Sunday, May 27, 2012

Aspirin and cancer - Health Report - ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

This seems like an important study, and I think everyone should be made aware of it.
It seems like 20 years ago, aspirin was touted as a way of preventing cancer and heart disease.  Elaine and I started taking a little piece of aspirin every day.  I was interested because we do have cancer in the family.   Then about 10 years ago, studies showed that aspirin didn't do much for cancer, but was still good for heart disease.  Our doctors have been prescribing it for us for the past 12 or 14 years.   Now it appears from this fairly important study that taking daily aspirin is now back as being a good cancer prevention medication.  I suggest you listen to this report and decide for yourself.

Aspirin and cancer - Health Report - ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation):

Friday, May 4, 2012

A Machine That Sniffs Out Cancer

Wow!
I've heard several times over the past decade about dog's ability to "sniff out cancer" --and I do remember hearing that people were trying to make a machine to do it too.  It sounds like we're getting close!


A Machine That Sniffs Out Cancer - Businessweek:

This machine, if it can be developed and approved by FDA, will be a wonderful improvement over  the many different other types of screening, and hopefully will allow for earlier detection and treatment of cancers.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

What Do I Know?: Homophobic? Maybe You’re Gay

The New York Times had an article that seemed to resonate with thoughts I've had over many years.  I have noticed that some of my friends and acquaintances when I was growing up who seemed to be the most against gays, seemed to also have some sort of a gay persona, or later they "came out" as gay.   I often wondered if the anti-gay slurs and act was simply a facade.  This article is a blog concerning the article, but it does have quotes from it.

What Do I Know?: Homophobic? Maybe You’re Gay:

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Stand Up for Fitness - NYTimes.com

This article seems to say it all about the need for exercise.  I've read the research in tidbits over the past few years -- but this seems to put it all together.

Stand Up for Fitness - NYTimes.com:
Gretchen Reynolds, who wrote the article also wrote a book: " The first 20 minutes" which identifies good forms of exercise.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Onychomycosis --Fungal nail infection

I've had this "Onychomycosis problem" for many years.  Fungal nail infection - PubMed Health:  I have not been concerned enough to see a doctor to get the drug:
because of the concerns about liver damage.  Doesn't seem worth risking medical problems to resolve a cosmetic problem.    I did use Penlac painted on my toe, and it resolved the problem on my right toe -- but then years later I got it on my left toe.  I've tried the various drugstore versions of antibacterial/anti-fungal treatments mixed with anti-freeze ingredient ethylene glycol.  It doesn't seem to solve the problem.  Therefore, I was very interested in the new "laser treatment"  It sounds very expensive!  There doesn't seem to be any "hard science" behind the treatment either, nor solid successful results.  I did notice that Groupon has offers of "deep discounts" already for the service and other companies are trying to get FDA approval to sell their devices.  I thought maybe it could be a good investment opportunity, but it sounds like competition from other companies could drive the profit margin down sharply.  It also sounds like a device that a company could "lease" to people with the problem, so they could do it at home on a daily basis for a few weeks and solve their problem.  That would sure make the treatment more practical for busy patients.