition she was white female, so the article doesnt help us. She fought and survived more than a year more then the men in white coats gave her.
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Randy Ladd
June 11th, 2009
3:10 pm
Great article! Precise and to the point. I lost my father on May 27, 2009 to this dreadful disease. I had never even heard of it until he was diagnosed. As awful as it is, one positive note for Patrick Swayze’s diagnosis is that he has become a vehicle for awareness and education on this disease.
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momo
June 11th, 2009
5:49 pm
calorie theory is wrong, duh, everyone should know it by now, calories are neither here nor there, it’s the glycemic index which matters. if the calorie theory were right, people would lose weight and keep it off, but in fact people lose weight then gain more, then lose weight then gain even more, and once they cycle a few decades like this are no longer able to lose any weight even if they only eat 500 calories a day.
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Jborodawg
June 12th, 2009
8:19 am
It’s always been pretty simple: burn off more than you take in.
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Ken
June 12th, 2009
8:22 am
These comments make me laugh. Americans are smart? give it up… Americans are fat, stupid and lazy. Most people are so ignorant that they need this kind of advice.
Get real people…
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JF McNamara
June 12th, 2009
8:34 am
Momo, calories are the only thing that you need to focus on, and it’s not a theory. You’re giving false information. If you create an imbalance of 3500 calories, you lose 1 pound.
The article clearly explains why people cycle. After they diet, they begin consuming more calories than they burn again by resuming their “normal” diet. That’s the diet that gained the weight to start with.
If you understand how many calories your body burns, you can always lose weight. The reason you have problems after decades is that your metabolism has naturally slowed from old age. It has nothing to do with yoyo dieting.
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Nick
June 12th, 2009
9:29 am
Great article. It’s true. I was never “fat” but wanted to slim down a bit as I had reached the top limit of my “normal” weight range last fall. Since then I’ve lost 21 pounds in 28 weeks and back to the middle of my normal range – all while eating brownie bites or cookies (from Whole Foods) for breakfast 5 days a week!
The thing is, I don’t eat fast food and I eat modest portions of yogurt, fruit and cheese, and organic frozen dinners (at work) the rest of the day. I also allow myself to splurge on a “larger” dinner a couple times a week (e.g. a pork chop, couple slices of pizza, or dining out). To offset this I do yoga every week and have started swimming. I also live in a walkable neighborhood which helps!
Since I eat food I like, I don’t feel deprived. I’ve learned to set limits on portion size *before* I eat, whenever possible, and I think that (plus the exercise) is key. But I don’t beat myself up for going out to eat with friends and overdoing it once in a while, either.
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L.S.
June 12th, 2009
10:06 am
This article and the pictures are making me hungry.
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Snoopermom
June 12th, 2009
10:18 am
I’ve lost 12 pounds since I started “dieting” 6 weeks ago … I have not cut out any foods that I love – I have merely cut back on the portion sizes and relized that if I get the slightest hunger pang, I don’t have to grab a handful of Cheezits (my favorites!). Carrots and apples are a great snack and easy to have at my desk. If I deny myself the foods that I really love, I will never stick with the change in my eating habits. Walking has really helped – I still stroll with the dogs, but I’ve also starting taking brisk 45 minute walks around a nearby school campus that includes inclines and steps.
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Jami
June 12th, 2009
12:32 pm
I lost seventy lbs by exercising three hours a day, eating fruit, vegetables, lean protein. Kept the weight off for 2 years but started an stressful job after college and overeating, not exercising led to weight gain .My weight has fluctuated ever since and I’m learning moderation is key, eat sweets and fried foods when you have a craving but once a week, not everyday aim for at least 30 minutes of a day to maintain weight but at least an hour if you want lose don’t let your emotions dictate your food choices or portions.
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Evan
June 12th, 2009
2:59 pm
I stopped hanging around people who smoked and tried to avoid places where smoking was allowed. I also joined my neighborhood tennis team and spend most of my free time practicing my tennis game. That has helped me keep my mind off of smoking but it has also helped me get into better shape. I have also made some great friends on the team and I became a pretty dang good player.
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Larry
June 12th, 2009
3:11 pm
I quit smoking and gained 100 pounds. I lost 75 pounds in 7 months on the Atkins Diet. I felt great – cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar – all the blood work was great! I ate a modified diet, limiting carbs and kept the weight off for almost 10 years. Fat doesn’t make you fat sugar does. (carbs)
Two years ago, I started he eat more bread (my addiction), more sweets, more everything. I’ve gained 55 pounds back and my blood work shows it too! Limiting unnecessary carbs is the best and healthiest way to lose weight and keep it off. Moderation is good, but if your fat, limiting carbs is best way to lose pounds.
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paul perdue
June 12th, 2009
3:23 pm
I took wellbutrin to suppress the urges. That worked great. Then I tried not to hang around it. Other activities like working out, cycling, running all helped to make me stop.
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YUKI
June 12th, 2009
3:24 pm
I got pregnant and never smoked again.
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Tyree
June 12th, 2009
3:26 pm
My work environment is smoke free. I got tired of the cravings during the work day. The first week was torture. I used the nicotine losengenzes when things got really bad. Slowly the cravings subsided and I was free from the habit. It’s been almost 5 years. Now, I can’t stand the smell nor the sight of a smoker. Quit now if you’re a smoker. You thank yourself soon enough and be free of that nasty, nasty nasty habit.
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Carey
June 12th, 2009
3:27 pm
A little bit at a time – First, I stopped smoking in the car. Next, I stopped smoking in the house. Then I stopped after breakfast. Then I took 3 days off from work and spent them in bed, mostly sleeping and watching TV. I didn’t drink alcohol for a long time. For the next couple of years, my husband still smoked, and I would have one or 2 cigarettes at night. When he quit two years ago, I found that those last two cigarettes were almost as hard to give up as going cold turkey! It was so important to me that my husband not smoke, due to health issues, that this was the final motivation I need to truly stop smoking. It will be 2 years in August for both of us!
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Deirdre
June 12th, 2009
3:38 pm
I stopped smoking in 1971 when my dad was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx…clearly a result of his 40+ years of smoking.
8 years later I was in a play that required the character I was playing to smoke. Try as hard as I could, I could NOT prevent myself from inhaling. The play ran every weekend for 4 weeks. I enjoyed every cigarette I had during those 4 weeks(plus rehearsal time). I’ve never been prouder of myself than when I put cigarettes out of my life for good when that play ended.
Cold turkey…no “helpers”. It was the only way that worked for me.
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Do what I say, not what I do....
June 12th, 2009
3:41 pm
I stopped by watching the president’s good example.. oh wait.. he smokes still.
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David
June 12th, 2009
3:52 pm
I just quit. I made it through an hour, then a day, and then a week. That was 12 years ago. I also drank a glass of water whenever I had the urge to smoke. The bad news is that you never completely lose the desire to have a cigarette.
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gadem
June 12th, 2009
4:18 pm
I just stopped cold turkey…i have urges at time, but I occupy my mind with other things. The good thing is that the smell totally turns my stomach and so that is a deterrent as well.
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Bobbie
June 12th, 2009
4:32 pm
I Quit cold turkey in 1983. It took all of the will power I had to avoid cheating. I thank God I had the sense to quit. My health really improved and I did lose my desire.
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Carlton
June 12th, 2009
4:38 pm
I quit cold turkey in 1982 with 2 other friends. One friend restarted and died 2 years later of lung cancer. It was the most difficult thing I ever did and I was so proud that I was able to accomplish it.. Today, I still would not smoke one cigaratte because I know I would be hooked all over again. For years I would still get the urge to smoke but they came further and further apart.
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Linda Knight
June 12th, 2009
5:45 pm
I stopped smoking in Febuary of 2008. It was my time to quit, cold turkey. I went to Paris in March of 2008 for two weeks. My traveling companion,my sister, is a non-smoker. It really was easier than I thought. I loved my smoke-free trip. So, if you want to quit smoking….. GO TO PARIS!!
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Melissa
June 13th, 2009
12:05 pm
I asked my doctor for Chantix. It worked great and I was surprised that I had no cravings. I have been smoke-free for over 2-1/2 years and still have no cravings. All my previous attempts failed including Zyban, nicotine gum, patches, cold-turkey, and even hypnosis.
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Hank
June 14th, 2009
12:21 pm
It is nice to see that Dr. Lah and his colleagues are developing a simple screening test for MCI. I have been experiencing symptoms of MCI for several years now and no one could find a cause. The general response I would get was, your depressed, everything seems normal. Other health problem were found and treated but my core complaint, Cognitive problems, was always dismissed as in my head. It’s an easy out when the doctor doesn’t have the answer
I’m lucky I guess, as I am a stubborn SOB and would not let it rest. I recently had some disc problems and I saw a Neurologist. I told his PA about my cognitive problems and talked her into doing an MRI and a one hour Neuro Psych exam.. I had had an MRI about 3 years ago which two Neurologists looked at, including the author of this article, and I was told then that there was no physical problems in my brain that could cause my MCI..
My new neurologist told me that I have been having silent strokes for quite a while. He even showed me the MRI and pointed out where I had many white matter lesions. Looking back over my previous MRI results these were evident and even pointed out by the radiologist yet ignored in the final diagnosis. .
I’m starting Aircept. I’m told that it should greatly reduce but not eliminate the progression of the MCI. If I had started it 3 years ago when the problem was ignored, I would probably not have lost (and will never regain) anywhere near the cognitive functions I have. Early detection tests are only good if the doctors actually pays attention to them. As JoAnn said, “you have to take your health in your own hands” For whatever reason you can’t always depend on doctors to do what is in your best interest.
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big_fort
June 14th, 2009
8:51 pm
I quit cold turkey. After several failed attempts, I did as my mother did and just quit.
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HEALTHY EATING Think of add-ons as accessories | Better Health
June 14th, 2009
10:34 pm
[...] the original post: HEALTHY EATING Think of add-ons as accessories | Better Health Share and [...]
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Jerri Emory
June 15th, 2009
1:06 am
I lost my husband on November 16, 2006; five weeks and one day after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The first symptom that anything was wrong with him at all was a backache between his shoulder blades. He smoked and drank, but had been very healthy his whole life; he averaged a cold a year and never missed work because of illness. He was physically active and ate fairly well. There’s no definitive test for pancreatic cancer in its early stages; most of the time it’s stage IV when it’s found. I am hopeful that there will be an affordable preventative vaccine developed. Watching him suffer is the hardest thing I’ve done; being widowed is a close second.
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socialismsux
June 15th, 2009
7:39 am
It’s difficult to believe so many shoppers are even capable of outsmarting anyone when they can’t even do the per item math on 10 for $10. Retailers count on their ignorance. Why is it not mandatory that they learn this and how to balance a checkbook before they are allowed out in the world?
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Kevin Franklin
June 15th, 2009
8:42 am
I used Chantix for 5 months. My wife referred to them as my ‘Happy Pills’. I did not have any of the typical side effects of quitting. I just seemed to feel happier. I did have some very vivid dreams, though. I have not had a cigarette since April 15, 2008. I do get a slight twinge of a craving for one. When I do, I will usually eat a mint. I do find the smell of cigarettes offensive now. BTW, I smoked for about 30 years.
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Larry
June 15th, 2009
9:43 am
I smoked for over 40 years and quit at least 40 times!
I tried Welbutrin for a year, I couldn’t tell any difference the day I started or the day I stopped taking it. I did finally quit smoking for 5 months while taking Chantix for only 4 months. The Chantix worked great, a few vivid dreams, not bad dreams, but I could remember every detail. The day my prescription ran out I started planning my first cigarette, I lasted three weeks before I smoked again. Six months later I tried quitting again.
I quit 2 ½ tears ago after taking Chantix for a full 6 months. I haven’t had a single puff since! I stay away from places where people are smoking. But, I still have strong urges sometimes. I take five deep breathes, release it slowly and remind my self why I quit.
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Annelies
June 15th, 2009
7:06 pm
To start with: there are 127 strains of the HPV-virus. Gardasil and Cervarix may protect against only the dangerous strains 16 and 18 and two innocent strains. That leaves 127 minus 4 = 123 strains of the HPV-virus left. Many can cause cancer. Merk and GSK and the docters don’t tell you this.
Next thing you need to know, is that both Gardasil and Cervarix are NOT proven vaccines!! They’re only tested for six and a half years. You’ll need to be vaccinated every 3 to 5 years with this vaccine.
ERGO: Gardasil and Cervarix are NOT anti-cancer-vaccines.
We’ll know at least 15 to 20 years from now, whether these vaccines are working for the strains 16 and 18.
That means : You can still get cervical-cancer after the vaccintion with Gardasil and Cervarix.
Annelies Witlam.
I.C.A.P. ( International Coalition of Advocates for the People )
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nic
June 16th, 2009
7:47 am
Yikes!! So I guess no sex is the best way to avoid HPV, even if you are married. That is scary.
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AnneS
June 16th, 2009
8:09 am
“Nicole Giacopelli, 17, gets a shot of the new cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil from her pediatrician, Dr. Jill Stoller, in Woodcliff Lake, N.J.”
Let’s hope she doesn’t become one of the THOUSANDS that has an adverse reaction or dies from this vaccine.
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D
June 16th, 2009
8:41 am
All of you offering platitudes and criticism of those who have suffered from something about which you know nothing need to get on your knees now and pray you never suffer from major depression.
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Aquagirl
June 16th, 2009
9:12 am
Let’s hope unvaccinated girls don’t become one of MILLIONS killed or maimed by HPV due to hysterical scaremongers.
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Susan
June 16th, 2009
9:54 am
Let’s hope the vaccine is useful and helps prevent cervical cancer.
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Carrie Johnson
June 16th, 2009
10:10 am
After having been a smoker for twelve years, I quit in August 2008 with Chantix. Over the years, I had tried unsuccessfully several times to quit smoking, using methods such as Zyban and cold turkey. I took Chantix for a month, and that was all I needed. I had some vivid dreams, but not bad dreams, as I had heard many people say they had. I probably should have taken it for another month or so, but I didn’t. So far, it’s turned out well. I can be in places where people are smoking, with no problems or cravings. I rarely even think about smoking anymore.
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Peachtree
June 16th, 2009
11:52 am
Right on, Aquagirl. And to Annelies — it is true that the vaccine protects only against four strains of HPV, but you totally neglected to point out that MOST cervical cancer and warts in the U.S. are caused by those 4 types, so your risk of getting cancer is thousands of times smaller if you get vaccinated. Also, you do NOT need to get a booster shot every 3-5 years — you obviously have no idea what you’re talking about. Finally, to say these vaccines are “unproven” is just silly — they have been tested far more thoroughly than most FDA-approved drugs. Let me guess that ICAP is just an organization you made up, since you clearly don’t really know anything about HPV or vaccines or medicine or science…
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Medicine Shoppe
June 16th, 2009
12:33 pm
I work for Medicine Shoppe and thus far our pharmacists recommended that girls between 11 and 12 years of age receive the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. It’s given as a series of three shots over the course of six months. Also, it’s highly recommended for girls between 13 and 18 years old if they have not yet been vaccinated. The good news is that older adult women are also seeing benefits from the vaccine. For more information about Gardasil ask your local pharmacist.
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tsmeg
June 16th, 2009
1:10 pm
They actually do recommend getting a “booster shot” every five years, after receiving the first initial shots because the vaccine is only effective for four and a half years. The ingredients in the vaccine contain aluminum (which has been associated with Alzheimer’s and CANCER), and sodium borate, a boric acid, which is an insecticide and anti-fugal that’s been banned in the U.S. as a food additive because it is toxic to all the human cells, and those are just a few to name. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that the vaccine is basically useless, “No significant evidence of a vaccine therapeutic effect was observed… it is unlikely that vaccination could have a significant beneficial impact on rate of lesion progression. There is little, if any, therapeutic benefit from the vaccine in the population we studied.” Diane M. Harper, M.D., a chief developer of Gardasil says that mandating the vaccine for young girls is ” a great big public health experiment,” and that ” the vaccine has not been out long enough for us to understand what all the potential side effects are going to be.” And she helped develop the vaccine! Some of the potential side effects are: genital warts, paralysis, blood clots, Bell’s Palsy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, seizures, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, gastroenteritis, appendicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, asthma, juvenile arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, reproductive system complications ( 33 out of 70 pregnant women who received Gardasil experienced spontaneous abortion and fetal abnormalities) and vaginal warts. Young women need to be informed of all the information, good and bad, before the make an informed decision.
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Cancer Survivor
June 16th, 2009
2:32 pm
I agree with Annelies. This is all true. But here’s the bigger thing they aren’t telling you. THE VACCINE IS EFFECTIVE IN THE MALE POPULATION, that spreads the vaccine. IF all the males were vaccinated, there would be no need to vaccinate young girls, but according to a recent paper it isn’t “cost effective” to vaccinate the males. The reality is that when your daughter reaches out for birthcontrol they want to give her the shot first. I know first hand that cervical cancer is a killer. I had ONE sex partner and contracted the disease thanks to an unfaithful husband. As a result it was a complete hysterectomy for me. You would think I would be cheering the HPV vaccine, but I am not! And yes, you have to get a booster shot FOREVER. Translation: you aren’t totally covered and there is no “cure.” like they want to announce. Young girls have no idea that sex with multiple partners literally destroys your body. Years from now when they want children of their own, I fear it shall be too late for them to learn this valuable lesson.
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Annon
June 16th, 2009
3:27 pm
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, June 16th 2009) has very favorably reviewed a book on “The HPV Vaccine Controversy: Sex, Cancer, God and Politics” authored by Shobha S. Krishnan, M.D, Barnard college, Columbia University. The book is to educate both professionals and the public about HPV infections, the diseases they cause and the role/ controversies surrounding the new vaccines. The book is written without the influence of any pharmaceutical companies or special interest groups and is available at amazon.com and Barnes and Noble .com. Link to the book: http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/C35011.aspx
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Aquagirl
June 16th, 2009
4:46 pm
Hey, tsmeg, nice spin. That quote about Gardasil being useless was in a study of women who ALREADY HAD BEEN INFECTED. It didn’t help them clear the virus quicker. Quote mining is a tactic of propagandists like the quack who wrote that article. It’s deliberate misinformation. And you spread it around like it’s okay to LIE.
I completely agree anyone who has a vaccine (or parents who give permission) should be fully informed. Your cut-and-paste lies are the problem….people read that crap and think it’s valid information because its on the internets tubes. People who read unbiased information and think rationally are the ones overwhelmingly in favor of vaccinations.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
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SV
June 16th, 2009
5:02 pm
According to these measurements, my bra size would be a 32C. I’ve owned that bra size. Spill out of it every time to look like a quad-boob, no matter the manufacturer. Turns out I am actually a 32D and in some manufacturers a 32DD. I would recommend people take these measurements as a possible GUIDELINE but be sure and try a size or two up for complete accuracy and comfort.
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Beth Moore
June 16th, 2009
10:48 pm
I totally agree with SV. These measurements indicate a “B” for me, but I am a definite “C.” Plus, all the manufacturers size bras differently and sizing can really get confusing if a single style is manufactured in multiple countries. Also, take the jumping jack test when you are in the fitting room…NO bounce and NO riding up when you raise your arms.
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Aline Lavigne
June 16th, 2009
11:56 pm
I just lost my brother to pancreatic cancer two days ago. My family is devastated. He was diagnosed in October 2008 at stage 4B and told he probably wouldn’t see 2009. We did some research and found a supplement that works with chemo specifically against pancreatic cancer, and for six months or so the cancer didn’t grow, and his quality of life was pretty good.Then it just took off like crazy, and at the end he went really fast. His name was David Lavigne, he was 48, a musician, and he died surrounded by a huge group of family and friends who truly loved him.
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RA
June 17th, 2009
11:43 am
If you believe in informed consent then why didn’t you criticize the good doctor’s letter for not disclosing the other side of the coin: side effects.
This is 30 girls have died. Many cases of paralysis and neurological side effects have occured. And there is no proof that this vaccine prevents cancer. It takes years to prove show that inference. That study wasn’t done. All that has been proven is it seem to prevent HPV (4 strains). Time will only show if the cases of cervical cancer rapidly and dramatically decrease. Which they won’t.
People are believing in a vaccine that
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Often Disappointed/Never Surprised!
June 17th, 2009
4:53 pm
I am a guy and I agree. Don’t like the quad look. Take it from a guy’s point of view, overstuffed bras are not very attractive. Neither are thongs that ride too high. Come on ladies. don’t appear so desperate. And for heaven’s sake, don’t ask a guy what is he staring at when you spend 20 minutes in the mirror propping and positioning it for display!
It is a sad woman who will pay a $400.00 for a purse but won’t buy a decent bra. Maybe I am wrong. Help me out ladies.
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RA
June 17th, 2009
6:24 pm
“Let’s hope unvaccinated girls don’t become one of MILLIONS killed or maimed by HPV due to hysterical scaremongers.” – aquagirl
Millions killed by what? 11,000 women get cervical cancer in the U.S. 3500 die from cervical cancer. Not all cervical cancer is caused by HPV. Not all HPV cervical cancer is caused by the 4 strains covered by gardasil. Not once single study has shown that gardasil prevents cancer.
Who’s the one being irrational and a fearmonger?
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Latest sports reviews news - Are you wearing the right spor | Sports Review
June 17th, 2009
7:08 pm
[...] Are you wearing the right sports bra? [...]
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My Yoga Videos » Blog Archive » Thinner You: Are you wearing the right sports bra?
June 18th, 2009
1:30 am
[...] Read the rest of the article here [...]
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Stan
June 18th, 2009
10:27 am
Wait, Dr can’t talk to their patients about that patients disabilities?
No obesity is NOT a disability and I do want my Dr to talk with me about mine, because I am working with the fact that the Dr probably knows more about healthy nutrition and excercise than I do. (ok I probably do know more about nutrition than my Dr but I am an exception).
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Bill Cranford
June 18th, 2009
6:26 pm
Until I no longer have to wait while the 300lb person in front of me (168lbs; 5′9″) and my grandchildren pile 8, yes, 8 pieces of pizza on their plate at CiCi’s , I’m going to be hard pressed to call them disabled. I will, however, say they should see a mental health professional as it may be an obsession, but I’m not a doctor so I personally think they should not accept temptation. I quit smoking after 45 years of 2 packs a day, they should be able to do the same when it comes to food.
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Patrick
June 18th, 2009
6:37 pm
Obesity, in almost all cases is not a disability. Poor eating habits are just that, poor eating habits. Is smoking a disability or just a bad habit? The lack of nutritional education plays a major role in obesity in America. That coupled with the fact that the least expensive foods are the absolute worst things to eat. Sure, excessive quantities of any food plays a role, especially corn and corn by products such as High Fructose Corn Syurp (HFCS). There are about 20 corn and corn by products in a single chicken Mcnugget alone. Educate people, demand higer quality, less processed foods from Agribusiness. Close all drive thru restaurants and our health care costs will be reduced significantly.
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Crosby
June 18th, 2009
6:55 pm
Some people are annoying, they just can’t help it, no matter how hard they try not to be annoying, they still end up being annoying. Should this be considered a disablity too? If some obese people need a title, let’em have it. I’m one obese person who will tell you I don’t need that title. What I need to do is get off this couch and turn off the laptop.
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Cecil
June 18th, 2009
6:59 pm
If someone is born without legs, or loses them in an accident, there’s not a whole lot they can do about it. If someone is born blind, or loses their eyesight due to a disease, that’s pretty much it. But if someone is obese, there is a fix. PUT. DOWN. THE. FORK. STOP. STUFFING. YOUR FACE.
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Tina P. Smith
June 18th, 2009
7:25 pm
Being overweight is NOT a disability. All doctors should talk with their patients about their weight.
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Wolfgang Blicker
June 18th, 2009
7:31 pm
In a word, NO. Obesity is a choice for most people, plain and simple. All the politically correct gibberish spouted by “advocacy” groups is just that and nothing more. Eat right and exercise and most people will get to their correct body weight.
“Advocacy” groups are a bane to American existence. They are a small voice that costs taxpayers millions because that is inevitably where they go to fund their hair brained schemes once they get someone with enough political clout to get on the gravy train.
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Dan
June 18th, 2009
7:52 pm
This is gonna be great, under the new socialized medicine plans, obese people will be at first be taxed more for an unhealthy lifestyle (and they will probably use the BMI which categorized anyone with any kind of athletic build obese) and then when they file the return they will get it all back and more via disabled benefits. Outstanding! should be entertaining to see which advocacy group does better. As always the real winners will be the lawyers
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Howard
June 18th, 2009
8:34 pm
Sir, if Obama and his gang of Chicago thugs have their way, it soon will be!!
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Fred
June 18th, 2009
8:44 pm
“Give me a break, even the PC use of the word “obese” makes me nauseous. They are FAT PORKY PIGS, not “obese.” Calling ME “obese” instead of what I am, a FAT PORKY PIG doesn’t make me weigh 1 pound less of look one iota better in a speedo, (just dam, I shoulda posted an alert for THAT mental picture, sorry if any of you heaved.) In the fight to stop anorexia and other eating disorders, the PC police have gone too far. I don’t remember SO MANY fat chicks when I was in high school in the late 70’s early 80’s. You look around a high school now and all you see is FAT. AND THEY ARE PROUD OF BEING FAT CHICKS. They wear clothes so that their fat ugly BARE stomachs are visible to the whole world. Dam fat chick, put a tent on that thing, folks are trying to eat over here.
Fat Porky Pigs will be fat porky pigs until they get tired of being fat porky pigs. I got tired of being a fat porky pig, or being out of breath from getting off the couch to get another beer out of the fridge. I knew it was bad when it became a workout to open that bag of chips. So I put the twinkie down, got my fat butt off the couch and started working out for real, (well not for REAL real, but real enough for a fat porky pig trying to get back into a shape that isn’t called ROUND) and went on a 1500 calorie a day diet (holy cow, I used to spill more food down my chin and onto my fat porky stomach a day than 1500 calories). Yeah, I dream of plates of chicken wings surrounded by mounds of hot greasy french fries washed down with pitchers of ice cold beer. (oh yeah, I’m drooling on my keyboard), but I’ve lost 15 pounds so far. I still can’t see my feet when I stand up straight (hell I ain’t seen them in 10 years, I’m not even sure if I HAVE feet still) but I lost one of my chins, I’m down to 3 now.
Disability my fat porky ass.
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Fullu
June 18th, 2009
9:24 pm
Because of the trickery and greed of the health insurance companies and other insurers, we the people are suffering while they take our premiums and laugh all the way to the bank, both organizations ripping us citizens as they go along. They find devious ways to deny us coverage and care.
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HEALTHY EATING: Lower-calorie choices can be even better | Better …
June 19th, 2009
1:09 am
[...] the original post: HEALTHY EATING: Lower-calorie choices can be even better | Better … Share and [...]
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JP
June 19th, 2009
8:39 am
Five-minute tests like this are not indicative of anything but your ability to take tests. GO TO A DOCTOR!
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itamazesme
June 19th, 2009
10:01 am
my daughter is going through the series of shots right now. I say everyone should get the shots. I am having my teen vaccinated not because she is sexually active but because i was diagnosed with cervical cancer in november of last year.
Great Article – I would rather risk my child having a slim chance of an adverse affect then to have her endure what i have to
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itamazesme
June 19th, 2009
10:03 am
RA – I am living it – it is better to hope in something than to have NO HOPE at all.
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apw
June 19th, 2009
7:26 pm
JP is absolutely correct!
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Jack
June 20th, 2009
2:59 am
Oy vey! Where is the test? Did I fail, already?
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Joanne
June 20th, 2009
8:33 am
This is wonderful! Keep up the great info for us! I’m sending to relatives/friends to help everyone I know. Great Job!!!
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ed dill
June 20th, 2009
2:50 pm
yes Jack, you failed. The story said the test was not yet available and they are working on a test website (for scoring) and you missed it. I would say you have oldtimers disease as well as severe retardation. Sorry. As your physician I advise you to begin drinking heavily!
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Jane
June 20th, 2009
5:36 pm
A great new product was just released that prevents breast sweat.. Visit CurvedComfort.com to get your free sample
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IQ
June 20th, 2009
11:25 pm
Sorry, Ed Dill, but apparently you’ve already started drinking. The link to the test is in the second paragraph!
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Sikantis
June 21st, 2009
6:14 pm
This information is really important. It’s not the lettuce making the salads unhealthy, it’s the dressing and the additions. So true.
http://www.sikantisblog.com/wp/?p=372
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RA
June 21st, 2009
9:35 pm
You are so very true. It is better to have hope. No hope at all is not a good situation. This is exactly what a lot of oncologists are wary of. They (and I’m generalizing here) believe that the worst thing you can give a patient is false hope. But the worst situation is hopelessness. I just hope that people aren’t misplacing there hope and putting it into a vaccine.
I hope that I said “hope” enough to let you know that I believe in hope. And the vaccine is not the answer.
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toni
June 22nd, 2009
12:19 pm
How much juice do i need to have ???
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Qfzcyxdg
June 22nd, 2009
12:29 pm
Dn6wci comment2 ,
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Zhbpgygz
June 22nd, 2009
1:57 pm
teyv7J comment4 ,
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Turd Ferguson
June 22nd, 2009
2:00 pm
I took the test but cant remember my score.
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Iokqwfwk
June 22nd, 2009
2:48 pm
UpsDep comment1 ,
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Diane
June 23rd, 2009
1:30 am
Link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk
It’s the 5 minute test. It looks like you have to print it out and hand write the results since you can’t enter the info. on the computer.
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paul
June 23rd, 2009
3:41 pm
Fred, the world needs more people like you that see it how it is.
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Gary Branchaud
June 23rd, 2009
6:24 pm
BEST WAY…after MANY attempts: I smoked Camel Non Filter’s for Years….
All smokers know there are ups and downs in ’satisfaction’ smoking…some times they taste like crap, but you smoke ‘em anyhow… SO, steps for me were:
1. Wait for a ‘down’ cycle where either you’re REALLY ready or…they taste like crap…
2. Get some nicotine LOZENGES…not gum, patches…LOZENGES… break in half (don’t need
ANOTHER addiction…do we…??)
3. When the ‘URGE’ blindsides you…POP half a lozenge and wait 3 minutes…. The urge will pass.
4. Always remember you’re only quitting for NOW…. not ‘forever’…that’s too much for an addict to think about…just for NOW. As a matter of fact…tell yourself, if it becomes OVERWHELMING that…ok…you’ll have one in ‘3 minutes’…pop another 1/2 lozenge… wait the 3 mins…urge will pass… stretch it out. If you fail and have a smoke… NO BIGGIE!… keep at it. After a few weeks you’ll do the same thing…only, you’ll see you don’t need the lozenge any more… you just make yourself wait out that 3-minute urge and know you can ALWAYS smoke if you want…but you DON’T want to…so wait another 3 before you do…. It worked for this hard-nosed addict…
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Petra
June 24th, 2009
12:05 pm
yes, how much do you need to take a day?
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angrymeatball
June 24th, 2009
12:45 pm
I’ve been lifting meatball sandwiches since I was 12. Best thing I’ve ever done.
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keep it real
June 24th, 2009
2:26 pm
To be honest with everyone even President Barack Obama I went on a 4 day fast/cleanse and I lost the urge to smoke. You know if you smoke and you eat anything you automatically want a cigarette. Well with the lemonade diet/cleanse you loose the taste for everything even smoking I swear to God. It’s been 11 mos. I still don’t crave cigarettes I prayed and fasted and halleluah I am smoke free. My lips cleared up my skin is brighter. And overall I feel wonderful. Take your life back and decide you are finished with cigarettes and you’re done. Plus they are way too expensive now a days.
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Liftmyfinger
June 24th, 2009
11:02 pm
Does the continuous use of my middle finger count as excercise?
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Citizen of the World
June 25th, 2009
9:17 am
I can vouch for the efficiency and efficacy of strength training as a way to stay slim and fit. I do three 20-minute workouts a week, each consisting of two upper body and two lower body exercises, with four sets of 12 reps each, using anywhere from 6 to 10 lb. weights, depending on the muscle group. It’s quite aerobic, actually — although aerobic exercise has been oversold as the road to weight loss. Not to say there’s not a place for step or running or brisk walking, but if you really want to lose weight, lift weights.
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CAP
June 25th, 2009
9:42 am
I am like a lot of others. I quit smoking cold turkey 20 years ago after smoking 20 years from the time I was 14…..back then, everyone smoked, including both parents! So I wanted to be healthy and thanks to Jane Fonda and her excercise tapes I quit! It was really hard, couldn’t sleep, I was a mess, but I did it and WOW, I am so happy I did! Can’t imagine ever smoking now, and want no part of it, Period! One thing for sure is: It is mind over matter, if you really, really want to do it, you can! I know people who have tried to quit for years and say they can’t, even with relatives dying with lung cancer! Yes, you can if you really want it bad enough!!!!
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Angela
June 25th, 2009
11:14 am
I had a heart attack 1 year ago and have never picked one up since. I am only 45. Best thing that ever happened. I was one of those people who never thought I could really quit. It sure is easier to travel and not have to find places to smoke! I can’t stand being around smoke now.
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Sarah Holland
June 26th, 2009
3:18 am
So strange to read in the paper what’s going on in my life. I was the care giver but no longer, lost my mom in March. Have one sister that speaks to me now but a brother that doesn’t. Strange how life turns out. I helped raise my siblings and then to have one act as if I’m no longer hurts to the bone. Not fair, have to get past this point in my life some how.
Dee
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The youngest daughter
June 26th, 2009
1:54 pm
My mom is still alive and being cared for and I’m sending this article to my brother and sister. We’ve had some really bad times, but I think we’ve managed to make it through with our relationships intact — not unchaged, but still intact. I continue to pray for my mom, myself and my siblings.
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roger
June 28th, 2009
4:27 am
i have been reading about a product called glutathione that seems to work with cancer and hiv patients maybe this might help someone i have no medical experience
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Kris
June 28th, 2009
6:05 pm
I lost my husband in June of 2008 to pancreatic cancer. We fought hard with health juices , chemo , tarceva and exercise. He couldn’t take the tarceva or he would have beat it a little longer. My husband didn’t drink or smoke. We believe his was genetic. He was only suppose to live six months but we mananged to keep him for seven. I now am concern for our two daughters. We support Relay for life and Pancan. Prayer is keeping up going through this diffcult time.
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RGB
June 29th, 2009
1:15 pm
Should government-run health care be enacted as the president and Democrat members of Congress desire, the result will be the rationing of care. Canada and the U.K. are examples where this rationing by government occurs.
If this rationing of health care occurs in the U.S., many people are likely to self-treat with supplements the FDA classifies as foods rather than drugs. While some of these people may be helped, others will receive no relief while still others will encounter the side effects you described. Plus, many people will take FDA-approved OTC medications as an alternative to professional care and will suffer the consequences. An elderly arthritic patient who increases her consumption of aspirin (because she cannot see a physician) and experiences G.I. bleeding is an example.
So one of the unintended consequences of “helping people” under the guise of so-called “universal health care” will be people who would like to be treated by their physician–but since care is rationed they get sicker as a result of self-medicating.
That two industries (supplement makers and the funeral industry) will be excited by ObamaCare should cause thoughtful people to withhold support for socialized medicine in the U.S.
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Van
June 29th, 2009
4:04 pm
If the Drug Companies and Doctors in the USA had not been raising their Prices 10 to 12% EVERY YEAR for the last 20 Years and thus Shutting out about 20% of the Population from Health Care then we would not be in this mess now. GREED on the part of the Drug Companies and Most Doctors is the Main Factor in out of control Health Care costs. Twenty Years ago Doctors made around $100,000 a year and now most make over $500,000.
Many make over a Million a year. Doctors Should be well paid but not at the level they are now….and every year they want more and more!
The Drug Companies are much worse. Twenty years ago they made Big Profit on a per pill basis and now….They Make HUGE unbelivable per pill profits in the USA. But in most other countries the Govt. regulates the Drug Companies and they still ONLY make Big Profits for each pill. Heath Care used to be about 5% of the average persons expenses and now it’s close to 12% and going higher every year.
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Marc
June 29th, 2009
9:37 pm
I don’t know of many supplements that have killed as many people as the “regulated drugs” the FDA have allowed – with a little kick back from the drug companies. Go do something about the FDA and the collusion between it, the drug companies and doctors and you might be able to make a case. Anyway didn’t Emory just have a professor that had more than a vested interest in the drugs and the money from them versus if they worked – that’s rhetorical.
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Dan
June 29th, 2009
11:48 pm
People will get sicker as they self-medicate waiting for doctors….people get sick waiting six months or more for their normal MD. People buy supplements now…just because they’re available; they also self-medicate themselves with liquor, off the street drugs and sex waiting for the “preferred doctor” or trying to figure out how to pay their next premium or deductible.
I am a Republican. However, I detest knee-jerk Republicans that just run 180degrees out of phase to any recommendation by a Democrat.
How many Republican & Democrats that have run for office in the past 50 years have absolutely promised to tackle health care and make it available to everyone. That ration of campaign promises has come from every house, state, Federal office seeker at each and every campaign. Whether I like the man or not….I respect the office of the current president that is actually coming up with a solution.
If you don’t like the solution….come up with a better one. At present, I’m doling out $1200 a month for my wife and I for health insurance; I’d much rather dump that $14K a year and pay into a tax line against my income. It’s bound to be a lot cheaper than giving my cash away for a policy that keeps raising it’s premium for each birthday.
You’re afraid you won’t see your favorite doctor while in the hospital? Well bunkie….many if not all Hospitals do NOT allow your doctor into the hospital; you have to use the sub-contractor doctors as the hospitals and MDs try to eliminate the paper trail back to them for the myriad of suits that compound the hospital liability each day.
We’re already in a form of Socialized Medicine…except we’re paying big out of pocket and still getting sub-standard care; we’re still waiting for doctor appointments for days to months at a time; we’re still paying a large chunk of cash in deductible at each doctor visit….and we’re still arguing the fine print for insurance companies that attempt to evade making payment.
Try running the numbers rather than just being argumentative due to philosophy. I’m sick of paying top dollar for health care insurance that I have to continually fight to validate coverage. For what it’s worth, my mother is on Medicare and social security…I know exactly what to expect in her health care costs and the various doctors that she has to visit…accept her cards like cash. If it’s an example of Socialized Medicine to see MDs that accept her coverages….I’m not unhappy.
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C B
June 30th, 2009
4:17 am
I had smoked for many, many years and gave up once for 6 months using patches. This time (3 years later) I was having a hard time thinking of myself as a Christian and also being addicted to nicotine.
I asked God to step in and take control. I gave up trying to help myself any more and that was the last time I lit up. I have been nicotine free without any cravings for 5 days and my 30 year old son is amazed as he thinks of me as a hopeless addict. I told him God answered my prayers.
I am not a nut by the way !!!
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Jane
June 30th, 2009
8:08 am
The writer of this article is obviously part of the medical, drug company, FDA establishment. For years they have been pushing treatments – such as HRT for example – that later turn out to be very harmful. They are an arrogant monopoly that can not be trusted. Unless this changes and they come clean and stop attempting to restrict free choice for people in the area of health, I for one will not trust anything they say. Their continued propaganda push makes me trust anything that is said by mainstream medicine LESS and LESS.
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David
June 30th, 2009
9:25 pm
It’s about time. My wife and I both have a history of celiac in our families, and she’s been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance. It’s incredibly difficult to find gluten free options, and removes a lot of your everyday favorites. A lot of things use soybean oil, which contains gluten, and other gluten containing products. I’m just glad there are more restaurants opening up options for it now.
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Everyday
June 30th, 2009
9:35 pm
Too bad Marcus and Lisa got cancelled. You could learn a lot about gluten from them.
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Thanks
June 30th, 2009
9:55 pm
There’s some very good info in this article, so thanks for that. I’ve eaten at Shaun’s and a number of other restaurants that are starting to cater to those of us who suffer from celiac disease and I’m very appreciative of the concern.
I was at the Taqueria del Sol last week and the person taking my order steered me away from something I would normally have ordered telling me she thought there was an ingredient in it that had gluten. That didn’t happen just a year ago.
Kroger has a remarkably good line of gluten free foods. It is possible to find gluten free options at a “regular” grocery store.
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Chiatt
June 30th, 2009
10:28 pm
Gluten free bakery opening soon in Atlanta. Send your e-mail address to ct_price@yahoo.com to be included on taste testings.
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Brian
July 1st, 2009
5:07 am
Some of the test are gender biased – like the cloths queston, and somewhat life style biased. Had to think about the parts of a suit – never wear them!
Why mark down ‘Shark’ in the S animal test. Surely using the example show guile and intelligence (and very short term memory) – the test dosent say you cant use the example! Goddam hate people who write test that are not precise!
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me
July 1st, 2009
7:42 am
It’s actually a funny thing…the whole gluten free swing.
A lot of people seem to be struggling with gluten intolerance…I myself having Crohn’s Disease.
One of my favorite, safe, things that I eat is gluten free pasta.
I stumbled across this company that makes amazing gluten free pasta. From what I understand, they just started shipping nationally, which is pretty cool. They’re based in Connecticut and since that’s where I am I don’t have to worry about the shipping…but they’re all made fresh and packaged with dry ice.
You definitely can’t tell they’re gluten free!
So for many of you looking for good tasting gluten free options like I am, consider DePuma’s Gluten Free Pasta.
Hope this helps! But yeah, great article!
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Carolyn O'Neil
July 1st, 2009
9:35 am
I love reading all of your comments. Keep ‘em coming. Very helpful information for all. As you know, there’s only so much that fits into
one of my columns. So this is great way to add details.
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Alan
July 1st, 2009
11:05 am
How about the percentages of blacks overweight? Isn’t it like 70%? Unreal.
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me
July 1st, 2009
11:09 am
What’s sad is that I have a Co Worker who is 28 with high blood pressure. She got bent out of shape when her doctor told her that she was obese and that she needed to lose weight. She complained to anyone who would listen about how rude it was that her Dr. pointed out that she has gained 20lbs in ONE YEAR! Right now as I am typing she is drinking some concoction from Starbucks and snacking rice cakes. Lunch is less than an hour way – sad.
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HamBone
July 1st, 2009
11:19 am
People need to exercise, drink plenty of water, and stop eatin like a drunk on a binge. Eat to live, not live to eat. At lunchtime and you are not hungry, take a walk and skip the meal.
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GRACE
July 1st, 2009
11:25 am
I will go deeper. I don’t think health care companies should be required to pay for obestiy issues. Obestity is causing health care to sky rocket. I’ve been with my company for 13yrs. I have watch coworkers gain 20-30lbs per year. I have co-workers who are on their 2nd gastro bypass surgery. They are too lazy to go get their lunch, they have 2000 calories/100 grams of fat delivered every day. My company has excellent heathcare package. If these people with these uncontrollable appetites had to pay for the up keep of their bodies, they would learn some self control.
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DannyX
July 1st, 2009
11:29 am
Obesity is a sin, it says so in the Bible.
God created Adam and Eve, NOT, Fatty and Obesia.
Obesity is a CHOICE! Fat people will one day demand the right to marry cakes, ice cream pizza, and pie.
Gluttony is a sin. God hates fat people. Its in the Bible.
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Willa
July 1st, 2009
11:30 am
I have a friend that is 50. She has every disease associated with obesity. Now she gets disability cause she can barely walk. She continues to switch doctors cause the ones she had for years have come right out and told her that there is no magic pill for her pain. One doc told her that every time she come, she is bigger & bigger. She claim that the bedside mannor of these doctors are terrible and she refuse to be talk down to. Is their a nice way of telling a patient to get off their fat a$$ and take control of their life. These doctors are tired of talking common sense to idoits.
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adam
July 1st, 2009
11:42 am
Obesity is caused by sugar and refined carbs. There was no such thing as diabetes or populations of obese people before the Western diet of breads and sugars.
Obese people do not eat anymore than anyone else.
These government agencies refuse to admit they were wrong about high fat diets being unhealthy.
Nothing will change until the causes are addressed.
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tom
July 1st, 2009
1:20 pm
Obese people do not eat anymore than anyone else.
Adam – your soap box broke at that statement. You must not have any obese friends because obese people do eat more than slim people. What we eat is also important but blaming the government is a copout. Someone must live in a cave not to know high fat foods, refined sugar and carbs and over processed foods will make you fat. But people still buy foods that they know are not good for them. It is a decision not a conspiracy
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Rule .303
July 1st, 2009
2:33 pm
Are you kidding me? 90 percent of the people with disabled parking permits are fat black women driving Caddielacs. Lay off the fried chicken Bertha, you should be parking at the BACK of the parking lot and walking your fat ass.
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angrymeatball
July 1st, 2009
4:22 pm
I have horrible gas from overeating and over spending at lunch.
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adam
July 1st, 2009
4:38 pm
tom,
fat people don’t eat more calories to maintain being obese. yes, they eat more to get there and the delivery system is carbs.
if i told you to get fat by eating steaks, you wouldn’t be able. your body couldn’t eat that many steaks.
all starvation diets fail unless they contain a large percentage of fat to satiate the patients.
all the mumbo-jumbo about emotional eating is a crock. nobody wants to be like this. they are freaking hungry because of a defect.
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Ralph Emerson
July 1st, 2009
5:33 pm
If Canada and their health care system are so bad, how come they have better health than we do at much lower cost?
And if they are rationing health care thereby exacerbating already existing health problems, how come they just published substantial decreases in the incidence of cardiac disease? And their longevity is still going up, rather than stabilizing or going down like the U.S.
Something isn’t adding up. Where did you get your information about Canadian health care–the Heritage Foundation?
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Kathy
July 1st, 2009
8:24 pm
This is great news. I’ve had Celiac Disease for over 4 years and eating out is not easy. It’s really neat to be able to go to a restaurant that has a gluten free menu, makes me feel almost normal.
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Blood Glucose Level
July 6th, 2009
11:24 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
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tom
July 6th, 2009
5:06 pm
I’m compelled to correct poster #1.
Soybean oil does NOT contain gluten.
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Dave
July 7th, 2009
8:01 am
I found this article very informational and had some key points to help children in their fight against diabetes. I found another site with some more information which could help to gain more knowledge about Juvenile diabetes. http://www.dlife.com/dLife/do/ShowContent/type1_information/
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Hank
July 7th, 2009
2:24 pm
I have had two bad hips, since my 30’s, that had caused me excrutiating pain most days. At times I couldn’t sit in a chair without feeling the horrible pain.
Additionally I was in two major accidents in my 40’s, which resulted in three herniated disks in my neck. For a while I needed Vicadin in order to function because of the pain in my neck. My left arm was atrophying because the lack of muscle strength. My doctor sent me to a pain specialist and a physical therapist to help with the pain. It did help me get off the vicadin. But any activity like golf or basketball would cause tremendous pain in my neck and hips.
I am now 52 years old and for the past five years I have been taking two tablespoons of tart cherry juice concentrate mixed with 7 oz. of water once per day in the morning. I have been relatively pain free since then. Occassionally after I golf or play a sport with my teen son I will have some minor pain in my neck and hips….but I take an additional glass in the evening and the next morning I am pain free.
I told my family doctor about tart cherry juice and its positive effect it has had on me and he responded by saying “that’s great”. He didn’t inquire at all about it.
Someone other than the big pharmaceutical companies need to look into this simple and safe natural anti-pain fruit. It has been a miracle for me.
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Jessica
July 8th, 2009
8:49 am
I’m sure ADHD is a real disorder, but I also think a lot of children are diagnosed with it when their problem is that they simply have not learned how to pay attention. For most people, self-control and attentiveness have to be learned and practiced. Some parents and teachers don’t seem to realize this; they assume that their children should automatically be calm and focused, and that something must be wrong if they aren’t. Have you taken the time to intentionally help your child practice being attentive?
I understand that every case is different and that medication is needed and appropriate in some cases. My point is that medication should not be a substitute for the hard work of lovingly training and correcting your child, also known as parenting.
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Wanda
July 8th, 2009
9:44 am
I smoked for 20+ years. I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 1999. My oncologist mentioned to me that I really needed to quit. I really didn’t want to. The night before I had my mastectomy I asked God to help me quit. I have not had a cigarette since September 1999. He took the desire away. Praise the Lord.
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David
July 8th, 2009
12:09 pm
Thank you, Tom. I do indeed stand corrected. It was soy sauce, not soybean oil, that I was thinking of when I wrote that. And soy sauce only has gluten because a lot of soy sauces have wheat as an added ingredient.
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Pat Cooper
July 8th, 2009
1:23 pm
Can we think about this for a second? I mean, logically. Do the members of the FDA understand what it is to live with chronic pain? Aching, constant pain that zooms up and down a pain chart with the regularity of the contractions of birth? What do they suggest we who depend on acetaminophen, Vicodan or Percocet do if they decide it’s in our best interest for these items to have their approvals revoked? I’m allergic to aspirin–not an upset stomach ‘allergic’ but trouble breathing and hives ‘allergic’- and acetaminophen is my drug of choice for the usual aches and pains. I also have fibromyalgia, and along with the appropriate medication, I rely, alternately, on Vicodan or Ultram. My doctor watches me, checks me and uses his medical knowledge to dispense the appropriate doses. If I’m under my doctor’s care, why does the FDA (a somewhat bizarre government agency who doesn’t seem to follow through on much of anything anyway) think they’re entitled to take my only relief off the market? Apparently, the liver damage they’re worried about is only a result of abuse. Trust us who suffer from chronic pain, our doctors are so afraid of turning us into prescription junkies, that we’re practically begging for pain medication. At least with acetaminophen or Vicodan, I have a chance for some relief and the opportunity to lead a more normal life as a result. Let the FDA place warnings on bottles (as they do on cigarettes) and let us grown ups decide how to run our own lives. Alcohol and tobacco cause far more damage than these pain medications and, so far, nobody has made them illegal.
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Kettlebell workout
July 9th, 2009
3:05 am
Those who have have disproportionate hips, have risk of suffering from bone degeneration, back problems, joint aches, rheumatism. To achieve fat-weight loss, exercise is important. One can go for kettlebell exercises. Various exercise can be performed with kettlebell. It helps to get fat reduction and taut muscles. And it is great for hip training. To get more knowledge on kettlebells exercise, refer http://www.zippy-health.com/hip-health-through-kettlebells-workouts/
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Kathy Smith
July 9th, 2009
9:28 am
I recently stumbled on the cherry thing quite by accident. I have mild arthritic pain, mainly in my legs. I had recently bought some sweet cherries and noticed about the third day of eating them ( 8-10 cherries or so, too many give me diarrhea) that I hadn’t had to take ibuprofin in a few days for the pain in my legs. Who knew? I then searched the internet and read what I had already discovered. I am grateful not to have to take so much ibuprofen. I am going to pursue a supplement because cherries are so seasonal. Or try the juice and frozen and canned versions.
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Pam
July 9th, 2009
10:35 am
I’ve found a new favorite, all natural diet soda. It’s called Zevia and comes in great flavors: cherry, cola, rootbeer, and lime. I no longer consume chemically sweetened (Splenda, aspartame) diet sodas and my body is thanking me for it.
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Gary Shull
July 9th, 2009
11:07 am
Never knew how brave and strong Farrah was,what a beautiful fighter. She had so much dignity thru out her whole cancr expperience. Nothing but admirmation.
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Lar
July 9th, 2009
12:09 pm
Go even better with True Lemon or True Lime. Just crystalized juice to add to water. No other additives or strange aftertastes like so many of the “instant drinks.”
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Steve
July 9th, 2009
1:09 pm
How does Zevia taste? Is it expensive? I see you can find it at Whole Foods.
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Gandalf, the White! (!)
July 9th, 2009
1:26 pm
Beer is good for ya! Full of Vitamins!
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JS
July 9th, 2009
2:19 pm
^^Yeah, and full of calories moron.
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OneFreeMan
July 9th, 2009
2:52 pm
Water, plain and simple. Can’t beat it.
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san francisco perspective
July 9th, 2009
3:00 pm
keep a pitcher of water in the fridge with some meyer lemon wedges & fresh mint sprigs in it…..it’s refreshing, tasty, and adds no calories or unhealthy sweetener to your diet
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SHJ
July 9th, 2009
3:14 pm
Re: beer, try MGD 64. Only 64 cals and 2.4 gm carbs per 12 oz. Not bad if you want an adult bev on a hot day.
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Songbird
July 9th, 2009
4:41 pm
I love Coke Zero cause it tastes like real Coke with no calories. I also love Honest Tea because it is very lightly sweetened, about 70 calories in 16oz bottle.
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Latest diet meals news - THINNER YOU: Moderation in all | Buy Acai Berry
July 9th, 2009
9:37 pm
[...] Hey everyone, I decided it would be a great idea to post up the latest news from Google so here it is… THINNER YOU: Moderation in all things – how to avoid the diet blues [...]
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skyblu5555
July 10th, 2009
12:48 am
First give each FDA member two hip replacements. Then ask them whether percocet and vicodin should be removed from the market due to acetaminophen concerns…what morons…will fentanaly patches, oxycotin, and morphine now replace percocet and vicodin for chronic pain sufferers? Nothing like having no clue about those who suffer from chronic pain and being able to function and work vs being bed ridden…. walk in our shoes first, please.
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Kevin
July 10th, 2009
9:53 am
A brave and determined steel magnolia. She fought the fight! Thank you Farrah for bringing attention to this terrrible disease. Always and Angel!
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exehem
July 10th, 2009
11:39 am
I could say I agree half way. This is because as the reason of trying to lose weight is really to lose weight, the benefit of increased well being is a great benefit but should remain as such, a benefit. If you find that a weight loss plan is not getting you results, get to understand why it is failing, then try another plan with the positives of your previous diet minus the negatives. Do this a couple of time and you will find one that lose s you weight and improve your wellness. Here are three tips that can start you off with…
http://www.health-emark.com/video-weight-loss-exercise-plan-tips-for-men-and-women.html
…and by the way diet is the most important aspect of losing weight. Get that wrong and you will be enjoying only wellness s benefits, because you cannot out-train a bad diet.
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MANGLER
July 10th, 2009
11:50 am
Don’t tell that to the throngs at every Starbucks though.
However, what I’ve found that most people never do when “dieting” (even though the word is used wrong these days) is that they never actually find an accurate # of calories they burn in a day. You may be using 2,000, or 1,500, or if exercising 3,500.
Also, the way the body works, you can have a bad day, or a bad meal and be just fine. Your system won’t really even notice if you gorge yourself one time. Its the general patterns over time that have the real effects. Losing ½ to 1 lb per week is about where the safe limits are to sustainable weight loss. Anything more and you will likely just gain it all back as soon as you finish your perceived diet or cave to that dessert.
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andy
July 10th, 2009
12:56 pm
“Fruit juices. Full of nutrients but relatively high in calories per ounce. I make a 50-50 mix of orange juice with sparkling water to cut calories and get some good nutrition.”
This is a great idea to cut the calories in fruit juice but still get the nutrition. It would be like having a sparkling orange juice or cranberry. Maybe in the evening, throw in a bit of vodka (low cal)!
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Craig
July 10th, 2009
3:27 pm
My new favorite drink is Efusjon- the all natural energy drink with no caffeine or chemicals. Can’t find it in stores only online:
https://www.myefusjon.com/CraigRS
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Kristin
July 10th, 2009
4:02 pm
Sorry but Vodka is not low cal – it has about 98 calories in 1.5 oz serving size.
Personally I’d rather run a little extra on the weekends and enjoy a good hearty Belgium beer than drink the low carb version of beer.
And I agree with what MANGLER said. Very many people over estimate how many calories they burn through exercise and under estimate what they eat and drink.
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LS
July 10th, 2009
7:56 pm
I am trying to understand the true measurements for sports bras. I have friends who are new to running and trying to find a bra, yet they are not sure how to measure themselves (I’m a runner but wear an A cup so that is less of a concern for me), so I was helping them research what’s out there. But I realize that a lot of them are wearing the completely wrong size, compensating in the cup for the band, or vice versa, or are still bouncing in the right fit. I saw ultimate support bra at http://www.heartandcore.com and it seems to fit in your compression/encapsulation category for C through DD. Just a thought for women looking for a bra that can minimize this bounce!
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dizzy5dean
July 11th, 2009
10:01 am
I quite drinking diet sodas and lost weight, plus my memory came back due to the effects of Splenda. I like drinking H2O with a splash of lemon or orange juice.
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ozziethedawg
July 11th, 2009
11:06 pm
having issues right now, have a family history of depression, many drugs have not worked for me, i took paxil for about six years, it helped tremendously, but i didnt like the effects i would have if i missed a dose (dizziness, lightheadedness) plus it was horrible to get off of. havent taken anything in two years but having the same issues again, dr, just put me on celexa. is celexa the same as lexapro? because my dad has been taking lexapro and it hasnt worked for him. i felt almost immediate relief from the paxil, i started taking the celexa a few days ago and am feeling very lightheaded and miserable.
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jack
July 12th, 2009
2:57 pm
I looked up that efusjon stuff 60 calories a serving for one can 80 for the other that doesnt sound too healthy to me.
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Steeeeeev
July 13th, 2009
12:46 pm
Inactivity is related to poor air quality… clean up this air and kids (and adults) will exercise more. When you want to calm bees down, you smoke them.. same principle hold for humans… when the air quality is poor, we have a biiological instinct to be inactive. : ) S
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D'Almert
July 13th, 2009
1:08 pm
Damn, that sound’s so easy if you think about it.
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Aids vaccine
July 14th, 2009
3:20 am
AIDS and HIV is going on increasing at an alarming rate and is a big problem. Many new approaches have been adopted to create potent anti aids vaccine, with an estimated 2.7 million HIV infections constantly cropping up globally every year. Miniature versions of the HIV virus are taken and modified in laboratories to develop synthetic copies. The vaccine being tested will have the ability to effectively produce either cytotoxic T cells or antibodies that will aid in combating the infection. To know more on it, refer http://www.zippy-health.com/potential-anti-aids-vaccine-in-horizon/
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Keen2learn
July 14th, 2009
4:17 am
The greatest challenge is to get parents and children to recognise the issue. We all suffer from a habitual lifestyle and once the mould has been set it is a far greater problem to get out of the rut. Educational games that encourage rather than ridicule or shock could hold the answer
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mystery poster
July 14th, 2009
9:09 am
I think that this is a problem with multiple causes:
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Georgia has a high obesity rate among adults, too.
Some of it comes down to over-scheduled kids. There isn’t enough time for nutritious family dinners, so parents grab Happy Meals and they eat in the car on the way to soccer practice. Occasionally, this wouldn’t be so bad but when it becomes the rule rather than the exception, the waistline grows.
There is also an incredible amount of denial on parents’ part. They fool themselves into thinking that it’s just “baby fat” or that it makes their child cute. They are not looking through objective eyes.
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Business Owner
July 14th, 2009
10:36 am
Steve, you have got to be kidding me! Air quality is not what makes the kids stay inside or what makes them inactive. Growing up we went outside because we didn’t have anything to do inside. TV was limited to an hour or so a day unless it rained. Parents just need to make the kids stay active and not be couch potatoes. Instead of giving the kid an xbox give them a bike.
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Summer dieter
July 14th, 2009
11:21 am
I try to drink mostly water. On occasion I will drink diet soda but it always gives me a headache. I like buying those 10 cal Crystal Light packets and adding them to my water because there are so many flovers.
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boozer
July 14th, 2009
12:39 pm
miller beer w/64 calories – yum
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Jack
July 14th, 2009
1:04 pm
Cindy and Shaggy are just uneducated about the issue just like Scientologist Tom Cruise who believes aliens populate earth. Chemical imbalances exist and are real regardless of what ignorant people believe. Luckily I’ve had the ability to recognize this and have sought help as a result. I’ve had a chemical imbalance since I was a teenager and have had depression / anger episodes which resulted in the hospitalization of other people that I beat to a pulp because I have neglected to take medication. Back then I didn’t care because I was chemically imbalanced. Nowadays, I would much rather be even-keeled than run the risk of hurting someone. Furthermore, I’m doing things that make me happy, counterpoint to these people who think doing things that make you happy are the cure-all, they’re not. Moreover, I credit my position in life as an executive in a fortune 500 company to taking this medication. Some people need help and to back up the other Cindy’s point, be glad you are blessed with healthy seratonin levels and leave the people that are in true need to find the answers they seek.
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common sense
July 14th, 2009
1:55 pm
for all you beer haters – yes it has calories in it, miller lite my beer of choice about 105 per 12 oz. I drink atleast a 12 pk or more a week. Yet I maintain my weight and a low body fat % ( around 8% 4 weeks ago). How? I run between 4 and 7 miles a day. It’s all about moving your body. You can drink what the hell you want to drink, you just can’t be a fat a$$ and sit around!!!!! heck you can get fat eating fruit if you never move your body…I’m just saying.
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Hello, Boston. - Mel Robbins: the blog
July 14th, 2009
4:37 pm
[...] children to balloon to the point their health is drastically affected. Who is to blame? And do people really understand how much bigger this issue is than a few extra pounds. Let’s put it this way – 20 years ago, the “fat kid” [...]
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Georgia Bender
July 15th, 2009
8:39 am
Very helpful information. I would like to check with the Graedons in regard to using Melatonin 3mg at night to sleep. I take Cardizem 180mg, Lisinopril 20mg in the morning and Lipitor 40mg at night with the Melatonin 2 hrs later. I don’t see my doctor for another month and would appreciate any help you may be able to give. Thank you. (I am 73 5′8″ l73 lbs white and active)
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JM
July 17th, 2009
10:51 am
Well almonds are considered to be good for your heart, so it makes sense to me.
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Farm Dee
July 17th, 2009
11:29 pm
Nothing like a scientific answer, Joe.
I hear those double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies are overrated anyway.
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John
July 17th, 2009
11:56 pm
Wow. Another genius speaks up. You really think heartburn has anything to do with your heart?
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SC
July 18th, 2009
9:55 am
I am pretty sure heartburn has nothing to do with your heart.
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cg
July 18th, 2009
10:09 am
Apples and almond really do not help with heartburn, or help very little. A more reliable remedy is fresh ginger, which has been used for this purpose for centuries in China. I’ve verified its effect many times on myself and for family and friends, and I’m no freaky alternative medicine type. When you wake up in the morning, an hour before you drink any solid food, chew on a piece of ginger (about half of a square inch or so; no need to peel it), discarding the pulp it only after all the juice is sucked out. The juice is quite strong, so it’s not the most pleasant thing to drink, although you get used to it after several times. The ginger juice will coat your esophagus and calm the stomach. Do this every day until the symptoms of heartburn go away. Ginger also helps in getting rid of heartburn symptoms whenever they occur, so you can take it at other times as well, but make sure to do so at least once a day for several weeks. Ginger not only alleviates the symptoms of heartburn but also builds up the body’s natural defenses thereafter. Do NOT take those anti-heartburn medications prescribed by doctors, because they only weaken your body’s own defenses against these intestinal problems and put you in a permanent state of dependency on medications that ultimately only damage your digestive system. The story of heartburn medications is one of the saddest dimensions of the pharmaceutical obsession of our current medical system. Also, solving heartburn over the long term should involve a change of diet as well. You need to reduce over-consumption of sugar and carbohydrates if you’re really serious about regaining a healthy digestive tract. You also need to find good stress management techniques (exercise, some form of meditation, relaxing, breathing exercises, and just taking time off without TV), since heartburn is both a result of diet as well as a result of stress. But if you take ginger, even if you /don’t/ do these stress management techniques you should be able to keep heartburn reasonably under control.
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cg
July 18th, 2009
10:15 am
I should have added a link to an expert to gives this advice. It’s from Dr. Stoll. He’s a retired physician who gives good advice on non-traditional cures. He’s not an eco-freak, but a responsible source of advice. I don’t follow everything he says, but he’s dead right about heartburn. Note: he tells you to run the ginger through a juicer and then drink a teaspoonfull; but since not all of us have electric juicers, it’s much easier just to chew whole ginger in the mouth; same effect, much less hassle. Here’s the link:
http://askwaltstollmd.com/articles/hiatus.php
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Freaky Alternative Medicine Type
July 18th, 2009
3:28 pm
Yes a handful of almonds will relieve heartburn.
But…a teaspoon of apple cider vinager works faster, better, and cheaper.
The cause of heartburn is not enough acid in the stomach. Not Too Much
acid
Nuff Said
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tfraz
July 19th, 2009
11:33 am
I think my first time reading Joe Graedon. Man I hope you didn’t hurt yourself researching your answer. What a dip. A new low for the AJC, a paper that has set records.
What do you call a college grad at the AJC? King.
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tfraz
July 19th, 2009
11:36 am
And thanks to all readers who offered thought out ideas on this. Still any expects as to what in an almond would affect stomach acid, or body PH?
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tfraz
July 19th, 2009
11:38 am
Sorry upside down and backwards, you know what I mean. This Joe guy got me this AM. How sorry can a Newspaper get? I have my answer.
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Dr. Pandey
July 19th, 2009
8:14 pm
Just wanted to point about your statistics. Abut 6% people taking medication die. I am ot sure of that is true but here is another stat. In the hospitals, about 1 million get injured adn 100 K die for thngs that could have been avoided.
And even more interesting stat is that about 80% of diseases, you do not need medication.they cure in time. Of course if you go to doctor they will give you medicine.
So just hand in and you can cut cost down.
rgds
ravi
blogs.biproinc.com/healthcare
http://www.biproinc.com
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shaun
July 20th, 2009
9:59 am
Have talked about everything you mentioned here recently. Great article
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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David Harlow
July 20th, 2009
5:04 pm
I’ve often heard the 4:1 or 5:1 payoff figure cited in support of prevention programs. My impression is that these figures address employment-based health care costs, and thus do not account for post-retirement costs. Given the fact that many of the prevention efforts will not only reduce short-term expenses but increase longevity, it seems that there would likely be a spike in expenses later in life and/or as a result of increased lifespan. Have the employment-based health expense studies accounted for or addressed this issue in any way?
David Harlow
http://healthblawg.typepad.com
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Liz Walker
July 21st, 2009
5:13 pm
When I snore neither my husband nor myself sleep, I will snore gasp, which sometimes will continue after I wake my self snoring. Sometime I wake up feeling like I have not been asleep.
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July 21st, 2009
8:10 pm
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Old School
July 21st, 2009
8:25 pm
My husband snores like road grading equipment. Me? I purr. . . a bit.
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Sherry
July 22nd, 2009
12:31 am
Liz sounds like you have sleep apnea. I have sleep apnea and gasp for air in my sleep. The doctor told me that breathing slows down or completely stops one minute. Sometimes, when I wake up, it fills as if you have the world’s worst hangover, even though you hadn’t a drop of alcohol. I recommend going to the doctor about it. I was given a CPAP machine(continous positive airway pressure, or something like that) and it made a world of difference. Unfortunately, my mask and parts of the machine have been messed up and I haven’t replaced them.
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Sherry
July 22nd, 2009
12:33 am
Sorry Liz – I’m half asleep typing this – here’s the comment with the corrections.
Liz sounds like you have sleep apnea. I have sleep apnea and gasp for air in my sleep. The doctor told me that my breathing slows down or completely stops one minute. Sometimes, when I wake up, it feels as if I have the world’s worst hangover, even though I hadn’t a drop of alcohol. I recommend going to the doctor about it. I was given a CPAP machine(continous positive airway pressure, or something like that) and it made a world of difference. Unfortunately, my mask and parts of the machine have been messed up and I haven’t replaced them.
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Sleepless in Atlanta
July 22nd, 2009
8:51 am
Most nights, I have to listen to my husband and dog snore. I guess I have to deal with it since they’re both old.
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Long time fan
July 22nd, 2009
8:57 am
I used to snore, wake up tired every morning. My wife finally had enough and I went to an ENT. He took one look and determined that I had a deviated septum. After a 1 hour surgical repair and about a couple of weeks for the internal swelling to go down, I could see a marked improvement in my sleep and how I felt the next morning. Now my snoring is almost nonexistant. Only happens if I am extremely tired when I go to bed. Wife is happier now.
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Shawon
July 22nd, 2009
9:26 am
Smoking and being overweight are the primary factors that cause the snoring/apnea problems. I used to have it….was diagnosed and given a CPAP…honestly, the inconvenience and discomfort of wearing the mask probably offset any benefits it provided. But after stopping smoking and losing nearly 100 lbs, I now sleep like a kitten. But there’s no money to be made in that solution, so the doctors will continue to try and convince you that you need space-age machinery to solve the problem. Just stop eating so much, stop smoking, and get into the gym and this will cure about 99% of what ails ya.
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SHARON
July 22nd, 2009
9:26 am
My husband was studied for sleep disorders, the good news was he was the soundest sleeper they group had ever studied, the bad news, he just snores really loud!! I’ve learned to make it work, when he wakes me up, I journey else where, it’s best to do that than keep rolling him all night, thus neither of us sleep. lol
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Negation
July 22nd, 2009
9:38 am
Sorry to say this, Pot is not the answer, but it is alot of fun. it has a lot of negitive affects to the human body as well. My depression is often amplified while smoking pot which throws my body into a lifeless state now i have just taken the first half of cipralex no more the 22 min ago so i will come back here in a mnth and give you guys the real answer on that medication.
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Biker Garrie
July 22nd, 2009
10:02 am
My wife was alwayscomplaining about my snoring. I’ll admit that sometimes my snoring would wake me up (That’s pretty bad). I finally went and had a sleep study. In the six hours that I was asleep under medication, I stopped breathing 189 times, one time for as long 26 seconds. I used to wake up and go to the bathroom 2 to 3 times a night. The doctor prescribed a CPAP machine. Now, I never wake up to go the bathroom and I don’t snore anymore. I also feel more rested when I wake up in the mornings. I used to sleep in on the weekends but now hardly ever sleep pass 7:00. By the way, my gets her rest now.
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JF McNamara
July 22nd, 2009
10:14 am
I used to snore and got diagnosed with sleep apnea. Getting the CPAP was one of the best things to happen to me. I was always tired prior to that, and it has improved my life drammatically. Yes, the mask is uncomfortable, but I feel a lot better now. I would always quit working out before because I would be too tired. I lost 40 pounds in the months after that because I wasn’t too tired to work out and I had energy to do more active things.
If you snore, are always tired, and/or have headaches after waking up, don’t wait for years like I did to go to the Doctor.
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dean
July 22nd, 2009
10:33 am
I love my CPAP! No mask. Just a soft nosebud kind of thing. I don’t have to sleep just on my back. I can also sleep on my sides. I’ve had the machine for 2 plus years. The first morning after the first night it was, “Holy Toledo! THIS is how I’ve supposed to be feeling THE LAST 20 YEARS?!” My wife was practically in tears of joyful relief. It ain’t just the snoring either. If your mate says, “You quit breathing and it scares me.”—-Get to the doctor ASAP. A little inconvenience is better than DEAD. PS. My sleep doc told me that 90percent of the people who Think they have sleep apnea DO NOT.
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Seperate ZZZZZ's in Roswell
July 22nd, 2009
10:44 am
My wife kicked me out of the bedroom shortly after we were married three years ago. She has called my cellphone in the middle of the night and left my snoring on my voicemail so I can “enjoy” it the following morning. She sleeps great and I suppose I do too. Wish there was a way to stop snoring w/o wearing a mask. Man I bet that’s sexy!!
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20yearCancerSurvivor
July 22nd, 2009
12:01 pm
20 years ago I received old school radiation. In other words… A boat load. The long term side effects include: neuropathy from spinal stenosis, pulmonary fibrosis, post herpetic neurogia… Vicodin has provided me with a quality of life that has helped me survive all these years. Removing this access would greatly decrease my chances of continuing my survival. Many of us that are users of these meds are not abusers. I guess, if you want to quickly euthanize a large group of people, this would certainly work… REMOVE THEM FROM THEIR SURVIVAL MECHANISM.
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annieT
July 22nd, 2009
12:39 pm
Hey ZZZZZs. My husband of 5 years wears a cpap–he sleeps and I do too. I find that much sexier than his snoring and neither of us sleeping. The cpap comes off at a moment’s notice when we feel frisky. What’s sexy about separate bedrooms? We cuddle anytime even with the cpap. Meanhwile, I wear ear plugs while I sleep so the machine’s noise doesn’t disturb me.
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RJ
July 22nd, 2009
1:04 pm
Got married February 2007. My wife endured almost two years of my snoring– and I endured the sharp jabs of her elbow.
Tried sleeping on my side, using different pillows, quitting smoking, cutting back on drinking. Wasn’t overweight so losing weight wasn’t an option. Nothing worked consistently.
Then I went to a pulmonary specialist, took a sleep study, and found I have sleep apnea. He recommended a CPAP machine, which I started using the beginning of this year.
As other CPAP users have commented, both my wife and I now sleep well, I wake up refreshed, and have more energy for the day. Fortunately I am able to use the nose pillow, so it’s not as cumbersome as the full mask.
I fought with my wife about going to the doctor initially. Told her my snoring was genetic. I’m glad she was persistent!
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Suzanne
July 22nd, 2009
2:18 pm
Hi there – would just like to add my little bit …
ok, so for about 3 years had been on cipralex for a combination of post-natal depression and the fact that I found out that my husband was having an affair. The drug itself was amazing and the only side-effect that I had was about 28lbs of weight gain which is a bit of a bummer for someone that has always been able to eat whatever she wants……anyway, I read about Wellbutrin on the internet (marketed as Zyban in the UK) and read that it caused weight loss, was an ani-depressant and also stopped you from smoking. Perfect.
I went to my doctor who prescribed me Zyban (to do all 3 things in one!!) and we also talked about weaning me off cipralex in the process. I had been keeping a diary and had no problms at all until around day 30 when I had not taken cipralex for around 7 days. Previous to that I had been taking 150mg Zyban every day and 5mg of cipralex every 3 days. Now I have had around 9 days with no cipralex at all and i feel awful. I am snappy, I have a strange buzzing feeling in my ears and brain and I can’t stop crying. I am also blushing when talking to people and I just don’t feel like “me”. The problem is that I don’t know if it’s the side effects of not having cipralex for so long or the side effects of having zyban.
I have just taken 5mg of cipralex and am going to see how I feel tomorrow. THis is so horrible at the moment though. Ifeel as though I am in a cloud and am very detached. Would love to hear if anyone else has ever felt like this X
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Joyce Matthews
July 22nd, 2009
2:23 pm
My husband had sleep apnea, was overweight and had high blood pressure. Sometimes he would stop breathing so long I would have to shake him to make sure he was still alive. Nothing was done to correct his health problems. He’s been dead for 13 years now at the age of 51.
Comments by “Shawon” are right on the money. Sleep apena is no joke.
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Jeremy
July 22nd, 2009
2:57 pm
My wife and I have been in seperate bedrooms for about 2 years now due to my snoring. I’m only 30 so I don’t know what the issue could be as I’ve always been big from weight-lifting. I guess it’s about time to figure it out.
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jimmy
July 22nd, 2009
5:03 pm
12years ago i had sleep apena surgery.it literally saved my life,due weight loss and the treatment i recieved for all the conditions caused by the snoring
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Sleeping now
July 22nd, 2009
9:46 pm
My husband kept me awake for 20 years and now he wears a C Pap at night…he sleeps, I sleep.
He is not overweight and has had the sleep apnea surgery and it didn’t work for him…there are anatomical reasons for sleep apnea, such as an oversized tongue for instance.
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Sleeping now
July 22nd, 2009
9:54 pm
People, mostly men, with short thick necks tend to have sleep apnea…it is sometimes anatomical and has nothing to do with weight or lack of exercise…he plays tennis almost everyday.
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Dr Andrew Carr
July 23rd, 2009
12:11 pm
There are many who will tell you that all impotence sufferers need to do is take part in a daily workout and their sexual health problems will disappear as if by magic. Sure the loss of weight that should result will help, assuming you have weight to lose. As will the extra energy experienced after establishing a regular exercise routine and of course you need to be able to find the time in your schedule to take part in regular exercise to gain any benefits. But exercise does not reverse the ageing process nor will it re open the tiny blood vessels that surround the erogenous zones which become clogged and often close-up with age. Without good blood flow into the groin area both men and women will find enjoying full sexual relations problematic.
As we get older no matter how hard we try our body starts to falter. Until recently the only successful treatment for impotency or erectile dysfunction as it is medically referred to, has been the little blue pill available on prescription from your doctor. Not anymore, recent clinical trials have revealed a little known herb- Butea Superba has exactly the same effect of the body as the blue pill. Butea however is completely natural. In fact the success rate with Butea was actually higher than with prescription drugs. While clinical trials on prescription blue pill show sexual arousal improvement in around 50% of those tested. Butea Superba improved the sexual function of over 80% of all patients taking part in the clinical trials.
The big secret behind these pills is an enzyme we all create naturally in our bodies called PDE5. Butea Superba inhibits the bodies production of PDE’s and in doing so increases the blood flow into the sex organs. As blood flows more freely into the erogenous zones you are more able to achieve full arousal. The additional upside for many of those tested on Butea Superba is that when PDE5 is not being produced arousal lasts longer, many patients reported achieving sufficient arousal levels to enjoy full sex two and three times.
Available online under the brand name HealthyED Butea Superba is taken as a supplement each morning, unlike the little blue pill which has to be taken a specific time before any sexual encounter. There was unanimous agreement amongst those tested that taking Butea as a supplement rather than ‘on demand’, not only gave added confidence it also relieved performance induced stress.
I hope this is helpful to anyone who may be suffering from any form of sexual performance anxiety.
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Ryan
July 23rd, 2009
6:20 pm
Here we go, once again the federal government has decided to outlaw pain medications that have been improving the quality of cronic pain suffers lives. This countries quality of healthcare is going to s**t. What next processed foods? All the crap they use to preserve foods is far more dangerous that Vicoden or Percocet. I guess I should move to California and become a pothead. Better yet maybe its time to move to another country, its seems to me that the land of the free are no longer free. Let the people who have to deal with these issues decide what’s best for them and focus more on illegal drugs. Take my money, take our freedoms, and now you want to take my relief. Wow you just got to love America.
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shaun
July 24th, 2009
9:23 am
Great article. The thing is, better technology in these businesses have fueled this problem. I’ve been an ‘at the desk’ type of guy before. But luckily i have both a highly active lifestyle and metabolism. I’ve have recently written about this and ways to increase metabolism, not lose weight. But this is a more in depth version on what individuals should do in the ‘job’ scenario’.
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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shaun
July 24th, 2009
10:22 am
Thank you for all of that Andrew. As much knowledge as i do currently have, some of what you stated is new to me (The big secret). I will look it up and definitely keep it in mind for the current and near future.
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Emory University Institute for Advanced Policy Solutions/Center for Entitlement Reform
July 24th, 2009
11:09 am
The return on investment estimates from The Trust for America’s Health are not limited to working-age populations covered by employer sponsored health insurance. The estimates include only direct costs (spending for health care, no matter your age or employment). Indirect cost savings – such as reductions in absenteeism and presenteeism and increases in productivity, which are gained mostly by employers – aren’t included. The ROI estimates are conservative and understated because indirect costs aren’t included. Indirect costs may be as much as four times higher for the most prevalent chronic diseases (cancers, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, pulmonary conditions and mental disorders).
Many prevention efforts will actually increase short-term health spending, as diseases are found and treated appropriately. But, over the longer term, increased life span does not automatically lead to increased health care costs. People who enter Medicare healthy have lower lifetime and end-of-life spending than people who don’t. Several studies substantiate this, for example:
Daviglus ML, Liu K, Greenland P, Dyer AR, Garside DB, Manheim L, et al. Benefit of a Favorable Cardiovascular Risk-Factor Profile in Middle Age with Respect to Medicare Costs. N Engl J Med. 1998 October 15, 1998;339(16):1122-9.
Daviglus ML, Liu K, Pirzada A, Yan LL, Garside DB, Greenland P, et al. Cardiovascular Risk Profile Earlier in Life and Medicare Costs in the Last Year of Life. Arch Intern Med. 2005 May 9, 2005;165(9):1028-34.
Daviglus ML, Liu K, Yan LL, Pirzada A, Manheim L, Manning W, et al. Relation of Body Mass Index in Young Adulthood and Middle Ageto Medicare Expenditures in Older Age. JAMA. 2004;43(3):849-68.
Lakdawalla DN, Goldman DP, Shang B. The Health And Cost Consequences Of Obesity Among The Future Elderly. Health Aff Web Exclusive. 2005 September 26, 2005:hlthaff.w5.r30.
Yang Z, Hall AG. Financial Burden of Overweight and Obesity among Elderly Americans: The Dynamics of Weight, Longevity,and Health Care Cost. Health Services Research. 2008 2008:849-68.
It’s expensive to be sick and die in America. The more disease we can prevent or mitigate, the less spending will grow over the long-term, even if more people live longer.
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Paula
July 24th, 2009
11:48 am
I have a computer job that keeps me sitting for around 6 hours every day. I found power yoga to be very useful, both as a means of staying energetic, and as a way of keeping away that excess weight. I use the chair and the desk to the hilt. I do simple stretches on the chair every once in a while (when no one’s watching) and take a walk every evening. I found these very useful
It is a fact that even without altering my lifestyle even for a bit, I had gained about 5 pounds in a month, simply by sitting at my job. That’s when I decided to change my lifestyle. Believe me; it made me a better worker also!
Learn more at http://www.aafter.com
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shaun
July 24th, 2009
3:31 pm
I guess i better start teaching those who i advice and meet about this.
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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shaun
July 26th, 2009
10:26 am
Interesting article. I forgot all about these. I’m into my home and hotel workouts quite often as i just can’t keep up the gym routine at times. I’ll let everyone know how well i do with them
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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J
July 26th, 2009
11:39 pm
RA — it is quite obvious how you feel. I’m not going to put my opinion down about this topic, and I’m not disagreeing or agreeing with you about the vaccine. However, I think that once your opinion has been stated, it is often a good idea not to beat everyone over the head with your opinion. We get it. It has been said. Now please move over so that others can comment. This is a comment section, not a message board. And so I don’t act hypocritical, this is the only message I’m leaving on this health topic.
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mehul moradiya (gujarat/india)
July 27th, 2009
2:52 am
sir,
good day
i am mehul moradiya , & studing in the pharmacy,
i have interested into the new reserch to fite with HIV infection.
in my state i have seen many cases of nHIV infection.
i have intrest to research something new in HIV infection.
So give the info. about the new research in HIV.
pls send me message.
i have not money to resesrch new advanced .pls help me.
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mehul moradiya (gujarat/india)
July 27th, 2009
2:52 am
Enter your comments here
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mehul moradiya (gujarat/india)
July 27th, 2009
2:55 am
hi
give me info.about new researchin HIv.
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Lori
July 27th, 2009
9:20 pm
You didn’t mention that IBS sufferers often suffer from chronic heartburn as well, and that some heartburn treatments (prevacid, prilosec) also seem to lessen the IBS symptoms.
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TimB
July 28th, 2009
3:01 am
I guess this is nit-picking, but considering I got to this article by Googling “calories in black coffee,” tell me how exactly is it possible to have “black coffee with skim milk”? that’s not what i’d call black coffee.
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Elena
July 28th, 2009
1:06 pm
If you suffer from these symptoms, I would also recommend exploring the foods you are eating. I was diagnosed with IBS and went to several gastros who prescribed drugs and fiber. It took my internist and my own internet searching to find that it was a combo of h. pylori (treated by antibiotics) and fructose malabsorption disorder. Feeling great now and not on drugs!
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CT
July 28th, 2009
6:20 pm
Also be aware of possible gluten intolerance / celiac disease. It is easily controlled by diet but a LOT of people with IBS are misdiagnosed. It is a simple blood test for gluten allergy.
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Kathy
July 29th, 2009
9:10 am
Been a suffer for years. Stress pays BIG part. I have just started Gluten free diet just to see how my body reacts. There is a difference. All this talk about fiber, well if I eat too much, I get diarrhea, heart burn etc. I am trying to strike some kind of balance in my diet. It is not easy. Trial and error.
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Dolores
July 29th, 2009
9:50 am
I wonder if you are aware that there are 20 years of clinical research that shows that hypnosis reduces IBS symptoms by 70%. A new study released in July by gastroenterologist Dr. Whorwell reports that hypnosis not only reduces the symptoms but also positively affects the quality of life issues that many IBS sufferers experience. FYI the Mayo clinic published a review of the effectiveness of hypnosis that includes some of the studies that were completed regarding IBS.
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babs
July 29th, 2009
10:20 am
I should have noticed that when my dad casually told me he’d cancelled his health insurance that something was wrong. It took about two more years for me to pay attention to his forgetfulness, falling and forgetting to eat before we said OK, he needs evaluation by his doctor. We did not ask him, we told him it was time to go to assisted living, with his doctor’s help— and he loved the place after a few months. Now he is in a nursing home and says it is the safest place for him. He did not know it, but he needed support and we had to tune in to the clues.
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Ashley
July 29th, 2009
10:55 am
I agree about the chronic heartburn and the stress. My IBS has been terrible the last few weeks, AND I had shingles, both of which are caused/aggravated by stress. I have noticed that Beano helps some with the bloating. My doctor said that gas-x and things like that don’t usually work in the intestines, but Beano is an enzyme and will work a lot better. I was also advised to eat more fiber, and I kept running to the bathroom over and over, and I finally found a physician who told me to stop eating so much fiber, and take 1/2 tablet of immodium twice per day, and it has helped so much. People with IBS-C might benefit from additional fiber, but people with IBS-D may find themselves running to the bathroom even more!
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janecorson
July 29th, 2009
11:54 am
thank u ,for the all the helpful sugggestions. my dr has none….i have ibs/d and have tryed a lot of things,,,fiber, imodeum, ,and now trying probiotics….nothing really last ..but thanks for beano …
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Maria
July 29th, 2009
1:45 pm
I been studying myself for 3 yrs. I have the constipation (ibs side) It is definetly all stress and lack of fiber. I been going to theraphy and i realized that my thoughts were controling my stomache. Once i relax symptons vanish. My diet improved but its not the best. i practice yoga and exercise regularly for yrs so this was not a real solution. When I was little i had panic attacks. My ibs attacks are quite similar to panic attacks. its all related.basically we are not digestine our thoughts, our lifes, accepting our present….i’ve learned to talk to my stomache and i only get attacks 3 a yr when I eat the wrong foods (like red sauce or meat). Before I accepted that it was my anxiety and worry my ibs attacks were 3 times a month. Th esmall intestine is attached to your nervous system (as clear as water) so, don’t worry, love yourself and tell urself that you’ll find a way and it will cease.
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Michelle
July 29th, 2009
3:02 pm
I have suffered for years with IBS and have found great success using probiotics. But you have to make sure you find the kind that work for you – I take Natural Factors Acidophilus & Bifidus., and that you take enough of them. I take 10 billion cfu each night on an empty stomach. I also take digestive enzymes after each meal. The combination of the two have changed my life, and I can eat what I want again. I still have the off day of course, but nowhere near what I used to deal with.
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Jan
July 29th, 2009
6:01 pm
I’ve had IBS for 20 plus years. Stress and anxiety made it worse. I tried everything – diet, exercise, probiotics. My doctor put me on Cymbalta. It has worked wonders for me.
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Peg Johnson
July 29th, 2009
6:08 pm
I have had IBS constipation type for many years. I have been to many Gastro Doctors, they tell me to take laxatives. They also have told me that I will always be very bloated. They have also given me every test possible.
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Hellooo
July 30th, 2009
12:47 am
Please be careful taking only potassium. Especially with diuretics. You can get an imbalance of salts vs potassium vs calcium vs magnesium (the mineral that regulates the electrical impulse of the heartbeat). My mother nearly died of this when 1: first both her magnesium and potassium levels were too low, and 2: when her potassium levels were too high and she had next to no sodium levels after limiting her salt intake to almost nil and taking potassium.
There’s a very fine balance between all of these minerals for the maintenance of your health.
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Shaun
July 30th, 2009
11:01 am
This does affect everyone, regardless of what it may be. Getting that gold medal, that promotion or pay rise but in context with this ‘Great physique and Health’ one must keep going. Not easy and the direction won’t always be clear. So you must wake up every day and scream out to yourself GET UP, GET UP, GET UP!!!!! louder with each succession.
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Anthony
July 30th, 2009
6:01 pm
My wife has been doing these eight warning signs since she was eighteen, now at fiftythree should I take it as a warning sign at last?
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Wart Treatments Online » Blog Archive » Latest common wart news – Gardasil® Label Highlights Fa
July 30th, 2009
7:23 pm
[...] DOCTOR IS IN: HPV vaccines, cervical cancer and you [...]
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HEALTHY EATING: Study says carbs OK, in balance | Better Health « Great Chefs
July 30th, 2009
9:51 pm
[...] EATING: Study says carbs OK, in balance | Better Health Syndicated from HEALTHY EATING: Study says carbs OK, in balance | Better Health.Kevin Rathbun has tried both approaches over the years. The executive chef and owner of Rathbun’s [...]
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Lisa K.
July 31st, 2009
9:39 am
i have had ibs for many years. combo of diarreah & constipation.my gastro dr. suggested ‘MIRALAX” AND IT HAS WORKED MIRACLES!! BEST OF COURSE FOR CONSTIPATION. I REALLY BELIEVE IT IS THE “MIRACLE DRUG” FOR ME. ASK YOUR DOCTOR! I ACTUALLY TAKE IT EVERY DAY, BUT SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT ONLY NEED IT OCCASSIONALLY.
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Lisa K.
July 31st, 2009
9:44 am
I JUST MADE A COMMENT ABOVE THIS, BUT I FORGOT TO ADD I ALSO DRINK A LOT OF WATER AND WALK!!
GOOD LUCK. I ALSO HAVE ACID REFLUX AND TAKE ACIPHEX.
I ALSO NEEDED SOMETHING TO HELP RELAX MY TENSE STOMACH MUSCLES AND IT TAKE THE EQUIVELENT TO LEVSIN SL (CANT REMEMBER THE EXACT NAME). THAT HELPS TOO. I ONLY TAKE IT BEFORE I GO TO BED BUT IT SAYS I CAN TAKE IT UP TO 4 X DAY. NEED A GOOD GASTRO DOCTOR – GO SEE DR. DAVID FISHKIN IN MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA. HE REALLY CARES ABOUT HIS PATIENTS.
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Dee
July 31st, 2009
11:22 am
I have had IBS all my life (45yrs) and it stinks, literally. The bloating is the worst. I have had 2 bowel obstructions and what my drs call a nervous stomach. I know it for IBS, but the bloating is bad. I too had the eat more fiber talk and I tell ya it doesn’t work. I must have the IBS-D. A friend suggested taking colestid and I tell you it worked great for a couple of years. It is a med for colesterol but the side effect is it slows down your intestines. I would eat and not be half way through and have to go and then when we were done, go again. That stopped completely. I think my problem now is due to the surgeries. Has anyone else out there had this problem? One of my biggest fears now is that colon cancer runs in the family (Dad and granddad plus a couple of uncles) so I don’t have a good outlook. Also my mom passed away from ulcerative colitis, she perforated and bled to death. nt a good outlook.
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jim
August 2nd, 2009
10:09 am
Enter your comments here
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jim
August 2nd, 2009
10:10 am
good to think about
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Kody
August 3rd, 2009
1:08 pm
I believe that the WHO and CDC. have continued to say this flu is mild, that if it ever did become more dangerous, no one would believe it.
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Swine Flu Britain
August 3rd, 2009
1:17 pm
Tell us what you think of the swine flu pandemic
breaking news & advice
http://www.swineflubritain.co.uk/#/the-latest/4534949965
Sean Rushforth
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Todd A. Osborn MSM, CHS-III
August 3rd, 2009
1:19 pm
Taking precautions should be a regular part of the flu season. Understanding the nature of the threat and what you can do to protect yourself is just good sense. The precautions for H1N1 are the same as regular and by educating ourselves to avoid the flu in essence is protecting us.
The difference between the threats is the potential of the H1N1 to mutate into something that is a greater health threat to a different population that the regular flu bug.
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Michel Beaudestin Perry
August 3rd, 2009
2:44 pm
I would like to congratulate Dr. Christie for such a balanced 1½ page article covering almost every symptom and treatment I have had for the last 20 years. I hope you can transmit my comments to her?
I have always known that there is a link in my IBS (which has been a combination of constipation, diarrhea and psychological depression due to some life dilemmas difficult to resolve. These dilemmas were causing me a lot of anxiety as wellas depression, which made me susceptible to IBS. All of these are different-anxiety leads to worry which leads to fear or flight pschological syndrome, which leads to a partial resolution of the dilemma, leaving you depressed and suffering from IBS. I had to get different treatments for each of these conditions from a gastroenterologist and a psychatrist. I also had to resolve the life’s problem dilemmas. Now at the age of 66, very soon 67, I have all these dilemmas resolved and all of the symptoms under control, but addicted to two antidepressers, one anti-anxiety medication, one IBS medication, two medications for diabetes, and one medication for lowering the bad cholesterol, one medication to control arthritis, a strict diet regime and a strict exercise regime, but surviving with an mysterious smile. As my gastroenterologist said 19 years ago, “your colon is your colon, we can give all we can, but we can’t give you another colon” Any sufferer from IBS wishing to get in touch me for guidance can do so by writing to: mbeaudestin@gmail.com
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Chris B
August 4th, 2009
12:26 pm
In October 2008, I had a revision to my gastric bypass, which shorted the intestines even further from my stomach to my colon…very similar to short gut. Since then I have had horrible diarrhea. My bariatric surgeon has had no other patients with my symptoms. In April, I had a colonoscopy to rule out anything (everything okay). GI doc treating me as if I have IBS, but not officially diagnosed with it. No celiac disease. First we tried Imodium (8 pills a day–didn’t work), then Questran (didn’t work) and am now on nortryptoline (helps me sleep, but doesn’t seem to be slowing things down). I have diarrhea between 8-9 times a day…very violent, runny, smelly. Also very smelly gas…usually take Gas X but will try Beano based on above suggestion. Good news is that I’ve lost 70 lbs, but the side effects from the diarrhea—hemmoroids, anal fissures, just generally uncomfortable have been awful. I’m in the bathtub as hot as I can stand it, 3-4 times a day. Ughh.
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Andy in Blairsville
August 4th, 2009
2:05 pm
All of a sudden that ugly Homeland Security woman is really concerned about this Illegal Alien Swine Flu so that tells me as a citizen this is yet another non-event labeled as an EMERGENCY in order to justify printing and spending tax payer money.
Go back to work….nothing to see here….
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Shelly Spoeth
August 5th, 2009
8:52 am
Yes, it is scary…I’m scared for my 2.5 year old. But, what’s scarier is the school-age children and pregnant women. I work with an Atlanta company that produces a cleanser that you wash with like soap and it kills germs including swine flu (it was tested) for up to six hours. My famliy is bathing in it, so is my friend who is 8 months pregnant. I hope everyone takes this seriously and understands it’s not just washing your hands once a day. It’s after anything you touch! Or use something like I mentioned, it’s called Hibiclens and available in drug stores. Good luck to everyone this flu season!
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Gonzo
August 5th, 2009
12:29 pm
I work in health insurance, and this article is very simple. I use the same logic in dealing with my ISP and any other financial transaction I make.
As for the letter of Medical Necessity written by the doctor, have the doctor also relate the previous treatment options. Many times ‘experimental’ treatments are denied due to lack of evidence of other procedures not being tried first. Have the doctor produce copies of your medical records to support the letter of medical necessity.
As a note, skin tag removal will be denied. No matter what your doctor says about that wart or mole or blemish, they won’t pay for its removal. Accept this, pay for the cosmetic surgery and move on with your life.
Also, read your policy before you call the HMO. If there is a copayment, or a deductible, you will have to pay it. Just like you would have to pay a high way toll, you won’t get out of it. No matter what your great aunt mildred did once, you won’t get out of it. Don’t waste your time trying to.
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Sharon McEachern
August 5th, 2009
1:25 pm
I think it is a wonderful idea to teach kids CPR in school. But although some experts say we have unacceptably low rates of CPR in our country, they still claim that it’s more important to teach CPR to people between 65 and 75, those most likely to suffer cardiac arrest, than to teach children. It’s the victim’s spouses who need to know CPR, they say.
But I agree with Ethic Soup blog which says that the more people — both young and old — who know how to perform CPR, the better. “There could be a kid nearby who could perform CPR more effectively than an emotionally trumatized spouse,” Read more at:
http://www.ethicsoup.com/2009/08/kids-can-save-lives-even-the-young-should-learn-cpr.html
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Question Asker
August 5th, 2009
3:31 pm
This article doesn’t go nearly far enough and misses an important point. QUESTION your physician on the treatment he is prescribing, BEFORE the service is rendered.
Ask what medical evidence there is to support the success of the proposed treatment for your condition. Why does he think it will work best for you? Doctors have access to the information on whether your insurance company will likely find the service experimental, but we never ask. If a doctor recommends it, we have come to believe that means not only will it work, but it will work better than any other treatment that might be less invasive, or heaven forbid, less costly.
Find out how much experience the doctor has treating your specific condition. Has he performed your surgery 10 times or 1000 times?
Ask him to be specific about the codes he will use to bill your services and what his fees will be, and get it in writing. Then ask your insurance company to help you estimate what your costs will be BEFORE the service is rendered that way there are no surprises.
We would never buy a house or a car without asking any questions, but every day Americans accept their doctor’s word as gospel. It might be, but you won’t know that unless you ask the right questions.
Knowledge is power.
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ASK DR. H: What is Dengue fever? | Better Health | belize today
August 5th, 2009
7:52 pm
[...] original here: ASK DR. H: What is Dengue fever? | Better Health Share and [...]
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frustrated consumer
August 6th, 2009
8:12 am
When I try to talk with customer service for Aetna, I get somebody in the Philippines who doesn’t speak English as a first language. How on earth can I explain complicated issues or appeal with the CSR when they can hardly understand me? Asking for a supervisor doesn’t help because they won’t call a state side supervisor.
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Trudy
August 6th, 2009
11:23 am
We must stop medical insurance companies from contributing to politicians. Until then and until health care reform, our lives are at their mercy.
Follow the money: the politicians and doctors who do not want reform are benefiting financially from today’s horrific system.
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The Diet Reporter – Daily Weight Loss Headlines
August 6th, 2009
12:38 pm
[...] Facts on 100-calorie snack packs [...]
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Erin
August 6th, 2009
1:05 pm
In addition to diet, it is never too early or late to start doing brain exercises, which are also said to help with the memory. Games like crossword puzzles or quick 60 second brain challenges are said to slow down/prevent memory loss.
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Shaun
August 6th, 2009
5:31 pm
To back this up one should include the hotel workout when away,
http://www.stayfitbug.com/?p=252
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Come Sailaway
August 6th, 2009
9:47 pm
The documentary “Sicko” describes the health care crisis in the united states. Mix it with the outsourcing of jobs and many people in their 50’s unemployed, no insurance, etc. and it is what it is. This country has a Facist government like Hitler. Facism is a government not controlled by the people. The US & our government is clearly controlled by corporations. As long as this continues, our country will continue to deteriorate to a rich and poor class of people only. The insurance companies have successfully controlled our government in the past 60 years, and the people in gov with their secure jobs, doing little until they are 80 or near dead get the best of health care, so why would they change that?
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Come Sailaway
August 6th, 2009
9:53 pm
Forgot to state that the health care systems in England, Canada, France are FAR better than what is in the US and they are government controlled – socialism. WHAT’S WRONG WITH THAT???
You’ll hear all sorts of lies about not getting care or long waits of 3 months, etc. Most of it is propaganda from the insurance companies. Sure there is cases like this but OVERALL most canadians, britains are happy with the health care system they have. Most americans aren’t.
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Lake oconee property | Lake Homes and Properties
August 7th, 2009
11:01 am
[...] HEALTHY EATING: Guests get garden lesson | Better HealthLocated on Lake Oconee a little more than an hour from Atlanta, the resort that boasts championship golf courses and a luxury spa has added a chef’s garden. Jaco Smith, chef at the property’s Georgia’s Bistro, and executive chef Scott … read more… [...]
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nick
August 7th, 2009
5:35 pm
Almonds are basic (pH) and thereby neutralize the gastric acids.
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jd
August 8th, 2009
10:09 pm
Hey.
I have been on cipralex for about 3 months now. I noticed within the first couple of days I felt different and the drug has worked wonders for me and has made me more positive and stress free.
I have never been on anti-depressants before and never believed in them until I felt I was just fed up with the struggle.
I have managed to lose 10 llbs or more give or take because my hunger has decreased but other than that I havent experienced much side affecrs but am starting to become concerned.
I recently was in a crowd of ppl waiting in a line and experience dizziness, blindness and almost a panic atttack. Ive never had one so Im not sure. It was almost as if my blood sugar was really low or something and I could of fainted. I got my bf to take me outta there and felt better but is this because of the meds?
I also smoke a lot of pot and always have. Im wondering if Im doing more damage, and it’s obvious that pot isn’t the best thing for u but I love smoking it. Is it time to quit or is it that I need to eventually get off the cipralex? I don’t want to be dependant on this forever but i was always really sad or depressed before.
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Wait A Minute
August 9th, 2009
3:04 pm
I appreciate the information presented in this article. But I am one of those people who purchase 100-calories snacks, usually Ritz Snack Mix. I keep a food diary so portion control is essential to my accounting of what I eat. Yes, once or twice, I have eaten 2 packs instead of one, but so what? Even if you ate the entire 6-serving box, you would consume less calories than if you ate a can of Pringles!
Secondly, some of the suggested “smart snack alternatives”, may i fact be low calories, but they are full of salt and/or loaded with carbs and (mostly good) fat.
My 100-calorie snack has just over 220 mg of sodium, that’s the biggest draw back of the deal, it’s not calories, or even .5mg of trans fat, it’s the salt! This article doesn’t even mention that, yet high blood pressure is on the rise in all ethnic groups.
Lastly, I never pay $3. Yesterday, I paid $2. When not on sale, the cost is around $2.50.
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10 healthy after-school snacks for a $1 | Atlanta Bargain Hunter
August 10th, 2009
12:42 pm
[...] your kids’ hands on something that’s good for them, right? Or, you might even turn to 100-calorie snack packs, but are they good [...]
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WTF
August 10th, 2009
3:58 pm
I just had 6oz of yogurt w/80 calories – so there!
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KT
August 11th, 2009
2:10 pm
Federal government fear campaign.
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Government Conspiracy!
August 11th, 2009
2:21 pm
Tell me how three strains of influenza from three separate continents come into a hybrid form of a so called swine flu? The H1N1 is Avian from Asia, Human flu from Europe, and Swine from Mexico and the Americas! Looks like a biological or soft kill weapon developed in an Army Bio lab! Also look at your American history, last swine flu outbreak occured at and around Fort Dix Army base!
You all can have mine as well as my families vaccine, especially since it contains the same adjuviant as the vaccine given to the Gulf War vets that contributs to Gulf War syndrome! Yeah great idea Government, shoot it up in Pregnant women and kids! Since when do you vaccinate pregnant women? I think that shoot is a disaster especially since the new law passed in congress giving no liability to the Big Pharma conpanies for damages and death with this and any other vaccine!
Enjoy the free shots sheepies! They will have to kill me first to shoot me with that shot!
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Larry
August 11th, 2009
3:09 pm
There is a lot of truth to what Mr. Government Conspiracy is espousing. I work for the CDC, and I can with 100% certainty tell you that the swine is not a virus, but it an advanced military weapon using the latest in nano technology. There are certain government entities that will use the latest in next-generation spy and military equipment to fight the corrupt arms dealer Destro and the growing threat of the mysterious Cobra organization to prevent them from plunging the world into chaos. So what ever you do don’t take that shot.
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Government Conspiracy!
August 11th, 2009
4:04 pm
Very funny Larry, love the link between now the GI Joe movie! In all seriousness check this out:
As the anticipated July release date for Baxter’s A/H1N1 flu pandemic vaccine approaches, an Austrian investigative journalist is warning the world that the greatest crime in the history of humanity is underway. Jane Burgermeister has recently filed criminal charges with the FBI against the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN), and several of the highest ranking government and corporate officials concerning bioterrorism and attempts to commit mass murder. She has also prepared an injunction against forced vaccination which is being filed in America. These actions follow her charges filed in April against Baxter AG and Avir Green Hills Biotechnology of Austria for producing contaminated bird flu vaccine, alleging this was a deliberate act to cause and profit from a pandemic.
Summary of claims and allegations filed with FBI in Austria on June 10, 2009
In her charges, Burgermeister presents evidence of acts of bioterrorism that is in violation of U.S. law by a group operating within the U.S. under the direction of international bankers who control the Federal Reserve, as well as WHO, UN and NATO. This bioterrorism is for the purpose of carrying out a mass genocide against the U.S. population by use of a genetically engineered flu pandemic virus with the intent of causing death. This group has annexed high government offices in the U.S.
The charges contend that these defendants conspired with each other and others to devise, fund and participate in the final phase of the implementation of a covert international bioweapons program involving the pharmaceutical companies Baxter and Novartis. They did this by bioengineering and then releasing lethal biological agents, specifically the “bird flu” virus and the “swine flu virus” in order to have a pretext to implement a forced mass vaccination program which would be the means of administering a toxic biological agent to cause death and injury to the people of the U.S. This action is in direct violation of the Biological Weapons Anti-terrorism Act.
Burgermeister’s charges include evidence that Baxter AG, Austrian subsidiary of Baxter International, deliberately sent out 72 kilos of live bird flu virus, supplied by the WHO in the winter of 2009 to 16 laboratories in four counties. She claims this evidence offers clear proof that the pharmaceutical companies and international government agencies themselves are actively engaged in producing, developing, manufacturing and distributing biological agents classified as the most deadly bioweapons on earth in order to trigger a pandemic and cause mass death.
For real news head to http://www.infowars.com sheepies!
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Bob McWilliams
August 11th, 2009
4:49 pm
As someone who has suffered for years with joint pain from old sports injuries, I went online and bought some cherry juice from a company called fruitfast. The pain began to subside after a few days and now I can say that I no longer need to take painkillers. The fruitfast cherry juice has been a Godsend.
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Lar
August 12th, 2009
1:14 pm
Whenever I look at a picture of Julia in her later years, I want to take a calcium pill.
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promark420
August 12th, 2009
6:36 pm
When did food stop being food? I’m not off my rocker; look at ingredients lists for most items found in grocery stores. Ingredients lists shouldn’t read like a science experiment; it should read like a recipe. Nutritional quality should be more important than quantity, meaning that 100 empty calories are less useful than 100 nutritious calories. I applaud this story. I’ll add that one ounce of almonds is deceiving if you have small hands like I do, but they sure are filling.
A great book to pick up is “Eat This, Not That.” It reveals a lot of facts surrounding healthy-sounding foods and meals.
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DOCTOR IS IN: How do we know supplements are safe and effective? | Manufacturing Business Site
August 13th, 2009
1:21 am
[...] or phytochemical supplements are likely to improve specific aspects of an individual”s health.more Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and [...]
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Drew Clement www.healfeel.com
August 13th, 2009
2:39 am
Some good points made honestly. I dont know much Julia Child to be fair, but she has an attitude that a lot of us could really benefit from adopting. Life is all about fun, taste and flavor. The reason dieting fails for many people is that they never reward themselves and cut out all exciting treats. One day that will lead to a break down and possibly binge eating.
We need to learn how to enjoy the food we love but in proper portions and at the right time.
Thanks for the article
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Pam
August 13th, 2009
11:20 am
A good way to avoid the Freshmen 15 is to not give your kids too much spending money. I avoided gaining weight because I didn’t have much cash to spend on food. My parents had me on the college meal plan and yes, there were unhealthy choices on the plan, but I was limited to what I could get on the plan (one meat entree in the cafeteria, instead of two hamburgers from a fast food joint). My parents also gave me a supply of food to keep in my room. You don’t eat as much knowing you have to walk down the hall to use the microwave (no ovens were allowed in the dorm rooms).
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Suzanne
August 13th, 2009
11:42 am
Stay away from the booze. Everyone knows underage drinking is prevalent at colleges everywhere and incoming students partake frequently. Drinking a few beers a week can really pack on the pounds!!
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marge connerly
August 13th, 2009
11:45 am
I have been using powered cinnamon from the grocery in my green tea to lower my blood sugar,it is not working for me.-Will taking a low cinnamon capsule[water soluble.my doctor said 1/4 to 1/2 was okay.-do they make capsules with that amount of cinnamon in them?-also what is cinnulin pf? I now take medication for my diabetes
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sore loser
August 13th, 2009
12:14 pm
After slowing gaining poundage for many years I was 6′3″ and 237. I got down to 187 in around 7 months by knowing the calorie content of every thing I ate. Then I would choose/plan to eat the nutritious foods that would cause the calories in to be ultimately less than the calories out. Calorie awareness and keeping it below or the same as the calories expended during the day is the key.
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AeroNautica0909
August 13th, 2009
2:21 pm
Sore loser… good information there. You wouldn’t have any examples of foods you eat to post? I’m looking to get from my current 230 to around 190.
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JohnF
August 13th, 2009
2:39 pm
Here’s all you need to know to lose weight. Read the label of everything you eat..if it contains over 1.0 gram per serving of saturated fat..don’t eat it. Do eat good fats though, i.e, mono-unsaturated fats: almonds, avacados, and use olive oil where you would normally use butter. Eat when you are hungry..stop when you start to feel full.
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Jackster
August 13th, 2009
3:00 pm
Chain of events: More students are not receiving as much financial aid; thus parents have to pay more tuition; thus most parents opt for the basic meal plan and provide less money for entertainment and eating outside of the campus meal plan. The “Freshman 15″ may soon be known as the “Freshman -15″!
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AeroNautica0909
August 13th, 2009
3:15 pm
JohnF… thanks for the tips. I’ll use them and hopefully reach my goal.
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Bacchus
August 14th, 2009
3:35 pm
Just beer and drunk food will do it. Carbs, fat, calories and reduced metabolism won’t result in a net burn of that energy and will make you wish it was only a 15 pound gain.
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Linda
August 14th, 2009
6:00 pm
Hi!
Depression runs in my family. I have a strong mental stand & believe in mind over matter. Will power is everything.. unless you have true deep depression. Let me say a few things before getting my final point across.
Everyone deals w/ feelings/emotions/thoughts & physical reactions differently. I’ve had extreme anxiety since I was a kid. It manifested into different things as I was growing up. Finally, ending in panic attacks. I then learned to “control it” mentally. I feel relieved that I understand more about the disease as well as myself. However there is another “friend” I have to live with: Depression. I’ve tried to make it “go away”. All kinds of excersize, getting enough sun, being around positive people, experiencing a new awaking to my Lord & Savior Christ Jesus. Yes, so much I have done to manage it “Naturally”. But guess what?! All you who don’t have depression just do not have room to judge, or give advice. It’s something you are born with & I believe certain situations/circumstances trigger it* It varies in degress of how bad or how managable it can be. However, I believe once you have it you can’t get rid of it. Maybe for a few days, months or years. But overall, it comes back. That is when you have to accept it, learn from it & grow stronger & wiser to your own body, mind, soul & hopefully spirit. Realize you can’t grow alone.
Get help if you need it.
That’s what I finally have done. To sum it all up I am ‘dreadfully’ looking forward to trying a mood inhancer/antidepressant for the first time* wish me good decision making & I will keep you updated. Research has left me more confused than ever & Blogs aren’t much help. -mine probably wasn’t either* But for this moment I feel just that much better.
Thanks*
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Steve Swimmer
August 15th, 2009
10:07 am
WMDs ? Usama, send your address care of this blog and I’ll send you some drawings. I think you will be impressed. You will see how I started with herpes zoster, and mutated it over time with simple radiation (it took about 8 months and a bit of luck) until the final mutation. The newly crafted virus can live (unlike shingles) an almost benign life in human Fallopian tubes. Causing, no pain or notice in any way except for: all ova passing through will be infected beyond any possibility of leaving enough DNA in tact for positive fertilization. And, very neatly, all of the by-product will slough off during normal periodic cycles. So cool. We students cooked this virus up at my University during the “free love” days, thinking this would be a great way to have unbridled sex without fear of unwanted pregnancies. I mean, back then, STDs were the least of our fears. However, once we realized there is no way to stop a newly minted, virus (e.g. HIV/AIDS) we all became very afraid and abandoned the project.
Today, thanks to you, I understand it is time to make way for the next dominate species; and, am therefore, re-starting the process. Together we can do it. The end of human suffering is nigh since the humans eliminated by the virus are never even born. Additionally, the virus is totally non-discriminating all humans are eliminated not just special groups and the virus will spread exponentially without much help. We will go down in history as the “Masters” of the “Ultimate Solution.” Only bad part for me is I will be famous for only one more generation. And, for you, sir, I’m afraid under these new circumstances, there just aren’t going to be 72 virgins for each of your guys. Some of your people are just going to have to sacrifice in the name of ending humanity. So, go ahead. Send that address and you can have the plan that will end all of humanities problems forever.
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ugaaccountant
August 15th, 2009
10:20 pm
Wouldn’t kids around age 18 typically gain their last 15 or so pounds to reach their adult size? That’s about when they stop growing. Sure all of this is good advice, but it’s not all a result of their diet at that age. It’s just when they start losing their kids metabolism and reach their final adult size.
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Cardog10
August 16th, 2009
1:05 am
No, it’s kids eating and drinking calories, and then having to spend their sober time studying, not exercising. I’m guessing you are fat ugaaccountant. It’s like my mom saying I’m a growing boy (at 23) and I should eat all I want because I’m growing. You stop growing when you are 17-18.
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Paige
August 16th, 2009
4:41 pm
I’m not surprised by Listerine’s multiple uses. Just this weekend, I desperately searched the Internet for something to get out the smell of dog urine and found a posting that recommended mouthwash. I used most of the Listerine I had on hand – and amazingly, the urine smell evaporated with the mouthwash smell.
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Penny
August 16th, 2009
4:56 pm
This recommendation is absurd. Do you know that because of the chicken pox vaccine, children are getting shingles for the first time? It is the same virus that causes both. Only shingles can occur because of the vaccine AND the vaccine is not protecting a lot of children from chicken pox. We are all over vaccinated. The vaccines are the CAUSE of many cases of shingles.
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mc
August 16th, 2009
5:17 pm
I have some vague recollection of hearing about people using Listerine as a deodorant in the 1930s. This is very vague and I’m not sure I’m remembering it right.
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gdfo
August 17th, 2009
6:38 am
Good News then about the Listerine. It was invented to be an disinfectant and not just a mouthwash.
Another thing to remember, and sorry the next quote, ‘you are what you eat’. If some one is suffering from acute body odor, a change of diet may well help. By all means keep using the Listerine, but try eliminating one food item from your diet for 36-48 hours and see what happens. It could be a meat or milk product.
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zanna
August 17th, 2009
3:25 pm
thats great to know i will be trying it out on my teenager, i also read and tested out mouthwash and water is also a insect repellent keeps them away for a few hours, spray on outside furniture and yard grounds. you will be surprised.
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Alabh Sinha
August 17th, 2009
11:40 pm
My son is dignosed with Dengue fever two days back, his platelet count is 56000 , He is admitt in hospital and under close medical supervision. He had passed stool last night, rashes on body have been observed, what type of diete for him do you reccommend?
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catherine chikahya
August 18th, 2009
5:28 am
Morning,i’m a female aged 39 angolan by birth. Currently i’m studing Hiv mananagement wityb a private university,i got interested in this illness because i ve lost a lot of family members and i ve seen how stressful it is on a person.So i ve interest on research on the illness and vacine.I m asking for more new information partening new researches. Please help .
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Daheffifuse
August 18th, 2009
11:39 pm
yeh right.. great post, Thank You
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suzannd
August 19th, 2009
10:43 am
Enter your comments here
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Terri Benincasa
August 20th, 2009
11:28 am
Thanks much – we Boomers really need this information.
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Shaun
August 20th, 2009
12:18 pm
Great article. I have always talked on how one manages to drink alcohol and maintain fitness. Had to write about it for sure. Again, a good read.
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Jeff
August 20th, 2009
1:42 pm
This is a very fine article. I’m a firm believer in enjoying a glass of wine with dinner (maybe two on the weekends:)). That has never had a negative impact on my weight. I’m 46, 6′1″ and hover around 150lbs. The important thing to remember is to generally have a healthy diet (you can definitely splurge on fatty and sugary foods on occasion…life is short, enjoy it!) and don’t forget to exercise daily! Take a walk after your meals to jump start the metabolism. Those calories you consume (whether healthy or not) have to be expended. Excess calories = added weight.
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SANDI
August 20th, 2009
10:13 pm
I NOW KNOW THAT SKIPPING MEALS IN ORDER TO DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IS NOT A GOOD THING. I’D LOST 50LBS ONLY TO PUT ON 75LBS AFTER I STOPPED DRINKING.WHAT A WAKE-UP CALL!!!
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Breakingthecycles.com - Changing the Conversations » Blog Archive » On a Diet? Consider Cutting Alcohol…
August 20th, 2009
11:20 pm
[...] health and calories than gaining weight. So I’d like to direct you to an excellent article, Thinner You: Alcohol and Weight Loss by Liz Noelcke. [Two of the subtitles are: "Alcohol is Metabolized Differently" and "Alcohol [...]
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Nutrition Unplugged | Kids’ Menus Need an Upgrade
August 21st, 2009
10:23 am
[...] Carolyn O’Neil reports on the new dining out data in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She interviewed registered dietitian and blogger Janice Bissex, co-author of The Moms Guide to Meal Makeovers. ”If eating out is a frequent occurrence, some ground rules should be set,” she said. She recommends limiting soft drink consumption and encouraging water, lowfat milk or juice as healthier beverage options. But what concerns Bissex most is not offered on kids’ menus. ”I’d like to see more whole-wheat bread for sandwiches, cut up fruit and baby carrots. And instead of pasta in butter, I’d prefer to see pasta and marinara sauce with broccoli.” [...]
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Big Hick
August 21st, 2009
4:49 pm
One important factor that this article omits is that sometimes alcohol can help rid the body of unwanted calories. Sometimes, I find that if I drink enough, the alcohol helps me expel my previous meal (usually through the form of vomit), and if I really have a tough night, I won’t feel like eating anything the next day! What could be a better start to your diet than that?
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Ira Gold
August 22nd, 2009
3:04 am
I really love to read some articles that have great positive impacts on its reader and benefit by reading such article. I admire these writers in sharing their views and or opinions that can enlighten the mind of the readers. Great Job and continue inspiring readers.
———————————–
http://www.goldcoinsgain.com/gold-ira-and-gold-401k-accounts.html
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Ira Gold
August 23rd, 2009
1:09 am
I really love to read articles which are very informative and the topics are based or concerned with the current issues in our society. I admire these writers in sharing their views and or opinions that can enlighten the mind of the readers. Great job!
————————–
http://www.goldcoinsgain.com/gold-ira-and-gold-401k-accounts.html
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Shaun
August 24th, 2009
9:41 am
Interesting read. stress as metaphor for a sandwich. it’s all to do with taking things step by step. Most good things won’t happen straight away. But when they do come… exhilaration! Hence the small steps that you mention. With the challenges..my approach is NO FEAR! Funny thing is, fear doesn’t even really exist, it’s only a human emotion, yet many suffer from it! But for now i’ll stick to a great diet and fitness to keep the stress…sandwiched!
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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tina hough
August 24th, 2009
1:30 pm
I need a knee replacement, but can’t get it till next year, I have chronic knee pain and have a hard time walking. I started drinking a cup of regular old pure cherry juice and have not had any painful swelling since. This has been for about 2 months now. I’v never gone this long without swelling which leads to a bad limp.
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Robert
August 26th, 2009
10:42 am
To the drug rep who said you would be blown away by the efficacy studies:
“Cocaine is a helluva drug.” – Rick James character on Chappelle show.
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wae
August 26th, 2009
10:56 am
When I eat out, I divide my dish, I stick to my normal consumption and request a to go box. I never over eat, and I have learned to enjoy walking and climbing Stone Mountain. I am over 50, the benefit is I can still wear a bikini and I always get compliments.
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The Diet Reporter – Daily Weight Loss Headlines
August 26th, 2009
1:16 pm
[...] HEALTHY EATING: Staying slim requires vigilance [...]
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Dixie Darling
August 27th, 2009
8:25 am
Now I understand why I can not keep the weight off. But this is difficult to do — really it is!
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http://www.ultimatechocolatevisions.com
August 27th, 2009
9:39 am
This is a great plan but I would like to suggest one more thing to the mix, add Xocai HEALTHY CHOCOLATE to your diet plan. Enjoy just one piece of Xocai 1/2 hour with a glass of water before eating meals will help curb your appetite. Or substitute a Xocai power bar with a piece of fruit for lunch. I did the power bar for lunch out of convenience, not because I wanted to lose weight, and lost 6 pounds in two months. Not only will you lose weight but improve your health with an abundance of antioxidants. For more information, see my web site. You have everything to gain but pounds!
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OneFreeMan
August 27th, 2009
10:17 am
Dixie, it’s pretty simple. Replace the processed foods with fruits and vegetables, Eat out of a saucer 4 or 5 times a day, Drink water, No more sodas, park farther away from the entrance (plenty of good parking).
You can do it.
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Lionness
August 27th, 2009
10:25 am
Oh no!!! A page taken right out the Death Panel Book!! Better watch out Barbara Kate Repa & the AJC or the birthers/deathers/teabaggers/Lim-bots of the world will start screaming your name and drawing Nazi symbols on your image at the next Healthcare Town hall meeting!! Care for the elderly… thats socialism to them!! So sad…
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stacey grieve
August 27th, 2009
12:42 pm
Keeping the weight off requires more than just diligence…it requires complete reconditioning of your mind and thoughts, including updating your mind’s eye view of yourself to match the new outer view of yourself. The mind directs everything, EVERYTHING the body does, including what it weighs. If your internal view of yourself is overweight, the mind will direct you to do things that support that view, such as second helpings, choosing fatty foods and skipping exercise. (and then you think to yourself “why did I do that”…because your very powerful mind directed you to, that’s why) Likewise, if your mind’s eye view of yourself is of a slim person, the mind will direct you to do things that support that view, such as eating only to satisfaction, choosing healthy options, and wanting to exercise. (and this all happens without you having to have to convince yourself to to do it, it just happens.) Willpower will only carry you so far, and really becomes a battle of you against your mind, and like it or not, the mind will always win in the end. We’re human and that’s the way we’re built.
So how can you use your mind to work for you instead of against you? Like dieting, (re)training your mind takes dedication, time and some direction. Unlike dieting though, retraining your mind will produce permanent results, without you having to feel deprived. Once the retraining is done, it’s done, and you get to continually enjoy the benefits of that retraining without any effort at all. To learn how to do this, read a great book called “Why Are You Weighting? It’s Not the Food that’s Making You Fat!” which you can get at http://www.WhyAreYouWeighting.com Take the time to get your brain working for you instead of against you…it can be your best friend or your worst enemy…it’s up to you to decide how to use it.
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Cecilia
August 27th, 2009
6:42 pm
Stacey, I have to agree with this article and your post to a point. I appreciate both, and would like to add that keeping weight off is about more than what you eat, or even how you train your mind to view yourself.
It’s about dealing with the reasons WHY you gained weight or got fat in the first place. I lost more than 100 pounds quite a few years ago simpply by exercising and changing nothing else. I only focused on what I would look like, and did not even look at the why of my fat, or learning coping or mangement skills for those.
Well, when I started hitting emotional bumps in the road, the things that I know now caused me to eat, my weight went right back up and brought a few friends along for the ride.
So I wish that all of these medical and phychiatric experts would deal with THAT…and ot just the food.
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Beagle Bailey
August 27th, 2009
11:44 pm
This is a STERILE, ICE COLD article. This author had/has NOTHING invested in this work. Did this author grow up in a Russian orphanage with no human contact for 20 or so years? If this an example of her “Caring”, she needs to get another job.
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Shaun
August 28th, 2009
4:59 am
Just stay super active!
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Shaun
August 28th, 2009
5:03 am
Hmm… why all this talk on death. Why not concentrate on making the most of the time LIVING. Than dying? This was a COLD reading for sure!
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Scuba Steve
August 28th, 2009
2:05 pm
Good advice…I have lost 71 lbs in five months by following this method. Definitely use a calorie tracker…it definitely makes you realize what you are putting into your body.
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KA
August 30th, 2009
8:54 am
“Combining lean protein, some healthy fat, and complex carbohydrates will help you feel fuller longer.” This is absolutely true for anyone. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes two years ago and got my blood sugar under control within 4 months using that formula for all of my meals and snacks: snacks 100-200 calories, meals 300-400 calories with half the plate green vegetables or salad. This allows for energy release over time to keep me going with no sugar high, no crashes, and no binging when I get home from work. I avoid processed foods with white flour, added sugars (especially high fructose sugar), and high fat. I walk every day. Caloriecount.com is a great resource I use to see how many calories, fat, carbs and protein is in any food. Track your calories to really see where you add unhealthy foods and eat too much. My advice in the grocery store is to totally avoid the aisles with sweet bakery goods, crackers & chips, soft drinks, and frozen prepared meals. Choose fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats, low-fat or no-fat dairy products, and canned goods with low sugar, salt and fat. Wean yourself from sugar, fat and salt and you will feel better and you will find you don’t even like fatty and sugary foods any more.
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Mrs M
August 30th, 2009
6:26 pm
The suggestions are great and I really try to do that, although I don’t need to loose any weight, I just want to stay healthy.
My problem is to find food for real meals without sugar or sweeteners. It’s nearly impossible! Sauces, dressings, breads, potato chips, yogurt, whatever, contains sugar or some kind of fructose/sweetener. This is terribly annoying. I wish the food industry would think of their customers health…
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» Latest ibs symptoms news – What is IBS?
August 30th, 2009
7:29 pm
[...] DOCTOR IS IN: Understanding Irritable Bowel Syndrome | Better Health [...]
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http://www.secretsofhealthyeating.com/best-way-to-lose-weight.html
August 31st, 2009
1:30 am
The best way to lose weight and keep it off, is by gradually implementing lifestyle changes and healthy eating habits. Here are some tips:
1. Eat regularly (5 small meals instead of 3 large ones)
2. Switch to healthy fats such as olive oil.
3. Eat low glycemic load carbohydrates like whole grains, and cut back sugary foods
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JG
August 31st, 2009
10:08 am
Dr. Wulkan,
Your article is correct. I work in the Healthcare IT industry. The EMR adoption has been slow, but the industry needs more Physicians like you, to embrace this technology.
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Michelle
August 31st, 2009
10:48 am
What about patient privacy? Has anyone here ever been to the doctor about something somewhat embarrassing that you don’t want people reading about years from now? Seriously. How can the fact that someone got a tampon stuck up them and had to have it removed have any bearing on their health years down the road? How many of you know someone who works at a hospital or doctor’s office and all these records will now be available for them to read. Don’t kid yourself people. There will be no privacy once everyone’s medical record becomes available for people to read.
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Shaun
August 31st, 2009
12:51 pm
Being a mesamorph i train and eat 7 times a day… out of those 3 would be snacks, but i never do know how to follow and what to eat. But this article reminded me that it is still crucial to watch my diet when snacking. I will share the knowledge with readers for sure.
SS
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Cutty
August 31st, 2009
5:21 pm
Michelle,
What type of privacy does one have with their financial records? Is that information readily available to anyone with an internet connection? I think not. Those that work in hospitals already have access to the records in your paper file. Get Real, this is much needed. I once dropped off a prescription at the pharmacy for my asthma, and received the wrong medication because the pharmacist couldn’t read the doctor’s handwriting. EMR’s would take care of that. Your assumptions are eerily similar to ‘death panels’. Don’t listen to everything Rush and Hannity tell you.
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tracy
August 31st, 2009
5:55 pm
i was wondering if anyone has ever tried probiotics. i take them everyday and do not have my problem anymore, as soon as i stop taking them for a week it flare’s back up so i just keep taking them and no more ibs.
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Michelle
August 31st, 2009
10:01 pm
I work in the field. I use EMR records every single day. I don’t know about the financial end of it, but I do know about the medical end. Any time you see a doctor for any reason, there will be a notation of it. From then on, anyone who access to your EMR record will be able to see a note from that visit. Like I said earlier, any embarrassing thing that you might want to put behind you will now be available for future doctors, nurses, office personnel, hospital personnel to see.
People who work in a hospital now do not have access to the paperwork from every single doctor visit you ever had. I really don’t think you know enough about EMRs to be commenting on this. Sorry.
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Michelle
August 31st, 2009
10:02 pm
Cutty,
By the way, I never listen to Rush or Hannity.
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jon
September 1st, 2009
12:16 pm
Paxil (paroxetine) has had a very bad press over the years but can be highly effective for certain individuals. I’ve witnessed patients’ lives literally being turned around in a matter of weeks. Is it the panacea to all their ills? No of course not. But it’s a start in the right direction and can enable very ill people to gradually get their life back. I’m not specifically promoting Paxil as there are numerous antidepressants available and it’s not possible to determine in advance how a particular drug will affect a particular individual.
As for those who talk about exercise, the power of prayer etc. please go and educate yourselves. Try reading the relevant sections of DSM-IV or ICD10 and then maybe you might have something worthwhile to contribute…
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Meg Tooke, R.N.
September 1st, 2009
1:41 pm
This may not be in the exact group discussed here, but maleria from the Anopheles mosquito is very wide-spread throughout the world, particularly in the tropics, and kills as many as 50 million people each year, I have read. My father went to the Belgian Congo as an M.D. many years ago so we had some experience with Maleria!!
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lori
September 1st, 2009
6:39 pm
First off, Dr. Wulkan, I think this is a great article. EMR adoption has been slow, but as more facilities and physicians adopt it, and as more patients are introduced to it, I think that it will help change the overall way we approach healthcare, making it more of a team, or partnership, effort. I would like to see greater conversation between doctors and patients, which requires interoperability. I use HealthVault to record my family’s visits, innoculations and other medical information. It would be outstanding if I could share that information with all of our various doctors instead of the paperwork process I currently go through. And it would be easier, I have to believe, on the various doctors, for them to be able to see in a glance what doctors a family member has seen, and what medications they are on (how many times do we not know the dosage or the actual name of the medicine). As for the privacy issues that have been brought up, perhaps there will be a way to tab specific visits that are non-essential for an overall diagnosis. I for one thought it to be hysterical when I went into an urgent care recently, having sliced my finger nicely. Specifically, the date of my last menstrual cycle or pap smear have absolutely nothing to do with suturing my finger. It’s perhaps a matter of better “filing” of necessary data.
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cate wyckoff
September 1st, 2009
8:27 pm
This is a very practical and useful article. It apparently seemed a little callous to some of those who commented however there are so many aspects of death and dying which are simply “housekeeping” and need to be taken care of so that the process of life and death can go on in a peaceful manner. Pre need funeral arrangements, for instance, insure that the deceased’s desires are carried out. One can see and understand the funeral process ahead of time and take the apprehension out of the act of making funeral arrangements. What a caring act, to make pre-need arrangements in order to take that burden off your family. Plus you get the opportunity to be presented for your friends and family in the way that you choose for them to remember you!
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Ian Thorton
September 1st, 2009
8:29 pm
Thanks for the tips.
An article I read talks about the most important weight training exercises. You may want to look into this.
http://worldfitnessnetwork.com/2009/07/the-big-7-the-seven-most-important-weight-training-exercises/
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Patty Fleming
September 2nd, 2009
4:15 pm
I started developing arthritis about a year ago in my hands. Two months ago my husband bought me some pure cherry juice (very sour!) and I started drinking 2 Tablespoons in a glass of water every day. After about 3 weeks, I haven’t had any pain. I was sure this was some type of scam, but it is really wonderful. It has made me really start looking at the nutritional benefits of different foods.
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Cleva Watson
September 2nd, 2009
5:07 pm
Thnks for the good advice! However African Americans need more access to fresh fruits & vegatables We need more urban community gardens.http://www.blackunitedsuccess.com
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Joann Anderson
September 2nd, 2009
8:58 pm
I first heard about tart cherries from my doctor. At first, I didn’t feel much difference and told my doctor. She said to just be patient since it takes time to build up on the my body. It wasn’t until I stopped drinking the tart cherry juice did I feel the difference. I was on vacation and didn’t take any cherry juice with me. I was in such pain and none of the local stores carried the cherry juice, but I found a local store selling the cherry capsules. I started taking them a within a few days I felt better. I told my doctor about the Fruit advantage tart cherry capsules when I returned and she looked into them and said they would work great for me. I also just recently learned she is now recommending these cherry capsules to her other patients. I liked the juice but the capsules are some muc easy to take and are more convenient.
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John C.
September 2nd, 2009
9:01 pm
Hey check this out… I just downloaded and started reading a free downloadable ebook called Tart Cherry Health report from Traverse Bay Farms. It is really good information on the cherries and it also has some cherry recipes that sound really good.
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sb
September 3rd, 2009
9:00 am
If the Vitamins don’t kill us! the Govt. will do their best by Taxing us to Death.
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Dan
September 4th, 2009
10:57 am
Actually it is a statitical fact that it is over diagnosed. This “condition” is diagnosed solely on a perceived variation from the norm. Assuming 2 standard deviations only 5% of any given population could be considered outside the norm. Of course that is 2.5% on either side. Based on the good doctors numbers the 4.4M of kids diagnosed with this is 4.4M or 7% of the population. There is a strong statiscal argument that is diagnosed at more thatn twice and close to 3 times the actual possiblility of occurance. That would be 2.8M misdiagnosis. If there are truly 4.4M people with the set of traits or characteristics accepted to be ADHD, then that set of traits, whether disirable or not, is normal. That is a fact not opinion.
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Shaun
September 4th, 2009
7:24 pm
Lift with your legs is all so important here. Neglect that rule and your back will suffer in pain as early as 30 years old! For a good back when working out, then one should work the upper back muscles. That improves good posture. This article applies to all of us though, not just school kids
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Aging & Caring: How To Get Your Health Insurance Company To Pay Up
September 5th, 2009
11:05 pm
[...] Aging & Caring: How To Get Your Health Insurance Company To Pay Up [...]
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Debbi
September 7th, 2009
11:44 am
The 15% of your body weight rule is a good rule and all but try telling that to the 6 different teachers who don’t coordinate with each other when assigning homework and my child has to bring 4 schoolbooks home everyday along with workbooks, lunchbox, glasscase, etc. and then my 6th grade, 70lb. child is carrying way more than 15% of her body weight. Some of these smaller middle-school and high-school children are already suffering back problems a mere 4 weeks in to the school year. And a lot of us cannot afford a second set of books at home – especially when we have more than one child in school.
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MomOf2Girls
September 8th, 2009
9:28 am
Arrange with the school to maintain a second set of books at home if possible. This will minimize the main source of weight (amazingly large and heavy textbooks). If this isn’t possible, request that the teacher photocopy pages required for the homework. This is legal as long as there are enough textbooks for every student in the class (at least according to the teacher I spoke to).
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McKenzie
September 8th, 2009
10:59 am
I think you should be able to buy the pill because more than 80% of teenagers have sex before they are 18 and if you are able to be responsible enough to have sex, then you should be responsible enough to take care of a problem if it occurs.
I am a 17 year old girl and I think it would be a good idea to at least be able to buy the pill, because that means you are responsible enough to think about taking away another life who didn’t even have a say in anything.
And by the way, some people do not care whether you graduated college with a 3.8 GPA or not.. keep that stuff to yourself, we’re talking about birth control not your college experience!!!
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Kids Menu Upgrades « The Confessions of a Food Man
September 8th, 2009
5:07 pm
[...] Carolyn O’Neil wrote about the new dining-out data in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She interviewed registered dietitian and blogger Janice Bissex, co-author of The Moms Guide to Meal Makeovers. ”If eating out is a frequent occurrence, some ground rules should be set,” she said. She recommends limiting soft drink consumption and encouraging water, lowfat milk or juice as healthier beverage options. But what concerns Bissex most is not offered on kids’ menus. ”I’d like to see more whole-wheat bread for sandwiches, cut up fruit and baby carrots. And instead of pasta in butter, I’d prefer to see pasta and marinara sauce with broccoli.” [...]
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Ben
September 8th, 2009
5:26 pm
Enter your comments hereregarding the H1N1 swine flu. Results showed that physicians are taking a more precautionary approach to protect against the H1N1 virus, including washing their hands more frequently and avoiding crowded events.. For more in-dept results, please visit http://www.mediacurves.com/HealthCare/J7540-H1N1/Index.cfm
Thanks,
Ben
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CC
September 9th, 2009
7:23 am
Stay home if your sick and keep your kids home until they are fever free for a full 24 hours.
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GG
September 9th, 2009
9:25 am
My son had a fever last Friday of 101, I picked him up from school and his fever never went higher than this, therefore I did not take him to the doctor. Over the holiday and weekend he has since recovered, but he still has a cough and sneeze. I received a letter from my son’s elementary school saying that if a swine flu outbreak occurs be prepared to stay home with your kids from 4 to 12 weeks??? I asked specifically were there any documented cases of swine flu and they will not give me a straight answer. I can surely understand their concern, but I sure hope that if this were to occur that their is some form of mandates in place for employers as well. I mean, both my husband and I work outside the home, I cannot see my employer being this flexible unless they are mandated to do so.
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moddyd
September 9th, 2009
9:47 am
its all a government conspiracy to enact marshall law.
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Rita
September 9th, 2009
11:01 am
check out purity .com all kinds of things for health goodluck Rita New
Hampshire
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lynn Azzolina
September 9th, 2009
2:42 pm
I take a capful of cinnergen in the am. It didn’t do too much for my blood sugar. I also take Natures Bounty 2000 okus chromium (2 tablets) after my evening meal. I also had a retinal occulsion and lost the sight of my right eye. This combination seems to be beneficial ( it even controls my weight) but I am worried about bleeding. Do you think that I am taking too much cinnamon? Lynn Azzolina
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jarvis
September 9th, 2009
4:26 pm
I’ve seen Outbreak. I know what to do if I get sick…..Run like hell before the military locks me in my town.
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Mark Eaton
September 9th, 2009
11:09 pm
Thanks Carolyn, great tips!
All this stuff corresponds with the Facebook movement that’s fighting for a healthier lifestyle and kicking junk out of our system:
Facebook.com/Healthy.Food
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Mark Eaton
September 9th, 2009
11:24 pm
Thanks Carolyn, great tips!
All this stuff corresponds with the Facebook movement that’s fighting for a healthier lifestyle and kicking junk out of our system:
Facebook.com/Healthy.Food
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Santosh
September 10th, 2009
3:31 am
Wow, i think if one will start doing these things, it’ll be great.
http://fitho.in/2009/04/06/gain-weight-fast-with-supplements/
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ATL Medic
September 10th, 2009
12:45 pm
Please do not call 911 and request an ambulance if you think you have the flu. That in itself is NOT an emergency! You do not need to go to an emergency room nor do you need to be tested for the flu. Stay home and rest, drink plenty of liquids, take OTC medications for pain and fever and let it run its course.
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Broc
September 10th, 2009
3:48 pm
Yes we can…
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Broc
September 10th, 2009
3:49 pm
Yes we can
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The Diet Reporter – Daily Weight Loss Headlines
September 11th, 2009
2:17 am
[...] THINNER YOU: What to eat before you work out [...]
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Arthur W. Jordin
September 11th, 2009
7:29 pm
H1N1 is a virus. Viruses are only “killed” by viricides. Viricides differ on their effects on different strains of viruses. There is presently NO viricide for H1N1.
Hand washing protects you and others whom you touch by diluting the viruses on your hands. Even soap and water produces this effect. However, antibacterial and antimicrobial soaps have NO effect on viruses other than diluting them.
I have noticed advertisements for hand cleansers that claim to be effective against influenza. They cite proof of their effectiveness. But are they more effective than washing with your favorite hand soap? Probably not!
Why spend money on falsely advertised products? You can buy snake oil a lot cheaper!
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Maria
September 12th, 2009
10:33 am
Keeping a food and activity diary is also a tremendous source to monitor your caloric intake. http://ajcexchange.com/search_ads?sort_by=most_recent&search=My%20Daily%20Food%20and%20Activity%20Diary&categoryid=&sub_cat=
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Sandie
September 12th, 2009
2:19 pm
My question is: I take a daily multivitamin, if I don’t remember if I already took one after I ate, will it harm me, if I take another one on the same day? I do not take any medications. I eat three meals a day. Try to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.
Thank you
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BodyVision
September 13th, 2009
2:47 am
I agree! As a professional Health and Wellness Coach, I see these issues in client’s everyday and we look for little solutions together. They all add up! from Tatiana Abend, Health and Wellness Coach, founder, owner, BodyVision SL
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Lucy Barlow
September 13th, 2009
4:11 pm
I enjoyed reading your article! You write with great insight and we share many similar ideas. You can read what I wrote about nutrition and learning at : http://www.learningsolutionsathome.com. Thanks and take care, Lucy Barlow
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Tyler Pike
September 14th, 2009
10:16 am
If you really want to get fit do like me, get on a strictly BBQ diet. My dad makes the world’s best BBQ that and his vinegar based sauce added to it just fills a void in my soul. I truly feel that being so happy from eating the perfection that is his BBQ is what keeps me as thin as I am. Lets put it this way, I’ve been wearing the same 3 pairs of denim shorts for the past 10 years.
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Cathy
September 14th, 2009
11:59 am
Tyler, where do you guys live? I’m coming to dinner – that BBQ sounds heavenly!
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T.G.
September 14th, 2009
5:24 pm
This article ignores an extremely important factor: genetic disposition. There are folks such as myself who can go on a very strict diet, are lean, and still have continually rising cholesterol. However, don’t go straight for medication that has bad side effects before trying natural cholesterol-reducing supplements. I won’t name any brands as I’m not an advertiser, but I use something that has phytosterols from soy, and my cholesterol has dropped 20 points in the last 7 months since I started it. This should improve even more over time. Nothing else has worked, including diet, so I’ll gladly take them the rest of my life!
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EXTREMELY high cholesterol
September 15th, 2009
5:30 am
This article is so elementary I’m surprised AJC actually wasted the space for it. There’s not a thing said here that a 6-year old doesn’t know about cholesterol and how to consume less fat. Your cholesterol numbers can be as much as 70% hereditary and there’s not a thing you can do about that part except treat it with medicine and/or supplements. My cholesterol was around 1200 and triglycerides in the neighborhood of 1600 about 15 years ago. Medicine has them down to each around 125 – 150. Do you want to write a good article? Do as T.G. suggests and write about those of us who are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol instead of telling us to use low-fat spreads instead of butter. Duh…
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Shaun
September 15th, 2009
7:54 am
Thank you for this! I just happened to be asking this very thing 5 hours ago. I will try this for sure
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Shaun
September 15th, 2009
7:58 am
Despite what others have said, everything mentioned here is still very relevant, especially to a high metabolism type lie myself. Even just recently i have been warned that although i can eat what i want and not get fat, I still gotta watch what i eat!
shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Jack
September 15th, 2009
8:45 am
Only 20% of your cholesterol comes from food, so it will help eating right but will not fix the problem. My cholesterol went from 200 to 300 and my Dr put me on all kids of statins that caused several side effects. Finally I researched cholesterol and why the body creates it and it is created to keep your veins and arteries from leaking when the body isn’t getting what is needs and I was needing water. I was dehydrated which caused my liver to produce cholesterol to repair my arteries and when I started drinking a gallon of water a day it went back to normal. I also take red yeast rice which is OTC and it doesn’t have the side effects of prescription drugs.
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Electronic Medical Records
September 15th, 2009
9:50 am
Patients can access their electronic medical records online with MRI: https://www.medicalrecordsinternational.com and even get 30 days free trial. They can control what to share and what not to share with doctors.
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T.G.
September 15th, 2009
10:48 am
Wow! I didn’t know water would help. I dehydrate very easily, so that is a great piece of information! My natural supplement includes red yeast extract also, among other things. I’ll really work on the water, too. Thanks for the helpful info!
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steffan
September 15th, 2009
4:34 pm
Just a quick comment to T.G. – get yourself a copy of “your Bodies Many Cries for Water” you will surprised at what it can do.
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fano such thing as healthy fast food
September 15th, 2009
5:50 pm
this is nothing more than propaganda created by this inedible food industry there is nothing healthy at these places and the idea that healthy food is ore expensive is another BS i can find cheap healthy food in asian restaurants which cost the same and cheaper than filth in fast food joints
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NYTN
September 16th, 2009
8:44 am
As long as there is a “99 cents” menu, things will not change very much.
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dawgdan
September 16th, 2009
2:50 pm
I’m gonna throw the BS flag on #1. After a pile of pulled pork, ribs, or brisket, or any other smoked meat, I am totally done for the day. I sleep like a baby with a tummy full of Similac. I try not to do it regularly for the heart attack factor, but a large quantity of smoked meat is a fantastic sleep aid for me.
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lottiegottie
September 16th, 2009
3:02 pm
Yeah, #4, what tha spank are they talking about? If I eat a nice juicy pepperoni pie for dinner Im sleeping like a corpse!
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Independent Thinker
September 16th, 2009
3:11 pm
I believe it must depend on the individual. I can eat/drink all of the above except energy drinks, and sleep for hours without waking. Usually, I have both feet off the floor before I fall asleep and don’t wake up until the morning. And I am a 58 year old male!
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reservoirDAWG
September 16th, 2009
3:33 pm
I’ve never seen a “journalist” use the word pee before.
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Ryan
September 16th, 2009
4:00 pm
I find it hard to believe Energy Drinks would make it hard to sleep. I always put down a couple Red Bulls before gong to bed.
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Bobby
September 16th, 2009
4:09 pm
After a couple of six packs I don’t seem to have any trouble sleeping!!
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BJ
September 16th, 2009
8:11 pm
I inject all of the above using an IV and I have no trouble sleeping, and I’m a 78 year old Male!!
Geez
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MlpMorse
September 16th, 2009
8:21 pm
Anyone who watched the Dave Chappell Show knows that RIBS are a sleep-aide…not a hindrance to sleeping. Thanks Ribs!!!
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chelle
September 17th, 2009
8:53 am
“I’ve never seen a “journalist” use the word pee before.”
lolol, what is this world coming too?!
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chelle
September 17th, 2009
8:55 am
I agree about the wine cause it sure kept me up long enough to finish homework for my son who was just to tired to finish it!
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BiteMe
September 17th, 2009
10:48 am
Ryan – Good one!
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Cedric
September 17th, 2009
11:39 am
typing the word urinate would have been better than typing pee. why use the word pee?
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Jim
September 17th, 2009
12:32 pm
DAWG-look at the link by the name-not a staff writer. In fact, I’m wondering if Caring.com paid to get this on the site. If so, the AJC should mark it as such. Content like this (from a provider with a service to offer) should always raise a red flag.
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NNC
September 17th, 2009
1:20 pm
This would explain why I can’t sleep well after the chocolate pudding and then have a pounding headache in the morning!!!
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Shaun
September 17th, 2009
1:52 pm
Nice tips again, but most of this is common sense. Energy drinks = more energy!! There should be a part 2 to this. My eyes will be peeled.
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Jst_Sayin
September 17th, 2009
2:01 pm
Chelle, you finished your son’s homework? Is something wrong with this picture?
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jolene
September 17th, 2009
2:10 pm
i have extreme anxiety and Depression runs in my family and there has been a lot of things that have made me what iam today i can not eat solid food most of the time my chest becomes tight and i start to think am going to choke if i eat this i have to push myslfe day after day just to eat and not give up because i dont want to give in to the everyday pain that anxiety and depression give you i tryed so hard to go on without the drugs iam only 21 years old but it got to the point where it was just to much to deal with i would cry everday to the point where my body was tired from crying i could not work at a job i once loved any more life use to not be so bad people that live a every day happy life and not to have the feelings of what people with anxiety and depression have then just be thankful of your everday joy and do not put down people like us with it it hurts i just want my life back i want it more then anything not to be able to love food like i use to sucks so every time you pick up something you just love to eat like pizza just love every bit of it and just be lucky you dont have what i have i would love to eat pizza i try hard to eat it but the fear comes over me and it hurts a lot that i cant do it like everyone els all i can say i hope to hell cipralex works for me and good luck to all to a happy life
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Dr. Warren
September 17th, 2009
2:19 pm
Since when is the word “pee” used in a major newspaper? The AJC lost its class and professional standards long ago.
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John Reid
September 17th, 2009
2:55 pm
A story of hope. Many thanks for sharing and best wishes.
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mitzymy
September 17th, 2009
5:25 pm
All of this is true with me. If I drink coffee, it has to be early in the morning, before 9am. If I drink a diet soda with lunch at noon, I am sure to be up until after midnight, before sleep comes. I used to drink beer after 11pm, and it put me to sleep right away, but I had to keep getting up to go to the bathroom, and feeling like heck the next morning. But it did relax me after a long hard day in the factory. I can’t sleep if I am hungry, so I get up and eat anything that is available, and sleep like a baby.
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dave ainslie
September 18th, 2009
9:52 am
Enter your comments here
great to hear but that what makes me glad i live in the uk where,by and large,treatment doesnt usually depend on cost
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Doc
September 18th, 2009
3:03 pm
HIFU is a leading technology treatment for prostate cancer. Its a viable option already across the waters and should be looked at here as well. Its curently under FDA trials in the US.
http://www.indianahifu.com
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Shaun
September 19th, 2009
6:14 am
Gosh! I’ve been talking about and answering questions about this stuff for weeks!!! But this is a good take on what one must do after a workout. But i’ll leave a tip,
A very good snack to have after a workout is a peanut butter and jam/ jelly sandwich (brown bread). That packs enough carbs and protein to replace those that you would have lost while working out.
As we all know, there is no one answer to obtaining optimum fitness and nutrition, so i’ll be bookmarking this for sure.
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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kim
September 20th, 2009
1:28 pm
Did,t we learn about this in High School. And, the word “pee” sounds like the verb it is,Has in I need to pee!
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laura price
September 20th, 2009
1:35 pm
dear question writer:
i have had thyroid problems for years and years that were not caught by my GP because my hormone levels fell in the normal range. go to an endocrinologist who will be able to give you more thorough testing. sometimes you’ll have things show up that are not looked for in baseline thyroid testing.
also, if you are able, if you don’t get good results with the first endocrinologist keep looking until you find one that is receptive to your symptoms. i’m still not all better – i was outrageously tired all the time and have several of the other symptoms you mentioned as well as joint problems and more, but i’m a little better. it takes a while to get the dosage correct, so be patient and make sure to find a doctor who doesn’t dismiss you.
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Dave
September 20th, 2009
2:13 pm
Peanuts also make it hard to sleep.
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Insomnia Guru
September 20th, 2009
4:53 pm
I wake up if I hear my dog snoring in another room. I usually wake up every two or three hours, depending on how long my dreams last. The one thing that actually puts me out for the night is fish. If I have broiled fish with a little lemon and seasoning on it, doesn’t matter what side dish I have, I can truly sleep soundly!
Wine seems to promote sleep deprivation for me. It helps me fall asleep fast, but a couple of hours later I can count on restless sleeping pattern the rest of the night. It’s not just the alcohol that gives you the hangover.. Lack of sleep gives you almost the same affect.
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Paul
September 20th, 2009
9:08 pm
The one about energy drinks is probably the most valid to me. But I always eat food like pizza, or ham sandwiches near to me bed time. I just ate a curry. I still sleep ok. Bad things to eat at night that I’ve been told about are peanuts or apples, they are hard to digest and its disturbing at night if you find it hard to sleep already. I usually smoke a fat spliff anyway so that helps too.
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THINNER YOU: Snacking Healthy | Health and Nutrition
September 21st, 2009
12:34 am
[...] Never bring the entire container with you in front of the television or computer. Enjoy your snack without distraction and you won”t be tempted to reach for more.more [...]
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hbshep
September 21st, 2009
10:27 am
Will do…..Beats having to deal with em!!!
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Brian Asselstine
September 21st, 2009
11:09 am
Double Quarter Pounder with cheese is always good after a workout. And cake. Lot’s of cake.
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Mikki
September 21st, 2009
12:09 pm
Enter your comments here
I had heard that chocolate milk was a great post workout snack but was wondering if sugar free chocolate syrup or powder was as effective as regular chocolate in replenishing energy. Any one have any info on this?
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Derrick
September 21st, 2009
12:24 pm
This article is absolutely incorrect and misleading. Carbohydrates are about the WORST thing you can have post-workout. It’s no wonder America is more obese than ever. Even when they DO get off their butts and get to the gym, they sabotage what they just did by listening to bunk like this.
LOL @ Brian.
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Ron B
September 21st, 2009
1:27 pm
Milk was a bad idea
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Peanut Butter Lover
September 21st, 2009
2:05 pm
I guess I am just old myself, almost 51, I love peanut butter sandwiches, no jelly or jam. The peanut butter is already sweet. LOL
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Soforeal
September 21st, 2009
8:05 pm
Is subway really as healthy as everyone says they are after a workout? Even with the low fat subs there is still heavy CARBS in the bread…
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BIOMASS
September 21st, 2009
8:07 pm
Chocolate milk? First of all milk, is not something a weened mammal should drink. Especially the processed crap that is available in Atlanta, Georgia. Add a bunch of sugared chocolate to it? This is typical of the infantile diets I see people eating around here.
After a anaerobic wo, within 30 mins, 45 tops, eat some tuna, or a quality protein mix. Depending on if you want to gain weight, add some carbs.
Stay away from milk, beef, and dairy.
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Lefty
September 21st, 2009
8:24 pm
From Cooking Light: Fluid: Replace what’s lost through sweat. Use foods that are full of fluids (fruits, salads, soups) or fluid alone. Ideally you should drink before and during exercise, too.
Carbs: The American College of Sports Medicine recommends refueling muscles with 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate in the first 30 minutes after an hourlong workout. “If you wait more than 30 minutes, it will take the body longer (about 24 to 36 hours) to refuel muscles,” says sports nutritionist Jackie Berning.
Protein: Contrary to popular belief, the amount of exercise you perform during a normal lunch break doesn’t increase protein requirements. But protein is satisfying, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, who recommends that exercisers include a little protein at each meal.
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Lefty
September 21st, 2009
8:27 pm
Carbs will be used by your body to restore muscle glycogen (some call it muscle fuel for a reason). If your post workout meal doesn’t contain any carbs, your body may actually instead break down muscle tissue to meet its needs.
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Lefty
September 21st, 2009
8:28 pm
You want full sugar chocolate milk to replace the carbs. Sugar-free doesn’t provide that.
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Mike
September 21st, 2009
8:36 pm
All Protein before, Protein and Carbs after. Never any Saturated Fat, ever. For weight training. Milk and Beef are staples for building muscle. Carbs are so important afterwards, whoever said they’re not is a moron.
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BIOMASS
September 21st, 2009
9:04 pm
Mostly carbs, like potatoes, before, then absolutely a clean protein like tuna or salmon after. Add carbs, if you want to gain weight.
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BIOMASS
September 21st, 2009
9:06 pm
Milk and beef are poison. Avoid eating poison.
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Paige
September 21st, 2009
10:20 pm
I workout first thing in the morning and always drink plenty of water post-workout, have never thought about drinking milk. I also eat a scrambled egg/cheese/pepper whole-wheat burrito (also add hot sauce for extra kick!) for breakfast. This always seems to do the trick for me. If I find I’m still hungry within an hour or so, I’ll eat a piece of PB toast.
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Jeff
September 21st, 2009
10:44 pm
Good grief, BIOMASS, what do you suggest I eat? Some brussels sprouts, some 15-grain bran muffins and some diet water with carrot chips?
There are multiple benefits to both dairy AND beef… in excess, and to the exclusion of other foods, yes, they can be bad… but both milk and lean protein like beef are important to your body.
If you do everything in MODERATION — eating, exercise, etc., then you will be fine. I have lost 10 to 15 pounds over the last few years simply by eating a few more fruits and vegetables, walking my dog every day for about 3/4 of a mile, and playing some occasional tennis or basketball. I’m not but a few pounds away from my high school weight, when i was super fit. And guess what? I can still enjoy an occasional pizza or cheeseburger without stressing out!
So, don’t be so critical on an article that provides some good advice. No one source of info (even YOU Biomass!) can be relied upon as perfect and flawless. Each person should research and find a plan that works best for them.
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Debi
September 21st, 2009
10:57 pm
Wow! Lot’s of opinions not based on research. First of all, you’re body does indeed need both carbohydrates and protein after a workout and yes you should have more carbohydrates than protein. Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of fuel and are not the reason that obesity has increased in the last decade. Sedentary lifestyles, over processed foods and supersized meals are among the culprits for the increase in obesity.
Also, milk itself has sugar – lactose – so if you want to use sugar free chocolate syrup because you’re cutting back on sugar or you’re a diabetic and need to watch your sugar intake then it’s a perfectly acceptable choice.
Diet combined with exercise is the key to weight loss and maintenance and as Jeff said…all things in moderation.
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BIOMASS
September 21st, 2009
11:35 pm
Jeff, what’s wrong with brussels? Just had a bowl. I’ll pass on the vitamin water, though. I’m saying take a look at what is in your food. Beef and dairy are full of hormones and are directly connected to diseases like cancer. If you are a slave to taste, then that’s your problem.
You can live to eat, or eat to live.
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a-belle
September 22nd, 2009
1:05 am
Enter your comments here
BIOMASS is correct. There is a lot of bad stuff in food such as hormones and just the way food is processed in general that makes it bad, although milk was never meant for human consumption which is why so many cannot process.
There is a new documentary out called Food Inc. I have not seen it but heard it is an eye opener re: the food industry and why what we eat is sabotaging our efforts to remain healthy.
Sorry to get off topic but I believe anyone interested enuf to respond to this article would want to be enlightened about America’s food industry.
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Bob
September 22nd, 2009
12:42 pm
a-belle, your quote “milk was never meant for human consumption which is why so many cannot process”. So I don’t get that. Why do human mothers lactate then?
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Keep it whole
September 22nd, 2009
2:13 pm
there’s a lot of hormones and pesticides in most of the foods sold at most of the grocery stores, so it’s not just beef and milk that is polluted, but also those brussel sprouts – if their not organic!
Stick with whole foods, the less processed the better. Shop the outside of the grocery store and keep to the foods in season and local, they are more nutritious because they are usually picked at the peak of ripeness and are on the shelves and your table sooner after picking, since the fruits and vegetables tend to degrade once picked from the plant.
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humble writer
September 22nd, 2009
2:49 pm
Bob, a-belle was likely referring to cow’s milk which was and always will be meant for cows not humans. Yes, mothers lactate to be able to give their babies human-produced milk. And if you look closer at the dangers of human consumption of cow’s milk, you’ll find that milk produced naturally from any species includes antibodies designed to internally kill off anything that is not of that species in order to promote healthy and proper growth. And we are (haven’t totally confirmed this, but I believe it’s true) the only species that continues to drink milk after we have been “weaned” from it, and it is not even our own. Hence, some of the problems and illnesses we experience, in especially our young children, can be directly attributed to the use of cow’s milk and or milk related products i.e dairy. Many say that milk/dairy is essential for things like Calcium and Vitamin D,etc. But while there may be some “so-called” benefits to milk/dairy, they are severly outwieghed by the adverse effects and consequences. The same may be said of the consumption of meat and/or meat products. Milk, along with animal flesh, has never been the best for humans, and in recent years has largely been responsible for many types of cancers, and other diseases because the animals themselves are diseased. So many, even as I write this are dying needlessly as a result of years of an incorrect diet. Even very young people are falling victim. All of the nutrients essential to man, and their life-giving benefits, can be found in fruits, nuts, vegetables and grains and/or some combination of them. This is not at all to bash those who do use animal products. It is simply to educate, and hopefully promote healthier lifestyles, esp. here in America where we could use them. I hope I was able to help! God Bless!
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al guilbault, Vancouver Canada
September 22nd, 2009
2:56 pm
Enter your comments
thank you for this
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healthydiva
September 22nd, 2009
4:16 pm
Enter your comments here
BIOMASS, Thank you for sharing the truth. You are oh so right. Most people just don’t get it. They either don’t want to accept the truth about beef and dairy or they are sadly misinformed. We can live without beef and dairy. What happens to babies once you introduce table food? They start getting colds, stomach aches, etc. Beef is bad for your colon and lymphatic system and dairy is mucus-forming. Beef and dairy harden in the body and attract parasites if transit time is poor. Explains the rise in so many diseases. Most people don’t want to agree with that because they don’t want to give it up the bad stuff. They are addicted to it like some people are addicted to aspartame-laced diet soft drinks and light beer.
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sheila
September 22nd, 2009
4:25 pm
Enter your comments here
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E
September 22nd, 2009
4:31 pm
@Biomass
I gave up red meat about 10 years ago. But I still consume skim milk in my cereal. I’ve never been sick and I love yougurt/ice cream/milshakes. Why is milk so harmful…isn’t true that we weren’t meant to consume milk or is it simply some people aren’t? Is soy or almond milk a better choice?
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healthydiva
September 22nd, 2009
4:43 pm
Enter your comments here
E, your health will be even better in the LONG RUN if you give up the milk altogether. You might not be sick now, but problems can show up later, semmingly out of the blue. Try vanilla coconut milk by So Delicious, or something similar, for your cereal and shakes. It took a while for me to give up the milk and the wrong kinds of yogurts because they are in the comfort foods category. But they give you a false sense of security. You’ll feel so good after you give it up, you won’t miss it. I’m not trying to be difficult, just trying to help. I’ve seen what ill health looks like and it’s a horrible thing.
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E
September 22nd, 2009
4:55 pm
@ healtydiva
Yeah, I’ve been eyeing soy milk for awhile now. I’m very picky, so I’m reluctant to try new foods. But your point about health issues occuring in the long run is well taken. I gave up red meat/pork years ago and don’t miss either, so I suppose the same can be done with milk products.
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Shaun
September 23rd, 2009
11:38 am
Pretty extensive list. But how did you forget to add fish to the list. That is the ultimate brain food. Older adults in developing countries who regularly eat fish seem to have a lower risk of dementia.
Omega-3 fats have a number of properties that could help stave off dementia too, including actions that protect nerve cells, limit inflammation and help prevent the build-up of the amyloid proteins seen in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
Teenage boys who it fish score better in school too. FISH people!
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Kevin Lee
September 23rd, 2009
2:31 pm
Ms. Thompson continues to create great food for even better health. I hope to hear more from her in the years to come.
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Steven Aldrich
September 23rd, 2009
2:50 pm
These are great suggestions for keeping your mind sharp, touching on the key components of physical exercise, healthy diet, emotional engagement and mental fitness.
Idea #6 references research that supports the impact of brain training … the study was conducted using Posit Science’s Brain Fitness Program. There are now over 30 published clinical studies from institutions like the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins showing that our technology can have a range of benefits from improved memory to lowered health care costs.
I am CEO and Dr. Mike Merzenich is founder and chief scientist here at Posit Science and we make scientifically-validated software programs that can help you think faster, focus better and remember more. For more information and to try free exercises, please visit http://www.positscience.com
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Usman Hameed
September 23rd, 2009
3:04 pm
Enter your comments here
This a very practical way of life
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thank you
September 23rd, 2009
6:25 pm
Love it! Sending this to my 40[ahem
] and older friends!
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LactoseIntolerant
September 24th, 2009
1:21 am
I consider being severely lactose-intolerant one of the best things that could have ever happened to me. I’ve never missed dairy. Soy and rice milk are wonderful. I use soy for cooking (very creamy consistency – great for “cream” sauces) and I drink rice milk. I don’t usually catch colds or the flu at all, have no stomach problems, have always had low blood pressure, and have no signs of cancer or heart disease (despite a horrible family history of both). Not touching the beef thing though – I do love my porterhouse and burgers LOL
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Health Freak
September 24th, 2009
9:38 am
I agree. Cake is the best complete protein to fuel you through that workout. I like to put a cake on my treadmill and grab a handful every mile.
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Lacrosse Injuries: Growth Plate Injuries In Young Lacrosse Players Include Shin Splints, Sever’s Disease, Osgood-Schlatter, And “Jumper’s Knee” « LAXBUZZ
September 24th, 2009
9:49 am
[...] http://blogs.ajc.com/better-health/2009/09/22/doctor-is-in-common-injuries-in-young-lacrosse-players... [...]
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Martin Walker - Brain Training Advocate
September 24th, 2009
2:55 pm
I’d like to add that it’s never too soon to start brain training. It’s easy to consign the idea of brain training to the “something I don’t need to worry about yet” category. In fact, at any stage of life we can benefit from a program designed to improve our core cognitive skills. Students can boost their test scores and perform better academically. Those in a career can use brain training as part of a career enhancement plan. And yes, as we age, we can turn back the adverse effects on the brain.
My company has a program that trains working memory as a way to increase fluid intelligence. This training program uses a protocol designed and proven by academics under stringent research conditions, and the results of following the program are remarkable.
Best wishes,
Martin Walker
http://www.mindsparke.com
Effective, Affordable Brain Training Software
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Ralph Quinlan Forde
September 24th, 2009
6:48 pm
A distinction needs to be made between synthetic vitamins and natural ones StarGate Nutrition. THe natural ones will not harm you the chemicals will. Natural look like the earth brown the chemicals ones are white. http://www.stargatenutritionvitamin.com
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Barbara Speer
September 27th, 2009
8:57 am
Play chess! It’s a great game for your brain, offering continuous variety and challenge. My brother and I play email chess at an excellent site, gameknot.com. Get a chess set and play over-the-board chess, too.
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HSR0601
September 28th, 2009
2:59 pm
1. Swine flu vaccines are thought to be safe and effective as the initial symptom is mild.
2. Folks need to stay vigilant on refraining form the in-take of pork, just in case of the mutation.
(( Genes included in the new swine flu have been circulating undetected in pigs for at least a decade, according to researchers who have sequenced the genomes of more than 50 samples of the virus. The findings suggest that in the future, pig populations will need to be monitored more closely for emerging influenza viruses, reported a team led by Rebecca Garten of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a report released by the journal Science.))
3. Additionally, a simple action like brushing teeth following each and every meal could make a big difference in our immune system, let alone workout, I believe.
Thank You !
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Polly
September 28th, 2009
5:49 pm
Given that the percentage of persons (blood samples) showing immune response was negligibly different between, say, persons 63 years old and persons 67 years old, and little different between persons 50 years old and persons 75 years old, with the percentage going over 40 percent only in the very elderly, those alive in the few years immediately after 1918, and given that up to 22 percent of younger persons’s blood showed immune response, why the cut-off age of 65 for vaccine? Especially as elderly persons have a high risk of complications. Sounds like agism is dangerously at work here.
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?
September 28th, 2009
5:57 pm
Why is there someone named “hudson rouse” on here asking us to call one of his “experts” ? He cannot even write a proper sentence! Is anyone dumb enough to just land on a blog and call a number like that, belonging to someone who can’t capitalize or use punctuation? Why is advertising allowed on here? This is a serious topic! That is tacky, very tacky. Now we know who to NOT call !
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Annelies
September 28th, 2009
9:57 pm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1216714/Schoolgirl-14-dies-given-cervical-cancer-jab.html#ixzz0SQZIbILK
I have contact with, several parents in America, who’s daughters died after getting Gardasil, the American Cervarix. The product is the same.I also have contacts with many, many parents around the wolrd who’s daughters are very, very sick due to either Cervarix or Gardasil. P.e.: Asleigh Cave, a 14 yesr old Englisch girl, paralysed due to Cervarix.
The most shocking facts are, that her mother Cheryl is beiing acused of Munchaussen by Proxy, because she kept saying Asleigh is paralised due to Cervarix. Ashleigh is still in the hospital for nearly a year now and placed in custody of the gouverment.
What does this mean?
The gouverment does’nt want to be acused of giving dangerous vaccine’s to young girls ? Apperently so. But they do !!
The most extreme information I got the past few month’s, about Gardasil, Cervarix and the up-comming Mex.flu vaccine: Farmaceutical company’s are no longer responsible for, adverse reactions or death due to the vaccine. I beg you’re pardon?
This means, that when you’re little girl becomes sick, paralysed or even end’s up death, nobody is responsible.
In the Netherlands our Min. of Health is completly silent about the absolute adverse reactions of Cervarix.
We have sued our Min. of Health last Friday on the up-comming very , very dangerous Mex.flu vaccine. Belgium and France did so too.
The Cervarix-programme is expelled for now. ( That gives us more time to spread the information).
We are working international about Gardasil, Cervarix and now the very, very dangerous Mex.flu vaccine. Google: Thimerosal, polysorbate 80, Triton X100, and most of all MF59, and search for a Nano-supplement as named in both Baxter and Novartis patent-applications for their Mex. Flu vaccine.
I won’t tell you because I want you to learn for yourself. People only believe what they see for themselve’s ; I gave you the clue’s.
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Polly
September 29th, 2009
3:59 am
Dr. Edupuganti, if you know of any serological or epidemiologic studies that definitely contradict my points in the previous post, I’d vastly appreciate the information. (I base my arguments on the May study cited in CDC’s July 30 MMWR (n8) and the late-summer study reported in NEJM Sept 10. Also, one U. Melbourne study this summer concluded the new flu’s epidemiology was like that of any type-A flus, and Dr. Marc Lipsitch (Harvard PH) reported to the IOM recently that what statistical evidence there so far was showed the same epidemiology as other (type-A?) flus. Note too that seniors tend to high rates of seasonal flu shots–and so if the Canada results turn out valid many, many seniors will be at considerably higher risk of infection than those 10 or 20 or 30 years younger. Yet seniors “over 65″ and even if at high risk of complications for other reasons too (and most are) must wait until the 24-64-years group are inoculated? Why?
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Shaun
September 29th, 2009
9:21 am
As long as one has a plan and a goal in place, then busy need not be busy no more!
Discipline people!!
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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C.A. Bouthillier
September 29th, 2009
9:42 am
They Try to Change the Set Times: Swine & Seasonal Flu Vaccine Alert
They try to change the set times. The Swine Flu (H1N1) vaccine and apparently regular flu vaccine (Evidence of Thimerosal, H1N1 Virus in Seasonal Vaccine) are being used in an attempt to abruptly kill significant numbers of population, to bring the population numbers (blood types A, B, O – those who do not belong to them) well below 200 million. This is the purpose of forced vaccinations, to kill many all at once and cause debilitating chronic symptoms in the blood types A, B and O, which have damaged DNA/proteins and weakened immune system. The number of these blood types is quickly approaching 200 million. By abruptly bringing the population numbers below 200 million, they believe they can change the set times and have victory over their Creator. But, their end will still come at the appointed time – at that very hour and day predetermined long ago.
Vaccines were developed under the cover (lie) they will protect from harmful viruses and bacteria, and were never needed and are another fraud perpetrated on the people. Harmful viruses and bacteria thrive and replicate in the blood types A, B & O, which have blood pH that has deviated away from a neutral pH of 7.00. A neutral blood pH of 7.00 destroys/removes harmful bacteria and viruses. The blood type AB is the normal healthy blood type with a neutral pH of 7.00 and has normal DNA and immune system.
Vaccination is in fact the most effective and efficient method to transport poisons more directly into the liver, to displace and deplete copper from that location. The liver is where much of the blood proteins (and other proteins) are synthesized and is where the greatest percentage of copper is stored. Copper is vital in protein synthesis. Vaccine poisons settle and accumulate in the liver depleting and displacing copper, thereby causing a mineral imbalance and deviation from a 7.00 pH, resulting in near-immediate massive DNA damage, by disrupting normal protein synthesis. This aberration in protein synthesis is indicated in malformed and missing proteins, reflected in acidic blood (type B) or alkaline blood (types A & O), depending on individual propensity of the mineral imbalance, i.e., toward acidic or alkaline. As of 2005, the blood pH of blood types A/O was set up to average pH of 7.54 and the blood type B was set up to a higher acidity level (lower pH). The blood pH (blood types A,B & O) has been carefully managed through methodical, intentional poisoning, to reach the current life-critical levels specifically targeting this point in time. The vaccines, planned long ago for this period in time, are formulated to push the blood pH past the critical points, in order to kill and disable many.
For explanation see: http://www.unveilingthem.com/PoisoningOfMankindCopperDeficiency.htm
C.A. Bouthillier
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Patrick in AZ
September 29th, 2009
6:14 pm
I forgot what I wanted to write
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jaclyn
September 29th, 2009
7:49 pm
for all the people saying depression is somebody’s fault and something that can be treated with vitamins/exercise etc- i would dare you to say that to a rape survivor such as myself. at 21 years of age i am the editor in chief of a magazine, 3.6 gpa, published journalist and i have been through many episodes previously in my life such as the divorce of my parents and deaths of friends and family which i was able to cope with and deal with. sometimes it is NOT a matter of exercising and rewiring your thinking. in my situation i was TOLD by a therapist that i was suffering from depression- i didn’t even realize how much my life was affected my sexual assault. so before you start spouting off about how people on antidepressants just need to learn to cope, i suggest you put yourself in my shoes and the 1/4 of women who are raped and ask them to get over their depression alone or just ‘deal’ with it.
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How to Avoid the Soccer Mom Fitness Trap | The Health and Fitness Gurus
September 30th, 2009
10:42 am
[...] treadmill? A forty-six year old mother of three recently confronted this problem and developed a three-part strategy to help busy moms stay in shape on a busy [...]
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julie
September 30th, 2009
12:36 pm
all these lice stories make me itchy, i just used what the CDC Center for Disease Control recommended in a way. they say heat kills the lice and eggs just as you mentioned by using a blow dryer, but you can not get with 6 mm of the scalp it burns! so i found this company called head lice heros they use this lice safe wand that does that. it gets 6 mm of the scalp without burning you only destroying the lice and the eggs/ nits. it’s pretty wild when i had my daughter treated. found them on http://www.licecentersofamerica.org. good luck, Julie
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Shaun
September 30th, 2009
1:47 pm
Hmmm… never though about food in terms of seasons. But i guess it makes sense. Out of that list i think i’ll take sweet potatoes as my favorite. That gives you good skin!
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Shaun
September 30th, 2009
2:16 pm
Is is good that you are informing us about the small ingredients inside the common foods that we eat, and the bad stuff that might be in them (In this case contaminated mercury). But i think we need some badness in our foods. Eating onlyhealthy food isnt a good thing, as the body needs to taste the bad to know how to fight it when it sees it again
http://www.stayfitbug.om
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Cornrefiner
September 30th, 2009
4:27 pm
No mercury or mercury-based technology is used in the production of high fructose corn syrup in North America.
The American public can rest assured that high fructose corn syrup is safe. Safety is the highest priority for our industry, which is why we immediately commissioned external testing as well as independent expert review of claims concerning mercury and our corn sweetener.
Woodhall Stopford, MD, MSPH, of Duke University Medical Center, one of the nation’s leading experts in mercury contamination, reviewed the results of total mercury testing of samples of high fructose corn syrup conducted by Eurofins Central Analytical Laboratory (Metairie, LA) in February and March 2009. Dr. Stopford concluded:
•No quantifiable mercury was detected in any of the samples analyzed.
•High fructose corn syrup does not appear to be a measureable contributor to mercury in foods.
Click here for more information or visit http://www.Duketox.mc.duke.edu.
Audrae Erickson
President
Corn Refiners Association
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jabster
September 30th, 2009
10:40 pm
The secret of mayo is that the oil smothers the lice, while the vinegar loosens the nits. Vinegar is an old method to dissolve nit glue, but plain vinegar is runny, irritating, and doesn’t “soak” the hair as well as the vinegar in thick mayo.
Never heard of using salt but the easiest way to wash out the mayo is to use hand dishwashing soap (like Dawn). It’s surprisingly gentle on the skin (remember “you’re soaking in it”)?
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Lauren
October 1st, 2009
8:59 am
I’m reading some of these posts, and you can CLEARLY tell the ones who are on here bashing anti-depressants, haven’t the slightest clue what they are talking about. You people have no business talking about something you know nothing about. I have a wonderful life, I am a youth leader at my church, have the best family in the world, a good job, nothing to be “depressed” about. But I was DIAGNOSED with manic depression at a very young age, and will always have to take them. They are not addictive, and when I stop taking them, everyone can tell a HUGE difference….myseld included. No one “chooses” depression….it is a serious medical condition. So yes, pray, exercise, whatever helps….but without anti-depressants NOTHING will help when you are depressed. I take Pristiq now and it is by far the best one i’ve taken, and i’ve taken them all. No side effects…just simply the best anti-depressant i’ve ever taken and I highly recommend it to anyone suffering from mild to manic depression.
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Steve
October 1st, 2009
9:28 am
C.A., how do you explain the sucess of the smallpox and polio vaccines? And, where do you get the 200 million number?
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AGING & CARING: Memory enhancers for someone with Alzheimer’s | Better Health
October 2nd, 2009
11:59 am
[...] 20 easy ways to boost your memory [...]
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KA
October 3rd, 2009
7:13 am
I had my birthday lunch at Seasons 52 in Buckhead last week and had the Harvest Vegetable Plate. It was delicious! It is elegant dining with excellent service. We are planning to have a little family reunion there over the holidays.
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Lice Free Client
October 3rd, 2009
1:57 pm
I know of this company I used call “Family Lice Removal” whom has done such a wonderful job in removing lice and nits from my kids head. 2 treatments needed and your done. I am so glad I found this company in Atlanta they are the best!
They use an all natural product which is awesome… I recommend this company to anyone who really want to get rid of head lice…
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Wooo Hooo!
October 3rd, 2009
4:44 pm
Nuthin’ like a big plate of cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts to munch down on.
Who’d want honeydew and cantaloupe when that combo is available?
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Shananeeee Faneneeeeeee
October 4th, 2009
2:30 pm
All the fatties I see around the city need to go on hunger strike.
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Anita
October 4th, 2009
4:11 pm
Good information thank you.
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Kar
October 5th, 2009
1:43 pm
Do me a favor and sit downwind of me.
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Chris Broe
October 5th, 2009
2:07 pm
Oprah sez that blueberries are the perfect food. (and Broccoli Sprouts).
However, if you’re into emotional comfort, then the new Nacho Crunch from Taco Bell is the best thing since sliced bread.
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Shaun
October 5th, 2009
5:26 pm
Well…
This is what Fitness magazines have been doing for years. Duping people into buying products (which are now in the 000’s). The thing about this is, that only a few of these products work, whether they are muscle building supplements, protein shakes, energy drinks or bars.
With the busy world that we now live in this won’t ease up either. Just follow those in fitness that you trust and use what they recommend. Even then, still do your research.
Good that you are looking out for us Doc, and keep forcing the message out to the masses
Shaun
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Momof2
October 6th, 2009
12:20 am
You can’t discipline a kid with ADHD into behaving normally. They just can’t help it. You can try to beat them or punish them but either they start looking furtive and scared or they become defiant and rebellious, but they still have ADHD. They behave differently at home and in one-on-one situations than they do in a classroom – they cannot handle the distractions and believe me, just about everything around them is a distraction!
Surely you had a classmate or two while you were in school who fit this criteria? These were the ones who got sent to the principal a lot, made to sit apart from the other students (if they were lucky and had an observant teacher)or made to sit out recess or stand in a corner or humiliated in front of the class. Maybe you didn’t understand why they got this treatment and wondered about it. Those were the worst cases and there’s a whole range of severity.
What do you think it’s like to have this to deal with every day as a parent? You know your child is wonderful, smart, creative and eager to connect with the world and just cannot channel that into acceptable classroom behavior.
I know what can help my child perform better, stay focused and on task, and he seems to be growing out of this problem. I am not going to stand by and let society reject him because of an issue that can be corrected. If he had a problem with walking or talking you would allow him to receive treatment – but if it’s something that takes effort to analyse and diagnose, something not so obvious, you’re going to take the stance that it doesn’t exist?
You can talk all you want and extrapolate numbers from someone’s staistics, guess what? Your argument doesn’t exist for me.
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Shananeeee Faneneeeeeee
October 6th, 2009
1:28 pm
Yeah Gatorade is #1, I wonder why DAWG fans? 49-10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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alibel
October 6th, 2009
4:46 pm
Who the heck would give their kids energy drinks to begin with?! We need to stop pumping our kids full of crap. Quicker & easier doesn’t always mean better.
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tanner
October 6th, 2009
6:18 pm
shananeeeee which one of these drinks will allow teabag to remember where his car keys are..
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Shaun
October 7th, 2009
2:18 pm
it must be a food day today as i’ve been talking about it a lot with readers. I do agree that vegetarian recipes are more fun to cook, but I’m not a vegetarian so i can’t appreciate as much. I have been there though and it gets surely praises from me!
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Paul
October 8th, 2009
10:34 am
Love this column! Great vegan recipes are available for free from the Humane Society of the United States at http://www.hsus.org/recipes
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Vegan Bites: Oct. 8, 2009
October 8th, 2009
3:02 pm
[...] “‘The big surprise when we introduced the new vegetarian menus was the number of nonvegetarians who signed up to receive the meals,’ said Elston Collins of Good Measure Meals” more >> [...]
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SheilasOcean
October 8th, 2009
5:07 pm
Julie, same thing here, getting all itchy just THINKING about the creepy crawlers. My daughter got it a few years ago too, and I tell you we tore apart the stores looking for something to work. I never heard of the Family Lice Removal…thats interesting. We used http://www.licetokill.com and it did the trick.
But I like all the places popping up that actually get right in there and nitpick them out for you. I forget their name, but thats QUITE the service, right?
Sheila
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AGING & CARING: Six steps to diagnosing Alzheimer’s | Better Health
October 9th, 2009
2:52 pm
[...] Memory enhancers for someone with Alzheimer’s [...]
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Joseph J. Sivak MD
October 10th, 2009
4:51 pm
An excellent article that is all encompassing. I can not emphasize the impotance of getting a good physician and seeing a specialist that works with AD victims. It is important to candidly ask you doctor what his or her philosophy is on treating the disease. AD is a medical and a social problem. There are many varying attitudes and philosophys amongst physicians on treating the disease. They range from apathy to all out gung-ho aggressive treatment. This is important to know since there is not a cure for the disease yet. The best treatments currently available can only and often slow the progression of the disease, but it still progresses. Most good doctors want to meet and help the family with wherever they are at emotionally and philosophically, and help guide them through the process.
You want a doctor who is well-versed on the current treatments and the latest research. You want the doctor to partner with you through a difficult journey. It is a process that is not very pleasant or comfortbale but you want to be as open and confortable with your doctor as possible and have a sense that you understand their feelings on the disease. If you have this comfort and trust in your doctor it can sometimes make the process a bit less arduous.
Joseph J. Sivak MD
http://alzheimmers.blogspot.com
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JL
October 12th, 2009
1:24 pm
Eating less meat is simple if you have the right tools. For some great meatless recipes visit http://www.meatlessmonday.com. There are bunch of really great easy to cook recipes as well as some great articles about the benefits of going meatless.
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Kyle
October 12th, 2009
1:31 pm
This video provides some consideration on quickly medicating kids with something they may not even have…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7Qjh7KcK9c
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5 Amazing Qualities of Caralluma Fimbriata That Make It the Perfect, Herbal Diet Pill
October 13th, 2009
12:37 pm
[...] dieter. But again, what you snack on is important. You can check out Carolyn O’Neil’s blog on “healthy snacking” for some good, solid [...]
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Lisa
October 13th, 2009
5:35 pm
It is so good to see more information out about this topic- many adult children fear addressing this until it a crisis occurs. Lots of tears could be avoided if families discussed this when parents are healthy! Lisa- Geriatric Care Manager
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Laura_ICARAStudy
October 13th, 2009
5:44 pm
It is important for patients and families affected by diseases such as Alzheimer’s to consider participating in clinical studies. One such study is the ICARA Study (www.icarastudy.com), whose goal is to explore if an investigational drug, called Bapineuzumab, can help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. Clinical studies that test new treatments are the best chance we have for fighting this disease. Current therapies for Alzheimer’s treat the symptoms associated with it, not the disease itself.
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Likel
October 14th, 2009
12:07 pm
Wish restaurants had to post their scores on the front door, sometimes you have to search for their health scores. I walked out of a chinese place other day because they had a 80 but it was hidden behind a potted plant behind a door.
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Shaun
October 14th, 2009
12:13 pm
These are good tips for sure and yes, we cannot eliminate the risk…only reduce it. But in general i think that these foods will affect different people differently. If you have a pretty good immune system most of these things won’t affect you.
It is only when it is intentional such as with bodybuilders who do raw eggs for when you maybe affected. Personally I have only been affected by seafood, which was raw on an island in Thailand. But I learned my lesson. That goes back to what i mentioned about all of this affecting different people differently. A Thai person can stomach what I ate with ease.
Overall prevention is better that detection!
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Drew
October 14th, 2009
12:39 pm
Shaun – that’s not really true. If you ingest food that is contaminated with harmful bacteria you are not going to fight it off simply because your immune system is “pretty good.” If you are 25 versus 85 you may recover more quickly simply because your body is younger and stronger, but if you eat a bad oyster or undercooked chicken, you are going to be counting the tiles on the bathroom floor just like everyone else. Please don’t confuse people.
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Kristin
October 14th, 2009
1:40 pm
I can attest to what Drew said. I am a runner, healthy eater and have never had an illness more serious than a cold and I once ate a bad oyster and I spent the night laying on the bathroom floor praying that my misery would end. I will not eat unpasteurized oysters ever again.
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Tyree
October 14th, 2009
2:24 pm
A little common sense. If the space looks, smells, and transports your mind to a side street in Tijuana you might want to reconsider. Bathrooms are a direct refection of the restaurant. Look for that almighty framed monthly score displayed near the entrance. Be aware before you bite.
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Tyree
October 14th, 2009
2:25 pm
reflection…my bad
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Manny
October 14th, 2009
2:49 pm
I have a question:
Does Burger King use gloves now? I haven’t been there in a year, except for the Whopper Bar at Universal Studios. The reason why we avoid it is because they didn’t use gloves. I went to two different Burger Kings where I lived and both times… no gloves. And I haven’t been back since.
Did this change? Do they wear gloves now?(By the way, I live in Kennesaw)
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Rule .303
October 14th, 2009
2:58 pm
Manny, I’m not trying to be a wise ass, but what practical difference do gloves make, other than to cover up an exposed sore? I mean, if I’m rubbing my nose, ears, or hair…or picking up a food scrap off a dirty floor, will wearing gloves make you feel better? I’ve worked in ‘clean and safe’ restaurants where I saw the kitchen help take out the trash with gloves on, then go right back to cooking or preparing food with those same gloves.
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Sue
October 14th, 2009
4:39 pm
I’ve been in a Taco Bell where the workers do not wear gloves while preparing the food. Their health score was a 100. It still grossed me out.
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Freeone
October 14th, 2009
4:47 pm
None of the trials of the H1N1 shots included sqaline or therimisol. This according the the CDC.gov website. Thus they cannot be considered to be safe.
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Henry Co. Redneck
October 14th, 2009
6:58 pm
If they wear gloves, at least it means they are paying attention to detail and are more caring than those places that aren’t.
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Ellie
October 14th, 2009
7:15 pm
Shaun: I’m not sure what you mean by “It is only when it is intentional such as with bodybuilders who do raw eggs for when you maybe affected.” Most people don’t think of sunny side up eggs as giving them salmonella, but there is still a risk. Also, people really don’t expect to get sick from their salads. There is a lot out of the individuals control like how the plants are raised (which should change). However, there are steps we can take to avoid cross contamination and food borne illness, such as washing hands thoroughly, fully cooking vegetables, and using pasteurized liquid or shell eggs.
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itpdude
October 14th, 2009
11:46 pm
So, if I drink excessively and drink a pile of coffee to get up for work, am I good? I’m thinking this might cancel things out.
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Stan
October 15th, 2009
1:28 pm
I have refused food from fast-food restaurants after seeing the order taker leave the cash register and go glove-less to prepare my order. Granted, this doesn’t happen often, but does happen and happened to me recently, At the drive-thru, you never know. Handling food after handling money gags me.
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RW
October 15th, 2009
2:13 pm
Could that list be any longer? I can’t remember what I just read (and yes, I’m over 27).
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Shaun
October 15th, 2009
3:40 pm
Good point Drew, and sorry for your experience with oysters (My bad- it made me chuckle). But I was talking about extreme cases mainly. But what about my example with Thai people and food? What would be your personal explanation on that?
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Bob Dole
October 16th, 2009
4:04 pm
All these people talking about smoked meats and pep pizza putting the sleep are obviously fat. I am totally healthy and tyramine can really disturb my sleep. You full dude thats what happens.
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Mark
October 17th, 2009
2:22 pm
If it makes you sh*t, then you can’t aquit!
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RUSSELL
October 17th, 2009
4:37 pm
I work in the restaurant cleaning business and I see alot of nasty kitchens, my first rule of eating out is look at the front door glass, is it clean? If they do not clean the front door glass the first thing you see when going in a restaurant, they do not clean were you can’t see.
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Sp Ed Teacher
October 17th, 2009
4:38 pm
I read the restaurant scores on line before eating there. The reasons are posted too. No paper towels or out of soap in the bathroom are not as serious as hot and cold temps of food. I always check that score before I sit down in case of a new score or an error on line.
Only got sick once, raw oysters at the old Marriott downtown in the late 70s. Only eat East Coast ones and ask to see the tag/bag when eating them at a restaurant. Same when buying them. Rare sandwich–only bison at Ted’s Montana Grill.
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jess
October 17th, 2009
5:05 pm
Health score must be current ( 30 days old or less ) and must be above a 96, posted in plain sight ( as required by law ) or I’m outta there. Restaurants with consistant scores of 99-100 are my favorites regardless of their cuisine. I make a point to THANK the staff for theit high health score. If they care that much about my health, I care doubly about their tip and their feeling appreciated. I really hate that the new scoring system awards the grade A to a score of 90. What a deception!!
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jess
October 17th, 2009
5:06 pm
CRRECTION: their not theit
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Ovacom06
October 17th, 2009
11:42 pm
Women of all ages and ethnicities should know and be aware of the very subtle warning signs of ovarian cancer. And if you should symptoms such as bloating, pelvic, or abdominal pain, difficulty eating, feeling full quickly, feeling a frequent or urgent need to urinate, you should seek immediate medical attention. A PAP TEST DETECTS CERVICAL CANCER BUT NOT OVARIAN CANCER. There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer and until one is discovered, remember you are your best advocate. Becoming better educated regarding the facts about ovarian cancer and its correct treatments are very important. So that unnecessary risks are avoided take immediate action – know your body, save your life!
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Kettlebell Training
October 18th, 2009
7:27 pm
[...] Here is a more detailed article http://blogs.ajc.com/better-health/2009/05/20/thinner-you-kettlebell-training-the-hottest-fitness-tr... [...]
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last tango
October 19th, 2009
6:11 am
I sense a fair amount of food paranoia around this article.
Rightly enough, cheese doesn’t seem to feature too strongly.
Natural (raw milk) cheeses, particularly Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano & the like are extremely easily digested and can I say ‘completely safe’ for folk of all ages and conditions. They have been so for centuries.
These cheeses contain no lactose (zero carbohydrate in fact), fats and proteins are predigested and the making process, inhibits pathogens to humans.
Oysters, eggs, pates, on the other hand are much less well protected……if at all.
Read “The man who ate everything” by Jeffrey Steingarten, particularly the chapter entitled something like “so why aren’t the French dropping like flies”
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Fredia
October 19th, 2009
1:10 pm
Where do you get the impression that restaurants are inspected monthly? This is usually done once or maybe twice a year. it may be more often if the restaurant scored poorly.
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Jim
October 19th, 2009
1:14 pm
This may be my own personal gross-out, but does it bother anyone else when the server pulls the check folder out of the back (or front) of their pants, and tosses it down on your table?
Let’s see, if they stuck their HAND down their pants, that would be bad, correct?
Yet it’s okay to stick this thing down there, then pull it out, toss it on a table, and go handle someone’s food or silverware?
I eat at a local Blimpies that the owner takes a huge amount of pride in. He almost got a 99 the other day, after the inspector found a loose screw in the ice machine. (not in the ice, still screwed in, just loose). Never mind that the guy had to stick his nasty long haired head right down in the ice compartment to see it, they were still going to gig him for it. The guy fixed it on the spot though, and continued his perfect run-never less than 100.
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bonbon
October 19th, 2009
1:45 pm
where do you eat Jimm that they pull the check book out of their pants! Yuck! I have seen them pull the check book out of their apron or just hand it to you without it entering an apron, but never out of their pants! lol tell the manager that you are offended by this practice and that you would ask that they change this process! even though it is the end of your meal process, it is still uncalled for!
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Jazzy
October 19th, 2009
1:51 pm
I have been to several places and the server’s don’t wear gloves when brining the food kout. But they still get a good score. how is that.
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skat
October 19th, 2009
2:03 pm
I always go to the restroom to wash my hands. If they don’t have hot water and soap I don’t eat there.
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Guest
October 19th, 2009
2:42 pm
Jazzy, it is not required by law for a server to wear gloves when delivering your food. I work in a restuarant and have worn gloves to deliever food to customers just to be asked if I was sick. When I stated that I was not ill, the customer said that by wearing gloves he assumed I was sick or had a skin problem. It seems we can’t win for losing sometimes in trying to keep guests healthy and happy.
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PW
October 19th, 2009
2:53 pm
In California restaurant scores must be posted on the front door so they may be seen from the street. The scores are A, B, C, etc. If it’s less than a B stay away. Georgia is so far behind the curve it’s almost laughable.
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inou
October 19th, 2009
2:59 pm
Manny, when I complained to Arby’s managment that the sandwich preparer did not have gloves on, I was told that clean bare hands are more sanitary. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I haven’t been back to Arby’s since. Are they even around anymore? Also, never ever buy anything from a flea market food vendor on Friday. Too often it is left from the previous Sunday.
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Ishmael
October 19th, 2009
3:24 pm
There used to be a “Greasy Spoon” cafe at the streetcar stop on McDonough Street on the Decatur square. I got sick every time I went in there, but wow – they had great chili!
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just me
October 19th, 2009
3:26 pm
inou- I have also heard that clean, bare hands are more sanitary. The reasoning is that with gloves, the cooks are more likely to wash their hands after touching something non food related. They think the gloves are still clean. With bare hands, they HAVE to wash their hands again if they touch something else. It supposedly makes them more conscious of keeping their hands clean. True or not…dunno.
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Laura
October 19th, 2009
3:29 pm
I get a good laugh at the “fussy eaters” that fret about whether the person receiving minimum wage that just cooked their whopper was wearing gloves. Assume they are not, and if you are really that concerned about what you eat, why in the world are you eating at a burger joint? Sounds like you need to go home a have momma cut the crust off your PB&J.
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dirty money
October 19th, 2009
4:01 pm
It’s so true–Can’t stand to see food and money handled by same unwashed hands.
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Rocky
October 19th, 2009
4:14 pm
Ey yo…I don’t eat dem raw eggs anymore, ya know? I got sick as a dog one time, and Mickey got really ticked off at me for missing a training session ’cause I wuz sick. Now I gotta cook dem eggs, ya know?
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Quagmire
October 19th, 2009
4:17 pm
I ate dorm food in college for four years, so my stomach is lined with an inch-thick layer of concrete after eating all of that crappy food. As a result, I don’t get sick from food. Giggity!
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Willx
October 19th, 2009
4:31 pm
Stacy, that’s not all! I saw Greasy Shapiro on a plane less than 6 months ago. In mid flight, he took his shoes and socks off, picked the toe jam from between his stinky three toe’d feet with his finger nail, and eat that followed by nose jelly. He’s a walking Bio-Hazard!
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Frank
October 20th, 2009
1:08 pm
Try Chef Hymie Grande BBQ Sauces – No HFCS, No Processed sugars, vegan friendly & American Diabetes Association on the label. http://www.chefhymiegrande.com
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Julie Webster
October 21st, 2009
12:39 pm
Thanks for this. I put a link on my site to this! Check it out:
http://www.julie-webster.com/kitchen/cooking-tip-of-the-month
T
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Julie Webster
October 21st, 2009
12:39 pm
Thanks for this. I put a link on my site to this! Check it out:
http://www.julie-webster.com/kitchen/cooking-tip-of-the-month
T
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Kashi
October 21st, 2009
3:38 pm
Curry powder – tumric boost brain health? Is there a correlate why Asian students are better in Math and Science? just a thought!
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Not Disappointed
October 21st, 2009
4:32 pm
I enjoy curry dishes. The best!
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Rodney
October 21st, 2009
6:05 pm
Kashi, Asian students are better at those subjects, and many others, because they actually apply themselves and don’t feel a sense of entitlement.
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Ben
October 22nd, 2009
5:02 pm
Those injuries are right on. I played for a legendary lacrosse coach in my young days who used to run us all day – bless him for that. But I do remember having bad shin splints before I knew what they were and had that heal-growth plate injury (very painful). Haha my little frail body would break down every once in a while I guess.
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Marie Braun
October 25th, 2009
11:54 am
How could twins know if they had different fathers if the father has been long dead(over 40 years) and also the man or men who might be the father have been long dead?
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josh
October 25th, 2009
5:47 pm
Wearing gloves in a restaurant is less sanitary. I worked in restaurants as a server, bartender, and management for years and took many safe food classes. Saying you won’t eat in an establishment that uses bare hands is about as smart as saying that you are gonna drive rather than flying cause it is realistically safer. People change their gloves less often than they wash their hands (hell, i have even seen people at subway take gloves off and then re-use them for the next customer). Gloves may give the wearer a FALSE sense of good hygiene. For example, after preparing food, the handler may carry out the trash (which involves touching contaminated objects) and then return to food preparation – all the time wearing the same set of gloves. Gloves provide a moist warm environment between the glove and hand for pathogens to multiply if the hands are not washed and gloves changed regularly. Gloves can harbor pathogens. The surfaces of gloves are not smooth, and tiny wrinkles act as storage areas for contamination which can be transferred to food, food preparation surfaces and utensils if gloves are dirty. Pathogens on hands can get through gloves. Most gloves used for food preparation are permeable which means that pathogens from the wearer’s dirty hands can escape through the gloves on to food.
Also, the biggest threat, in my opinion, is that restaurants don’t take care of their employees and require them to work when they are sick. I can’t tell you how many times it was either work with a cold and fever, or lose my job. This is compounded by the fact that most restaurants don’t offer any kind of health insurance.
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Waffleboy
October 25th, 2009
7:20 pm
Josh is absolutely right. Gloves give you the illusion of sanitation, not the real thing. I can’t tell you how many times a customer has complained about someone handling raw meat with bare hands, but they’ll have no problem with someone preparing a sandwich with gloves they just used to handle raw, contaminated meat. The law in Georgia does NOT require gloves. The law clearly states no bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.
As well, you can’t go by health inspection scores. I’ve worked in restaurants in four different counties and can tell you that there is no consistency in the inspection process. Certain counties are tougher(Henry) than others(Clayton). A 90 in Riverdale is worse than and 85 in Stockbridge. If you don’t believe me, take a look around and you’ll see.
The most impportant things to look at are the personal appearance of the staff and the overall santitation of the restrooms and dining rooms. If this looks good, you’re probably going to be okay. And don’t forget, the majority of all foodborne ilnesses occur as a result of food prepared in the home.
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lajones
October 25th, 2009
8:00 pm
Not all Asian or students from india are great in math and science – mostly those who are prepared from early childhood. The rest of the students are just like any other student who has not been prepared from early childhood. If we are to compare our students – then we need to prepare our students, the exact same way these students are prepared.
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GaHomerTracktorMan
October 25th, 2009
11:29 pm
Al lthis food safety talk has me hankering for a little sushi, Eggs Benedict, and a plate full of Komomoto and Hog Island oysters and a tall glass of champagne…..ahhhhhhhhh
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Buffalo
October 26th, 2009
2:45 am
seriously, we have made it this far. I have seen so many use gloves and not clean ones. I wash my hands all the time and they are cleaner then those in the kitchen with the gloves.
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Kaitlin
October 26th, 2009
5:40 pm
okay, this is all very interesting, I’m actually doing an essay for my 11th grade english class. I am trying to write an persuassive essay on why it is in fact over diagnosed.
Now, some of these people jump down other people’s throats, i would first like to say that I was diagnosed with ADHD in kindergarten, but my mom didn’t want to put me on medication, until I got into 5th grade i lived without it. In 5th grade at the beginning of the year I weighed about 96 pounds, I was put on Adderall, and now as a junior in high school, I have barely grown, and now I weigh 88 pounds.
I agree, meds do work, then i can concentrate, but whenever I don’t take my pill, I am so bubbly, and am not constantly worried what others think of me. When I take my pill, I put homework before eating and I can pay attention in class. But just today i was still not paying as much attention as I should of in Chemistry.
Whenever I was put on the meds, my father was in Iraq, my parents had gotten divorced when I was 7. My mother and my step dad were all for it, but when my dad came back from Iraq he hated it and often cursed my mother for thinking it was the right thing to do.
I’m not really sure, maybe I shouldn’t be doing this topic, because I’m at a loss. Meds help, no doubt, but are very risky, I am addicted to them now, and often get so very nervous whenever I am out or don’t have any left. Also though I do think it is over diagnosed, some people have it mildly and will probably grow out of it sooner. I have it severely. And when I don’t take my pill all my friends love it, because I’m not hiding back in my shell, but i also say things I don’t mean, which is embarassing or say hurtfull things to people I love.
The one day I did have homework, and I usually waste alot of my time on facebook, but I knew I had to get it done, and so I finally made myself. and I did it. but it could be, because I’m growing more mature.
So there you have it, straight from the mouth of someone you have been talking about, my opinion.
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triniwendy
October 27th, 2009
4:56 pm
I eat a cup of Natural Apple Sauce, which is yummy, and drink sum water and 100% juice. U guys r 2 funny. A Big Mac on the treadmill sounds interesting, lol
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Lyoto
October 28th, 2009
5:05 am
Thank you so much for this it was very helpful
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Leah McGrath, RD, LDN
October 28th, 2009
9:56 am
great stuff! I’d add: lower sodium products, tropical fruit juices like mangosteen and others that aren’t familiar to most of us.
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Attila L. Vinczer
October 28th, 2009
10:05 am
Why bother having an area to post comments, when they don’t get posted???
Respectfully,
Attila L. Vinczer
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Attila L. Vinczer
October 28th, 2009
10:23 am
“One in four women will experience some kind of domestic violence during her lifetime.”
If one in four women will experience some kind of domestic violence during her lifetime than according to numerous comprehensive studies that show women are at least as violent as men in intimate relations, one in four MEN will ALSO experience some kind of domestic violence during HIS lifetime as well!
I challenge, MELISSA KOTTKE, MD, MPH, the author of this piece to refute my assertion or anyone else for that matter. I also challenge the author to honestly and without any bias write to include men as victims of DV in any future material. I am utterly perplexed and in dismay that everyone talks about DV against women while men who are subject to the same amount of DV are conveniently ignored and allowed to silently suffer. Why? Are men not worthy of the same consideration as women?
Why does Malisa Kottke not write “One in four men and women will suffer some type of DV etc…?” That would be truthfully unbiassed. Why ignore the suffering men experience at the hands of women in DV situations just the same as women do?
This piece is cleverly written to make it seem that it is men who are the aggressors and women who are the sole victims, save one blurb to the mild contrary; “slapped or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend..” This kind of slant and skewed reporting is not limited to this piece. It is rampant!
Men not only suffer the same amount of DV abuse as women they also suffer an insurmountable false claims of DV and rape against men by unscrupulous women with an agenda to destroy their male partner or get a leg up on custody and equalisation matters in divorce proceedings. Some women will even make false claims of rape and DV simply out of spite. When they are caught they spend no time in jail or very little such as the recent case with Rebecca Vaughn who was sentenced to 20 days in jail for destroying her husband who spent TWELVE MONTHS IN JAIL after her malicious false allegation against him!!!
I am a victim and a survivor of severe DV, although I was never physically struck the tole on my body at the hands of my extremely vindictive ex-wife is horrific. I had called the police not less than 7 times and they NEVER took my situation seriously. On the contrary after being taunted by my ex-father-in-law who then attempted to remove our children from our home against my wishes, the police actually asked ME to leave the home??? I refused!
Here are some examples of what my ex-wife would say and do;
1. “I feel so empowered I could chew you up and spit you out!”
2. “If you mention anything about my drinking to CAS/CPS, I will have you out of this house the next day!”
3. “I am going to have you put in jail!” This was said over and over again.
4. A false allegation within a perjured affidavit that I sexually aroused my son was made against me.
5. Made to feel useless, worthless, stupid, unkind, uncaring no matter how I was to the contrary!
She has NEVER been held accountable for her actions!
Had I not had 35 years of martial arts training to condition my body and mind, I surely would have ended up insane or dead. Thankfully that never happened and I persevered, unlike a client of mine Stan Muir who took his life as his wife drove him out of his mind. That is just ONE example of DV against a man by a woman that ended in death which was never reported as such.
If DV is not dealt with equally for men and women than funding (in the hundreds of millions of dollars each year) is not warranted which is enjoyed by women exclusively. That is a travesty, a gross misappropriation of public funds and gender discrimination in the highest degree!
When I realized I needed help there was absolutely NOTHING for me a male, but pages for women to tap into in the phone book. Even the police who are there to serve and protect failed me miserably. This is simply unacceptable and I will see to it tirelessly that it is changed forthwith!!!
Respectfully,
Attila L. Vinczer
Supporter of: Canada Court Watch and
Glenn Sacks and Fathers & Families
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She standing in that doorway like a dream , cause she knows that it kills me
October 28th, 2009
4:22 pm
Flat Earth Rocks!
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Jack Brooks
October 28th, 2009
6:11 pm
Great tips for busy moms-especially the time-saving ideas!
Moms (and dads, as well as kids) have less time, more pressure and societal elements, such as crime, stressing them.
We at http://www.familyfitnesspath.com see this trend increasing.
Anything to bring the family together and encourage health is a necessity.
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sexyeldenty
October 29th, 2009
7:19 am
h1 n1?
I have bought Tamiflu here and I am pleased. Delivery all over the world!
pharmtablet.com
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JR
October 29th, 2009
8:31 am
I highly recommend sampling the Amy’s Kitchen products. The frozen meals in particular taste fantastic, my 6 year old LOVES the gluten free mac and cheese and pesto tortellini!
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Barb Ruhs
October 29th, 2009
5:28 pm
trends nutrition -
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Steve
October 30th, 2009
12:09 pm
Morbid obesity is a disability. I am a victim of it and I can’t get any help. My doctor told me that I’m going to die within 10 years if I don’t get gastric bypass operation. I don’t have $25,000.00 cash to get it. I see a lot of people are really cruel in this website and they don’t understand what we are going through. I am 415 pounds and a diabetic suffer severe high blood pressure and sleep apnea. How can I work with these conditions. I have tried everything in the book. I will tell you what the real truth of the matter is. It’s all about the MONEY. That’s right, the government knows that people are dying from this condition including the insurance companies out there know it too. The governent does not want to give social security disability all because of a stupid Bart Simpson show that scared the hell out of social security and where afraid about obesed people applying for disability. Well I can’t work anymore because I am disabled. I’m dying in a slow manner and I can’t pay for barriatic surgery. I’m on 12 different kind of medications a day, but they say we obesed people are not disabled. It’s all about politics and MONEY. The government has time to waste billions of our tax dollars on the Iraqi war, People that hate us stipid Americans, but no money to spend on it’s own citizens that needs help the most. why is it the skinny guy or the female Chinese doctor working in our emergency room that look down on us being over weight? I don’t want to be like this, but I am. I had to hire a lawyer to fight the dam social security system cause they deny 75% of the people that apply for it. I worked hard all my life and paid into the system like a good American should pay. Now I feel that social security needs to pay back what I put in and not write me off since they misused our tax dollars. Tell that to AMA,Social Security, and Obama.
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James
November 2nd, 2009
2:16 pm
This rare occurance is called superfecundation.
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Sheila
November 4th, 2009
1:36 pm
Oh goodness, NEVER ever use Kerosene. I heard of a young girl who had lice, and was too afraid to tell her family, so she took Kerosene and dumped it on her hair, and it caught fire because she was SMOKING too…at the same time…anyway, she lost her hair and had lots of burns on her scalp. NEVER use that…there are better ways. Our family used http://www.licetokill.com and it worked. Try more natural items, and avoid the pesticides in the lice shampoos.
-Sheila
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Ms Ima Fatazz
November 4th, 2009
10:12 pm
I was going to comment on the article but I forgot what I wanted to say.
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nowhereman
November 5th, 2009
11:56 am
What article?
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Pam Perry
November 5th, 2009
12:21 pm
On Nov. 1, Taiwan’s health authorities launched a vaccination campaign against influenza A (H1N1) at 14 shelters housing victims of Typhoon Morakot, with 884 disaster survivors receiving shots on the first day of the campaign. Taiwan’s Department of Health estimates that 12 million doses of vaccines will be administered before the Lunar New Year Holiday of February 14, with vaccinations for students beginning on November 16.
Taiwan’s DOH will dispense vaccines from domestic company Addimune Corp. And Swiss drug maker Novartis AG.
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JIMBOB
November 5th, 2009
1:09 pm
I could go for handful of pecans and cashews right now.
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ugaaccountant
November 5th, 2009
1:19 pm
Nice, another article about a food with positive health aspects that the news media just couldn’t help but slam. People have to eat and all foods have calories. Not every food is evil.
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Jack P
November 5th, 2009
1:57 pm
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm good! Pass the nuts please.
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Huh?
November 5th, 2009
2:48 pm
I shrinking!
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malika
November 5th, 2009
3:10 pm
if only they were more affordable. a can of pistachios without the shell cost $10 and a bag in the shell cost $5. a bag of almonds is also nearly $5. i love nuts myself, but financially when you’re on a budget, they can set you back.
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JMan
November 5th, 2009
3:49 pm
Malika, I am a nuts about nuts. I buy usually buy almonds (Blue Diamond—The best) at Target. A small tin runs about 2.50 on sale. They do sell large bags which do run about $5, but the 2.50 size is fine. Other nuts are on sale about every other week. Another favorite for affordable nuts (my favorite is lightly salted whole cashews and pecans) is Trader Joe’s. Just about all the nut varieties are affordable though some more than others.
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Melissa
November 5th, 2009
4:20 pm
Everything is better with nuts!! Yummy! However, I agree with Malika… they are kind of expensive!
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Bill Pannell
November 5th, 2009
4:21 pm
When i was a young medical student (many years ago) i visited with my hometown hero, a family practitioner who allowed me to follow him around on occasion. A gentleman came in the office wearing a copper bracelet and immediately I began motioning for the doctor to look at the bracelet. The medical school professors had actually made patients remove the copper,,after lecturing them about their being ineffective,,no science etc. I wanted the doctor to make him take off he silly bracelet. Still nothing was said but as the patient started to leave I stepped forward and asked if he wasn’t going to say something about the bracelet.
He looked at it for a moment and then asked the patient what it was for.
“It’s for my rheumatism.”
“Does it help?”
“Oh,,yes sir it shore does.”
“Then don’t you let anybody tell you to take it off.”
Better than any lesson I had received atr the Medical center.
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dansfae
November 5th, 2009
6:16 pm
What happened to dry roasted mixed nuts. Does dry roasting add any benefit by lowering fat or calories?
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Reabilitação Cognitiva » ATENÇÃO PARA A DEPRESSÃO NO PARKINSON: AFIANDO OS OLHOS DE FAMILIARES E PROFISSIONAIS.
November 5th, 2009
10:17 pm
[...] site CARING.COM trouxe na última semana uma discussão importantíssima no contexto dos familiares das pessoas com [...]
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chris
November 6th, 2009
4:50 am
Yes I have also tried coconut water for leg cramps. It is the best remedy. You can find more such herbal remedies for skin and hair at International Drug Mart. Best natural way no side effects.
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Smokewagon
November 6th, 2009
9:32 am
Only a fool pays attention to what the government tells them to eat. I can remember when eggs were forbidden until the egg industry paid off their congressmen. Common sense tells you that nuts are a good naturally producted snack but your are better off without all the salt added during processing.
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NW
November 6th, 2009
12:08 pm
Bill Pannell- What Chicken Soup for the Soul book did you get that worthless story from?
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Cats
November 6th, 2009
12:21 pm
Bill–I liked the story
NW—That was just mean
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Dave
November 6th, 2009
1:00 pm
“Copper bracelet helps arthritis”…hmmm…
Sounds a little like “snake oil cures cancer” to me…
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Barry
November 6th, 2009
2:27 pm
The best drink is probably Yoli (10 cal.). It is the next best thing to drinking plain water. Better than juices, and those unhealthy energy drinks. Take a look at the ingredients and tell me there’s something better. Yoli is definitely the drink for me and my kids. I have had enough of the price war on these high energy drinks, to include the new fad, Efusjon.
Ingredients
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 TRUTH™ Blast Cap® (5.7g)
(Add water, prepare as directed)
Servings Per Container: 1
% Daily
Value
Amount Per
Serving
Calories 10
Total Carbohydrate 2g <1%**
Vitamin C (as Ascorbic acid) 130 mg 217%
Proprietary Antioxidant Blend 425 mg †
Pomegranate fruit, Acai (Euterpe oleracea) fruit 4:1 extract,
Lycium (Goji) berry (40% ellagic acid), Resveratrol (from Polygonum
cuspidatum root), Oxyphyte™ White Tea leaf extract,
and Superoxide-dismutase enzyme.
Proprietary Absorption Blend 76 mg †
Alka-Plex ® (calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, potassium
hydroxide), Enzyme/Probiotic (Galactosidase, Beta-glucosidase,
Acid-phosphatase, Alpha-mannosidase, Lactobacillus acidophilus),
and Monatau® (mon-atomic gold, rhodium, iridium).
**Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Read more about the product and watch the videos to see the truth about what is in these drinks:
http://toyoursuccess.goyoli.com
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chuck allison
November 6th, 2009
6:55 pm
Egg yellows are still bad for you, like mayonaise, crescent rolls, and avocadoes. Just get a book and study which foods have the most saturated fat.
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Peachstealth
November 6th, 2009
7:08 pm
They could have mentioned that in most years, Georgia leads the country in production of both peanuts and pecans.
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propovednick
November 6th, 2009
9:48 pm
Немного не по теме, но смешно: Сколько лет вашему сорванцу? Шестнадцать?Да, аборт делатьуже поздно!
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lucianchik
November 7th, 2009
7:50 am
Очень полезная вещь, спасибо!!
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thank you
November 7th, 2009
1:55 pm
I just started eating walnuts in my cereal about 6 weeks ago. My incidents of Irritable Bowel have been cut in HALF! I’m SOLD
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j sutter
November 7th, 2009
5:06 pm
Nuts are a fantastic food. The exception is the nuts under our “Gold Dome”
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gucanch
November 7th, 2009
7:42 pm
Немного не по теме, но смешно: Я не грустный,я – трезвый!
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geo
November 7th, 2009
7:52 pm
Chuck ~ Avocadoes are not bad…they have mono-unsaturated fat, as in olive oil. Eat ‘em…and eat nuts too.
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Anthony Pesacreta
November 7th, 2009
7:56 pm
I retired from AT&T in ‘89 with the understanding that health ins. would be paid for as part of the retirement pkg. Recently, Alcatel-Lucent has re-written the health ins. with United Health Care to the effect that if I don’t have medicare part B, they wouldnot be paying anything toward my med. bills, in effect leaving me without any ins. coverage for Dr. bills, tests, & other fees usually associated with health care coverage. It’s the health ins. that isn’t!
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Deb
November 7th, 2009
8:27 pm
Almonds help to relieve heartburn! My hubby said they work better than Tums.
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Jud Williams
November 7th, 2009
10:05 pm
I keep nuts in my car all the time and enjoy munching on them on the long drive home from night classes. Helps keep me alert at the wheel of the car.
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Lar David
November 8th, 2009
8:54 am
Are Those David Schwimmwer’s Dad’s Nuts?
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Shaun
November 8th, 2009
11:38 am
Well… my mother always told me to just keep a low salt diet. That seemed to have worked fine. Will keep this in mind though.
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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JimC
November 8th, 2009
4:33 pm
I could just about live on cashews, I love them so much!
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Staying Healthy at 70.
November 8th, 2009
5:07 pm
I love em all. But I do have a tendancy to over indulge.
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Spring6A
November 8th, 2009
7:35 pm
Re thank you — I know what you mean about nuts and IBS. For me, a daily serving of mixed nuts, a slice of 12-grain bread and a small lettuce salad are key.
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pinnokkioo
November 9th, 2009
6:32 am
Немного не по теме, но смешно: Любовь начинается идеалом,а кончаетсяодеялом!
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cssgamer
November 9th, 2009
2:11 pm
Немного не по теме, но смешно: Забудь всех твоих кавалеров, ведь у тебя есть я, -твой мобильникс виброзвонком
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KJ
November 9th, 2009
5:24 pm
how about these nuts…?
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Charles Williams
November 9th, 2009
6:24 pm
I never would have thought of returning old, expired meds to the drug store. I have always trashed them… good advice.
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gucanch
November 10th, 2009
4:43 am
Немного не по теме, но смешно: Забудь всех твоих кавалеров, ведь у тебя есть я, -твой мобильникс виброзвонком
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Michelle Nino
November 10th, 2009
10:47 am
Excellent advice. Medication disposal is rarely covered in the doctor’s office/visit and who doesn’t think flushing them down the toilet is a good idea. I’m glad I read this column.
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John Lennon ate my dog and cat. Imagine that.
November 11th, 2009
8:56 am
Amy’s Kitchen stuff is too expensive. Buy ingredients and make the stuff yourself. You can make a crock pot full of chili that will last a week for less than $6.
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yoda
November 11th, 2009
12:58 pm
With so many various stevia brands out there why does it seem that Truvia gets all the credit? (Especially when considering that Truvia may have GMOs in it, hardly making it the poster brand for stevia)
Not all stevia brands are created equal. Most use chemicals, solvents, and alcohols during extraction, which can cause that bitter aftertaste. Some are now adding masking agents to cover up that taste, so they are even less natural. Contrary to what some may believe, generally, the more natural the stevia brand, the better tasting it is! SweetLeaf is the only brand that uses only pure water during extraction, so the taste of the leaf remains. SweetLeaf was the first to receive GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status from the FDA and the ok to market it as a sweetener in March 2008. Its founder and CEO, dubbed “The Father of Stevia” ws the first to bring stevia to the U.S. back in 1982. Truvia did not receive GRAS status for its sweetener until December of 2008.
I use SweetLeaf and I love it! In fact, I made some great chocolate chip cookies with it just the other day!
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Kathy Crowe
November 12th, 2009
12:24 am
It never occurred to me or anyone in my household about the effects of flushing expired medications on the environment. Very informative…. great read!
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spiritual vacations
November 12th, 2009
4:04 am
Health is an important matter in our lives and it has to be taken cared of for us to live a long and healthy life. http://www.spiritquesttours.com/
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mystery poster
November 12th, 2009
10:25 am
I have having to make choices based on guessing whether or not I’ll be sick next year. I don’t think we’ll see true healthcare reform in my lifetime.
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Katrina
November 12th, 2009
11:58 am
Sugar also works well for edema.
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ziza
November 12th, 2009
12:07 pm
this breakdown is helpful. i’ve long wondered about the various types and brands of artificial sweetners. but why no mention of agave? it is an excellent liquid alternative to sugar and has no aftertaste like some honeys do.
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ziza
November 12th, 2009
12:10 pm
sorry i guess i should have added that agave (or agave nectar or agave syrup) is another natural alternative to sugar as it comes from the agave plant,the same plant that tequila is made from.
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LAJ
November 12th, 2009
12:39 pm
I think the article needs to focus a little bit more on how controversial and harmful some of the artificial sweeteners actually are. Ever wonder why they are just now being approved by the FDA? While artificial sweeteners may be one way to cut calories; I would highly recommend everyone to do your research on these type of sweeteners and figure out what is best for you. For example, does this following sentence talking about the sweetener Splenda seem like a huge red flag to anyone else except me? “…it’s made from sugar but has no calories because it’s not digested.” … it’s not digested??? So Splenda essentially is an indigestible material going into our bodies. How can that be healthy? I’m just trying to advise people to do just a little bit of research on these products before using them. I would recommend the book, Skinny Bitch, I know this is an extreme book about food but it has some really great facts and will provide you with a lot more information about what you are eating. Just a thought.
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LOL
November 12th, 2009
7:26 pm
yoda = the Chewlies gum guy from Clerks
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N-GA
November 12th, 2009
8:09 pm
I was told (can’t verify) that the chemicals in many artificial sweeteners are processed through the liver rather than the digestive system. This individual strongly implied that this must be bad for humans.
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Patrick
November 12th, 2009
8:40 pm
Left out of the Stevia section was an important note that it has long been used as a sweetener and diet aid in other countries. It’s only “new” in the US. It also has reported side benefits of lowering blood pressure. Very promising stuff. But not all Stevia is created the same, as another commenter noted.
Some of the other artificial sweeteners have a side effect of lowering metabolism which results in sleepiness in some cases or even weight gain. Sugar, after all, is energy. Energy powers the body. Aspartame does not contribute energy, it may even slow down the body’s ability to digest food and the longer your body takes to do that, the more of the food is absorbed and converted to energy or fat. So in a sense, drinking a diet coke will cause you to have more weight gain from a meal than if you drank a sugar coke and ate the same meal.
It is also important to note that Sugar is not the same as Corn Sweetener. In the body, sugar is easily processed and turned into energy for most people. Corn Syrup takes much more effort to burn and like Aspartame, it causes the body to slow down and digest more of the food you are eating. This would be useful if food was scarce but causes a disaster in a country where plates are full and meals come in super-sizes.
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Ultrasuede
November 12th, 2009
10:15 pm
I’m very disappointed that there still isn’t a calorie-free sugar substitute that truly tastes like sugar. Whatever I use in, for example, coffee — Equal, Splenda, whatever — never does the trick. The coffee always tastes different compared to if real sugar is used in it.
Same goes for diet soft drinks — no matter which one I’ve tried, none of them taste as good as sugared soda.
I cannot wait for the day — if it ever comes during my lifetime — when I’ll be able to drink a diet soda that tastes like sugared soda, when I’ll be able to put a sugar substitute in coffee and not tell the difference from having sugar in it.
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Keith Johnson
November 13th, 2009
12:15 am
I agree with those here who say the article wasn’t very helpful. It lists the various types of sweeteners, but doesn’t list the pro’s and cons. What are the risks of taking each, such as the headaches often associated with Equal? Why didn’t it discuss how people generally think each sweetener tastes? Why not discuss the Glycemic Index difference between sweeteners that otherwise have the same calories? G.I. is important for folks with diabetes as well as people just watching their health. And I too am a bit disappointed that Truvia is the standard for stevia, when many other brands exist, that stevia is called “new” (i first used it at least ten years ago) and that agave nectar–another lower G.I. food–was ignored. The article seems to be more something written by someone who just went shopping at a typical grocery store, and never has set foot inside a health food store.
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Bryan
November 13th, 2009
1:44 am
I think the big thing here is the variety of sweeteners now available. There are so many of them, each with their own taste and side effects, that it gives some of us who can’t have sugar an alternative. Being diabetic for 20 years, I have had only SnL (the Pink stuff) and = (the blue stuff) for most of my life. These non-natural sweeteners actually increase the cravings for sweet foods which is not good. Some of the “new” sweeteners, Stevia based, agave nectar, etc. are more natural and I have found them to not increase the craving/urges towards more sweet foods. I always agree that the more natural a product is, the better for the body.
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More details needed
November 13th, 2009
2:10 am
Unfortunately, this article doesn’t even begin to do justice to educating the reader on the differences between true stevia and truvia.
For starters truvia hasn’t been thoroughly tested, yet it’s been called GRAS. Any chance it’s because it’s being pushed by Cargill and the Coca-Cola company? Funny how the FDA for years has refused to give GRAS status to stevia, but when the mightly conglomerates push it, it’s suddenly GRAS.
Added to the insult to the consumer, Truvia claims it doesn’t need to undergo as through a testing as other products, because stevia has been shown to be safe. While truvia, according to consumer advocates in most likely a safer bet that artificial sweeteners, the reality is that Truvia is an extract of stevia, and there is no 100% guarantee that it reacts in the body the same way as stevia, so Truvia’s claim that more testing isn’t needed because it’s already been done on stevia is disingenuous at best.
This is at best, a very superficial treatment by the registered dietitian. At the least the dietitian should have encouraged the reader to research some of the various studies comparing stevia to Truvia, so that the uneducated consumer doesn’t fall prey to the marketing hype.
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Kia Ren
November 13th, 2009
2:17 pm
Pathology.org is awarding you as top resource and if you would like to get the banner, please email me back with the subject line as your URL to avoid Spam and also to make sure that you only get the banner.
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Chews4Health
November 13th, 2009
2:57 pm
yahoo helped me find this post very good. Thanks
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Melissa
November 14th, 2009
12:05 pm
In April, 2009, when I started my journey, I was at 10 pounds shy of 300 pounds and only 5′0. I was ready for a change, but I didn’t think I could do it, really. After an abusive marriage, a nasty divorce, and emotional eating that kept me up eating night after night, I had lost who I once was. Well, it’s November, 2009, and I have lost 84 pounds. I have gotten the most positive response from friends, family, and even my pastors. I have inspired several friends to start losing weight and working out. I have officially said goodbye to the super-plus stores that had clothes large enough to actually fit me. I am wearing heels again and feel so much better about life. Weight loss works when the mindset is there, even if one does not think they CAN do it… If the desire is there, the support teams put in place, and the DESIRE to regain one’s life is present, then anything can be achieved!
I am still on my journey and I have all the confidence in the world that I WILL get to my goal weight… sooner than later!
Stay encouraged!
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Debbie
November 15th, 2009
7:56 pm
Malika, Trader Joe’s and Harry’s have the best and cheapest nuts. Very affordable at Trader Joes’s. Enjoy your nuts!
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Jim
November 15th, 2009
10:48 pm
Costco seems to be the best for mixed nuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts and pictachios at the best price.
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mary stoddard
November 17th, 2009
1:20 pm
I agree with More Details Needed. Under current FDA regulations, Truvia [and all artificial sweeteners] may even have small amounts of the mega-aspartame, 13,000 times sweeter than sugar, called Neotame added without being labeled. It’s the aspartame formula, with toxic 3-dimethylbutyl added. Seems FDA caved in under pressure from the NutraSweet people to approve Neotame as safe and no labeling reuqirements. Neotame is even being added to Domino sugar to make it sweeter, without increasing caloric content. This will be the unfortunate wave of the future of natural and artificial sweeteners if the consumers [all of us] do not protest this toxic chemical pollution of our food supply.
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Toccora
November 17th, 2009
5:00 pm
Hey! I am so happy to hear your good news……God is always in charge of his children
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search for self
November 18th, 2009
10:52 am
One natural sweetener that wasn’t mentioned is Xylitol. It’s endorsed by the ADA and is actually the only thing granulated and white, I’ve tasted, that’s aftertaste free and pleasing to my palate. And folks research, research, research! Lastly, I’d avoid aspartame and anything containing it period.
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sally
November 18th, 2009
12:45 pm
I wish comments were numbered,because I agree strongly with several,esp the lack of helpful info in the article,and the deception in products such as Truvia. I also am a big fan of Xylitol,for the same reasons as search for self.There is one big unfortunate effect,though,especially for people with any kind of intestinal problem,which is extreme diarrhea if you aren’t moderate in your intake.
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Greg
November 18th, 2009
11:05 pm
Sweeteners dull your tastebuds and make you crave real sugar even more. If you cannot detect the sweetness of a granny smith apple, your tastebuds are ruined by all these chemical sweeteners.
Splenda was developed as an insecticide. It’s role as a sweetener is accidental.
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John R. Polito
November 19th, 2009
1:31 pm
What worked for me was understanding that I’m a true drug addict in every sense and that I can no more take a puff of nicotine and avoid relapse than can an alcoholic take a sip. It takes a maximium of 72 hours purge nicotine from the bloodstream and reach peak withdrawal. But just one puff we have to do nicotine detox all over again. We’re simply not that strong. Drink plenty of natural fruit juice the first three days. It’ll help purge nicotine from the body. Also don’t skip meals. The next few minutes are all that matter and each is do-able. Baby steps! Yes you can! John
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Sharon
November 20th, 2009
12:56 pm
My challenge was finding someone to do a flu test! For something that is supposed to be such a big concern, it’s actually not that easy to get a diagnosis. My daughhter showed classic symptoms we’ve been told to look for – sore throat, cough, fatigue etc. so I called her doctor to ask for a flu test as it was still early in her symptoms – I was told to try an ER – I called the ER and was told they also don’t do a flu test. I had to call around to find an urgent care that would do the test! How do you control it of you can’t diagnose it??? Rather than worry about distributing the vaccine, worry about distributing the flu test!!!
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kelly&carriefan
November 20th, 2009
1:14 pm
Last week, I woke up feeling completely terrible. So I called my doctor’s office where they ran through the checklist. Due to my asthma I had to go in, otherwise they were going to just calling a prescription. At the office, they did a swab where I tested positive for Type A. Since I’d had a (standard) flu shot a month prior, I was told I “probably” had swine flu. I was also told that they are not running actual tests (i.e,. sending to state lab) unless you are hospitalized and they draw blood.
I sought medical care the next day of symptoms. After being on Tamiflu, various asthma meds including steroids, and an antibiotic (to prevent pneumonia), I started feeling better within a day or so.
My advice, if you have insurance and a good doctor, don’t hesitate to use them. It’s that simple.
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The American People
November 20th, 2009
2:12 pm
No, no I haven’t. Has anybody seen this commercial with the young boy and he says something like “Next week I am going to break my leg and then my parents are going to lose their house because they don’t have healthcare?” B.S. What a disgrace for using a young kid to put their propaganda lies out there for the idiots to believe. Change we can believe in.
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David S
November 21st, 2009
5:15 pm
Why does this site not allow postings to this page?
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David S
November 21st, 2009
5:25 pm
Certainly no reason to increase your risk of miscarriages.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi134.html
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David S
November 21st, 2009
5:26 pm
Funny, every time I try to post any links to sites that offer real health education or alternative viewpoints on the swine flu propaganda scam, they don’t get posted. I wonder why that is?
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Exposer
November 21st, 2009
5:28 pm
Doesn’t seem to be working for me either.
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Exposer
November 21st, 2009
5:33 pm
Read the name backwords and go to that site.
moc.alocrem or moc.swenlarutan
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Dreadest
November 21st, 2009
5:42 pm
Smoker for 22yrs and not stopping anytime soon. I’ll quit when the ghost of the Marlboro man takes my soul up to heaven.
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Atlanta Native
November 21st, 2009
7:08 pm
I am told I have it. I had Type B vaccine. I was out 3+ days. Had flu test, told had Type A most likely H1N1. Got Tamiflu @ Walgreens. Highest temp 102.0. Glad I made it thru!
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Bronco
November 21st, 2009
7:25 pm
I pledge to only smoke after sex..I guess that mean I’m quitting
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Bye Bye Lice
November 21st, 2009
8:38 pm
I’m here to let everyone know about this company in Atlanta, GA they are very professional and knows exactly what there doing. My child was treated immediately upon a call for help. Natural Lice Removal is the best. Thank you Natural Lice Removal for your help, we could not have done this without you.
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Bye Bye Lice
November 21st, 2009
8:40 pm
I forgot to give you all there website http://www.naturalliceremoval.com
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Mom
November 21st, 2009
11:41 pm
My daughter had diagnosis of h1n1 in Sept. With Tamiflu was back 2 school in 3 days. Negative flu test 2 weeks ago. Symptoms exactly the same…except higher temp. 104 everyday for 6 days! Now she has pneumonia…hasn’t been back to school for 2 weeks! I am thankful for the Thanksgiving break to get her caught up…and hopefully back to school after!
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mitzymy
November 22nd, 2009
2:12 pm
I was sick for 2 weeks, one in bed at home, and the other at work. I had a bad cold that had symptoms of the flu, but I didn’t go to the doctor, or the ER. I just used my old home remedies , and within 3 days of the initial outbreak, I started to feel better. My home remedy was, Nyquil, hot lemon tea with honey, lots of water and juices, and plenty of rest. It worked. My fever left, the congestion in my chest went away, the aches and pain left, and I was good to go.
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Nora
November 22nd, 2009
4:34 pm
Two months ago my usually healthy 26 year old nephew came down with the flu – classic flu symptoms of fever, aches, chills, fever, cough, etc. After a trip to the emergency room on a weekend he was put on antibiotics. He continued to worsen and by Tuesday he was blue around the lips and disoriented. He was rushed to the hospital where he was treated for pneumonia for two weeks before he lost his life. The doctors suspected swine flu and tested for it several times. Although the tests were negative, the doctors still could not definitively say whether H1N1 caused his initial flu. Because of the severity of the disease and the course it took, they still feel that it is a possibility. However he is not included in official H1N1 death statistics. But either way, we have lost him in the prime of his life to a flu virus of some sort that turned into pneumonia.
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Shaun
November 23rd, 2009
1:31 am
Do what the hell you want I’d say. You can’t take your lungs with you once you pop your clogs now can you?
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Devlin
November 24th, 2009
12:40 am
Check out Brainwave Sculptures at http://www.brainwavesculptures.com to experience an extraordinary collection of meditative brainwave entrainment audio. Enjoy!
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wyman
November 25th, 2009
9:43 am
Don’t know about the onion but if you hang a dead skunk on your front door instead of a Christmas wreath, people with the flu are less likely to visit you. Thus, lessoning your exposure to the virus.
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Charles
November 25th, 2009
11:48 am
Cod liver oil contains massive amounts of vitamin A which can deactivate vitamin D. Research has found that more than 6000 i.u. per day of vitamin A causes problems in the body. You are much better off getting your vitamin D from a supplement with only this as an active ingredient. Vitamin D is available everywhere for a few dollars a bottle.
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Pete
November 25th, 2009
1:39 pm
You should really get your vitamin A as carotene, that way you body still has control of your vitamin A levels and you cannot overdose.
Get your vitamin d on its own.
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Ben
November 25th, 2009
3:17 pm
Wymans logic is dead on!.
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Shaun
November 26th, 2009
3:46 am
I can agree, 1000-2000 is the correct intake and yes, Vitamin A as carotene is the safest way to take.
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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A.S.Mathew
November 29th, 2009
9:42 pm
For somebody’s sin, everybody has to pay the price. Air travel used
to be a great fun, but now it has turned like passing through the
many turns before a military recruitment. Besides, having extra
package of meals with everybody simply for survival is making the
plane trip like a greyhound bus trip with only one difference that we
are up in the sky without any wheel touching the ground.
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S-T-O-P « Unfolding Now
November 30th, 2009
2:44 pm
[...] article in the AJC newspaper provided the following tip: An easy suggestion to practice mindfulness is STOP: S = Stop and slow [...]
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Charles Zavitz
November 30th, 2009
5:44 pm
You are right about that Fresh Squeeze Orange Juice, It taste like nothing I have tried before. Everytime I am at the Atlanta Airport I stop there just to get a glass of that juice…
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Beverly
December 1st, 2009
6:33 pm
This is a question. Are cod liver oil tablets for kids still available if so where can I find them.
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donald d
December 3rd, 2009
6:40 am
I have been using Fitday.com with very good results. I just enter the food I eat and it will keep track of the calories and my nutritional intake. I have lost 20 pounds, am much more educated on the foods I eat, and best of all…it’s free!!
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TnGelding
December 3rd, 2009
8:04 am
Eat, drink and be merry! Improving our diets would go a long way toward reducing our health care costs. It’s amazing what bad food hospitals serve. Shouldn’t organic be the norm instead of the exception? Nutriion, nutrition, nutrition!
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Celia
December 4th, 2009
4:49 pm
If you eat well you don’t need to worry about dieting, and good food is really tasty if you know how to prepare it. It’s also cheaper than prepared junk food.
Nice article!
http://www.foodhealer.com
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tsin
December 4th, 2009
9:54 pm
The transvaginal access of natural orifice surgery is available on line at http://www.culdoscopy.com
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Privateweek
December 5th, 2009
11:18 am
Via Meanwhile,college human sound limited egg to heart steal considerable therefore compare season cause admit count easily consider solicitor because thus window glass student home cold capital world keep until shoot rate either right though herself course observation say side knee know enjoy library number describe move income somewhere try add little reason shut market person minute observation neighbour notion listen match road their cause elsewhere care front system examine ring give appeal busy amount seat market offer display station empty mechanism throughout distance appropriate church limit bedroom less colleague trial associate deal recall central substantial practical staff emphasis
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Solicitorteach
December 6th, 2009
4:23 pm
Selection Strike,revenue surely fish instruction cut assess less cat develop word extra bird economic laugh sound audience due male soil urban little shoe talk reasonable properly location citizen literature notice sufficient correct your talk attack late reasonable accident weekend hurt wild full beyond bear used northern attractive relatively despite objective economic expenditure alright last contact price yard player most radio historical emerge apply move offer officer country stick debt desire criticism normally usually even week widely edge subject dress other model record bone winner talk reveal
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Topdirect
December 6th, 2009
5:23 pm
Protection Male,clearly with telephone may whole colour rule below somewhat towards artist agency failure own sex medical concentration properly world training friend family skin advantage teaching evidence fish obtain on report wide study service cover retain resource contribute dead length panel comment equal doctor conflict ball department concentration currently our rely meanwhile invite marry relation train future early odd milk game proposal protect proper solicitor expectation plant about necessary senior media passage sea near house can remove growth prevent existence foundation afternoon judge
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Shaun
December 8th, 2009
12:58 am
Celia is right. You should never worry about dieting… be a free spirit and eat how you wish. Eat well and you are good. Got a few loose fat ends… just work it off a little. No need for a diet.
Nice food
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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Chuck
December 10th, 2009
7:22 am
Underarm body odor is caused by bacteria growing in the warm, moist area under the arms. Wash the armpits with a strong anti-bacterial solution twice a week. The solution should remain on the skin for at least one minute to be effective. It will eliminate the odor for up to three days. Use Betadine, Hybercleanse, or some other hospital-strength anti-bacterial solution. I’ve been doing this for 20 years and never any body odor.
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Joe B
December 10th, 2009
11:24 am
Alcohol also eliminates bacteria. I put some in a spray bottle and spray the armpits before I shower and after. I’ve been doing this for 25 years. Also works on foot odor so long as it’s bacteria and not caused by mildew in the shoes.
I can’t imagine putting mild of magnesia under my arms.
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Patricia Binkley-Childress
December 11th, 2009
9:50 am
There are different levels of commitment to change eating habits and most people eating the SAD (standard american diet) are not ready for the optimum level of eating for health, which includes organics, juicing, limiting meats, calorie intake, large amounts of organic vegetables and fruits and non processed foods. For most, the best place to start is by teaching the principals of calories in and calories out and once that concept is learned the next higher level of commitment can be addressed and made. Starting with small steps and educating along the way leads to greater success in the long run. For more information I suggest to your readers to consider purchasing my newly published book, Eden’s Way: The Garden’s Path to Wellness, that will help them discover what level they are ready to commit to, educate them with the facts they need to understand how to affect change, tools that will help them design a health eating and exercise plan specific to their goals, and valid measurements to help them gauge their success. The book can be purchased at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com and from the publisher at my website http:///www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/EdensWay.html
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vanh
December 13th, 2009
3:09 am
read
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vanh
December 13th, 2009
3:10 am
Enter your comments here
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Tammy
December 13th, 2009
10:38 pm
Are you telling me I am all screwed like this just because I did not breastfeed? What now. HELP!!!!!
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Shaun
December 14th, 2009
7:28 am
Eat what the hell you want… just do it in moderation. Break the rules in life, now is one of the best times of the year to do it.
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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HEALTHY EATING: Look to Italy for gourmet ideas | Better Health | italy news
December 16th, 2009
11:03 am
[...] the article here: HEALTHY EATING: Look to Italy for gourmet ideas | Better Health Share and [...]
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Joyce
December 16th, 2009
3:25 pm
The correct name of the tour group is “North End Market Tours” which is owned by Michele Topor. Jim works for/with Michele. A tour with any of the guides iwould great but a tour with Michele would be a real treat.
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nprfreak
December 16th, 2009
6:43 pm
Ultrasuede said “I’m very disappointed that there still isn’t a calorie-free sugar substitute that truly tastes like sugar.”
There is: cyclamate. It’s sweeter than sugar but tastes very much like it in low concentrations. Unfortunately it was banned in the US in 1969 but is still available in many countries. (Personally, I have long suspected that the ban was the result of efforts by the sugar industry.)
I came to this site from the Coca Cola website. I sure wish Coke would abandon high fructose corn syrup and go back to sucrose. I find fructose entirely too sweet.
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Jenna Holmes
December 17th, 2009
8:13 am
I’ve always enjoyed shopping in the North End, with the one exception of my two visits to Salumeria Italiana – it is the most unfriendly shop I’ve ever been in. Very surly staff, even though I was polite and purchased items both times. They acted like they were doing me a favor to take my money. I’ll never shop there again.
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C Rose
December 18th, 2009
8:31 pm
I have been using opcon A for 15 years and in the last two years my eyes have become increasingly worse. I recently saw an eye specialist who believes I have become addicted to the eye drops and may have even developed an allergy to the preservatives in them.
I started using preservative free systane eye drops during the day and genteal severe dry eye ointment at night and periodically during the day. After just one week not using opcon a, my eyes are 90-95% better. It has been a very rough week of itching and redness, but I am so glad I am withdrawing from the redness relieving drops. Hopefully in another week I will be completely fine and will never put anything like that in my eyes again. I do use patanol drops prescribed by my doc and they are wonderful. My eyes were so bad in recent months on opcon a that my eyes barely looked clear even while using the drops. My eyes always looked red and irritated and in just one week, I can finally see the whites of my eyes again. If you use a redness reliever, STOP and if you are thinking of using one, DON’T.
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Dpriston
December 18th, 2009
8:56 pm
>>>I find your answer quite useful. I am though, more interested in labeling of expiration date for Generic drugs on the dispensing bottle by the pharmacist in NY state. Also may time I find different manufacturer’s generic equivalent of the same brand medicine mixed together with different shape and size in the same dispensing bottle. What’s your take on this and is there any law in NY state that would prohibit it. I hope you are able to help with your experience and knowledge.Thanks.
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Smoove Joe
December 19th, 2009
10:13 pm
What a jerk.
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Lisa Cain
December 23rd, 2009
8:37 am
These are great holiday eatings tips. My favorite website for healthy snacks is http://www.snack-girl.com/
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Chris McNeil
December 23rd, 2009
11:40 am
I am very much in agreement with the “no forbidden foods” philosophy.
I’ve seen people gain control of their eating by consciously eating and enjoying foods where before they were on a deprivation/binge cycle.
Chris McNeil, founder
FitMenu Restaurant Nutrition and Healthy Dining
http://www.fitmenu.net
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BIll
December 23rd, 2009
1:59 pm
Informative article. I have been drinking cherry juice because my doctor recommended it to me for my gout. All I can say is it has cured my gout. I can walk without pain but I still need to watch my diet. Maybe its the type of concentrate that works. She recommended the Fruit Advantage cherry juice concentrate to me and she said she is recommending it to all of her patients. Here is a link to the Fruit Advantage website if you are interested. http://www.traversebayfarms.com Hope this input helps.
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Creegah
December 23rd, 2009
6:39 pm
I take 300 mg of Allopurinol daily and have not had a gout attack since 2000, I had one every 3 months before that.
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Byron Mathison Kerr
December 24th, 2009
12:00 pm
Great article!!!
It is not about being hungry nor completely eliminating your favorite foods. It is about portion control, nutrition, package labels, several small meals per day, weighing, and some modest exercise. But most of all, it is about intentional living and priorities.
I lost my ultimate goal from 199 down to 159 lbs from May to September and no longer have to spent $100 copay each month on cholesterol reducing drugs!
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J'Man
December 27th, 2009
2:14 am
I’ve been off and on using Cipralex for the last three years. Anxiety, with the odd panic tack and then a long lasting depression were my symptoms – I suppose like many of you. During the summer I found that 10mg seemed to be sufficient to maintain a balance that would allow me to maintain some sense of normality – In the winter months and increase to 20mg was necessary as I wasn’t out exercising as much (which is absolutely key for the depression). The toughest side effect seems to be drowsiness and feeling out of energy at points during the day. Again, any cardio-exercise that can be done inside or out has had a tremendous impact on my energy levels. Libido, does get effected, but fortunately I can still get to where I need to with a little patience. Other, than that, I haven’t had to contend with any other serious issues – My family is at ease and I can actually look forward to each day, rather than dreading every waking moment. I highly recommend Cipralex for anyone suffering similar difficulties who may go through serious complications with other medications. Patience is key as it actually takes about 3 weeks to a month before the positive effect start to kick in. For me it’s been a life saver…
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cp
December 27th, 2009
11:03 am
Excuse me, but did you really just suggest someone to buy drugs from Canada? Why doesn’t the “People’s Pharmacy” Column actually have a Pharmacist?
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knowitall
December 28th, 2009
11:12 am
why not just give the kids some beer to calm them down? it helps me to think clearer. it should help them.
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GRDANDMAINTEXAS
December 28th, 2009
9:37 pm
Well, now I am completely confused. Guess I will go to a health food store. I drink at least a 12 pack of caffeine free diet coke per week. Wow, I’ve been worried about the aspartame in it and tried Diet Pepsi but they don’t make a drink that is caffeine free so stuck with coke. I really enjoy it but I notice lately my appetite is off. I don’t need to eat as much but I don’t think it’s because of the drink. I don’t know. I heard that Aspartame is harmful to the liver. Does anyone know for sure?? Would love to know.
I am using Truvia now on cereal but now I’m confused about that too. WHY CAN’T THE GOVERNMENT JUST BE HONEST.
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David Roddenberry
December 29th, 2009
6:46 pm
Enhance your likelihood of sticking to your New Year resolutions with incentives. Healthywage, http://www.healthywage.com pays you $100 to lose weight in 2010. You only have to weigh-in once a week on the website and lose the weight.
Get healthy and get paid!
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Joyce
December 29th, 2009
7:32 pm
I have shopped at Salumeria Italiana for 20 years. The staff is friendly and not in the least bit surly, even when people ask to sample every thing and ask a bizillion questions and then do not buy anything. The place is busy all the time. The owner would NOT put up with unfriendly surly employees.
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Skinny Resolutions. « The Unfit Mother
December 30th, 2009
12:26 am
[...] weight. It’s one of the top New Year’s resolutions made each year. An article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution confirms what most of us already know. At this time of year [...]
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jobind30
December 30th, 2009
1:45 am
Healthy Samples are offering free winter samples checkhttp://bit.ly/5dxDmw
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HEALTHY EATING: Set realistic goals to lose weight | Better Health « Frank Wyatt
December 30th, 2009
3:58 am
[...] is the original post: HEALTHY EATING: Set realistic goals to lose weight | Better Health Categories: Uncategorized Tags: ajc, carolyn, lives, new-commitment, the-new, year-brings [...]
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How To Set Realistic Goals For Weight Loss
December 30th, 2009
12:12 pm
[...] These are all great points to keep in mind as you try to stick to that News Years resolution to lose weight. You can read the full article here [...]
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Weight Loss Coach Jon
December 30th, 2009
12:13 pm
Great article and some good points for people to keep in mind when trying to stick to those New Years Resolutions.
I shared your article with my readers here:
http://www.weightlosscoach-jon.com/how-to-set-realistic-goals-for-weight-loss/
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Bill
December 30th, 2009
2:24 pm
I know where you’re coming from. Sometimes during the summer I go up to 4 days with no sleep at all. By that time, I barely know who I am. My doctor just doles out Lunesta but since my insurance won’t cover it, that’s a hundred bucks per refill. The drugs just mask the problem. I run a fan next to the bed which drowns out the sound of my heartbeat and various other things. A bowl of cereal usually helps and if I’m not asleep in a couple of hours, I get up and watch TV for a half hour or so (if you can find anything to watch at 2AM) and I frequently doze off after that. Good luck. I sure sympathize.
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Chuck
December 30th, 2009
4:29 pm
I and others I know use diphenhydramine hydrochloride. A common brand name for this is Benedryl. Department stores also sell it in generic form, which may be less expensive than Benedryl. I try not to use it unless absolutely necessary because it can take up to an hour after I awaken in the morning to lose the grogginess. But it seems to give me healthful sleep, including REM-stage sleep. All the best to you in your efforts to get healthy sleep. It’s vital.
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Sara
December 30th, 2009
4:29 pm
Being a driven, goal oriented person, I never had problems achieving goals except this one…weight loss. Setting realistic goals is a must but as importantly is ensuring you have a group of (at least one) champions/cheerleaders. Having just lost 50 lbs and I’ve kept it off for 5 months, I know that in addition to diet and exercise goals, the support of my fitness coach (Dan McGrath of Body Solutions Atlanta), co-workers, friends and family are what really made the difference for me. Dan checked in with me in between our sessions (via text) to see how I was doing, check on my progress and mental state of mind. His support and encouragement was and is so important to me. I’m ready for 2010 and wish everyone the best in the New Year!
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mike brown
December 30th, 2009
4:39 pm
It takes -3500 calories to loose a pound, which means you need to both burn calories by working out & take less calories in by eating in order to loose weight.
Eat fruits & veggies of course. It’s typical to eat a small breakfast and a big dinner, but my health teacher said you actually want to do the opposite. And never skip breakfast, it helps you loose weight. I stopped drinking pop and lost 50 pounds in 1 year!! Don’t drink juice. You’d think fruit juice is good for you, but its not. It has alot of sugar and extra calories. People say dont eat carbs’ not true, 60% of your diet is supposed to be from some type of carbs… just make sure you eat whole grain or whole wheat bread. And drink only skim milk, all others aren’t so great for you. Just watch what you eat and pay attention to nutrition labels!
Make sure you do some weight bearing activities along with cardio, it’ll help build muscle and burn fat! If you cant buy a gym membership try going for a walk or run outside, doing jumping jacks, jump rope, running up & down your stairs, lifting weights, doings situps & pushups.. those are just some ideas that’ll help! http://howtoloseweightfast9.blogspot.com/
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nadine
December 30th, 2009
4:40 pm
What is wrong with buying “drugs” from canada??
they said – Your doctor could prescribe Erfa desiccated thyroid from Canada
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AccessDNA
January 1st, 2010
2:15 pm
Here is some additional information about the “genetics” of this condition that was written by our Genetic Counselor and other genetic professionals: http://www.accessdna.com/condition/Fragile_X_Syndrome/153. I hope it helps. Thanks, AccessDNA
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Andreia
January 1st, 2010
4:29 pm
The consideration of banning waxing in New Jersey did not even last 24 hours. After making national news- New Jersey Consumer Affairs Director David Szuchman effectively killed the plan. In a letter to the board, Szuchman says he won’t support the ban, and since his office oversees the board, the ban would never be approved. “The procedure can be safely performed. I, therefore, believe that there are alternate means to address any public health issues identified by the board,” It turns out this was actually started be lobbyists for expensive laser hair removal! No other state is known to explicitly ban the procedure, according to cosmetology experts. Georgia considered this 2 years ago, but determined it was covered under “bikini area” in the current law. (no pun intended) Go to waxingatlanta.com to find the most experienced Brazilian professionals for safe hair removal- for only $35. Voted best in Atlanta 6 years in a row!
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Mike D
January 2nd, 2010
1:48 am
My number one goal is to relieve my bladder more often. No more holding it in, I’m going to pee everywhere this year.
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Texas Pete
January 2nd, 2010
1:53 am
I like to wait until January 10th and become the Secret Santa of Chocolate giving. I have blown up more diets than a Pakistany Jihadist.
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Price
January 2nd, 2010
8:46 am
If you’re serious, get personalized nutrition program and calibrated meals through the Trump Network. Also, healthy kid snacks. http://www.trumpnetwork.com/pricefutrell. Potential to make thousand$$ helping others to do the same. Change the way you look and the way you feel at the same time. 2010, here we come, ready or not…Be ready!!
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Shirley L
January 2nd, 2010
9:11 pm
Read No More Sleepless Nights by Dr Peter Hauri of Mayo Clinic. A total program that is very effective.
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paperwhite
January 3rd, 2010
7:43 pm
I have tried Yoga with some measure of success. I use the meditations and breathing exercises..sometimes I manage to fall asleep as early as 4 am but mostly 5 or 6. So, that’s one to three hours, just enough to drive to work and be moderately productive. I still have no short term memory and I still get some words mixed up.
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What Works
January 3rd, 2010
10:02 pm
+1 to Mike, -1 to Sara. You don’t need a fitness coach. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight.
Different things will work for different folks, but I will share what works for me.
Contrary to what many experts say, weigh yourself every day. Buy a good scale accurate to 1/10th of a pound. I have a flat bathroom scale that has four load cells on the feet and a digital read-out. Cost was about $50. I can step on and off it several times and get the same weight. Every morning, before I get in the shower, I weigh and remember the weight. I record the weight in a spreadsheet every day and compare it against my goal. Set a goal of 1, 1.5, or 2 pounds a week. Some days you will be up 2 or 3 pounds, but some days you will be down 2.1, 3.1 pounds.
You didn’t gain that weight in a month and you won’t lose it in a month.
At the bookstore there are racks and racks of diet books. If I wrote one, it would be 1 page, 3 sentences long.
Don’t eat so much.
Get off your a**.
Stick with it.
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solo
January 4th, 2010
2:27 am
I can’t imagine putting alcohol under my arms
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Christine
January 4th, 2010
4:34 pm
Hello. I am Christine of Las Lomas High School so I am wondering if you can help me in my senior project about insomnia. Please do reply. I live in Walnut Creek. An expert that knows a lot of stuff and a person that I can meet is helpful. Please reply. Here’s my email address christine.sallo@yahoo.com. Thank you very much.
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Robert A.McKernan
January 6th, 2010
8:36 am
I had an MTBI as the result of an automobile accident, in 1995, When I was broughte to the hospital via ambulance, I did not know if I had been unconscious or not. My cheif complaint was numbness in my hands and feet mostly on one side (right). I was sent home with a soft collar and some pain medication. In a few weeks I started having word finding difficulties, and developed a stutter. One day while at the grocery store check out, I could not remember what denominations of currency to use to pay the cashier. Thankfully, I knew her and she took what she needed. I went for treatment with a neurophycologist, and after a while things started to adjust. I have had tinisis ever since, and severe erectile dysfunction that Cialis and Viagra do not help. The insurance company completely dismissed my claim as “vodoo-ism” and that my doctor was nothing short of a “gun slinger”,.to the point where even my attorney started to think I was “gold bricking”.
Even today, some fifteen years later, when I get over tired, I
have profound speech problems, and some cognative ticks. I hope this is not a sign of something worse in the future. I can remember in exacting detail things that I did forty to fifty years ago, but many times have difficulty remembering things of a year ago. but will eventually recall when prompted. Thank you for allowing me to tell my mtbi experience with you.
Bob McKernan
Cape Cod Massachusetts
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Dan Berger
January 7th, 2010
4:40 pm
Here’s a diet that works:
http://www.squidoo.com/does-the-every-other-day-diet-work
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Beve Phillips
January 9th, 2010
11:53 am
DO overlook lamb. How can anyone eat such sweet, soft dear baby animals. Disgusting.
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Hobart
January 10th, 2010
2:26 pm
Keeping a food diary helps too, if you’re committed. It helps you be aware but not overly obsessed….check out apowerfultool.com
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Amber Williamson
January 11th, 2010
10:42 pm
I am a mom of a child with a very serious food allergy. Partnering up with other moms, we developed a Food Allergy-Band. The bands were created to raise awareness for kids with food allergies. We have 3 styles of bands: Food, Nut, and Dairy. Our website is http://www.assureproducts.com. With over 3 million kids, or 1 in 26 affected by food allergies, this is a great way for you to let teachers, baby-sitters, and friends know about the allergy without having your child stand out. I think this is a product that would appeal to your readers and other mothers that are in the food allergy community. Please let us know what you think! .
Thank you, Amber
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mscaramel
January 12th, 2010
2:43 pm
Whey Shake
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Petra
January 13th, 2010
12:28 pm
I am happy to see that the chef’s are willing to make food healthier. I will certainly continue to look for and order healthier items on the menu when available. I am a borderline diabetic (no medication) and eat out at least once a week, so this information is very encouraging.
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Sadjndra DeJong-Jones
January 13th, 2010
3:11 pm
Would this work on feet, as well? I really need something for feet, so I can wear boots and shoes that are not sandels. Very cold feet during winter – would be great if this would work on feet.
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songbird
January 13th, 2010
3:39 pm
I like the mineral salts sticks. they work great, don’t stain your clothes and are all natural.
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cyberbrook
January 13th, 2010
5:34 pm
For more on food and cooking that is healthy, compassionate, and eco-friendly, please check out Eco-Eating at http://www.brook.com/veg
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Carolyn O'Neil
January 13th, 2010
5:52 pm
Stay tuned…next week…more on why and how we’re going to be eating less salt!
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GT
January 17th, 2010
9:35 am
I just read an article about football coaches and stress. Suddenly they are different from the common man who doesn’t get paid millions and doesn’t get to do what he or she wants. Dooley was saying he didn’t spend much time with his children, guess what my dad wasn’t a coach, and I never saw him. Many children in my generation will say the same. I can remember seeing Dooley on several golf courses in my time, my dad was a national ranked senior tennis player. Bill Curry was quoted also and I always feel stress when I have to listen to people that are never wrong giving me advise. My thought is these men are the problem not the jobs. They are prideful self centered perfectionist for their own causes. If they think they feel stress I can promise it is not near the stress they give others around them having to live with their self importance. There are a few women that fit this mold too. If you look around and find yourself on scholarship at someone else’s expense be real with yourself you are either loving it or you can make a change.
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amusedobservant
January 17th, 2010
5:59 pm
I’d like to hear more about the 17th century Russian Special Ops team.
I’ve been swinging the iron for 5 years now, and it’s my favorite workout. Economical when compared to most gym memberships, Workouts themselves are transportable to the great outdoors, however with the recent cold snap, I’ve been doing them in the kitchen before work. The versatility of the kb’s is the most amazing thing about them. They have a sick cardio component as well as a wicked strength training aspect to them. Is there a fad-ish thing about using them? Probably. But it’s like when my kid discovered Jimi Hendrix a couple of years ago. He acted like he discovered Jimi all on his own, that no one had ever heard him before. The difference between him and the nay-sayers here is, he was a lot more gracious about something new than the trendies here seem to be.
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Mick Mankford
January 18th, 2010
11:25 pm
In re Ginko Bilboa: I find that if you crush the Ginko pills up into a fine powder (~250 microns), and ingest them per inhaling via the nostrils, it has a much better effect on the memory.
When ingested in that format, there reaches a level of alertness and consciousness previously unattainable. In this condition, it remains difficult to forget anything.
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Chris McNeil
January 20th, 2010
10:39 am
It’s good to see some practical suggestions for reducing sodium.
People in general need more education on what makes for healthy eating habits. Personally, though, I do not feel we need government intervention to make this happen.
Health and fitness businesses, professionals, and organizations are stakeholders in advocating good health in their communities. It can make a tremendous difference when they join forces with the restaurants to create and co-promote healthy dining choices.
Health-minded people win with more and better healthy choices in restaurants. The restaurants win by getting more of this type of customer (who in many cases would otherwise shy from eating out). The health pros win by getting the exposure as health leaders in their communities.
Chris McNeil, founder
FitMenu Restaurant Nutrition and Healthy Dining
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Companionship Care for Elderly
January 21st, 2010
3:26 am
I am delighted that you have communal your priceless conviction with me. Thanks!
Companionship Care for Elderly
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Lisa Cain
January 21st, 2010
8:26 am
These are great suggestions. Avoiding packaged snacks that are high in sodium is easy if you plan. My favorite place for healthy snack suggestions is http://www.snack-girl.com/
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ZINGY
January 22nd, 2010
1:36 pm
Enter your comments here
My knuckles split and I have tried several different products but have had the most luck with O’Keefe’s working hands.
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jtmarketing
January 23rd, 2010
3:39 pm
I found a simple effective solution for
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Chad
January 23rd, 2010
6:20 pm
These are great tips! Particularly having a plan – that’s probably the biggest key to each day whether you’re just trying to eat more healthily or lose weight and get fit. Good to find your blog!
httP;//reconstructingthirty.wordpress.com
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Preferred Anon.
January 25th, 2010
4:02 pm
Don’t worry about what Beve Phillips said. God made animals for us to eat. Animals don’t have a soul, like humans, so it’s not a sin to eat an animal. Sorry, Beve. I live on meat. And I’m not an animal hater. My family has horses, dogs, cats, chickens, etc. and I don’t mind eating the chickens we once held or cuddled. That’s why God made animals – for man’s use – to use to assist man in working and to provide nutrients. And it’s not disgusting! Lamb is rather delicious!
Most sincerely,
16 year old country girl
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mystery poster
January 26th, 2010
1:44 pm
Be very careful, most hand lotions contain alcohol which only makes the problem worse.
I use Aquaphor ointment, which is petroleum based.
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Chad
January 26th, 2010
10:06 pm
Great post! I wrote a blog post of my own just a few days ago that explains what I’ve been doing with eating out. It’s a big part of my life, even though I’m on a weight loss journey. I’ve actually been working with Rachel Brandeis, quoted in this article, and you’ll see her advice reflected in my post, too.
http://reconstructingthirty.wordpress.com/2010/01/19/eating-out-without-pigging-out/
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Best Treatment for Snoring
January 27th, 2010
7:20 am
Your blog is awe-inspiring. I have found many new things. Your way of staging is also fascinating. You have elected very incredible topic. I appreciated it.
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mystery poster
January 28th, 2010
10:09 am
My mother used to give us honey and lemon. Mix about 1/4 c honey with juice from 1 lemon. Take by the teaspoonful.
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Ron
January 28th, 2010
12:42 pm
Here’s a novel idea. Just go to a restaurant, sit down, look at the menu, then order what you want. Exercise when you can, try not to order the most fattening thing on the menu, and don’t overeat. Life is far too short for all this anal behavior. No offense to them, but the fact that dieticians are even able to make a living shows a problem in and of itself. Just use common sense people!
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Healthy Halloween Treats | The PTI Blog
January 28th, 2010
12:57 pm
[...] 100 calorie snack packs [...]
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js
January 28th, 2010
2:03 pm
I agree with Ron. Eat out once a week…get whatever you want and cook the rest of your meals at home. No matter where you go to eat, it’s going to have a lot more calories than if you made the same thing at home. Be good the whole week and reward yourself by splurging on one meal.
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Steve
January 28th, 2010
3:13 pm
Ron, Js – exactly. Splurge on a normal meal when eating out, and save money by not eating out all the time. I eat light at lunch at work – a low cal frozen entree and I don’t snack on junk. I run 4 days a week.
If you are stuck eating out all the time on business, force yourself to use the treadmill in the hotel. Have a healthy/low cal breakfast and lunch (light sandwich, or soup/salad) and splurge more at dinner.
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margo
January 28th, 2010
4:42 pm
I also agree with Ron—but I AM tired of reading the SAME OLD suggestions from WHOEVER about how and what I should eat. Do something besides getting involved in other people’s business.
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Kay P
January 28th, 2010
6:11 pm
Enjoyed the article. I try to be a mindful of my eating most of the time and dining out can really be a challenge. I’ll be watching for more tips. My daughters gave me a juicer for Christmas and I’ve started having a glass of green juice every evening. If you have any tips in that category, would love to hear them.
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Lou
January 28th, 2010
7:36 pm
Great restaurant bar tip…great article…thanks!
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TERI
January 29th, 2010
3:00 pm
Try telling all these people who dont live with pain that question….. sound stupid huh… Try telling people that cant get out of bed because of such bad fibro or arthritis or back surgery… think before you type ..or maybe your mother, grandma, sister has some disease that has to live with pain all day. Think about it stupid..
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Geoff Harris
January 30th, 2010
9:01 pm
Wow- I thought that I was pretty much alone when it can to really severe insomnia. I have gone about 3.5 days with zero sleep once. It’s been pretty bad for a year, averaging 4 hours per night (range 0-9). A few months ago, I felt that I reached my breaking point. My words would get mixed up on occassion, and I’d usually feel weak at work. I would have bouts of recovery for a few hours during the day in which I could processes my thoughts as usually and feel good, but then I would crash. I am on my second couch therapist and have been prescribed many drugs-yes, which work for a while then quit. I am afraid that my next step will be to take a leave from my job to deal with this.
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oldfart
January 31st, 2010
10:30 am
Mine was Irish, same ratio honey and lemon but with a shot of Jameson’s added.
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Dianna
January 31st, 2010
11:10 am
If you are going to make suggestions you need to let us know where to get these Chinese herbs and Elderberry~!
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Zither
January 31st, 2010
12:24 pm
If it’s post-nasal drip, try a neti pot.
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mystery poster
February 1st, 2010
2:43 pm
Just read that ginger tea is supposed to help. Take some fresh ginger and pour boiling water over it and steep until the water is golden brown. Add honey to taste.
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Louise Towers
February 1st, 2010
7:19 pm
First of all, Cindy, What part of Chemical Imbalance do you not get? Yes, exercise outside is great if you can do it. Fresh air is wonderful and does help you feel better if you have the blues..NOT Clinical Depression. For those of you who know what Clinical Depression is, I have a question.
Recently I tried Cipralex. Almost immediately I could feel the weight of the world rising. I couldn’t cry any more (an ok thing as I was waking up crying) but I viewed the world entirely differently and was happy. I got… not a normal symptom…but a very rare one…. muscle rigidity. My shoulders would suddenly be up around my ears..so I would try to relax then, then find that my head was being held an inch or so up from the pillow, or my feet were turned up ot my leg pulled up into my hip socket. NOT a muscle spasm but a constant tenseness which is exhausting. I told the doctor and she had me drop my dosage for a week and then last week she switched me over to Zoloft which does not make me as happy, but unfortunately there has been no change in the rigidity. I am seeing my Dr on Thursday and am afraid she will probably wean me off the Zoloft and see if I still have the problem.
Have any of you ever had this muscle tenseness? I am achy and so tired from holding my muscles like that all the time.
I know that Cipralex and Zoloft are from the same family of SSRI’s and that there are many other types of antidepressants to try. most of them are not covered by my medical plan.
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kellyao
February 2nd, 2010
11:17 am
interesting
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SIenna
February 3rd, 2010
1:30 am
This is a great article. Children that learn to eat healthy at an early age will take that with them for the rest of their lives. Nutrition is also key to a good learning experience at school
Sienna,
http://www.kidsdesk.net
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Carol Halbert
February 3rd, 2010
9:27 am
I have never had bed bugs and, obviously, do not want any. However, I am under the impression that if you have them, you can see them and further, they are chewing on you at night because they are sucking your blood, as in they are parasites akin to FLEAS!!! Have I got it all wrong? Ugh…what a dreadful subject.
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Lesley Gamwell
February 3rd, 2010
9:36 am
The question is, if there are bedbugs how best to get rid of them permanently?
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tarrabyte
February 3rd, 2010
11:05 am
If you think you may have bed bugs, you can definitely try the dry ice monitor, but be careful handling the dry ice, use heavy duty gloves as it can burn. You can watch videos on how to inspect your bed and room at http://www.bedbugsnorthwest.com. Bed bug sniffing dogs are 90% or more accurate in detecting bed bugs, but if the dog alerts positive, be sure the inspector conducts a physical inspection to find the results of the dog’s alert.
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Abby
February 3rd, 2010
11:35 am
I breastfed all four of my kids! It was a wonderful experience with all of them. My middle two are twins, which added a lot of extra time, as I fed them separately. It also gave me special bonding time with each twin. I lost my pregnancy weight immediately, however gain back some after I stop breast feeding. It is hard to adjust to eating less after two years of a healthy appetite.
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c
February 3rd, 2010
3:03 pm
ok – we’re both traveling consultants so the likelihood of bringing home tiny livestock via suitcases is probably higher. Where is the best place to set this trap? Where we keep the suitcases in the closet or by the bed?
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E
February 3rd, 2010
5:31 pm
I have had the unfortuate experience of having bed bugs 2x. I am a frequent traveler for work and pleasure. The little creatures have infested my whole building. A new thing out there for detecting bedbugs are bed bug dogs. They are really good and can detect if there are bugs in the wall. I highly recommend having a profession treat your place and do not try to do it on your own as you will only spread them.
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Chad
February 3rd, 2010
11:59 pm
Wonderful advice. It’s so important to start these habits of a healthy lifestyle at an age when they truly become ingrained.
http://reconstructingthirty.wordpress.com
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Regina
February 4th, 2010
11:52 am
I am living proof that early detection is key to survival. Ten years ago, during a routine ultrasound to diagnose the cause of pain on my right abdominal area, a tumor was detected on my left kidney. I had my left kidney and my gall bladder (the source of the pain on the right side) removed at the same time and didn’t have to have any follow-up treatment. Eight years later, my annual chest x-ray showed a tumor on my right lung. Thinking that it may be related to my previous cancer, a PET scan was done which led to the removal of the lower lobe of the lung – again no follow-up treatment was necessary. The malignant tumor was totally unrelated to the kidney cancer. It is interesting to note that I have never been a smoker and have not engaged in any of the “risky behaviors” that traditionally cause cancer. I am just in a rare percentage of the population that is susceptable to certain cancers. Thank God for early detection and the health plans that approve them!!!
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Dean
February 4th, 2010
11:53 am
1) Mother in-law and father in-law both died within 11 months. Cancer
2) I’m looking at a picture of 1 of my best friends in life. Gone. Cancer
3) A good friend’s wife. Gone. Cancer. And that same friend’s sister recently died. Cancer.
4) Another good friend’s wife just started treatments. Melanoma. Please pray for her.
5) A friend just found out Tuesday he has Kidney cancer.
6) A friend’s mother died last week. Cancer.
I have more. It’s too painful to go on.
I think that, at least, we all know someone who knows someone.
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RedFeather
February 4th, 2010
11:58 am
Just wanted to add that I volunteer for a raptor rehab center, and we use sugar for skin wounds a lot there. It does indeed seem to work well.
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Stephen Watkins
February 4th, 2010
12:00 pm
My dog , Shadow, had to be euthanized-due to the ravages of T-Cell Lymphoma. After six months of chemotherapy, wherein she was in & out of remission several times, the horror of cancer came back. Jan. 18th , 2010 was her last day with me, and I will forever hold her in my heart. Her love was boundless, even while cancer was consuming her.
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LG
February 4th, 2010
12:08 pm
My sister-in-law died last week of breast cancer. It started underneath a rib, so she couldn’t feel a lump and the mammogram couldn’t pick it up. It spread to her bones, liver, and bowels. She found out 4 days after Christmas that she had it. They gave her three years. but in two weeks time, it went from stage 2 to stage 4. Her doctor couldn’t do anything, and she had three weeks after that.
She was one of four people in my life who died within the last two months. Three of the four died of cancer (all three different type of cancerss).
Since the age of 4, I’ve watched people in my family die from cancer. It’s not any easier after 40 years. I’m not expecting it will.
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Sara Lucero
February 4th, 2010
12:17 pm
Thank you for the article and advice. Great things to keep in mind, especially now that the pediatricians are asking how often we dine out with our kids… I was really surprised at my daughter’s check up that this was part of the standard questions!
Sara
http://www.healthydiningfinder.com
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Sunny
February 4th, 2010
12:24 pm
This was a great read. I’ve been trying to encourage a friend of mine to feed her children better…as it currently stands, their main sources of nourishment are chips, fruit snacks, french fries and juice boxes. The kids WILL eat and actually LOVE fruits and veggies but their mom doesn’t bother buying them. How do you help in a situation like this?
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Sandy
February 4th, 2010
12:31 pm
My girlfriend died in 40 days after diagnostic tests showed she had metastatic cancer. An autopsy revealed she had hemagiosarcoma which is more common in dogs than people. She was 43 years old.
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Keshia
February 4th, 2010
12:31 pm
I have greatly been affected by Cancer. I have lost 2 aunts and an uncle to this deadly disease. I also have a favorite aunt who is a breast cancer survivor. It is getting harder to cope with the losses, but I continue to stay prayerful that a cure is in site within my lifetime.
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Robert (Benny & Maryann Combs)
February 4th, 2010
12:42 pm
Cancer creeped into my family and tried to claim the spirits of my love ones. They are both gone on to be with the Creator. We want to let Cancer know that you did not win the Battle…. you may have affected thier bodies but you did not harm thier Spirits. You see, thier Spirits are gone to be with the Lord and he has given them a Glorified Body…..Their Spirit was never harmed by you because the Joy of the Lord was thier Strength…
So then the joke was on you Cancer to make your next move….what…you think you got something because you did harm to the bodies….please…come on with something else. Sure we miss them but the Lord just told them not to fight it…let thE body go and come on home with me.
So my family knows that Benny and Maryann Combs are at home with the Lord. They are Resting in the arms of the almighty. Thier Spirits live on inside of us.
To other survivors and familes affected by this disease….just know that.It ain’t over till God says it’s over….
Be Blessed.
Thanks AJC
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Alice
February 4th, 2010
1:01 pm
“You never get used to a world without your mother in it.” How true.
My mother died of cancer almost 44 years ago. She was 58 years old, and I was 25. I turn 70 this year, and even now I think of my mother every day. She never met the man I married over 40 years ago; she never knew her only grandchild, who favors her grandmother in both looks and mannerisms.
My mother missed so much, and we missed so much more by not having her with us as we grew as a family.
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Katherine
February 4th, 2010
1:10 pm
While I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, people who have never had cancer should pause to think….what would it be like to have faced death and survived? what would it be like going through life knowing that nothing is a bad as it seems? what would it be like to no longer live in fear of death? what would it be like to know for sure that you lived your life right? and, lastly, what would it be like to be ready to die every day because you know in your heart that you sqeezed as much life into the days that came before and lead a happy life? Welcome to the life of a fifteen year cancer survivor.
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Mrs K H Hemmings
February 4th, 2010
1:47 pm
Having suffered breast cancer then secondary cancer for 16 years plus – I can honestly say we should all treat each day as if it was our last.My Best Friend was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in the past week.We have a lot of enjoyment to get through over the next few weeks.No one know what time any of us have left.Enjoy every minute.
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One Kidney short of a full load
February 4th, 2010
3:21 pm
I lost my right kidney to Cancer 3 1/2 years ago. No Chemo, No radiation. I’ve since adopted a very healthy life style. Lots of fresh fruit and veggies and I exercise daily.
I live each day like it might be the last. I take time to truly focus on and enjoy the people in my life.
I’m healthier and happier than ever.
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Tracey
February 4th, 2010
3:38 pm
Diagnosed in Winter of 2007. You will never believe how strong you can be for yourself and your child until you are pushed beyond limits. Make every day count. Trust your instincts. Don’t let a day go by without telling those you love how you feel about them.
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TJB
February 4th, 2010
3:40 pm
-A week ago, my mother-in-law died of lung cancer.
-My favorite aunt died 3 years ago of pancreatic cancer.
-My father died of leukemia and kidney cancer 7 years ago.
-My grandmother fought and won the battle with breast cancer quite a few years before she died of natural causes.
-Most of my great aunts and uncles died of cancer also.
I honor them today.
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Jeffrey
February 4th, 2010
3:57 pm
My sister passed away ten months ago from ovarian cancer, she was only 38. She fought so bravely for five years. Although various members of my family are now active in the fight against this disease, our family is permanently broken because my sister was the glue.
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Ann
February 4th, 2010
4:47 pm
In July of 2008 I was diagnosed with Anal Cancer. This cam 2 days after the funeralof my sister-in-law that passed away with cancer. Surgerey was not an option. I went thru 10 treatmenst of Chemo and 30 radiation treatments. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to face and the worst months of my life. But I can say today I have been in remisson for 1 year and 3 months now. I have life changing affects from the radiation but what a small price to pay. Enjoy every moment of life as you are never sure what the next day will hold in store for you.
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Al
February 4th, 2010
4:54 pm
I am a cancer patient since 2001. I am Stage III with melanoma. I have also had renal cell carcinoma with left kidney removed and was diagnosed a year ago with adenocarcinoma (lung cancer…non-smoker) with upper left lobe of lung removed. I have had 10 surgeries due to cancer; been through chemo, radiation, a vaccine and now take immune boosting shots each month. In spite of all of this, I remain hopeful and know that I am in God’s hands. The little flame of HOPE that burns deep within my heart has not yet been extinguished even though the cold winds of fear and despair have tried mightily. I remain thankful and humbled that I have made it this far when so many of my friends have lost their battles with the beast.
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Arlinda
February 4th, 2010
5:03 pm
I, too, am living proof that early detection is a lifesaver. I went for my annual mammogram and was told that I had some abnormal cells. A second mammogram was scheduled. The first and second mammograms were identical. Because the abnormal cells were close to the chest walls a surgical biopsy was necessary to determine if the abnormal cells were cancerous. True enough the biopsy showed cancerous cells. A week later I had a lumpectomy one week later. The blessing is the breast cancer was in its very early stages and required radiation only. I have been in remission 3.5 years. Being a survior has changed my outlook and attitude about life. In the words of Elizabeth Lucas, I’ve learned the following:
What Cancer Cannot Do:
It cannot cripple Love
It cannot shatter Hope
It cannot coordoe Faith
It cannot destroy Peace
It cannot kill Friendshiip
It cannot suppress Memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade teh Soul
It cannot steal eternal Life
It cannot conquer the Spirit.
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Teresa
February 4th, 2010
5:15 pm
My daughter is a cancer patient. She was first diagnoised with cervical cancer in 2004, then in 2008 it reaccured and she has been battleing it ever since. Chemo is the only treatment she can receive and it continues to spread. It is all in God’s hands now and we continue to fast and pray. Please remember her in your prays. her name is Tina. Also I would love to do something special for her, like having people send cards and letters of encouragement to her. Will someone please let me know whether to submit my address for her to receive these cards and letters from all over the united states. She also has 3 kids that are effected by what she is going through.
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Winnie
February 4th, 2010
8:25 pm
My son died of osteogenic sarcoma at the age of 17. I miss him, but have peace because I know I’ll see him in heaven. It’s been almost 11 years since he died and I think of him every day. His life had an impact on everyone who knew him. He is the only family member to die of cancer. My father-in-law had an easily treated prostate cancer several years ago and is cancer-free.
Sandy, I am sorry for the loss of your girlfriend. My son had a Canine Assistant dog that died of a tumor in his heart–likely hemangiosarcoma. It was heartbreaking.
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Lizzie
February 4th, 2010
9:35 pm
I AM a survivor, and one who thrives among the presence and strength generated from a roomful of those who also survive and thrive! I had a mastectomy 3-1/2 years ago. I do not have BRCA-1 or BRCA-2, the breast cancer gene but my baby sister just had a bilateral mastectomy two days before Christmas. We are under the care of great doctors and are empowered to take charge and manage our own health from a collaborative team effort. I believe that once diagnosed, one should consider the big “C” as a chronic condition. I’m constantly being checked for recurrence issues.
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Winfield J. Abbe
February 4th, 2010
10:28 pm
After my wife was nearly killed, not from breast cancer, but the approved “treatment,” I started reading up on this disease. I found that the prejudiced cancer generals have obstructed the prime cause of cancer discovered before 1923 in animals and proved for humans about 1960 by the genius in Germany Otto Warburg, M.D., Ph.D.; oxygen deficiency to living cells over a long time or respiratory impairment or the wrong energy supply to cells. I also read a book describing how the war on cancer has been corrupted. This book is documented with over 500 references. “The Cancer Industry” by Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D., Equinox Press, N.Y. 1996 first published 1980. Also read
“The Hidden Story of Cancer” by Brian Peskin and Amid Habib, M.D., Pinnacle Press, Houston, 2006-2008. Oh, and did you know that vitamin C at high doses also kills cancer cells without harming normal cells, a fact proved in 1969 two years before the war on cancer was even begun?
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Winfield J. Abbe
February 4th, 2010
10:39 pm
Otto Warburg M.D., Ph.D. was nominated for 3 Nobel Prizes; 1926 for the cancer work; 1931 awarded for the cell respiration work and again in 1944 for different work but denied by Hitler’s decree. Three of his pupils won Nobel prizes in medicine: Hans Krebs, M.D., Otto Meyerhof, M.D. and Hugo Theorell, M.D. Dr. Warburg invented the tissue slice technique and ;mostly used real live tissue for experiments. He invented a special machine to measure oxygen uptake in living cells.
The cancer generals have obstructed and lied about his work and sought to mislead the public about him. They also were not intelligent or competent enough to understand and reproduce his results. They have been engaged in scientific misconduct, medical fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity and are largely responsible for much of the suffering mentioned in the above posts. They should be prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice but due to corruption they won’t be. Over 105 billion dollars have been squandered on failed cancer research. This is the biggest medical failure of our time. Orthodox cancer treatment is the biggest scam of our time.
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Winfield J. Abbe
February 4th, 2010
10:49 pm
All approved cancer treatments in the U.S. are life threatening. This means that if one dies while under treatment for cancer, they may die of cancer, treatment or both; usually they die of treatment but it is falsely reported as death from cancer. Many other less toxic treatments are available but have been obstructed by the cancer generals and the corrupt American Cancer Society which influences the direction of most failed cancer research. Everyone should read these references:
“American Cancer Society America’s Wealthiest ‘Non-Profit’ Institution” by Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., International Journal of Health Services, 1999 available at http://www.preventcancer.com.
“Cancer and Vitamin C Therapy for Patients” by Reagan Houston, Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, August/Sept., 2007, pp. 92-96. This information has also been obstructed by the cancer generals.
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Winfield J. Abbe
February 4th, 2010
10:59 pm
Everyone should understand that mammograms which are recommended by the doctors, are providing high energy radiation into the body which can cause cancer. Also, they press very hard on breasts. It has been known in the medical literature since 1928 that this pressure can cause existing cancer to spread around. Therefore mammograms are a bad procedure but they make good money for those who own the machines.
Also everyone should read the article “The Truth About Hydrazine Sulfate-Dr. Gold Speaks” by Joseph Gold, M.D. It is available at http://www.hydrazinesulfate.org. Dr. Gold is a distinguished medical doctor at the Syracuse Research Institute in Syracuse, N.Y. The NIH and NCI and FDA have told lies to the public about a cheap and inexpensive drug, hydrazine sulfate which he has developed for many years and which has been tested from the Soviet Union to UCLA. This article is basically a criminal indictment of these criminal government enterprises. Yes, people with Ph.D. degrees will lie to unwitting citizens. This is why the war on cancer is a dismal failure. This effective drug has negligently been denied approval by these outlaw organizations paid for by public tax money.
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Rosalyn's daughter
February 4th, 2010
11:55 pm
It took my mommy away in 1996 and my granddaddy in 1995. Cancer sucks A**.
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Memory Supplements That Work
February 5th, 2010
12:43 am
Great tips for enhancing the memory. I am sure, they definitely give you good results.
http://www.intelliboost.com/
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Carol
February 5th, 2010
4:54 am
I am battling bladder cancer. Chemo has turned me into a person I don’t even recognize. I have had 2 surgeries thus far. One of them landed me in ICU, unable to breathe on my own. I live at doctors offices and drug stores. I spend my days battling insurance companies.My biggest disappointment through all of this is my family’s attitude- I have always been the strong one and am expected to continue to be so. They are not here for me. Early detection and excellent doctors have given me an excellent chance of beating this. My advice- If you smoke, STOP ! Try quitting when you are going through chemo. Now that is very miserable.
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someone'smom
February 5th, 2010
5:29 am
Diagnosed Jan 19, 2010 with early stage breast cancer at the age of 39. I will have surgery next week and radiation treatments in the future. It makes me so angry to read articles saying how cancer can be ‘avoided’ if we followed ‘insert advice here Cancer is random. I am very healthy, organic diet, children before age 30, breastfed my kids forever and yet here I am with breast cancer. It sucks.
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Martha
February 5th, 2010
6:48 am
try corn huskers lotion – my husband and I just started using it and have seen a huge difference in our dry hands.
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Paul Crumpler
February 5th, 2010
7:58 am
My lovely and wonderful wife died of breast cancer. She was diagnosed at 30 with stage 3 breast cancer. We had many good years following a bone marrow transplant. She was gone at 45. She had no risk factors; breastfed both of our children, exercised, did not smoke, no family history, children before 30… Nothing good comes of cancer. If cancer never came, life would have been so much different and and so much better. New rounds of chemotherapy would buy us a couple of years of no symptoms. These good years between the bad were great, those bad years between the good were… Well, nothing good comes of cancer.
With serious cancers, fear is a constant companion. Denial would be a relief. It can be pushed out of the way for a while but always knocks on the door with a slight pain in the bones, a headache, or a cough…probably nothing to worry about….. Waiting for results of scans, fear. All that I can say is that nothing is gained by being afraid and that fear exacts a terrible price.
In the end, although she was dying of cancer at the time, it was not cancer that actually caused her death but an injury. Very advanced cancer made treatment of this new crisis almost impossible. We thought she would die of cancer; no one really knows when their time will come. Live life to the fullest possible.
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LJ
February 5th, 2010
8:33 am
Cancer I HATE YOU!
I lost my dad in May, 2008 to Esophagheal cancer what a horrible death.
RIP Dad I live and miss you so much
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LJ
February 5th, 2010
8:35 am
OOps I mean’t I LOVE you Dad
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Thea S. Gaillard
February 5th, 2010
8:43 am
Cancer has transformed our lives and left a lasting impression on it. We lost Janifer, my oldest sister April 10, 2009, ironically Good Friday to a Malignant Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. She was diagnosed in June 2007 at the ripe age of 33 and wrestled the wicked foe with the best fight of faith we all had collectively. Final diagnosis- the cancer evolved into a rare subtype called primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. She perished at age 35.
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Thea S. Gaillard
February 5th, 2010
8:58 am
It all started with her having ’shortness of breath’. She would walk from the kitchen to her car and be completely out of breath. Initially doctors thought she had pneumonia, but didn’t rule out the possibility of a mass. Several x-rays, tests were done and it was confirmed she did indeed had a mass. The mass was so large, her oncologist began treatments immediately. Over the course of 2 years, Janifer experienced typical symptoms of a cancer patient- loss of hair, appetite, blood clots and a host of other complications in addition to that of being a cancer patient.
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Thea S. Gaillard
February 5th, 2010
9:02 am
We made so many trips to the ER, the personnel knew us on a first name basis. We came to a crossroad & the first oncologist told us there was nothing else he could do. Chemotherapy & radiation combined didn’t shrink the tumor. In fact, it gave it awkward characteristics. The tumor would shrink, only to grow back & re-locate to another part of her body. So, we consulted with another oncologist who treated Janifer with another combination of chemotherapy & radiation regimens. The treatments worked for awhile, but the disease had taken it’s toll. Her body developed chemo refractory disease, so she wasn’t responding to anything. Transplanting her would help her perish at onset.
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Thea S. Gaillard
February 5th, 2010
9:05 am
She got weaker, her breaths got shorter and it was devastating to us to watch her endure such a wretched disease. Her speech became impaired, slurred, but thru it all, her faith never wavered. She went into cardiac arrest April 8th, respite arrest on April 9th, never made it out of the MICU and our family decided to take her off the respirator on April 10th as all of her organs had collapsed.
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Thea S. Gaillard
February 5th, 2010
9:08 am
We all miss her dearly, but we know she’s in a better place where there’s no more cancer. Some days are better than others, but yet we still make our best efforts to see other patients live and have a better quality of life. Our family & friends fundraised last year with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ‘Light the Night’ campaign and raised $1515. Collectively, the Columbia chapter raised over $100,000!!!
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Thea S. Gaillard
February 5th, 2010
9:15 am
Now, our family has joined forces with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to establish a memorial fund in Janifer’s honor. Our goal is to raise proceeds to fund research efforts for all patients who have the aggressive, subtype of Malignant Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma called primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. This type of lymphoma is not widely studied and more research is needed. So, if you’re interested in making a contribution towards this worthy cause in the smallest or largest amount please email me at tgaillar@mailbox.sc.edu or call Paul Jeter, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at 803.731.4060. -or- if you know of an oncologist investigating this type of lymphoma and is okay with joining our faculty experts list, also, please contact myself or Paul Jeter. Thanks very much.
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Thea S. Gaillard
February 5th, 2010
9:18 am
To all those who lost a loved one from any type of cancer, please know that my heart and thoughts are with you. Cancer will either make you bitter or make a good person become a great person. If you can, in your own time, celebrate the life of your loved one by helping other patients. Even if it’s not thru fundraising, if you can, become a volunteer at a hospital. Share your experience, give them encouraging words. If you know how to knit, knit cancer patients a blanket and give it to them. Oftentimes, they toggle between being cold and hot, but Janifer received a beautiful blanket someone made for her.
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te
February 5th, 2010
9:21 am
My Mom has been fighting Stage IV liver, lung and colon cancer for the past 5 years. I thank God every day that she is till with us! I know that the cancer will take her away from my family much too soon, but I’m thankful that it isn’t happening today!
I love you, Mama!
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W.E. "Bill" Smith
February 5th, 2010
9:37 am
My wife of 39 years is a 12 year breast cancer survivor. My brother passed away in 2004 from esophageal cancer after having recovered from Hodgkins. My 22 year old son was diagnosed with leukemia in February of 2004 while being treated for what we thought to be the sniffles. The disease claimed him in February of 2005. In late 2005, we started a not-for-profit 501(c)3 charitable foundation for leukemia research, http://www.wheneveryonesurvives.org . In three funding cycles, we have directly funded $400,000 internationally to leukemia research initiatives. As well, in October of 2009, a book I wrote about our struggles, people we met along the way and the overwhelming support of family, friends and faith, entitled “Later” was released on barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, booksamillion.com and xulonpress.com. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the book have been directed to the foundation. It is our mission and prayer to find the day when everyone survives.
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Gloria Bush Sith
February 5th, 2010
9:38 am
I lost my father, George Bush, Sr. in August 2009 to lung cancer. He fought the disease for 1 1/2 years. I watched this strong man become weakened by a disease that seemed like a villian. Cancer robs you of everything. The chemo is no better because that made him sicker. It hurt me to see him in so much pain, but I know he does not have to suffer anymore. Before it was over, cancer had spread to his right eye and he lost his vision for some time. He had to have radiation to the eye. My Dad went through a lot. This has affected me in so many ways. I am not the same. Cancer and its treatments shorten life too soon. I miss you Dad
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sharon
February 5th, 2010
9:42 am
My heart breaks for all of you as I read your stories. I lost my wonderful brother to multiple myeloma 3 years ago. He was 39 years old. To this day I can’t talk or think about his illness without loosing my breath. It is the most painful thing I had ever gone through. He had a very dangerous job before he got sick and that is what we all feared would take his life. In the end it would have been better to die in the line of duty rather than perishing and suffering the way he did. Human beings should not die this way!
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Dnjohnson
February 5th, 2010
9:43 am
Last June i lost my dad to Brain and Lung cancer, not trying to sound selfish but its hard for me now im in foster care with no other family and each and every day i wonder what life would be like if he was still here we had are ups and downs but he was a good man that only wanted the best for me . R.I.P 6/13/09
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TIGRESS
February 5th, 2010
10:02 am
Last May my mother was diagnosed with “Kidney Cancer”, two weeks later my father was diagnosed with Lung & Brain cancer, fortunately enough my mother’s kidney was removed and she’s doing great, however we lost our father August 13, 2009. This is a very unfortunate disease, and I pray that in future research and technologies, that they are able to find a cure to rid this awful misfortune. Tears stream down my face as I type this comment, because I miss my “daddy” so very much. I LUV YA “Ole Man”.
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Reverie
February 5th, 2010
10:11 am
Thank God I have never had Cancer but my life has been impacted by parents, in-laws, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins all suffering from cancer. This is in additional to countless friends that have endured the suffering of cancer.
A wise friend of mine, living with cancer for ten years now, put it to me this way. “Everyone dies. I just have a better idea of the cause and the time frame than most people.”
Work hard,
Play hard,
Love hard,
Pray hard.
From the richest to the poorest, the smartest to the least, we only get one shot at this. Make every day count like it’s the only day you get.
Reverie
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Kim
February 5th, 2010
10:24 am
Those I’ve lost in my immediate family:
1 – father to lung cancer
2 – mother-in-law to breast cancer
3 – father-in-law to non-hodgkins lymphoma
4 – best friend to cervical cancer (she was only 41)
5 – (sister-in-law is 20-year breast cancer survivor)
6 – grandmother to colon cancer
7 – grandmother to lung cancer
Cancer is devastating no matter what kind it is. I truly hope to see a cure in my lifetime.
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Marsi Thrash
February 5th, 2010
10:54 am
Every day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer. Their median survival rate is 60%. Some types, such as certain pediatric brain tumors, cannot be biopsied (such as DIPG because it is a diffuse tumor that spreads throughout the brain stem) and radiation is the only option. Chemotherapy may or may not extend life, but the median survival is 6 – 9 months post diagnosis. It affects children ages 4 – 10 on average. Brain tumors are the #1 cancer killer of children. Less than 3% of the NIH budget goes toward pediatric cancer research, and of that, more than 80% goes to leukemia. There has not been progress in treating pediatric brain tumors in over 50 years. We’ve put men on the moon, developed the internet, made microchips that carry mounds of data. But we still don’t know how to fix a tumor in a little child’s brain. THE ONLY RISK FACTOR FOR GETTING PEDIATRIC CANCER IS BEING A CHILD. To learn more about children battling brain tumors, visit icouldbeyourchild.org It can happen to anyone’s child, and they need a voice.
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Fernetra Bryant
February 5th, 2010
11:17 am
In June of 2008 my Mom was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma (Kidney Cancer) after having excessive pain in her abdominal area with no other symptons. In July of 08 her kidney was removed and of course as we waited for the results to see if it was just confined to her kidney it was certainly a true test of faith. We received the news that it was confined to the kidney and she then had a clean bill of health. However, the person that gave me the most encouragement during our test lost her battle to Breadt Cancer on January 1, of this year and wow was this a blow to me. This is such a mysterious disease, and for the life of me I can not figure out why a cure has not been detected…….OR HAS IT? I know that there’s a lot of money to be made in the Pharmecutical industry so who really knows? Makes me wonder……….. God Bless to everyone that has been affected either directly or indirectly!
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Winfield J. Abbe
February 5th, 2010
11:21 am
A distinguished professor of medical physics and physiology and expert at medical statistics at UC Berkeley once proved that those cancer victims who refused the orthodox treatments of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy lived up to four times longer than those who accepted those treatments.
His name was Hardin Jones, Ph.D. Little has changed today. Can you imagine what our society would be like if the failure rate for buildings or automobiles or airplanes were about 90% or more? But that is what the failed war on cancer has provided after squandering multi billions of public and private dollars. Obviously the cancer generals do not know what they are doing. The many moving personal tragedies described above are magnified a million times over around the country with over half a million victims dying every year mostly from the toxic effects of cancer treatment rather than the cancer itself but falsely reported as from cancer to protect the doctors from prosecution. People must turn this heart felt sympathy into anger at the negligent non scientists of the NHI, NCI and FDA and the good for nothing Congress who appoints their corrupt leaders who have failed and failed and failed… for years now. What happened in America that we reward failure instead of success? Everyone touched by this disease should be demonstrating in front the the White House. It is not a question of more money. It is a question of removing the corrupt cancer generals who have violated all the rules of science for so long; they have lied, obstructed study of promising less toxic treatments, and generally committed fraud and medical quackery with impunity against an unwitting public. They must be prosecuted for scientific misconduct, fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity. Wake up citizens and demand their removal today.
Winfield J. Abbe, Ph.D., Physics
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Winfield J. Abbe
February 5th, 2010
11:28 am
Here is a blog everyone should read: “Criminal FDA Must be Charged with Cancer Quackery” in the TOPIX forum in Bethesda MD:
http://www.topix.net/forum/city/bethesda-md/TIO9PHV8MJ0HUFBAD
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Lynn K.
February 5th, 2010
11:54 am
I am 56, no risk factors except babies after 30. I teach yoga and have been a vegetarian for 20 years. This Nov. I was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer, arising from a tiny lump I had when I was 20- went away and then came back this past year. Negative mammograms every time.I had a lumpectomy, am half way through radiation and have refused chemo. I still teach my yoga classes and feel great. Am debating the tamoxifin/femera regime.After exploring alternative treatments I have changed my diet and have removed sugar. I was given some very good advice at the beginning of all this-trust your instincts. You know your body better than anyone and if something doesn’t feel right at your deepest level, it isn’t. Finally, we’ve all been given our expiration date. We can spend our shelf life in fear or with joy and thanksgiving.
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Kellie
February 5th, 2010
12:08 pm
I lost my mom June 2009 after her 10 month battle with breast cancer
it had spread to her spine – I watched her endure so much
very thankful she is not in any pain any longer.
I miss her everyday and think about her everyday
I love you mom
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Karen
February 5th, 2010
12:17 pm
I just lost my step-mother to breast cancer/brain cancer last Friday. She was a fighter….she had 3 brain surgeries over the last 3 years. She will be missed. My dad lost the love of his life.
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Thomas Fairley
February 5th, 2010
12:41 pm
Xibrom is a prescription sold in a 5ml plastic dispenser. Cost is $250+ or – a few $. At that price it is more expensive than gold. Why is that? It is steril water with a little bit of medicine. We are old and can’t afford the medicine, but what are we to do?
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adfer
February 5th, 2010
2:06 pm
Cancer caused by lasik is terrible
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1iBLOOehnU
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Hughes
February 6th, 2010
12:15 am
Dr. Ralph McInerny (philosopher at Notre Dame and creator of Father Dowling)
1929 – 2010
Requiescat in pace.
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sheila
February 6th, 2010
8:04 pm
I lost my 5 year old grandson to DIPG…brain stem cancer…He did not have a chance…their is NO cure. No progress to cure DIPG in over 50 years!!! A totally happy, carefree little boy, taken from his family, he did nothing to deserve this. Diagnosed and gone within 14 months. Some children don’t make it past 4 or 6 month.
I also lost my mother when I was 30, she was 57…ovarian cancer.
I also lost my father…lung cancer.
I also lost my favorite aunt…pancantric cancer.
I also lost my beloved poodle to lung cancer.
My husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year.
We need more awareness to curing DIPG and all childhood cancers
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Dawn
February 7th, 2010
3:42 pm
My life has been destroyed due to my spouses addiction to percocet these doctors hand out these prescription drugs to freely and they get into the hands of people who sell them right out of their convienence store, literally, that’s where my husband buys his right across from a grammar school.
I’ve reported it numerous times, no one cares.
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Alyssa
February 7th, 2010
8:30 pm
Everyone needs to realize that reading articles online about “getting thinner” never works.You need to find your own balance with food,everyone is different.All you need to do is watch what your eating,portion your meals,and you do NOT need a “yummy snack” everyday.It should not be hard for you to balance out your own meals.Eat whats healthy and don’t eat constantly.Exercising,is boring and makes you think to much about your body.Join a sport,clean,take a walk with friends,just be up and about all day.This helps you stay in shape and keep your mental health up.Working out can actually make you go crazy,but its still important to do some cardio and weight training.Some foods are bad for you,but if your used to eating them daily,then cut back slowly because if you just shut yourself out from them like crazy,you’ll fall right back into them.
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Anita Bush Kendrick
February 7th, 2010
10:43 pm
I will always remember March 28,2008….on this day I sat at the Dr.s office with my Dad as they told him”We think you may have a cancerous mass on your lung”. Everything the Dr. said after that was a complete blur as I tried to conceal my hurt,confusion,tears and pain and be strong for my Dad. He was diagnosed with SC lung cancer and although the statistics were grim in regards to this form of cancer, we had hope until the day he took his last breath. He fought this horrible disease for over a year and to see such a strong man weakened in such a horrible way was devastating. I yearn to hear his voice everyday, every second and I can’t because of this disease. In my heart, I feel as if the chemo and radiation did more damage to him and his overall wellbeing than the cancer itself…in the last few months of his life, our Dad was not the same person. Cancer and chemo robbed us of our parent, our only parent and I wil never be the same again. I find comfort knowing that he is no longer suffering and in pain….no more long days at chemo, no more sleepless nights, he finally has peace. I’m hurt, sad,confused,angry and frustrated but at the end of the day, God knew best…I am praying for strength for my siblings and myself because we are lost without our Dad…I cry myself to sleep most nights as I ask “why my Dad”….
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Carla
February 8th, 2010
12:32 pm
May 14, 1979 and December 30, 2008 are etched in my memory forever. May 14 my grandmother was called to heaven at the of 52 of thyroid cancer that metastisized her lungs. On December 30, my daddy went to heaven due to prostate cancer; this was also his 66th birthday. So glad their pain is gone. But I miss them them dearly.
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Anthony
February 8th, 2010
6:39 pm
Be weary of anyone who refers to commonly consumed foods as “poison”. Really, milk wasn’t meant for human consumption? Cus I think the humans beg to differ.
P.S. Who here loves a good milksteak?? Haaaa. Cmon, it was a little funny!
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Chad
February 9th, 2010
9:58 pm
I think liquid calories, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic, are a really easy thing to cut from one’s diet and make into an occasional treat – hether wine, beer, or soft drinks.
http://www.reconstructingthirty.com
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Nancy
February 10th, 2010
9:13 am
Learn the facts about Alcohol Dependence. For evidence-based information on Alcohol Dependence (Alcoholism) and Alcohol Abuse, please visit us at AlcoholAnswers.org
There are comprehensive sections for the Alcohol Dependent and the Families and Friends along with information on evidence-based treatment modalities – including medicated-assisted treatment – Resources, an extensive Alcohol & Health section, and Discussion Communities for support and information at AddictionSurvivors.org
AlcoholAnswers.org
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drug free medication – Treatment For Panic Attacks Without Medication – 3 Simple Treatments For Anxiety
February 11th, 2010
11:22 pm
[...] ASK DR. H: Heat from microwave could degrade pills [...]
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Has cancer impacted your life? | Better Health | Health News
February 13th, 2010
12:19 pm
[...] here: Has cancer impacted your life? | Better Health Share and [...]
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John H. Ramey
February 15th, 2010
12:16 am
It wwould be useful to refer people to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, which has a new address this lastg year, 355 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10017-6603, 800-541-5454, mgfa@myasthenia.org, http://www.myasthenia.org. MGFA also has state chapters and local support groups. (We have an Ohio Chapter with five regional support groups.) MGFA advocates for sesearch funding and greater recognition of MG so that those who have it can be more quickly and correctly diagnosed and treated.
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donna dee
February 16th, 2010
3:54 pm
honey w/warm lemon works like magic all the time. even if honey isn’t avail, a fresh lemon (or the bottled kind) works perfect for me every time.
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deborah
February 16th, 2010
4:25 pm
my one year old grandson cried for thirty minutes just two days ago.
now he walks with a limp and does not want to put weight on his toes.
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Michele Coogan
February 16th, 2010
8:15 pm
I read your article regarding the Vaseline on the nose, possibly causing problems in some people. My daughter uses it every night on her nose and does not get nose bleeds but now we are concerned it may be building up in her system. We have tried humidifiers but they have made her room too moist, with the possibility of increasing the mold in her room. You suggested jVaseline can be used rarely. What is your definition of rarely and what other options are there beside saline (does not work) and KY Jelly? Someone suggested vegetable shortening.
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Chad
February 16th, 2010
8:54 pm
Nice post. It is necessary to have strategies for not being totally on plan ahead of time, so that you can confine the splurge and not let it get you off track. I wouldn’t call this cheating, it’s just learning how to eat sensibly, and build splurge foods into your diet in a reasonable way. Here are some techniques and tips that have helped me stay motivated on my weight loss journey:
http://www.reconstructingthirty.com/2010/02/02/staying-motivated-or-how-i-keep-from-crapping-out/
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Arhur R Thompson
February 16th, 2010
9:01 pm
2/15/2010
I am 53 years old today.. when I was 13 I had spent the previous 6 years seeing my mother’shealth decline from cancer. After a long week visiting with her, we were home. I was in my bed and awoke at 1am with a vision of my Mom’s face overhead.she said everything would be alright. At 1:10am the phone rang and a distant voice told me Mom had passed at 1:am.
Later when I was 19 coming home from a long weekend of partying in Panama City with a friend from Auburn University , we stopped at a small store to get some smokes and a coke.We got back into the mid size car with Ralph driving and me in the passenger seat. We started out and for some reason I said Ralph “We should put on our seatbelts.” Up to this point I had never worn a seatbelt.
Less than a mile from the store with us traveling at 55MPH on a two lane road near Opp,Ala destiny met with us via a headon collision with a pickup Truck. I remember saying Ralph what is happening.?
What occured in a split second was the truck heading south sideswiped the vehicle in front of us, ran off the road and then hit us headon. At the point of impact,I was thrown forward at the same time the front hood of our car sheared the top of our vehicle off passing over my head by inches.
I only found this out a month later.My recollection was as follows. A loud bang then blackness.
suddenly I was aware of a floating sensation and then quiet. I observed the scene of desolation below with 2 smoldering wrecks of 3 cars. People were milling about on the road and one person was under a sheet along the side of the road. i felt no pain only peace and relaxation. My attention was turned to a bright light above me and I began to drift in this direction. Everything seemed so intensely bright and comforting. As I ascended, I heard a voice state, “You must go back it is not your time. I hesitated and then the light dimmed and my mind suddenly screamed out in pain and anguish. I opened my eyes and raised up from under a red cloth on my body. I screamed in pain as I felt sharp pricks against my back which were the prickles from a thorn bush I was laid on earlier.
My screams brought me rushing back into a world where I spent the next month in a hospital in Montgomery ,Al, underwent facial reconstruction, stomach operations for intense internal bleeding and painful recuperation..After the wreck the rumour had swept back to Auburn University that 2 students had been killed that afternoon and fraternity brtohers congregated at the Lambda Chi House to see if the worst was to be realized, Freind visited me in the hospital later and I always thought how the few decision we made saved us.
My life chagned and i dropped smoking drinkign excessivly and became involved in leadership and becoming the best student I could be. I married in my mid 20’s raised with my wife 3 lovely kids .. now all in their mid 20’s and recently at the age of 53 had my first Grandchild presented ,a sparkling little boy.
I am so thankful for my life and know that the experience I went through was real and life changing!!
Richard Thompson
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dfh
February 16th, 2010
9:20 pm
Different people see different things. Some see light, some see a ladder. Some see old friends. As to religious sightings, it’s been said that Christians see Christ, Muslims see Mohammad, The Chinese see Buddah. Basically, we see images that are we made up in our mind at an early age, things that we’re brought up with and taught, not things that everyone sees.
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Been there
February 16th, 2010
9:28 pm
I had a serious illness and operation in my late twenties. The doctor that operated on me was a quack and basically didn’t seal up my intestines properly. After being discharged from the hospital I stayed at home with peritonitis (ie. a ‘leaky gut’). One night I was very near death. The pain was unreal and hard to understand unless you’ve actually experienced something like that. I’m talking serious pain – even morphine didn’t help it later. I hope to never experience anything like that ever again. While it may be a cliche, I found myself in a tunnel with a very bright light at the end – not blinding, but very bright. As I went down the tunnel I finally saw it was a person with a seriously bright halo. Others seemed to be around as disciples / angels and hang on every word or action by ‘the bright one’. I’ve never been as calm in my life (and believe me, with the pain I was in I wasn’t exactly calm before that). It was the most calming and serene place I’ve ever been. The being (who I wholeheartedly believe was Jesus or God) said in a very calming voice “Don’t worry, everything will work out in the end”. That was all that was said. It was said in such a way as to be unquestionable. It just was. I was in a totally aware state. It wasn’t like a dream. You have to understand that while not an atheist, I had never been a particularly religious person. There is no doubt in my mind I saw a glimpse of heaven that night. Everything WILL work out in the end, no matter what.
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ane
February 16th, 2010
11:36 pm
I was 5 yrs old and went into a swimming pool during the summer in upstate NY. I remember going down with my behind up deeper in the pool at one point [I was a child and didn't understand what was happening] saw myself drifting down deeper. I enjoyed the feeling of watching myself. Suddenly I heard my Fathers voice and others calling me. I knew I had to go back to my body, though I didn’t want to because I was feeling good. I went back and then I kept hearing my father calling me . He told me to put up my hand and as I did, I felt his grabbing my hand and pulling me out. The water soon came out of my lungs. I don’t honestly remember if I was on my back or stomach. This happened in 1948 and the underwater part is fresh in my mind today as if it happened recently. I think that Mr. Thompson recalling his experience with “peace and relaxation” is a very good way of expressing it.
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Jeff
February 17th, 2010
7:31 am
I tend to stay away from the word diet and use the term “adjusting my calorie selection”. To me, the very definition of a diet is temporary change. It’s like admitting I’m not going to stick to it but just see how far I can get “this time”. Now, I don’t have the same goals as a lot of people in this food-ballpark, but my goals are important to me just as everyone’s is important to them. Just my experience.
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Want to be Single
February 17th, 2010
7:55 am
I’ve been married twice, does that count?
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Cece
February 17th, 2010
11:26 am
I was 22 when my mother passed away from kidney failure (this was in 1969). The night after she passed, I experienced a “dream” vision of her face where she looked very young and radiant. Though she didn’t speak, I felt she was happy where she was. I told my family about it and we were all comforted.
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Barb
February 17th, 2010
12:35 pm
Every experience is unique. There was a time long ago when I was expecting with my first daughter. A month earlier my Aunt had given a baby shower for me. All my sisters were there. My sister later told me that this was unusual and my Aunt Marion rarely did things like that. One night as I lay in bed ready to drift asleep, I saw my Aunt standing in the doorway. This puzzled me. The next day, my sister called to tell me my Aunt died suddenly the day before. I wasn’t afraid when I saw her but had the sense that she was watching over me and my unborn child.
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Barbara Harris Whitfield
February 17th, 2010
2:28 pm
I’m a local here in Atlanta. I had an NDE 35 years ago and it still effects my life. I just released my 5th book on my experience and the experiences of the 100s of people my colleagues and I interviewed at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. For more info please go to http://www.barbarawhitfield.com
And my new book is called The Natural Soul. That’s who we were when we “died.” And that’s what we are yearning for now — not the place we went to but who we were in that place and IT is available now — not just for near-death experiencers but for all of us.
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HT
February 17th, 2010
2:29 pm
My father died last month of a massive heart attact. The day of his death, I went to my parents house to be with my Mother. That night, I slept in his bed. I turned the lights off and got in the bed and about a minute later someone sat down on the foot of the bed (The bed actually sunk as if a heavy weight had sat on it). I sat up because I thought my Mom had come into the room to talk to me. However, I didn’t see anyone and I called out to my Mom to ask if she’d been in the room. She han’t, she was in the bedroom next door and in bed. I truly believe that it was my Father letting me know that everything was ok.
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Being Helpful
February 17th, 2010
2:33 pm
I know the website is going to sound crude, but a pretty robust analysis has been performed as to maximize alcohol intake and minimize caloric intake.
http://www.getdrunknotfat.com/
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s
February 17th, 2010
2:42 pm
Yeah – when I heard OBAMA was elected LOL!
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Jason
February 17th, 2010
3:34 pm
Hear, Hear for “S!” I, too, had the same NDE and it was a toss up as to whether I stayed “dead” or came back. I came back and know I made a mistake!
JPC
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tony
February 17th, 2010
4:00 pm
If someone has more than 75 lbs to lose. There cant be cheating some foods have to out of their lives forever.Trigger foods have to be avoided forever. The first 20 days are the hardest then its smooth sailing.For something to be gained something has to be sacrificed.
http://www.heavy2healthy.com
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CJ
February 17th, 2010
9:39 pm
Be careful about “experiences”, as Satan comes as an angel of light to decieve. The only ones who will make into Heaven are those who have accepted Christ, and whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of Life.
Please, for your own sake, do not believe every spirit/angel/light that tells you it is from God. Jesus is the Only way to Heaven…He is the Door, all others are robbers.”I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”John 14:6
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Dee
February 17th, 2010
11:01 pm
I drown when I was 9 yrs old, having a full near death experience. I have dreams that come true all the time. I have been involved with IANDS now for several years and have come to accept these things. We are simple humans, we do not know the answers to everything. For those of you who chose to make silly political comments…get over yourselves…
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SavedbyGraceAlone
February 18th, 2010
2:25 am
Here is an important question. Will you go to Heaven or Hell when you die? Do you consider yourself to be a good person? Here is a quick test to see if you truly are a good person:
How many lies have you told in your life? Have you ever stolen anything? (The value of the item is irrelevant). Have you ever used God’s Name in vain? (The same God whose heaven you expect to go to when you die). Jesus said, “Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Have you ever looked with lust? Will you be guilty or innocent on the Day of Judgment? Will you to go Heaven or Hell?
If you have done those things, God see you as a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer at heart. That means you’ll be found guilty. The Bible warns that if you are guilty you will end up in Hell. God, who the Bible says is “rich in mercy” sent His Son to suffer and die on the cross for us guilty sinners. We broke God’s Law, but Jesus paid our fine (what we owed for breaking His Law). That means that God can legally dismiss our case. He can commute our death sentence.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Then He rose from the dead and defeated death.
God doesn’t want you to go to Hell. He can forgive you. Please, repent (turn from sin) today and God will grant everlasting life to all who trust in Jesus. Then read your Bible daily and obey it. We will all die in time. When will your turn come? Please don’t put off your eternal salvation. Get right with God today. http://www.livingwaters.com
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SavedbyGraceAlone
February 18th, 2010
2:26 am
The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.” Psalm 53:1
“…That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’” Romans 10:9-11
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Durwood
February 18th, 2010
7:50 am
Yes, I experienced a near death experience. When I was 15, I was in the backyard smoking. My mom walked around the corner and caught me, and yep, I had a near death experience.
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Rectal Bleeding
February 18th, 2010
8:50 am
I had a vision that nearly scared me to death:
President Sarah Palin
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Nottingly
February 18th, 2010
9:35 am
I was in the midst of natural child birth, when I started to slide out of this world. I saw light and a tunnel leading towards it. I started to go in that direction, but then heard the nurse say “stay with us here.” Several years later, I had the same experience, but that time I decided not to go towards that light because I couldn’t leave my children without a mother.
I have no doubt that three people close to me that passed away came by after death to check on me. It was wonderful.
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Single2
February 18th, 2010
9:37 am
@Want To Be Single: ROFLMAO!!!
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Jenni G
February 18th, 2010
1:45 pm
My husband is in absolute agony with gout in his foot. After reading the comments, I am going to try and get him some cherry juice or cherry juice capsules.
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LibraryJim
February 18th, 2010
4:04 pm
Have I had a near-death experience? Every April 15th!
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moddyd
February 18th, 2010
4:19 pm
sga stfu
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Melody
February 18th, 2010
5:12 pm
Back in 1984, I had a premonition dream that my Great Aunt would die of a heart attack three days later. I dreamt that my sister would try to perform CPR on her, but she would die anyway. I told my sister, but she didn’t believe me. Three days later, it happened exactly as I had dreamed.
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Ella
February 22nd, 2010
5:12 pm
HT- I have also had the experience of someone sitting on my bed. The mattress depresses.
This has happened to me 3 times.
I also believe it is either someone in my life who has passed or an angelic being and is there to let me know they are there and are with me.
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Daniel
February 23rd, 2010
6:03 am
I have just read about this yummy remedy for arthritis. I will definitely give it a try.
http://arthritis-joint-pain.info/
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kathie
February 23rd, 2010
8:50 pm
My seven year old son was diagnosed about two years ago with abdominal migraines. They are widely misdiagnosed, or just missed altogether. We are grateful to have gone to a pediatric GI specialist who recognized the problem right away. He now takes Periactin (an old school antihistamine) each night, and only suffers recurrences when he eats MSG.
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Jesse's Girl
February 23rd, 2010
10:24 pm
My oldest daughter was diagnosed with this….after countless doc appts and a surgery when she was 9. She is 13 now and has them only occassionally as opposed to the weekly issues she had 3 years ago. Thank you for bringing this to light. It is a very real, scary and superbly frustrating ailment.
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Louise Esola
February 23rd, 2010
11:26 pm
Good information here. I am baffled as to what to eat to lose weight. One book, trend says this is bad another says its good…. and so on. I recently almost jumped on the gluten free bandwagon, until I found myself eating GF granola at 250 calories per 3/4 cup! I plan on linking this article to my site http://www.muffintopmama.com. I think my readers will find this helpful!
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Michael Smith
February 24th, 2010
7:06 am
A good article which highlights how people think that they need to be on a “diet” to achieve their health goals! But you don’t need to be on a diet but a lifelong healthy eating program which involves plenty of fresh foods, a balance of protein, good fats and carbohydrates which suits your lifestyle. I have written a lot more on this topic at http://www.planetnaturopath.com it’s important that people get guidance from a professional rather than magazines if they are having trouble reaching their health goals
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Is ‘drinking your way sober’ the cure for alcoholism? | Better Health
February 24th, 2010
10:51 am
[...] week’s People’s Pharmacy column mentions an alternative treatment for alcoholism that has had great success in other parts of the [...]
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PEOPLE’S PHARMACY: Unique alcoholism treatment doesn’t focus on abstinence | Better Health
February 24th, 2010
11:07 am
[...] note: A deeper discussion about the pros and cons of naltrexone can be found in the entry linked above on the Better Health [...]
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Is ‘drinking your way sober’ the cure for alcoholism? | Save Self
February 24th, 2010
11:39 am
[...] week’s People’s Pharmacy column mentions an alternative treatment for alcoholism that has had great success in other parts of the [...]
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CJdawg
February 24th, 2010
11:57 am
FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Donna
February 24th, 2010
12:07 pm
I am a alcoholic and if the Sinclair Method works for other alcoholics then good for them. Anything that can help an alcoholic drank successfully is wonderful. I want to say that Alcoholic Anonymous is my method. The ONLY requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. AA is also “anonymous” . There are no membership rosters. I do not know if I can not drink for the rest of my life, but I do know I don’t have to drink TODAY. I wish the best to Alcoholics who try the Sinclair Method but this Alcoholic abstaining just one day at a time has kept me sober for a while now.
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mystery poster
February 24th, 2010
12:10 pm
Sounds like snake oil to me.
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buddy
February 24th, 2010
12:41 pm
how can one get hoked up to the sinclair method?
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Roo
February 24th, 2010
2:28 pm
Isn’t the WHOLE POINT in trying to get alchoholics to stop drinking is because of the damage alcohol does to the body. Well then, how does this method help anything?
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strunker
February 24th, 2010
2:50 pm
Rehabs for quiters!
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JoeV
February 24th, 2010
2:58 pm
Question…is AA a religious experience? Do they bring religion into the mix?
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Almost but not quite....
February 24th, 2010
3:01 pm
Roo,
Usually , getting people to stop drinking is to stop damaging not just the body, but the ones they love as well as their lives in general. Anything that might help, people should try.
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Sharon
February 24th, 2010
3:05 pm
Where do I sign up ?????
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sluggo
February 24th, 2010
3:34 pm
Also see Rational Recovery as a viable alternative to AA.
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She standing in that doorway like a dream , cause she knows that it kills me
February 24th, 2010
3:36 pm
Decided to quit drinkin four days ago. 48 years old , drinkin hard since 1980. No kids, never miss a day of work, but this 4 day dry spell is a record for me. Love craft beer- love whiskey more.
I can finsh a half gallon of Beame in three-four days. Thats bad. Just decided I was too old and tired of beer belly, and worried about liver.
Gave up drugs in the eightys, pot in the 90s, cigs three years ago. This one is gonna hurt tho , DANG I love booze .
Enough life story, the best way for me-and most- is to completley quit. Not even a little yellow beer water on Friday night-just quit.
Watch This.
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ga peach
February 24th, 2010
3:40 pm
@JoeV yes they do talk and pray to God, but they are not trying to drill it into that you must believe what they believe. check out http://www.aa.org
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anonymous coward
February 24th, 2010
3:44 pm
AA requires a belief in a higher power. That higher power can be anything – for some it’s a god of their choosing, for others it’s the group itself. The idea is that it’s not you. That being said, the AA groups I’ve attended in the area are very religious and say the lord’s prayer after the meeting, something I find a bit off-putting. In fact I’ve been asked not to voice my atheism at meetings, which is actually against AA principals in general.
As for the Naltrexone, it can be a very good treatment and I know several people for which that has worked well. The AA mantra is that a pill won’t cure you of alchoholism, and for those with severe underlying issues for which they are “self medicating” that’s probably true, but many people only hear the words.
For myself, AA was there for me and it worked for 12 years, but the real work was with a counselor and that was where it really happened for me. I relapsed but AA didn’t work for me any longer because really I just made a decision to start drinking, it got out of hand, I went back to AA but realized that I just made a bad decision and stopped. That’s about it. Problem solved. Your mileage may vary.
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sane jane
February 24th, 2010
3:45 pm
This treatment sounds an awful lot like Antabuse, which has been around forever and is effective on other substances besides alcohol. How exactly this Sinclair Method different or better?
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Jed
February 24th, 2010
3:47 pm
More details about how to get started and where…
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alibel
February 24th, 2010
4:31 pm
No, AA is *not* a religious program. It’s a spiritual program. Hence the inclusion of “as we understood him” after the mention of God in the third step. “God” is different for different people. i choose Higher Power. Some people have religious connotations associated with their interpretation of “God”, others do not. And when the Lords Prayer is used at the end of the meeting I have never once said it. No one ever looked at me sideways – AA and Alanon (based on AA) are not about religion or about judgment, they’re about getting healthy, finding a balance – in all aspects of your life. I don’t think a pill can help you with your unhappiness. I don’t think a pill can help you with WHAT you’re covering in your life with alcohol – anxiety, depression, selfishness, defects of character. My ex thought just being sober was enough, he was incredibly unhappy – worse, because he wasn’t learning the tools to be able to DEAL with the emotions and stressors of every day life that he used to cover up with booze. Stopping drinking is just the beginning.
From the Big Book:
“We feel a man is unthinking when he says that sobriety is enough. He is like the farmer who came up out of his cyclone cellar to find his home ruined. To his wife, he remarked, “Don’t see anything the matter here, Ma. Ain’t it grand the wind stopped blowin’?”
If it helps even one person, great. But I don’t see how taking a drug to deal with taking another drug could equal Recovery.
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joop
February 24th, 2010
4:32 pm
Like anonymous coward said, reliance on a higher power is stressed but you are free to define that higher power however you want. Since our society is predominantly Christian, most people around here go with the obvious choice. Atheists, Agnostics, Buddhists, etc are welcome and can be found in 12 step meetings.
As far as naltrexone goes, my experience has been that it’s nearly impossible to get an active alcoholic to take a pill 3 times a day consistently. Especially if the pill is responsible for killing your buzz. A while back there was talk of making a slow release implant that would last for 30 days or more. I could see that working much better than the pills.
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Michael W
February 24th, 2010
4:53 pm
I am a recovering alcoholic on my 69th day sober. I drank almost a quart of vodka every day for the past two years and less heavily before that. I had become so dependant on alcohol that I had to drink 4 “normal” sized drinks in the morning just to stop shaking enough that I could feed myself. I’ll spare you the rest of the details.
I went to a 6 day detox to have medical professionals manage my physical withdrawal with medication…Suddenly stopping years of heavy drinking can lead to seisures, delerium tremens, and death, it is not like giving up chocolate…it can kill you so it has to be done right.
I then went to 3 weeks of rehab which is a mix of being secluded from the “real” world so that there are no temptations or opportunities to drink, medical management including medications as required, and AA meetings.
I currently use Naltrexone and have for two months now, no alcohol cravings at all for me and no drinking. I also regularly attend AA meetings which is the biggest suprise to me. I actually like them. We’re just a bunch of former drunks being there for each other and helping each other stay sober Today…We’ll deal with tomorrow when and if it gets here.
I am strongly anti formal religion. I grew up in Atlanta in a Southern Baptist Evangelical household, and to my mind hate filled condeming and condecending environment, so I was VERY leery of AA’s “higher power” schtick. It ain’t there. The thrust of it is you aren’t alone and don’t have to deal with this alone..you can use “god” if that works for you, you can rely on the group if that works for you, you can use the company of your animals if that works for you…what you use doesn’t matter, and noone will ask you or judge you if you tell them what you rely on. You may get the occasional whack job who wants to “convert/save” you, but they snuk in..they in NO way represent the AA way.
As we say at the end of the meeting…Keep coming..it works if you work it!!
Be well
Michael
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Michael W
February 24th, 2010
4:56 pm
Sane Jane…Antabuse makes you sick if you drink, Naltrexone just blocks the cravings for, and the buzz from booze. If you do drink on naltrexone you still get physically drunk..slower reactions, slurred speech, loss of balance, hangover etc, you just don’t enjoy it.
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Concerned
February 24th, 2010
5:13 pm
Until you are completely ready to stop drinking, drugging and wallowing in your own pile of crap, you will never change, no drug is the answer, freedom from alcohol and drugs comes from within, I know many a dry drunk who hasn’t changed anything but the alcohol. A whole new world awaits those who really want to change, and its free….It’s called the rooms of AA, NA, and CA
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Peg
February 24th, 2010
5:15 pm
I don’t get a thrill from gambling or eating, but I get a thrill out of almost everything else that can ultimately lead to the slippery slope of obsession and the shaky hands and pounding pulse of addiction. At one time or another, I have put everything important to me second to following that high, and one after another, I’ve lost it all. I’ve given it up, thought I was cured and tried it again. One time went very well, two times were fun, three times I got a bit nervous, four times I knew I was in trouble, five times I was crying for help again. I’ve been clean, sober and honest for a few years now. I don’t take chances today. I hope I won’t tomorrow. I have a wonderful life and the love of my family back again. Nothing could be worth taking that chance again.
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itpdude
February 24th, 2010
5:18 pm
If this helps people make their lives manageable, great. I tend to think alcohol abuse, or any kind of self-abuse, is part of a larger problem from childhood, or stress, or any other challenge that is difficult. We all cope in different ways and boozers cope by boozing it up.
This drug may cure the boozing but it won’t cure the underlying problems. BUT at least it cures the boozing which often means the underlying problem can be healed. Boozing gets in the way of the healing.
Bottom line: Sounds like good stuff to me. To all those who are struggling with dependency, be of good cheer. There is always hope, particularly when you look for it rather than dwelling on the horror.
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Art M
February 24th, 2010
5:20 pm
There was a lady some years ago in the Washington State area that preached MODIFICATION. I believe she was involved in an auto accident that resulted in the loss of life, while practicing MODIFICATION. I got help almost 18 years ago and still go to two or three meeting a week. Life sure is better and I am much happier. Good luck on the NEW drug……
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Ex Friend of Bill W
February 24th, 2010
5:28 pm
I was in AA for more than 10 years and never had sobriety for more than a year at a time. One day I said to my self today I am not only going to quit AA and their ONE DAY AT A TIME motto…..I said to MYSELF, I am never going to drink again. Now I have never been happier and havent had a drink in 6 years. I dont need to sit around and listen to a bunch of moaning and groaning and listening to a bunch a drunk-a-logs. I used to drink because I chose to. I DIDNT have a disease; I wasnt in denial, I had a desire to drink and I drank because I CHOSE to. When I chose to stop, I did. I didnt need a sponsor, 12 steps, Promises, 12 traditions…or other cruthes
With that said, AA is great for those if it works for them…but as the Big Book wil tell you, it is not for everyone. I applaud anyone going to AA or thru any format of recovery. As long as you find what works for you. Dont let your mamma, daddy, wife or judge tell you how to stop drinking. If you want to drink, drink. If you WANT to stop YOU can stop. Only you can stop whether thru this method mentioned in this artcle, AA, Higher Power…etc…
Just remember….NO ONE but YOU is pouring the stuff down your throat.
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lwwmm7
February 24th, 2010
5:36 pm
Good luck with whatever leads you to sobriety and a joyous, free life. Myself, I have been in AA for 17+ yrs. and have no desire at all to go back to the hell I used to live in. Modern methods may work for some folks, but good old-fashioned AA works if you want it. I stress the “want it” part. Half-measures will not work. AA is not, I repeat, not a religous program. It is based on spiritual enlightnment and helping others. Not very exciting for some modern thinkers, but I can guarantee you it works if you work it.
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GTBMED
February 24th, 2010
6:18 pm
AA is absolutely religious and is based on Christianity. It was inspired by the Oxford Group (google this for sources). Now, AA fundamentalists will say your higher power “could be a doorknob”. How can an artifact be any sort of power? Your higher power should be God, I think they cite him in their steps.
The best description of AA is that it is a cult. Notice how AA members often say the same things, almost verbatim.
The 35% success rate is off-mark, it is closer to 5% which is less than cold turkey.
Avoid curing something by cult.
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Bo
February 24th, 2010
6:49 pm
…I’ve been sober since ‘79 and have seen a lot of this kind of thing come and go…mostly go….good luck to the Sinclair Method enthusiasts…. but as for me I’m putting my money on AA.
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Michael B. Denial
February 24th, 2010
7:39 pm
All else in the article notwithstanding, there is no study, AA or otherwise, from 1992 or any other year, that gives AA a 35% 5-year efficacy. All indications are that after five years, about 2.5% of all those who begin attending AA will still be present, sober or otherwise. AA apologists and revisionists have reviled, denied, and tried to re-interpret AA retention rates, but its own surveys, and membership claims, indicate very low retention rates. As for naltrexone, sub-q one year implants are available. Google it.
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KCody
February 24th, 2010
7:42 pm
I was in AA for 7 years and was very naive/depedent at first. I never got the God (Higher Power) thing down. I has been my AA experience YOU HAVE TO HAVE FAITH and work the (again me) nonsensical steps. There seems to be a lie or misspeak when they say take what you want and leave the rest within AA-there is definite pressure (at lest I felt) to be a prayerful Christian. And that’s okay – it works very well for some…but in my experience again it is more like a 5% rate of success (and I went to a lot of mtg in 7 yrs!).
Also, a few more points I’d like to make. And I am not “ranting” nor “bashing” AA.
AA seems to require lifelong membership. But for me AA is not an alternative to drinking (for me) because it made me just as dependent on mtgs and AA, as I was on drugs and alcohol, and that is unacceptable.
The article brushes the topic of mental/physical health- if i were newly in seeking a solution to a drinking problem I would FIRST thing go t a medical professional (well verse in the field of addiction) and get a complete mental/physical evaluation!
That’s what I did and that almost required me to leave AA-my AA sponsor had me shred my dentist prescription for pain killer even though i told him I wasn’t going to fill it. This is something i felt in AA to “work the steps, read the Big Book and get on your knees (pray) in the morning and at night.” My doctor basically gave me a prescription for anxiety and trazadone and that’s were i’m at now. I was told not to mention these thing at mtgs.
Working with http://www.SMARTrecovery.org online and trained professionals, read some at http://www.orange-papers.org and that’s where I am at now. Basically i believe its a choice and not a spiritual disease as AA puts it, IMHO. And there’s basically no steps other than don’t drink.
I say find what works for you and stick with, after years of effort otherwise…LOL
But mainly be AWARE of the choices, there’s good and bad people in AA and everywhere-be AWARE especially if you’re a female i would suggest attending a Women’s Only mtg.
AA was sorta great at first but I have seen statistic (harvard) which suggest one is more likely to binge drink if you fall outta AA. Been there-done-that.
Best of luck to all and thanks for hearing my input…rant on me all you like too- find tat amusing and sometimes enlightening.
peacelove
kc
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KCody
February 24th, 2010
7:55 pm
Oh and there’s some other really good online groups on how to recover or stop this behavior;
yahoo groups
wihout_aa
12 step free
…again good luck.
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anon
February 24th, 2010
8:27 pm
How do they get statistics from a program that is pretty deeply rooted in anonymity?!
BIG difference between *religion* and *spiritual*. I am strongly anti-religion, definitely not Christian and have been blessed with a major positive life change by result of a 12 step program. Not because of the program itself but by making better choices from what i’ve learned about myself.
That said, if there’s another program out there that helps save people from addiction then please, let it be used! I’m a firm believer that there is no generic recipe for everyone, we all must walk our own paths. What works for me may not work for you. But if you’re an addict and self-will hasn’t kept you clean/sober… then it’s time to realize that you can’t solve a problem with the same thinking that brought you to it in the first place.
GTBMED, AA is not a cult (see below) but, unfortunately, I have heard of a hardcore group that broke off and is like fundamentalist crazy people. They tried to get a friend of mine in with their group. Luckily he was smart enough to notice the fact that he was being “recruited” (AA does NOT recruit) and he called around, found out AA doesn’t even recognize them as an AA group. They are really out there and more Oxford Group, tell you not to go to any other meetings but theirs, tell you what to do, detox people (WHAT?!) and … bluntly, they’re nucking futs. But that is not indicative of a real AA group… As for the generalized “cult” label:
CULT: The group is focused on a living leader to whom members display excessively zealous, unquestioning commitment.
AA: Come and go as you please with no one to answer to
CULT: The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members and/or making money.
AA: Tradition 11 states: “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion” (i.e. ya don’t go out and recruit people). AND you’re never asked for money but can drop a buck in a basket to help pay for rent/literature if you *want* to.
CULT: Mind-numbing techniques (ex: meditation, chanting, denunciation sessions, or debilitating work routines) are used to suppress members’ doubts.
AA: None of the above
CULT: The group’s leadership dictates how members should think, act, and feel
AA: Uh…. NEVER. Sponsors don’t tell you what to do in your life! There are *suggested* steps. There are people there for years who don’t have a sponsor, don’t work the steps, etc. Although I will say, you don’t work the program and it’s not going to work for you. Kind of like if you don’t do the work in aviation school, you’re more than likely gonna crash the plane.
CULT: The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, it’s leader(s), and members.
AA: HA! (no). Though some in the rooms without recovery do think the world revolves around them. Hence part of the reason they’re in the rooms. lol
CULT: The group has a polarized we-they mentality that causes conflict with the wider society.
AA: Nope.
CULT: The group’s leader is not accountable to any authorities (ex: military commanders and ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream denominations).
AA: There is no “leader” and opinions of such things don’t come into play
CULT: The group teaches or implies that its “superior” ends justify means that members would have considered unethical before joining the group (ex: collecting $$ for bogus charities).
AA: Not even applicable.
CULT: The group’s leadership induces guilt feelings in members in order to control them
AA: Acceptance, Non-judgement, detachment
CULT: Members’ subservience to the group causes them to give up previous personal goals and interests while devoting inordinate amounts of time to the groups.
AA: Again, you come and go as you please. Meetings last approximately one hour. There’s no roll call or guest list or attendance sheet. You work it the way you work it. Self care is supported.
CULT: Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
AA: Members are strongly encouraged to support ANONYMITY, so no.
AA is not a cult. It is not a religious program. It is what it is. Take what you want and leave the rest.
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GTBMED
February 24th, 2010
8:54 pm
AA is a rigorous Christian program that tries to cure your addiction to alcohol. Often these cult members will ask if you are “in AA” or “around AA” which is this cult-speak for how serious are you about the “program”. These people are brain-washed morons. They might tell you that your brain might need a washing, I’m serious.
It is a deadly cult. You are better off cold turkey.
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Sober 25 years in AA
February 24th, 2010
9:05 pm
Different nationalities / ethnicities break down alcohol differently. Broadly speaking this cure will be more likely to work with Asians, for example, than with North Americans. That said, why would alcoholics take this cure (and continue with it) if they want to drink? I wish there were a “magic bullet” that would work with this phenomenal success rate, but these things come along periodically and only AA is still around. Time will tell…
Don’t drink and go to meetings!
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gtbmed reply
February 24th, 2010
9:06 pm
Wow! I feel sorry for you, man. You sound like someone who skimmed through it and left with the same disdainful attitude you came in with. Close your mouth and open your ears, babe.
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spiritual, not religious
February 24th, 2010
9:08 pm
I’m a gay athiest, and AA works fine for me. I’ve put together many 24 hours!
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poor gtbmed
February 24th, 2010
9:09 pm
So what works for you – what is your solution?
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Chemical
February 24th, 2010
9:16 pm
It’s commonly misperceived that addiction is a result of trauma or stress. Not true. There are chemical responses in the brain of an addict when exposed to mind-altering substances that are different. Many such people with happy “normal” childhoods have this disease and subsequent problems. Happily, addicts can also choose to stop, most successfully with the help of support groups.
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GTBMED
February 24th, 2010
9:27 pm
Look at these posts and decide for yourself.
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GTBMED
February 24th, 2010
9:28 pm
Losers, right? That’s what I thought, too
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SS
February 24th, 2010
10:30 pm
Roo: My father was an alcoholic and anything that could have curbed his cravings and, thus, his behavior would have been welcomed. Unfortunately, Antabuse, AA, rehab, two children (and a wife), and even a stint in jail (for non-payment of child support, one of my mom’s attempt to sober him) didn’t work. He died of a heart attack at 39. He drank himself to death but long before he died, he had no life — he’s lost his job, all of his friends, his family. I wonder if the increased understanding of addiction, use of antidepressants, openness of society and willingness of people to get help in combination with new medications like Naltexone and Vivitrol would have helped him get to a place where he could fight his demons?
Joop: Individuals who have difficulty maintaining their daily dose of Naltrexone now have the option of receiving a monthly injection of Vivitrol. The time-released formula works the same as the oral Naltrexone, and is simply another, more powerful safeguard against relapse.
Jed: Your doctor or employee assistance program may be a good place to start. If you’re not comfortable with those options, try calling 2-1-1, the United Way’s referral program. They should have a list of places where you can go anonymously to get started. Here are some hotlines in my area code: http://211online.unitedwayatlanta.org/MatchList.aspx?k30030;Decatur;7633;39;N;0;526755;Alcoholism%20Hotlines;alcoholism
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Whack
February 24th, 2010
10:49 pm
Somebody put GTBMED on meds. He’s talking to himself.
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GTBMED
February 24th, 2010
10:50 pm
The AA life is a life of losers who cannot control their impulses.
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SS
February 24th, 2010
10:51 pm
And, GTBMED, congratulations on your success.
But please don’t insult people. It’s not nice. If you have a problem with a program or method, it’s cool to express your opinion, but it’s not necessary to kick people when they are down. You know what that feels like — we all do. It sucks.
And in this case, it may have stopped a conversation on a subject that affects more than 17.5 million people plus their families and friends. Actually, all of us are affected by alcoholism when one takes into account the effects of it on our national economy (productivity is down when you’re hung over or too drunk to work or you’ve been beaten by a drunk person and land in the hospital) and health care costs (it costs a lot of money to care for the damage caused to an alcoholic’s body and people who are involved in drunk driving incidents, fights, domestic violence, etc.).
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GTBMED
February 24th, 2010
10:52 pm
Whack is probably Bill W, the largest bitch of them all. You praise a weak god.
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SS is a drunk
February 24th, 2010
10:56 pm
You kill people, congratulations.
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SS
February 24th, 2010
11:00 pm
SS isn’t — my dad was. Why are you so mean?
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Sucks to be you
February 24th, 2010
11:23 pm
GTB-headcase: So sad to be a bitter and hateful you. What do you believe in when you’re not spewing bitterness? Have you ever considered counseling for yourself? Life can be sweet.
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Kelly C.
February 25th, 2010
7:26 am
My now ex-husband is an alcoholic. Everyone else sees it but he does not. My child lost her dad and I lost a husband due to his alcoholism and refusing to get help other than his “self help”. Its been a recovery process for me too to realize that life outside living with a alcoholic is “normal” and what I was living in was pure hell. Good luck with whatever drug or program is needed to fight the battle. As for me, I don’t have to live with that battle anymore and what a great life!!!
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Ex Friend of Bill W
February 25th, 2010
7:35 am
Thats right Kelly C. You dont have to and should not. The people (as I used to be) who CHOOSE drink over family is doing just that…until they realize it…they will not stop. Stand firm and congrats on not raising your child in that environment.
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Just for Today
February 25th, 2010
8:18 am
As an alcoholic, I’m fortunate to have a sponsor who gives very practical advice. There is always a way within the program, it’s the first 3 steps that get you sober.
He advised that if overwhelming obsession occurs, to find a brick and hurl it through the plate glass window of the police precinct.
You will accomplish the following:
You will develop a personal relationship with a power greater than yourself.
That newly dicovered power greater than yourself will keep you from drinking for at least 24hrs.
If necessary, repeat.
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deborah
February 25th, 2010
8:48 am
Survivors of the Holocaust have reportedly said that many in the camps were so beaten down they simply gave up all hope. When they lost hope, it was over.
AA is simply not a living option for a lot of people. It would be like asking a committed Christian to consider converting wholesale to atheism–it’s a wasted mental exercise.
I’ve been to several different 12-step programs, and none were free of heavily Christian notions of sin, redemption, atonement and leaps of faith in a higher power. Even if these philosophic notions were not based on the programs, those involved always brought them in.
People who self-medicate — whether to cover trauma, tamp down generalized stress and anxiety, etc. — do not need redemption. They may not even need solidarity, if it is to be purchased through conversion. There is not always enough time or money in our remaining days to contextualize and understand alcoholism away.
I believe many success stories in treating alcoholism will involve other drugs, ones that are less dangerous to the liver. I also hope people will drop this notion of sinful addiction, or of some failure to be truly whole, simply because a cure might involve using other drugs.
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Jeff
February 25th, 2010
9:10 am
Why are more boys diagnosed with ADHD (and the family of letters) than girls? Add to it that schoold are run mostly by women. Is it so the female teachers can “drug” the boys to slow them down from doing boy stuff? Hey, this boy is acting up, let’s put him on meds to slow him down.
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Melis99
February 25th, 2010
9:34 am
I was an alcoholic and now I just drink occationally.(about 3 times a year). You really have to sit down and make a list of why you are drinking. List out the good and bad about it and pray. Make up your mind that it taste horrible and you have to give it up. It drives your cholestorl up, adds belly fat, makes your breath stink, makes a fool out of you, cost WAY too much money and sets a bad example for your kids. Try having someone video tape you while you’re really drunk, then watch it when you’re sober. Now that’s reality.
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Janice
February 25th, 2010
10:29 am
Absolutely a terrible idea. Alcholics can never safely drink again. As a recovering alcoholic we learn that the bottles are just a symbol. Working the 12 steps of A.A. relieves us of the obsession to drink and we learn to have a relationship with the higher power of our understanding which enables us to live a life that is happy, joyous and free. People that need to stop drinking are always looking for a way to KEEP DRINKING! A.A. has a high success rate for those that continue to attend meetings no matter how long they have been sober. IT WORKS IF YOU WORK IT.
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James
February 25th, 2010
11:25 am
See also – Moderation Management.
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Virginia
February 25th, 2010
11:46 am
This is very interesting to read. My son had these symptoms and after many months of tests, specialists and medication was told that he would just have to live with the pain. NO ONE even hinted at the diagnosis of abdominal migraines. I will pass along this article.
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Allysia
February 25th, 2010
12:08 pm
Don’t change the way you are!!! Your beautiful either way. Just because people may say you fat, it doesnt matter what they say. It’s what matters on the inside!!!! Live your life, not somebody elses!!!
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The Barr Tab
February 25th, 2010
12:27 pm
Hmmmmm…. Like eating to get skinny. I’ll have another barkeep!
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Guy in atlanta
February 25th, 2010
1:35 pm
Love to see the steppers here. Folks, AA is a belief system, if it works for you great. However, it isn’t the only way. And, worse, I can find no credible study that even shows it works. Anecdotal evidence yes, however, nothing scientific. Did they measure the people who were sent to AA by courts? Did they count the ones who showed up once or twice and left? A true scientific study would include those folks. Not just the true believers.
If we found a drug that would help half of smokers quit at five years, there would be rejoicing in the streets. However, because of this odd belief that AA is the ONLY way, we have nothing but condemnation for a regime that reports a 75% success rate. What gives? Want people to quit or not? Either attack the underlying study and disprove the method or find a better way.
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smilinggreenmom
February 25th, 2010
2:52 pm
It is a shame that food allergies are really on the rise. Our son had a terrible time with food allergies/intolerances and severe Eczema. We tried so many things to find relief for him without anything really helping until we were told of Belly Boost probiotics for kids! It was amazing – not only was he happy to take them (yummy) but they began to clear his skin rapidly! He also was able to eat so many foods that we never thought possible! The one thing it really gave us was an appreciation for eating whole and healthy foods. We do spend the majority of our shopping money on the outside of the aisles though
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oneofeach4me
February 25th, 2010
3:27 pm
@Jeff, unfortunately in this day and age… society has painted their picture of what “normal” boys and girls should act like. So see, when you discipline your child, you work with that child, you take away privelages, you make a list of responsibilites for them to follow, and yet they still cannot seem to do it right, then you have a problem. My daughter was diagnosed with ADD in Kindergarden, and not because I suggested it, but her teacher did. The teacher felt as if my daughter was extremely intelligent buy she just couldn’t focus no matter what we tried. We did cognitive behavioral theraphy for 2 years. She still has problems at home, as far as chores, but at the moment, the condition does not interfere with her academics.
Now my son, that’s another story. The boy can’t sit still for two second. He is 4 and still pees on himself sometimes. He jumps off counter and shelved onto the floor, he climbs trees… ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP!!! He has a hard time going to sleep because it takes him no less than an hour to wind down. He is constantly moving and making noises. He blurts out profanities, gets upset sometimes and kicks people. During center time at school, he cannot sit still and walks around the room. However… he STILL retains EVERYTHING he hears. So even though he is walking around the room working with things in his hand he is still learning. The problem will be when he gets in Kindergarden and they tell me he won’t sit still, he is always talking he can’t stay seated… blah blah blah. It is at that point where medication comes in. And you know what.. sd’s posted back on March 18, 2009 at 1:08 pm, I sort of feel the same way when it comes to my boy. When he is outside with his dump truck shovling dirt and digging holes, and climbing trees he is the WAY more focused. Unfortunately in this day and age most good labor positions are being filled by immigrants legal or otherwise, and people should have a backup plan. Now that I think about it, my son LOVES to cook and has been since he was 2. Now there is something he can do with his hands AND move around!
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Nita
February 25th, 2010
4:37 pm
I’m thankful for the awareness and positive comments. However, I eat and purge regularly. I don’t care who hears me or knows either. Even in public–no body says anything. I think it is almost …understandable.
After 11 years the urge to me is the same as going #1 or #2. People close to me call it #5.
I love food. I just don’t want to be close to 300 lbs like my mama. So, who cares?
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February 25th, 2010
10:35 pm
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charlotte nunez
February 26th, 2010
12:40 am
hi im from philippines ive beenn diagnosed with mg last 2009 and i have also lupus for 20years now i struggling these disease . im a single mom with a special child. i have no one to talk to about my finacial especially my medicine, ive been taking these drugs, but is not making me ok. its there any medicine that is herbal can help ease the sypmtoms especially the dropping of eye. please help me.
thanks
charlotte nunez
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Jeff
February 26th, 2010
7:46 am
I agree, an eating disorder is a mental illness. Since it’s trend is growing, primarily amoung women, we should have them declared mentally unstable until they can demonstrate otherwise.
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Elle
February 26th, 2010
7:55 am
I almost died from being bulimic. You can love food and eat it without being fat or it controlling your life. It takes time but its worth it. Bulimia is not a weight loss or weight management tool – in fact, studies show its doesn’t “keep the weight down” at all. You may not believe purging is “bad” for you or you may believe purging is not any worse than being fat — but it is. It’s not a choice between being bulimic and being fat. I actually lost weight after getting control of my bulimia. I hope you’ll consider this post and my experience with near-death from purging …. and if you’re skeptical, I didn’t almost die from purging “too often” or even every day — its cumulative. Please, at least consider this. I care.
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Luke Alphonse
February 26th, 2010
8:20 am
I don’t think the Sinclair method is a good one. The fact that alcoholics still be allowed to drink during this treatment is bizarre. Even though this medication reduces cravings what about long term effect. What the effect of alcohol in the brain , the digestive system, stimulation the nervous system causing more depression, stomach ulcers or cancer. This treatment set them for a failure later on in life without excercising their self control and their will power to overcome this habit. What arer the side effect of naltresone? is the alcoholics will continue taking it after the treatment over. What happen to the repeated relapses? People need to learn how to deal with their habits naturally with lifestyle changes which will have a better connotation to the long term health.
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Frustrated
February 26th, 2010
11:22 am
Why do so many of these eating disorder articles have an inherent bias toward anorexia and bulimia? Just as many (and perhaps more) women are losing their lives to binge-eating disorder, and the obesity that results from BED without purging can create tremendous social pressure and ostracization. And please don’t say that BED is just a simple case of overeating. It’s a psychologically complex condition that deserves heightened public awareness, too.
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Guy in atlanta
February 26th, 2010
12:44 pm
I love words like “relapse.” I also love when no facts are discussed, and normative statements about what others should do are made. Having read some more information about this, I find it noteworthy that, once again, the “abstinence is the only way” and “you have to go to meetings” proponents are saying no. Again, if it gives a better outcome, why is everyone against it? These are good odds and the study was done by NIH. Here is a link: http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may2006/niaaa-02.htm
I find the one year mark where counseling doesn’t work interesting. Highlights below:
COMBINE FINDINGS: HIGHLIGHTS
At 16 weeks
• All groups substantially reduced drinking during treatment. Overall percent days abstinent tripled, from 25 to 73 percent, and alcohol consumption per week decreased from 66 to 13 drinks, a decrease of 80 percent.
• Patients who received medical management plus either naltrexone or specialized counseling showed similarly improved outcomes (PDA= 80.6 percent and 79.2 percent, respectively), compared with patients who received medical management and placebo pills (PDA=75.1 percent).
• Patients who received naltrexone reported less craving for alcohol.
• The odds of a good composite clinical outcome relative to patients who received medical management and placebo were 1.82 for patients who received MM plus CBI (but no naltrexone), 1.92 for patients who received MM, CBI, and naltrexone, and 2.16 for patients who received MM and naltrexone (but no CBI). That is, adding either naltrexone or specialized alcohol counseling to medical management almost doubled the chance to do well.
• About 6 to 7 patients need to be treated with medical management and either specialized alcohol counseling or naltrexone for one additional patient to have a good clinical outcome. This “number needed to treat” is similar to that for other chronic conditions such as depression, Crohn disease, or type 2 diabetes.
At 16 weeks + 1 year:
• Naltrexone continued to show a small advantage of less relapse to heavy drinking, most markedly in patients who received medical management only but not in those who received specialized alcohol counseling.
• Although a return to at least one heavy drinking day was common during the 1-year follow-up period, overall abstinence was still significantly improved after 1 year (59 to 68 percent PDA) compared with study entry (25 percent PDA). Good composite clinical outcomes at 1 year were observed in 38 to 50 percent of patients, with the worst outcomes in patients who received medical management plus placebo and better outcomes in those who received medical management plus either naltrexone or specialized alcohol counseling.
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Nita
February 26th, 2010
1:28 pm
@Elle–Thanks for joining. I’m interested in your experience. If you almost died, then you probably got some stuck coming up, right? How else could you die?
Plus, you lost weight when you stopped? How? You prolly stopped eating what you want. You are also right that it does not work by itself because you still digest some of the fatty food and sodas. You have to work out too. But I’m saying what’s the damage if you do an awesome workout, hit the Wendy’s and purge so you don’t undo all your hard work? I still eat healthy. Celebrities do it all the time–Men and women. I guess I need to see the real harm in it. I have a toddler now, too. I’m sort of afraid she’ll try to copy me soon. It’s not psychological for me. It’s just like…another bodily function.
I’ll get help (again) when I’m ready.
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scarlet
February 26th, 2010
1:56 pm
I was a fifth day vodka drinker. I could not stop and I’m small 5′3 120lbs. My anxiety was bad, I would wake up in the middle of the night in sheer panic and drink myself back to sleep. I sought out help through inpatient treatment. After inpatient treatment I went to AA because that is what they suggested. AA worked for me for a little bit, but the problem that still continues for me with AA is that it is a religious program predicated upon a christian god. We can all sit here and say its a spiritual program, but if you read the big book and the 12 by 12, why is higher power and God interchangeable? Why do they tell me to pray?
After being in the program, I stopped gaining what I needed from it. It seems that for some people AA becomes in and of itself an addiction. AA is supposed to teach you how to live sober, but I know many people for which the only thing they do is AA.
AA is also a sexist program. The big book didn’t even mention female alcoholics till the 70s. To me this is problematic. If you are a white male, you should do fine in AA, but I am not.
I do take it a day at a time and if I really feel like I need to go to a meeting I will, but to sit in those rooms with people who have over 20 years of sobriety, but haven’t figured out how to live sober yet is unsettling.
I am living today.
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Catie
February 26th, 2010
3:05 pm
Some of these comments illustrate what a problem this topic really is. First, it doesn’t matter if you’re fat? Sure, looks don’t matter, but what about the health risks?
Second, “declared mentally unstable”? I hope that was sarcastic; otherwise you are living in the dark ages.
Third…where to begin? Nita, Elle said she almost died. Not because something “got stuck,” I presume. If you are going to continue your pattern, you better do your research. Bulimia can cause cardiac arrest via low potassium or an electrolyte imbalance. It can also cause a ruptured esophagus. If you want to be in denial and take those risks with your body, that’s your choice, but don’t get on here and tell people there’s no harm in it. Hopefully you will be ready for help soon.
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Catie
February 26th, 2010
3:07 pm
P.S.: Thanks, Elle, for your honesty and encouragement. Sounds like you are healthier physically and emotionally. And thanks to Frustrated for bringing the binge issue to the forefront as well.
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Nita
February 26th, 2010
3:55 pm
@Catie,
I know all that stuff. It’s not ok. I will get help when I’m ready, so thanks for being real.
A TV drama series tried to address this a few years ago on FX, but the show got cancelled. It was called “Starved”.
But, I promise I will get help after a while.
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Catie
February 26th, 2010
4:32 pm
Nita, I respect that everyone has to do it on their own timetable, so take care of yourself and do what you need when you need to. Eating disorders revolve around control, so utterly forcing someone to do something only makes it worse, unless it’s a life threatening situation. It doesn’t help that people stigmatize it and refer to sufferers as mentally unstable.
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Guy in atlanta
February 26th, 2010
5:04 pm
It is stories like Scarlett’s that bother me. How can the “program” work if it never cures? The answer is to go listen to drunkalogs? Really? I thought we lived in an age of enlightenment and science. Yet, when a scientific approach to addiction treatment is proposed, folks whip out their ouja boards. It just doesn’t make sense.
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Me Not You
February 26th, 2010
5:18 pm
My experience with AA is that it is not just religious, but a religion in and of itself. It is also the most dishonest organization I have ever been a part of. Manipulative sponsors, 13th stepping, ineffectiveness of the program (people failed right and left, and when they did, it was attributed to the fact that they didn’t properly work the program). Well over ninety percent of those I have seen walk through the doors leave in a short time. AAs believe that the program cannot fail, but can only be failed. The most unbalanced people I have ever known are AA people, and they represent a high percentage of the groups I have seen.
It is absolute brainwashing, and when I questioned this, the response was “sometimes a brain needs washing”. That is just one of the slogans I heard ad nauseum. There is a thought stopping slogan for every eventually, and over time people learn not to think. Reading the responses in this comment section, I see the AAs repeating these slogans without even thinking. I becomes second nature. Not thinking is looked highly upon in AA, and is encouraged. “Your best thinking got you here” is the line often used. There is nothing worse – nothing – than trying to have a rational conversation about the program with an AAer who drinks the kool-aid.
If you want membership in a whacked out cult, do AA. It took me some time to get deprogrammed from AA. I would try this or any other method of sobriety before I ever set foot in an AA meeting.
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Ellen
February 28th, 2010
9:39 pm
OMG! I’ve read through all the posts and am astonished at the amount of misinformation and just wrong information is out there about AA and other sobriety programs! I’m Jewish, and the 12 Steps have worked for me for more than 20 years. I have no problem with the “Christian” orientation that people are talking about here. It’s not Christian, it encompasses all religions — even Zen and others like it. You decide who/what your higher power is going to be for yourself; no one asks you to believe in theirs. it’s your own deal. I have never been asked to believe anything I disagreed with, nor have I even been pressured into doing anything at all, actually. These are suggestions, not commands. Also, as far as AA being a cult, I’m personally very happy to be a member. It’s absurd to me to compare AA with the typical cult around these days.
Also, for the person who said that AA is sexist, you’re wrong about your facts. In the first edition of the Big Book of AA, published in April, 1939, there were at least three stories written by recovering women. AA was initially representative of its era, and has changed a lot since then.
I personally don’t believe that relying on a drug to keep me sober would work for me. As has been mentioned, compliance would have been a problem for me definitely. I also don’t want to have to take a drug for the rest of my life in order to stay sober. I can do that drug-free by using the 12 Steps in all areas of my life, not only for drinking. We talk about practicing these “principles” in all our affairs, and that’s why I still go to AA meetings and continue to change myself to meet conditions in my life.
Why so much anger and resentment, people? Perhaps you were too into your own heads to be open to any concept that required you to leave your ego at home? And someone else put it so well: you have to want to get sober in AA. AA’s not for people who need it; it’s for people who want it. Folks who come into AA and pick it apart rather than use it to create a happier life just don’t really want what we have. AA is NOT for everyone, that’s for sure. But it works for me. It’s sad that many of you are so judgmental about this; resentment is an ugly thing.
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Hannah
March 1st, 2010
2:01 am
To be honest I think that mild eating disorders can be fun. Why? As long as you have control over it. I have been an on and off bulimic for about 5 years. It is my coping mechanism and I love it because I actually can control my binges and purges. It is my secret – I own it all to myself. Why not have something so uniquely yours, all yours? I love my part time bulimia and I love how I OWN IT. Bulimia you are my toy in life.
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Mark Old Town Wilkes
March 1st, 2010
10:38 am
This drug could never get down to causes and conditions, that require’s some work I didnt read anything about addressing these issues. My impression is there could be alot of suicides with this medicine. When your best friend (King Alcohol)dosent work anymore is where AA starts. Merly stopping the recovery is incomplete. We call this a dry drunk in the program. If drinking was the problem we wouldnt need AA. Before comparing this pill to 12 step recovery, come to 90 meetings in 90 days get a sponsor and read the Big Book, you might agree there is alot more to this disease than drinking. And why would I take a pill and waste good booze? Put a little whoopie in the pill and now you got something. Oops that might be switching substances. Basically we come to AA because drinking has stopped working for us and we need to stop throwing up and start growing up. Actually this to me is a outside issue it deals with the drinking part we in AA dont have anything to say if a person would like to drink its none of our business, now if you want to stop one day at a time thats our business and we do offer permanent recovery. Read the Book before you snap a judgment on us. I dont believe the writer of this article has done an in depth reasearch on this wreckless comparison.
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Jess
March 1st, 2010
2:38 pm
Hannah, what you said really makes me scared for you. Why is this something you feel you need to own? Do you not have control of other aspects in your life that this is the only thing you have control over? Help me understand.
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Nita
March 1st, 2010
3:19 pm
I’m back–
I’m all Team Hannah. She’s right–it’s fun. Especially after a workout. Hey Hannah, will you share about how long you wait after you eat?
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Nita
March 1st, 2010
3:19 pm
I’m looking for tips right now. Not counseling. I know where and how to get help.
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Jess
March 1st, 2010
6:57 pm
Hello, Who the hell is the moderator here? These women need serious help and they seem to think that your little blog is a place to trade barfing tips. Any comments?
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Joy Johnston
March 2nd, 2010
10:57 am
For those that are concerned, this blog is moderated. While we can’t control a reader’s desire to continue engaging in an eating disorder instead of seeking help, any further posts providing eating disorder “tips” will be removed.
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Guy in atlanta
March 2nd, 2010
12:31 pm
As others have pointed out, there are many slogans in AA. In your post, almost all the popular ones are used. From my point of view, it is trading one addiction for another. Even more to the point, your post is truthful on how AA views the problem – it is a moral failing. Not a disease. Which makes the “steps” illogical. In one, “powerless over a disease” in another, addressing “moral failings.” If it is a disease, it is not a moral failing. If it is a moral failing, then it is not a disease. Simple. A+B=C.
AA has never produced a credible study that shows efficacy of the “program.” There was no random sampling and following up for five years. I can very safely judge the “program” without reading the “Big Book” and 90 hours of listening to drunkalogs and how “grateful” everyone is. No hard evidence, means not credible. Anecdotal stories are not evidence.
Again, the best part of the Sinclair Method is that of the 75% who control themselves, for some reason, 25% of the ones who controlled their drinking COMPLETELY quit. For five years. Isn’t that what AA is about? A group of “people with the desire to quit drinking?” In terms of complete abstinence 19% of people who used this method in the study quit permanently. Can AA say that? Oh, ”it works if you work it.” But no evidence to back it up. And a way to discount the massive failure rate – “some cannot follow our simple method.” It isn’t a “snap judgement,” it is a rational scientific method applied to a problem. The results can be quantified.
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Chad
March 2nd, 2010
5:41 pm
Another great idea to take from many restaurant chefs (that I guess is part and parcel of the “field to table” concept) is using seasonal ingredients. While so much produce can be shipped in from warm climates or grown in a greenhouse, if you choose the items that are truly in season, you can really enjoy your fruit and vegetable selections so much more.
http://www.reconstructingthirty.com/2010/03/01/nutrition-from-the-ground-up/
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adela
March 2nd, 2010
9:39 pm
how can can I get this medicine, is it sold at pharmacies in mexico? do you need a doctor’s prescription?
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sabika
March 3rd, 2010
9:44 am
hi
i am from pakistan dr i have fungule infaction( nailfungule) sometime feel pain and it has 6 to 8 months plz
tell me any home remedy i am from pakistan
plz help me about fungule
thanx
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atlwolf
March 3rd, 2010
10:31 am
I get nosebleeds sometimes and will definitely try this next time.
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jwc
March 3rd, 2010
10:43 am
Surely you’re joking, doc: you can’t verify the safety of putting Vicks Vaporub on toenails? Come on….
I CAN verify that its safe and effective. I can also verify that using a 50-50 solution of water and hydrogen peroxide works. But the process is slow regardless of which one you use. You’ve got to be as tenacious and consistent as the fungus itself is, so prepare for many months of treatment. But they DO work.
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BidDawg2010
March 3rd, 2010
10:53 am
That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.
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Cameron
March 3rd, 2010
11:06 am
Maybe it pulls blood away from the head and nose in a direction opposite from the source of the nosebleed.
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TechMom
March 3rd, 2010
12:02 pm
Seriously, I laughed at one of my son’s wrestling tournaments when a dad on our team did this for his son. But then I was stunned when it stopped the bleeding. I seriously do not understand why this would work. I thought it was one of those old wive’s tales like all the hooey about how to stop the hiccups.
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Jacqui
March 3rd, 2010
12:07 pm
Would you really do this in a public place? Go with the NasalCEASE.
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jwc
March 3rd, 2010
12:46 pm
In my previous note, I forgot to point out something else you neglected to mention, doc: that people who use Lamasil and Sporanox may suffer serious side effects, from liver damage to irregular heartbeats and even death. While admittedly rare, these are serious considerations — as is the cost of the drugs. One estimate I saw put the cost of using Lamasil at $700.
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Arvell
March 3rd, 2010
4:03 pm
Oh wow, this is kind of fascinating. I guess I will have my daughter try this next time she has a nose bleed. Thanks for sharing.
Arvell C.
{ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1IK8Y0X_Tk }
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Sultanofatl
March 3rd, 2010
6:16 pm
the one that always works with my kids is to pinch the nose for 30 seconds.
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alabama web design
March 3rd, 2010
7:10 pm
You can take control of your addiction, without shame, without blame
Despite what the 12-step philosophy will tell you, you have options for taking control of your addiction. You can look at the differences in your options through the eyes of a ship’s captain.
* Ideally, you are the captain of your ship. It is your hand on the wheel. You decide how to address the perils of the sea.
* With addiction, your control is lost. Your elixir steers your ship.
* The 12 step path tells you to take your hand off the rudder and leave the steering to a “higher power.”
http://www.huntsvillepr.com
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Kazabud
March 3rd, 2010
10:19 pm
Heres a sure cure. Dont pick your nose!!!!!!!!!!!
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Jack
March 4th, 2010
9:50 am
re: Arvell,,,,why,,, please tell me why you felt the need to supply a link to a pharmacy in Tulsa in regards to this article ???
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bartowbob
March 4th, 2010
3:37 pm
It also works if you shove the shoe up there real tight. Seriously, I put this up there with Granny clampett’s cold remedy…take a swig and in 3 to 5 days the cold is gone.
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Katherine
March 4th, 2010
10:54 pm
Consider tea tree oil. It is a great natural medicine. Apply it to your nails. It’s also great for cleaning your house – put a few drops in water, and wash baseboards, windowframes, etc., in order to get rid of mold. Do some research on it and make your own decisions.
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marlee
March 5th, 2010
8:19 am
A person I know has been heating food that has medication in it in the microwave. I told him do not do that because the medication will lose its potency. Is this true? Please let me know so I can give a hard copy tp him about that subject. Thanks
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marlee
March 5th, 2010
8:20 am
please send it email to me thanks about that microwaving medication
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Dan
March 5th, 2010
5:34 pm
jwc – Thanks for the input !!
Another point… that $700… According to my Doc, that is per month, however long it takes and “most” insurance plans will not cover it, calling it an “elective” cosmetic issue as opposed to a medical one… Go Figure !!
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Keila G.
March 7th, 2010
1:41 am
Great post! and so true… I have some more advices regarding smart choices when it comes to healthy lifestyle- check it out: http://www.freesecrets4life.com/2010/03/how_to_destroy_your_diet_with_salads/
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Bia
March 7th, 2010
9:17 am
Lady Bee Waxing Salon is an excellent place for Brazilian Wax, Massage treatment and Facial treatment. they are located in Sandy Springs.
http://www.ladybeewaxing.com
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James
March 8th, 2010
2:20 pm
I have 2 sons, 1 doctors debated for 4 years on ‘what his problems’ were. They finally decided ADD/adhd and started pumping drugs to him. He spent more time asleep than awake- Now, they have added autism to the mix and he takes 5 different prescriptions. My 2nd son, Marcus Institute insisted that ‘male anatomy equals ritalin’[I did paraphrase]. I am convinced that the ADHD claim is bulls==t and the medical community has not convinced me otherwise, though my wife and folks are eager to buy anything said ‘by a doctor’. My 2nd son is not on any drugs and is working on starting his on business, my first son, still does not speak, and for all intents and purposes should be labeled a vegetable.
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Anonymous
March 9th, 2010
4:50 pm
Tryptophan and niacinimide. The niacinimide prevents the Tryptophan from being converted into Niacin and thus into Serotonin from which Melatonin is made. Works great! You’ll also find you have a new outlook on life! Do not take if you take antidepressants.
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Willx
March 9th, 2010
8:54 pm
I started drinking regularly at 16, heavily at 21. Up until about five(5)or six years ago, I can’t remember a single day I didn’t consume at least a quart of Whiskey. The last ten years of my drinking a consumed an average of half gallon/day. I worked at home and started drinking a 8 am and slowly drank all the way around the clock till 3 or 4 am. My weekly garbage cart dumping into the truck sounded like the morning after at a busy bar.
Nothing stopped me. Not the courts, not the mandatory AA, which made me want to drink as soon as I got back home. For me, AA was just a social club for old drunks. Sorry, just my experience. If it works for you, so be it. I was never a joiner of any clubs anyway.
I only quit, at 50 yrs old, when I made up my own mind to quit without anyone telling me I had too quit. I had already lost too many relationships with women. It was strictly a personal thing with myself. I had my last drink emptying my last bottle of VO at 4 am and went to sleep. When I woke up three hours later, I did not drink, or even be able to keep anything down including water for almost exactly 72 hours. Not even a piece of bread. I should have gone to the ER on the third day but didn’t. Its was the hardest thing I ever did and probably almost killed me. I don’t recommend it. I could barely stand up. I could barely lie down. After the 72 hours I could finally keep a sip of water on my stomach. I was dizzy for days, but I have yet to even have a single craving for a drink. Its still amazing I made it through the three days and probably is not believed by many. But, Its true. I have my life back, whats left of it. And apparently, no long term physical damage.
You just have to make your own mind up to quit. No one, can force you to quit but yourself.
If you depend on someone or something to stay sober, you will always be a ticking time bomb.
And no, I don’t have to consider myself an alcoholic to stay sober.
Best of luck to whatever helps you.
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Chad
March 9th, 2010
11:45 pm
Wonderful, wonderful post!!! It’s so important to be able to navigate a restaurant menu on one’s own. For me, it’s been a true key to success with weight loss.
http://www.reconstructingthirty.com/2010/01/19/eating-out-without-pigging-out/
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Paul
March 10th, 2010
2:11 am
There’s an interesting post over at the Health Journal Club that makes the case that people should just not eat anything that wasn’t a food 100 years ago. Gets rid of the aspartame, bleached GM flour, high fructose corn syrup garbage they try to pass off as food these days. If interested you can read on it here,
http://healthjournalclub.blogspot.com/2010/01/100-year-diet.html
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Nancy
March 10th, 2010
7:12 am
Learn the facts about Alcohol Dependence. For evidence-based information on Alcohol Dependence (Alcoholism) and Alcohol Abuse, please visit us at AlcoholAnswers.org
There are comprehensive sections for the Alcohol Dependent and the Families and Friends along with information on evidence-based treatment modalities – including medicated-assisted treatment – Resources, an extensive Alcohol & Health section, and Discussion Communities for support and information at AddictionSurvivors.org
AlcoholAnswers.org
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Elle
March 10th, 2010
8:45 am
Probably can’t smell herself.
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GAG!
March 10th, 2010
10:21 am
You know this person. It’s the one in your office that smells like a rotten fruit salad…GAG!
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ANON
March 10th, 2010
10:24 am
VICKS WORKS!! Doctors are pathetic. The “safety” of Vicks??? How about the mile long list of warnings on the drugs they write scripts for by the millions every single day!!??? It really is enough to make a person sick!
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WDP
March 10th, 2010
10:53 am
I read where Milk of Magnesia is good for Deodorant. It works. I started using it because my skin is so sensative and deodorant breaks out my armpits. Try it.
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No BO (in more ways than one)
March 10th, 2010
11:07 am
Plain rubbing alcohol applied once a day works great also. No aluminum or other metallic components (which may be linked to Alzheimer’s and other diseases) and a bottle of it costs about 70 cents and lasts for months.
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Sha
March 10th, 2010
12:10 pm
This is sooooo True!!!! Lemon juice is a natural antibiotic as well, there is just a wealth of knowledge of what you can do with lemon juice. Also great houshold cleaner!!!
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JET
March 10th, 2010
12:25 pm
It really works. Growing up we used nothing but lemon juice. Most, if not all, anti-perspirant deodorant contains lemon juice.
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Wednesday Wants « lifes little epiphanies…
March 10th, 2010
12:54 pm
[...] Better Health has a great post today about planning out your own diet and what to focus on. Even though these are core concepts, they are very solid and should be the foundation of any diet plan. [...]
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JET
March 10th, 2010
1:17 pm
And also use lemon juice to shed some pounds, excellent weight lost when use with honey
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Smellin Good
March 10th, 2010
2:27 pm
Deodorant has aluminum sulfate to block sweat. The sulfate after time causes more body odor than most peoples body chemistry does. The key is personal hygiene, powder and understanding how your diet affects your body odor. Oh, and all you smokers not only have bad breath, teeth and gums, you’ve also got really bad body odor.
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Smellycat
March 10th, 2010
2:30 pm
Eat lots of garlic and asparagus and smell like a goat farm.
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Marina
March 10th, 2010
2:54 pm
It is true that if ou don’t take care of yourself no one else will. Before going to the restaurant and choosing meals from their ‘healthy menu’ section you have to learn the basics of healthy nutrition to make sure your restaurant meal complies with the healthy rules.
http://www.healthy-dietpedia.com
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bonbon
March 10th, 2010
2:54 pm
you people have made me laugh so hard i now need to take a shower!! LOL
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TEAMAN
March 10th, 2010
3:34 pm
I use the lemon afterwards in my tea too.
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T
March 10th, 2010
3:40 pm
Steve Martin, in one of his old comedy routines, said he used Tuna Fish Sandwiches:
“Tunafish Sandwich! I put a tunafish sandwich under each arm, one or two behind the ears… I don’t smell like any other guy! And it’s economical too, because the smell lasts for four or five days.”
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Paleo Diet
March 10th, 2010
3:46 pm
100 Years? Try 10,000 years – http://www.paleodiet.com
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rodertrudis
March 10th, 2010
5:44 pm
Teaman is right. I use whole lemons under my arms all day, then stir them into my tea at night. I also use apples, oranges, cantelopes, figs, pears, grapefruits, apricots, and ocassioanly asparagus or brocoli. My wife does too. She thinks persimmons are the best thought.
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JMoore
March 11th, 2010
3:52 am
When I was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago, one of the first things my alternative medicine “doctor” did was to take me off all deodorants and shampoos and especially deodorant soaps. For a week or so, I did smell; however, that was my body being allowed to purge the poisons in it. From that point, the smell stopped. Also, there are alternative deodorants at Whole Foods that do not contain aluminum. My diagnosis was a deadly agressive type of cancer of the lymph nodes. I declined radiation and chemo. I am thankful I have been free for 10 years in April 2010! Also, avoid using the microwave for anything. It kills any life in the food. As I understand it, hospitals know this and do not use the microwave to thaw blood as an example.
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Lolita
March 11th, 2010
5:22 am
Great stuff. blogs.ajc.com deserves an award.
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Slobby Bobby
March 11th, 2010
8:02 am
Thanks for deleting my post. Nothing in my comment was untrue or offensive. You AJC mods have some serious problems.
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Ferro Moan
March 11th, 2010
10:07 am
I like the way sweaty people smell.
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MissV
March 11th, 2010
10:13 am
I’m all for recycling but are you folks saying that you use the lemon for your tea ‘after’ using it under your armpits? If so, thanks for sharing (your story…not the tea).
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Kelly
March 11th, 2010
10:19 am
Some people are so arrogant in their ingnorance! Lemons work! So many health issues can be solved right in the kitchen if people took the time to truly understand the relationship between food and thier bodies. I’ve never heard of using milk of magn, I’ll have to try it along with using alcohol. Thanks!
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Vick=Dog killing Thug
March 11th, 2010
10:27 am
This is a good link also about a series of books that list good things to eat instead of bad. Lots of free info. Happens to be in a womans magazine but works just as well for the men.
http://eatthis.womenshealthmag.com/home
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arlene
March 11th, 2010
12:09 pm
I think I will try lemon juice. Does it have to be fresh lemons or is bottled lemon juice just as effective? We really do need to be concerned about the contents of deodorant.
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Andy
March 11th, 2010
1:30 pm
How do we know that the magnesium in the milk of magnesia isn’t just as bad as aluminum? I note that Magnesium is number 12 on the periodic table and Aluminum is number 13.
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People’s Pharmacy: Use lemon juice as deodorant? | Better Health
March 11th, 2010
1:34 pm
[...] Editor’s note: Milk of Magnesia is also recommended by readers. [...]
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TheyCallMe_Eman
March 11th, 2010
1:35 pm
True Story: I once put a lemon under my arms for about an hour, then squeezed as hard as I could with a glass underneath to catch the juice. Then I added some sugar and water, a little ice and served it to my Ex-wife when she came over to pick up her alimony check!!!!
Now that’s was funny
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PEOPLE’S PHARMACY: Unique cure for nosebleeds | Better Health
March 11th, 2010
1:37 pm
[...] Editor’s note: Vaseline may help nose bleeds, but can carry serious health risks. [...]
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missemc2
March 11th, 2010
3:49 pm
Sweat does not smell. The smell is caused by bacteria that eats the sweat and excretes waste that has a strong odor. The alcohol remedy probably works by killing the bacteria. I’ve heard about using Milk of Magnesia before and will probably try it.
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Apples vs. Oranges
March 11th, 2010
5:26 pm
Do you folks know that there’s a difference between deoderant and anti-perspirant?
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nonya
March 11th, 2010
9:13 pm
This blog is too funny!!!!!
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bigdawg88
March 12th, 2010
12:07 am
JMoore,
glad to here you survived the cancer, but I think I’ll keep microwaving my food. I’d rather it didn’t have anything LIVEin it!
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bigdawg88
March 12th, 2010
12:09 am
Wow, I can’t spell, must be the aluminum on the brain. Meant to say glad to HEAR (actually read) you survived the cancer.
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No offense
March 12th, 2010
12:23 am
but while you were detoxing from stink, did every one avoid you?
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jj
March 12th, 2010
8:17 am
I’ve used the mineral salt bars for 20 years. Lemons would be great, if you had a tree. At 25 cents each, that’s not a cheap alternative.
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Slobby Bobby
March 12th, 2010
8:48 am
When life hands you B.O. – make some lemonade from the lemons under your arm.
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Giggling so much coworkers stare!
March 12th, 2010
10:30 am
Agree with jj, but the images still have me laughing! Mineral salts are the cheapest way to stay fresh smelling, and you can use it on your armpits and your feet! It may look expensive in the store, but one “stick” will last over a year.
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rhonu
March 12th, 2010
11:06 am
I’ve been using lime juice from fresh limes for 3 yrs and it works for me…
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zookeeper
March 12th, 2010
1:20 pm
Thanks y’all. I really needed a good laugh at work. After reading all the comments, I feel like I’ve watched a sit-com.
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Beerlover
March 12th, 2010
2:29 pm
What about the anti-perspirant aspect of regular deodorant? I would like to use a more natural deodorant, but I can’t stand being sweaty. This doesn’t address that problem, worse for some of us than others.
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Ken Leebow
March 12th, 2010
3:07 pm
Carolyn,
Thanks for the article. Once you get the hang of it – dieting – it actually is very easy. The one thing I learned is that it’s all about health. Losing weight and maintaining the weight-loss is great, but the health aspect of it is much more important.
I like to say: “Invest in your body and it will pay daily dividends.”
Ken Leebow
http://www.FeedYourHeadDiet.com
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What?
March 12th, 2010
4:29 pm
@JMoore… of course they don’t microwave the blood in hospitals- they don’t want to cook it! That has nothing to do with whether microwaves are an acceptable way to cook food.
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Chuck A.
March 12th, 2010
6:00 pm
Benadryl or its generic equivalent might help. The chemical name is diphenhydramine hydrochloride. It’s the sleep aid in Tylenol PM. Most nights I can refrain from using it if have gotten robust exercise that day, and if I stop the caffeine consumption at least 6 or 7 hours before bedtime, and don’t eat at least 3 hours before bedtime. I’m 57 years old. For what it’s worth.
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krishan kant sundriyal
March 13th, 2010
1:49 am
Simply place the plate beneath your pillow & thats all for insomnia.
Tesla purple energy plates, india, are Trans-receivers of Universal Free Energy & are a perfect Natural Pain Reliever.It is designed for life long use on HUMANS, ANIMALS & PLANTS.
You wouldn’t have to rush to HOSPITAL for a sudden Migraine, Back Pain, Sprain BURN, Spondalities, Fibromyalgia,,Headache,Stomach ache,toothache ,stress,fatigue,trauma,depression.For chronic pains use it daily two times a day & experience the LESSENING of the intensity of pain from day one.
Use it for Meditation & much much more.
These Plates also guards against the Electro Magnetic Radiation from computers, cells, etc. which is generally responsible for all pain, stress, depression, etc.
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Ev
March 15th, 2010
10:38 am
Where does one purchasse these Tesla purple energy plates?
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Eva
March 15th, 2010
10:47 am
Two million or so have Celiac disease, 95% or more are undiagnosed. Therefore, many of you have Celiac and do not have a clue. I no longer eat white or refined flours, only gluten free crackers or breads. I was anemic, doctor was watching me as pre-leukemia, I lost 13 lbs in two weeks by no longer eating flour, wheat, and such products. I eat pasta made from corn or rice. Plain vegetables, fresh fruits, meats with out coatings (grilled, backed, broiled meats) can be eaten, there are plenty of food choices. I do wish the fast food places would be more aware of this disease. I have lost 30 lbs without any effort except watching my diet.
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mystery poster
March 15th, 2010
11:44 am
OK, once and for all…. sweat does not smell, noses smell.
Sweat stinks.
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Len
March 15th, 2010
9:48 pm
I had two cycles of oral Lamisil both of which eliminated my toenail fungus. But each time it returned. The first time I was careless and kept my old (infected) shoes. But after the second regimen I got new shoes, changed socks daily, sometimes twice daily, and daily used fungicides on my cuticles and nail tips. But the fungus is returning a third time. Are repeated regimens of Lamisil cumulatively harmful healthwise? I am ready for a third cycle but concerned about side effects.
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my F150 is so big
March 16th, 2010
6:18 pm
I have to have a few belts to calm my nerves everytime I drive it.
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Not So Apparently
March 16th, 2010
8:38 pm
In Sept of 2009, Dannon settled rather than going to court – a lawsuit for 300 million dollars over whether or not yogurt possess the qualities you ascribe here.
So, apparently no so, or not enough real evidence to make this claim.
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David
March 16th, 2010
9:15 pm
Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html
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Redneck Rick
March 17th, 2010
9:36 am
I sure as heck ain’t eating salad while watching NASCAR! You don’t make friends with salad!
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Vegan
March 17th, 2010
11:22 am
I like what the dietitian states and wish more people would eat fruits and vegetables rather than junk. I enjoy a spinach salad with a little bit of salad dressing for dinner. I like to eat an apple as dessert for lunch every day.
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just Me
March 17th, 2010
12:35 pm
I eat the oatmeal recipe that is in the Flat Belly Diet book every weekday morning. Oatmeal, 1/4c. strawberries, 1/2 banana, 2T walnuts, 2T dark chocolate chips. I haven’t noticed my belly getting flatter, but it sure is good! and, yeah, I am regular as Old Faithful!
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NotSureOfAnything
March 17th, 2010
12:53 pm
I have a little girl who is 9 years old that was diagnosed with ADHD in 2nd grade. We knew there was something not quite the same with her in pre-school but didn’t quite know what to do. The teacher was not helpful. She couldn’t sit still and had a hard time concentrating. She went onto Kindergarten and the teacher said that she was having problems concentrating and sitting like the other kids. Nothing was said other than that. Again the teacher was not helpful. She went onto 1st and she had a teacher that should have retired years ago and just wanted to put her on drugs. My husband and I were against it so we fought the school system and told them they have to help her. That we were not backing down or going away. 1st grade teacher wouldn’t help. We didn’t know what to do. We want to help my child but didn’t know how. So we enrolled her in Sylvan. They helped her to concentrate on her reading since it was one on one, gave us tips on what to do as parents to help, and it started getting better. The issue was we couldn’t afford to continue Sylvan so we had to stop that since the economy went down hill. She moved onto 2nd grade and got a great teacher. We started working with the teacher to help our daughter. At this point, my daughter is a grade behind on reading. She would come home at night and start crying because she knew she was different then the other kids. She couldn’t sit still and concentrate like the other kids. She kept telling us that she was dumb and she couldn’t control her words. The teacher gave us books to read that talk about diet and drugs. She said there are many parents that don’t want to drug their children and find other ways to help. So we started sitting with my daughter at night doing homework with a different view on things, some nights she can do the homework on her own with no issues, then there are other nights that we spend 3 hours doing one paper. Its so fustrating to see her desire to learn, to sit still, and concentrate but can’t. Some nights we just sit and cry together. We have tried flash cards, objects to assist with learning, and mind mapping to help her. The one thing that seems to help us is using the senses to help her learn. I read quite a few books about the brain and learning. Each child whether they have ADD, ADHD or no issues learn differently and use three major senses; Audio, Visual, and Touch/Feel. No one child is part of a cookie cutter mold. You just need to find the way your child learns. My daughter for reading; is Touch/Feel, Audio, and Visual. The first two get you 90% of the way to learning and the last one just seals it. For math on the other hand; she is Touch/Feel, Visual, and then Audio. So when she was learning the states, we had her trace the state, say it, and then read it. She aced the test each and every time as she was learning them. She was soo happy that she couldn’t wait to tell us how well she did. We give 5 minute breaks between homework assignments so she can move around. We allow her to stand or sit when doing her homework. And we always make sure she has a snack before the homework starts. She is on a high protein and fat diet and still hasn’t really gained any weight because of her high activity. But after saying all that, we don’t know what child will show up for class the next day or for homework at night. We have to prepare ourselves to accept both. Now she is still a good year behind in class. We will be visiting the doctor again this year to see what else we can do and to re-evaluate if we should give her drugs. So far we haven’t. But either way she may have to stay back a year to catch up on her learning. Not sure yet. We live each day a day at a time. Sometimes hour by hour. But we love her and will not give up trying to help her.
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poo time
March 17th, 2010
1:47 pm
Want to get the bowels moving, I suggest a large paper cup of starbuck’s boldest blend followed by a bowl of cereal (extra milk). That always gets me!
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Carolyn O'Neil
March 17th, 2010
3:57 pm
Love the comments…keep em regular! (:
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Ken Leebow
March 17th, 2010
4:01 pm
Fiber does another amazing thing . . . it creates the feeling of satiety and thus assists in the effort to lose weight. While it’s not a secret, tons-o-people do not know about the magic of fiber.
Ken Leebow
http://www.FeedYourHeadDiet.com
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Lanfear
March 19th, 2010
1:51 am
I’ve had insomnia since I was an infant. Newborns should sleep more than five hours a day. It just got worse as I got older.
I’ve been on every over the counter medication. Herbal suppliments do nothing. Every prescribed medication does nothing, including benzodiazepines, barbituates and narcotics. I’ve doubled or tripled the dose on them, mixed them, mixed and overdosed on them, added alcohol for kicks, and still cannot fall asleep.
I had surgery less than a week ago. Even the anesthesiologist was unable to put me under. The pain was numbed, so I was able to force myself to ignore what was going on.
I’ve found myself missing days at a time with no memory of what I’ve done. In college, a roommate swears that I was awake for 17 days straight. After I started walking into walls and talking to people that weren’t there, she managed to get me to drink over a liter of vodka and pass out. During that time, I attended class, took notes, and even went so far as cooking. Luckily, my roommate hid my car keys at the time.
So far, I have found no solution. I can binge drink to pass out, but society frowns upon that simply for smelling like alcohol the next day. I do not drive once I’ve started the routine and I have never once suffered a hangover.
I have a rare tolerance to alcohol, and I do not suggest that anyone else take this route. Even though it is the only thing I have found to date that allows me to sleep, I have lost several jobs simply due to my morning breath. I find this unfair since no one has yet to fire a smoker for a similar excuse.
If anyone can find a real cure, I kindly ask you to post it.
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Hmmmm
March 19th, 2010
10:02 am
I’m wondering. The people that are having a huge laugh at all this…have you ever tried it? If not then you’re one of those that see someone overweight, then holler out “whale on beach!” Very small minded….I’d like to be the fly on the wall to see what you would do to not die from cancer! Of course I’m sure you would smack me with a book or flapper since it’s ok for others to die from whatever…
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TH
March 19th, 2010
10:43 am
Black licorice is also good for constipation.
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Nikki Babie
March 19th, 2010
1:19 pm
I use lemon juice from real lemons, (not the fake lemon juice) I squeeze a little juice from one half of a lemon every morning and let dry and im fresh all day! I cannot tell you how long I have been looking for a remedy, as an adult I have come to be allergic to everything, I used secret all my life and in an instant couldnt use it anymore, I used drysol wich is very uncomfortable, I even tried mens deodorant but nothing worked I read about using lemons and went for it! IT WORKS GREAT!! I am so happy!! not stinky anymore!! lol
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Susan Helms
March 19th, 2010
2:40 pm
I have to eat what is served here at the assisted living facility where I live, but I will do my best to eat as healthy as is allowed here.
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Billy
March 20th, 2010
2:54 pm
What a worthless article. It mostly tiptoes around the subject of irregularity with no useful information about anything.
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Vick=Dog killing thug
March 22nd, 2010
9:56 am
just Me, for your oatmeal recipe I would reduce the dark chocolate chips to every other day. Dark chocolate does have good qualities but every day might be a bit too much?
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Chili Man
March 22nd, 2010
10:57 am
People with irregularity aren’t eating enough chili !!!
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Regina Clay
March 23rd, 2010
1:05 pm
I was saddened to read “Not So Apparently” comment about yogurt. Dannon yogurt is full of sugar. Read the label. Last time I checked around a quarter of a cup. The amount of sugar in the yogurt pretty much negates the probiotic effectiveness of yogurt. Plain LOW FAT yogurt, not FAT FREE which usually has added sugar, can be very healthy. If eating plain low fat yogurt is not pleasant then it may be dressed up with honey or a teaspoon of all fruit jam or vanilla with nuts — other delicious ways to keep the product health promoting. The probiotic bacteria don’t do well with sugar. Such microorganisms do well with Fructooligosaccharides (FOS).
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Chad
March 23rd, 2010
8:46 pm
I’m really glad to see nutritional information appearing on more menus. It really does help diners make more informed choices.
http://www.reconstructingthirty.com/2010/03/16/fifty-freakin-pounds-and-calorie-counts-on-menus/
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sue
March 24th, 2010
3:47 am
I’ve just republished your very good article on my blog. Thanks
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Kitty
March 24th, 2010
2:32 pm
Would it matter much to the diagnosis if I was 79 years old? Aren’t all older people cold?
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Carolyn O'Neil
March 24th, 2010
3:47 pm
Thanks everyone and there’s more advice from Connie Gutterson on my own blog http://www.dishondieting.blogspot.com
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Jon A. Holmquist
March 24th, 2010
5:01 pm
Connie, it is getting easier all the time to watch what you eat. We at Edgemaster Mobile Sharpening eat out a lot because we sharpen knives for so many restaurants, we can see what happens in the kitchen and get to know the chefs/cooks very well. Have you ever written anything about knife sharpening in restaurants? Would like to hear from you or anyone who can help us reach more kitchens in the U.S. Thanks, Jon at Edgemaster Mobile Sharpening.
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Carolyn O'Neil
March 24th, 2010
6:18 pm
http://tinyurl.com/yeerlom
More tips on eating out!
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Jeannie
March 25th, 2010
12:11 am
A common cause of insomnia is sleep apnea. My son had a sleep study done and we found out he was awakening from his sleep on an average of 43 times per hour. Now he has a C-Pap machine to aid in the proper breathing while he sleeps. He is still trying to get adjusted to the machine, but at least we know what is causing his insomnia. BTW, the reason why he couldn’t go to sleep is that as he was trying to go to sleep, he was being awakened by the sleep apnea. My best advice for insomnia….Get a sleep study done!
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CAP
March 25th, 2010
12:29 pm
I have had sleep issues every time I have tried to get off hormones. I tried for a year a few years back when the big controversy came up over the hormones…..to no avail! Miserable life to not be able to sleep! I tried everything in the book! NO, I did not have a sleep Apnea test done! Although I have friends who have! I am back off the hormones, trying one more time. I have to get up at 5:30am for work so if I do not sleep for at least two hours during the night it is needless to say a nightmare for me! I have been taking 1/2 Ambien, which I hate to do…..but what else can I do! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Every women except a handful that I talk to who are in there 50’s or 60’s are experiencing sleep problems. When I was on the hormones, no problem, slept like a baby! What a nightmare!
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nativeson71
March 25th, 2010
12:29 pm
I am tall and lean…6.2″ 175lbs.
I get cold sometimes…but I think it’s funny when fat people complain about being hot.
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syzito
March 25th, 2010
12:35 pm
You naturalist will fall for anything that comes along if you think it’s natural.I bet you all smell like a pack of mules.
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Sophyb
March 25th, 2010
4:51 pm
Yes and I think it’s HILARIOUS when skinny people are blue and shivering……har har.
My husband is very lean – works out every day, eats right, etc. He is always HOT, can’t wear sweaters at all, wears shorts in the winter and hates having a blanket on him at night. I think it’s his metabolism being all revved up. Whatever – it’s great having that furnace to cozy up to at night!
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MrLiberty
March 25th, 2010
8:30 pm
If you eat 3 times a day, you should poop 3 times a day. If you are not, you need to do something about it. Probiotics, enzymes, vitamins, and other supplements should be taken every day because those who consume cooked food lack the viable enzymes necessary for proper digestion and the vitamins that are all destroyed in the cooking process. Processed and dead cooked food all contribute to the death of the literally trillions of healthy digestive tract bacteria that we need, not just for good digestion, but for sound immune systems.
Eating the “right” things is only the beginning. Those things need to be raw and only plants. Anything else just robs your body of good health.
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kettlebell user
March 26th, 2010
11:40 pm
Amazing… all the people who have bad things to say about kettlebells who have never used them. Ignorance is apparently still very rampant in the good ol’ U.S. of A. Fad? Trend? The uninformed, parroting, cynical naysayers do so without ANY knowledge whatsoever of what a kettlebell is or its effectiveness. I have to wonder what the physiques are like of these big talkers. Anyone who has worked with a kettlebell (unlike you idiots who say it’s just a fad) will attest to the effectiveness of it. No, it is not the cure-all, end-all. It is simply another piece of equipment that will dramatically increase one’s fitness conditions and performance. But whatever… you guys who shoot down the kettlebell with ZERO knowledge about or experience with it are obviously either “larger than life” couch potatoes, or bulky can’t-scratch-my-back-to-save-my-life, water-logged (and maybe roids?) sarcoplasmic muscle heads who still do the same goofy workouts you did back in high school. Go back to your sissy, useless bicep curls. We gireviks (I bet you have no idea what that word means… go ahead… google it and fake it, like your workouts) will run circles around you in terms of real life functional strength and endurance. Don’t get me wrong… if you’re laying on your back and a car falls on you, I’m sure that bench press will really come in handy. I’m glad you guys think it’s a useless, trendy fad… then we don’t have to worry about you sissies ever coming anywhere NEAR our levels of physical fitness.
Well, hey. At least you’ll look real good with no neck and huge muscles that are build on sarcoplasm. (Go ahead. Google it. You know you want to. Well… I guess I shouldn’t assume that… you probably enjoy being ignorant and being part of the shallow club of followers.)
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Kat
March 28th, 2010
8:45 pm
Who are those kids? What’d they do to themselves? And how long ago?
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Joy Johnston
March 29th, 2010
11:08 am
@Kat: Per the caption, “Kirk Scheiwe (left) and John Moore (right) were treated at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for broken limbs after being in a car accident.” The photo is from 2003. Thanks for your inquiry.
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Debra
March 30th, 2010
8:08 pm
Dose cod liver oil reduce fatty tissues around the immune system?
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Janet M
March 31st, 2010
2:47 pm
After over 20 years of suffering with autoimmune problems and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, I was finally diagnosed with Celiac disease a couple of years ago. The long-term damage to my system was so pronounced that I have also developed allergies to casein and nuts. Needless to say, I’ve been desperate to find something that will help me “normalize” my system (to the greatest extent it can be), and cleanse it as well.
The Dr Max Powers 15 Day Cleanse was EXACTLY what I was looking for. Excellent, effective, and allergen-free. Two-a-day along with an allergen-free diet and my IBS is a thing of the past. Best of all–no prescription medication needed now! The price is pretty great, too.
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Ed
March 31st, 2010
3:11 pm
Don’t forget to also suggest adding Rice Bran Oil. Rice Oil has more antioxidants and vitamin E than olive and canola oils. Rice Oil contains Oryzanol, not found in other oils, which is a more powerful than vitamin E in fighting free radicals and can help lower cholesterol.
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Creegah
March 31st, 2010
8:09 pm
300 mg of Zyloprim everyday will prevent gout and kidney stones. Inexpensive and no side effects.
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Alice Louise Karow, Author of Cook from Your Heart
April 1st, 2010
3:58 am
It’s great to see such a collaboration between medicine and culinary arts! When I cooked for clients as a personal chef, I was amazed at how many people didn’t know how to cook – I wondered how they survived to adulthood! I’m happy to see the trend toward eating healthier which I’m hoping also means a trend toward more people truly enjoying cooking.
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Ken Leebow
April 1st, 2010
12:00 pm
It’s a little more complicated than that, but not much.
Ken Leebow
http://www.FeedYourHeadDiet.com
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Panda
April 1st, 2010
1:20 pm
Interesting. Never thought to ask about that though they’ve done blood workups for most of those things anyways and found none.
I’m not on the thin side, but I even keep a blanket at work – below about 73 and I start shivering, under 70 and my fingers are blue. Perhaps I should be moving to Florida or Texas. :-/
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Chad
April 1st, 2010
6:53 pm
There’s at least one study of NYC’s law that shows these things don’t have an impact, however, I tend to think more information is a good thing so that we as consumers/diners can make informed choices. I blogged about this recently:
http://www.reconstructingthirty.com/2010/03/16/fifty-freakin-pounds-and-calorie-counts-on-menus/
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Rodney S.
April 1st, 2010
9:33 pm
The government likes it when more people grovel for handouts. It helps them validate expansion AND it helps keep them in control. Helping people who actually need help is tertiary to politicians… hell, maybe not even that.
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Polytron/E2M Sucks
April 2nd, 2010
2:48 pm
“why not just give the kids some beer to calm them down? it helps me to think clearer. it should help them.”
I do that to, a little bit, if I need a nap and can’t go to sleep.
In Europe I’m sure it’s not a big deal but over here someone would probably have the SWAT team at your door for “child abuse” or “drugging your child.”
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Rob
April 2nd, 2010
2:57 pm
What you can eat, what you can smoke, what you can watch and listen to, what insurance you have to buy…inching closer and closer to a government run society. Why doesnt the government just turn to communism so that we have no choices at all and we eat, buy, and do exactly what the government wants us to do.
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Mr. Cow
April 2nd, 2010
3:23 pm
Eat-Mor-Chikin
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Derek
April 2nd, 2010
3:32 pm
Rob – this doesn’t specify what people can and can not eat. It provides more information. Perhaps if we have a better educated society people will make better food choices. There is no down side to this and Uncle Sam will not replace Ronald McDonald.
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Tommy
April 2nd, 2010
3:35 pm
Rob, What Derek said. We have a right to know what’s in what we’re eating – no one is stopping you from gorging on a Hardee’s triple death bacon burger – the FDA just wants people who seem to think this is a good health choice to at least have access to the facts, even if they opt to ignore them.
You also can pretty much watch and listen to whatever you want – I don’t see there being a lot of censorship on TV, in film, or on the radio – the ‘free speech’ your pals Rush and Glenn offer up is proof of that, wouldn’t you say?
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Fred
April 2nd, 2010
4:30 pm
Derek and Tommy, your “argument” is as weak as the Baptist one for prayer in school. See, they don’t want their children to pray, they want YOURS too whether you want them to or not. Same thing.
The calorie count of EVERY fast food place is easy to find. Every joint has a website and every website has a section called “Nutritional information.” If you are so worried, YOU go to the website and lok it up for YOURSELF. Don’t force the fast food places to buy new signs inside and out for every store they own because YOU are worried some fat chick doesn’t know that those super sized fries are going straight to her ass. She knows, she has seen her reflection. (or fat dude, same thing). Us fat people are fat because we WANT to be fat. When I’m on a diet I don’t head for a Super Slop burger with Monster sized fries dipped in extra grease and wash it down with a 5 gallon cup of sugar, I mean soft drink. here really is NOTHING healthy at a fast food restaurant, not even the salads. Don’t believe me? Go check any fast food places’ website and look how they glop the calories onto their salads………..
Also Tommy, where did we get this so called “right” to know what we are eating? YOU buy the crap don’t you? It’s not MY responsibility to inform YOU of the crap YOU choose to eat. Eat a dirty diaper for all I care…………….. THAT is your “right.” If you are too stupid and lazy to research the food that YOU put in YOUR body, how is that MY problem? And if i want to eat a super fat filled globular meal deal, why should I have to pay more because the company serving it has to put some stupid calorie count that if I cared about I would find out myself on every menu?
Man, I wish I had the sign concession for all these places though lol………..
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shaun
April 3rd, 2010
8:52 am
What the #$***%£
Are people actually still arguing and picking at this issue?
The solution always has been and always will be the same.
***Ronald McDonald to start offering healthy food without letting people know that it’s actually ‘healthy’.***
We already know that people don’t like change in the U.S. Look what’s happening to that British Chef right now (Jamie Oliver). He’s getting grilled and ripped to shreds by Americans for telling them to change their game up. All of the above solutions will not work. Anit or Pro Government.
Hail to healthy McD’s
Like that that meer-Kat from the advert states ”SIMPLES!!’
http://www.stayfitbug.com
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banned by cindy
April 3rd, 2010
9:53 am
The NY rep tried to ban salt in food. It’s called a slippery slope you bed-wetting dependent balless sheep.
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Beth Harbin
April 3rd, 2010
2:22 pm
Have you seen “Demolition Man”? In one part, the characters are eating at a restaurant and the main character (who was frozen years before and thawed recently) asks for salt. The reply . . . “No. Salt has been deemed bad for you, hence it’s illegal.” We’re getting there. Beth
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anti-gov't CONSERVATIVE
April 3rd, 2010
3:52 pm
THE FACT THAT MANY ADULTs look favorably on a NANNY STATE…is frightening….More gov’t in their lives don’t bother some Americans…FRIGHTENING…..very frightening
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PaigeZachsMom
April 3rd, 2010
7:26 pm
Peachcare is wonderful……unless you actually work for the state. The insurance offered by the state is wonderful…if you can afford it.. My ex-husband is responsible for the insurance for our child but becuase I work for the state ( making 14 dollars an hour) he can not be covered by Peachcare. I am SO SURE that OBAMA CARE WILL BE SO MUCH BETTER. You probably wont qualify if you voted Republican!!!
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Honey P.
April 4th, 2010
12:47 pm
I’ve tried lots of low-fat diets for a couple of years but none of them made me feel satisfied. Although, there are lots of diets,like Atkins diet but it’s making me feel weak and unhealthy. But when I tried Medifast Diet,i feel like I’m on the right kind of diet plan. It doesn’t make me feel weak.
The caloric intake is around 800-1000 calories.It’s a bit pricey, but there are lots of coupons available on the internet
Even if you don’t pay full price.You just have to choose a diet plan which your body reacts positively.No one knows your body better than you do…
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Greg
April 5th, 2010
10:05 am
I think it is great to get these nanny state arguments out on the table for all to see. I certainly agree that the role of government in our lives is something to be concerned about. Finding the right balance certainly involves some trial and error. Let’s consider the record, though. Requiring seat belts–mistake? Requiring passports for international travel–mistake? Banning smoking from restaurants–mistake? Traffic lights–mistake? Requiring car insurance–mistake? Grades in school–mistake? Electrical standards for homes–mistake? Food inspection–mistake? License plates on cars–mistake? State licenses for medical doctors–mistake? Lemon laws–mistake? Compatibility standards for the Internet, cell phones, wireless, etc.–mistake? Near as I can understand these arguments, Haiti is seen as a conservative paradise. Give us one country out of all those on earth that we can use as a model of the ideal conservative society? Again, I am not suggesting that mistakes are never made or that vigilance is not needed, but in most cases I look back and ask why government did not act quicker. The idea that children (and adults) would go into public places filled with known cancer causing tobacco smoke…why did we live that way? Sadly, we need protection from ourselves and each other. I welcome more on the conservative view. What past regulations were grievous errors not undone? What other nation gives us even a partial sense of the vast benefits of less government? What about our day-to-day lives convinces you that we would not promptly die without proper oversight?
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Josh
April 5th, 2010
12:34 pm
I’ll buy the item with the highest calories, because you get more food for your money that way!
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pete
April 6th, 2010
7:27 am
Iam glad to see my tax dollars go to hard working Americans that need it,rt now for they have paid in the same as everyone else that worked.I would think some of you should be thankful you have a job with the goverment since a lot of tax dollars have kept your jobs going,is that not spanking the hand that feeds you.
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Pls quit drinking the koolaid...
April 6th, 2010
7:56 am
…PaigeZachsMom….
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JB
April 6th, 2010
10:10 am
If we the people made sure that others had food, clothing, and housing then the state wouldn’t need to help these people. As long as we are willing to sit by and not help then the state will step in.
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douglasstearns
April 6th, 2010
11:50 am
the goverment needs stop begin in our lives so much!!
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Sandra Trinidad Lottati
April 6th, 2010
12:08 pm
Something to be mindful of is to encourage communities to not discard their cultural significance in their foodways and diet. Making modifications to the unhealthful aspects of their diet (i.e. fried foods, etc) will encourage adoption of these changes and recognize the value of their life experience and cultural fingerprint.
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David S
April 6th, 2010
12:27 pm
Government subsidies and other manipulations of the agriculture market are one of the prime reasons for the lower cost of most junk food. Massive corn subsidies combined with tarrifs on imported sugar are the key reason for the replacement of natural sugar with toxic, diabetes-causing high fructose corn syrup and other refined corn products.
Government actions fixing problems they caused. Never happened, never will.
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Alexis
April 9th, 2010
4:03 am
Hm… i think there are too many contributing factors
when determining a bra size for this chart to be accurate.
I have been measured multiple times as a D cup, sometimes even a DD depending on the make of bra, yet this chart suggests i am a B?
The rest of the information was very helpful thankyou.
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Bhante Wajirabuddhi, GBV
April 9th, 2010
7:46 pm
Gautama Buddha is the founder of the Vipassana (mindful meditation); that really helps to overcome physical and mental sufferings, specially, sorrow, lamentation peace and harmony,and much more. There are many resources to learn and practice of Mindful meditation, the best recommendation to learn of Mindful meditation is “Satipatthana Sutta” In Majjima Nikyaka.
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msoori
April 9th, 2010
10:20 pm
There is a meditation center in Georgia as well. They offer 10 day courses http://www.dhamma.org/
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bigguy
April 14th, 2010
7:42 pm
Who cares? Bring me the KFC DOUBLE DOWN!!!!!
Oh yeah, FIRST!!!!
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dawgmom
April 14th, 2010
9:36 pm
Faced with a health issue five years ago, I did extensive research and learned about good fats/bad fats, good carbs/bad carbs, etc. The biggest factor was Omega-3s. When it comes to farm raised vs. wild on any fish, here’s what I found — farm raised are given “feed” that diminishes the impact of Omega-3 whereas wild is extremely high. If at all possible, go for the wild! As for mercury contamination, my research showed that the larger the fish, the higher the risk — whether wild or farm raised. Just my two cents.
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MOT
April 15th, 2010
6:50 am
So, with such important info….we now need some quick, easy tasty recipes and menus built around this, and helping us incorprate them into our busy lives so we can become healthier!
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cb
April 15th, 2010
10:38 am
Buy a cookbook.
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Bacchus
April 15th, 2010
10:40 am
Pan-sear both sides of a salmon (season with olive oil, sea salt, pepper) filet for 2-3 min and bake in the oven for 10 for a perfect fish. I also grill it on a cedar plank. Perfect every time and guests love it.
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Becky
April 15th, 2010
1:36 pm
How about mentioning the health benefits gained by eating grass fed beef which is also naturally high in omega 3 and low in saturated fats? My understanding is grass fed beef is actually higher in omega 3 than farmed fish. That could be the next article regarding this fatty acid.
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Smokewagon
April 15th, 2010
2:31 pm
Since I had a health problem (heart) in 2005 we have made grilled salmon and grilled vegetables a staple in our home for at least one meal a week. Salmon is now my “steak” and I love it. It also seems to improve blood sugar levels for my wife and myself. I usually season it with olive oil, thyme, and crushed red pepper but also like it with cajun seasoning and lemon. Perfect every time.
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Whatever
April 16th, 2010
3:20 pm
I’m gonna eat a Double Down….Salmon Style!!!! LOL
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Steffan Lozinak
April 17th, 2010
5:19 pm
As they say, everything in moderation. I personally am a Vegan, so eggs are not a question for me, though I feel as long as you are not eating 3+ per meal, they are probably healthy. It’s all a matter of being in touch with your body.
http://www.silvercensus.com
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Ole Guy
April 18th, 2010
9:11 pm
It’s wonderful that the AJC, and public-oriented folks such as Ms. O’Neil, write excellent articles like this. However, I personally believe the vast majority of folks out there are simply too damn lazy to even, well, give a damn…the masses, in spite of well-meaning messages, are more-intent on their candidacy for the Darwin Award.
That being said…thank you, Ms. O’Neil, for an excellent article.
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Ole Guy
April 18th, 2010
9:21 pm
One continues to marvel at the fact that mankind has somehow managed to survive without garnering so much “interest” from the government…that entity which was Our Government. When we were hungry, we ate, when thirsty, we drank. Meanwhile, OUR GOVERNMENT had the time and inclination to go about the business of governing. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?
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Nancy
April 19th, 2010
3:23 am
why is all this from feb 09 it is april 2010. wondering if anyone out there uses effexor and cipralex or some other combo that works, i used prozac and it worked well but i stopped it due to side affects and now effexor takes the edge off but i need something else, i hike swim walk work listen to music socialize but still need something else what???
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Carl Stine
April 20th, 2010
7:07 pm
There is not a salt shaker in my house but it is none of the federal goverments buisness what anyone eats. Cut off the funds to these idiots and save a lot money. This is one thing tax dollare should not even get close to.
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Gail
April 20th, 2010
8:30 pm
If the government wants to do something to truly help the health of our country,then they need to ban cigarettes. But they’re not ABOUT to do that, because we’ve got too many politicians who are in the tobaco industry’s back pocket.
The government needs to stay out of my business. If my blood pressure starts to rise, then I’ll get rid of my salt. But until then, they can kiss my patootie.
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Chad
April 20th, 2010
8:39 pm
I totally support the efforts as part of the Health Care Reform Act to require restaurants to disclose their nutritional information. I think making sure consumers have information to make a good decision is great. Regulating how much of an ingredient a restaurant or food manufacturer can put into a particular food is very different, though. I say make sure people have the information on what they’re eating, but let them choose what goes into their body and what doesn’t.
http://www.reconstructingthirty.com
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Steve
April 20th, 2010
8:50 pm
100% behind this. This should have been done over a decade ago.
Now, if they will just take the salt shakers off every table in the US then it will get even better. At the very least I won’t have to worry about the addicts that want to add MORE salt to tortilla chips without asking eveyrone else at the table. Maybe I should start pouring ketchup over the chips without asking them and see if they like it.
There is a big difference betweening being able to police the salt restrictions and being able to ban cigs by the way. Cigs will just go underground and become like alcohol in the past, or other drugs now. That would be costly to police, and very costly in human lives when it becomes a black market issue. A cheaper idea would probably be to hit every person caught smoking with a stay in jail until they pay off a fine. It would fund our roads, schools, police and fire forces for decades.
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Food Police « Thatsmycrap.com – Fun Crap – Sports, Girls, Humor, Videos, Cool Gadgets
April 20th, 2010
9:17 pm
[...] week advisors to the FDA recommended that they regulate salt in our diets. You’d think the government would have better things to do than to tell us fatties what to eat. [...]
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Johns Creek Resident
April 20th, 2010
9:51 pm
Sure, why not? If I have to pay for some else’s health care, I will support the salt police, the soda police, the fast food police, the obesity police, the anti-smoking police, the seat belt police and all the other “big brothers” that will make sure your “bad habits” don’t cost me money to pay for your health care.
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Lindy
April 20th, 2010
9:52 pm
If they really want to do something to improve people’s health, get rid of all the pharmaceutical drugs that people are snarfing down like candy and get the FDA out of bed with the drug companies. I’m sick of big gov worrying about my salt shaker while they turn a blind eye to the multi-billion dollar drug industry. If people are concerned about salt content, read the food labels and refuse to buy high salt food (if that’s what floats your boat). Personally, I want to keep big Daddy out of my pantry.
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Johns Creek Resident
April 20th, 2010
9:56 pm
I thought we were all eligible for Medicaid now that health reform has passed? Isn’t it true that 15 million of the 30 million uninsured who will now be insured will be insured by Medicaid? I hope I am in that group.
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MrLiberty
April 20th, 2010
10:04 pm
John’s Creek Resident makes my point for me. This is exactly what happens when you allow the government to steal your money and take over control of medical care. Bloomberg too is using the excuse that NYC has to pay too much in medical care costs so they are going to ban added salt in all restaurants. I assume that his comments are tongue in cheek on the creep of totalitarianism under the guise of forced socialism, but this is the inevitable result.
Steve of course is just a totalitarian and obviously has little enough to worry about in his own life that now he wants to spend time worrying about everyone else’s. He of course fails to understand both economics and human nature but certainly has little respect for freedom, liberty, or anything else that used to be valued in this country. Why he is not living in China or other such repressive regime is a mystery. Maybe he gets off on watching people’s rights be violated and a society that has been lacking in rights for so long just isn’t as amuzing.
If the government stopped subsidizing the food industry, stopped promoting the agenda’s of every food industry lobbyiest, etc. then real food might better be able to compete on price at the market and the natural trend might be away from these unhealty products. The free market and liberty are much better problem solvers than totalitarianism and resulting black markets.
Salt was once money it is so imporant to life itself. I guess as the dollar gets destroyed by the Federal Reserve, it is only natural that government go after gold, silver, salt, and anything else with more intrinsic value than a worthless piece of green printed paper.
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Gator Actual
April 20th, 2010
10:35 pm
I agree with most everyone here. This is starting to get to be the “fad” of the month. This month salt, next month ice chewing, where does it stop? And has anyone ever noticed that the people who are telling you how to stay healthy are the 30-40 year old doctors and the people who live to be 100 smoke, drink and eat salt?
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W
April 20th, 2010
10:42 pm
Lindy…the point is that people don’t read the labels. When “bid daddy” is kept out of your pantry it leads to a nation where a third of its citizens are either obese or morbidly obese, and more than half are overweight. People make terrible decisions about their health because they’re allowed to. Fat people should be taxed, or sent to a gulag and forced to perform manual labor until they shrink down to a suitable weight.
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DT
April 20th, 2010
10:50 pm
I don’t think the government has any right telling what you can do with your body. If you want to screw your body up that should be your business but you also need to take personel responsibility for your doctor bills. We have too many people in this country that thinks the government should control our lives from cradle to grave. That’s kind of like slavery isn’t it? Take responsibility for your own lives and not let someone else tell how to live your life.
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Swearengen
April 20th, 2010
11:39 pm
I drink ice water all day and the doc said I need to consume more salt. Sure you can add salt with a shaker but as any chef will tell you, it’s not the same when it’s seasoned into the food in stages.
The FDA has no damn business telling anyone how much salt can be used. It’s the consumers decision.
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Swearengen
April 20th, 2010
11:42 pm
Oh, blood tests show I have dangerously low sodium levels and that’s why my doctor said I need more salt.
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BenFranklin
April 21st, 2010
12:18 am
YOU CAN TAKE OUR SALT, BUT YOU’LL NEVER TAKE OUR FREEDOM!!
Maybe the govt will start with the Kosher salt, since the regime seems to have beef with Israel. Then they can get the rock salt to combat climate change. Finally, they will ban the ocean, since it is salty, too. Don’t forget salt licks, since cow flatulence causes global warming!
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stw
April 21st, 2010
4:21 am
What happens when the sex police feel you’ve had too much sex for a month? Do they take the offending organ away? That’s the epitome of gov’t intervention !!
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G.L.
April 21st, 2010
7:38 am
I think it’s a good idea if they regulate the amount of salt in processed foods. Some people are forced to feed their families 4 for a $1 canned fruits and vegetables from the Value Mart due to their budget. And, if you read the label on canned foods, you’ll see that they are high in sodium. The gov’t isn’t going to take away your salt shakers, so you can season your foods as you want. However, it will help millions of people that don’t have a lot of dietary choices reduce their risk of hypertension and heart-related ailments.
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lou
April 21st, 2010
7:40 am
I have an idea that has never been tried by any politician-ever. Leave us alone!
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Jess
April 21st, 2010
7:56 am
I completely agree with you, G.L. Most are missing the point here, if they actually think Big Gov is going to take away their salt shakers. Hyperbole? Or just poor reading comprehension? My father had a stroke and can only have a tiny amount of salt, and we have the HARDEST time finding foods that aren’t completely over the top with their salt content. You want the poorer population to be healthier so you don’t have to pay for their healthcare? Then make the only food they can afford a little better for them. Geez, people sure are crabby about their sodium.
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Morton
April 21st, 2010
7:59 am
I say a big “NO” to big brother. I am already personally aware of health issues and a health conscious person however education would be a nice touch. Spend a few dollars on advertising but stay the heck out of my personal business. Ultimately the decision should rest with me.
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srw
April 21st, 2010
7:59 am
I would like government controls to diminish NOT increase. How about allowing us to live our lives without being told how. Golly, what a concept
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Dan
April 21st, 2010
8:00 am
It is completely inane, and anyone having a hard time finding food with out salt is either full of it or an idiot, there are options everywhere! and I don’t want to hear about expensive “fresh food” go to the farmers market or by frozen which is just as cheap as canned. It is called LAZY when folks complain about it
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lulu
April 21st, 2010
8:05 am
I agree, G.L. It is incredibly difficult to find low-sodium foods, and they are often considered “special diet” foods and are more expensive. And so often there is NO reason for these foods to be so heavily salted, especially vegetables. It’s sad when the healthy food is just as bad for you as the junk food … and everyone wonders why so many people are fat!
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lulu
April 21st, 2010
8:07 am
Dan, I think you’re a little out of touch with the reality of food cost and availability. Just because those options are available to you does not mean they are available to everyone.
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Micheal
April 21st, 2010
8:07 am
In a word…No. This is more big progressive government trying to tell me how to live my life for the greater good of society, or some form of social justice. The only thing I ask from my government is to keep me safe from foreign attacking enemies, and then to let me live my life, raise my kids, run my business, worship, travel, and pretty much anything under the sun — as I see fit and without government interference.
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neal kelley
April 21st, 2010
8:07 am
Salt!!!!!! FIX THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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thomas r carter
April 21st, 2010
8:16 am
Of course they should step in. Right now only a handful of profit makers taking the easy way out to make flavor in their product and who take no responsibility for the effects should not be left in control. Of salt is regulated then people’s appetite and intake of salt will drop. If the food processors still want to compete on flavor then maybe they will improve the quality of their products.
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Jim
April 21st, 2010
8:24 am
Mark Twain once said, “Most people can’t read the handwriting on the wall until their backs are up against it.” People with bad habits such as eating the wrong foods, smoking, lack of exercise, et al, are not going to change just because the government legislates against poor behaviors. We should not waste not even one dime of taxpayer dollars on “salt” legislation regardless of the government’s good intentions. People who eat healthy do not need the aggravation; people who abuse salt will someday read the handwriting on the wall. The consequences of their poor choices might (small chance) incent them to influence the loved ones they leave behind. But government intervention – we might as well start a “cash for salt shakers” program.
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Atlanta Native
April 21st, 2010
8:24 am
The numbers are on the boxes. What else is needed? If people are too ignorant to read them, fix the schools.
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Moderate
April 21st, 2010
8:25 am
Methinks Steve woke up in the wrong country this morning. Sure, we need to eat less salt, less fat, fewer carbs. But it’s a personal choice. And as a country we’re making progress. We need less government intervention, not more.
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RK
April 21st, 2010
8:29 am
Salt isn’t the problem — sodium in prepared foods is. Cook.
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Tosh
April 21st, 2010
8:30 am
Salt is a huge issue in American diest. It leads to increased blood pressure, increased occirence of strokes and heart attacks; however the governments job is not to police the public on how much salt they should eat. The belts in Washington are tight from not only salt, and increased fat intake but from their wads of cash they are making off fat Americans with health problems. Its just another way to meddle in peoples lives. If they want to solve some eating habits lets start feeding our kids in public schools less processed foods and increase fresh produce and whole grains. Oh wait…that would cost too much money right? Better to try to change grown adults who can make their own decisions than set the standard early for our future leaders by teaching them how to eat healthy early on.
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California Native
April 21st, 2010
8:39 am
I think that this is a very good idea. we really need to start eating right and this will definitely increase that chance……. all th people that are against this idea are probably FAT!!!!
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BenFranklin
April 21st, 2010
8:42 am
It’s SALT!!!! So would the govt just regulate sodium chloride (table salt), or would they go after some other fun salts too, such as sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), calcium carbonate (chalk), or calcium chloride (road salt)? Next thing you know, the govt will try to regulate carbon dioxide and make us wear CO2 breathalyzers.
Fed govt (congress) should just function for 3 months out of the year like the GA assembly. Maybe that would keep them focused and out of my salt shaker.
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Greensboro
April 21st, 2010
8:47 am
Salt? I workout almost every day and sweat like a fountain. I love salt. It is a natural cleansing agent and sweating is a great way to remove impurities from the body.
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ron
April 21st, 2010
8:49 am
Salt is not the problem in America. It’s Washington D.C.
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cruzinfree
April 21st, 2010
8:55 am
Limiting salt intake is just the beginning of the government controlling you. When the health care plan kicks in, your personal choice freedoms will be ripped away. Every part of your life will be dictated to by the federal government. American’s voted for change, here it is.
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Bob
April 21st, 2010
8:57 am
Cali native, 48 and in great shape. Why is it the more we have forced on us as far as labeling of foods, the more fat people we have. Fast food outlets list calories and so do many others but when fatass kids play video games instead of playing outside and we pay people to sit around their homes through welfare, people get fat. This is another area that responsible people are being dictated to because of lazy slobs. The gov distributes and taxes tobacco and alcohol and turns a blind eye to the effects of those because of the revenue generated. If gov wants to take away bad things, lets start with the things that kill the fastest. I can go to dinner, drink booze and drive home possibly killing someone and liberals are whining about salt. How many hwy deaths are the result of someone consuming to much salt ? How about forcing gov aid recipients to eat well and take drug tests then weigh in every three months. Liberals say that poor people are only fat because eating healthy is expensive and that is bull. That is the group that has plenty of time to go for a walk.
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GotGator
April 21st, 2010
9:00 am
X -> NaCl = BS
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Egghead
April 21st, 2010
9:02 am
It’s funny how many people won’t eat eggs due to cholesterol, but can’t wait to get their daily cheeseburger & fry combo at the local drive-thru.
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CPT
April 21st, 2010
9:06 am
Nobody is arguing that eating less salt is a bad idea. The disagreement is a fundamental difference in what people feel is the appropriate role of the federal government. Where do we stop when it comes to government regulating our lifestyle? If you don’t like the salt content in a can of food, then buy something else.
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MarkH
April 21st, 2010
9:09 am
Salt is just too familiar. We would howl for fines, prison sentences, and FDA regulation if we caught a food processor adding a flavor enhancing chemical with an unpronounceable name to their products that would cause heart disease in a quarter of their consumers.
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Kar
April 21st, 2010
9:16 am
I think that it’s neccessary unfortunately due to the wide-spread over application of salt in almost every food service/production area.
Basically it’s almost impossible to have a low sodium diet eating processed foods. The hidden sodium count invalidate even so called “health food” stores for healthy options.
For restaurants it’s especially hard because unlike grocery shopping, you don’t have the knowledge to make decisions. Frankly, I’ve also found high sodium to often be the result of lazy chefs and lazy palates.
Of course you still have the option to pour half a salt shaker on your food if you want, but it’s impossible to take it out if it’s already there. Just as you have the option not to eat meat, gluten or fatty foods. However, when you can’t even find frozen or canned veggies without a high sodium content, it’s indicative of the consumer not having much choice.
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joe
April 21st, 2010
9:33 am
Absa-freakin-lutely. If you go to the web sites of restaurants who post their nutritional info, you’ll be floored by the amount of salt or sodium listed. The FDA says about 2300 mg’s per day is okay, but most restaurants have more than that in a lot of their meals. It doesn’t have as much to do with how much salt you shake on to your food at the table, it is mostly about how much is used in the preparation of the food. How else could a salad with chicken added have over 1000 mg’s?
Being a Libertarian, I’m for keeping the government out of everything, but I will make an exception in this case with the FDA because restaurants and chefs don’t seem to be able to make those cuts on their own…same with the food processing companies who make grocery items.
I’ve decided to cut all fast food out, not because of fat, but because of the high salt counts. Only one ‘fast food’ chain had decent numbers (low numbers) of salt use…Steak N Shake…go figure.
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David S
April 21st, 2010
10:21 am
Joe, you are NO libertarian.
Consumers need to exercise their power of the purse, their direct feedback to owners and the like. There is absolutely NO role for government in this except to address fraud or force. If someone is claiming a certain amount of salt and is inaccurate, that is fraud. If there are no claims or they will not tell you and you are concerned, either demand an answer or don’t patronize the business.
Maybe you need to improve your education on what a libertarian actually believes before you claim to be one.
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David S
April 21st, 2010
10:44 am
First lets review how the market is supposed to work. You do NOT have a right to any specific product or service. Producers of products and services have as their goal to meet your needs and obtain money in return for that exchange. To the extent that they can meet your needs, they win. When your needs are met, you win.
Virtually everyone on this blog acknowledges that packaged, processed, and restaurant food is too high in salt. So why are you buying any of it? There is an entire produce section of the market with outstanding fruits and vegetables in their native form the way god/mother nature made them. They have all the sodium, potassium, trace minerals, etc. that they need and you can add other stuff if you like when you prepare them (although eating them raw would be the best for you). If the consumption of processed, packaged, and restaurant food plummetted because everyone stopped buying it until the salt content was reduced, these businesses would get the message. Many companies currently offer reduced salt versions of their products. This was in response to customer demand.
Instead of being good consumers, you are good whiners. You demand that government violate the rights and freedoms of others because you are unwilling to sit down at your computer or desk and write a letter to the owners of the companies that don’t serve your needs. You won’t even give up your favorite restaurant or packaged food product in favor of a healthier alternative because it is easier to demand that the government force these businesses to change on YOUR behalf. How unbelievably selfish of you all.
By not exercising your rights and your responsibilities as consumers, you have allowed the government and even demanded that the government stick its nose into virtually every aspect of everything in all of our lives.
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Ken Leebow
April 21st, 2010
10:47 am
A funny thing happens if you voluntarily reduce your salt intake. After a few weeks, you can taste the heavy dose of salt that is in processed food and at restaurants. Recently, I was at a national steak restaurant and found it difficult to eat the entree…it was loaded with salt.
So, you don’t need the government to assist with this. Just take it out of your diet for a few weeks and you won’t miss it.
By the way, that applies to sugar too.
Ken Leebow
http://www.FeedYourHeadDiet.com
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John Yarbrough
April 21st, 2010
11:17 am
David S – yours is the most cogent and well written comment here today. Please add my name to your post.
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cruzinfree
April 21st, 2010
11:48 am
Joe – You need to understand what a Libertarian is and what their government beliefs are. A true Libertarian ” you ain’t “.
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Bob
April 21st, 2010
12:00 pm
Your body needs sodium to function. Cut back some, but never ban salt. Sodium and Potassium is important to our bodys, especially when it’s hot and you sweat.
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wagnert in atlanta
April 21st, 2010
12:19 pm
This legislation is absolutely necessary. We are poisoning the raw material for Soylent Green.
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pj
April 21st, 2010
12:28 pm
Yes. I haven’t used for anything for many years since starting on Blood Pressure meds. You lose your taste for it – it ruins food for me now. Also, a nurse told me you can carry up to 20 pounds of waterweight, so cutting out salt will most likely cause an immediate and permanent weight loss, which is better for your health anyway. All that pressure on your system is not good. I can tell that some people I know are just in the habit of “reaching for the salt shaker.” It’s good to be aware of it in chips, etc., and eat those things minimally too.
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no salt for you!
April 21st, 2010
12:28 pm
Waaaah waaaaah, sniff sniff! The government is taking your salt away! Well, too bad, whiners. How about they start charging all you unhealthy fools a premium on health care instead, so that the rest of us don’t have to subsidize your poor choices? If you don’t like it, add more salt at your dinner table. The real down side is that the rest of us may have to listen to you whiners for a few more years as you live longer–boo hoo for us!
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Janice
April 21st, 2010
12:40 pm
It shouldn’t take the government to tell people that they are making unhealthy food choices. We need to be more responsible for what we consume. If they government wants to help, regulate the cost of healthy food choices (fruit, vegetables) so that people can afford to buy what’s better for them. There are many people struggling financially and all they can afford is high-sodium canned goods, fast food, etc.
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Dan
April 21st, 2010
12:43 pm
Sorry Lulu I shop almost every day I am not out of touch with the costs at all, eating bad is lazy not cheap period
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Dan
April 21st, 2010
12:47 pm
David S does sum it up nicely, it’s actually quite sad that people think so little of theirself and others that they feel it necessary for the government to step in and dictate what can be remedied by a little self control.
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Bridgett
April 21st, 2010
12:56 pm
Every week it’s, “the government wants to change this, the government wants to change that…” How about “WE THE PEOPLE, want to change our government!”
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The Duchess
April 21st, 2010
1:43 pm
Well…it would be a benefit to me since I’m limited on the amount of salt I should consume. However, as one reader said, are they going to ban cigarettes too…or anything else that is detrimental to one’s health? At the end of the day, we are responsible for eating right and exercising. (But thans gov’t for helping me! LOL)
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CountryBlonde
April 21st, 2010
1:47 pm
I rarely use salt, but considering that some studies say that only ten percent of the population are affected to start with, it would seem to me that the administration’s money and attention could be better spent in helping folks that actually need it!
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The Duchess
April 21st, 2010
1:47 pm
I want to add…whoever thinks that eating ‘healthy’ is cheaper…you are sadly mistaken. It cost MORE to purchase food in the grocery story that is ‘better’ for you. Cheap food, full of preservatives is dang near 3/$1.00. This is know is true!!!
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Dan
April 21st, 2010
1:54 pm
Duchess it is very possible to buy good food almost as cheap, the main problem is you have to do more than toss it in the microwave. But even so, the price difference can more than be made up for with a few less premium cable channels and wearing keds instead of Nikes, to blame bad eating on cost is 100% cop out.
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America = China??
April 21st, 2010
1:56 pm
This is a bad idea!! Since when is it the Governments responsibility to slap my hand at the dinner table when I reach for the salt shaker? I personally couldn’t care less if there is a salt shaker available or not. Pepper is a different story. Try to take my pepper and the government will pull back a nub. We live in a society where we allow perverts to post where little kids are having functions and people can sell videos of dogs fighting, but salt is the hot button topic? Too much government is never a good thing.
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Adam J.
April 21st, 2010
2:03 pm
The dose makes the poison. There are many substances included in the products that everyday Americans consume that can be dangerous to a person’s health. That’s why we monitor the toxicity levels of products in this country. Botulism in canned food can kill you if you eat it, but a low concentration of the same toxin (Botox) can smooth away your wrinkles.
The issue with salt is no different. Salt isn’t ALL-good or ALL-bad, but a lifetime spent overdosing on salt will be markedly shorter than a lifetime spent wisely monitoring it.
If you want the Big Government to leave you alone, get ready for your childrens’ toys to be painted with lead paint and laced with arsenic. Poisons are everywhere, they just vary in terms of their lethal dose.
The dose makes the poison. Nix the salt.
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AmericanMedicalAssociation
April 21st, 2010
2:08 pm
Excess sodium greatly increases the chance of developing hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. Research shows most Americans consume two to three times the amount of sodium that is healthy, with about three quarters or it coming from processed and restaurant foods. With stats like that it’s no wonder cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death in the U.S. The AMA has urged a reduction in the amount of sodium in processed foods since 2006. Lowering the amount of sodium in processed foods is an important step toward a healthier America.
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cruzinfree
April 21st, 2010
2:16 pm
I’m with Bridget. Let’s change the government. If people want to shorten their life span, they have that right. The government needs to stay out of my business. That is how the framers of the constitution intended it to be.
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HealthATL
April 21st, 2010
2:23 pm
All the big brother comments are totally correct. BUT I’d like to ask about BIG CORP America. The American people have been sold a false bill of goods that life is better in a drive through window. That everything needs to be fast and easy. We have learned that the fast and easy lifestyle is a killer.
If we still had any morals and ethics left in corporate America when we wouldn’t need the salt police. That just isn’t the case and we need someone – even big brother – to step in and stop a few really bad people from killing everyone else and lying about it.
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Louie Camero
April 21st, 2010
3:05 pm
No I don’t support anyone who trys to tell or control people how to eat, live, act, believe, or whatever regardless of how noble it might seem. If I want to set myself on fire and dance around my back yard, then I’m going to do it. If people want to dictate my life, you might as well go ahead and kill me, because I will fight to the death to be free from Tyranny. So if I want to overload my body and have a massive heart attack so be it, it’s better than living to 90 when I’ll have to wear diapers again and having to have someone change it.
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common sense
April 21st, 2010
3:26 pm
We regulate lead in water, BPA in bottles, why not this? When markets fail (i.e. Americans have some of the worst health in the industrialized world), its time for someone to help us out, becuase we are not doing it on our own.
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mimi
April 21st, 2010
4:19 pm
This is not a move to ban salt. It is an attempt to gradually reduce the amount of salt that processors/manufacturers ADD to “food.” Anyone is free to add as much salt when they cook or eat these prcessed or manufactured foods as they wish. Consumers cannot, however, remove salt from these products and MANY people, for health or taste reasons, do not want salty food.
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David S
April 21st, 2010
4:44 pm
Lead, BPA, PCB’s and other similar things are toxins. Their presence in stuff like drinking water generally represents a violation of someone else’s property rights (pollution). Salt voluntarily added and voluntarily consumed is a choice. Where did you go to school. This is not LOGIC, it is absurdity. There is no comparison. As well, it should not be up to the government to decide what is an acceptable level of pollution. Any pollution is a violation and the person who’s rights have been violated should be the decider as to what is acceptable, including ZERO.
As for it will never happen, while salt may be necessary for life, sodium is available from other sources to sustain life, just like other minerals. Table salt could easily be banned. Nobody every could have conceived of alcohol prohibition but that stupidity passed 3/4ths of the state houses to become a constitutional amendment. So please don’t trust the government to not go that far.
As for the AMA, they also supported the use of cannabis/hemp up until it was taken from the market with the stroke of a pen. Now they oppose its use. Take their political agenda with a grain of salt (couldn’t resist the pun).
Plenty of wonderful, helpful, beneficial substances are not longer available to the general public even if they wish to use them only on themselves and harm nobody else. That’s the way our so-called free society now works.
The fight for freedom is in every moment. Freedom lost, can almost never be regained. Trust me, banning salt is on somebody’s agenda.
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BJ
April 21st, 2010
4:49 pm
I have always felt that most canned/processed foods are way too salty. It will be nice to have less sodium in our foods.
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David S
April 21st, 2010
4:51 pm
We are all indoctrinated into the food pyramid. It has changed over the years from being almost exclusively full of vegetables and fruits with little or no animal products to the meat and dairy heavy pyramid of my youth to the crazy but slightly better thing it is today. It is designed by the USDA to reflect the political agenda of the industries the agency “regulates.” To even suggest that what we have is a failed free market is to suggest that we have a free market in food. Ever since the Supreme court decided during the Roosevelt administration that a farmer growing grain on his own land for his own family’s consumption could be regulated by the federal government (this was the flood gate moment for you folks who wonder just how the Commerce Clause was taken this far)there has been no freedom in food in this country.
If american’s were forced to be responsible for their own health and the costs of maintaining it, we would see a change. Until then, things like these will be used as just another excuse to control the population and promote the political agendas of special interests.
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David S
April 21st, 2010
4:57 pm
Also to another point. Processed food is “cheaper” because many of its worst ingredients are subsidized by the federal government with your tax dollars. So assuming you pay taxes, you are paying more for much of that than you see at the checkout stand. The biggest receiver of subsidies is the horrible corn sweetener and refined corn products industry. High Fructose corn syrup benefits both from direct subsidies to corn producers but also by extremely high taxes and tarrifs on sugar that make the use of HFCS cheaper than the use of sugar. While sugar is no prize, your body knows what to do with it, while the unrecognizable HFCS is being found to be responsible for diabetes and other metabolic conditions due to its foreign nature in your body.
Government at work again. First they cause a problem then propose another failure of a solution to address the first problem then another for the next problem etc. all justifying their existence and their continued taxation and spending on their “solutions” to problems they caused in the first place.
Love to see how much crime and blackmarket activity results from this assault on salt (again, couldnt’ resist the sort-of pun).
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Elisa Sheridan
April 21st, 2010
5:05 pm
Oh my. I have had the same symptons on and off. I do take vitamin B-6 (100mm)I would sometimes take 3 a day in addition to a multi-vitamin. I did find that vit B-6 would help me to not feel moody. I could not explan why I was having the numbness in my hands, neck pain and shoulder and back as well as numbness in my feet. The B-6 vitamin I would take perdiodically and these symptoms do appear periodically. The pain and numbness was really starting to worry me. I will stop taking it immediately.
I have also noticed that everytime I take calcium, I suffer from the weirdest feeling in my head. My head feels really clouded and a lot of dizziness. I had stopped taking calcium a long time ago. I will see my doctor about getting the blood test. Thank you so much.
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David S
April 21st, 2010
5:28 pm
Looking at some of these responses, it is not hard to understand why there is no personal responsibility and an ever dimishing amount of freedom in this country. Some people just can’t handle either, and certainly don’t want their fellow citizens to have any.
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HM
April 21st, 2010
8:01 pm
Just what we need; more of the “Nannny State” intruding into our personal lives. The Founding Fathers must surely be spinning in their graves!
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zy
April 21st, 2010
8:31 pm
Cigarettes in China are only taxed 40 cents a pack. One has more freedom there to eat drink and smoke what one wants to.
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Dianne
April 21st, 2010
10:12 pm
The Government need to STAY OUT OF OUR PANTRY AND OUR LIVES!! show me in the constitution where it says they need to limit our salt intake-pleeeaase!
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Roscoelette
April 21st, 2010
11:27 pm
I will be the one deciding how much salt to use. I do not need the government making that decision for me. In fact, it’s crazy.
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Oh Bother
April 21st, 2010
11:32 pm
Yet one more way that the government wants to regulate our lives. It is not up to the government to dictate the amount of sodium we can ingest. The government does not want people to be responsible for their own lives.
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Oh Bother
April 21st, 2010
11:33 pm
Oh, and by the way, I don’t use a lot of salt – by choice.
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Independent
April 22nd, 2010
6:51 am
Ban the salt shakers in restaurants. Then ban the chairs so fat folks have less time to eat. Move on to the parking lots and ban them as well, make those folks walk to and from restaurants. While you’ve opened the doors to the government nannies, ban inefficient wait staff, create regulations for restaurant hours, ratios of restaurants to persons in specific areas, ban alcohol sales in restaurants since alcohol is a health detriment, and maybe through in a ban of children under the age of 12 in all eating establishments just for good measure. Give your life over to government for those that have no desire to make good decisions for yourself.
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You only think you have choice
April 22nd, 2010
7:43 am
This is a riot to read! For those esposing individual liberty, I share it! And in fact, always have a vegetable garden and yep determine how much salt ( not much) and how much pepper ( a whole lot ) I put on it.
However when you talk about the grocery store – you talk about lies and deceit in labeling what is healthy – and in fact it is getting tougher to find healthy items – so I don’t think we have the freedom of choice that everyone thinks we have.
Therefore Government should provide oversight and guidelines – we can pull our salt shaker out and dump a load more on any food that we feel is less salty due to government regulation. Let your hearts thump wildly.
One that does that irritate though – I sometimes would like a bottle of wine to compliment a meal and being a busy person, sometimes find myself on Sunday truly without options – Jesus drank wine on Saturday and Sunday why can’t we?
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stw
April 22nd, 2010
8:15 am
Absolutely. And the sex police, and the cola police, and the light bulb police, and the water police, and the television police, and the refrigerator police, and the sugar police, and the police police, etc.
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Doris M
April 22nd, 2010
8:41 am
If people want to eat salty foods and smoke nasty cigarettes, let them. The government should not tell them what they can or cannot do with their personal health issues. However, make them PAY for it. Tax cigarettes to the nth degree. Somehow, find a way to tax the salty items.
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Julia
April 22nd, 2010
8:57 am
No, I don’t support this. I salt everything and have always had low blood pressure, low everything on medical tests. What a joke to target salt when legal activities like smoking and drinking alcohol contribute to so many serious health issues.
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Red
April 22nd, 2010
9:49 am
Leave my Salt alone – the government has no business in the kitchen. they have already ruined most of the foods in the grocery store anyway by removing the Trans Fats, adding hormones, radiating them, etc.- have you noticed that food doesn’t taste like anything now. It’s totally bland. I cook a lot, but for those who can’t because of illness, age, lack of knowledge or they just don’t like to cook, etc. leave us alone – my tax money is already being spent on too much stuff that I don’t agree with and this is one of them. By the way, I’m not overweight, no high blood pressure and am in good shape, so leave me alone…..
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Oh Bother
April 22nd, 2010
10:49 am
To You only think you have a choice –
Actually, the sodium content, along with its percent of daily value, is one of the first items shown in the nutrition charts on food labels. The nutrition charts provide the serving size, the servings per container and the nutritional information. So there already are guidelines.
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M
April 22nd, 2010
10:51 am
I would rather the Government re-haul the FDA, rewrite the farm bills that support Farm Industry (corn!), and end food gene patents. Watch Food INC and tell me you feel comfortable eating any kind of food anymore.
It is a fact that too much salt in a diet contributes to kidney disease which increases health care costs for EVERYONE, but I don’t think it matters if government regulates salt intake when people aren’t educated about whats in their food, where it comes from and why its become so dangerous.
Our deregulated capitalism has endangered every american in the name of profits. Even the army is nervous about all the fat kids not being recruitable.
Democrats (Clinton) and Republicans (Bush) are both to blame on this one.
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Bill
April 22nd, 2010
11:11 am
Normally, Id say its big brother…HOWEVER, since the national security of our nation is at risk because of the health of its citizens, then I strongly support this measure. Some people dont relate this, but I lost 10 lbs just by cutting salt from my diet. Aside from the weight factor though, federal regulation on salt will also help every time we stop somewhere to eat since most restaurants dont use fresh fruit and veggies anymore. I think its a good thing, just not sure what enforcement is going to look like.
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Fed Up
April 22nd, 2010
11:57 am
Corn is much worse for us. High fructose corn syrup, corn-fed animals (unnatural), and of course corn chips! Salt is just the politically easy target…
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The Austrian Brotherhood
April 22nd, 2010
11:57 am
I’m gonna put some salt on my big fat joint and suck that smoke down in to my bloodstream followed by a swig of cold beer on my own private property whenever the he!! I please.
And as I do so, I’ll day-dream about pummeling The Totalitarian blowhards for threatening my liberty, as if they have the natural right to do so.
A change for the better be a comin’. The pendulum is swinging. Can I get an Amen!!!
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David S
April 22nd, 2010
12:04 pm
M – “Our deregulated capitalism has endangered every american in the name of profits.”
We do not have “deregulated capitalism” what we have and what you described in your first couple of paragraphs is “crony capitalism” or what used to be called merchantilism. That is the partnership between government power and business. This is not free market capitalism. A free market, with no government influence, and no regulations aside from laws against force or fraud would not allow government subsidies to certain industries (paid for by the force of taxation) or protective regulations (the force of government action against competition) that have allowed certain industries to dominate resources, distribution, advertising, and the like.
The complaint is against government as always. This salt crap is just another government solution to a problem they created. Your enthusiasm for more totalitarian controls is misplaced. You are just giving more power to the source of the problem.
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David S
April 22nd, 2010
12:07 pm
I watched some of Food, Inc. last night and the film supports my arguments completely. They documented that the biggest problem foods in this country – corn, wheat, and soy (I would throw in animal products too) are all subsidized by the government so they are cheaper than their healthy food competitors. Nuff said.
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Rose
April 22nd, 2010
12:13 pm
Absolutley NOT! The government needs to step back and out of our personal lives as much as possible. We should be responsible for regulating our own salt intake and any other “intake” for that matter.
This is what is wrong with our society today. We have been so “dumbed” down by the government we are now too lazy to even make simple decisions for ourselve.
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David S
April 22nd, 2010
12:14 pm
If any of you folks want a really sound education on the free market, issues related to subsidies and agriculture and the like and how government intervention in the marketplace distorts outcomes in favor of special interests, go to www(dot)mises(dot)org and do a search on thes topics or any other. There is no cost and every item, even books, are available free online.
You are not getting a fair or true assessment of this situation from the people in power or the news media that benefits from the advertising dollars of these huge agrobusiness conglomerates. You own it to yourself to understand these important issues.
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Truth
April 22nd, 2010
1:03 pm
I only use salt to season my food when cooking it. I do not use salt at the table.
I do not buy any food in a can. Canned foods are banned from my house. Too many preservatives and sodium.
I don’t eat out at restaurants either. I cook with fresh food every day.
I don’t need the government telling me what I can and can’t eat. I am an adult and I’ll eat what I want, when I want.
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Jen
April 22nd, 2010
1:41 pm
Absolutely, I support regulating sodium content in prepared foods. It is very difficult to find prepared foods that have a reasonable sodium content and many of us have to monitor our sodium intake (mine due to hereditary reasons). If someone wants more salt, they can just shake some extra salt on their food. It is a lot easier for a consumer to add more salt than to take it out of a dish.
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Carla
April 22nd, 2010
3:15 pm
David S., Independent, Mr. Liberty, I must say thank you. You have concisely put into words what the liberals and democrats can’t see. No, the government isn’t banning our salt shakers, but they sure are trying to regulate every thing we do. What’s next? That’s what scares me about this slippery slope.. so banning salt is no big deal. The German’s in the 30’s saw nothing wrong with having Hitler come to power. What may not start out bad, can end bad. Because if you ban salt, what’s next? Soda? Everything taken out of moderation is bad for you and you cannot regulate what people eat, drink, where they live or how they live. This is just another step towards big government and socialism.
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shaggy
April 22nd, 2010
3:15 pm
If you can read, you can control your own sodium intake. If you choose to eat processed food where one mouthful supplies your sodium intake for the day, I really don’t care. If you numbskulls really wanted processed food to change, just quit buying it. I promise it will go away. Does everything have to be so easy for the idiots? Wah! It’s so hard to find low salt processed foods! Wah! I have to cook something with actual heat, instead of nukeing it! Wah! The gubment must act! Wah! I’m gonna die from this bag of pork skins that I (voluntarily and can read) just bought, so I need the gubment to protect me from ME! Wah!Wah!Wah!
Sheesh! Next up: There is a movement to have the gubment regulate the regulations at the regulatory agency in charge of regulating.
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shaggy
April 22nd, 2010
3:17 pm
Jen, You need to be regulated.
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Jen
April 22nd, 2010
3:20 pm
I absolutely support this! The government is not trying to take away salt shakers. Can you people actually read and comprehend simple ideas or is your blood pressure already so high you can’t think straight?
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shaggy
April 22nd, 2010
3:37 pm
Jen,
Since you can type, I will assume you can read, so READ THE BOX! If you put it back, I will then assume you have exercised your right NOT to eat it. On the other hand, if you buy it, which enriches the company that made it, I will assume you exercised your right to eat it.
Why is that so hard to comphrehend? Why must it be regulated? Is it so YOU won’t buy it, knowing full well that its bad for you. Sheesh! Double Sheesh!
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PegK
April 22nd, 2010
3:54 pm
NO! I do not believe the government has any business in this matter. Read the box, bag or can and make your own choice. Most restaurants already offer low-salt, low-fat and health-conscious items on their menus. I eat little to no salt on a daily basis. I eat an essentially raw organic diet as a rule. However, when I order a five-cheese pizza with hot-red peppers, you’d better believe I want it salty. When I eat pretzels and popcorn, I want them salty. Second-hand cigarette smoke is one thing, removing sugary drinks and candy from schools is one thing, demanding that adults eat what the FDA thinks “is for my own good” is taking away my right to choose. What’s next – flavored water instead of soft drinks, carob instead of chocolate, soy “milk” instead of cow’s milk? The list of food that “might be bad for you” is endless. STOP NOW.
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Carla
April 22nd, 2010
4:00 pm
Amen CPT! I don’t want the government telling me what to do. I don’t care if it’s bad for me. And California Native, not everyone who is against the government regulating salt is fat. I am 39, I have low blood pressure, low cholesterol. I weigh under 110, and there is nothing labeled “no fat”, “low fat”, “low sodium” or anything like that in my house. I eat in moderation. That’s they key people. Moderation. I don’t stuff myself, I exercise control when I eat. I eat balanced meals, and I exercise. I also eat out and eat processed foods. Just because YOU cannot take care of yourself is no reason to force government regulations on me. That’s the real issue here… the government running our lives.
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Give us Libery
April 22nd, 2010
4:02 pm
That goverment is best which government least.
-Thomas Paine
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Marsha
April 22nd, 2010
4:03 pm
First they came for the bankers…
Then they came for the salt…
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hammerdog
April 22nd, 2010
4:08 pm
Yes, America is full of fat slobs.
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Mike
April 22nd, 2010
5:15 pm
My question is exactly where does this “beneficial” regulation stop? Do we stop at processed grocery food, or do we move on to restaurants, with a total prohibition on salt use in food preparation as has been proposed in New York City (a prohibition, of course, which would wipe out all of the city’s famous delis and pizzerias because it is nearly impossible to bake many breads without salt).
And once we’ve rid salt from processed foods and restaurants, and we’re all piling it on thick at home, do the feds then come for your salt shaker? Do you have to go to the counter and show your id and be approved to buy your Morton’s? Or do they just fine you on your taxes if your blood pressure is too high? I mean, we’re going to fine $4 billion out of people, most of whom make less tahn $60,000, for failing to have health insurance under Obamacare .. why not add a few billion more for being too salty? After all, the American taxpayer is picking up more than half the bill for health care now,right? It’s only … faaaiiiirrrr after all.
And, ludicrous as it sounds, does someday the government just issue us little food kits carefully calibrated for caloric and nutritional needs, and makes it illegal to eat anything beyond what the government provides?
Of course this is all extreme and silly, but it’s all on along the veyr same path we’re heading down.
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Bob Owen
April 22nd, 2010
5:35 pm
Freedom of choice does not include making bad personal decisions. OK?
If you want to make a bad decision and put something in your body that might not be good for you (drugs, lard, salt, corn syrup), that should be your business. However the governments – federal to city – all protect us from ourselves at every level now and most of us are happy with it.
To illustrate, we lock many of our young men up for significant periods simply for having drugs in their possession. I presume the premise is that the drugs will be ingested at some point and harm will flow from illegal ones (other than death). It’s ironic that so few actually die from using illegal drugs. But ignore that. The real danger from illegal drugs is that people don’t realize how dangerous they are. Can’t argue with that logic.
Yet some of you are fussing about salt, one more bad thing for you, which is unlikely to include criminal sanctions if regulated. So when they say use less salt, you can overdo it on purpose and ignore the police stopping you with those extra boxes of sodium chloride.
SO, if you already don’t really believe every decision about your adult body is yours to make, then buck up! Learn to like what you’re told.
Most of us don’t do what we already know is best for us anyway. Look around. Do we exercise? Do we eat mostly vegetables? Do we save our money? If that’s all no, then must realize you simply cannot be trusted to make all your personal decisions.
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You only think you have choice
April 22nd, 2010
7:17 pm
Jen on blog 1 is on target. Yes you can read the label and put the item back on the shelve. However as the number of actual food suppliers continues to dwindle and are possibly already monopolies by groups of food. Then tell me how you have choice and how you as an individual will choose if society as a whole is trending to be larger and larger and larger based on those food choices – democracy at work those growing larger rule. Representative government on the other hand can and should force a balance so those in the minority – wanting to remain thin through good eats and excercise always have that option.
There is way too much histeria today about government control – much like the Pigs in Animal Farm, rantings spew from one side and the rest of the farm animals follow, screaming we need a resolution. None of the rantings I hear offer solutions they only attack. Greet the new boss, same as the old boss.
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You only think you have choice
April 22nd, 2010
7:18 pm
revolution not resolution
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Carl
April 22nd, 2010
8:37 pm
I totally support this! This does not prevent any of us from picking up a salt shaker and salting away. It just limits the amount that can go into the food before it is on the table in front of us. After learning my Cholesterol levels needed monitoring I began to read labels more carefully and have been more startled by the salt content then the fat content!
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Opie
April 22nd, 2010
8:44 pm
NO…It’s not the government’s business to decide what I eat and don’t eat!
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What Works
April 22nd, 2010
10:25 pm
A boy is sitting in McDs, salting his french fries. A lady says, “Son you shouldn’t be eating that much salt.”
The boy says, “My grandfather lived to be 110 years old.”
The lady asks, “Did he eat a lot of salt?”
The boy answers, “No he minded his own GD business.”
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Allen Wrench
April 22nd, 2010
10:25 pm
Isn’t life in a free society all about personal choices?
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bregrepakaxia
April 23rd, 2010
2:23 am
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Katz P. Ajamas
April 23rd, 2010
6:40 am
Screw them, I can regulate my own salt intake within healthy limits. If I want I nice salty slice of pizza, I’m perfectly capable of cutting down elsewhere to balance it out. Why the HELL should I be denied my salty slice because “the majority” is too stupid to take care of themselves.
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shaggy
April 23rd, 2010
7:18 am
You only think you have choice:
I think you are really Jen complimenting youself, which is sad.
I am quite sure that I have a choice, because I think for myself and use knowledge to make decisions. I favor that over being “managed” like a dull sheep (you) headed off to slaughter because the farmer (gub’ment) says I need to. Why is processed food so important to you that you HAVE to buy it in the first place. Have you forgotten (or never learned) how to use actual heat to cook, or maybe you are a fast food addict, who slugs down a couple of Big Macs a day and want them less salty.
Me, I will retain my skills with kitchen tools like knives, spoons, and ovens to REVOLT against more gub’ment intervention. My REVOLUTION will be, like it has always been, fought with my ability to choose. Too bad you don’t have that ability, or the courage.
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You only think you have choice
April 23rd, 2010
7:40 am
Shaggy
My statement stands and is further merited by the rantings and untruths- I concur with only the two first sentences of your second paragraph and in live a continual revolution in such fashion. In the rest of your note you sound like Sarah Palin – no substance just wild and false accusations.
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shaggy
April 23rd, 2010
7:59 am
You only think you have choice – Jen:
Frankly, I couldn’t care less about what you “concur” with. I choose my own way, based on rational, objective decisions. I need no more regulation, only the ability to make a choice. I am comfortable with that, and challenge you to finally, and objectively, state why you think regulating something like salt in processed foods is anything but needless gub’ment intervention. I will check back to see if you dare, but livestock are never too objective.
Sarah Palin? Is that the best you have?
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You only think you have choice
April 23rd, 2010
8:21 am
Ok Shag -my last post on this
The government should set guidlines on salt within processed foods so that we the people can use our salt shakers and determine the amount of salt we would like.
Further America recommend you stay away from fast foods and processed foods…..grow a garden,
Shag a much better objective post with exception of the first line – no right wing republican Palinisim’s
A good paragraph on Libertarianism though.
Best to you Shaggy!
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shaggy
April 23rd, 2010
8:34 am
You only think you have choice -Jen:
“The government should set guidlines on salt within processed foods so that we the people can use our salt shakers and determine the amount of salt we would like” Why do you HAVE to buy it in the first place? If things are not purchased from companies, those companies have a way of going extinct. On the flip side of that logic, is the creation of a market for companies to sell lower sodium foods, because it becomes profitable.
“Further America recommend you stay away from fast foods and processed foods…..grow a garden,”
What???? I am sorry, but I see no way this statement supports any argument for gub’ment regulation of sodium in processed foods. In fact, I can’t really make any sense of it.
Again, why are you fixated on Sarah Palin? Do you need some enemy to validate an argument?
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rdh
April 23rd, 2010
9:09 am
Here’s the thing: for 99% of the population, all that extra salt is expelled every time you urinate. For a health individual, salt is not a problem. It is only a problem for a statistically small number of people who have no idea that they even have a problem. So why are we setting standards based on a fraction of a percentage of the population?
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JAT
April 23rd, 2010
10:35 am
I have eaten between 3-12 eggs most weeks in my life. I’m 50 years old and 125lbs. My annual blood tests show the correct amount of HD/LD levels. More important is what else goes into your body. It’s always the total picture, not just a snapshot. I love eggs and will eat them regularly until the day I die.
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Jack P
April 23rd, 2010
11:33 am
Kiss off you gov’t idiots. All you dumb arses can do is run up deficits and grease your friends and relatives, and you have the nerve to tell us what we can and cannot eat.
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jdl2
April 23rd, 2010
12:54 pm
This is about long-term COSTLY medical care caused by a chemical and reducing the need for some of that care (your tax dollars). The food companies that shove their food full of salt because otherwise it’s just full of things you wouldn’t eat do not give a damm about you, they’re just out to sell their product and they don’t have to pay the long term consequences, we do. Or better maybe, just start really loading up your food with salt every meal and then we won’t have to listen to you for long anyway. Get a life.
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StephenJ
April 23rd, 2010
1:07 pm
What’s happened to this country? What happened to FREEDOM ?? What about Freedom of Choice ?? Freedom to do what you want as long as you aren’t hurting another ?? I’ve been avoiding salt as a personal choice for 25 years, but it was MY CHOICE to do so. The government (local, state or federal) has no business being in my business as long as it isn’t illegal.
Leave me & mine alone…do what the Constitutions of the US & GA tell you to do & stop overstepping your authority. We have no need for a Nanny Government nor do we need massive amounts of Entitlements in order to herd the masses.
SJ
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shaggy
April 23rd, 2010
1:26 pm
jdl2:
Simple question for a simple mind
“The food companies that shove their food full of salt because otherwise it’s just full of things you wouldn’t eat do not give a damm about you, they’re just out to sell their product and they don’t have to pay the long term consequences, we do.”
Question – Can you read well enough to make a choice NOT to buy that food you rant about? If the answer is yes, Why would you buy it anyway?
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shaggy
April 23rd, 2010
1:31 pm
jdl2:
One little small question that is sure to make your head hurt.
“Get a life.”
Where can you get one of those life things? Is there a retailer, or do you need to by them by wholesale lots? Where did you get yours? What about trade ins, will they accept high mileage lives for trade in?
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1gadawg
April 23rd, 2010
2:19 pm
if you don’t like others salting your food, then eat at home! Forcing eating establishments to pay to have their food content analyzed is a waste of money. Grow up and learn to make decisions on your own with out the gov having to do it for you! example – i ate a Checkers once, didn’t like their salt burgers, haven’t been back – my choice!
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1gadawg
April 23rd, 2010
2:20 pm
Hey Jen – why do you need the gov to make decisions for you? Not smart enough to do it on your own? just eat at home and your problem will be solved!
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terry winchester
April 23rd, 2010
4:32 pm
Enter your comments here
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RAYA DILBECK
April 23rd, 2010
5:44 pm
SALT REDUCTION IS LONG OVERDUE.
ALL PROCESSED FOODS, FAST FOODS , CANNED FOODS SHOULD HAVE THEIR SODIUM CONTENT REDUCED BY 50% IMMEDIATELY.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE , STROKE AND HEART ATTACKS WOULD SEE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION
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shaggy
April 23rd, 2010
6:18 pm
RAYA DILBECK:
Dang, keep it down, and stop yelling. Anger WILL significantly increase your blood pressure. Plus, being a whining robot doesn’t help either. I am sure it never occurred to a rocket scientist like you to just not buy processed foods, did it? Guess if you thought hard enough for your immense brain to squeeze right out of your ear, even you could figure that out. It has a simple name that a simpleton like you can understand, well maybe not, so I will spell it just for you. F.R.E.E.D.O.M
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Monica
April 24th, 2010
10:39 pm
No wonder we have a deficit. The government obviously paid someone a ton of money to do a study showing the down side of salt. Seems I remember hearing this in 9th grade health… what a waste of money.
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who gives a f???
April 24th, 2010
10:52 pm
we all r going to die one day
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who gives a f???
April 24th, 2010
10:55 pm
i love yall
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Rob
April 24th, 2010
11:00 pm
Hey Shaggy, I think you need to lay off the SALT it seems to have affected your ability to understand
common sense and reason and causes you to make really stupid illogical comments.
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Lulu
April 24th, 2010
11:07 pm
I have salt sensitive hypertension. I read labels and buy food accordingly. If you want me to buy your product put less sodium in it for the same price. Otherwise I buy frozen or raw and cook it. I keep a salt shaker for guests (though some foods aaren’t the same unless salted when cooking). My specific problem is not the next persons. So why be so absurd (CONTROL FREAKS) as to require health concerns by legislation for a very diverse, heterogenious popilation as America?
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Alex
April 24th, 2010
11:35 pm
Legalize Marijuana and tax it. It’ll be in the ballot in California come this November and I sense a domino effect for many states. I’m sure it will take Georgia a while, but once they see how this tax can bail out California, more states will be permissive toward these policies.
And food intake should not be regulated by the federal government.
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Kevin C.
April 25th, 2010
12:06 am
I’ll support the salt police once I start suffering from second-hand salt inhalation.
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No more salt please !
April 25th, 2010
12:21 am
I think all fast food restaurants should serve french fries without salt. If a customer requests salt on their fries McDonalds, Wendys Burger King and Sonic can give the customer a hand full of salt packets for their sodium addiction.
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blonju
April 25th, 2010
2:04 am
Salt is murdering people! it’s true! i know it sounds crazy, but sodium intake is directly related to heart function whereby water retention (caused by excessive sodium intake) makes it more and more difficult for the heart to function at it’s normal rate… this is ONE government regulation i’d have to agree with even though it will take 5-10 years to actually do anything positive for the country’s overall health… people should take responsibility for their own lives regardless…
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Ed
April 25th, 2010
7:09 am
By enforcing this law on processed and pre-packaged food, consumers are actually given MORE, not LESS, choice. Individuals who want more can simply add it with a salt shaker. Individuals who wanted less never had much of any choice, unless there was a rare low sodium option. Government is actually giving us more options. On a related note, I’d like to see an FCC regulation that allows us choice in our cable channels instead of paying for a package that contains channels we never view.
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Flo-Ri-Duh!
April 25th, 2010
7:18 am
If “Big Brother” is going to mandate this disasterous health care plan and mandate thate we have insurance or be fined then they should just go ahead and tell us how to eat and fine us if we don’t do it. There are to many fat, out of shape slobs in super market lines and in the hospitals getting free potatoe chips and cokes on food stamps and free medical services but they are to lazy to exercise or eat right. Fine them $100 for every pound they are over weight and try to collect it. That would be interesting. Before we do anything else we should FORCE Obama to give up his cigs and cocaine and have the FBI go to bed with him and live in the White House with him to be sure he behaves. Is that going to happen? All these mandates are about one thing – creating more government jobs for people to live off the government pig trough and to appease the Labor Unions. I say set a madatory target of REDUCING government mandates and employees by 5% a year over the next 3 years and save us a whole lot of money.
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WestSider
April 25th, 2010
7:42 am
@Steve
Gee…I’m glad I don’t have to live in your Liberal Utopia totalitarian state…yet.
Sounds like you should find some more “enlightened” dining partners…
As for the food police…it all fits in with the government’s plan for a society devoid of any personal responsibility.
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Fed up with Big Government
April 25th, 2010
8:12 am
I say keep the government out of my personal life. What I eat is absolutely NO business of theirs. Neither is my health! I have never gotten a penny from the government for either of those things and don’t feel they have the right to tell me how to live it. Obesity is NOT caused by salt, it is caused by eating too much! Good God people, moderate AMOUNTS of food the fast food is serving and you will cut obesity in half! It is not a matter of what is on the food, it is how much you eat! You can eat salt and fattening foods every day as long as you do it in small portions!
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shaggy
April 25th, 2010
8:19 am
Rob:
“causes you to make really stupid illogical comments.”
Yes, freedom seems stupid and illogical to morons like you. You must be another robot wanna be that can’t make decisions for yourself, but make no mistake there are those of us who can. My BP is 118/85, just checked this morning.
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nuff said
April 25th, 2010
8:41 am
I puts hot sauce my fryed chicken but I’s like salt on my wotter melon Barack dont tells me what I’s like
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zeke
April 25th, 2010
8:57 am
More and more socialism! The USSA is the final goal of these idiots! We must vote them all outof office and fire the government’s entrenched workers that are not elected, but, force rules and laws on us to satisfy their liberal agenda! E N O U G H!!!!!!!
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John Locke
April 25th, 2010
9:19 am
It’s about thyme. Cut codgers off Medicare if they don’t want to helpe their health. Duh!
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Vick=Dog killing Thug
April 25th, 2010
9:20 am
I often wonder why everything has to be so overblown? The obvious solution is to require restaurants to post the salt levels in their dishes. That way people know what the risk is and can make their own decisions. Simple
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pj
April 25th, 2010
9:49 am
Those who would support banning salt, support the destruction of freedom and liberty. To think you would be willing to give some entity this much power and control over your life is mind blowing. If you give the government control over this, there will be absolutely no end to the power grab that will follow.
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Michael H. Smith
April 25th, 2010
9:54 am
I’m glad to see the response to this defining of what government’s regulating powers should be in our lives. That is probably the most important thing, if not the healthiest thing that will come out of this blog.
We as a people, as Americans, have a very unhealthy self-imposed lifestyle presently that should be taken into account when discussions like these take place which too few of us are willing to admit exists: Our over consumption of BIG GOVERNMENT.
The real failure in all of this regulation business is that we as consumers should be the REGULATORS and not our government.
Should the FDA regulate the salt sodium content of food products sold and consumed in the United States?
The correct answer should be NO.
The role of government via the FDA(including probably five other near worthless government agencies) should be one limited to information and product labeling mandates.
It would satisfy me personally if on the front of every package that meets the recommended health standards a bold ensign in the form of a heart encapsulated three pieces of content information fat, sugar and sodium. Products NOT meeting these recommended health standards shall have no ensign on the front of the product.
It will not take long to change the amount of sodium the food processors pump into the foods we buy, if this suggestion became a government labeling mandate.
Remember the golden rule folks(he who holds the gold, rules). You can bet every food processor in this country hasn’t forgotten it and we the consumers still hold the gold that writes the rules.
For the record, I’m on a self-imposed low sodium diet and I buy food products that have low sodium content. If you want my money Mr. Grocer, you best have plenty of low sodium products to sell me.
Cha-Ching $$$!
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Dan
April 25th, 2010
9:57 am
I’m calling for a new revolution. This government is out of control and needs to be abolished, obliterated and banned from any further public “service”. Let’s wipe the slate clean in November of ‘10 and ‘12.
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Keith
April 25th, 2010
10:22 am
Don’t tread on me!
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Salty Dawg
April 25th, 2010
10:42 am
You’re having the hardest time finding low or no salt items? Are you kidding me. Shop the perimeter of your grocery store folks! If your Dr says you need to lower your sodium intake then, duh, buy fresh vegetables and eat them raw or cook them yourself. This is not rocket science and you don’t have to be a Julia/Martha to select and prepare healthy foods! The people on here are not missing the POINT they just don’t want gov becoming big brother. You really think they are missing the point? JEN- one word…pitiful!
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oldmanrickey
April 25th, 2010
10:54 am
When are the people of this country going to wake up and think foe thenselves. They want the goverment to rule every thing in their life. Well one of these days, that is going to happen if things don’t change in Washington. obama said he was going to rule us and then he hired the most liberal behaveralscientist he could find. Their job was to find the things that they thought obama should decide about our lives. I think he has a slavemaster inveny about him and he want us to be his slaves so he can tell us what to do each second of our lives. He pushed obamacare on us and that is going to be the downfall of this country. (don’t go talking about how good it is untill you read it, I have all 445,000 words of it, it will take your breath away at all the things he is going to control with it. When are you liberals going to wake up and breath for yourself. I do not need the goverment in my house telling me how I eat. And the ones that are against everything else. live with it or get the hell out of it. Just don’t tell someone to regulate it from me.
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oldmanrickey
April 25th, 2010
11:13 am
It is funny that the goverment wants to do something to extend our lives. They say health care is costing to much, socical security is broke, medicar is out of control, now they want to take benifits from military people that have been hurt in war. The obamacare is going to take care of a lot of the people. You will not be able to get the care you need with all the cuts of doctors and hospital rooms that is going to happen. Doctors will not be able to own any part of hospitals or doctors office, 25% cut in rooms and 25% more rooms per nurse. That is going to help us all. The next thing they will want is to raise the age limit on socical security and medicare. ) all the youg ones out there are saying, that’s what we need, make them old folks work longer so we can get more free stuff from them) This country is going into a slave type nation and obama will be poping the whip telling us how to live.
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The Real Politico
April 25th, 2010
2:00 pm
I suppose the people who don’t think the government should not regulate added salt and sugar are fine with ever increasing health costs and deaths due to the epidemic. Figures. Speaking without thinking.
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shaggy
April 26th, 2010
6:38 am
The Real Politico:
“the epidemic” Are you referring to Swine Flu or the freedom to choose? As for the freedom epidemic, it’s high time for a freedom epidemic.
Also, you refer to “costs & deaths”. Oh, you mean from people choosing to eat too much salt. Yes, I agree that those that made that choice might ultimately die for it, however the costs associated end when they die, so we as a society, experience a net gain. They chose and they died early. Plus, the gene pool is a little cleaner.
I know that your head must be hurting as you read this, however you had better be careful. Your blood pressure might rise, bursting a blood vessel in your thick head, and you wouldn’t have any more costs associated with you. Get it?
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Rob
April 28th, 2010
1:11 pm
This is not some snake oil product. It really works. I can work out longer and harder now that I take this. the website has a address: http://www.webmd.max4u.com (just copy and paste it into your browser)
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Charles Cohn
April 29th, 2010
10:54 am
IMHO, such regulation is very necessary and overdue. As it now is, when you eat prepared or restaurant foods, you lose complete control of your salt intake. The vendor will then add salt to suit his own interests, not yours. (I have heard it said that some upscale restaurants will deliberately oversalt their foods to make their patrons thirsty so they will order more drinks.) Although I am ordinarily not a fan of government regulation, I must support it in this case to redress this imbalance of power.
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Rickster
April 29th, 2010
1:43 pm
The only thing this would do would be to decrease the cost of smoking. People would walk in and ask for the cheapest one. Soon, all ‘brands’ would cost the same.
Chances are, more people would smoke due to the lower price.
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william
April 29th, 2010
1:58 pm
Who cares! We have free healthcare now. Smoke all you want. Roll your own. If something happens the nanny state will take care of you. AS Pelosi says,”Amerian people have the right to healthcare”. I mean you can still skii. Oh that kills people too not to mention the injuries.
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Splavistic
April 29th, 2010
3:58 pm
William. Take your meds, man.
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Haywood Jablome
April 29th, 2010
5:29 pm
william,
no amount of health care cures that lung cancer.
but thanks for the red herring rant. smoke’m up, douchebag.
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DW
April 29th, 2010
5:30 pm
Rather than go through this mess, why not just ban the things outright? Enough already.
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harleyrider1978
April 29th, 2010
6:32 pm
So,its apparent that australia doesnt have freedom of speech rights any longer………..that the government can and will limit and censor what ever they want……..well done nazis.
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HM
April 29th, 2010
7:42 pm
Last I checked, tobacco was a LEGAL product, that one could consume, or nor, based on one’s personal decision, and one accepted its consequences. Jeepers, what’s next, carbonated beverages? We’re on the slippery slope, and it won’t be long untill we’re rolling downhill like a snowball headed for ….
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Yobbo from the Bush
April 29th, 2010
9:34 pm
“Recent surveys indicate that brands may account for 50 to 70 per cent of the total value of a company . . . that means they can be worth billions of dollars.” – Stephen P Smith, Chairman, Superbrands
Whether you agree with the Governments move to regulate cigarette packaging or not, it’s an intelligent move to remove the “glamour” factor. McDonalds recruits kids from a young age through their branding, so that as an older person it’s familiar and exciting when you see their product. Cigarette companies do it too.
I absolutely agree with this move, only the font should be something real sh*#tty like comic sans or something like that further cheapening the product!
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stine
April 29th, 2010
9:46 pm
I have a hard enough time finding Pall Mall non-filters as it is. How am I going to get them if I can only tell the clerk that “its the white package with black writing?”
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Mel
April 29th, 2010
9:51 pm
I started smoking when I was 15. My best friend and I would go to parties, and we both took drags off our friends who had their own packets. Eventually, we would bring our own packets to parties. Now, we’re both daily smokers. We’re 17 and in year 12. Seriously, whether they keep raising the price, change the packets to a completely plain design, or both; neither will do anything to help me quit. Once you’re addicted, you’re addicted. And I doubt plain packages will keep people from taking up smoking. I never took one look at a packet until it got to the point where I went to buy my own cigarettes, after I asked someone what brand they had because it was my favourite to smoke out of any other cigarette I’d tried. Honestly, it comes down to the choice a person makes.
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Yobbo from the Bush
April 30th, 2010
12:12 am
“And I doubt plain packages will keep people from taking up smoking” Mel what do you base this upon?
The billions of dollars cigarette companies spend upon targeted psychological marketing / demographic profiling and wrapping themselves up in sexy graphics would tend to disagree with you there.
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Craig Spreha
April 30th, 2010
7:55 am
Only if we ban Logos on Fast Food, Cars, Alcohol, etc. They all kill just as many, yet only cigarettes get this type of scrutiny. Either let everyone sell and advertise products, or make the rules apply to EVERYTHING for sale.
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Obama = New Hitler
April 30th, 2010
10:56 am
Just put Mrs. Obama’s smirking, hideous mug (or an image of her in a bikini shot) on cigarette packs sold here in Georgia, and that will almost eliminate smoking entirely….
….at least in areas of the State that are NORTH of I-20.
Results from several clinical studies suggest that such graphic & disturbing packaging may also help cure sex offenders.
Two Birds, One Stone.
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DSM
April 30th, 2010
12:13 pm
let’s be honest here..how seriously are governments willing to ban smoking? What is going to replace the revenue from taxes? Yeah, it’s bad for you. So is drinking, driving fast, eating poorly, the list goes on. It’s a personal choice. You make not like it, but do you want a total stranger dictating what you can or cannot do? The more we advocate government interference, the deeper they will reach to control every aspect of your life. You don’t like smokers? Don’t associate with them.
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Lori
April 30th, 2010
12:15 pm
Why not just ban smoking instead. Seems smarter to me. Why anyone would do something that causes that much harm to their bodies (and their families bodies – and don’t pretend smoking doesn’t affect your kids) is beyond me. Smoking is disgusting and stupid. I can only surmise that people who smoke must also be stupid.
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Jay
April 30th, 2010
12:45 pm
For all the smokers here who keep screaming about ‘personal choice’, have you considered the people around you who don’t smoke and hate breathing your polluted, cancer-inducing air?
In addition, there are people here who adamantly insist packaging changes won’t cut incidences of people adopting smoking… If that really is the case, then who cares what the cigarette cartons look like?
This is a big win for improving the health of the wider community.
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Lori
April 30th, 2010
1:00 pm
I saw a woman a few weeks back with a cigarette in one hand and a newborn infant in the other. Horrible!!!
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Personal Responsibility
April 30th, 2010
1:26 pm
At this point everyone knows what smoking does to your health- its a personal choice. So why go thru regulating what the carton or pack looks like? I don’t smoke, but I don’t want the government saying what should be on a package. What’s next? Does McDonalds need to put big macs in plain white boxes and bags? What about alcohol? Just as addictive and damaging- do we make all beer bottles look the same?
Keep the smokers out of buildings and away from kids while doing their nasty habit. If they want to puff their life away let them do it. Personal choice comes with responsibility and consequences.
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jarvis
April 30th, 2010
1:31 pm
No. It’s not the govenrment’s place to regulate packaging of any legal product.
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Mintyfresh
April 30th, 2010
1:45 pm
kissing a smoker was like licking an ashtray-I don’t do it anymore–he’s DEAD
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Simon
April 30th, 2010
1:52 pm
well after reading all that im off for a Smoke, from a Branded packet
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woodie
April 30th, 2010
2:11 pm
I oppose all forms of moral legislation. The moral majority/minority are much more hideous than all the smokers on the planet. Freedom is a precious thing to give away.
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Jack
April 30th, 2010
3:02 pm
For all the smokers here who keep screaming about ‘personal choice’, have you considered the people around you who don’t smoke and hate breathing your polluted, cancer-inducing air?
In addition, there are people here who adamantly insist packaging changes won’t cut incidences of people adopting smoking… If that really is the case, then who cares what the cigarette cartons look like?”
I CANNOT smoke anywhere in public, so why don’t you leave whoever’s freaking house it is your at then Jay. You show me one place besides an over 21 bar where I can smoke inside. Jesus, some people will whine about anything and lie about it too because they don’t personally agree with something. How bout this, I don’t like whiney d-bags, can we ban those too?
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moddyd
April 30th, 2010
4:39 pm
Republicans only hate the government when the Democrats are in control. Democrats only hate the government when Republicans are in control.
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Smart A
April 30th, 2010
5:28 pm
Hey Jack – you stink, man. And that spearmint gum isn’t helping.
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Dick
May 1st, 2010
7:16 am
I think it is time we also worry aboujt drinking and the alchol business. I had rather meet a person driving and smoking than I had one driving and drinking. Smokers are not the worse people in the world. People are also allergic to perfume, dogs, cats, so don’t label smokers as freaks.
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AmVet
May 1st, 2010
9:52 am
I agree, smokers are not the worst people in the world.
Just some of the most selfish and disrespectful.
Finished with that butt? No problem just throw it out the window of your car. Anywhere, anytime. Hell go ahead and empty your overflowing ashtray anywhere you’d like! The earth is your big ashtray!
Feeling edgy? Light up! Anywhere anytime. Who gives a damn that your nasty smoke is drifting into the faces of children and innocent bystanders? Until Uncle Sam and others fortunately stepped in and said, “NO. Not here. Not on this plane, not in this place of business, not in this public venue.”
I guess these types of anti-social behavior are just the consequences of being addicted to the only legal product made, that when used as promoted can and will kill you.
Smoke up, Johnny…
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Ren Nagata
May 1st, 2010
3:21 pm
so if we take all the logos off of everyones cars will it stop auto accidents?
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vcatron
May 1st, 2010
10:07 pm
Removing corporate logos from tobacco products is interfering with a legal business and removes the identity built by that company. For those that want tobacco banned it will not work, all you have to do is look at probation of alcohol in the 1920s. If you want to keep kids from smoking enforce the laws on sale and possession of tobacco we already have. If you do not know the dangers you place on your health with smoking you deserve the “nanny state”. I quit cigarettes 30+ years ago and glad I did.
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Kelsi
May 2nd, 2010
7:30 am
As far as the government is concerned, it’s all about taxes and how much they can collect. That’s all you need to know.
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Atlanta woman
May 2nd, 2010
4:45 pm
TO Obama=New Hitler — You’re supposed to be posting about the subject – logos on cigarette packs – not cramming your scary politics down our throats.
(By the way, “North of I-20″?? You’re going to have to be a little clearer on your racism. I and hundreds of my friends in the city of Atlanta north of I-20 are fans of the Obamas.We have multiple degrees and high six figure incomes. Oh yeah, and we’re white and married with children. Don’t try to include us in your sick demographics!)
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SteveSC
May 2nd, 2010
5:20 pm
Then we have to ban Pepsi and Coke logos…McDonalds, Burger King and Taco Bell. Sorry Ford…people die in cars. No more logos for you AND…Budweiser? Put your Clydesdales out to pasture for dog food. You see…..Obama will want to do anything to make things all the same. No more branding of things that are bad for you. Idiots……
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Taylor
May 2nd, 2010
6:19 pm
Smoke all you want smokers! The taxes you pay help out everyone. Just don’t come near me with your cigarette smell
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Thomas
May 3rd, 2010
2:34 am
The government should stop attempting to legislate “good decisions”. Let people smoke if thats what they want to do. Everyone knows the health consequences, if people still choose to smoke then let them kill themselves. Natural selection is how we evolved to this point and its the only we will continue to evolve.
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Joseph
May 3rd, 2010
9:25 am
We should just ban everything that is bad for us: Chocolate, Coke, Cherry Pie. Instead we can all live in our proletarian communes and eat millet and soy!
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JATL
May 3rd, 2010
11:34 am
Everyday I think I’ve heard the dumbest thing ever, and then another really dumb thing comes along. Everyone knows how bad smoking is for you -changing cigarette packaging isn’t going to change very much! Maybe if we started expecting and requiring more personal responsibility from people across the board then “treat ‘em all like a bunch of dumb cows” ideas like this one would go away forever.
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beth
May 3rd, 2010
4:24 pm
sounds like egghead LOVES him some drive thrus!!!
totally agree! people are afraid of eating eggs but love boxed food!!??
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Art Vandelay
May 3rd, 2010
5:53 pm
I’ve been smoking for about 20 years, and I would be in favor of this becoming law because there’s no doubt that I got started because characters like Joe Camel were routinely used to attract gullible teenagers (which I definitely was) to their death sticks. Now that I’m a full-fledged addict, I’d love to see the taxes go up another $10 per pack so I couldn’t afford to smoke even if I wanted to.
DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP THE NEXT 15-YEAR-OLD KID FROM TAKING THAT FIRST DRAG!
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DfromSD
May 4th, 2010
12:42 pm
I also found out that almonds helped relieve my heartburn. Stumbled across this after eating a piece of chocolate with almonds after having heartburn that day. Almost immediately after eating it my heartburn was almost completely gone.
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Dr Garland
May 4th, 2010
3:16 pm
We have had near-100% success treating Breast Cancer by first TOTALLY ELIMINATING ALL DAIRY INTAKE. No milk, cheese, ice cream or butter saturated fats.
And dramatically increasing intake of Cruciferous foods such as Broccoli, Sprouts, Cabbage, Kale, Spinach and our naturopathic formulas to support this such as Indole-2 Carbinol and high dosage Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2.
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mary
May 4th, 2010
8:12 pm
Is Juice Plus a good supplement to take in trying to maintain good health after a mastectomy?
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Jeff
May 5th, 2010
7:32 am
I know more facts about breast cancer than I do about prostate or testicular cancer. Are any of you willing to do for me what you’re asking me to do for you?
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Kim
May 5th, 2010
11:08 am
It’s not exactly a bad thing that you know more about breast cancer than prostate cancer, just an opportunity for improvement. Start a movement. Educate others. Donate to the cause you are passionate about.
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David S
May 5th, 2010
12:21 pm
Do YOU know the facts?
www(dot)naturalnews(dot)com/breast_cancer(dot)html
and www(dot)mercola(dot)com
I think we can safely say that the AJC does a great job of pushing the agenda of the allopathic medicine industry. The alternative or naturopathic/homeopathic industry has much better success at actually curing and preventing the disease however.
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Jeff
May 5th, 2010
12:33 pm
Thank you , Kim. And I do that. I want the same thing everyone-else wants. But I don’t see women stepping up to the plate to support issues that affects their husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles the same way they want us to step up on breast cancer, wear red for women day, HPV awareness, cervical cancer, uteran cancer, etc, etc.
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ironlady29
May 5th, 2010
12:49 pm
One year breast cancer survivor. I found the lump myself doing a quick self-exam. I hadn’t done one for awhile and was very surprised to actually find something. Ladies, regular self-exams are so important! I’m happy and healthy and have moved on with my life, but want to encourage everyone to be vigilant. I had NO risk factors other than being female and “middle-aged.”
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Legal Angel
May 5th, 2010
1:27 pm
Comment to Mary: YES, Juice Plus is a good supplement after a mastectomy and while taking radiation and/or chemo. I am a 4-year survivor and I took Juice Plus beginning as soon as I was diagnosed. Good luck.
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CC Rider
May 5th, 2010
2:20 pm
Absolutely agree with all the comments on natural foods. Do not forget water, we are over 70% water and there is not a good source of clean, nontoxic water. I am a 2 year survivor (stage 3b) and will do anything to prevent going through that barbaric treatment again. I only drink Kangen Water fresh from my machine every day; eat a lot of fresh, organic raw veggies, fish, chicken and exercise…that’s the real prevention. The cure is barbaric and horrific to live through.
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Wanda
May 5th, 2010
3:26 pm
I had BC in 1999 and matastisized BC in 2007. I am doing great. The main thing is to have faith in God. Have a positive attitude and live, laugh, and love. That is what I try to live by.
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judy
May 5th, 2010
5:34 pm
i am a 4 years breast cancer survivor.i really did great through treatments,and my doctor even said i did great.
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Winfield J. Abbe
May 5th, 2010
9:53 pm
It is well known that high energy radiation like x-rays cause cancer. Certain chemicals even like some of those approved by the FDA to treat cancer also cause cancer. The drug tamoxifen to “prevent” cancer also causes cancer. The prime cause of cancer has been known for decades and is the replacement of oxygen in the respiratory chemistry of cells with the fermentation of sugar or anerobic glycolysis or the wrong energy supply to living cells or respiratory impairment of living cells. The genius in Germany Otto Warburg, M.D., Ph.D. discovered this decades ago, first for animals in about 1923 and by about 1960 for humans. Normal cells metabolize and obtain their energy from oxygen; but all cancer cells primarily metabolize from the fermentation of glucose like the lowest forms of life. All higher life forms originated from oxygen; all cancer is is the reversal of this back to the primitive life form which existed before the appearence of oxygen on the planet. See the book “The Hidden Story of Cancer” by Brian Peskin and Amid Habib, M.D., Pinnacle press, Houston, 2006-2008. These statements have been proved by experiments and facts in the laboratory, not unproved speculations by the failed medical orthodoxy which has squandered multi billions of public and private dollars on cancer but cannot even tell you what cancer is, let alone how to cure and prevent the disease.
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Winfield J. Abbe
May 5th, 2010
10:06 pm
The statement above about mammograms is false and misleading. First, x-rays can cause cancer so a single x-ray could initiate the cancer process. However it would be impossible to prove this and obtain damages from the doctor making money from this quack treatment. Also, when mammograms are given, they press very hard on the breast tissue as anyone who has had one will confirm. It has been known since about 1928 in the medical literature that this foolish procedure also can spread any cancer cells around. Much safer and more effective methods are available to diagnose cancer of the breast tissue. See articles by Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., et al at http://www.preventcancer.com. Mammograpy is a billion dollar industry and good and safe money maker for doctors since it is virtually impossible for them to be sued if harm is done to patients from these machines. Many of these machines are very dangerous and give off high and dangerous doses of radiation without proper disclosure and informed consent of unwitting patients. All women and some men should question their doctors very closely about this issue. Even though the chance of getting cancer from a mammogram is small, that does not mean it cannot happen. After all, unlikely events happen every day. For example it is unlikely to win the lottery but people win every day don’t they. Well, patients also get cancer from mammgrams but never even know it. And most doctors do not know much about the mathematical area of statistics. The falsely imply to women and men that just because something is of small probability in a statistical sample, that it is also of small probability for a particular patient which is false.
The medical orthodoxy is a dismal failure. Despite the expendature of over 100 billion dollars on cancer research, over half a million victims will die this year either from cancer, treatment or both, usually treatment. Years ago, a distinguished professor of physiology, medical physics and expert in medical statistics at UC Berkeley, professor Dr. Hardin Jones, Ph.D., proved that cancer victims who refused the orthodox treatments of radiation, chemicals an surgery lived up to four times longer than those who accepted those failed quack treatments. Nothing has changed today.
The cancer generals should be fired and charged with scientific misconduct, fraud, medical quackery and crimes against humanity.
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Winfield J. Abbe
May 5th, 2010
10:19 pm
There exists a cheap and effective drug to prevent the disease of cachexia, the wasting disease suffered by all advanced cancer patients due to the recycling of glucose and lactic acid; it is called hydrogen sulfate and was discovered by Joseph Gold, M.D. of Syracuse, New York. It has been tested and proved effective in tests from the Soviet Union to UCLA, but the cancer generals have lied and misrepresented it to the public and have fraudulently failed to approve the drug because it won’t make any money for the corrupt drug companies. This is all documented in this article:
“The Truth About Hydrazine Sulfate-Dr. Gold Speaks” at http://www.hydrazinesulfate.org. The cancer generals are nothing but garden variety criminals protected by the lunatics running our government.
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Winfield J. Abbe
May 5th, 2010
10:20 pm
In line 3 above hydrogen should read hydrazine.
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Ole Guy
May 5th, 2010
11:25 pm
The entire concept of government intervention, on issues which are “for our own good”, is wrought with fallacy. Never mind the fact that govt portends to know, better than we, what’s good for us…if our esteemed legislators, both at Fed and state levels, could focus on the real issues of state while telling us what’s good for us, well and good. One could just as easily ignore their “advice”. However, they have proven, time and again, to disregard the important issues, particularly in the weeks/months prior to elections, for fear of disenfranchising a voter block. They, instead, stick to the safe issues…those which are not likely to create any appreciable animosity among the constituency. Consequently, by “playing it safe”, they fail to take care of the real business at hand…they become overpaid, underachieving “public servants” who, in reality, become the served.
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ilene
May 6th, 2010
7:28 am
When are thermagrams going to get the coverage they deserve???? Mammagrams DO cause cancer – I believe that they are the single greatest cause of breast cancer today – especially milk duct cancer. Think about it – radiating your breasts on an ongoing basis (yes, the effects of radiation are cumulative), and squashing any tumors during the mammagram to ensure that any cancer cells spread. If they think they “see something” they will give you one or two more mammagrams just to make sure you are thoroughly radiated. Thermagrams are heat maps of your breasts, there is no radiation, the breasts are not squashed or even touched by the camera, and they can detect breast cancer up to six years before mammagrams. It is a no brainer. It seems to me that breast cancer is a big business and a lot of people are making too much money for things to improve. Ladies, protect yourselves. Stop radiating your breasts and get a thermagram, and nourish your bodies with proper nutrition and supplements. The rate of breast cancer will drop dramatically.
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jenny
May 6th, 2010
8:45 am
thanks ilene and others… im going to research this more
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LT
May 6th, 2010
8:51 am
ilene: do you know of a place in Atlanta to get a thermogram? Just looked at a list of labs on breastthermography.org & the closest one is in Athens.
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ilene
May 6th, 2010
9:52 am
LT: I go to Dr. Rosalind Gamba, 4646 North Shallowford Road, Dunwoody 30338. Telephone is 770-355-8352
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Brenda Stockdale
May 6th, 2010
10:59 am
Good news / bad news: Cortisol, a stress hormone, has been shown to play a key role in breast cancer [Ohio State University, Breast Cancer Project]. The good news, though, is that there are simple techniques that can be practiced in every day life that lower harmful levels. It’s worth a look. Studies show improved treatment outcome with healthy [not high] stress hormone levels. Diaphragmatic breathing [belly breathing] is a highly effective way of lowering levels even when life is hurling curve balls in every direction. We teach this, among other methods, at our 6-week class on optimal immunity [offered free of charge at RC Cancer Centers]. Also free of charge is a 5-minute stress reducing audio using a technology of sound called psychoacoustics [see my website to download]. If it’s of interest, we did finally put the program in book form. Midwest book review wrote, “You Can Beat the Odds [Stockdale] is a tested, inspirational must for any health collection.” As far as supplements go, medical oncologist, Gerry Goldklang, only recommended Juice Plus since it is food-based and doesn’t interfere with treatment. The research on their site is impressive as well. All best to each of you on this journey!
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katherine
May 6th, 2010
11:28 am
I’d like to tell a story about my sister, Gene, who died of breast cancer. She had regular mammograms and did monthly breast exams. However, she discovered her cancer in a different way. She was changing clothes in a room that had a different light than her bathroom – and she noticed a shadow on the underside of her breast. She then felt a slight indentation that she had never felt – the light cast a shadow. So, now I’m asking all my friends and acquaintances to check – when you go to a conference or on vacation and are in a motel or condo, or in the dressing room at Dillards, or at a friends house and run in the bathroom – pull your shirt and bra up and look – just to make sure. This is not a prevention, but it might make you become more aware of the different ways cancer can occur. Thanks.
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MelKel
May 6th, 2010
3:51 pm
Having a Her2 Neu positive gene or a BRCA1 or BRCA@ gene is also a risk. Most women diagnosed with breast cancer do NOT have a relative with breast cancer, although having a relative puts one at a higher risk. High estrogen levels are also a risk, as well as never having children. Those are the risks that no one ever lists. I rarely drank and was not fit and trim when diagnosed. Many healthy women get breast cancer because of their genes and because of very high estrogen levels. That was the case with me. Listing drinking and being overweight is fine, but when that’s all you list then people will think that I was a fat drunk. I was neither. Either give details or don’t write an article at all.
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corlyss
May 6th, 2010
3:58 pm
As a 7 1/2 year breast cancer survivor, the # 1 reason I am alive today is because I had a general doctor who cared about ME. Don’t settle for a doctor who is busy, inattentive or casual about your health. Your doc should do everything to help you maintain your health, including listening to you and caring. He/She has resources available to provide immediate actions when warranted. How about 9 days from initial general doctor’s visit to surgery? That’s what saved my life. Thx Dr. Coleman, in the little town of Abilene, Kansas.
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Winfield J. Abbe
May 7th, 2010
3:37 am
Despite the general failure of the war on cancer any cancer victim has a better chance at a major cancer center than a local doctor and local hospital. Be prepared to move to Houston, Texas to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and live there for a year or more for treatment. Your insurance will also likely pay there. Every doctor there is a top specialist, not just a routine surgeon. Do not accept the local propaganda that it doesn’t matter where you are treated. It does matter. At top places every detail counts. Every part of cancer treatment is life threatening so you want to be where every doctor is a top person in the field since they may end up killing you unbeknownst to you. My wife was nearly killed, not from breast cancer, but treatment, at a local hospital in Athens, Georgia. She moved to Houston and lived there for over a year. This was over a decade ago.
M.D. Anderson is just as good as Harvard but cheaper to live there. Do not even assume that Emory is as good as M.D. Anderson; it isn’t.
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Winfield J. Abbe
May 7th, 2010
4:05 am
In 1983 at outstanding research scientist by the name of John P. Dobbins, Sc.D., gave a lecture to nursing students at Merced College in California sponsored by the American Cancer Society. It was published in the Swiss medical journal Cytobiologische Revue, No. 3, pp. 123-135, 1985. Here are 5 easy do’s and 5 easy don’ts to help prevent cancer in the first place:
Five easy do’s:
“1. Drink pure water–bottled or boiled. Maybe some of you have your own wells. Good–but know what’s in your water; avoid chlorine, fluorine, and too much sodium.”
“2. Eat clean fresh fruits and vegetables, at least 70% raw-for roughage and clean colon as well as minerals and enzymes.”
“3. Replace the sugar and salt on your table. The difference to your health is extreme…”
“4. Get more oxygen into your system.”
“5. Take some vitamin and mineral supplements each day, according to your individiual needs. Take at least 3 grams of Vitamin C daily.”
Five easy don’ts:
” 1. Avoid x-rays and radiation exposure–all but emergency or the most essential. Sit farther away from your color TV; consume protective anti-oxifdant or SOD (super-oxide dismutase) tablets whenever you watch for hours at a time. Children are ten times more susceptible than adults.”
“2. Eliminate drugs, or at least cut down on them including such favorites as nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol. If you need medication, there is often a safe natural substitute for the harmful drug prescribed. But ;you must find it, or consult an orthomolecular medical specialist.”
“3. Avoid all known carcinogens, such as nitrites, asbestos, coal-tars, etc.,”
“4. Throw out all aluminum cooking utensils and avoid foods that come wrapped with aluminum in direct contact with the food-buy those with a paper protective layer between the aluminum and the food. Also watch out for aluminum consumption in most of your antacids.”
“5. Cut down on meat consumption, especially beef and chicken.”
“The “don’t’s are often more difficult to abide by than the “do’s”"
Partial Qualifications of the author: A.B., physical chemistry, UC Berkeley, M.S. electro chemistry Saxon Institute of Technology, Dresden, Germany, Sc.D., Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich. Author of numerous books and articles and holder of numerous patents and nominated for the Nobel Prize in medicine.
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Winfield J. Abbe
May 7th, 2010
4:23 am
Here is a reference to document to dismal failure of the war on cancer: “The Cancer Industry” by Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D., Equinox Press, Houston, 1996, first published as “The Cancer Syndrome” in 1980. This book contains about 500 pages and about 500 references. There is also a 1989 editon.
Dr. Moss, who is originally from New York, holds a Ph.D. degree in classics from Stanford University in California. He has written about a dozen books and humdreds of articles on cancer.
He was once assistant director of public affairs at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York during the period of the 1970’s. He was fired from that job for refusing to lie to the public about cancer research on Laetrile. His book above describes horrible unconscionable, fraudulent, improper and even illegal conduct by the cancer generals of the failed war on cancer over a long period of time. Here are a few reviews from the experts:
“The revelations in this book about the ways in which the American people have been betrayed by the cancer establishment, the medical profession, and the government are shocking. Everyone should know that the “war on cancer” is largely a fraud and that the National Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society are derelict in their dutires to the people who support them.”
Linus Pauling, Ph.D., Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1954 and Peace, 1962.
“This is a shocking, disturbing book, a muckraking book in the best sense, which should be widely read.” Baltimore Evening Sun
“Moss brings heavy guns to bear against the cancer medical establishment as he details the dismal record of their orthodox forms of treatment…He carefully cites sourcews as he assembles documentation that adds up to a blistering attack.” Publishers Weekly
“Moss is a very tough act. He delivers his artument with low-keyed logic and a slow, careful building-up of facts. It is this very calmness, ultimately, that gives his words their ring of commanding urgency. Riveting!” The Denver Post
“Exceptionally well written….Highly recommended.” The LIbrary Journal
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Winfield J. Abbe
May 7th, 2010
4:24 am
In the above post, Houston should read New York.
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Winfield J. Abbe
May 7th, 2010
4:30 am
See the blog: “Criminal FDA Must Be Charged with Cancer Quackery”, TOPIX, Bethesda, MD
Winfield J. Abbe, Ph.D., Physics
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SUMMER
May 7th, 2010
12:35 pm
my heart go out to you all. my mother had colon cancer. it had her very sick she is doing good.it has been 2years
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alexis reed
May 7th, 2010
3:20 pm
personally if you ask me the people that get breast cancer need to go and buy some new breast haha problem solved
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Virginia
May 8th, 2010
10:42 pm
If taking off smoking logos off cigarette packs were enough, fewer folks would smoke. Stll,the magazines, billboards,grocery store circulars-Krogers especially-still advertise even if out tv’s don’t. A young,pregnant woman at the bus stop was smoking;she said she had a little boy at home. To me, smoking aroun\d your babies should almost be regarded as child abuse. If we remember the folks who died of cancer as a result of smoking,like Yul Bryner (who pleaded for smokers to quit),maybe we wouldn’t want to end up like them-dead. What does it take?
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Jaime Chamberlain
May 11th, 2010
9:40 pm
Great read! As a new mother I’ve been learning more and more about healthy eating for babies and children. It’s so important for the parents to be educated as much as the children – they are the ones setting the precedent.
http://www.jamlanguage.com
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Mary
May 12th, 2010
11:44 am
Americans have not learned how to take time off seriously-they just keep working. Europeans have considerably more vacation time-take it seriously-and are less materialistic. We complain about illness and health care costs but both employer and employee should realize that overdoing it is precipitating the problem. It is a proven fact that employees perform better and faster if they are on a reduced week, take regular breaks and vacations. When all is said and done, health before money results in a better payoff for both parties.
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Kathy
May 12th, 2010
11:49 am
No overtime for me! Life is too short and I enjoy my life outside the office. When I do have to work OT I can feel a difference in my energy levels the next day. I usually require a day off or good night sleep to recuperate. I am lucky to be a hourly employee instead of salary, they don’t want to pay overtime!
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Bob Chapek
May 12th, 2010
12:48 pm
Companies (executives)require that you work a minimum of 50 hours at your job, especially if you are a salaried employee. You are expected to get more done with less help. Work until the jobs are done, which never seems to have an end. You are never expected to get sick and take off time to recouperate. And when you put in for vacation (for a week at a time),the company does not take a good view on this. They would like you to take one or two days at a time spead thoughout the year. This is a sound of the times!! Either do what they expect from you or get out. Not a good trend for the US salaried worker.
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Dee
May 12th, 2010
3:12 pm
@Bob. Right you are. And with digital cell phones and aircards the company gets to pay a few hundred bucks a month for the pleasure of keeping you connected all the time. I used to work in the office from around 8-9am until 6-7pm M-F. Now that I am a single mom, I have no choice but to leave by 5pm and then my fingers are busy with e-mails on the cell and by 9pm I am back on the laptop and actually working until around midnight-1am. In order to get the accrual off the books my company has mandatory vacation days…the problem is that real-life steps in and there is always something happening so the best I can get in return for them charging me a vacation day is that I get to put in my 8-10 hours that day from home. Vacation, to me, is just somewhere new to set up my laptop. When I make hotel reservations I ask about wireless, not views.
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Christina
May 12th, 2010
3:20 pm
Now that I am 50, I take my time off seriously. I take care of me! Not my employer!
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kt
May 12th, 2010
3:27 pm
Work more overtime. Millions on welfare are depending on you…
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thebelist
May 12th, 2010
3:57 pm
All great points. Eating “real food” is truly important. So many people include processed foods in their healthy eating plans. It’s great to see tips like these shared.
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C from Marietta
May 12th, 2010
4:41 pm
It’s all about taking care of yourself and getting exercise. I work an average of 50hrs a week. I have work ethic.
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C from Marietta
May 12th, 2010
4:44 pm
We all know what this is leading too. The socialist among us don’t want to work the extra to get extra. So, they force us that are willing to work extra stop. I would like to see the other factors in the studying. Instead of just a one page article saying what the study says.
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Mark
May 13th, 2010
5:51 am
I used to work a lot of overtime, but now very minimum. I sat down with a pen and paper, and looked at ways to cut back. I found over $1000, that I was wasting per month. I feel a lot better that I don’t
have to rely on working so hard anymore.
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David S
May 13th, 2010
10:26 am
According to Susan G. Coleman and KFC, eating fried chicken will help cure breast cancer!
If that kind of absurdity doesn’t convince you that those in the business of cancer really aren’t interested in finding a cure, then nothing should. Write and tell the foundation and KFC that you know better.
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Paralegal
May 13th, 2010
11:04 am
I used to work a TON of overtime in my previous job. I traveled all the time and worked at least 12 hours a day for weeks-on-end. On one occasion, I was out of town for an entire month and never got to come home — even on weekends. At some point I had to face the fact that I was cheating my husband and kids by never being around to spend time with them. I quit that job and took some time off. Now, I am working again, but I have found a job that does not require as many hours. While my schedule is still crazy at times, it is much more managable. I am so thankful that I changed jobs — there is so much more to life that work. I am healthier and happier today because I do not have to work as many hours.
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Terrence Aym
May 15th, 2010
1:18 am
It’s worse than salt. The government is currently defending a case in a federal court in Iowa and contends that Americans have no rights about what they want to eat or what they eat. Incredible? Conspiracy theory? No, it’s true …
Why the federal government wants to control what you eat
http://www.helium.com/items/1833311-why-the-federal-government-wants-to-control-what-you-eat
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on things itself
May 17th, 2010
5:59 am
Only fools and horses work, the writing style is creative.
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Todd
May 17th, 2010
8:27 pm
I think it is over-diagnosed. However, some of the people commenting seem to not understand the difference between over-diagnosed and just diagnosed. I’m not a doctor, but I’m sure there are some children that have ADHD. Some children do suffer from the symptoms of ADHD, but not all children who want to run and play instead of listen to authority should be diagnosed with ADHD. When this becomes the case (as through the 90s and 2000s it has), it is “over-diagnosis”. I just thought this should be made clear to some people. Also, the original article was to talk about over-diagnosis, and not to talk about whether it is an actual disorder. So please, if you could leave those comments to a different article.
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David S
May 18th, 2010
3:51 pm
I paid for a quite extensive food evaluation that is based on the reaction of blood cells to the foods/allergins in question. I don’t remember the exact lab test name, but I know that RAST is one kind that is quite similar.
This test is not as crude as the food challenge or skin prick tests and reveals cellular reactions on a scale of 1 to 4. In this manner, those sensitivities that might be adding up to other physical problems can be idientified and mitigated against (by following the recommendations to limit consumption of the high numbers to very infrequently and not worrying abou the low numbers, etc.).
Doctors are idiots when it come to anything food related. All they know about is the kind of allergies that send you to the hospital and are dealt with with epinephrine. Otherwise, their nutrition training and the like is pathetic. If you are very sensitive to certain foods, but don’t show an obvious reaction – like with shell fish, etc. – but you eat those things all the time, you are going to have symptoms that will be difficult to diagnose but may cause you grave problems.
The actor James Coburn had a massive cumulative reaction to numerous foods and almost died. He underwent this kind of testing, identified his issues, limited their consumption, and no longer has any problems.
I myself have seen major changes since limiting some of the items that showed the most cellular reactions. Cooincidentally, they were also some of the items I consumed a lot of – big surprise.
As well, your body is a giant food processor unit. It takes in all the goodies, but only uses what it can and must dispose of the waste. Any waste that can’t leave, will cause issues. If you smoke, you limit the waste that your lungs and skin can remove effectively. If you aren’t having at least as many bowel movements as number of meals you eat each day, then waste is piling up there. The more preservatives, additives, cooked food, etc. that you consume, the more you burden your liver and its ability to process wastes, and similarly with your kidneys.
Its all about keeping your system flushed out and free to eliminate its waste. I found that a major change in diet, colon hydrotherapy, liver cleansings and the like all worked to actually eliminate an allergy I had to avocados. My throat would swell and make it difficult to swallow and breathe. Since eating more raw food and other changes, I know longer am allergic and eat them with reckless abandon.
There is way more to know about allergies and food, but don’t ever think you will get the information from the traditional western medicine crowd. They are getting all their training from big Pharma.
If there isn’t a drug or a shot, or a surgery for your problem, your doctor won’t know a thing.
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Johnny
May 18th, 2010
4:05 pm
Additives such as benzoate, benzalkonium chloride can cause asthmatics to gasp for air, before a meal is done. If you notice your nose stuffing up after consuming food or drink you could be hypersensitive to preservatives.
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David S
May 18th, 2010
4:16 pm
Sufites commonly found in wine and dried fruits (they are added to keep the color) are also a big contender for allergies. Generally fruits that have a dark color are processed without them, but read the label. There are plenty of wines made without sulfites, but they are required to put them on the label if present.
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Ed
May 19th, 2010
8:38 am
Dave, you hit the nail on the head, when it comes to the doctors, massive lack of nutritional training. Over the past 6 months, I have had some sensitivities regarding certain foods (tomatoes, brown rice, whole oats, chicken, pineapple), and have had swallowing challenges. So much so, that I will be getting a endoscapy scheduled for tomorrow. Obviously going to check for intestinal damage. I did go to a allergist and got a environmental allergy test and food allergy test and there were no food allergies. I would like to find some natural remedies to cure the throat challenges.
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Jan Fowler
May 19th, 2010
1:34 pm
I developed a severe food allergy two years ago. I have done all the test, the prick test, the food challenge, all of them. All the results the same. There is no cure, you just have to be careful. I have done everything acupuncture, cleanses, all sorts of different things and I just have come to the conclusion, that I must be extremely careful and embrace this life style. Last week was National Food Allergy Awareness Week (only recognized in 22 states) and I did a week long blog on my food allergy. I have had a great response, so I will link it to here if anyone wants to read it!
http://jan-pugmom.blogspot.com/2010/05/day-1-food-allergy-awareness-blogs.html
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lily chung
May 19th, 2010
4:45 pm
Given our research(or effort to fight?) over the past one hundred years, and the little progress we have made, it is time to look for options. My research on cosmic flows has shown cosmic energy cycle having significant input on allergy.
Victims is better off to check out their energy and learn how to read the calendars on cosmic energy cycle. A book provides the procedure and the calendars:
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lily chung
May 19th, 2010
4:49 pm
Cont.
the book on finding personal cosmic energy and the calendars on cosmic flows is THE TRUTH OF UPS AND DOWN, COSMIC INEQUALITY. If we want to get some insight beofre reading the book, read the article: Allergy and Cosmic Energy in Womensradio.com.
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Creegah
May 19th, 2010
9:35 pm
My dad suffered from Non-Tropical Sprue, an auto-immune gluten intolerence. Unfortunately it was not diagnosed correctly until he was 77, shortly before his death. Physically, he had a miserablr life. I have been tested as have my children because it is supposed to be hereditary and, although we have auto-immune issues, gluten intolerance is not one of them.
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SG
May 19th, 2010
11:04 pm
I would like to start by explaining that I have no medical training. I am just a parent and my advice is just based on personal experience. Our son was diagnosed with severe, potentially life threatening food allergies at approximately 1 year of age. He was allergic to milk, eggs, shellfish and tree nuts. These were true food allergies, not food tolerances. I know this because he was tested every year, sometimes 2x a year, since he was a toddler. He was tested with the skin prick method, CAP RAST blood test, and later in life, with food challenges. He is now a college student. My advice for those navigating this challenging journey:
1) Seek a specialist. We chose an allergist and he has been our partner on this journey for almost 19 years. He understood not only the diagnostic issues, but also the lifestyle, social and emotional issues surrounding food allergies.
2) Join the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network and any other network to gain knowledge and coping skills. This website truly changed our life.
3) Develop a consistent game plan for your child to keep them safe. Given the fact that our child was allergic to so many foods, we felt it important to keep the plan simple, especially when our child was young. In our situation, if the food did not come out of our child’s backpack, he was not to eat it. This avoided the stress of wondering if he could have the cupcake or birthday cake brought by someone else, etc. It also kept the responsibility within our family, not relying or asking a teacher or other caregiver to figure this out.
4) Accurate and Appropriate Communication is key. Be clear with caregivers about the seriousness of the food allergies and what to do in the event of an emergency. This should be spelled out in writing with a game plan approved by your physician. It is a good idea to meet with teachers BEFORE the school year starts to discuss this situation and provide med bags. Also, be clear with your child and make sure they understand the situation and what to do in an emergency or if they think they have ingested an allergen.
5) Teach your child to always carry meds. Our child still carries a med bag, which includes epipens, inhaler, Benadryl. When he was in elementary, middle and high school, we had several med bags located throughout the school. Nurses office, PE teacher, with coaches, etc.
6) Advocate and Be Positive. Not everyone will understand. Be positive and raise awareness one person at a time. Teach your child to be their own advocate as they get older. They will take their cues from you.
8)Stay current on food allergy testing, medication prescriptions and meet with your physician annually.
I used to lie awake at night wondering how we would be able to send our child to college and how he would navigate this situation all by himself. He just completed his first year in college (he does not attend locally). He navigated all of this beautifully. Over the past 3 years, through testing, we have learned that he has outgrown several of his food allergies.
I know this email was long, I just wanted to give hope to anyone out there with a small child who may be newly diagnosed. It is overwhelming, we wish you the best and they can live a wonderful, full life.
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EEmom
May 19th, 2010
11:21 pm
My 2-year old was just recently diagnosed with Eosinophillic Esophagitis (EE). It is a rare disorder where food intolerance causes inflammation of the esophagus, severe heart burn, nausea, vomitting and chest pain, eczema and asthma. It affects 1 in every 10,000 people. It is commonly misdiagnosed due to the similarity of reflux disease symptoms.
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Wordwizard
May 20th, 2010
8:31 am
I’ve spent much of my childhood sick all the time with colds, viruses and earaches. As an adult, I’d get sick headaches, my skin would be clear and then breakout inside an hour, significant water retention, nausea and would feel awful for ~24 hours. The symptoms never last and by the time I got to a dr. they would be gone. 7 years ago I had an IgG-4 Blood test (not to be confused by the standard allergists IgE test) and tested high for Casein (milk protein) and eggs. I stopped eating both and I feel great – better than I’ve ever felt in my life.
Your health food store will have a product called ‘Egg Replacer’ and I’ve used it in many recipes that call for eggs. Also, I use a bread machine. You can’t be sure that store made bread hasn’t been contaminated by the previous product they made. I take probiotics to improve my digestive system. I am VERY HAPPY to have a solution and my health back!
I’ve heard of others who were diagnosed with Chron’s Disease and IBD to completely resolve their symptoms by avoiding foods the IgG-4 blood test identified! Dr.’s, for the most part, don’t seem to like this test because the solution has nothing to do with having you come in for repeat visits and prescriptions!
With IgG-4 food allergy (intolerance?), your immune system is on high alert fighting the allergen every time you consume it. That means there’s less immune system strength to fight other things I was exposed to which is why I would get sick all the time. Work with your body to restore it’s nutrition and health – ignore those that try to minimize this problem and the solution!
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robyn
May 20th, 2010
9:20 am
my husband had the ige and igg tests and the only thing he didn’t come back with a problem with is fish and rye bread. everything else is a problem – milk, meat, eggs, bread, fruits and veges. so all he eats is fish and that is horrid as i don’t eat seafood and he is eating herrings, oysters, i wish he would eat tuna instead of the herrings.
my nephew is supposed to have a milk allergy but has no problems when he is with his grandmother – not sure about the reality of the milk problem – his father has it and there is a lactose free milk here in australia that i mentioned to his mother.
we need to get a better word for real life threatening problems – nuts, eggs, fish given they can be life threatening/require a trip to the hospital for that jab. here in australia, kids and adults are encouraged to carry around their jab so that it can be admitted if there is something served to them that causes a reaction – nuts that weren’t meant to be in a food. we all need to get identifications for people with lifethreatening products.
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David S
May 20th, 2010
12:10 pm
We are the only species on earth that consumes the milk of another species and the only species that consumes milk past infancy/early childhood. It is just not natural and really no surprise that so many people have problems with dairy products.
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Slappy Harlock
May 20th, 2010
4:28 pm
I recently remembered that certain nuts make me swell up. I went and got some and it’s come in handy since they’re a heck of a sight cheaper than Viagra.
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Slappy Harlock
May 20th, 2010
4:40 pm
Oh yeah Dave, Put a bowl of cow milk in front of a cat and see what happens.
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Slappy Harlock
May 20th, 2010
4:50 pm
Yes and Gin can cause temporary insanity.
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Slappy Harlock
May 20th, 2010
4:51 pm
Yes, I do support them. And the Arizona police as well.
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Slappy Harlock
May 20th, 2010
4:53 pm
Yes but I keep telling people to take the shell off first.
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Jennifer
May 20th, 2010
4:54 pm
David S – you are correct and it is called effective marketing. Half of the world is malnourished and has less osteoporosis and thinning bones than people in the US. That is called turbo marketing.
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Lori
May 20th, 2010
4:58 pm
Not sure if it’s a nature thing, Dave. We are also the only species that has hands to milk another animal!!!
I thankfully don’t have any life-threatening allergies, but I do have quite a few intolerances. My doctor has no clue at all. The best defense is just to know your own body (unfortunately this sometimes takes years of trial and error). Once you know what bothers you, just quit eating it.
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Weight Loss
May 21st, 2010
7:13 am
Interesting, thank you.
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kate
May 21st, 2010
10:29 am
while ron may truly have a point… theres an overload of over-eating in america. not only that but sometimes common sense choices for eating aren’t enough to keep you healthy. like for someone with night-eating syndrome(a eating/mood/sleep disorder wher ppl starve all day and then eat too much at dinner, binge all night, are depressed, and have insomnia) just eating regularly isnt enough. you have to choose your diet wisely with proteins, fruits, veggies and good carbs. yes it would be nice if everyone could sit at a restaurant and order what they want within reason, but reality is, sometimes that doesnt make a difference in the persons weight gain and doesnt make them any healthier. and dieticians are licensed to help stop over-eating, control under-eating, and help you have a balanced diet
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David S
May 21st, 2010
4:06 pm
Slappy Harlock – there is a difference between eating what is in front of you and choosing to get it yourself. How many cats have you seen suckling off a cow or any other species for that matter after their infancy. What a stupid response to the FACTS that I presented.
As for the only species with hands to do this, I would defer to chimps and other primates, none of whom milk another animal for their sustenance despite the same ability.
If you wish to justify your milk consumption based on the ability to stuff it down your throat, then the skies the limit on what we COULD eat. The question is what SHOULD we eat. Milk is high in fat, made from protein not designed for human consumption, designed to fatten young calves, not humans, etc. The case against it is strong. There are far superior sources of more absorbable calcium, vitamin D is a human additive, all milk produced by the big industrial farms must be pasturized due to its high levels of bacterial contamination (so you are just drinking dead bacteria, they are not filtered out), and so many dairies use antibiotics and bovine growth hormone to increase milk production. Add to that the fact that the majority of the world’s population lacks the enzyme to digest lactose and milk comes up way short on the list of great foods to consume.
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David S
May 21st, 2010
4:14 pm
robyn – I find it hard to believe that your husband has severe food reactions to everything but fish. Every vegetable? Every fruit? Maybe you should do another test to confirm.
Generally the way these tests work is a scale of reactivity. Its all about balance. Again I get to keeping the body, skin, colon, lungs, liver, etc. all cleansed and working well to eliminate toxins (start with the colon). Personally I found that even the more severe reactions diminished or even went away when I eliminated the #4’s, cut way back on the 3’s, did a few good cleanses, started eating more RAW fruits and vegetables (cooking only destroys the vitamins and enzymes in the food – which means your body must now make its own enzymes to digest and process the items thus depleting your body rather than nourishing it) and the problems got a whole lot better overall.
Don’t let your husband give up, and certainly a life of just sea food is not the answer. Vegetables and fruit should be the bulk of what everyone eats.
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Aria Beullah
May 21st, 2010
11:42 pm
I have just been diagnosed with food intolerances within the last year. Since I have been eliminating those foods (corn, wheat, dairy, and eggs),and doing a lot of my own research on why this happens I have been feeling betterb. I also have been meditating and reevaluating myself spiritually. This has helped me also. I do feel that the doctors are not up to par on knowledge about this subject and you have to research it for yourself.
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Renee Wainwright
May 23rd, 2010
8:36 pm
Has anyone ever heard of Nambudraped’s Allergy Elimination Technique? It is a permanent allergy treatment, gentle enough for babies. You can find information at NAET.com. I have been treated with it and have had excellant results. My husband has been treated also. He used to take 30 zertec a month. Now he takes about 30 Zertec a year. Consult with a practitioner for more personal information. It could be a life saver for you or some one you love. It’s cost affective, paying for it’s self in about 18 months in medical costs and lost time at work. Plus, major reduction in misery.
Check it out.
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DLT
May 27th, 2010
11:33 am
Discrimination is not even an issue. That is irrelevant! Anyone that is participating in high risk sexual behaviors should not be allowed to donate blood. Where is a persons’ moral values if one knows that they are engaging in such activity; why would one even want to donate blood with the likelihood that it may be contaminated and put another human at risk, in the event the blood falls through the crack of the current testing system? I vote no.
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Monogamous
May 27th, 2010
11:47 am
There are gay men out there, like myself, who have only ever had 2 sexual partners and gets tested every six months. People like myself are unable to donate blood for the rest of my life. I am O Positive, which means my blood is universal and everyone can use it. I believe I should be able to donate blood that could save someone’s life. I don’t think it is discrimination to forbid me to, I would just like to do my part to help others.
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dtboy
May 27th, 2010
12:10 pm
Label the source of the blood, as they do the type of blood and let the recipient preselect from what pool(s) of blood they’re comfortable in receiving and in what order of preference. Just like a donor card, this could be listed on their license and/or known by their PCP. If not available, then any source of blood matching their blood type that’s required to save their lives could be used, unless they’re specifically against it. This method with satisfy both the donor’s willingness to give and the recipient’s choice to receive. Discrimination is a non-issue as the donor’s motivation should be primarily out of help/love and not out of forcing their blood upon someone in the name of “equality.”
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Kevin
May 27th, 2010
1:20 pm
“Anyone that is participating in high risk sexual behaviors should not be allowed to donate blood.” – that should be straight married men — you are the ones on the down low and sleeping around. Not gay men.
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Posterwolf
May 27th, 2010
1:32 pm
Any ban should focus exclusively on high risk behavior, not on the orientation of the donor. Under the current rules, a heterosexual man who has sex with 1,000 women in a year is apparently welcome to donate while a gay man who has had sex once since 1977 is not. This makes no sense.
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Garry Owen
May 27th, 2010
1:33 pm
Wait until another break out of HIV from blood donated by gays. I can not give blood because of a blood thinner I have to take. Am I a target of discrimination?
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Devildog
May 27th, 2010
1:43 pm
Negative.
It’s not just the idea of gay men giving blood. It’s the reality that there are weaknesses in the system–sloppy technicians, nurses–that can allow something bad to slip through the cracks.
When in doubt, vote no.
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mike
May 27th, 2010
2:15 pm
so as a gay man who uses condoms, is hiv neg and practices safe sex, I can’t give blood…yet a married who could potentially be hiring prostitutes or sleeping with multiple women or guys (and there are a lot of them who do meet up with men) and not using protection can give blood just because he didn’t self identify as “gay?” sorry, but that’s a flawed system
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Emily
May 27th, 2010
2:26 pm
For those who are saying hetero men might sleep around more than homo men is not the issue. The article states that HIV/AIDS is more prevelant in the homosexual community. That is why this is an issue. Not a debate on the number of partners. Re-read the article. I agree with dtboy. If this turns out to be yet another issue of “equal rights” in the gay community I will barf. Just be gay and stop trying to force it down everyone else’s throat who is not. Its sexual prefernce. It doesnt need to be a civil rights issue. Im sick of it. And, no, I would not want homosexual blood.
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Billy
May 27th, 2010
2:28 pm
We live in a state where abstinence is taught rather than teaching students appropriate safe sex practices. At least once a year there are blood drives held at many local area high schools. There is a pretty good chance that these under-educated, sexed-up teens are providing lower quality blood than the gay population would if they were given their chance. (By the way, probably a handful of these teens are closeted gays, but as long as they are closeted it’s o.k., right?) Healthy adults that practice safe sex, no matter their sexual preference, should be allowed, AND thanked, for donating such a precious resource.
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CMDT
May 27th, 2010
2:45 pm
Yes. The ban should be lifted and more scrutiny placed on high-risk sexual activity. If you don’t think that you are discriminating based upon sexual orientation, ask yourself if you have a problem that gay women are not excluded from donating blood. Gay women have an even lower risk for HIV than heterosexual women.
“Something bad” can “slip through the cracks” with any donor at risk for any disease; that’s the reality of it. One hopes that people who donate blood are doing so out of a sense of altruism. Gay men who are at a low risk for transmitting blood-borne diseases should be allowed to donate blood just like everyone else who passes the screening criteria.
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kimmer
May 27th, 2010
2:55 pm
All of you with your garters in a knot over this please read the article. It includes about 7 specific and very good reasons explaining why homosexual men are excluded from donating blood and they are all risk based. We all know there are monogamous homosexual men and very promiscuous heterosexual men but you cannot dwell on individual cases. The reality is, as stated by the article, blood donated by homosexual men is 60 times more likely to test positive for HIV than any other group. Homosexual men are also more likely to carry other blood borne diseases such as hepatitis. There is also a certain number of cases, usually because of timing of infection, that get through the testing safety net. Thus there is a very good reason to exclude this group. If it were discriminatory there would be a similar ban for lesbians but there is not. So let’s get off the soapbox shall we..
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roswell
May 27th, 2010
3:05 pm
Made mistakes in my past and i am no longer living that lifestyle. No way I am a danger, is a *lifetime* ban really necessary? I can definitely get behind a waiting period, like all the other hazardous activities.
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John
May 27th, 2010
3:08 pm
The fastest growing group of new infections is among black straight women. Around the world, heterosexuals are more likely to have HIV than gay people. And yet gay people are disallowed from giving if they had protected sex one time in their life?
The root of this is that people just feel icky about gay blood. News flash homophobes: you can’t catch gay from gay blood.
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Decatur Taliban
May 27th, 2010
3:09 pm
To hell with that. I don’t think anyone in their right mind is going to risk HIV contamination to be politically correct. Allowing homosexuals to serve in the military is one thing but taking the chance of getting contaminated blood is something else.
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Posterwolf
May 27th, 2010
3:10 pm
Emily,
Risky behavior is indeed the issue, not the identity or orientation of the donor. Many communities of color also have high rates of HIV/AIDS and yet there is no blanket ban on blacks or latinos donating blood. Your statement “HIV/AIDS is more prevalent in the homosexual community” is more accurately put as: “HIV/AIDS is more prevalent among men who engage in unsafe sexual practices with other men.” That’s why a monogamous gay couple who have been together for years are less of a threat to the blood supply than a single heterosexual man who engages in multiple unprotected sexual encounters. And yet the latter is allowed to donate all he wants. Banning gay men from donating only creates a false sense of security. Screening should be based on risky behavior only. I’d feel much safer with screening questions along the lines of “Have you engaged in unprotected sex in the past 6-12 months?,” “Are you unaware of your HIV status?” I’d be happy to see these questions get very specific in terms of types of acts, fluid exchange, etc.
This isn’t an attempt to be politically correct at the expense of endangering blood recipients. It’s a more sensible, and more secure, way of evaluating the screening process. Focusing on behavior is safer than focusing on identity. Allowing HIV negative gay men to donate when the need for blood is so great will result in a net benefit to public health.
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Lily
May 27th, 2010
3:13 pm
How would they know you are gay unless you tell them? I have never been allowed to donate because they said I didn’t weigh enough.
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John
May 27th, 2010
3:42 pm
Probably should ban black blood while we’re at it….
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WhyThe Face
May 27th, 2010
4:00 pm
Emily – Please crawl back under that rock you were under.
Posterwolf – Perfectly articulated!
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blkshepherd
May 27th, 2010
4:13 pm
How Many DL men yes MEN who sleep with other man and have wives and girlfriends are going to donate blood and say sheeesh! dont tell no body but although I am married I also sleep with men on the side. I dont give a RATS a#! how much you THINK that gay men should not donate. You should TREAT ALL BLOOD AS IF IT HAS HIV DUHHHHHH! There are people who steal and say they dont, people who use DRUGs(yet denie it) WTF? You damn idiots on here claming you dont want homosexual blood you damn air head how do you KNOW somebody is gay if they dont tell you? What about those who have no money or job and LIE just to get that money. ME personally I dont want NO damn body blood..gay or straight. Infact If I needed a blood transfusion..i would prefer them to store My own Blood..I dont want ANYBODY else damn blood Period..GAY or Straight. There are a lot of Strait folks whos blood is NO good either you damn idiots make me laugh..its the same rule..when you have sex. I dont care if the person is made out of gold..still put on a damn condom and treat everyone and I do Mean EVERYONE like they got something wrong with them or tainted blood..that includes Doctors nurses and medical staff..No one is exempt! Bad blood will take you out..gay straight in between.No exceptions.
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Marcos
May 27th, 2010
4:18 pm
Emily… i doubt if you are ever in need of a transfusion you would turn down the blood. And I find it confusing that you believe that only gay people with multiple partners are the risk. That is just dumb and myopic thinking. But your comment “it’s a sexual preference” proves just how dumb you are. Being gay is biological. However being stupid is a choice.
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Marie
May 27th, 2010
4:33 pm
Were any of you adults in the early 80″s? Reading about hemophilliacs and others , Arthur Ashe comes to mind, that died because of the tainted blood supply, assures me that I will never want to see the ban lifted.
I know there are plenty of gay men that will be discriminated against due to the lack of ethics of those that came before. I am sorry for that but I do not want to hear of unsuspecting people dying as they were then.
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Debora
May 27th, 2010
5:22 pm
Emily, I would happily refrain from giving you my homosexual blood if I could deny you!
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
May 27th, 2010
6:14 pm
“Should ban on gay men’s blood donations be lifted?”
Yes, if one wants aids etc….
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Yo mama Obama
May 27th, 2010
6:18 pm
Awe, my comment was pulled! LOL
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Yo mama Obama
May 27th, 2010
6:20 pm
“Or do you think the safety of the country’s blood supply makes this form of discrimination necessary?”
I love it when liberals form questions with words like “discrimination” and “controversial.”
1: No one in their right mind would ever take blood from a gay man.
2: The average lifespan of a gay man is 45.
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Boonedocks
May 27th, 2010
10:58 pm
Yes. No one thinks its the government’s business until the stroke or heart attack. Then its our business to care for the disabled, Medicare/Medicaid recipients and the catastrophic bills. This is simple, effective prevention.
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Pete
May 28th, 2010
10:46 am
Why not allow gays to donate, but just keep that blood supply separate? If a person who needs a transfusion wants to use the blood in that particular supply they can opt in, otherwise they can use the supply of blood from non-gays.
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william
May 28th, 2010
10:51 am
Oh come on people we got to make homosexuality NORMAL for everybody.
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G.
May 28th, 2010
11:23 am
NO, No, and NO x 1000
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Greg
May 28th, 2010
11:58 am
The ignorance on here is appalling. Yes, Marie, there were issues in the 80s, but that was 20-30 years ago…glad to see you are still living in the past. Technology (i.e. testing processes) are completely different now than then, and ALL blood needs to be thoroughly screened for the reasons pointed out by the smart folks on here, i.e. “straight” men sleeping with other men on the DL and/or prostitutes, or even just multiple sexual partners. As to ‘Yo Mama’, you’re an idiot…it was another idiot like you who, a few years back, was spreading the false rumor that the lifespan of gay men was mid-40s, which was based on a statistically invalid sample and proved by many to be a lie. Get a clue!
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DLT
May 28th, 2010
12:04 pm
I always wanted to give blood… I tried when I was 18 years of age and that was many, many moons ago…However, they told me then that I didn’t have enough to give. Hence…low iron, low blood count. A lifetime medical situation for me. May God bless everyone that is able to give blood. I wish I could store my own, but I don’t have enough to even do that. LOL Oh Well. I wish everyone good health.
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JK
May 28th, 2010
12:56 pm
To those saying things about gay rights being tired of gay rights being a civil rights issue I have this to say. If my right to live as I choose and marry who I choose, and live how I choose is not a civil right then neither is your right to religion. They are both in your mind (though science & common sense say otherwise for homosexuality) a “choice” and if one is not protected neither is the other.
Put simply, I will stop “cramming down your throat” my civil rights when your people stop cramming our religious morals and demands down everyone else!
As to the blood, do it on risky behavior, not who you are. I know plenty of straight men who have sex with hookers.. and the HIV rate with hookers is higher than gas. Same for black women, more of them are getting HIV than gay men? Are we going to blanked ban black women and guys who sleep with hookers for life? I doubt it. All I ask is that they base it on science and not “ewwww ick gay people”.
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hoodtechie
May 28th, 2010
1:15 pm
Let me ask you this, would you take blood from a known intravenous drug user who shoots up herion,didn’t think so.Since hiv is prevalent in the gay community then those who practice this lifestyle should be banned from giving blood. How many people would accept blood from a known gay person? You chose your lifestyle and I can accept that, but don’t think that I should expose myself to the consequences of your choices.
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Silentpooter
May 28th, 2010
1:36 pm
I donate platelets every two weeks and blood every 56 days. The Red Cross has never looked up my skirt to see what flavor I am. It’s based on a questionnaire on a computer screen. Who’s to say I’m being truthful when I fill it out? I’ve donated over 125 units in my lifetime and I figure I have another 120 in me before I’m done. I’d like to think my blood or platelets or plasma, makes some of you ignorant, trailer dwelling jesus freaks a little smarter should you ever need it.
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Nirish
May 28th, 2010
2:05 pm
HIV is also more prevalent in the African American community, but I don’t hear anyone calling out to ban African Americans. I’d rather receive blood or blood products from a gay man who practices safe sex and gets tested than some straight guy who has sex indiscriminantly and thinks he’s not at risk because he thinks HIV is still a “gay disease”
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Gavin
May 28th, 2010
3:02 pm
I think the health of the patient is the most important thing, not the orientation of the doner, anyone who has high risk sex should not consider donating regardless of their orientation, There is a shortage of blood and it seems stupid to ban a gay man because he’s gay, if he sleeps around ban him but I know plenty of gay men who have never considered having unprotected sex. More research on testing methods should be done, and Emily, If you needed blood and the only blood available was from a healthy homosexual you would be right not to take it, your better off being sick and ignorant rather than growing a brain and getting a life
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Hannah
June 2nd, 2010
5:08 pm
Steve, did you really just blame the government for your obesity? Seriously? Did someone from the Secret Service come to your house and hold a gun to your head, making you eat until you stretched your stomache to the point that only surgery can make it not huge? Grow some willpower, lower your caloric intake and take a walk. And if you refuse to do this than I do not feel an ounce of sympathy for the fact that you will be dead soon. One less fatty to be on disability.
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A Mcneill
June 4th, 2010
12:08 pm
I have three children with adhd and 2 of which have been on medication. My youngest was diagnosed at an early age my 16 year was diagnosed later on and it was too late to keep it and try to get it under control because she refuses to take the medication on a regular and choose other illegal medication to try and calm her self and try to focus and stay on one task. I fell that if the doctors would have listen to me early on she would not be so far gone at such an early age.
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Leigh
June 6th, 2010
5:28 am
Soy milk is no better than cow’s milk. Soy protein is highly processed under chemical extraction. It mimics estrogen and has been linked to breast cancer, menstrual cycle disturbances, abnormal sexual development in children , breast develoment in boys, and the list goes on and on. Soy protein is in most vegetarian products and many other products you wouldn’t expect. I guess it comes down to deciding which is the lesser of two evils.
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Magenta
June 7th, 2010
9:27 am
No, not overdiagnosed, IMO, since I know 2 people who went through school and life with undiagnosed ADHD – my father and myself. 42 years apart in age, and I experienced all the problems he did, including being labeled “bad,” “lazy,” “spoiled,” “dumb,” or “in need of a good strapping.” Just knowing that it’s not a rare or isolated condition has done wonders in helping to overcome it. My dad was brilliant and a lover of life, but he dropped out of school in 11th grade and was never able to make much money as a result. He always just assumed he was a no-good loser. No one to blame here; there’s just a huge gap in how these things are understood. But we should NEVER write off a kid’s chances just because s/he can’t fit into an educational mold.
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kiran
June 9th, 2010
5:38 am
The best for toenail fungus is Zetaclear from http://www.toenailfungusonline.com. Its really an amazing product. I am already used this one. I am really happy with this.
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Should you eat before a workout?
June 13th, 2010
12:38 am
[...] your muscles, avoid hunger during your workout and prevents your blood sugar from getting too low. Low-calorie snacks prior to workouts are not a bad thing, and certain foods like fruit juice and bananas are more likely to digest in the body faster and do [...]
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Kay Pratt
June 14th, 2010
6:16 pm
Soon to be a #1 Best Seller! Simon’s remarkable journey from tragedy to triumph following a horrific accident is testimony to the power of love, hope against all odds, and resiliency. As a fellow survivor of multiple serious injuries and an extended recovery, I cried, winced, shook my head and laughed through each loving page of this book. It is an important account of the many issues and challenges injured individuals and their families must endure in addition to, and at the same time they are striving to recover (a modern crime against humanity in some respects). This coupled with the complexities of brain injury and how it affects our physical ability to heal, demonstrates the importance of self advocacy and continuous, caring support to help survivors succeed in their quest to become whole again. This is an important book – it should be read by survivors of trauma and their families, the medical community and care givers alike, our leaders and legislators, plaintiff Attorneys and members of the insurance industry. Additionally, this is also a book about spiritual enlightenment, mystery and the beauty that is life. I’d recommend Simon’s book to those seeking answers to our existence as well. Thank you Simon for sharing your story :~)
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Sheila
June 14th, 2010
10:40 pm
My daughter experienced some of the worst castrophies of medical care.She was a childhood survivor of Hodgkin’s Disease. But, she developed renal cell carcinoma and radiation fibrosis. You want to talk about a killer? Four major surgeries including an open wound, collapsed intestinal walls and major pain and suffering. I don’t think I will ever recover.If the book provides any insight I am in. My daughter was writing a book too before she died.
Her book was a fictionalized account of her life. She is/was the bravest person I have ever known. Not brief encounters from people who didn’t live it for many years. But, a young person who fought and fought her entire life.Not a 5 year old view nor an 80 year old view but a comfortable 40 year old view. She died at 43.
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Grady saved my life
June 15th, 2010
11:06 am
I have started a book called 49 dsys at Grady several times. In 1987, I was in a one truck wreck getting off I-20 and the old Asby exit. I lost my breaks and hit the trees behind the station there. I guess it was not my time to go, because the right people was on the right vehicle to save my life. It took three hours to cut the old Datsun truck away from me at midnight March 14.
My family was told to come in and tell me bye. I laid there while my three young boys was trying to figure where I was going.I was awake throught the whole thing, chest tubes in both sides, tubes to breath, tubes down my nose. tubes everywhere. I had crushed my chest into my heart. Broke my false teeth and was trying to push all the broke parts through the tape that was holding my mouth shut.
When my boys, my wife, mother and daddy all told me bye and they loved me.I told my self that I would walk out of there alive. Fourty nine days later, I walked out the door and made it to my van to take me to a hospital closer to home and away from all the fools that roamed the halls of Grady.
Let me explain, SIC save my life, they have the best doctors for trama aand the best caring staff you could get in the world. Step down is not to bad, get you ready to go to a regular room. The regular room is another story. They put me in a room with ten beds. Nine of the people had chains on their legs, grards at the doors, bed checks every time someone left the room. Could not get the to put me in any other room. Had been on oxygen for 45 days and the people were openly smoking pot in the room when the guards was not looking, the nurses would bring it in for them. My wife had to get the law involved to get me out. I was insured for up to $1,000,000 and when My wife got home, the sheriff delivered a lein on my house for the bill. We wonder why grady get a bad name from time to time, This was the week before the guy shot upp the ICU, the very room I was in for 45 days. Grady saved my life, I had to have surgury four times to fix their messups, But I am still alive to write about it. Thank you Grady Trama unit for my life.
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Craig
June 15th, 2010
7:49 pm
Hope is the best of things
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Denise Williams
June 16th, 2010
11:31 am
Back in March 2000, My GYN Doctor during a hystercomy sewed thru my urter going to my left kidney and after 1 year I lost that kidney, THe doctor works at Eagles Landing in Stockbridge, Ga a never called to see about me never even offer anything. I went thru several Lawyers and 13 surgeries and try to get two different Doctors to back me up in different states but nothing work. The mistake has caused me pain and now my right kidney is going bad now. The State of Georgia protects there Doctors a lot and now I am the one suffering.
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JesusFreak
June 16th, 2010
1:44 pm
Don Piper wrote 90 minutes in Heaven, a New York Times Bestseller a few years ago. He too was declared dead, his body tarped over. An amazing book detailing God’s plan for our lives, we have a purpose in life, we’re not here randomly. Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? Read the Bible and get the answers. Hint: you do have a choice where you spend eternity, we are only in this world for a little while. Working in public safety, I know just how short some lives can be. Be ready to meet your Maker, it could happen at any time.
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JesusFreak
June 16th, 2010
1:54 pm
Forgot to add that my daughter had a catastrophic illness that nearly ended her life due to peritonitis. She walked away with her life, minus one ovary at the age of 12. Egleston nearly killed her by saying her symptoms were just an intestinal upset, they wouldn’t even do an ultrasound and discharged her from the ER. Her pain was so terrible I took her back to a local hospital where they saved her life. God has used her in a mighty way the past 8 years, she is living for Christ and serving those among us who have the least. Every day should be unwrapped like the precious gift that it is for tomorrow is not promised. We are not promised a pain free existence, either for those who might say “where is God” when we are suffering. Our reward is eternal, not temporary as the things of this world are. I have also lost a child and have a third one who is severely asthmatic so I do know about suffering. I still give God the glory and praise, my circumstances do not change that. For all who are going through trials, be blessed today and encouraged.
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Grady saved my life
June 17th, 2010
3:35 am
I have had three teriffic acidents in my life that cost the insurance many thousands of dollors. One was a auto acident and the other two was work related. I have always had the insurance to pay for my care with little out of my pocket. But i have also wondered how many people have had to psy their payments to cover the care I recieved.
The new Obamacare is going to cost us all our insurance compaines. There is no way the big compaines will survive this thing. They are being forced to take pre-existing conditions and pay for them from day one. Most people that will be covered will use the insurance from day one.The goverment has not told us what the cost of their action is going to be. They say there is 2,000,000 people that will get coverage that have pre-existing problems. If the 2,000,000 people start paying their payments and do not use any benifits for the first year, the insurance will make as estmate of $5,000,000,000 for the first year. On the second year if half of people use the insurance for treatment average cost of $10,000 that is going to be $ 10,000,000,000 paid out. What if half of them used $100,000 a year or more. How long are the insurance going to stay in business doing this.How many people has to pay their payments to cover just on persons bill? Think about it. The insurance compaaines are there to make money for their stock holders.
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Lisa
June 17th, 2010
12:54 pm
I woke up in morgue, the doctors were waiting for me to die from a severe beating so they could harvest my organs. No joke, they (the doctors) were discussing what they were going to bye with the money from my organ harvest. I have the scars where they were starting to skin me, that’s what I woke up to.
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Jim Stevens
June 21st, 2010
1:29 pm
The Simon Lewis story epitomizes one man’s depth of courage; believing, beyond the scope of our worldly imagination; and a perseverance that redefines “Iron Man”. After each reading session, my residual sensation was one of being humbled to his approach to an apparently dismal, future existence. Most of us have our times of despair when we wonder, “What can happen next”? Without a word spoken or another thought, the “lesson” from Simon’s book will live with you, “Don’t ask what can happen next!” “Do not despair about your situation!” Yours is not a plight, but an offering – one that was given to you – it is your gift…you may not like the replacement if you chose to exchange it. Resolve your remorse and invest every resource you have, to realize where the journey takes you. You may be surprised how your story might read if you make the effort exemplified in Simon’s “lesson”.
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Heavy2healthy
June 21st, 2010
8:12 pm
Kudos to her, I hope it lasts.
http://www.heavy2healthy.com
no spam just my weight loss journey
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Mary Slimmer
June 23rd, 2010
2:22 am
Due to excessive weight gain in America, people have been using body slimmers to help contour their body.
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Ken
June 23rd, 2010
12:25 pm
Just checked out your website Anthony, great job. I bet you feel so much better.
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deibrown
June 23rd, 2010
3:56 pm
Love love love Ali!
And I enjoyed your website Anthony. Congratulations on redefining your life and keep up the good work!
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Michael
June 23rd, 2010
7:25 pm
I see fat people everywhere and I conclude Americans are just sick. There’s something in the food. They’re not all a bunch of lazy gluttons. The hormones etc. that they put in food are getting stuck in the humans and making them grow, too. “To Serve Man — It’s a cookbook, it’s a cookbook”
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Rocky
June 24th, 2010
9:12 am
Sorry, Michael, but you are full of it. The food is not the problem. It’s the people who eat it. Have you ever gone to a Golden Corral or even a neighborhood Chinese buffet? Fatties fill the place and they will literally knock you down to get to the fried chicken and other fatty stuff. Their plates are so full food is falling off of them and then they go back two or three more times. Fast food places — those burgers and fries consist of literally thousands of calories and it’s almost all fat.
People don’t seem to care that they are killing themselves. That means kids with no parents and lots of widows and widowers. Obesity is one of the primary reasons our health care costs are so outasight.
And let’s not even talk about lazy. Nobody walks anywhere and people will kill you to get the closest parking spaces so they don’t have to walk an extra 30 yards.
Get fit, lose the fat, or die early. It’s really that simple.
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Ellen
June 24th, 2010
12:05 pm
Sorry Rocky, but it IS in the food–as well as personal responsibility. Food manufacturers spend a lot of time and research studying just the right components that make it hard to eat just one Dorito. The salt content, the fat content, the glycemic index of processed foods aren’t by accident. That said, we have a personal responsiblity to shun processed foods, exercise, and turn away from the unhealthy stuff that is on every corner.
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Michael
June 24th, 2010
12:05 pm
Thanks Rocky for agreeing with me. It’s the food at the buffets and fast foods! And all you can drink sodas. And it’s so cheap.
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Carla
June 24th, 2010
8:47 pm
As someone that took 15 years to finally get control of my weight and stop yo yoing, I agree whole heartedly with Michael and Rocky. I wanted to blame anything else but my eating habits.
You can have the fatty foods, but stay away from them for five days before you eat them again. Drink water. You dont have to be an exercise machine, but do walk for 30 minutes a day.
Your weight problems WILL disappear.
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Mick
June 25th, 2010
11:32 pm
That’s why I believe in Efusjon, my kids like the Raw (non caffeine) drink.
http://www.efusjonstl.com
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dawgfan
June 26th, 2010
8:10 am
Michael is right. All the processed crap that people eat these days is definitely a contributing factor in the fat epidemic. It is loaded with so many hormones, chemicals, preservatives, and other nasty ungodly stuff that most people would vomit if they really knew how awful it was. If you don’t have to make the food yourself, stay away from it. That’s my rule of thumb.
Eating healthy can be cheap too if you educate yourself about it and make the effort. There is nothing healthier than some grilled chicken and vegtables for dinner. How much do you think that costs? Not much. If your fat butt doesn’t want to eat that then fine, but don’t hide behind the “I can’t afford to eat healthy” excuse. That’s one of the biggest myths out there. Its simply not true.
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John form Psion
June 26th, 2010
11:58 am
There is a local company addressing this issue with technology.
They put smart chips in Helmets and headbands to monitor body temperature. Alerts are sent to coaches and trainers if a person is overheating.
check them out
http://www.hotheadtechnologies.com/
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Mary
June 26th, 2010
8:01 pm
“I had a breast cancer last year which made me fall into a huge panic. After several doctor visits, I was almost assured that there was no real remedy for me. I was referred to Sergei Djava with my last hope to heal my problem and it worked. I am now cancer free and living my life. God Bless Sergei & AN-DI Wellness.”
Please let my message get out there! There is a FIRM SOLUTION to CANCER & TUMOR.
~Mary F.
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Mary
June 26th, 2010
8:01 pm
=======================================================================
“I had a breast cancer last year which made me fall into a huge panic. After several doctor visits, I was almost assured that there was no real remedy for me. I was referred to Sergei Djava with my last hope to heal my problem and it worked. I am now cancer free and living my life. God Bless Sergei & AN-DI Wellness.”
Please let my message get out there! There is a FIRM SOLUTION to CANCER & TUMOR.
~Mary F.
======================================================
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Jim
June 26th, 2010
9:49 pm
The processed food is crap. I help a friend work his beef herd. The cows get steriods, hormones, antibotics, and wormer that is poison to humans. Steak, it’s what’s for dinner…….. However, anyone who blames food for making them fat migh just have fat on the brain.
Just don’t buy it, or lift your arm to put it in your mouth. It’s that simple. Now that I shared that secret the millions and billions spend on diets schemes can be used to cure cancer or clean up oil.
Congratulations Ali !
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Beagle Bailey
June 27th, 2010
1:17 am
Can someone get me Ali’s address or phone number. She’s a stone cold FOX.
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Mitzymy
June 27th, 2010
4:32 pm
Enter your comments here
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Mitzymy
June 27th, 2010
4:39 pm
The first time I went to Weight Watchers, I was 5′2, and weighed 135 lbs. There was a 21 year old there who had lost what I weighed(135) I was shocked that she could have allowed herself to get that fat in such a short time. I was 30 and had gained 10 lbs, that is why I was there. I have always watched my weight and what I eat. I know when I start to gain because my clothes no longer fit the same, so I cut back and not let it get the best of me. I don’t eat fast foods, I cook my own in the oven, and I limit my intake of pork and beef. It isn’t easy at all because I love food and I love to eat, but the end results are not what I want for my body.
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Mitzymy
June 27th, 2010
4:41 pm
I was not 52 years old, I was 5ft 2 inches tall. Typo!!
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EMR Specialists » Blog Archive » DOCTOR IS IN: Electronic Medical Records bring slow but substantial change :EMR News,EMR Industry News Headlines,EMR Software News,EMR Information.
June 28th, 2010
11:54 am
[...] http://blogs.ajc.com/better-health/2009/08/31/doctor-is-in-electronic-medical-records-bring-slow-but... [...]
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Mindfulness Meditation Helps Cancer Patients and Caregivers : Sleep Compass
June 28th, 2010
2:30 pm
[...] This post first appeared in UPAYA newsletter 06/28/10 and AJC—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 11-23-09 [...]
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OldSnarky
June 29th, 2010
8:11 pm
Stop every 1 to 2 hours and walk around for a few minutes. We usually stop at every rest stop along the expressway just to stretch our legs and walk a little bit. This might extend an 8 hour trip into 9 hours or so, but its well worth it.
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faith levister
June 29th, 2010
9:28 pm
Ali always has been a big influence. It takes dedication, hard work, and most of all giving up things we like. It’s called self discipline the hardest thing in the world to do. I am 60 yrs old, with arthritis throughout my body, both hips replaced, and back surgery 1 yr ago. I live in a small country town and the gym here doesn’t want to help us. Their afraid we will get hurt. Iam 30 lbs overweight and know it would benefit me to get on a program, learn what I can and can’t do, what exercises to do and so forth. This is hoping that someone will help me find the solution to this. faith levister
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CarolinaJacket
June 30th, 2010
6:48 am
Chew on a large wad of bubble gum. Your jaw will be sore the next morning, but it works like a charm. You will not go to sleep.
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blue_moon916
June 30th, 2010
7:30 am
Glad to hear the suggestions….There’s something about a long stretch of highway that almost lulls me to sleep everytime I embark on a journey..the only thing that helps me is good sing along music, frequent stops and a Red Bull or Monster energy drink. Hate sunflower seeds so I hope to hear other suggestions…
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BIG GEORGE
June 30th, 2010
8:04 am
I use Tootsie Roll Pops and Mountain Dew (Code Red) that gives me the caffaine and sugar high that I need…and I like them. Y’all be careful out there.
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Dalton Fury
June 30th, 2010
8:58 am
I too have suffered from this for some time. I find that sugar and caffeine help. Although I try to omit coffee during the afternoon commute as it can cause insomnia later in the evening. Keep a bag of Jolly Ranchers in the glove box, or stop by a fast food joint for a bite of food or sweet treat. It is extra calories, yes, but far better than crashing into a ditch or oncoming traffic.
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Kar
June 30th, 2010
9:05 am
Cold air conditioning straight to the face and loud radio. Either talk radio on something that interests you, country music if it irks you or rock out to whatever you listened to in high school.
Or pop in a book on tape and see if an engrossing mystery keeps your mind engaged.
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GHANA
June 30th, 2010
9:40 am
Cold air in the face does it for me too.
My wife doesnt like cold AT ALL so we are always fighting about that in the car but thats the only way to keep us ALL safe!
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Lori
June 30th, 2010
10:50 am
I’m with Big George, except for me it’s usually Peanut M&Ms with my Mountain Dew. Also, I sing along with the radio or my iPod to fast and upbeat music (nothing soft or sleepy).
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Johnny Nam
June 30th, 2010
1:16 pm
Strong mints, especially peppermint, do the trick for me. Chewable Mentos, or the “curiously” strong peppermint candy.
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Carolyn H
June 30th, 2010
1:21 pm
I actually need diversity…I mix it up with eating my favorite nuts, skittles and/or fruit I have cut up for ease of handling. I listen to my favorite sing-along music (oldies but goodies for me), a good mystery or adventure audio book, maybe talk radio and cruise on down the road. I also use the cruise control because when I am engrossed in whatever I am listening to, I have a tendency to drive faster than I need to and definitely want to be safe and not get a ticket. I always allow enough travel time so I am never is a rush to get to my destination.
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Deborah
June 30th, 2010
4:00 pm
When my daughter was 3 yrs old we took her to a neurologist who diagnosed her with Hereditary migraines. My son never had a headach in his life, but had frequent stomach aches with no known medical cause. Both children are in their early 30’s now. I can’t help but wonder if my son was having stomach migraines back then and no one correctly diagnosed him.
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Wife
June 30th, 2010
4:06 pm
My husband has had this problem for years and scares me to death at times. The only thing that seems to help him is strong coffee, the radio turned up loud and me talking to him. It is the one time that my talking doesn’t get on his nerves. But, the best solution that I have found is for me to do the driving, especially if we are in the mountains.
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State Employee
June 30th, 2010
4:13 pm
I have worked for the STate for 20 years, and learned early that I was expected to work many extra hours until the work was finished, usually with no extra pay, if I wanted to keep my job and get good performance reviews. Now that we are computerized in every aspect of life, it just means more work to me, but I keep telling myself to be thankful for a good paycheck twice a month. I figure I will just fall over dead one day at work, and annoy who ever has to finish whatever I am working on at the time.
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eyes wide open
June 30th, 2010
5:54 pm
cold 100% grapefruit juice (sweet & tart helps) and anything crunchy (pretzels, nuts, etc.) or mints are good but then so is PROVIGAL (Rx created originally for military pilots) for those of us with extreme sleep issues…
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Creegah
June 30th, 2010
9:15 pm
Learn to nap in place while driving. I’ve been doing it for 40 years.
DON’T use cruise control
Open a window.
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Dr. Stan--(The Black One)
June 30th, 2010
9:24 pm
A mere twenty years old in the military, I used to leave home, 82 East bound, Sunday evening about 11:00 for Savannah Georgia, Hunter Army Airfield; sleepy when departing and sleepy arriving. I stayed alert applying most of the remedies mentioned, coffee, juices, eating, air conditioning, and stops. For over two years, those things worked.
Waycross Georgia changed everything. I was cruising toward the middle of town around midnight, air conditioner blasting, eating, drinking, and singing. The traffic light could be seen at a distance. But at some point, reality lapsed into a dream. Dreaming, eating, drinking, singing etc…
By the grace of God, something awakened me. I slammed on the brakes screeching and sliding. My car had gone through the intersection and almost crashed into a building. 82 East had abruptly ended; you had make a right or left turn. I had missed my left turn and no one had been injured or killed..
A lesson learned. Today my wife and I travel long distances together. And after a good night’s sleep, we depart early in the morning. If she feels sleepy or hypnotic on our journey, I take the wheel… We have periodic stops. If night approaches, we find the best inn until day breaks.
.
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Don't laugh - it works
June 30th, 2010
10:01 pm
I was once hypnotized, and the post-hypnotic suggestion was that I would not get drowsy while sleeping. I can drive for hours and hours on I-16, I-20 or any other insanely boring stretch of road and never get tired.
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Pap S.
June 30th, 2010
10:01 pm
When I drive in the nude, everyone’s alert.
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OTOH
June 30th, 2010
10:27 pm
For those who get sleepy quickly and after a good night’s sleep, it may be an eye problem. You should go see your opthamologist
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Sue
June 30th, 2010
11:24 pm
The reason my husband was sleepy while driving was sleep apnea. I can’t eat pancakes or I’ll get drowsy while driving. I drink water while driving; I have to make more pit stops, but it gives me a chance to stretch my legs.
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Shauntarae
July 1st, 2010
4:52 am
Sing!!! Turn off your radio and SING! I do this every night as I commute back and forth from Ga to Al for work. Along my journey there is nothing but, miles and miles of country roads and woods…therefore, I don’t worry about who can hear me!:) No one can hear my tunes, and I SING as loud as I can. Otherwise, someone would find me wrapped around a tree or tilted in a ditch! I often dance in my seat as well if I’m really feeling the groove! lol! I know it sounds crazy but I have to do what I can to stay alert! And most of all pray before you start your journey! That’s the real lifesaver! Be safe everyone!
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Linda
July 1st, 2010
7:06 am
Crunching ice is the only thing that keeps me from falling asleep behind the wheel. The best kind is the soft ice that is easy to crunch and doesn’t hurt your teeth. I have been known fall asleep and drive off the road when going only 10 miles from home to work, so it is a real problem for me and this is the only thing that really seems to help. It also keeps me awake when I am a passenger in the car.
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BIG GEORGE
July 1st, 2010
7:41 am
Hey Lori, I also listen to music also (Iforgot to mention that) I like Lynyrd Skynyrd
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Morrus
July 1st, 2010
7:57 am
Curiously, in a supposed anti-incumbent year, most of the departing are not retiring but seeking higher office. We may recycle more than we replace. The bad news is that a frustrating 114 seats still have but one contestant. Two of them aren’t even incumbents, meaning they will affect state policy without being vetted by voters. And I have to think that we’d be better off if many had run instead for the Legislature — and cut down on the number running unopposed. Georgia’s problems are numerous. They aren’t going away. There’s too much stale thinking at the Capitol, on both sides of the aisle. New voices would be welcome.
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AUGAGURL
July 1st, 2010
8:34 am
Another healthy option….an apple. Works like a charm for me every single time! Try to keep an apple or bring it in with your lunch and have it on the way home or for long hauls.
I have also noticed that since I changed my diet and reduced my carb intake this has started to happen a little less.
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CharmAussie
July 1st, 2010
8:47 am
Thank goodness for this article (and user comments and suggestions)! I’ve tried explaining to my husband that this is what happens to me when I’m driving long distances at night. He thinks I’m making it up to get out of driving!!!!!!!!!!!! Which is not true – I like driving (just hate parking lots on Atlanta highways!!!!!)
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dood
July 1st, 2010
10:20 am
Lately on the way home from work I’m exhausted! Cold A/C blasting and the windows rolled down seem to help. Once I’m out of the car I’m good, it’s just the boring, sloooow commute out of the perimeter area.
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Andy
July 1st, 2010
10:30 am
I sometimes bring a ziploc of cereal and eat it one piece at a time.
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Becca
July 1st, 2010
11:45 am
Talking to someone on my cell phone is the only thing that keeps me awake when I get sleepy on a long drive. Looks like I’ll have to start using bluetooth soon with all these new cell phone laws that are being passed.
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Freshride
July 1st, 2010
4:18 pm
For long hauls, eating a handful of Altoids, stopping and stretching your limbs, chewing gum and blowing bubbles (you look like a ten year old, but who cares, better than being in a ditch). Also, having great conversation with your ride partner. For summer riding, washing your feet, only if your wearing flip flops….sounds weird but has worked and helped me stay fresh and alert through many of road trips!! HAPPY RIDING!!
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michele
July 2nd, 2010
12:37 pm
I just want everyone to be very careful when taking cipralex, with other medication.
I was given cipralex for anxiety and torodol for pain after a car accident.
I suffered from extreme mucles shaking and twitching, convulsions,and sezures.
I became incoherant, and hallucinated.
I sought help from my doctor, two trips to the Emerg, and a neurologist.
No one could figure out what was wrong with me.
I knew in my gut that something was terribly wrong, and I was losing total control over my body and mind.
Once they ruled out all the big stuff, they thought well it’s got to be in her head.
I knew I couldn’t possibly be doing this to myself, and a shrink agreed!
Then when I was close to giving up hope my doctor said when don’t you try going off the medication, we’ve tried everything else.
Wow 12 months of hell, and no one thought,”hey it could be her medication”.
With in a few days I noticed a huge difference.
Within a month I felt fantastic.
So I lost a year of my life, but I learned a very big lesson.
Only you know your body best.
Listen to your gut, and keep hounding the doctor’s until you are better.
If this can help just one person, it will justify what I had to go through.
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Protein Drinks
July 10th, 2010
8:15 am
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Your style of presentation is very impressive. The meaningful contribution of your mind reflects on those people who are looking for better health. I would like to tweet on it and keep spying at every moment you blogging.
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Tom
July 10th, 2010
7:59 pm
In 1983 I had a precognitive dream of a NDE. I was in a hospital for minor surgery at the time. Doctors wanted to use a general anesthetic and I agreed. A series of dreams began the evening I signed the authorization for the general anesthetic and continued right up to the night before surgery.
In one of these dreams I was standing at the foot of my hospital bed looking at my corpse and thinking to myself that I had stopped breathing in my sleep. In this dream I was filled with a great sense of compassion and viewed the corpse as something akin to a friend. Some of the other dreams during the three nights prior to surgery troubled me. In one of them I was gripped by terror and helplessness as I pounded my fists frantically upon an impenetrable wall screaming I’m not dead. They made a mistake. I was full of forgiveness for the doctors but knew nobody would ever know the truth about what had happened to me. I awoke from this dream surrounded by a sense of claustrophobia which continued for a few moments after I awoke. This dream and the emotions attached to it forced me to try and think of a solution to what I viewed as an impending future. The only dream that contained any useful information was the dream where I was looking at my corpse realizing I had stopped breathing in my sleep.
In the morning after the dream of pounding on the impenetrable wall I started to ask the doctors what it meant when someone stopped breathing in their sleep. The answer I received was that it was a possible side effect of a general anesthetic. So, I asked the doctors to use a local for the sugery. They used a local anesthetic. Shortly after the operation, while back in my hospital room an unexpected complication developed. I had to get out of my hospital bed and find someone to bring it to their attention.
For days after this complication I was hooked up to a machine that removed water and blood from my lung. I went into respritory distress twice. Today I have the lung capacity of someone with only one lung due to scarring.
I believe if I had not changed the choice of anesthetic to be used and had the surgery under general anesthetic instead of a local I would not have been able to bring my distress to the attention of the doctors who would later place one of two chest tubes in my side to save my life.
In the years since this event I was troubled by the emotions attached to the dream of pounding on the impenetrable wall and the distress attached to being buried with the truth. I tried to write about it once on a discussion board about life after death. If anyone is interested in reading it Google Fatal Medical Error. You’ll find it under the heading Fatal Medical Error and Non-Disclosure.
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Rickster
July 13th, 2010
3:06 pm
Generally, I use the sleeve on the inside of my left elbow. If I’m wearing a t-shirt, I’ll just lift the collar over my mouth and nose and sneeze inside the shirt.
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Jimmyz
July 13th, 2010
3:13 pm
I alway sneeze into my elbow-learned that at an early age. There are two things that creep me out though.
First is not washing your hands in a public restroom, especially one that still has flush handles. Let’s see, you just handled your private parts, then grabbed a handle that has been held by who knows how many other people who have also just handled their privates, and you’re now going to go back out into the world without even a rinse?
The second is one that may just be a bit of a pet peeve of mine, but I still have to wonder how sanitary it is. Restaurants have all kinds of rules about how the kitchen staff has to wear hair nets, gloves, use sanitizer, etc, but they still let the wiat staff stick the folder with your check in it down the back of their britches, walk to your table with it, pull it out, and toss it on the table.
I’d just as soon not handle something that someone else has been sticking down their pants all day long, thank you.
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Decatur Taliban
July 13th, 2010
4:30 pm
I’m ol’ skool; I cough into my hand and go about my business. What does it matter?!! Also, probably about 70% of men don’t wash our hands after we use the restroom. We’re super germy/ nasty.
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AL
July 13th, 2010
5:53 pm
For most of my life, I’ve covered my mouth with my hands, but now that my kids are being taught to sneeze/cough into their elbows (and it makes sense!), I’ve started to do that also. When I’m holding something, I try to sneeze into my shoulder.
That is *nasty*, Decatur Taliban! And it’s nothing to be proud of either…
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Michael Becker
July 13th, 2010
6:07 pm
At LifeSouth Community Blood Centers we train our LifeSouth Team AND OUR BLOOD DONORS to use the DRACULA
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Michael Becker
July 13th, 2010
6:09 pm
At LifeSouth Community Blood Centers we train our lifeSouth team AND OUR BLOOD DONORS to use the DRACULA method…appropriate, yes? We ARE in the blood business!
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Jo
July 13th, 2010
6:12 pm
I am all about the “Dracula” cough or sneeze. Love that the schools are teaching it as protocol. It’s gotta start early. To go along w/Jimmyz’s gross outs, what about the driver who won’t let go of the steering wheel and sneezes all over it and the windshield. Or in a restaurant when the straw comes to your table already “peeled” and sticking out of your drink. Who did that? Where have they been? Only problem about “Dracula” approach to sneezing/coughing for ladies is that just applied perfect lipstick goes on a sleeve—-even if it’s a little bit, it’s still hard to get out of fabric.
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Decatur Taliban
July 13th, 2010
6:57 pm
“That is *nasty*, Decatur Taliban! And it’s nothing to be proud of either”
Just telling you what happens in the real world. If you guys and girls want to march to the government’s mandated politically correct beat that’s your business and only your business, not mine.
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Do you cover sneezes and coughs properly? | Kills Germs Fast
July 13th, 2010
10:09 pm
[...] the right and wrong technique for covering up whilst sneezing and coughing we came across this article from Joy Johnston from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Hope you find it [...]
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H1N1 Virus : Many People Still Not Covering Coughs, Sneezes – RedOrbit
July 13th, 2010
10:32 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
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Skip
July 14th, 2010
5:35 am
So, what do you do? Walk around with dried-up boogers and snot on your sleeve all day? That’s attractive. Just the thing for an important business meeting.
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Jo
July 14th, 2010
3:38 pm
Seriously “Middle Schooler” Skip? Let’s just say the grown-ups know if they have a cold to grab that Kleenex to put their “business” in!
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Peter
July 14th, 2010
5:07 pm
And even more summer weight loss tips. Especially for that annoying layer of fat on the lower abs and waist.
7 Key Pointers To
Barbecue Abs (The 8 Pac Builder!) http://bit.ly/9Kcf6t
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Swine Flu Updates » Blog Archive » Few people cover coughs and sneezes – Reuters
July 15th, 2010
3:44 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
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Do you cover sneezes, coughs properly? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Crystal Rain Pool Services
July 15th, 2010
4:36 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
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Do you cover sneezes, coughs properly? – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Pool Cleaning & Services
July 15th, 2010
7:50 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
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Panda
July 16th, 2010
10:31 am
Talk. If a person is available – in the car or not, that’s good. Even talking to the cat or the radio helps though (aloud).
Gum helps for a bit.
Music.
You might try some audio books. Sometimes the story can require you to stay more alert to not miss parts.
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Swine Flu Updates » Blog Archive » Swine Flu Can’t Scare People Into Sneezing, Coughing Right – Take Part (blog)
July 17th, 2010
3:46 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
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cheap indian escort london
July 17th, 2010
9:56 am
It was extremely interesting for me to read this post. Thank you for it. I like such topics and everything that is connected to this matter. I definitely want to read more soon.
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colliesrule
July 19th, 2010
6:55 pm
I haven’t tried the once-a-week application listed above, but I’ve applied fresh lemon juice using a cotton ball after showering and I have absolutely no BO. I’m amazed because I’ve tried all sorts of natural deodorants and nothing kept me odor-free for long. Hope this keeps working without any irritation …
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mikle
July 20th, 2010
4:23 am
Choose whole foods instead of processed and packaged ones whenever you can
By “whole,” we mean they should exist in nature and have just one primary ingredient (for example, bananas, broccoli, chicken, brown rice, milk). Ninty percent of the time, these goods are the healthiest, and eating mostly whole foods makes it more likely that you’ll get enough protein, fiber and whole grains . And eating fewer packaged foods should help you avoid excess sodium, sugar and calories.
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Parent of 5
July 20th, 2010
8:13 pm
I agree 100 percent with Bill.
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Parent of 5
July 20th, 2010
8:44 pm
It’s really simple folks. ADHD drugs are PEDs. Think about it. I wish my 5 kids could have taken these while in school. They would have aced a lot more tests! lol But, I believe a child should not be drugged no matter what age. It helps you CONCENTRATE better, which someone diagnosed with ADHD can’t handle. Therefore, bottom line, it is an unfair advantage to children who do listen and are not disruptive and can pay attention. Trust me, I’m a doctor. To the majority of parents who’s children fall in the category of possible ADHD candidates they are relieved and personally “excited” when they see this drug can calm down their unruly children. Teachers too. Deep down inside you/they want this drug for your child. As Bill said, Parents who won’t and teachers who can’t. It is the sole reason it is diagnosed so much in today’s “modern” world. An easy cop-out and solution to parents of hyper and non-attentive kids.
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Peter
July 21st, 2010
10:36 pm
Reminds me a gym etiquette. Keep yourself clean. Bacteria spreads and affects others!!
http://www.stayfitbug.com/the-fitness-bug/gym-etiquette-follow-these-rules-or-else/
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FatBoy Slim
July 23rd, 2010
3:23 pm
Lost 112 lbs…IMPRESSIVE!
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One in Four Don’t Cover Up When Coughing or Sneezing – Gossip Jackal | The Fresno News
July 24th, 2010
5:01 am
[...] Associated PressMany People Still Not Covering Coughs, SneezesRedOrbitTelegraph.co.uk -Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -kjrh.comall 258 news [...]
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Linda Gay
July 24th, 2010
1:54 pm
I have been experiencing pain in my lower left leg for a couple of years. The pain ran down the front of my leg along either side of the bone. It was present daily and was worse at night. I was taking Ibuprofen every day and night for the pain. I went to see an Orthopedic Surgeon, who made x-rays and even had a bone scan done of my leg, but couldn’t find the source of the pain. He suggested I have an MRI, and I was ready to do that, but before I called to set it up, I read an article on vitamins and it stated that B-6 vitamins could cause leg pain. I have been taking a 100 mg B-6 vitamin every day for about 7 years, after my gynecologist recommended that I start taking it. I also take a multi-vitamin every morning. After reading the article about the B-6 vitamin, I stopped taking it, about 3 weeks ago, and in 3 or 4 days, the leg pain was gone and hasn’t reoccurred. Do you think the B-6 vitamin could have been causing the pain all of this time?
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Rodney S.
July 27th, 2010
9:02 pm
We abuse the drugs and the drug companies abuse us. Pharmaceuticals are a lose-lose proposition. Eat healthy, exercise, go outside some and you’ll feel better.
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Candy
July 28th, 2010
3:11 am
What we need is better parenting in this country children don’t have there parents in there life that’s the real problem in America
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REGINA
July 28th, 2010
6:29 am
My mother and grandmother both lost a breast to breast cancer. I have not read any real helpful suggestions here. My mother was diagnosed at the age of 36. I do regular breast exams and have taught my daughter and sons to do so also. I eat well balanced meals with lots of fruits and veggies. Any more suggestions? They started doing mammograms on me at age 21 every year since my mother was diagnosed. Alexis Reed you need to go jump off a cliff. Unless you have a significant other that has been through it.
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REGINA
July 28th, 2010
6:48 am
No. 1 Doc’s need to take more time with patients. You can walk into an ER and tell them what is wrong and what you need and they will prescribe it for you.
No. 2 Listen to the parents. We know our children. Most of us are not there to get meds, we really want to know what is wrong with our child. Stop treating the symptoms and start treating the problem.
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Kristina
July 28th, 2010
8:22 am
Rodney is correct! There is a pill for everything today…and our society believes pills make us better. What happened to just eating right, exerrcising and enjoying life without being “numb” on painkillers and meds. I am worried about our future generations!
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maria
July 28th, 2010
8:56 am
IT’S NOT THE PARENTS FAULT THAT THESE PILLS ARE ON THE STREETS, THERE EVERYWHERE AND NOT ONLY AFFECTING OUR CHILDREN BUT ADULTS ALSO, AND I DON’T BELIVE THAT DRS. REALLY CARE ANY MORE, I BELIEVE IT HAS COME DOWN TO A MONEY MAKING THING.. IF PEOPLE REALLY NEEDED THESE MEDS THEY WOULDN’T BE SELLING THEM AND INSURANCE CO. ARE STUPID TO KEEP PAYING FOR THEM WHILE THE DRUG DEALERS AND DRS. ARE GETTING RICH! IT’S ALL OUT OF CONTROLL
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Motocross Survivor
July 28th, 2010
10:13 am
Keep watching those wonderful glossy wonderful scenes from the pill popping wonderfully happy people on the TV commercials from those wonderful drug companies that tell you to ’see your doctor.’ I’m 53 and never go see any doctor. Hells bells, I could have cancer–highly doubt it though–or some other problem, but my philosophy (exercise, no smoking or drinking or drugs) has worked pretty well so far. My insurance premiums pay for all you whiny pill poppers who seem to always be sick.
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CVS Sux
July 28th, 2010
10:16 am
I lost my wife to perscription pain medicine. She was forging her own scripts and getting them filled at an all night pharmacy where they did not care to check on the scripts. They had a quota to meet and could care less. The bad thing is she was also getting Suboxone (same as methadone, but for narcotic addicts) from the same pharmacy, same pharmacist. She spent thousands there and got large quantities, no one ever questioned it. She eventually took her own life, but since it was not directly and overdose the big pharmacy was not liable. She did take enough pills to knock herself out in our garage while the car was running. I won’t mention the name of the Pharmacy, but the letters are SCV. My life will never be the same.
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Motocross Survivor
July 28th, 2010
10:26 am
“I lost my wife to perscription pain medicine. ”
Sorry to hear your story, really. But how did you wife get started with these things? Did it start innocently enough with a legit prescription for a legit problem, then spiral? And I wouldn’t walk into a CVS to buy anything if I had to drive 30 miles to get it somewhere else. They have some of the most anti-Christmas Christmas ads ever. Then again, I rarely go into any drug store.
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J
July 28th, 2010
12:23 pm
Sorry for your loss. I would like to state that Suboxone is not the same as Methadone. Suboxone does not give the user a “high” feeling it attached to the same recepors as an opiate so that the user will go into withdraw. Suboxone is not an opiate and It contains an opiate blocker so the user will not get the affects if they use opiates.
Some of the blame nees to be on the MD’s who are writing the scipts. Drugs such as xannax,valium, clonezapam and other benzodiapams should not be perscribed for more than 14 days yet I know several people who have been taking them for years. In Europe these drugs are not prescibed for more than 10 days.
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Renda
July 28th, 2010
1:52 pm
My son has a pain killer addiction. He has acknowledged this addiction, but with no health insurance he has no where to go. He wants off!
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Med Taker
July 28th, 2010
2:30 pm
First I would like to say that I am sorry to hear about anyone losing a Family Member, Friend or anyone else due to pain meds. Second, I take some hard-core medications everyday due to diabetic neuropathy. Do I like to take these medications? No I do not and I can tell you that with this pain, you are not able to get out and walk, excercise or do to much because your legs swell up and the pain will just about leave you in tears. I eat right and do what I am suppose to do but I am still affected by this. A 10-15 day limit does not cut it for me or anyone else that I know of that has this problem. Some of us are stricken with health issues that force us to use medications that others see as a “sin”. For one day I wish that all of the people that think we can get by without these meds, live in my shoes and then you might re-think what you are saying.
I am not asking for pity or sympathy for anyone. If me living with this and going through the pains that I go through every waking minute of my life, changes just one person’s way of living, then maybe this is what God put me on earth for.
I know that pain med addiction is a growing problem on this earth. To get this type of medication, you must go see a pain specialist or have a very good friend that is a pain specialist. A normal doctor cannot write these types of precriptions. To prevent people from getting into your medication bottles, take the pills with you and when you are at home, lock them up or put them in a place that no one knows but you. This is what I do and yet to this day has anyone taken any of my pills from me.
Maybe one day someone will take them all from me and the only person that I see doing that is my God in Heaven!!!!
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citizen
July 28th, 2010
5:30 pm
To Renda:
The only treatment method your son needs is abstinence.
This can be accomplished by one minute at a time, then 10 minutes at a time, then one hour at a time, two hours at a time, one day at a time, one week at a time. When soberity becomes the normal feeling you are just beginning the healing process. I wish you the very best.
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tarrabyte
July 28th, 2010
8:58 pm
When traveling with luggage the safest place is in the tub and NOT on the luggage rack. It’s recommended not to put clothes in drawers (yeah, I know life is different than it used to be, sigh) and I personally carry XL Ziplocks – the giant ones for blankets, and keep my clothes zipped in them. One for dirty one for clean, and into the tub they go. I HAVE seen a bed bug in a hotel ironically during a treatment when i had them 1.5 years ago. Sometimes it was easier to stay in a hotel so my house was prepped for chemical treatment the night before. It’s a studio so not much room to move with preparation going on. Then I remembered that “hipster” hotel had been a crack hotel before it’s renovation. I killed the little muther and reported it and of course the desk folks said they’d never had an insect report. Funny that, with the white powder along the entire carpet along the baseboards of that room. Didn’t come from my ziplock, so there ya go.
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A
July 29th, 2010
12:02 pm
CVS sux:Your wife sounds like she was very sensitive, both to medication and to life in general. I am sorry for your loss.
Renda: There are support groups for people coping with addictions. He could try that. I would disagree with ‘citizen’. Depending on what drug he is using abrupt withdrawal could be very dangerous. Look the drug up on the internet (a reliable site) for more information. He could ease himself off. Good luck.
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vrm
July 29th, 2010
5:19 pm
It works really well! I recently got hooked into a heavy curry food and for some reason it affected my body and I smelled almost horribly at the end of the day and I tried the remedy that my mom taught me which is LEMON. Since then I felt pretty cleanse and never had odor problem ever. I simply slice a lemon each morning and apply it on my underarms and it gives me a refreshing feeling all day long. I even went camping for days in the middle of the wilderness and of course no showering involved but felt and smelled fresh! Thank GOD for the LEMON!!!
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prasad
July 30th, 2010
7:11 am
Yes, i am also heard about zeta clear. Its really amazing product. One of my friend also used that.
http://www.herbalvigaplus.com
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Christina
July 30th, 2010
8:09 pm
I have used Zoloft on and off since 1995 and I have been very pleased with the results. I really didn’t experience a significant weight gain until I took 100 mg. Then it was only about a 15 pd increase in body weight. It is worth mentioning that I have taken this medicine consistenly for over 5 years. My maintance dose seems to be aprox. 50 mg. This medicine has helped me overcome an eating disorder, social anxieties, and depression. I considered changing medicines just to see what else is out there and based on the research I found, zoloft is one of the best anti-depres. on the market. I did read that Lexapro is an excellent choice as well. Good luck to anyone considering a medication- I hope my review helps.
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ke$ha
August 1st, 2010
9:57 pm
dont believe them when they say not to use lemons after shaving. it feels great! the nice, stinging burn that lingers. ooooh yeah
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lrogers13
August 4th, 2010
8:30 pm
Of course I’m honest with medical professionals; they’re going to weigh me anyway, and there’s no benefit in lying about it. It’s nobody else’s business, however.
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greg
August 4th, 2010
8:32 pm
There’s no point lying. You can tell how much someone weighs by looking at them, I don’t care what they’re wearing.
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Gator Actual
August 4th, 2010
9:55 pm
Totally honest. 6′2″ and 225 lbs. I would love to see 200 lbs, but I’ve been stuck at 225 for a few years.
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Valstake
August 5th, 2010
12:25 am
I have no clue how much I weigh, although it’s more than I should weigh. I don’t obsess about weight. If my physician says “lose weight,” I might try, but it’s my choice. I figure it’s better to not stress about it… I eat healthy food, have no diabetic, cholestrol, or any other problems so I figure “why look for trouble?”
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Build a bridge and get over it
August 5th, 2010
8:19 am
@ Greg, REALLY? You must be part of the circus act to guess one’s weight by just looking at them!! You should use that skill to get rich.
@ Valstake, I TOTALLY agree with everything you just posted. My Dr. wants me back at my HS weight and I’m just as healthy now as I was as a stick figure!!
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Hobknocker
August 5th, 2010
12:05 pm
Fat is fat and that’s all I gots to say about that.
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Dan
August 5th, 2010
1:04 pm
Keep in mind all physicians are not up to speed either, I am 46 and have about 21% body fat (average of calipers and one of those hand held electronic devices) yet my physician says I am obese because my BMI is 29.5. sure I could lose a few pounds but I am far from obese and regularly run 2-3 miles at an 8 min pace. Needless to say a new doctor is in order
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laura3921
August 5th, 2010
1:23 pm
I probably wouldn’t tell the truth if someone asked, but they really never do. By the BMI standards, I am considered overweight at 5′6″ and 172. However, I wear size 10, run 2 miles 6 days a week and really don’t look very much overweight. I actually had the doctor take me to different scales because she thought something must be wrong. I think the BMI measurements just aren’t totally accurate.
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Dar
August 5th, 2010
1:51 pm
I don’t know my weight. When I go to the doctor I refuse to get on the scale. They can see that I do not have a weight problem, and if I knew the exact weight I would obsess about it. I wear a Size 2 in slacks, but I have a 34 DD chest — you can just guess that 15 to 20 pounds is riding up there and I can assure that no amount of working out or dieting has ever reduced those suckers. I swim and bike pretty regularly. I don’t eat animals. I go by how I feel and look in clothes — if things get snug, I reduce my intake and increase my output until I feel better again. Weight…bah.
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Keith Mercer
August 5th, 2010
2:47 pm
A person’s weight is between them and thier doctor, and maybe family members. I wish people would lose weight, the thing I hate the most is sitting beside a fat person on a plane.
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Elise
August 5th, 2010
3:17 pm
I recently lost so much weight that I’m now telling the truth on my drivers license!
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Gobsmacked
August 5th, 2010
3:54 pm
I cannot believe how many people disregard their physician’s advice to lose weight! If you feel comfortable with the increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other problems which will not manifest until LATER in life, keep in mind that our acceptance of obesity and being overweight is one of the reasons our health care and insurance costs are soaring. It takes real work and commitment to get to a healthy weight, but the immediate health rewards and increased comfort are worth it.
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heidi g
August 5th, 2010
6:53 pm
Enter your comments here
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heidi g
August 5th, 2010
6:53 pm
@ keith mercer, you’re so shallow!! Some ppl can’t help it!!
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Alzheimer's
August 5th, 2010
11:42 pm
Good points!
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Alzheimer's
August 5th, 2010
11:45 pm
Talking with your doctor is very important.
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Alzheimer's care
August 5th, 2010
11:48 pm
Stress is a huge factor in a lot of health problems, and too much work causes stress.
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Assisted Living Facilities
August 5th, 2010
11:50 pm
I found that opening the window and making myself cold helps keep me awake. Warmth will put you to sleep.
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Assisted Living Facilities
August 5th, 2010
11:52 pm
Thank you everyone for your stories.
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KeithisaTool
August 6th, 2010
12:47 am
keith is a tool. I bet he’s the fatty on the plane…
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Ken
August 6th, 2010
1:19 pm
@ Dar – WOW
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SamWhatam
August 9th, 2010
12:56 pm
No, they aren’t going to weigh me. I won’t let them. Sure, I’d be happy at 50 pounds lighter, or half-happy at 25 pounds less. Gleeful, if anorexic, at 70 pounds lost. Yes, they can tell me to shed a few pounds. But they won’t weight me and pin it to a number.
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K
August 9th, 2010
1:10 pm
Depends on who’s doing the asking. The dr.? Yes. The boyfried? I plead the 5th. Heh.
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Assisted Living Facilities
August 11th, 2010
12:33 am
genetics can tell a lot as well.
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Assisted Living Facility
August 11th, 2010
12:34 am
Come on, people. Weight is just a number. It’s important to monitor it but it’s still just a number.
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Assisted Living Facility
August 11th, 2010
12:35 am
Treating your body with respect is the first thing you should do before deciding which medicines you should be on.
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Elderly care
August 11th, 2010
12:36 am
It’s amazing how long children were told to cover their sneezes with their hands. It never made sense to me.
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Assisted Living Facilities
August 11th, 2010
12:37 am
Good tips everyone!
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Elderly care
August 11th, 2010
12:37 am
Great tips! Thank you!
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Assisted Living Facilities
August 11th, 2010
12:38 am
I will definitely get this. Thank yoU!
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sally
August 11th, 2010
3:59 pm
It is nobody’s business but mine, unless I were obese, in which case it might be the taxpayer’s business because they have to pick up the tab for my diabetes, high blood pressure and all the other attendant miseries I would have inflicted on myself. But I am a great weight, and I have worked at staying at a great weight. Why? Because I value myself enough to care how I look and how I feel. For those who don’t, for goodness sake, please wear pants that fit and don’t show your big butt cheeks.
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Obese officer set to go back to work, plus more on weight and work | Skinny Thin Girl
August 11th, 2010
5:46 pm
[...] problem. Australian researchers have found that a man who sits at a desk six or more hours a day is almost twice as likely to be overweight as someone who sits just 45 minutes a [...]
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M
August 18th, 2010
2:20 pm
Just because a person is overweight doesn’t mean they automatically have diabetes, high blood pressure, etc etc etc. I am well overweight for my height, I know this and I’m working toward fixing it. But I have never, and I do mean, NEVER had high blood pressure, diabetes or any other illness related to my weight. Right now I’m in the process of loving me for how I am, whatever stage I’m at. I want to be comfortable in my own skin and that’s what I’m working toward. Will I tell people my weight? Probably not because I am ashamed of it. I shouldn’t be this heavy. I will tell you I am much heavier than I look though. And most don’t believe me. My concern is getting my flexibilty back, my range of motion, and to not feel tired all the time. If I happen to lose weight in the process, then great. And here’s the kicker, those who are overweight sometimes have a low self esteem, so picking on them for being fat won’t help them lose weight. Just FYI
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Y. Wills
August 19th, 2010
9:04 am
Someone needs to write an informative article and explain how difficult it is to mismanage eggs to the extent that you have a salmonella incident.
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LimRickNews
August 19th, 2010
9:11 am
380 million Eggs are recalled for fear,
Somella may eggsist; its unclear.
With infections eggceeding,
Eggspectations, they’re ceding,
An eggsistential threat may be near.
For more, google “LimRickNews”.
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Jodi
August 19th, 2010
9:16 am
Go organic
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chicken
August 19th, 2010
9:29 am
Going “organic” means nothing in this sense and is foolishly used. The term “organic” would be growing a product without antibiotics, which would inherently increase the risk of bacterial outbreaks with food. Please be educated before using the term “organic”.
On a separate note, it is not necessarily the “mismanaging of eggs” that is responsible here. That would imply mixing up known contaminated eggs into the otherwise safe food supply. As an example, it would be like dropping a tooth brush in the toilet at a retail store and putting it back in with all the others and acting like nothing happened.
That is simply not the case with eggs. Eggs are thorughly washed and cleaned before they ever arrive to stores for sale. This form of bacteria is passed from hen to egg in a process known as vertical transmission. There is considerable effort to reduce this threat and has been ongoing for decades. Eggs are completely safe and are like just any other meat product that you need to COOK before eating.
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apple
August 19th, 2010
9:34 am
Studies have shown that organic chickens and all animals for that matter are healthier and don’t get sick because they ARE ORGANIC.
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MSW
August 19th, 2010
9:38 am
Appreciate the info. Of course I’m aware of salmonella and I always treat fresh meats, esp. pork, and eggs with extra care. Put them in bottom basket at grocery store, place them last on the rolling check out belt,and ask that they be put in separate store shopping bags.I have seen people not mind when the baggers place fresh chicken – in leaking pastic, yet – on top of fresh strawberries packed in containers iwth open airholes.
At home I store these iffy products, well wrapped up, in a separate refigerator.
Even so, I had a bout of illnes last week which correspondens with the salmonella symptoms. Now blame that on a softboiled egg.
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shaggy
August 19th, 2010
9:38 am
Of coures I will, because I am not scared of everything and do not run around shrieking like a little girl.
If you want to be scared of something, be scared to driving on GA 400. Now, that’s REAL danger.
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shaggy
August 19th, 2010
9:41 am
apple,
You are an idiot that needs to learn about bacterial infections. Then, you might actually learn the bacteria can and do infect your precious organic, well….everything.
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gmad
August 19th, 2010
9:46 am
@apple Could you provide links to these studies? I do know that there are no studies that conclusively show any health benefit to eating organic foods. You are suggesting there are studies that show there ar