MEDICAL MATTERS

[Wendyf]

It's the steroids and the glucose in the infusion that do the job, his bg readings were between 15 and 20 mmols over 4 days but came back down again. Because we are fat burners we are in ketosis most of the time, it's ketoacidosis that's the danger with blood sugar levels that high.

[Marilyn]

Exactly Wendy...ketosacidosis is dangerous...

[Stanley]

Thanks for the update on Col Wendy. As Kev says it's horrendous but Col has enough oil in his can to be able to make decisions about what is a good investment and what isn't. Reading about him makes me realise how lucky I was. Please give him my best wishes, that's all I can do. Don't forget to look after yourself Wendy, you're under strain as well.

[Marilyn]

I am not making any medical claims here...but my hubby has “age spots” on his forearms and back of hands....plus he is on powerful blood thinners so gets spot bruises...plus he was once a red head ( now a silver fox), so has always suffered the thin, sensitive skin that goes with being a carrot top.
Last week, he began wiping his arms and back of hands with pure Olive Oil.
I cannot believe the difference!
His arms look at least 60-70 % better!
I am really really impressed.

[Tizer]

Does the oil leave his skin sticky or does it soak in? How long before he washes his arms? Watch out or you might find Italian ladies chasing him!

[Marilyn]

We are talking about a spot of Olive Oil, rubbed in with paper towel, as he sits on a warm night watching TV.
It soaks straight in. Try it. It does wonders.
Not cheap Olive Oil...the pure stuff.

[Tizer]

I'll have to give it a try, Maz! Thanks.

[PanBiker]

Got notification today that I will be receiving my next go at poo sticks. It's supposed to be every two years after you turn 60 but they missed when I was 66 so it looks like they are playing catchup. Maybe the labs have been pressed into other service which is quite likely.

[Tizer]

This thread seemed the best place to put this post which is about a scam that has several different aspects - selling items that make false claims of protecting against mobile phone radiation but also the fact that some of these items actually contain above-natural levels of radioactive materials. Also there is the sale of of `energy devices' that are claimed to protect or cure people from diseases. It came to my notice in a BBC story today about `SmartDot radiation-protection phone stickers' BBC The BBC had the company's products tested and found them useless but the company says they use `scalar energy'. A google search for these two words brings up mostly products for sale and not much reliable information, but I found this Australian official site: ARPANSA `Scalar energy products and health: Using scalar energy products can increase your radiation exposure.'

The Google searches release a flood of scam products all making what we could judge to be claims based on no evidence. How did we ever get into this situation, with so much rubbish being peddled, some of it seriously dangerous. The Internet makes it easy but we've also failed to raise the education level of people to cope with it.

[Stanley]

I'll stick to Lea and Perrins. Everyone knows that protects you against everything!

[Stanley]

Don't open THIS LINK unless you have a strong disposition. It's the BBC report of the apology expected to be made today about the terrible conditions in Irish mother and baby homes that resulted in thousands of deaths. This scandal has been known for many years and there is a long back story of denials and obfuscation. Even today is not the last we shall hear of the story but as one surviving baby said, "it will at least go in the history books now".

[PanBiker]

The kit for the bowel screening program (poo sticks) arrived yesterday. It's different to the previous ones I have had and is only one plastic stick now with grooves on the end to catch the sample. The old kits had three cardboard sample boards and you had to do them on separate days within a total of 4 days. This one looks much better as you only have to sample once. The plastic stick is integral to the lid of a phial with liquid solution in that you put the sampler in and send back. You just have to date it, it is already bar coded with your reference information.

Barlick Surgery have texted me to say my BP check is due and asked me to provide the readings. I can do this of course as I have a BP monitor. They have provided a link to suppliers of recommended BP monitors for those that don't have one. I can text or email the results back. I will average out three days of AM / PM results for them.

[Stanley]

I shall be at the surgery this morning for my first diabetes clinic in twelve months. Blood samples etc. I shall get a call at home from the diabetes nurse on the 26th of January to go over the results.

[Marilyn]

Blood Sugar 7.2...two hours after evening meal. I’m not doing anything wrong!

[Tizer]

`Oxford research tackles threat of antibiotic resistance' LINK
`Oxford University is opening a new research institute dedicated to tackling resistance to antibiotics. The university says this is one of the the biggest rising threats to global health, already causing 1.5 million deaths per year worldwide. The institute will be funded by £100m donated by the Ineos chemical company. Vice chancellor Louise Richardson said the Covid pandemic had shown the "high cost of ignoring something that is likely to head our way". There will be 50 researchers working in the new Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance, addressing the "over-use and mis-use" of antibiotics, which the university warned could cause 10 million excess deaths per year by 2050...'.
[Gifting £100 million won't change the lifestyle of billionaire Ineos owner by much and he'll probably put it against tax but better this than nothing! ]

[Stanley]

All went well at the clinic, weight, feet, BP etc all fine. I asked about the vaccination status and she looked, I am under active consideration and they know my circumstances. She noted that my weight was up slightly but relaxed when I pointed out that Jack had died and giving up smoking doesn't help. I think I got Brownie Points.

[Whyperion]

`Oxford research tackles threat of antibiotic resistance' LINK
`Oxford University is opening a new research institute dedicated to tackling resistance to antibiotics. The university says this is one of the the biggest rising threats to global health, already causing 1.5 million deaths per year worldwide. The institute will be funded by £100m donated by the Ineos chemical company. Vice chancellor Louise Richardson said the Covid pandemic had shown the "high cost of ignoring something that is likely to head our way". There will be 50 researchers working in the new Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance, addressing the "over-use and mis-use" of antibiotics, which the university warned could cause 10 million excess deaths per year by 2050...'.
[Gifting £100 million won't change the lifestyle of billionaire Ineos owner by much and he'll probably put it against tax but better this than nothing! ]

I suspect the study might say more ethanol for washing your hands etc is the best prevention, who makes ethanol ??!!
Seriously , we know too that Bacterial are benifical too, sometimes the same ones that in the wrong place are deadly. Not easy to deal with and I cannot think of a novel solution - the normal one would be an attacking virus to destroy a bacteria, another bacteria or higher organism to consume it (but both will be modified by the bacteria as it responds).

[Sue]

I have never understood why phage therapy has not been developed more. I was teaching about this 25 years ago, and knew someone researching it when I was still a student.

https://www.healthline.com/health/phage-therapy

[Stanley]

I think the Russians are taking it seriously Sue. I am an amateur but it has always seemed a promising line of research to me.

[Sue]

It seems tge obvious way forward to me, especially for some of the worse infections like MRSA, cholera, TB

[Tizer]

This article looks at the pros and cons of using phage therapy. No need to read it all, just look down the sub-titles! LINK

[Stanley]

That looks like fairly solid evidence. (but beyond my pay grade!)

[PanBiker]

Got the results of my recent poo stick bowel screening and I am OK. The letter tells me that they will send me another kit in two years time unless I have reached the age of 75. So that's another 4 goes for me I reckon. Folk who are already 75 years of age are not automatically screened but can request screening every year by calling their free helpline on 0800 707 60 60.

Recommended, takes a couple of minutes and could save your life.

[Tripps]

Folk who are already 75 years of age are not aromatically screened

Thank goodness for that

[Wendyf]

Nice!