Here’s this week’s compendium – again with a strong health/medical slant. This week…
1. more evidence confirmed the major health benefits of walking [1a, 1b]. Walking less increases obesity. Big time. And thus diabetes.
2. speaking of diabetes, its control was improved when unstable diabetics were buddied up with other unstable diabetics [2]. Doesn’t surprise me. Humans are herd animals.
3. treehugger ran a piece about seed sprouting; and sprouters [3]. It’s good the two spruiked sprouters are glass and not plastic, eh darling Meg.
4. in the USA, the FDA approved Botox to prevent frequent migraine [4a, 4b]. Those treated will feel better. And they’ll look better too – or not.
5. JAMA reported a randomised controlled trial of 17,000 postmenopausal women showing those taking hormone replacement therapy had 25% higher breast cancer incidence and 300% higher breast cancer mortality than those taking placebo [5]. Hippocrates said: ‘Primum non nocere’, i.e. first, do no harm.
6. the Herald Sun revealed Victoria has about 800 publicly-paid spin doctors, i.e. more than the total number of MICA paramedics, orthopaedic surgeons and forensic police [6]. Ho hum.
7. Grammar Girl explained that as a noun, it’s blonde for women and blond for men. But adjectivally, it’s blond for women and men [7]. I didn’t know this – until now.
8. on our farm, the baby lambs and kids have started arriving [8]. So far, including two sets of triplets – one of lambs, one of kids.
Finally, I wish you, dear Farmdoc’s Blog readers, a wonderful week.
