The good thing is RFK is very much for having the option for taking vaccines.
The health of the people in our country
- Thread starter Glass1/2fullguy
- Start date
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
Smallpox was, but the ones listed were not. In fact, measles is on the rise right now due to lack of vaccinations in some areas and travel, leading to increased exposure.
The vaccine question will always be controversial, especially the mandatory nature of some. It is a classic example of balancing personal liberties with public safety. If the MMR vaccine becomes optional for children, you can bet with confidence that there will be a dramatic increase in illnesses.
I have significant reservations regarding RFK Jr, but I don't doubt his passion and commitment. I just hope that he can put aside his strong personal beliefs and utilize evidence-based research to guide him, especially with vaccines. His focus on eradicating ingredients that could be harmful, and/or are designed to stimulate appetite and increase consumption is highly commendable and well overdue.
For those who haven't read it, there is a very interesting and enlightening book about some of this:
The Dorito Effect — Mark Schatzker
The End of Craving, a book about why we eat more but enjoy less by Mark Schatzker
www.markschatzker.com
Smallpox was, but the ones listed were not. In fact, measles is on the rise right now due to lack of vaccinations in some areas and travel, leading to increased exposure.
The vaccine question will always be controversial, especially the mandatory nature of some. It is a classic example of balancing personal liberties with public safety. If the MMR vaccine becomes optional for children, you can bet with confidence that there will be a dramatic increase in illnesses.
I have significant reservations regarding RFK Jr, but I don't doubt his passion and commitment. I just hope that he can put aside his strong personal beliefs and utilize evidence-based research to guide him, especially with vaccines. His focus on eradicating ingredients that could be harmful, and/or are designed to stimulate appetite and increase consumption is highly commendable and well overdue.
For those who haven't read it, there is a very interesting and enlightening book about some of this:
The Dorito Effect — Mark Schatzker
The End of Craving, a book about why we eat more but enjoy less by Mark Schatzker
I have not read that book, but Doritos are absolutely crack to me. I am not sure there is a single thing in life that gives me more pleasure than throwing a handful of Doritos in my mouth, to the extent that it disturbs me even as I am stuffing my face. I have to keep them out of the house.
Glass1/2fullguy
Well-Known Member
This along w/ all the chemicals allowed to be sprayed on our food which is leading to Americans getting sick which leads to people going to the doctor which ultimately leads to big pharma. It’s all utterly disgusting.Smallpox was, but the ones listed were not. In fact, measles is on the rise right now due to lack of vaccinations in some areas and travel, leading to increased exposure.
The vaccine question will always be controversial, especially the mandatory nature of some. It is a classic example of balancing personal liberties with public safety. If the MMR vaccine becomes optional for children, you can bet with confidence that there will be a dramatic increase in illnesses.
I have significant reservations regarding RFK Jr, but I don't doubt his passion and commitment. I just hope that he can put aside his strong personal beliefs and utilize evidence-based research to guide him, especially with vaccines. His focus on eradicating ingredients that could be harmful, and/or are designed to stimulate appetite and increase consumption is highly commendable and well overdue.
For those who haven't read it, there is a very interesting and enlightening book about some of this:
The Dorito Effect — Mark Schatzker
The End of Craving, a book about why we eat more but enjoy less by Mark Schatzker
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
Ahhhh.
Therefore, you definitely should read that book. It's eye-opening to say the least.
Hawkboys
Well-Known Member
Do you know how much inflation would exist for food if all vegetables were organically grown? We'd only be able to produce about a 1/3 of supply for the US and about 1/8 globally.
I'm not saying we should ignore the effects of the chemicals but with growing populations, pests adapting and climate change, farming can't keep up without them.
thedukeofearl
Well-Known Member
Chee-zit Grooves have been in first place ever since I spied them on the shelf at Hy-Vee
These gems are addictive
Literally can't stop munching on them
Might eat a box watching the Men's Basketball Game tonite
DVRing the game, Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul starts at 7 on Netflix and should be over quickly
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thedukeofearl
Well-Known Member
Smallpox was, but the ones listed were not. In fact, measles is on the rise right now due to lack of vaccinations in some areas and travel, leading to increased exposure.
The vaccine question will always be controversial, especially the mandatory nature of some. It is a classic example of balancing personal liberties with public safety. If the MMR vaccine becomes optional for children, you can bet with confidence that there will be a dramatic increase in illnesses.
I have significant reservations regarding RFK Jr, but I don't doubt his passion and commitment. I just hope that he can put aside his strong personal beliefs and utilize evidence-based research to guide him, especially with vaccines. His focus on eradicating ingredients that could be harmful, and/or are designed to stimulate appetite and increase consumption is highly commendable and well overdue.
For those who haven't read it, there is a very interesting and enlightening book about some of this:
The Dorito Effect — Mark Schatzker
The End of Craving, a book about why we eat more but enjoy less by Mark Schatzker
The vaccinations worked well for me and everyone I knew
Ever since the vaccinations started way back then, nobody I knew had a case of Polio, Measles or Chickenpox
This was back in the Fifties and they seemed to have worked well ever since then
If measles is/are returning one would think parents would find a vaccination somewhere
Brain worms are a bit bothersome
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Glass1/2fullguy
Well-Known Member
It's a challenge. So is the rising cost of health care. We just had open enrollment at my place of employment and our premiums went up 10%. The increase in chronic diseases in the U.S. is out of control. Leading to more doctor visits, leading to more prescription drugs, leading to increased health care costs for all. It's not about how do we improve our healthcare system and healthcare for all. It's about how do we address and work to decrease the chronic diseases which are overtaking and killing our population. I don't know how to solve the problem but i'm on board w/ experts who are willing to take it on. RFK is not an expert but i feel very strongly he will put the right experts in the right positions to try and solve this problem. I hope he reaches out to casey means and hires her in some capacity to help with the mission.
Westernhawk
Well-Known Member
Hopefully RFK will do some reasonable things with his new position. I have serious doubts, but I hope he does.
Lifestyle choices (diet and exercise) are critically important. Now, how will he get a massive agri-business/food industry and American culture to change? That's a great question. For many decades, agri-business has been able to market any kind of product they want, and we gobble it all down.
We are obese, hypertensive, and suffer from hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia. All of this makes us die prematurely from cardiovascular disease and cancer related to our sedentary lifestyle and metabolic syndrome. We should be worrying about total calories, saturated fat, sugar, and the like. The chemicals (pesticides) may also be harmful but the main driver is the actual food we eat. That, and our sedentary lifestyle.
How does RFK propose to change these business and cultural factors? Michelle Obama was skewered by the media when she talked about kids eating healthier school lunches. Will these same folks embrace a similar message, given the fact that it's a different messenger?
Will RFK seek to use government mandates to make changes to the food supply? That seems unlikely to come from a party that loathes excessive regulation. I think more rules around what goes into food make sense, but this seems like upside-down world for the right wing to apply more regulation to huge agribusinesses.
Will education work? I dunno. It hasn't so far.
I do think that health care financing is an area that is ripe for improvement. Incentives for providers (not to mention patients) are misaligned. Providers should get more money to keep people healthy, not to do heart surgeries. We will still need heart surgery, of course, but there are no real incentives to reward providers for fantastic primary care (although there is some work on value based care/ value based contracting). I personally would love to see patients (the public) financially incentivized more for healthy choices and healthy outcomes, but I don't think that will happen.
How do we get out of this mess? I sure don't know. I think culture trumps everything, and our culture loves meat, sugar, and alcohol (myself included).
I also just hope RFK doesn't make all vaccines voluntary. That's a poor public health decision. I agree with you, in that I hope he listens to actual public health experts and researchers, as most of them will be very much against this sort of thing.
I really appreciate these kinds of discussions, which are different than the left and right just yelling at each other.
I HOPE good things happen. What I think will happen is a bunch of weird people who have no knowledge will be making huge decisions about our health care system. I just hope those in charge listen to the smart people.
Glass1/2fullguy
Well-Known Member
Casey Means lays out a lot of items she hopes the new administration pushes when it comes to improving the health of our population. Note she wrote this prior to the election.
www.caseymeans.com
Newsletter #35: My health wishlist for the next Administration — Casey Means MD
More than anything, I would like to see our future White House rally Americans to be healthy and fit. We need inspirational national leaders helping to inspire people to care about their health, the food they eat, and their fitness. We also need leaders who understand the relationship between human
www.caseymeans.com
Westernhawk
Well-Known Member
I agree with several of these points, and understand the health care system better than 99% of people.Casey Means lays out a lot of items she hopes the new administration pushes when it comes to improving the health of our population. Note she wrote this prior to the election.
Newsletter #35: My health wishlist for the next Administration — Casey Means MD
More than anything, I would like to see our future White House rally Americans to be healthy and fit. We need inspirational national leaders helping to inspire people to care about their health, the food they eat, and their fitness. We also need leaders who understand the relationship between human
Having said that, some of her stuff is a little out there, and she has a profit motive for her businesses (as does her brother). She's also selling products and books.
I agree it's tough to blindly believe anyone who stands to gain money off what they say. Which parts of what she says do you think are out there?
Glass1/2fullguy
Well-Known Member
No shit. Is the purpose of the business you either work for, worked for, or operate(d) in the business to make a profit??
Westernhawk
Well-Known Member
Let me clarify if for you. People who can inform policy decisions who also have a vested interest (financially) in those decisions, need to have a high level of scrutiny. No shit.
I find it comical that folks are jumping on RFK's bandwagon, saying the entire research and medical establishments are corrupt. When there is only one answer for all of your health issues , you should be suspicious.
This doctor has a lot of good points, but she and her husband are selling books and nutrition products. They have bias. That's fine, but when these folks get to contribute to policy formation or direction, I'd advise some caution.
One of her points that piques my interest (and again, I agree with many of her positions), is the strong desire to "study the cumulative effects of vaccines". This is a political point, and to date, there is no compelling evidence that there is any cumulative effect. I think it's fine that they study this, but this is inherently political, as they are looking for a solution to a problem that doesn't clearly exist. Contrast that with the public health emergency of gun violence. The federal government isn't even ALLOWED to study that, for political reasons dictated by congress. And yet, around 46,000 Americans die from gun violence each year. Just giving you two examples of perceived and real public health issues.
Caveat: America's health system is broken, people have terrible diets and are sedentary. I agree with many points she makes as I said earlier.
Let's check back in four years to see if RFK, Dr. Oz, and their ilk make one bit of positive difference. I doubt it. Many of these people are charlatans trying to further enrich themselves (RFK, Dr. Oz, Trump, etc). I don't know if it's fair to throw Dr. Means into that group of clowns, but she's "adjacent."
Perhaps my reasoning seems spurious to you, so I'll leave you with what the criticisms of Dr. Means have been, according to generative AI search:
Criticisms of Dr. Casey Means, particularly regarding her views on nutrition and health, often focus on her tendency to make sweeping generalizations about the medical establishment, promoting unproven or exaggerated claims about specific foods and supplements, and sometimes presenting information that contradicts established scientific consensus, particularly when it comes to dietary guidelines and the role of processed foods in health issues.
One thing that's crazy about not studying gun violence is they don't even look into a connection with medication. I'm not saying there is one. But we've had guns for the entire history of this country and something clearly changed fairly recently. Instead of doing something productive like find out what that new variable is, they all just bicker back and forth about whether or not people should be allowed to have guns. It's ridiculous.
Westernhawk
Well-Known Member
Agree. I wish this was an area that our politicians would allow NIH to study, but they can't currently, for political reasons.
I'd like to point out that we agree on something!!
