September 29, 2009 by vortmax.

This weekend, the largest free clinic ever in the US was held in Houston’s Reliant Center:

It’s an epidemic here in Texas and Harris County — people without health insurance. On Saturday, the uninsured lined up to get their needs met.

More than 2,000 people came to Reliant Center to see doctors for free. Many of the people we talked to can’t afford health insurance, especially in the rough economy. Some say it shows the need for health care reform.

Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn advocates using charity as the final option for health care.  So does  Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor, as seen in a previous post.

Coburn and Cantor are obviously not people who have had the indignity of having to beg for something (other than more donations to their campaigns), yet they expect the uninsured to rely on just that.  Become indigent, become poor, even sign up for a government-run health care system (Medicaid).  And, if all those fail, “hope” that the goodness of others will keep them well enough to stay healthy and become productive members of society.

In my opinion, begging is not an option.  It’s humiliating and no guarantee of getting health care.  If someone can convince me that it is, I’ll be happy to hear them.

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September 4, 2009 by vortmax.

I’ve been on corticosteroids (Prednisone and an inaler-based steroid) for about a year.  I have noticed my weight varying wildly since then, even ballooning up 25 lbs. from what I was when this all started.  I have since lost 12 of those lbs. by using the “Lose it!” iPhone application to keep track of my calorie intake.  I’ve leveled off of late, but that’s my own darn fault for not strictly adhering to my “Lose 2 pounds a week” calorie limit.

One behavior I tried to change long ago was eating late.  I told my wife (who is also trying to lose weight) that we shouldn’t eat after 9:00 p.m.   I find it easier to adhere to this because I can just have a glass of ice water and crunch on the ice to fool my body into thinking I’m “eating” something.  My wife, the sweet-tooth, has found this more difficult.

Now I have ammunition that backs up my point:

At the end of the six week study period, mice in both groups had consumed about the same amount of calories and performed the same amount of exercise. However, the mice who ate when they normally would have been sleeping hours posted an average 48 percent increase in body weight. The mice who ate on a regular schedule had an average increase of 20 percent of body weight. 

So, want that extra handful of M&M’s just before bed?  Wake up late and want a small scoop of ice cream?  Don’t do it!  Your waistline may thank you later.

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