A Gallup poll of over 4000 Americans indicates that Republicans have significantly better mental health than their Democratic counterparts. Various statistical perspectives are graphed as well, all showing Republicans as being significantly healthier. Gallup’s key conclusions: Previous analysis (see Related Items) shows that a number of variables are related to self-reported mental health — including,…
Category: Health
Four Doctors and a Vet
One of my favorite movies is Four Weddings and a Funeral and the title inspired that of this post. Happily, no one was in any particular danger during the medical procedures described in this essay. These all new, all true stories were ripped, if not exactly from national headlines, then straight from the lives of…
FDA "Does Away" with Children’s Medicine
The NY Times reported Thursday that the Food and Drug Administration, which had been pressuring makers of over-the-counter cough medicine for infants and toddlers to withdraw their products from the market, has gotten its way. The voluntary withdrawal, already under way, affects only products labeled for use in infants, not for use in children 2 and…
There’s Always Time for One Last Kiss
Or is there? The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics said tests on 33 brand-name red lipsticks reveals that over 60 percent of them had detectable lead levels of 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million and more than 1/3 exceeded the U.S. FDA’s limit on candy, meaning the lipstick that gives a gal those kissable lips could…
SCHIP, Media, Government, Truth
The SCHIP debate is interesting because it pits certain core beliefs that conservatives and liberals allegedly hold in direct opposition to each other. Whether to hold the line on spending and entitlements or grant additional taxpayer dollars to the poor – this is bread-and-butter stuff. Throw in a few pinches of liberal guilt – "we’ve…
Nutrition Gap
The Chronicle ran a story last month about Americans and how we’re losing our height advantage over the rest of the world. Like many human traits, height is determined by a mix of genes and environment. Experts agree that, aside from African pygmies and a few similar exceptions, most populations have about the same genetic…
No Smoking
Smoking is bad for people. Everyone knows and accepts this. New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg proposes to extend New York’s smoking ban to all offices, bars and restaurants. Read about it in the Houston Chronicle. So why are so many young people taking up this nasty habit? One example: Smokers make the air…
Fat Nation
America, land of the free and home of the fat. Read all about it at MSNBC.com In this country we eat a lot of food. More than we need. That’s a simple fact. But what we eat is just as bad, and we do it to ourselves. It is much easier to go to McDonald’s…
Eat Less, Live Longer
From the world of health: eat less and live longer. Read about it. Sounds good, but tough to do!