Cancer
6/20/13
So you quit smoking (firsthand smoke);
and you stay away from smokers (secondhand smoke);
so now you're safe from nicotine, right?
Thirdhand smoke causes DNA damage
No matter where you go, or what you do on this planet;
there is always something out there ... that is out to get you.
Cheer up. If you are reading this then you were born human, which means ...
you already won the lottery.
permanent link
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Infectious Diseases
1/2/14
Can you catch a cold ... from cold weather?
(2:45)
Centuries of observations by everyone on Earth
led us to the belief that colds were caused by cold
which is why we called them "colds."
Then we learned that colds were caused by viruses.
But many people, in their zeal to bang everyone over the head
with their newly-found knowledge,
claimed that colds were not affected by temperature,
which contradicted centuries of observations.
Now researchers have shown that the observations were correct,
and that, while it is true that colds are caused by viruses,
it is also true that temperature does play a role
in whether or not we succumb to the viruses (1:04)
A few years ago I discovered,
that when a viral infection first began to irritate my throat,
if I donned a surgical mask before bedtime,
I had a good chance of preventing the cold by morning.
The mask worked better than aspirin.
I surmised that it might have something to do with the fact,
that by slowing down my breathing,
that might be enabling my immune system to better defend against the virus
which was trying to speed up my heart rate, etc.
(similar to how hyperventilating people slow their respiratory rates
by breathing into a paper bag)
Well, it seemed plausible anyway.
But as the video showed,
science explains what the real mechanism is behind the mask's success ...
Rhinoviruses prefer cold noses
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Marijuana
12/16/13
Marijuana linked to memory problems and schizophrenia
Reading the comments section following the article is entertaining,
as all the potheads came to the defense of their favorite drug ...
and attacked the study.
What is the A.M.A.'s position on marijuana?
Not good for those who like to smoke
And now for a word from the
American Psychological Association
Liberals and skeptics (usually the same people)
are among the biggest supporters of marijuana use.
These people are the same ones who ridicule religious and conservative people
for denying science when science doesn't go the way they want it to
as in the cases of evolution and global warming.
But when it comes to GMO's and marijuana,
Liberals and skeptics prove they are just as willing to deny science ...
when the results don't come out the way they had hoped.
Those people should have their "I'm a skeptic" hats confiscated
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Obesity
5/26/17
As any bodybuilder can tell you,
the ubiquitous BMI score (body mass index)
is not a very accurate way to judge obesity.
To learn about a better measurement for determining obesity,
click on this selfie that I took the other night ...
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6/19/13
AMA now classifies obesity as a disease
Since 1/3 of Americans are obese, 1/3 are 'only' fat, and 1/3 are healthy ... fat is the new normal.
But it gets worse
80% of Americans, not only believe in, but actually worship invisible ghosts,
making us the butt of jokes among advanced nations.
But it gets worse
Making fun of the fat, dumb kid isn't really such a good idea though.
America also happens to be the most powerful country on Earth,
and is constantly at war somewhere in the world.
Before it gets any worse
Those who benefit from keeping Americans fat, dumb, and aggressive,
accuse anyone who would change it as "America haters."
In a way they are right;
I hate what America has become: a fat, dumb, killing machine.
But what I hate more are the ones who have reduced America to what it has become ...
and some of us are trying to do something about it
permanent link
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Body Aging
4/15/17
The last person born in the 19th century has died (age 117)
My favorite part of the story came at the very end:
"
Her longtime doctor says Morano subsisted on
two raw eggs in the morning, an omelette for lunch, and chicken for dinner—
almost never consuming fruits or vegetables."
I wanted to send that article to these people, and ask them ...
How much longer would she have lived?
The only way I could eat 10 pieces of fruit a day, is if they were ...
grapes
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5/12/15
Yet another candidate for "The Fountain of Youth"
Above: Images of cells in the brain's hippocampus
show that the growth factor TGF-beta1 (stained red)
is barely present in young tissue but ubiquitous in old tissue,
where it suppresses stem cell regeneration
and contributes to inflammation and aging.
permanent link
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10/29/14
Classic Emails (1 page)
I recently emailed the C.D.C.
regarding their list of the top causes of death in the U.S.
C.D.C. Leading Causes of Death
Look what they left out
Deaths From Medical Accidents
They left out the #3 cause of death!
I can understand omitting a minor cause - but #3?
It's also suspicious that the cause they omitted,
just happens to be the one that reflects negatively on their profession.
I then had the following email exchange with the C.D.C.
My email exchange with the C.D.C.
The C.D.C. replied to my email by claiming I wasn't clear enough
(even though I supplied them with the link above).
When I pointed out that I could not have been any clearer,
and that many people besides myself, have to be wondering
why the C.D.C. is ignoring one of the major causes of death ...
they chose to stop further communications.
Spreading joy and making friends ... it's what I do.
About a year later - the fight resumes ...
Classic Emails (1 page)
I sent the following email to the editors at Medical News Today:
There is an error in Hannah Nichols' article
What are the top 10 leading causes of death in the US?
The #3 cause of death should be "In-Hospital Medical Errors"
with almost 200,000 per year (and that figure was from 10 years ago).
Here is the link to the article, containing supporting data
on deaths due to in-hospital medical errors
That link is from your own web site.
Last year I sent that link to the CDC,
asking them why they did not include "medical errors" on their list,
as it gives the impression that the medical profession is trying to hide something.
They responded that they did not understand me!
They said I needed to "elaborate further."
I replied that I could not have made it any clearer, and repeated the question:
Why did they refuse to include the #3 cause of death on their list?
The CDC then stopped communication.
The ball is in your court MNT.
You can either deal with this embarrassment or ignore it like the CDC ...
the choice is yours.
(I'm predicting they will hide under their rock just like the CDC did;
but this is one time ... I wish I were wrong)
Here's what I got the next day:
Take a look at this bullshit, "go-away kid - you bother me" email
that they sent back to me
I took enough of that evasive crap last year from the CDC. Now it's time to ...
Let the games begin!
By the way, I found recent data - and it only makes my case ... stronger.
Recent data
UPDATE (another year later)
Well, Well. Looky what happened here ...
2 years ago the C.D.C. ignored me.
Let's see if they ignore Scott Pelley of CBS news.
After that show aired, I sent the C.D.C. the following email ...
To: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(I included the link to the CBS Special here)
"
So my question is ...
when are you going to add this in at #3
on your list of leading causes of death?
(it doesn't even appear in your top 50)
You wouldn't do it 2 years ago when I contacted you.
Is it safe to assume that you will do it now?
neo "
(I won't be holding my breath for a reply)
permanent link
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12/28/09
Biologist Michael Rose extends the lifespan of fruit flies ... fourfold.
Watch all 3 parts (~10 minutes each)
Now, a new study on longevity offers an explanation of how delayed reproduction works.
Older dads produce longer-living offspring
Now, what did you learn?
If you said that the children of older dads live longer - hang your head
(don't feel bad, I had to hang my head too).
Steven Novella of the Skeptic's Guide to the Universe
pointed out that the headline was nothing more than journalistic sensationalism.
If you read the article carefully, it only said
that the greater telomere length, inherited by children with older fathers,
"may" give them a chance to live longer.
But other factors (mentioned at the very end of the article)
may nullify the advantage of the longer telomeres.
Just a thought: another way to verify this theory
would be for Rose to test his flies for telomere length.
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Technology
6/4/15
Your viral history can now be read from a single drop of your blood
I sent an email to one of the scientists, Jim Keeley, and asked him:
I have a question about the article:
What is the difference between these 2 sentences from the article?
"
VirScan works by screening the blood for antibodies
against any of the 206 species of viruses known to infect humans."
"As a group, the bacteriophage displayed all of the protein sequences found
in the more than 1,000 known strains of human viruses."
What is the difference between strains of human viruses
and species of viruses known to infect humans?
Are there strains of human viruses that don't "infect" humans?
Or, are there multiple strains within a "species" of virus?
Thank you for your patience with my ignorance.
His reply affirmed my second guess:
"
There can be multiple subtypes (strains) of viruses in a viral species.
So while there are 206 species, most of those species have multiple strains;
hence the '1,000 known' number."
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3/27/15
The end of humans using animals for their meat ...
would seem to finally be coming into view
Now for a reality check:
When their livelihood and profits were threatened ...
Remember how the tobacco companies responded in the 1980's?
Remember how the oil, coal, and power companies responded in the 2000's?
Remember all the stories about drug traffickers protecting their business?
There is no limit to the depths that people will stoop to ...
to keep the money rolling in
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8/9/04
The #3 cause of death in the U.S. is not even listed at all
on the C.D.C.'s list of top killers.
I wonder why not?
You need to think very carefully before resorting to any surgery.
After you have weighed the risks and benefits with your doctor(s),
then you can make an informed decision ... and take your chances.
permanent link
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