The U.S. can slash healthcare costs 75% with two fundamental changes 

Posted on November 24, 2019 | Comments Off on The U.S. can slash healthcare costs 75% with two fundamental changes 

 

View from first part of the Romero Canyn trail near Tucson, AZ

From Sean Masaki Flynn at Market Watch:

As the Democratic presidential candidates argue about “Medicare for All” versus a “public option,” two simple policy changes could slash U.S. health-care costs by 75% while increasing access and improving the quality of care.

These policies have been proven to work by ingenious companies like Whole Foods and innovative governments like the state of Indiana and Singapore. If they were rolled out nationally, the United States would save $2.4 trillion per year across individuals, businesses, and the government.The first policy—price tags—is a necessary prerequisite for competition and efficiency. Under our current system, it’s nearly impossible for people with health insurance to find out in advance what anything covered by their insurance will end up costing. Patients have no way to comparison shop for procedures covered by insurance, and providers are under little pressure to lower costs.

The second money-saving policy links health insurance (with an annual  deductible) to a health saving account (HSA).

Look, people. We gotta do something. There’s no way that healthcare in the U.S. should devour almost 20% of Gross Domestic Product. We can get it down to 5%. I know how.

Source: The U.S. can slash health-care costs 75% with 2 fundamental changes — and without ‘Medicare for All’ – MarketWatch

Steve Parker, M.D.

PS: Reduce your need for healthcare via diet and exercise!

Steve Parker MD, Advanced Mediterranean Diet

Click the pic to purchase at Amazon.com. E-book versions also available at Smashwords. com.

 

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Posted in Healthcare Reform

A practical guide to the Mediterranean diet – From Harvard

Posted on November 22, 2019 | Comments Off on A practical guide to the Mediterranean diet – From Harvard

There are myriad reasons the traditional Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest diets. From Harvard Medical Publishing, an article written by a Registered Dietitian:

The Mediterranean diet has received much attention as a healthy way to eat, and with good reason. The Mediterranean diet has been shown to reduce risk of heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, certain cancers, depression, and in older adults, a decreased risk of frailty, along with better mental and physical function. In January [2019], US News and World Report named it the “best diet overall” for the second year running.

Source: A practical guide to the Mediterranean diet – Harvard Health Blog – Harvard Health Publishing

Ready to get started? Click the link above.

Ready to lose weight and start a fitness program, too? Click the pic below.

Steve Parker, M.D.

Steve Parker MD, Advanced Mediterranean Diet

Click the pic to purchase at Amazon.com. E-book versions also available at Smashwords. com.

 

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Posted in Cancer, Dementia, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Weight Loss

QOTD: Paul Craig Roberts on Revisionist History

Posted on November 21, 2019 | Comments Off on QOTD: Paul Craig Roberts on Revisionist History

Tens of millions died in World War II, including many civilians

“Historians, and even book reviewers, who tell the truth pay a high price. For reasons I provide in my review [of David Irving’s Hitler’s War and Churchill’s War], generally it is decades after a war before truth about the war can emerge. By then the court historians have fused lies with patriotism and created a pleasing myth about the war, and when emerging truth impinges on that myth, the truth-teller is denounced for making a case for the enemy.

Wars are fought with words as well as with bullets and bombs. The propaganda and demonization of the enemy are extreme. This is especially the case when it is the victors who start the war and have to cover up this fact as well as the war crimes for which they are responsible. When decades later the covered up crimes of the victors are brought to light, truth is up against the explanation that has been controlled for a half century. This makes the truth seem outlandish, and this makes it easy to demonize and even destroy the historian who brought the truth to the surface.”

If you think you know much about the history of World War II, check out this iconoclastic review at Unz.com.

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Posted in QOTD

Fake News: Bee Colonies NOT in Decline

Posted on November 20, 2019 | Comments Off on Fake News: Bee Colonies NOT in Decline

We had one of these swarms in our front yard a few years ago for several weeks. Yes, that’s hundreds of bees. And most in Arizona are Africanized.

Remember 8–10 years ago when scientists told us that bee colonies were mysteriously disappearing. They called it Colony Collapse Disorder. Maybe caused by pesticides or other pollution. If the trend continued, crops wouldn’t be pollinated and we’d starve to death. Apocalypse within a few years.

Looks harmless enough, right?

Turns out it was Fake News. Thank God.

More reason for science skepticism.

Steve Parker, M.D.

PS: See details at Issues & Insights, the source of the graphs above.

Steve Parker MD, Advanced Mediterranean Diet

Click the pic to purchase at Amazon.com. E-book versions also available at Smashwords. com.

 

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Posted in Uncategorized

Do You Really Need That Heart Stent or Bypass Surgery?

Posted on November 19, 2019 | Comments Off on Do You Really Need That Heart Stent or Bypass Surgery?

Heart attacks and chest pains are linked to blocked arteries in the heart

Doctors are often criticised for over-using coronary artery angioplasty/stenting and coronary artery bypass grafting.

From Stanford Medicine:

Patients with severe but stable heart disease who are treated with medications and lifestyle advice alone are no more at risk of a heart attack or death than those who undergo invasive surgical procedures, according to a large, federally-funded clinical trial led by researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine and New York University’s medical school.

The trial did show, however, that among patients with coronary artery disease who also had symptoms of angina — chest pain caused by restricted blood flow to the heart — treatment with invasive procedures, such as stents or bypass surgery, was more effective at relieving symptoms and improving quality of life.“For patients with severe but stable heart disease who don’t want to undergo these invasive procedures, these results are very reassuring,” said David Maron, MD, clinical professor of medicine and director of preventive cardiology at the Stanford School of Medicine, and co-chair of the trial, called ISCHEMIA, for International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches.

***

“Based on our results, we recommend that all patients take medications proven to reduce risk of heart attack, be physically active, eat a healthy diet and quit smoking,” Maron said. “Patients without angina will not see an improvement, but those with angina of any severity will tend to have a greater, lasting improvement in quality of life if they have an invasive heart procedure. They should talk with their physicians to decide whether to undergo revascularization.”

Source: Stents, bypass surgery show no benefit in heart disease mortality rates among stable patients | News Center | Stanford Medicine

Steve Parker, M.D.

PS: The Mediterranean diet is a healthy diet, and you can even lose weight with it!

Steve Parker MD, Advanced Mediterranean Diet

Click the pic to purchase at Amazon.com. E-book versions also available at Smashwords. com.

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Posted in Heart Disease

Google Now Has Sensitive Medical Data on Millions of People

Posted on November 17, 2019 | Comments Off on Google Now Has Sensitive Medical Data on Millions of People

…according to Daily Mail:

Lawyers, medical professionals and tech experts have reacted with a mixture of horror and fury after it emerged that Google has been secretly acquiring sensitive medical data on millions of people without their knowledge or consent.

Questions were immediately raised around the ethics of the data-gathering operation – code-named Project Nightingale – as well as the security of patient data after the program was first reported on Monday.

Others called for an immediate change to privacy laws after Google and Ascension, the healthcare organization it has partnered with, boasted that the scheme is completely legal.

Dr. Robert Epstein, an author, medical researcher and former editor-in-chief at Psychology Today, summed up the mood when he tweeted: ‘You can’t make this s*** up. #BeAfraid.’

Source: Furious backlash after it emerges Google has secretly amassed healthcare data on millions of people | Daily Mail Online

The “confidential” data reportedly included names, dates of birth, lab results, diagnoses, and hospitalization records.

Thanks, Ascension. How much did you make off the deal?

I’ve increasingly noticed that I have to depend on Daily Mail or other non-U.S. sources for news that “the powers that be” apparently don’t want me to hear about.

Steve Parker, M.D.

PS: Keep your sensitive healthcare data out of Google’s  and Ascension’s clutches by getting healthier.

Steve Parker MD, Advanced Mediterranean Diet

Click the pic to purchase at Amazon.com. E-book versions also available at Smashwords. com.

 

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Posted in Uncategorized

Is This the Optimal Anti-Aging Regimen?

Posted on November 14, 2019 | Comments Off on Is This the Optimal Anti-Aging Regimen?
dementia, memory loss, Mediterranean diet, low-carb diet, glycemic index, dementia memory loss

“Darling, think about upping your NMN dose.”

David Sinclair is a PhD professor and researcher at Harvard. Harriet Hall, M.D., reviewed his 2019 anti-aging book at Science-Based Medicine. Here’s his current anti-aging regimen as outlined by Dr Hall:

He makes no recommendations for others except “Eat fewer calories”, “Don’t sweat the small stuff”, and “Exercise”.

But he argues that if he does nothing, he will age and die, so he has nothing to lose by trying unproven treatments, and he has personally chosen to do these things:

    • He takes a gram each of NMN [nicotinamide mononucleotide] resveratrol, and metformin daily.
    • He takes vitamin D, vitamin K2, and 83 mg. aspirin.
    • He limits sugar, bread, and pasta intake, doesn’t eat desserts, and avoids eating meat from animals.
    • He skips one meal a day.
    • He gets frequent blood tests to monitor biomarkers; if not optimal, he tries to moderate them with food and exercise.
    • He stays active, goes to the gym, jogs, lifts weights, uses the sauna and then dunks in an ice-cold pool.
    • He doesn’t smoke.
    • He avoids microwaved plastic, excessive UV exposure, X-rays, and CT scans.
    • He tries to keep environmental temperatures on the cool side.
    • He maintains a BMI of 23-25 [click to calculate your BMI].

He plans to fine-tune his regimen as research evolves. He acknowledges “It’s impossible to say if my regimen is working…but it doesn’t seem to be hurting.” He says he feels the same at 50 as he did at 30.

Source: Aging: Is It a Preventable Disease? – Science-Based Medicine

Steve Parker, M.D.

PS: P.D. Mangan posted an interview it Alan S. Green, M.D., who’s using rapamycin to slow aging.

PPS: The Mediterranean diet has an anti-aging effect if you consider improved longevity to be anti-aging.

Steve Parker MD, Advanced Mediterranean Diet

Click the pic to purchase at Amazon.com. E-book versions also available at Smashwords. com.

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Posted in Longevity

Taking Hypertension Meds at Bedtime Prevents Cardiovascular Events

Posted on November 13, 2019 | Comments Off on Taking Hypertension Meds at Bedtime Prevents Cardiovascular Events

High blood pressure is linked to heart attacks

Very recently I’ve noticed hypertension patients taking their medications at bedtime. Now I know why.

From Medscape:

Taking antihypertensive medication at bedtime led to an almost halving of cardiovascular events in a new study.

The Hygia Chronotherapy Trial is the largest ever study to investigate the effect of the time of day when people take their antihypertensive medication on the risk of cardiovascular events.

The trial randomly assigned 19,084 patients to take their medication on waking or at bedtime and followed them for an average of 6 years.Results showed that patients who took their pills at bedtime had a 45% reduction in overall cardiovascular events. This included a 56% reduction in cardiovascular death, a 34% reduction in myocardial infarction (MI), a 40% reduction in coronary revascularization [bypass surgery and angioplasty/stenting], a 42% reduction in heart failure, and a 49% reduction in stroke, all of which were statistically significant.

***

“We showed that if blood pressure is elevated during sleep then patients have increased cardiovascular risk regardless of daytime pressure, and if blood pressure during sleep is normal then cardiovascular risk is low even if the [doctor’s] office pressure is elevated,” Hermida said.

***

Results showed that during the 6.3-year median patient follow-up, 1752 participants experienced the primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcome (a composite of CVD death, MI, coronary revascularization, heart failure, or stroke).

Drug classes at physicians’ disposal were ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, and diuretics. Preventative effects were most pronounced for ARBs and ACE inhibitors.

Don’t change your BP medication dosing until you check with your personal physician.

Source: Bedtime Dosing of Hypertension Meds Reduces CV Events

Did you know most heart attacks occur in the morning, and those tend to be the most serious?

Steve Parker, M.D.

Steve Parker MD, Advanced Mediterranean Diet

Click the pic to purchase at Amazon.com. E-book versions also available at Smashwords. com.

 

 

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Posted in Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Stroke

Bad Posture Isn’t Causing Most Neck Pain

Posted on November 12, 2019 | Comments Off on Bad Posture Isn’t Causing Most Neck Pain

For your consideration, an article at Science Alert:

While most episodes of neck pain are likely to get better within a few months, half to three-quarters of people who have neck pain will experience repeated episodes of pain.

It’s often said there are “good and bad postures” and that specific postures can contribute to spinal pain but this belief is not supported by scientific evidence. Indeed, research shows that poor sleep, reduced physical activity and increased stress appear to be more important factors.

So despite attempts by health professionals to correct your posture and the use of “ergonomic” chairs, desks, keyboards and other gadgets chances are so-called “lifestyle factors” – such as getting enough sleep, making sure you exercise and keeping stress to a minimum – seem to be more salient in relieving and preventing the pain in your neck.

Source: The Real Cause of Your Neck Pain Probably Has Very Little to Do With Bad Posture

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Posted in Exercise

84% of Women Fail New Army Combat Fitness Test 

Posted on November 11, 2019 | Comments Off on 84% of Women Fail New Army Combat Fitness Test 

More time at the gym may help

Don’t feel too bad, ladies. 30% of the men failed, too.

(CNSNews.com) – In a new report, the Center for Military Readiness says that 84% of women fail the New Army Combat Fitness Test and that “all military officials should drop the ‘gender diversity’ agenda and put mission readiness and ‘combat lethality’ first.”

“It makes no sense for recruiters to devote more time and money recruiting ‘gender diverse’ trainees who are more likely to be injured, less likely to want infantry assignments, and less likely to remain through basic training or physically-demanding combat arms assignments for twenty years or more,” states the  CMR report.

Source: Report: 84% of Women Fail New Army Combat Fitness Test | CNSNews

Steve Parker, M.D.

Steve Parker MD, Advanced Mediterranean Diet

Click the pic to purchase at Amazon.com. E-book versions also available at Smashwords. com.

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Posted in Exercise