From: "Steve Harris" <SBHarris123@ix.netcom.com>
Newsgroups: sci.med.nutrition
Subject: Re: How do I curb my appetite safely?
Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 23:29:50 -0600

"TecAddict" <tecaddict@MyRealBoxDELETE.com> wrote in message
news:9cuv8u$jlm$1@bob.news.rcn.net...
> Heart Attacks have to do with high LDL and low HDL. Not overweight.


That is untrue, inasmuch as being overweight is an independent risk
fractor for coronary atherosclerosis, independent of LDL and HDL (which
means that the effects of obesity on these have already been corrected
for in such analyses).  That doesn't mean that LDL and HDL are not
important. Only that being obese does something bad to your arteries IN
ADDITION to their levels, rather like smoking, high blood pressure, yada,
yada. If you correct for the effect of obesity on blood pressure, lipids,
exercise,  glucose sensitivity, you name it, you STILL end up with it
showing up as independent additional risk. The mechanism is not understood,
but it's not safe to ignore just because of that.

SBH

From: "Steve Harris" <sbharris@ix.RETICULATEDOBJECTcom.com>
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: Guess The Disease
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2002 23:30:37 -0700
Message-ID: <a4acum$v8f$1@slb7.atl.mindspring.net>

How do you know you have malabsorption? Have you an intestinal biopsy? At
least been worked up for celiac disease (anti-Gliadin test, anti-endomysial
IgA, that kind of thing?).  Rheumatology certainly sounds like the right
direction, as you certainly sound like you have something systemic and
inflammatory going on.

We're missing the most important part of your history, though. Are you an
overweight female, for example? That will push you toward multiple
inflammatory states, right there, and make anything autoimmune you have,
even garden variety osteoarthritis, far worse. I've seen obese women who
never did figure out what was wrong with them, get a lot better by eating
fish+vegan, and getting thin. Thus, if your docs don't manage to give it
name, you might consider treating it symptomatically.  Anyway, probably too
soon to talk about this until and unless you've had the gold standard work
up.




"rep" <rep@inanna.com> wrote in message
news:rep-ya02408000R1102022203250001@news.sf.sbcglobal.net...
> Doctors are currently guessing I have Familial Mediterranean Fever ...
> looking for other guesses before I see the rheumatologist. My test for FMF
> was negative, but was told that that was expected as I am in a different
> ethnic group than for whom the test was developed; amyloidosis is
> suspected, which is not common in FMF for my ethnicity.
>
> Ethnic background: Welsh, Ashkenzi Jew (Lithuanian and Polish)
>
> Repeated episodes of severe lower right abdominal pain; not appendicitis
> but inflammation seen in the small intestine; severe pain for 2-3 days
> then diminishes over next 10 days; happens about every 2 weeks but not
> always as severe
>
> Chronic diarrhea or flattened stool and/or bloody stool
> Hypermotile digestive tract
> Malabsorption
> Normal colon
> Club nail
> Nephrotic syndrome (creatinine/protein ratio 43)
> Irregular red rash on neck and face, nondiscoid
> Lower left leg often has pitting edema and is red; other leg much less
>  edematous
> ESR between 33-43 even when on steroids for asthma
> RF slightly high but considered normal
> ANA slightly high but considered normal
> Fever 99.7 - 103 (normal temp is 97) with muscle pain
> Foot pain
> Arthritis in hips
> Symptoms seem to worsen with sunlight exposure (or without)
>
> Lupus, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's Disease ruled out
>
> FMF may be correct diagnosis as I am now taking colchicine and my previous
> attack was less severe; however another one seems to have started a few
> hours ago... recently upped dosage to 2 .6 pills twice a day.
>
> Any other guesses?

From: "Howard McCollister" <nospam@nospam.net>
Newsgroups: soc.support.fat-acceptance,sci.med
Subject: Re: Obese victims at greater risk of dying from crashes and other 
	accidents
Date: 22 Sep 2004 11:31:24 -0500
Message-ID: <4151a80c$0$37325$45beb828@newscene.com>

"Newcombe" <newcombe@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:nkg4d.238212$mD.124500@attbi_s02...
> Now imagine trying to close that enormous incision, that valley you've
> had to carve in the patient's gut.  How are you going to suture it so
> that it holds together?  Fat isn't the best thing for holding surgical
> stitches.  Plus, there's all that weight trying to burst the incision
> open again.  Imagine all the complications...
>
> Yes, this all proof that obesity is unhealthy and disgusting.
>

No surgeon tries to close fat, nor relies on fat for ANY kind of incisional
closure security.

OTOH, there is no question that obesity increases the risks and potential
complications of any abdominal operation. The risks of fatal pulmonary
embolus, post-op pneumonia, incisional dehiscence, postoperative incisional
hernias, and post-operative wound infections significantly increases in
direct proportion to the degree of the patient's obesity.

HMc

From: "Howard McCollister" <nospam@nospam.net>
Newsgroups: soc.support.fat-acceptance,alt.support.diet,
	alt.support.diet.low-carb,misc.consumers,sci.med
Subject: Re: Study: Obesity threatens health care system
Date: 9 Dec 2004 16:06:15 -0600
Message-ID: <41b8cbe7$0$22301$45beb828@newscene.com>

"Karina Kehl" <karinaamelltotgwy@consultant.com> wrote in message
news:GBV8UW1B38329.8525578704@anonymous.poster...
> Study: Obesity threatens health care system
>

This is probably true, but insurance companies are far more worried about
the short term costs of bariatric surgery than the long term costs of the
co-morbidities associated with obesity.

HMc

From: Steve Harris <sbharris@ix.netcom.com>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian,alt.fan.jai-maharaj,sci.med,sci.med.cardiology,
	rec.arts.sf.fandom
Subject: Re: FAT PEOPLE COST TAXPAYERS BILLIONS A YEAR
Date: 3 Jun 2005 20:03:14 -0700
Message-ID: <1117854194.893826.235640@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>

>>California spends the most on health care for the obese,
$7.7 billion, and Wyoming spends the least, $87 million. <<

This should be adjusted per capita, but it's still a lot.

I live down the street from a California podiatric clinic. And I've
noted, in a totally unscientific and unconfimed way, that almost no
skinny people pass in and out of a foot clinic. Instead, the place
looks like your local Chuck-A-Rama. They needs some triangular WIDE
LOAD signs.

SBH