Obesity responsible for 100,000 cancer cases annually-CNN

And fast/junk/convenience/comfort foods are the main reasons for obesity.
Avoidence of irregular eating habits, eating snacks whenver one feels like are other major causes of obesity.
Why can’t we avoid it?
Story:
CNN) — More than 100,000 cases of cancer each year are caused by excess body fat, according to a report released Thursday in Washington.

Researchers with the American Institute for Cancer Research looked at seven cancers with known links to obesity and calculated actual case counts that were likely to have been caused by obesity.

Specifically, the report says that 49 percent of endometrial cancers are caused by excess body fat. That number is followed by 35 percent of esophageal cancer cases; 28 percent of pancreatic cancer cases; 24 percent of kidney cancer cases; 21 percent of gallbladder cancer cases; 17 percent of breast cancer cases; and 9 percent of colorectal cancer cases.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/05/obesity.cancer.link/index.html

The English Sweate

“In this same yere a newe kynde of sicknes came sodenly through the whole region euen after the first entryng of the kyng into this Isle, which was so sore, so peynfull, & sharp that the lyke was neuer harde of, to any manes remembrance before that tyme”

—Hall’s Chronicle, Edward Hall, 1542

It feels like new diseases are a modern scourge, what with HIV successfully crossing over to humans from chimps in the early 20th century, Ebola from bats in the 1970s, and SARS from civets in the early 21st. If you want more of them then there’s also less well-known newcomers like Nipah virus and once-famous but now nearly forgotten ones like Legionnaires’ Disease. But while it might be true that new diseases are getting more common, they’re not a new phenomenon. The Roman Empire suffered the Antonine Plague, which was likely the first major appearance of smallpox, while a few hundred years later the Byzantine Empire barely withstood the Plague of Justinian: the first pandemic of bubonic plague, one that was only ever matched by the famous Black Death of the 14th century.

What made the difference in many of these cases was a decrease in travel times. AIDS, for example, only got going once there was quick and common travel between central Africa and the rest of the world. There were multiple cases of the disease back into the 1950s, but the necessary integration between the source and destination for a true outbreak didn’t really happen until the late 1970s—and fortunately so, as the genetic science and technology necessary to understand, fight, and eventually control a retroviral disease was only developed at that time. It doesn’t bear thinking what would have happened if AIDS had taken flight in 1959.

The older “new plagues” got themselves going for similar reasons. Modern outbreaks are depending more and more on fast, technological travel like airplanes, but easy travel in the past could sometimes come for political reasons. The Antonine Plague likely came from the far upstream regions of the Nile, and could do so because the Roman Empire had pacified Egypt and made it part of a lage peaceful state with good roads.  The Plague of Justinian may have happened when it did, in the sixth century, because the Yersinia pestis bacteria had a permanent hold in Hunan Province and the sixth century was not long after the chaotic Sixteen Kingdoms period ended. China was finally integrated into Asia as a whole, driven by new state support of India’s exported Buddhism and subsequent contacts between the two regions. The bubonic plague just came along for the ride.

It also helps if there’s some unrest in the context of the larger peace. To continue with the Plague of Justinian, China may have become part of the larger world, but it was also subdivided between the Northern and Southern Dynasties until 589 AD, and they warred more or less constantly. Poor harvests and population displacement make societies less able to withstand disease, which ultimately might help to explain one of the more mysterious outbreaks of new disease in in history.

In 1485, England was at the tail end of a vicious series of civil wars, the Wars of the Roses. There had been more than a decade of peace under Edward IV, but the notorious Richard III had come to power and Henry Tudor was on the verge of overthrowing him at the Battle of Bosworth. Henry had landed with his army with Milford Haven and at the same place and same time a new disease broke out and started following him. The new king had literally just arrived in London and established himself firmly when the English Sweate did the same. By the end of October, several thousand Londoners were dead, and the disease had spread to the countryside.

The Sweating Sickness became a source of particular dread, at least among the upper class, because unlike many other diseases it affected the well-fed and relatively clean nobility just as badly as the yeomanry. The fratricidal conflict of York and Lancaster had left the English nobility thin on the ground already, but the new plague took more still over the next few decades. Even worse, it came on and killed extremely quickly, to the point that its victims are often described as “merry about diner and dedde at supper”. When it struck, the patient would at first feel a sense of apprehension and chills which would quickly turn into a very high fever, heart palpitations, and the eponymous sweating. As the fever continued he would be struck with lethargy and a desire to sleep, and the consensus at the time was that if he gave in he wouldn’t wake up.

The first bout of the sickness disappeared that winter, and Henry Tudor settled in as Henry VII of England. But despite the traditional end of the Wars of the Roses, England continued to be quite tumultuous during and after Henry’s reign—there was the attempt to put Lambert Simnel on the throne in 1487, then Perkin Warbeck’s rebellion in 1491. Henry VIII’s time brought a Scottish invasion in 1513 and the Pilgrimage of Grace uprising in 1536.

During it all, the English Sweate kept burning through England (it hopped to the continent only once, in 1528), returning in 1507, 1517, 1528, and 1551, always in the summer. In between these recurrences there would be sporadic cases, and one of these may have carried off the disease’s most politically important victim: Arthur, the eldest son of Henry VII and so heir to the throne of England. In his absence Arthur’s younger brother became Henry VIII, who married Arthur’s widow Catherine of Aragon with all the consequences that would eventually have for English and European history.

Then after 1551 the Sweating Sickness vanished, with only a few isolated cases between then and 1578, and none at all after that. The final outbreak gave us our best description of the disease, as physician John Kay (AKA Dr. Caius, the inspiration for the character of the same name in The Merry Wives of Windsor) wrote down his own analysis of the plague in A Boke or Counseill Against the Disease Commonly Called the Sweate, or Sweatyng Sicknesse. Another contemporary description of note is, Edward Hall’s Chronicle is quoted in part at the top of this article. These and other similar descriptions are virtually the only clues we have as to what caused the sickness.

Even so, the identity of the English Sweate has been a topic of considerable speculation. Some start from a similar disease, usually called the Picardy Sweat, which showed up across the English Channel in the 18th and 19th centuries. The appearance of northern France in the equation is suggestive, as Henry VI had invaded from there and there’s a close connection between his army and the establishment of the disease in England. On the other hand the Picardy Sweat’s alternative name, the now-obsolete miliary fever, suggests otherwise: “miliary” is just a Latinate description of the tiny pimples which would break out on the skin of victims. Caius’ rather complete description of the English Sweate makes no mention of eruptions.

The current best guess is that the Sweating Sickness might have been caused by a hantavirus which lurked unnoticed in the rodent population of England, and which made an appearance in the 16th century because of the unsettled political and military situation, or unusual weather, or simple evolution of a new strain. If so, it’s extinct: as of 2009 there are no known hantaviruses in the UK. The theory that the English Sweate was caused by one stems instead from the similarity between John Caius’ description of it and another new “mystery disease”, the outbreak of Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome in the Four Corners region of the United States in 1993.

<< Previous Entry: The Empire of the Calabash

HIN1, you have a chance.

Argh. I debated writing this post. It seems too personal to write but, thats what I do, I write. I’m the Joan of Arc of writers and I think to become a better writer, you need to exploit yourself.

So, I’m not going to explain it in detail, but I will let it out there.

Since last spring, I found a new doctor. She is wonderful. My first meeting with her, she signed me up for tons of blood tests. I went.

I get a phone call. My iron is low. Nothing major, just a quick prescription for iron pills, and I’m on my way. She asks for continued blood tests (weekly) so she can check it. I faithfully go.

She writes me a quick letter within two weeks- stop taking the iron pills, your back to normal.

I stop, I continue to go see her and other professionals who I’ve met along the way.  I go in for a physical and she reviews all my blood work. She says I have blood in my urine and to go get that checked out. While shes at it, it couldn’t hurt to re-check my iron, right? Sure. I go.

Then, I start feeling really sick and lethargic. I’m sleeping 24/7. Here is an example of how bad my sleeping became.

My sister calls me, I ignore the call. She calls my moms (where I’m staying), I ignore the call. She calls both lines again. I ignore. Finally, she leaves a voice message of her crying. I ignore it. She calls my cell again. I’m pissed and wide awake. I answer, snap at her that I’m trying to fucking sleep. She explains Ty. might have swine flu and the school called. I say I can’t go, I’m sleeping.

I know. Awful Auntie. I wasn’t even awake for the call. Had I been actually functioning, I would have been there instantly. Anyone who knows me knows how much that little boy means to me.

So- I finally go to the Dr. They do a throat swab and send me on my way, assuming its mono and judging from the fever I had mid-october, the worst has occurred and I just need to rest to get over it.

They call and confirm the mono. I continue sleeping ridiculous amounts. They warn me of side pains and to go straight to emergency if it occurs. This would be the mono-spleen thing.

I get sidepains. I google it- sidepains from spleen issues are on your left side. Mine are on my right. I go to the Dr yesterday.

As I’m waiting for my Dr.- the nurse wanders in, “Oh, the results are in, the Dr. will explain them during your visit to help you save time.” Doctor comes in. It never was mono. My levels of iron are drastically low. Normal is a 12- I’m at a two. Apparently, my body is shutting down to fight it. My body is basically starved for oxygen and my immune levels are out for the count.

He explains that this is so severe, if it becomes any worse, I’m hospitalized. The yellow skin? Anemia. Has my body been bleeding? Yes, I’ve had my share of bleeding. Apparently, someone my size, it’s a dangerous level to lose.

I’m back on the iron pills. They have me on an extremely high dosage. I’m on vitamin D + B12 (I was low on those too) as well as my asthma inhalers. I’m still on my “Audge is happy” pills. I’m so tired of pills. I’m so tired of being tired. I’m freezing cold all the time, I hate it.

F. Spanky laughed when he saw my iron pill container: WARNING: MAY CAUSE URINE AND FECE DISCOLORATION. My last text message to him was, “Thanks F. Spanky” His reply? > “No problem Audrey the colored feces girl.” (and yes, I did reply with, “MY SHIT IS GREEN LIKE A GOBLIN!”)

 My mom suggested birth control again?

Fuck that. I’d rather stay single and lonely, and have  no love!

 I feel like a fricken pez dispenser.

Gara LaMarche--Videos

Deepak Bhargava Introduces USAction Awardee Gara LaMarche

Gara LaMarche Accepts Progressive Leadership Award

Atlantic’s Commitment to Social Justice

Gara LaMarche (13 May 2009)

Gara LaMarche Speech

LaMarche Speech Part2

Gara LaMarche on The New Press

Gara LaMarche speaks about the Alliance for Justice

ServiceNation: The Wisdom of Experience

http://fora.tv/2008/09/12/ServiceNation_The_Wisdom_of_Experience

 

 

Background Articles and Videos Visitor logs: Knock, knock, knockin’ on Barry’s door By Michelle Malkin 

“…*PHILIP GARA LAMARCHE. Another far Leftist philanthropist with repeat access to the White House, he’s listed nine times (two under “Gara LaMarche” and seven under “Philip G LaMarche.” LaMarche is President and CEO of The Atlantic Philanthropies. As I reported in June, LaMarche is a George Soros acolyte whose charity pitched in $10 million to help fund the astroturf Health Care Action Now group. LaMarche met with Valerie Jarrett for hours-long meetings on two disclosed occasions. Last year, LaMarche’s group donated $18 million to a Chicago charity headed by Jarrett. …”

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/11/02/visitor-logs-knock-knock-knockin-on-barrys-door/

Biography of Philop Gara LaMarche

“…Gara LaMarche is President and CEO of The Atlantic Philanthropies. He joined Atlantic in April 2007 to lead the organization through its final chapter as the foundation disburses its remaining $4 billion endowment and completes active grantmaking by 2016. Before joining Atlantic, LaMarche served as Vice President and Director of U.S. Programs for the Open Society Institute (OSI), a foundation established by philanthropist George Soros. LaMarche joined OSI in 1996 to launch its U.S. Programs, which focuses on challenges to social justice and democracy. LaMarche previously served as Associate Director of Human Rights Watch and Director of its Free Expression Project from 1990 to 1996. He was Director of the Freedom-to-Write Program of the PENAmericanCenter from 1988 to 1990, when PEN played a leading role in campaigns to lift Iran’s fatwa against Salman Rushdie and challenged restrictions on arts funding in the United States. He served in a variety of positions with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), with which he first became associated at age 18 as a member of its national Academic Freedom Committee. He was the Associate Director of the ACLU’s New York branch from 1979 to 1984 and the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas from 1984 to 1988. At the Texas ACLU, he led campaigns to provide adequate representation for death row inmates and oppose discriminatory treatment of persons with AIDS in the early days of the epidemic. LaMarche is the author of numerous articles on human rights and social justice issues. He teaches a course in philanthropy and public policy at New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service, and was an adjunct professor at New School University and The John Jay College of Criminal Justice. LaMarche serves on the boards of PEN AmericanCenter and The White House Project, as a member of the selection committee for the Sundance Documentary Fund, and on the Leadership Council of Hispanics in Philanthropy. A Westerly, R.I. native, LaMarche graduated from Columbia College in New York. …”

http://fora.tv/speaker/5922/Gara-LaMarche

Affordable Health Care for All Is Within Grasp Now – If We All Rise to the Moment

“…But with the spotlight on the public option, which is a key element of reform but far from the only one, many have lost sight of the need to make sure insurance for those who don’t have it is truly affordable, and that the benefits offered are adequate. If all Americans will now be required to have health insurance, as most states require car insurance, the price must be well within reach, with strong subsidies for the less well-off, whose household income is at least four times the federal poverty level. In addition, these families must begin to see benefits soon, as economic hard times are causing pain now, not in the distant future.

In the weeks ahead, all of us who support quality, affordable health care for everyone need to make our voices heard in the political process – not by the kind of shouting or disruption which captured attention last month, but by passion channeled into arguments that strengthen reform as much as possible and give political leaders the strength they need to stand up to powerful interests. Go to HCAN’s website, where you’ll find up-to-the-minute information about where the process stands, who needs to hear from you, and what critical decisions about affordability, access and competition require more advocacy.

The next time I write about health care, I hope it is accompanied by a photograph of the President signing a bill that will take its place with other landmark social welfare advances like Social Security and Medicare. Working together and staying the course in the coming weeks, we can make that wish come true.”

http://atlanticphilanthropies.org/about/atlantic_currents

Gara LaMarche The Crisis of Democracy in America Gara LaMarche

“…Progressive institutions and alternative policies and messages need to be built and nurtured. That must and will be done, with our involvement. But we must also build and nurture institutions that are not progressive or conservative, but independent—capable of resisting extremism and counteracting the polarization that is deepening in American society.

In many ways, the Open Society Institute and its grantees, and many of our donor colleagues, are dealing with the range of open society threats I discuss above. In some areas we need to step up this work; in others we need to find or help create new initiatives and institutions; in all we need to recognise the integrated nature of the threats and integrate our own responses accordingly.

Here are seven steps we need to take:

• We need to protect the independence of the judiciary as urgently as ever. The key U.S. advocacy groups are in the vanguard of resistance, but at least at the federal level, the situation has become steadily worse. Preserving the filibuster as an option to block the worst judicial nominees is only a first step. We need a longer campaign to monitor judicial appointments, particularly with the balance of the Supreme Court at stake. Such a campaign must involve the civil liberties and pro-choice groups already in the foreground, and also build the broader civil-rights and environmental communities. It must include groups whose social and economic justice agenda is threatened by judges determined to reverse hard-won civil rights and the very underpinnings of social welfare and regulation in the public interest.
• We need a much more intensive campaign—of documentation, media public education and litigation—to challenge the legitimization of torture, which is both a moral abomination on its own terms and deeply corrosive to the culture of law.
• We need to strengthen institutions that monitor the fairness of the media and call them to account for violations of journalistic ethics and standards. We need to strengthen the emerging grassroots movement for media reform: protecting the independence of public broadcasting, monitoring the FCC on ownership rules and other regulatory issues, and supporting legal challenges.
• We need to call attention to the politicization of science, and assist scientists to organize and speak out against the corruption and manipulation of scientific findings.
• We need to recognize that academic freedom and university independence are under increasing attack, and respond by strengthening them.
• We need to organize with colleagues in the field of philanthropy who want to use the special status of our institutions to protect the interests we represent, and to advance broader social-justice issues.
• We need to do more to encourage dialogue and new ideas about the best ways to foster open society. I hope that the Open Society Institute will play a key role in this thinking and development.

This is only the beginning. There is a long way to go. The debate starts here.”

http://www.soros.org/resources/articles_publications/articles/crisis_20050701

“…At The Atlantic Philanthropies we believe that all people should be treated with dignity, respect and fairness. This belief is at the heart of our vision for social justice in the world and especially in the countries in which we are active. We pay particular attention to people and groups who are systematically disadvantaged by social and economic barriers that result in injustice and inequity. We believe that these barriers can be removed by empowering people to engage in advocacy to create a more equitable and just world.

No significant social change has ever taken place without the energy and perseverance of movements and advocates. That is why we support efforts that are led by the people who need change the most. The organisations we support do this hard work day in and day out, and we are privileged to join forces with them in advancing change and promoting social justice.

In keeping with the “Giving While Living” philosophy of our founder, Charles “Chuck” Feeney, we are fully committed to spending our entire endowment and closing the doors of our foundation by 2020. He believes that major problems can be solved sooner and more easily and be prevented from worsening if invested in now. Like our founder, we believe that we must address the urgent social inequities and injustices of our time without delay. …”

Gara LaMarche
President and CEO
The Atlantic Philanthropies

http://atlanticphilanthropies.org/about/ceo_message

The Atlantic Philanthropies

“…At The Atlantic Philanthropies, we are dedicated to bringing about lasting changes in the lives of people who are disadvantaged by their economic situation, race, nationality, gender, age, disabilities, immigration status, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religion.

We make grants through our Ageing, Children & Youth, Population Health and Reconciliation & Human Rights programmes. We are active in Australia, Bermuda, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States and Viet Nam.

We support lasting change by:

• Addressing the root causes of social injustice
• Focusing on advocacy for change rather than filling gaps in services
• Funding efforts to challenge policies and institutions that systematically exclude or disadvantage people
• Building on the strengths of individuals, organisations, communities and movements to advocate on their own behalf and on behalf of others
• Supporting institutions and investing in leaders who can work for progressive change over decades
• Working in partnership with government, whenever it can advance our goals and those of the organisations we support. …”

http://atlanticphilanthropies.org/about

Gara LaMarche

http://www.muckety.com/Gara-LaMarche/22485.muckety

Keeping Obama’s Campaign “Army” Mobilized as a Force for Change in Peacetime

“…Obama and all those who want to seize the moment for progressive change need these talented and passionate organizers who helped deliver the presidency to stay in the field and work with state and local organizations to deliver the change that Obama promised and they labored for. They would offer a huge boost to local coalitions and organizations, many of which are far less powerful and sophisticated than the Obama campaign.

These organizers are essential to sustaining the passion and engagement of millions of donors and online activists, who can take action in support of the agenda they share with Obama.

Progressives understand that this army needs to be a force for keeping the new administration true to its promises – supporting Obama when it agrees with him, pushing him when he needs to be bolder, and opposing him when they disagree. They did that this summer when thousands of Obama supporters used the campaign Web site to convey their dismay with his support for a Congressional compromise on government surveillance of U.S. citizens under the Foreign Intelligence Services Act. In the tough challenges ahead, this peacetime army can press Obama to stay true to his promises and his supporters.”

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gara-lamarche/keeping-obamas-campaign-a_b_142027.html?show_comment_id=17822212

Organizations Funded Directly by George Soros and his Open Society InstituteBy Discover The Networks
Last Updated February 2009

Organizations that, in recent years, have received direct funding and assistance from George Soros and his Open Society Institute (OSI) include the following. (Comprehensive profiles of each are available in the “Groups” section of DiscoverTheNetworks.org): …”

http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=7476

 About The New Press

“…Established in 1990 as a major alternative to the large, commercial publishers, The New Press is a not-for-profit publishing house operated editorially in the public interest. It is committed to publishing in innovative ways works of educational, cultural, and community value that, despite their intellectual merits, may be deemed insufficiently profitable by commercial publishers. Like the Public Broadcasting System and National Public Radio as they were originally conceived, The New Press aims to provide ideas and viewpoints under-represented in the mass media.

Since publishing its first book in 1992, The New Press has been widely hailed as a leading trade publisher. Booksellers, educators, critics and readers have extensively praised the New Press’s books, and they have been the recipients of numerous awards. The Press itself has been featured in publications from the New York Times, The Nation, Education Week and the Christian Science Monitor to The Guardian (UK), Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada), Le Monde (France), and many other international media.

Underlying The Press’s editorial program are three aims: to broaden the audience for serious intellectual work, especially by reaching out to audiences intellectually red-lined by commercial publishers; to bring out the work of traditionally underrepresented voices; and to address the problems of a society in transition, highlighting attempts at reform and innovation in a wide range of fields. …”

http://www.thenewpress.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1&Itemid=6

“…Alliance For Justice

• Systematically opposes Republican judicial nominees
• Anti-Patriot Act

Founded in 1979 by Nan Aron, Alliance For Justice (AFJ) describes itself as “a national association of environmental, civil rights, mental health, women’s, children’s and consumer advocacy organizations.” Among AFJ’s 74 member groups are the Children’s Defense Fund; the Center for Reproductive Rights; the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund; the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund; the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund; the National Abortion Federation; the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL); the National Immigration Forum; the National Council for Research on Women; the National Lawyers Guild; the National Immigration Law Center; the National Organization for Women Legal Defense and Education Fund; the Natural Resources Defense Council; the National Women’s Law Center; Physicians for Human Rights; the Planned Parenthood Federation of America; the Sierra Club Foundation; the Tides Center; and the Wilderness Society.

AFJ’s major programs include:

Judicial Selection Project: “monitors and investigates judicial nominations at all levels of the federal branch, and encourages public participation in the confirmation process”

Independent Judiciary Program: “raise[s] public awareness about the significant impact the federal judiciary has on the country.”

Nonprofit Advocacy Project: “assists nonprofit organizations … through technical assistance, workshops, and a wealth of tools and information”

Foundation Advocacy Initiative: This project strives ”to increase foundation support to organizations that seek to influence policy and public opinion.”

Student Action Campaign: When the new Supreme Court session opens each October, this program “unites student activists on college, university, and law school campuses nationwide to fight for social justice.”

Access to Justice Program: Founded on the premise that the American criminal-justice system is steeped in racism, this program “supports a progressive agenda to protect and improve” that system. 

Operating on a yearly budget of $4.5 million, AFJ has built its reputation most notably on its activism vis a vis the appointment of federal judges. The organization consistently paints Republican nominees as “extremists” whose views range far outside the boundaries of mainstream public opinion. …”

“…AFJ receives financial support from George Soros’s Open Society Institute, the Tides Foundation, the Streisand Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Beldon Fund, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the JEHT Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Public Welfare Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Scherman Foundation, the Schumann Center for Media and Democracy, the Surdna Foundation, and the Turner Foundation. …”

http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6447

Shot Fired Into Home of Lou Dobbs of CNN!

Immigration Gumballs

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Chinese medicine

Chinese medicine or better known as Traditional chinesische medizin (TCM) is a complete medical system which has been put to use in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illnesses for over 5,000 years. An important thing to note is the level of treatment of TCM; that is to diagnose, treat and prevent illness. Though we don’t have any record about the history of plant use in medicinal purposes for the first time but we have the first generally accepted use of plants as healing agents that have been depicted in the cave paintings discovered in the Lascaux caves in France. To one’s astonishment, its Radiocarbon dating gave the period 13,000 – 25,000 BC.

The main focus of traditional Chinese medicine is to maintain the balance and prevent illness of the body. The uniqueness lies in the basic beliefs that it is rooted in. As for an example, TCM is believed to be based on a belief in yin and yang which is said to be of opposing energies. Opposing energies are the energies, such as energies between earth and heaven, between winter and summer, and between happiness and sadness. When these energies i.e yin and yang are in balance, then you feel relaxed and energized and experience only occasional highs and lows. But if this of balance gets disturbed between yin and yang then, however, it does negatively affect your health.

Chinese medicine in its own is a complete, holistic medical system that treats the whole person and not only the disease. It bases its treatment on your whereabouts such as who you are, where you are, how you are, and when you are. Thus the authentic practitioner will take into account all your genetic heritage and makeup that includes your geographical location, current physical, emotional and spiritual condition, as well as your age into consideration during your treatment.

Amino Acids

Brief hiatus

I’ve not been getting enough sleep lately, so I’m going to spend a couple of days shirking my responsibilities and going to bed early. I’ll have something interesting to say again in a little while, hopefully including a review of the Boffoonery show I’m going to tomorrow in support of Bletchley Park.

In the meantime, watch a video that Crispian Jago put together about the Jenny McCarthy body count site:

Promoting health literacy

I’ve just spent five days—yes, five days—talking about health literacy. Before my five day conversation I’d never thought much about health literacy, but now I see myself as an expert. Pick a small enough subject and you can be a world expert in about 20 minutes. But health literacy is actually a big subject and increasing it could potentially make a huge difference to beleaguered patients and health care systems.

Our marathon conversation took place in Frankfurt and included lots of grand and smart people, all of them grander and smarter than me. As in many conversations, we spent a lot of time talking across each other because we had different ideas of what we were talking about.

The Institute of Medicine has defined health literacy as “The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.”

The “individuals” are patients and citizens, but in our conversation we talked as well about health care professionals, including doctors. If we think of health literacy as knowing the treatment for atrial fibrillation or whether to go to the doctor with a sore throat, then doctors are a lot more literate than patients.

If, however, we consider, as many do, health literacy to be the ability to derive and understand the statistical risk of various treatments versus no treatment of a condition from randomized trials and systematic reviews, then doctors are not much more literate than patients. Indeed, when it comes to sorting out sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and the like then almost everybody is illiterate apart from those trained in epidemiology and statistics and using the concepts regularly.

Another source of confusion was whether to think about health literacy as simply a function of individuals. The Institute of Medicine’s definition suggests that it is, but a few lines after offering the definition the institute’s report recognises that it may be too narrow and says that literacy is “a shared function of cultural, social, and individual factors.” It is, in other words, a property of a system not just individuals.

So if we want to raise health literacy should we concentrate on individuals or systems? The two approaches are not mutually exclusive, but when resources are short, as they always are, what should be our priority? Some would emphasise teaching statistics and uncertainty to the school children, especially as statistical literacy can be useful not just in working out whether to have a mammogram but also whether to bet on Ben’s Red Nag in the 4.40 at Wincanton.

But others, including me, were skeptical that much would be gained unless we also thought about systems. We discussed, for example, the strong evidence from Jack Wennberg and others in the US that the amount of health care that people receive is strongly determined by the supply of health care institutions—what is called “supplier induced demand.” For example, people in Los Angeles receive twice as much health care as people in Minneapolis—simply because there are twice as many health care providers in Los Angeles. Far from producing benefit this leads to poorer outcomes among the people in Los Angeles, which may be explained by them being more likely to suffer from medical errors because they have more contact with the health system.

Improving health literacy among the people of Los Angeles seems unlikely to reduce the amount of care they receive. Yet providing this compelling data to those who organize and find health care could at least potentially reduce health care supply in Los Angeles and encourage more care based on evidence.

So where did we get to after five days? We did agree that standard ways of presenting information on medical risk in journals, the media, patient information leaflets, and, indeed, everywhere would be a good step to raising literacy, and our recommended form will be published. But we never quite agreed on whether to concentrate on individuals or systems. Maybe we needed to talk for another five days.