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John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Red meat consumption — whether processed or not — was linked to onset of type 2 diabetes in the U.S. according to a 2023 article in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The research was a long-term observational study by mostly Harvard-based scientists. Among the authors that might be familiar to you are Walter Willett, Frank Hu, and Frank Sacks. Click the link for the deets.

This doesn’t prove that red meat consumption causes diabetes. But if you enjoy a fair or high amount of red meat, you might benefit by cutting back, especially if diabetes runs in your family. I’d also suggest regular exercise and avoiding overweight and obesity to reduce your risks of type 2 diabetes. The author suggest red meat alternatives: nuts, legumes, dairy foods.

In the same journal issue is a commentary by Daan Kremer. Some snippets:

The current observational study is unlikely to end the discussion on whether red meat intake increases risk of type 2 diabetes and even less likely to end the epistemological debates on how to grade quality of observational evidence when many efforts are made to reduce bias and confounding.

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All in all, the study by Gu et al. may arguably be the best evidence to date on the relation between red meat intake and type 2 diabetes. Yet somehow, I feel that the books have not been closed.

  Steve Parker, M.D.

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Mr Benz alleges that the waves of online speech censorship we’ve seen since ~2018 are due to collusion between the legacy media/social media giants and the U.S. State Department, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, CIA, NGOs, and the Department of Defense. And it’s not limited to the U.S. In fact, it started with efforts to by the CIA and DoD to combat international terrorism and meddle in other countries’ politics.

Click for the Foundation For Freedom Online website.

The Deep State does not appreciate this interview. I hope Mr Benz has a hefty life insurance policy. He should have stated for the record that he is not now nor has he ever been suicidal, and he’d never kill himself. I would not knowingly get in an airplane or in a car with him.

If you can impeach Mr Benz’s credibility, please share in the Comments.

This interview is more important the Tucker’s recent interview of Putin.

Steve Parker, M.D.

If so, it may well be because of your genes according to an article at SBS.com. Particular genes determine whether you can detect a bitter chemical (called PTC) in broccoli and other brassicas like cauliflower and brussels sprouts.

“On average, about 70% of us can taste something bitter in broccoli or PTC, but those with two copies of the bitter sensitivity gene are closer to 20%, and they are much more likely to hate it.”

U.S. President George H.W. Bush said in March 1990, “I do not like broccoli. And I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli!” He banned it on Air Force One.

Most of us at the Parker Compound like broccoli. My wife usually sautes it in olive oil and seasons with garlic, other herbs, and salt.

Steve Parker, M.D.

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I found a review article at Animal Frontiers that makes the argument in favor of meat consumption. The authors admit little focus on the downsides of eating meat. I’ve been cutting back on my meat consumption out of sympathy for the animals. Here are some of the key points verbatim:

• Aspects of human anatomy, digestion, and metabolism diverged from other primates, indicating evolutionary reliance on, and compatibility with, substantial meat intake. Implications of a disconnect from evolutionary dietary patterns may contribute to today’s burden of disease, increasing the risk for both nutrient deficiencies and chronic diseases.
• Meat supplies high-quality protein and various nutrients, some of which are not always easily obtained with meat-free diets and are often already suboptimal or deficient in global populations. Removal of meat comes with implications for a broad spectrum of nutrients that need to be accounted for, whereas compensatory dietary strategies must factor in physiological and practical constraints.
• Although meat makes up a small part (<10%) of global food mass and energy, it delivers most of the global vitamin B12 intake and plays a substantial role in the supply of other B vitamins, retinol, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, several minerals in bioavailable forms (e.g., iron and zinc), and a variety of bioactive compounds with health-improving potential (e.g., taurine, creatine, and carnosine).
• As a food matrix, meat is more than the sum of its individual nutrients. Moreover, within the diet matrix, it can serve as a keystone food in food-based dietary interventions to improve nutritional status, especially in regions that rely heavily on cereal staples.
• Efforts to lower global meat intake for environmental or other reasons beyond a critical threshold may hinder progress towards reducing undernutrition and the effects this has on both physical and cognitive outcomes, and thereby stifle economic development. This is particularly a concern for populations with increased needs and in regions where current meat intake levels are low, which is not only pertinent for the Global South but also of relevance in high-income countries.

Steve Parker, M.D.

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I’ve written several blog posts on the risks of chronic use of PPIs (proton pump inhibitors) for gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). By “chronic use” I mean daily or several days every week. In order to avoid the risks of PPI usage, a recent commenter asked me about non-PPI management options.

I’ll assume that occasional use of antacids, H2 blockers (histamine 2 receptor agonists like famotidine), and proton pump inhibitors is not an adequate remedy. At some point (sooner rather than later), you’ll also want to be sure the diagnosis truly is GERD and not something else. This may well require a consultation with a gastroenterologist.

BTW, having to pop a couple Tums antacids for heartburn once every 2-3 months is not a disease. It’s not GERD. It’s occasional heartburn. Untreated GERD symptoms are much more frequent and may be more intense or more prolonged.

So here are some non-PPI options for management of GERD in adults. Some of these will help one person but not the next, and experimentation may be in order.

• Lose excess weight. Even common overweight can aggravate the condition.
• Elevate head of bed on 6-8 inch bricks.
• Avoid supine posture after meals.
• No eating for 2-3 hours prior to bedtime.
• Avoid tobacco and alcohol.
• Low-carb diet.
• Avoid tight-fitting garments over the abdomen.
• Avoid common triggers: spicy food, carbonated beverages, onions (especially raw), chocolate, high-fat foods, caffeine. If you’re sure these don’t trigger your own GERD, then no particular need to avoid. A spicy meal one week ago doesn’t cause your GERD today. Your triggers will typically be ingested 30 minutes to 8 hours prior to symptom onset.

Medication alternatives to PPIs and H2 blockers (histamine 2 receptor agonists like famotidine):

• Sucralfate if pregnant.
• Metoclopramide if gastroparesis is present (delayed gastric emptying).
• Sodium alginate.

Bothersome symptoms that are refractory to all usual treatment? Get EGD (esophagogastroduodenoscopy) and ambulatory esophageal pH-metry from a gastroenterologist.

Final options for refractory GERD:

• Anti-reflux surgery
• Transoral incisionless fundoplication

There are probably other options for GERD suppression that I haven’t mentioned.

Finally, I’m not your doctor and don’t know any of the details of your situation. For all you know, I may not even be a real doctor. Work with your personal physician!

Steve Parker, M.D.

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I’ve written previously about how Paul Ingraham helped cure my patello-femoral pain syndrome.

More recently, Paul looked into hiccup cures because his father had an intractable case. What finally worked for dad? Breathing into a plastic bag.

Boosting blood CO2 (hypercapnia) by breathing in a PLASTIC bag. This one is quite plausible and is easy and safe to try. Hypercapnia definitely affects some kinds of hiccups. The story (from a smart source, a good “friend of PainSci”): “There’s an even easier way out of hiccups — at zero cost. Learned it from my uncle, who studied medicine in Brazil in the 50s. Anesthetized patients with hiccups were a pain, so they needed to get rid of it ASAP. Method: breathing in a PLASTIC bag, small enough for you to get to hypercapnia (get higher blood levels of CO2). You have to hold the bag REALLY tight around nose and mouth to prevent air from escaping, and if you have troubles with dizziness, it’s advisable to sit down for it. As soon as it gets uncomfortable, mostly after 4-6 breaths, you can stop, the hiccup will be gone. I don’t know what this does to the phrenic nerve, but it works 100%.”

Safety Note: Obviously there could be some danger with this method. If he’d had low O2 or was struggling for breath, we likely wouldn’t have dared. (On the other hand, if he’d been in that state, he would’ve been at the hospital.) But he was supervised, with no possibility of getting stuck, and a matter of only just a few breaths. Perhaps there was still some risk… but I think not treating those hiccups was also a risk.

I’ve never tried that method for my hiccups. My personal favorite home remedy is “drinking from the far side of the glass.” AKA, drinking water upside down. Watch this video of a good ol’ boy demonstrating the technique although I would aim for drinking at least 6-8 fl oz of water before quitting. Don’t ask me how it works; it may have something to do with the soft palate or diaphragm.

Steve Parker, M.D.

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