In New Zealand, radiation therapists are on strike seeking pay increases. This has one doctor hopping mad and he plans on doing something about it. As a matter of fact, he plans on doing something really unusual about it. He plans to take up smoking.
"I've tried everything sensible, so now I am doing something stupid," Chris Wynne, clinical director of radiation oncology at Christchurch Hospital, told The Press newspaper. "Appealing to common sense hasn't solved these strikes."
Cancer doctor starts smoking in protest at strikes - Radio New Zealand
'Now I am going to do something stupid' - Independent Online (South Africa)
Dr. Geoffrey Woods of the University of Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, reported in the journal Nature that while studying a family in Pakistan, they have discovered a gene that could lead to better pain treatments in the future. The family has a genetic mutation (involving a gene know as SCN9A) that causes them to feel no pain.
"The discovery is really striking. No other single gene deletion has such a dramatic effect on pain perception without other deleterious consequences," Wood said in an interview."
Mutant gene blocks sense of pain - BBC News
Pakistani boy leads scientists to pain discovery - Reuters
Don't just toss that tree! Recycle it! That's easy to say but how do you do it? The National Christmas Tree Association can help. What is the National Christmas Tree Association? From their "about us"...
"The National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) strives to be one voice representing Christmas Tree Professionals and promoting the use of Real Christmas Trees. More than 5,100 professionals support NCTA programs through membership; participation (through their state association) in the Tree Industry Partnership (TIP) Campaign and/or individual investments in the RealTree Promotion & Marketing Campaign."
The Association has a rich web site that includes a zip code look-up to find ways to recycle in your community. Keep in mind that not all communities have programs. The site is a little quirky, i.e. I put in my zip code which is located in Suffolk County, NY and it gave me results for Suffolk County, MA.
NCTA Local "Find a Recycling Program" link here.
NCTA main home page link here.
This odes to the banana is unattributed and sent to me via email. I can't vouch for all the scientific facts but my feeling is that they are probably true and can be verified. Enjoy a banana everyday!
Bananas Contain three natural sugars - sucrose,
fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana
gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of
energy. Research has proven that just two bananas
provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute
workout. No wonder the banana is the number one
fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy
isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It
can also help overcome or prevent a substantial
number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must
to add to our daily diet.
Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND
amongst people suffering from depression, many felt
much better after eating a banana. This is because
bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that
the body converts into serotonin, known to make you
relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel
better.
PMS:
Forget the pills—eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it
contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can
affect your mood.
Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production
of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of
anemia.
Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in
potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way
to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and
Drug Administration has just allowed the banana
industry to make official claims for the fruit’s
ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and
stroke.
Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex England)
school were helped through their exams this year by
eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a
bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown
that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning
by making pupils more alert.
Constipation:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can
help restore normal bowel action, helping to
overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to
make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The
banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the
honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while
the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body,
so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana
for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep
blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness
Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try
rubbing the affected area with the inside of a
banana skin. Many people find it amazingly
successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the
nervous system.
Overweight and at work?
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria
found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort
food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000
hospital patients, researchers found the most obese
were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The
report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food
cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels
by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two
hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food against
intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and
smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be
eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It
also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation
by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control:
Many other cultures see bananas as a “cooling” fruit
that can lower both the physical and emotional
temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for
example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their
baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain
the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking:
Bananas can also help people trying to give up
smoking. The B6 and B12 they contain, as well as the
potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body
recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral which helps normalize
the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and
regulates your body’s water balance. When we are
stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing
our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with
the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes:
According to research in “The New England Journal of
Medicine,” eating bananas as part of a regular diet
can cut the risk of death from strokes by as much as
40%!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many
ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four
times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three
times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and
iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It
is also rich in potassium and is one of the best
value foods around. So maybe its time to change that
well-known phrase so that we say, “A banana a day
keeps the doctor away!”
The nation's economists, not to mention Wal-Mart and the other retailers wouldn't be pleased, but for your own sanity, did you ever consider a Buy Nothing Christmas? Or, at least a Buy LESS Christmas?
If you have or would like to, the folks at adbusters.com have a site to help you with the details (or lack of).
adbusters Buy Nothing Christmas site here.
I remember there was an incident with one of the Apollo missions when the astronaut couldn't get the camera working on the moon. He tried everything and finally, in exasperation, hit it with a hammer. The camera started working.
Here's another example of how the low-tech method of one swift kick (or head butt) can work wonders.
Well-placed head butt restores vet's sight lost in WWII blast - New York Daily News
According to this article in The Independent, the ethical food movement in England has grown over 60% in the last 4 years to 2 billion pounds (or almost $4 billion).
Crucially, the Mintel research found one third of adults now believe it is worth paying more for food that is fair trade, organic and locally sourced.
But just like here in the Colonies, certification organizations are under increasing pressure to lower standards.
Ethical foods boom tops £2bn a year and keeps growing - The Independent
[thanks, Jeff!]
 
Terry Tamminen is the former Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency and currently a Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger.
Beyond the financial and political impact, did you ever really think about the health impact? Direct health care costs from pollution total and estimated $55 billion per year. 125,000 cases of cancer per year in the US can be attributed to diesel exhaust. And there's much more in Mr. Tamminen's new book "Lives Per Gallon".
"We all thought we knew the costs of oil addiction-power to terrorists and tyrants, and global climate change. But Tamminen's book demonstrates that we don't know the half of it. Gasoline is a deadly carcinogen like tobacco. The health, environmental, and climatic impact of our oil dependency, he shows, is catastrophic. And the economic cost of subsidizing the oil industry is bankrupting. But Tamminen does more than point to the problems. He lays out step-by-step solutions to ending our oil addiction. I only wish that all members of Congress would read this book."
Dick Morris, Fox News political analyst and former advisor to President Clinton
"America's prosperity, our independence and security, our democracy and our ideals, our international leadership and national pride are all dependent on our breaking our lethal oil addiction. Terry Tamminen has turned the spotlight of clarity on the defining issue of our age."
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President, Waterkeeper Alliance
Lives Per Gallon Official Web Site link here.
Another story from the prestigious medical journal, "Duh".
A new US study published in the New England Journal of Medicine says that doctors who took their time when giving a colonoscopy found more cancerous and pre-cancerous tumors than those that rushed through the procedure.
Doctors Who Take More Time With Colonoscopy Find More Tumours - Medical News Today /
Hurried colon exams miss polyps, study finds - The Boston Globe (boston.com)
Did you know that someone has the title "chief of parasitology"? So, what does your husband do? Oh he's chief of parasitology! Really, you have teenagers?
Fortunately we have someone paying attention to these things because according to the linked article there's a parasitic disease that kills 50,000 people per year that doesn't show up for years after first infection.
"These guys don't know they are infected," said Maguire [former chief of parasitology for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta]. "They come seeking treatment for heart ailments or gastrointestinal disorders and, by then, it's too late."
Testing for 'bugged' blood donors. Jersey firm perfects screening for killer tropical infection that can lie dormant for decades - The Star-Ledger (nj.com)
The other night I saw Caroline DeWaal from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) on the Bill O'Reilly show talking about food safety. Her book is called, "Is Our Food Safe?" She said the the number one food type for poisonings in the U.S. are fruit and vegetables. I was surprised because I would have guessed beef, maybe poultry.
So if you are trying to follow the latest thinking about your health, you run a higher risk of being poisoned. It makes me think of the jogger that's out running for better health and gets hit by a car. He might still be alive if he was home, fat and in bed.
Anyway, it's more important now than ever to be informed about our food and how we handle it. More regulation of the food industry is warranted but as O'Reilly said, we should take steps to protect ourselves because just ask the victims of Hurricane Katrina what it's like to depend on the federal government for protection.
Regarding DeWaal's book from the publisher's web site:
"Every day, new warnings emerge about the safety of the food in our markets, school cafeterias, and restaurants. As industry and government officials rush in with reassurances—and food alarmists call for drastic changes in the American diet—ordinary consumers are caught in the middle. Is Our Food Safe? separates the facts from the rumors and offers straightforward, reliable advice on how to protect your health and the environment without going to extremes.
Is Our Food Safe? answers common questions about the safety of meat, dairy products, fish, fruits, and other foods that make up our daily diet. It assesses the positive and negative aspects of genetically engineered foods, compares organic and conventionally produced foods, and makes recommendations about when (and if) you should choose local suppliers over industry giants. It also explains which foods to eat and which to avoid if you are concerned about clean water and air and a safe environment. Finally, it provides valuable information on how you can improve the quality of the food available in your communities, including specific issues to raise with grocers and food service providers."
What to get the well-heeled vegetarian this holiday season? Raw vegetables are never really appropriate but here's a list of things the vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian or vegan in your life might appreciate.
Top 5 Gift Ideas for the Vegetarian, Vegan or Health Conscious Chef - Jolinda Hackett (About.com)
Supported by corporate sponsors and based on a reality TV show of the same name, a Houston teacher conducted a contest among her students. The Biggest Loser contest awarded cash prizes to the students who lost the most weight and body fat during the 18-week contest period. 215 students lost a total of 852 pounds. The winning girl and boy will each receive $250 and the 10 runners-up in each gender will get $100.
Great idea but now they should have a contest to see who can keep the weight off for 6 months which is the hardest part of losing weight!
Weight-loss contest's cash prizes may raise questions, but teacher's effort seems to work - chron.com (Houston)
If you have ever been surprised by additional guests at a dinner party, it usually isn't the amount of food that's the problem. If you're like me, you usually make extra anyway or most people are sensitive enough to reduce their portion size to accommodate everyone except maybe your brother-in-law.
The real problem is space. The table is too small!
Problem solved. Look at the videos of these functionalistic tables from dbfletcher. Cool isn't the word! Link here.
[via Boing Boing]
With what we know about cooked tomatoes (lycopene) and the information about onion and garlic in this article from Reuters Health, I would say that tomato sauce (made the way I make it which is based on the way my grandmother made it minus the meat) has to be the perfect food. On that side of the family they did all live a very long time. I will post my simple recipe in the future.
Onions, garlic linked to lower cancer risks - Reuters Health (via YAHOO! NEWS)
[thanks, Jeff!]
As usual, New York is the trendsetter for the nation! Now that they have banned trans fat usage in all restaurants, everybody is talking about it.
It's nice to see a fad that isn't just concerned with i-Pod colors!
Minnesota making strides on trans fat - TwinCities.com
NYC bans trans fats. Will we? - Chicago Sun-Times
[thanks, Jeff!]
 
A report by United Health Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit foundation funded by the health care company UnitedHealth Group, said Americans are 0.3 percent healthier than they were a year ago.
Also, Minnesota is considered the healthiest state and Louisiana, the unhealthiest.
America's Health Rankings(TM) Gives Nation Its Annual Check-up - YAHOO! Finance
A study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found no increased cancer risk among 420,000 cell phone users in Denmark. All of the users in the study have been using cell phones for at least 10 years and many for 20. The study plans to continue to see the effect on people using the phones for 30. The Government of Denmark funded the study.
After 21 years, scientists say: mobiles don't cause cancer - TIMESONLINE (UK)
No link between mobile phone use and brain tumor, cancer - EARTHtimes.org
Study: Cell Phone Use Not Linked to Cancer Risk - consumeraffairs.com
Unfortunately, I suspect that more consumers rely on the health claims of food producers on the front of the package than on the nutrition label located on the back of the package. The basis for these "claims" depend on a definition devised by the producer. Can something be done to regiment these claims into a system in which the consumer can depend? The nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is petitioning the Food and Drug Administration to institute just such a scheme.
FDA Urged to Create New “Healthy Food” Labeling System - CSPI Newsroom
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