Cure for diabetes imminent?

Hope for sufferers of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Research around the world is identifying methodologies for curing both forms of diabetes. I refer potential and actual sufferers to the following websites:

1. Irish Times

2. LA Times

3. Time.com

This is surely positive news for sufferers of obesity vulnerable or stricken with diabetes.

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Over-eating due to government intervention

The message from the US government is eat less, and eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. This is of course not new information. It's like a parent telling their children not to laze around, but who bought the TV, and placed no restrictions on its use. The problem as I see it is that democratic governments are as flawed as their totalitarian cousins. They might not extinguish your 'political existence' but that is only because they can 'enslave' your economic existence. So long as you, as an individual, don't meddle with their political longevity, they are pretty happy. When you do, then you go to goal, like Pauline Hanson in Australia, or you, as a lone individual, get assassinated. John F. Kennedy was perhaps an example of that; its hard to say since I have no compelling evidence.

In common with totalitarian regimes is that they are superficial or concrete-bound. So when a government states after years of research what we already knew - that we are eating too much - it is really missing the point. The problem is that we are eating too much because of them. The reason is more important. We are over-eating for psychological reasons. We are not dealing with the causes because evading, compartmentalising and rationalising are 'coping mechanisms' used to evade that which we do not have a strategy to otherwise resolve. When humans cannot come up with a conceptual solution to a conceptual problem - which is the intrusive government - it goes looking for a concrete solution, whether it be 'physical' anxiety such as compulsive disorders like over-eating, or 'mental anxieties' or evasions like psychosis.

The reality is that the way in which we are governed is so important that it goes to the crux of our relationship between ourselves and others (ethics) and our productivity (i.e. efficacy), our self-worth (i.e. self esteem), and our expectations (i.e. Absolute or logical standards vs moral relativism).

The government will keep advising that you curb your eating. That is like telling you to be happy, to avoid psychologically illness, and to be happy. It does not help at all. In fact, it does more worse than good. It gives people hope of a 'government solution' when they are part of the problem. Want to know more about the nature of government. If you are looking for empirical evidence of that as a research, you are falling prey to one of the greatest myths, that induction is the only basis for scientific investigation. It is the basis of society's moral scepticism.

Disclaimer: This blog could be good for your health.

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Best conceived adventure survival guide

The focus for most of these blog articles is internal health. This post will focus upon physical well-being in your external environment. It was inspired by this story of a 72yo man who was trapped in a flood. Humans have poorly developed critical thinking skills. There are several reasons for that:

1. Regulated living - we live in regulated or managed living spaces

2. Safety net - we have people telling us what to do, how to do it, procedures to follow, and even when we fail, there is someone to restore us to health or safety when we fail.

There are however those instances when we take it upon ourselves to engage in some adventure where we place ourselves beyond the safety, protection and responsibility of our fellow human beings. If we do not consider the risks, or take preventative steps, we can place our lives in danger, as well as the lives of those called upon to recover our bodies, or return us to safety. There are a great many adventurers in NZ, many of them tourists, who need to be recovered by rescue agencies. Here is an example of an adventurer who has had an interesting experience. It is interesting for a number of reasons:

1. He engaged in an adventure activity by himself. That is a high risk activity even if he is well-prepared. I know you can anticipate slippery surfaces, loose rocks, and take steps to avoid them, but consider that during a multi-day trek, you will make a million steps, and you will have roughly 1 second to determine the appropriateness of each step. You will be tired, you will be unfocused (by the last thousands of steps), even if you recognise that seemingly greater danger of a slippery slope. It is not worth it. I have done it myself - gone kayaking by myself. But you do need to actively plan your trip, and diligently anticipate every risk. Its hard to do when you have not been where you intend to go. How can you know ALL the conditions?

2. He took protective measures. The guy was well-prepared for his trip. He took a GPS device, he had a satellite phone, spare food and an emergency beacon. He abandoned the GPS when he was being flooded out of his tent. He could not get satellite phone reception in the storm and his emergency beacon was broken. Fortunately, he was able to fix the beacon. The moral of this tale is that even contingency plans can fail in a certain context.

3. He did not fathom how conditions could change. According to his story, the creek rose 1 metre in a few minutes. This creek gully was experiencing a flash flood which he did not anticipate. Humans have been living on the earth just 3 million years. Your active life experience is just 100 years at best. This is a very short period. We have yet to see the worst events of this planet. The terrain which you cross actually holds evidence of its risks, i.e. The huge boulders moved by rivers in flood, or glaciers in different times. The Earth has not changed; its just that we fail to appreciate that the Earth embodies change beyond our short perspective. There are often high or 'stranded' sediment deposits above normal river channels. These can suggest ancient alluvial beds stranded as the creek incised into the valley, or they might be your best indicator of what can happen when the river/creek is in flood. Acknowledging these plausible risks entails knowing something about the processes that shape the Earth, as well as some knowledge of rock and fluid mechanics, i.e. Applied physics, and this will help you develop a perspective that will preserve your life under all possible conditions.

4. He most probably did not have a plan. There are different types of plans.

a. A procedural plan allows you to get what you want.

b. A contingency plan allows you to keep what you have - that is your life.

The best laid plans are those which are based on the best possible information, which identify, assess, qualify and quantify all plausible risks. It does not mean that they are perfect. You might not want to plan for a 1-in-200 year flood condition, but you might want to be aware about the probability of a certain flood occurring. The safety precautions or contingency plan might entail very little consideration, and even the remedial measures might be simple, if they were only considered. They might not entail carrying more provisions into the bush. They might simply entail acting in a different way.

People tend to be sceptical about the need for plans. I have always been a planner. Even if not acted upon, they are useful for developing awareness of issues and perspective. People think short-range because of self-indulgent disregard for preparedness, because they lack information, or because they have a subjective disdain for objective reality. Critical thinking is loathsome to them because it entails self-discipline and judgement, whether of conditions they would prefer not to know about, or judgement of others, which they fear will be reciprocated.

Survival requires objectivity and critical thinking. We cannot always rely on the support of others. You would have disdain for these qualities, but call upon others to exercise them? Your disdain is shared by them, so you might be placing your life in the hands of disinterested savours. Self-preparedness is your most practical form of survival. This might seem like a burden until you recognise that such preparedness is actually a source of wisdom, efficacy and pride. When you realise that, you will actually embrace the process. Disdain is a position of ignorance or disempowerment.

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Blood test for cancer under development

This is particularly good news for people under the age of 40 years since you can rest assured that you have the least prospects of developing cancer whilst this new technology is developed, and rolled out. Researchers have developed a blood test so sensitive it is able to detect cancer cells for 13 different varieties of cancer in a single, non-evasive diagnostic test. The test is far easier than a body scan. The technology is not new. As a geologist, mining companies for decades, have long sampled rocks, soils and alluvium for gold and other minerals in concentrations of as little as 2-3 parts per billion. This is the same type of technology. The difference is that they had to first identify the cells I guess.

This is a huge development. I can even see the day when people over 40 years will get these tests for free each 6 months in exchange for blood donation. The only problem might be the fact that the world probably does not need as much blood. But this just might mean smaller blood samples. More probably it will just offset the cost. But maybe other developments like cell harvesting might subsidise such tests.

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

The role of exercise in your life

Exercise is an important aspect of every persons life. If you don’t have a career which allows you to live as our forefathers, then you are undertaking a regime it was not intended for. The old adage ‘use it or lose it’ is truer than ever, whether we are talking about you muscle strength, general fitness or even your mind.

Heart monitors has developed a test which allows you to calculate the maximum heart rate or appropriate heart rate you ought to achieve in order to achieve certain health-related goals, whether its:

1. Maintaining fitness

2. Losing weight

3. Increasing stamina

4. Increasing muscle strength

These are all goals which we can achieve at all ages, though their utility will differ at different times in your life. The best exercise regime is that which is embedded in your life, but is also flexible enough for you to adjust depending on the context of your life. For instance:

1. Establish a routine. Going to a gym 5km from your home might be a chore. But what if you made it a part of your daily routine, like always going prior to shopping for the family, or perhaps as a train stop on your way home from work. If you have an appointment some days, then you can always go another day to make up for lost time.

2. Make it serve a purpose. You are more likely to sustain an activity if you recognise the functions it serves; whether its mental alertness, toned body, physical stamina, business networking or extra-family relationships.

3. Making it fun is the best way to ensure you do it. Some of us like competitive sport because it appeals to our basic values. I hate the idea of working out in a gym, but I do like bike riding because I like exploring. I like table tennis because its competitive and is not going to strain muscles reaching for a shot.

4. Make it sustain physical health – not diminish it. I am one of the few family members who has not strained his muscles, and thus maintained an achieve exercise regime. As we get older our bodies degenerate. Our muscles weaken, our bones become brittle and they lose mass. Some sports like squash, and even tennis become too strenuous on our bodies, so more care is needed, or an alternative needs to be considered.

5. Replace fluids. If you are performing sport, drink before, during and after to ensure adequate fluids. This is particularly important if you are riding a bike because you might be on a road when you collapse from heat exhaustion or dehydration.

6. Good diet: If you exercise without a healthy diet you are actually diminishing your immune system. Ensure enough Vitamin B & C, and enough sunshine (Vitamin D).

The value of exercise has long been recognised for reducing the effects of depression, creating a more positive outlook on life, as well as conferring the positive effects of changed environment and positive body image.

The first step before you start exercising is to establish your maximum heart rate.

There is a mathematical formula to predict your Maximum Heart Rate, which is based on your age. Some formulas also consider your weight. The formula is simply:

WOMEN: HR = 226 - your age

MEN: HR = 220 - your age

If you are a 32-year-old woman, your age-adjusted maximum heart rate is 226- 32 years = 194 bpm (beats per minute).

The second task is to establish the required heart rate to achieve your exercise objective.

The following table is intended to match your exercise regime with your intended goal. For instance, if the 32yo woman above intended to simply lose weight she should exercise at 60-70% of her maximum HR of 194bpm. i.e. 116.4 to 135.8bpm. Since her goal is to lose weight, the amount of exercise she does will depend on her dietary intake of calories. Her exercise regime will however affect her metabolism.

Ideal For	Benefit Desired	Intensity Level (% Maximum heart rate)
Light Exercise	Maintain Healthy Heart/Get Fit	50% - 60%
Weight Management	Lose Weight/ Burn Fat	60% - 70%
Aerobic Base Building	Increase Stamina Aerobic Endurance	70% - 80%
Optimal Conditioning	Maintain Excellent Fitness Condition	80% - 90%
Elite Athlete	Maintain Superb Athletic Condition	90% - 100%

Source: www.heartmonitors.com/exercisetips/heart_rate_basics.htm

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

The value of Vitamin D

For years we have been told the dangers of excess exposure to sunshine. What we have not be told about is the cost of our lack of exposure to sunshine. Maybe those melanoma advertisements were just too effective? Maybe fears of ozone layer destruction made us reflect more on the intensity of the sun. Those fears were overstated however. But more probably most people simply lack sunshine exposure because of livestyle decisions. Less outdoor sport & sun, more indoor sports, if not computer games and TV.

The problem is that sunshine is a major source of Vitamin D.

What difference does Vitamin D make?

Adequate Vitamin D will reduce your risk of heart and bone diseases, cancer (some 17 different cancers by 77%, including breast & ovarian cancers), fibromyalgia and diabetes (Type-1 & Type 2), as well as auto-immune disorders like M.S. and rheumatoid arthritis. Contrary to popular belief, sunshine reduce your risk of skin cancer if exposure is not excessive. Researchers have used Vitamin D to block malignant melanoma tumors from developing in human cells. Today, heart disease, cancer, hypertension, and diabetes are commonplace, while they were very rare a century ago.

Sunshine is however important for other reasons, particularly mood enhancement, who reduces a person’s vulnerability to depression and anxiety, particularly if combined with exercise. Walking in the sun will raise your spirits and it may save your life.

What are the risks?

There is a single risk of excess sun exposure – skin cancer. It is seldom a point argued in TV advertisements, but there is a single racial group whom are particularly vulnerable to skin cancer, the Celtic/Irish population, and yet the world is being scared into over-concern about skin cancer. It must be acknowledged that the amount of sun spot or solar flare activity is not constant, so neither is your exposure. Incidentally, such variabilities in solar radiation are a likely explanation for 'perceived' global warming. Regardless, sensible exposure to the sun is not dangerous under any conditions.

The role of Vitamin D

Vitamin D performs a number of roles in the body:

1. It functions as a hormone.

2. It is a vitamin

In 1990, Professor Gary Schwartz, Ph.D of Wake Forest University, made a positive correlation between the incidence of prostate cancer and a Vitamin D deficiency. Those with a Vitamin D deficiency were people who primarily live in the extreme latitudes or polar regions. Contrary to his observation, we are given warnings about the ‘summertime’ risk of solar exposure, but this fails to consider the winter deficiency. His studies in the US showed that men in the tropics (with higher sun exposure) were 20-40% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those men in northern USA. Prostate cancer patients consistently show a Vitamin D deficiency.

How Vitamin D works

Vitamin D helps your body reduce the risk of getting cancer.

1. Converts tumor cells into normal cells. Cancer cells divide rapidly in your body but don’t differentiate themselves into specific cells. Vitamin D helps this process, restoring the cancer cells to productive cells and inhibiting cancer growth.

2. Prevents cancer cells from multiplying. Cancer cells can’t reproduce and spread to new tissue when introduced to Vitamin D.7 Laboratory and animal studies show that Vitamin D prevents cancer cells from multiplying and also tells them when to die.

3. Keeps cancer from spreading. Vitamin D promotes normal cell growth. As a result, it helps prevent cancer cells from spreading.

4. Suppresses genes responsible for cell proliferation. Research shows that Vitamin D can suppress genes prone to mutation and likely to form cancerous growths.8

5. Inhibits formation of new blood vessels that feed tumors. During the creation of new blood vessels, new vessels begin to branch off existing vessels. This is bad news if they’re cancerous. For any tumor to have a chance to grow, there must be formation of new blood vessels to feed it. Vitamin D inhibits formation of these vessels naturally, starving the tumor of the nutrients it needs to grow.

How to Get Enough Vitamin D

1. Get 10 to 15 minutes a couple days a week. It’s free, and will make you feel great. Depending upon where you live, this might not be possible.

2. Eat foods with high Vitamin D. Best sources are small fish like herring, sardines, and anchovies. Stay away from the larger fish that are higher up on the food chain, as the mercury content may be too high.

3. If you can’t get enough sun because of work commitments, climate conditions, consider taking a Vitamin D supplement every day, and not just a multivitamin. Take cod liver oil, because it’s the best natural source of Vitamin D after sunshine. Just a 1,360 IU (i.e. a single teaspoon) of Vitamin D is all that is required, though you can take up to 5,000IU, particularly Vitamin D3. A multivitamin will only give you 200-400 IU of Vitamin D3.

Food Sources of Vitamin D

1 Tablespoon Cod Liver Oil 1,360IU

3-1/2 ounces of Salmon, cooked 360IU

3-1/2 ounces of Mackerel, cooked 345IU

3 ounces Tuna fish, canned in oil 200IU

1-3/4 ounces Sardines, canned in oil 250IU

8 ounces Orange juice, fortified 100IU

1 cup Milk, organic, from grass-fed cows and fortified 98IU

¾ to 1 cup of Cereal, fortified 40IU

The radicalisation of science

Note how society is full of self-righteous, uninformed people who seize upon any popular slogan with little thought of their own. i.e. You might see a person disparage a parent for allowing their children to play in the sun. The sunscreen makers clearly have an interest in misrepresenting or sensitising your risk from sun exposure. This is despite sunshine being one of the best ways of delivering Vitamin D to the body.

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Survival guide - How to perform CPR

Its a basic skill that we should all know..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ArXuQwjj7Q&has_verified=1

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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com