Category: Media
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Rap and Talk Radio
1 comment on Rap and Talk RadioYes, this is off-topic, but I thought this comparison of rap and talk radio was rather good, actually. This seemed like a good question to pose to a man uniquely situated to opine about the shaded part of the Venn diagram of rap and conservative talk radio. I’m talking about DJ Clayvis, né Clay Clark, […]
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Weight-Loss Drugs Are About Health! Really!
Sort of. Reuters summarized the results of Vivus’ new weight-loss drug study as follows: Vivus, whose shares shot up nearly 80 percent on the news, combined phentermine with the epilepsy drug topiramate, available generically [and as] Topamax. […] Phentermine takes an old-fashioned and logical approach to weight loss — it is a stimulant that speeds up the […]
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Book Review: Ultimate Fitness by Gina Kolata
“Exercise is my obsession,” states Gina Kolata on page 3 of her book Ultimate Fitness. Why does Kolata love exercise? “I discovered that if I work out really hard and for at least forty minutes, I can sometimes reach an almost indescribable state of sheer exhilaration.” By the end of the book Kolata admits […]
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Death, not Evacuation
This is painful. I am grateful that my ARNP found my vitamin deficiencies and that I can treat them, for the surgeries and drugs that have given family members longer lives. But right now I feel I could never leave anyone I loved alone in a hospital.
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Alzheimers, Brain Size, and Fat
Have you seen the story that older fat people have smaller brains than thinner ones, which has been previously linked with Alzheimer’s disease? Yeah. There may be a correlation there, yes. Future studies may bear this out. Has a link been noticed between weight and Alzheimer’s anywhere else? The Alzheimer’s Association does list weight as […]
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Alli/Xenical and Liver Damage?
From Monthly Prescribing Reference: The FDA has notified healthcare professionals and consumers that it is reviewing new safety information regarding reports of liver-related adverse events in patients taking orlistat, which is marketed in the U.S. as Xenical (from Roche) and Alli (from GlaxoSmithKline). The FDA has received 32 reports of serious liver injury, including 6 […]
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Another Logic Question
I’ve read several stories on the new US life expectancy data. The quick story? Life expectancy for white females born in 2007: 80.7 years Life expectancy for white males born in 2007: 75.8 years Life expectancy for black females born in 2007: 77 years Life expectancy for black males born in 2007: 70.2 years […]
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Links: Healthy Enough, Attractiveness, Photoshop
This quote comes from a personal finance blog, but it ties into the “enough” conversation a bit: If one defines the word rich in non-monetary terms, the seemingly herculean feat of “getting rich” may be one of the easiest (and most valuable) accomplishments of one’s life. What if “rich” is simply defined as “being content?” […]
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Why Try Out for Biggest Loser?
I’m at a disadvantage here, because I haven’t watched the show.* I’ve had people suggest I try out for the show — often as small talk, but also as an “OMG you’d be great on The Biggest Loser!” (The latter I remember clearly, since it was from my boss. I asked if she really […]
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On Cooking
Two trend stories that are pretty different: In the NY Times Magazine, Michael Pollan cites research on how “cooking from scratch” has decreased over the last century, especially since the 60s. In the local paper, grocery chains on recent changes in sales. In: flour, sugar, store brands, plants, hamburger helper, wines below $15/bottle. Out: cut flowers, pop, […]
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Things To Read
First: Unapologetically Fat spotted “Obesity Police’s Shaky Science” in The Baltimore Sun, which starts with: Why is a thin, male smoker considered a physical role model as president but a full-figured African-American woman is considered an embarrassment as his nominee for surgeon general? …and moves on to discuss the recent obesity research that finds that overweight […]
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Science Reporting vs Reality
It’s not uncommon to see health stories that turn out not to be valid. Sometimes one study is later contradicted by others, which is a lot of what science is about. Sometimes the science news cycle / game of telephone adds confusion. Sometimes a computer model invents something wonky, but with an appealing hook. And […]
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NYTimes on Fat Acceptance (Again)
“Throwing out the diet and embracing the fat” is not a perfect description of fat acceptance, but very, very good to see in mainstream media. Many fat blogs are named and linked to; four or five books are mentioned; and the obligatory “but people are healthier if they’re thinner” doesn’t get the last word — […]
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Calorie Restriction has Downsides?
You’ve likely seen the headlines on calorie restriction, or a “permanent diet“, increasing the lifespan of monkeys. Turns out some research is being done on human volunteers, too — and it’s not without problems: [I]t has potential downsides, including constant hunger, sensitivity to cold, weakened immune function and sour mood, says Susan Roberts, professor of […]
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Things to Read
I liked this article on solitude vs loneliness. I lived alone, or with a cat, for most of 9 years. I learned a lot about self-reliance during that time, and also about how often the difference between solitude and loneliness is attitude. I worked on alleviating loneliness with friends, my cat, and activities […]
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Spotted at the Bellevue Barnes & Noble
Sorry for the crappy cellphone photo, but I was thrilled to see it FACING OUT. :) Yes, it was in the diet section. I reviewed Lessons from the Fat-o-Sphere here.
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Most Fat People Don’t Get Diabetes?
I’ve had it banged over my head for decades that “OMG you’re going to get diabetes!!!!”, so when I read this I was a bit flummoxed: Roughly 20% of the people with Type 2 diabetes are thin, and 75% of obese people never get it. All those years of worry, of dieting to try to […]
Living ~400lbs 